Kenya Cultural Extravaganza

Nairobi – Lake Naivasha –Lake Nakuru – Maasai Mara – Mount Kenya Forest –Sweetwaters –Samburu –Nairobi.

(11 DAYS/10 NIGHTS)

DAY 1: Nairobi – Lake Naivasha

We depart Nairobi shortly after an English breakfast for Lake Naivasha passing through the magnificent Great Rift Valley to arrive in Lake Naivasha for a succulent lunch.

After lunch we undertake a boat ride on the lake we then disembark on Crescent Island which is a private sanctuary for walk on foot among zebra, wildebeest, gazelle and Giraffes with dinner and overnight stay at a lodge in Lake Naivasha.

DAY 2: Lake Nakuru –Lake Naivasha

Shortly after breakfast we depart Lake Naivasha for Lake Nakuru arriving on time for a mouth-watering lunch.  After lunch a special excursion will be undertaken to Hyrax Hills an archaeological site with a wealth of ancient discoveries which gets us much closer to the very first origin of mankind.

Take a walk around this historic site that is full of pre-historic caves and old tools used by early man and the warden will also enlighten you about these findings and the general history of the place and the local people living in the area.  Thereafter proceed for an exciting game drive at Lake Nakuru and is Kenya’s most famous soda lakes and its World renowned as the home for millions of Flamingos.

A Rhino Sanctuary also provides the opportunity to see the greatly endangered black rhino and thereafter return back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 3:  Lake Nakuru National Park

Spend the entire day undertaking exciting game drives in this park and later return back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 4: Lake Nakuru – Maasai Mara Game Reserve

After breakfast depart for the World famous Maasai Mara Game Reserve and this national game reserve is home to the awesome black-maned lion, the elusive leopard, giraffe, elephants, rhino,zebra, migrating wildebeest and a host of other plains game. On arrival you will have lunch and thereafter undertake thrilling game drives and later return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 5: Maasai Mara Game Reserve

Pre-breakfast morning game drive and later return back to the lodge for breakfast and thereafter undertake more game drives in search if the big cats. Return back to the lodge for a super lunch and thereafter visit a traditional Maasai Manyatta (off the beaten track) and experience the culture of this World famous community.

The Maasai still live as they did for centuries –interact with these nomadic people and experience their way of life as you learn about their customs and traditions. Proceed with thrilling afternoon game drives as you return back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 6: Maasai Mara Game Reserve

Full day is spent in Maasai Mara experiencing the vast savannah plains and searching for the elusive leopard or the lion kill and witnessing the enormous numbers of wild game in these World famous national reserve and later return back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 7: Maasai Mara Game Reserve – Mount Kenya Forest

Shortly after breakfast depart through magnificent landscape to Mount Kenya Forest with an exciting stop-over at Thompsons Falls and then proceed on to Mountain Lodge, perched 7000ft into the slopes of Mount Kenya the snow-covered second highest mountain in Africa.  After lunch undertake a guided walk along the slopes of the mountain learning about the traditions and customs of the Kikuyu community –Kenyans largest tribe.

During your walk you may encounter an occasional buffalo, a herd of elephants, a bush baby, beautiful colobus monkey whilst you understand the spiritual significance of this majestic mountain which according to Gikuyu folklore is home to Ngai (God) and Mumbi from which the nine clans are derived from.A sumptuous  dinner and a cool overnight stay at the terriffic Mountain Lodge and after dinner you may relax in the lounge by the fireplace or watch the animals from the balcony overlooking the well-lit waterhole and saltlick as they come to drink water or take their daily diet of salt with a chance of spotting animals like the waterbucks, warthogs, elephants, buffaloes and others.

N.B – Dress Code (A warm sweater/jacket is highly recommended)

DAY 8:  Mount Kenya Forest – Sweetwaters

After breakfast depart for an African traditional clinic in Nyeri town and this is an exciting experience as you will witness how the traditional medicines have been revolutionalised for day to day use by the local people.

Join one of the traditional doctors in a short tour to the sacred forest where he collects his natural medicinal herbs and the Kikuyu people used to pray facing this mountain (the second highest mountain in Africa) and they consider it and the environs a sacred place.  It is from this forest which is undisturbed and at peace with nature that traditional doctors come to collect herbs for their traditional medicines.

Participate in this exciting and educative exercise and listen in utter disbelieve as you get mesmerized by this experts in traditional African medicine as they pour a lecture to you on the medicinal values of each of the species collected and basically how they transform them to traditional medicine.

Thereafter proceed to Nanyuki en-route to Sweetwaters Tented Camp with a brief stop at the Equator where you may do a simple water test to ascertain the magnetic effect on the northern and southern sphere.  Proceed on to Nanyuki and arrive on time for lunch and shortly after lunch undertake a game drive with an interesting visit to the Chimpanzee Sanctuary (the only chimp sanctuary in Kenya) taking a short boat ride along Ewaso Nyiro River to see these terrific creatures.  Thereafter proceed with a game drive in search of the Big Cats and later return back to the luxury tented camp for dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 9: Sweetwaters – Samburu Game Reserve

Your safari continues as you head north past snow-capped Mount Kenya to Shaba Game Reserve in search of the reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, Grevy zebra and a host of birds and the Samburu people. Dinner and overnight at your luxury tented lodge in Samburu

DAY 10:  Samburu Game Reserve

Full morning game drives will provide you with ample opportunities to capture the essence of the African Semi Desert and accord you the afternoon ample time to relax by the swimming pool.  You will also have an opportunity to learn from the Samburu people of their culture and beliefs and get entertained by Samburu traditional dancers.  Dinner and overnight at your luxury tented lodge in Samburu.

DAY 11: Samburu Game Reserve – Nairobi

After a terrific safari,a rewarding cultural experience in the African Semi-Desert it is sad you must say Adios as we depart for Nairobi to arrive for  a mouth-watering lunch and check-in for a day room to relax and refresh. Later in the evening we will proceed to the famous Carnivore Restaurant for a succulent dinner before proceeding to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your onward flight.