05 Days Aberdares, Lake Elementaita & Maasai Mara Wildlife Experience

OVERVIEW

Aberdare provides a habitat for elephants, black rhinos, leopards, spotted hyenas, olive baboons, black and white Colobus monkeys, buffalos, warthogs and bushbucks among others. Located between Lake Naivasha and Nakuru, Lake Elementaita is one of the lakes of the Great Rift Valley in Kenya, as it is the breeding and feeding ground for many threatened bird species. Masai Mara is a popular destination for wildebeest migration.

DETAILED ITINERARY

DAY 1: NAIROBI – ABERDARES.

You will depart Nairobi at 0800hrs to cross the Kenyan Highlands, through pineapple and coffee plantations. You will pass through the industrial town of Thika and the intensely cultivated farms of the central Kenya. Arrive in time for lunch at the Lodge with observation lounges for bird watching and overnight floodlit game viewing over a glade waterhole and salt lick.

Dinner and Overnight at The Ark Lodge.

DAY 2 ABERDARE – LAKE ELEMENTAITA

Depart from Aberdare to Lake Elementaita with packed lunch. The waters here are often colored sparkling flamingo pink, from thousands of the attractive birds lining its shores. Arrive late afternoon in time for a short rest followed by evening sundowners by the lake.

Dinner and Overnight at Jacaranda Lake Elementaita Lodge

DAY 3: LAKE ELEMENTAITA – MASAI MARA

Depart from Lake Elementaita after breakfast and drive south via Narok to the Mara reserve, you will have a game drive en route to the luxurious tented camp upon arrival in the Reserve. Arrive in time for lunch. The rest of the afternoons at leisure and in the early evening embark on a game drive to get a closer look at the Mara. Masai Mara has incredible wide-open landscapes, and fertile riverine woodland following the looping meanders of the Mara and Talek rivers. Wherever you go in the Mara you will see a frequent amount of wildlife such as Masai giraffe, baboons, warthogs, bat eared foxes, grey jackals, spotted hyena, topis, impala, hartebeests, wildebeest. Elephants, buffaloes, zebras and hippos also exist in great numbers.  It is also common to see lions either basking after a heavy meal, or surveying the plains for their next meal. Cheetahs and leopards are harder to spot but are still reasonably common. The ultimate action here is without doubt the annual wildebeest exodus in July and August when millions of these grass eaters move north from the Serengeti in search of lusher grass before turning south again in October.

Dinner and Overnight at Mara Sopa Lodge

DAY 4: MASAI MARA FULL DAY

A very early morning game drive in the Masai Mara – the ideal time to see game as temperatures are cooler and hopefully lion, cheetah and leopard will be roaming the vast grasslands in search of prey. Return to the lodge for breakfast. The rest of the morning at leisure or partake in optional activities, a visit to Masai village to see their nomadic life this at extra cost.  After lunch, enjoy an afternoon game drive to get a closer look at the Mara and to look out for the ‘Big 5 ‘. Return to the lodge for dinner.

Dinner and Overnight at Mara Sopa Lodge

Optional Balloon Safari (additional cost)

A well worth it and recommended activity in the Masai Mara National Reserve is the balloon safari early in the morning; you will be woken and driven to the departure site. Once in the air, the view of the surrounding landscape, the rising of the sun between the mountains and the congregation of the animals at the river is beautiful. This all concludes with a champagne breakfast and memories of a lifetime.

 DAY 5: MASAI MARA – NAIROBI

Leave for an early morning game drive that promises to be thrilling. Return to the lodge for breakfast. Checkout and leave for Nairobi.  Arrive Nairobi approx. 1500 hrs.

Includes:

• Accommodation in standard rooms.
• Meals as specified in the itinerary.
• Private transportation in a pop-up roof minivan ideal for game viewing and photography.
• Services of a professional English-speaking driver/guide.
• Park entrance fees for vehicle, driver and yourselves.
• Mineral water while on your safari (2 bottles per person per day)

Excludes:

• Extra meals
• Easter & Christmas Supplements
• Items of personal nature & telephone calls.
• Return international flights
• Activities such as visits to Masai cultural villages (Manyatta) e.t.c in Mara