ARRIVE NAIROBI

Nairobi is Kenya's principal economic, administrative, and cultural center and is one of the largest and fastest growing cities in Africa. On arrival in Nairobi (meaning 'place of cool waters' in the Masai language), you are met and escorted to your hotel. Rest of your day is at leisure. HOTEL INTERCONTINENTAL

NAIROBI / MASAI MARA NATIONAL GAME RESERVE

Depart after breakfast, for Kenya's most famed game reserve, the Maasai Mara, where red ochre clad tribesmen still live as they did before civilization. There is nothing quite like the experience of adventure in Kenya's Masai Mara. Afternoon proceed on a game viewing drive in search of the 'big five'. MARA SOPA LODGE. BLD

MAASAI MARA

Experience breathtaking vistas overlooking rolling Savannah's, acacia woodlands teeming with large concentrations of wildebeest, zebra and antelope, always on move in search of better grazing. Your morning and afternoon game viewing drives also include a visit to the Mara River to view the large population of hippo and crocodiles. BLD
OPTIONAL : early morning balloon ride & champagne bush breakfast.

KIGIO WILDLIFE CONSERVANCY & LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK

After breakfast, travel past the Aberdares mountain range, the Nyahururu waterfalls to the floor of the Great Rift Valley & lake Nakuru National Park. Lake Nakuru is famous for millions of pink flamingos and a myriad of birds that make this saline lake their home. A rhino sanctuary has also been established that is now home to both black as well as white rhino and a sizeable population of the most elusive of the cats. KIGIO WILDLIFE LODGE / L.NAIVASHA SOPA. BLD

AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK

After breakfast, drive to Nairobi for lunch at a local restaurant. Afternoon proceed to the Amboseli National Park, lying below the most famous symbol of Africa, Mt Kilimanjaro. Afternoon game drive en route to your lodge. AMBOSELI SOPA LODGE. BLD

AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK

Amboseli National Park, at the foot of Africa's highest mountain, 5895m Kilimanjaro, is one of the most popular of Kenya's national parks. The snowcapped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro rising above a saucer of clouds dominates every aspect of Amboseli. Despite its small size and its fragile ecosystem it supports a wide range of mammals (well over 50 of the larger species) and birds (over 400 species). Morning and afternoon game drives in the park.BLD

AMBOSELI / NGORONGORO CRATER

After breakfast cross the border over to Tanzania & drive to Arusha for lunch. Later you will ascend through the highlands to the very rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, the largest unbroken caldera in the world. The crater is a microcosm of the East African scenery and game. Famous around the globe as an echo of Eden, it is a 12-mile wide volcanic crater, ringed with towering walls and sheltering forests, grasslands, fresh springs, a large lake, and a dazzling abundance of animals of all sorts. The sunken cone of the extinct volcano serves as a natural cradle for the wildlife, which remains in the vicinity year-round. The view from the lodge, located atop the crater rim, is magnificent. NGORONGORO SOPA LODGE. BLD

NGORONGORO CRATER GAME VIEWING

Descending nearly 2,000 feet to the crater floor of this World Heritage Site, you will discover the open grassy plains is home to swarms of exotic animals, including the 'big five.' One of the most spectacular game-viewing areas in the African wild, the Ngorongoro is often dubbed the Eighth Wonder of the World! There are 25,000 larger animals within the crater itself, mostly Zebra, wildebeest, leopard, cheetah, hyena, elephants, warthog, impala, buffalo, hartebeest, and eland. This is undoubtedly the best place to see the black rhino in Tanzania as well as prides of lion that include the magnificent black-maned males. There are lots of colorful flamingoes and a variety of other water birds around the Soda Lake on the crater floor. Return to the Lodge for lunch, rest of the afternoon is at leisure. BLD

NGORONGORO / SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK

Travel to the Serengeti National Park, the finest game park in all of Africa. In the Masai language Serengeti means "endless plain," and the 5700 sq. miles of parkland in Northern Tanzania do indeed seem infinite. Upon these grasslands roam more game animals than anywhere in the world. There are over a million wildebeest alone. SERENGETI SOPA LODGE. BLD

SERENGETI GAME VIEWING

Virtually every game species in Africa can be found here, but it is most famous for its vast herds of wildebeest, zebra and antelope, as well as "the Serengeti Lions". Marvel at the stunning landscapes and wide variety of environments found in the Serengeti. Spend your morning along the river searching for leopard hiding in the branches of trees and the afternoon out on the plains, among the vast herds of migratory animals. Explore the rocky kopjes, to spot lion or cheetah resting in the shade or preparing for the evening hunt. BLD
OPTIONAL : A fabulous balloon safari over the Serengeti is also available.

TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK

Following breakfast, depart for Tarangire National Park symbolized by the Baobab trees, growing in the open acacia woodlands. Centered around the Tarangire River, the park is home to large herds of antelope including : eland, lesser kudu, Kongoni, impala, Zebra, gazelles, buffalo, wildebeest, leopard, elephant, rhino and other smaller mammals. Game drive enroute, Lunch at Lake Manyara & continue game viewing at Tarangire. TARANGIRE SOPA LODGE. BLD

ARRIVE HOME

Arrive home today. Remember you may leave Africa but Africa will never leave you. It lives in your memory and the knowledge gained through your sojourn of the East African Safari. (Or take an extension to Kenya, Zanzibar etc.)