Depart from your gateway city on an overnight flight to Nairobi, the capital and largest city of Kenya.
JAMBO - KARIBU! (Welcome!) Upon arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you will be met by a Mayflower Cruises & Tours representative who will provide a warm welcome and assist with your transfer to
the hotel.
After a leisurely breakfast, your African adventure begins! During a heart-warming visit to the Elephant Orphanage, learn how it has played a significant role in Kenya’s conservation efforts. Meet some of the adorable baby elephants they have saved and are raising. Maybe on your next trip to Kenya you’ll run into them on your safaris, after they’ve been re-integrated into the wild! Say goodbye to the elephants and journey to the Karen Blixen Museum, originally home to Karen Blixen of ‘Out of Africa’ fame. As you walk through the house, see authentic memorabilia, furnishings and costumes worn in the movie. After an included lunch on the museum grounds, get ready for more animal adventures as you visit the Giraffe Center. Get up close to the endangered Rothschild Giraffe at this natural sanctuary. Take the opportunity to feed them, and perhaps receive a kiss in return! Tonight is a special treat as you are warmly welcomed in the Manji family home. Experience local culture and the hospitality of this wonderful family, founders and operators of the Manji Foundation*, as they host dinner, share experiences of life in East Africa and get to know you. Meals: B, L, D
As you board the safari land cruiser and depart Nairobi, journey through the rich agricultural landscape, passing small farms, coffee and pineapple plantations en-route to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Located between the foothills of the Aberdares and the magnificent, snow-capped Mount Kenya, the Conservancy offers excellent game-viewing. Following lunch at the tent camp and time to relax, the first game-viewing drive will take place. Keep an eye out as your safari guide searches for the “Big Five” – lion, elephant, Cape buffalo, leopard and the black rhino. You may even spot the endangered white rhino as two of the world’s last remaining northern white rhino make this sanctuary their home. After the thrill of your first game-viewing drive, return to the camp for dinner and relaxation. Meals: B, L, D
Enjoy a full day exploring exotic Sweetwaters Sanctuary. The camp overlooks one of the busiest waterholes in the area and offers an astounding variety of animals. In addition to the big cats, there is an abundance of plains game, and you may see wild dogs and other endangered species including the Beisa oryx, Jackson’s hartebeest and Grevy’s zebra. Don’t miss the chimpanzees! This sanctuary was established to rehabilitate these animals rescued from the black market and is the only place in Kenya to see them.
Meals: B, L, D
An early morning game-viewing drive starts the day, followed by breakfast back at the camp before starting your next adventure. Depart the Conservancy and drive towards the Great Rift Valley where a brief stop is made at the equator-crossing point. Snap photos of the signage indicating the crossing and experience the effects of the magnetic fields while being at the center of the Earth! Arrive in Lake Naivasha in time for lunch before this afternoon’s included boat ride. Cruise along the tranquil waters of this fresh-water lake in the heart of the Great Rift Valley. Relish in the surrounding sights and sounds of the native wildlife. Beautiful birds along the banks, in the trees, and soaring above; lazy hippos yawning as they emerge from the water; African Fish Eagles swoop down to snatch a fish from the lake for dinner…it all awaits! Check in to the lodge and enjoy a relaxing evening. Meals: B, L, D
After breakfast, it’s time to journey to the final destination, Kenya’s famous Masai Mara Game Reserve. Venture through the Great Rift Valley to the northern-most extension of the Serengeti Plains, and one of the richest wildlife game reserves in the country. Upon arrival, enjoy lunch at the camp before the afternoon game-viewing drive. With rolling plains and grasslands stretching as far as the eye can see, the Masai Mara is home to the black-maned lion, Savannah (African) elephant, Cape buffalo, wildebeests, hyena, black rhino, topi, Burchelle’s zebra, Masai giraffe and the elusive leopard. Meals: B, L, D
If you choose, start the day with an optional sunrise hot-air balloon ride (weather permitting). After an early breakfast, depart on a full-day adventure on the Masai Mara Game Reserve as you continue to search for the “Big Five”, waterbucks, warthogs, Thompson & Grant’s gazelles, impalas, cheetah and more. In the afternoon, visit a traditional Maasai manyatta (village) and experience the culture of this world-famous community where the Maasai still live as they have for centuries. Interact with these nomadic people and experience their way of life. Return to the camp for your final dinner and overnight. Meals: B, L, D
Your African adventure comes to an end as you say goodbye to the staff at the camp and travel back to Nairobi. Lunch is included at a local restaurant before arriving at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your flight home. Flights should depart after 6:00pm. Depart the African continent with memories and photographs of your special moments and unforgettable experiences. Meals: B, L
