Safari Rasharasha

Dia 1

Sunday: Nairobi - Samburu
Collected at 07:00 hrs from the Airport/Nairobi hotel and depart for Samburu National Reserve, driving North, Past Nanyuki (where you cross the Equator and possibly make a stop for a brief demonstration of Coriolis Effect). Continue further north, past Isiolo, the gateway to the northern frontier Parks of Samburu/Buffalo and Shaba. Arrive at your lodge in time for lunch. Late afternoon game viewing drive in the Buffalo Springs/Samburu National Reserves – hopefully an opportunity to see all the Special five of this spectacular area! Return to the lodge at sunset, for dinner and overnight at lodge.

Samburu, Buffalo Springs and Shaba National Reserves
The sharp contrast of colors is the most remarkable feature of the trio of the Samburu, Shaba and Buffalo Springs National Reserves. The hazy blues of the surrounding hills and an infinite sky, the chocolate brown of the Uaso Nyiro River, the white dusty soils, interspaced with the vivid greens of semi-desert vegetation and the prehistoric looking Doum Palm-the only palm tree which has branches, scattered amongst the granite boulders and ancient black lava flows, found in the Shaba Reserve. The region's animal life also pays tribute to the artist's palette, with curious blue-legged Somali ostriches, chestnut coloured reticulated giraffes, black and white Grevy's zebras, Gerenuk gazelles, and the grey-green Nile Crocodiles which inhabit the Uaso Nyiro River which flows through Shaba and Samburu. Samburu is often considered the country's best leopard-viewing area, and sightings of prides of lions, cheetah, monolithic herds of elephants and buffalos in all the reserves is practically guaranteed. The birdlife in this area, ranging from the Sand Grouse to the multicolored kingfishers and spectacular eagles and falcons is striking for its diversity, as for its colorfulness.

Dia 2

Monday: Samburu - Aberdare
After breakfast, enjoy a brief game drive to capture the magical beauty of Northern Kenya. Thereafter retrace your steps and drive towards Mweiga situated in the Central Highlands of Kenya. Arrive in time for lunch at the Aberdare Country Club. Afternoon transfer to The Ark Lodge (in Club vehicles) for an evening an evening and night of game viewing from the Lodge precincts. Dinner and overnight at lodge.
Note: Please note that for the night at the lodge you must carry only a backpack with your essential personal items due to limitation of space the rest of the luggage will left at the base hotel Aberdare Country Club.

Boasting a large number of elephants as well as black rhinos, Aberdare National Park lures those who want more than just a safari. With dense forests, 300 meter-high waterfalls and amazing hikes, this park is as much about the flora as it is the fauna. The Kikuyu name for the mountains is Nyandarua (drying hide), due to its distinctive outline.
It is a 492 sqKm fairy tale paradise of dense highland forest and misty spaces of Afro-alpine moorland, deep gorges and ravines where icy rivers plunge in glorious cascades and waterfalls such as the Gura (791ft) or Karura Falls (894ft).
The Salient, stretching out towards the nearby town of Nyeri, was once an elephant migration route. These great animals remain within the park together with buffalo, a wide variety of antelope, giant forest hog, the elusive bongo antelope, black rhino, lions, leopards and hyenas. Encountering a group of elephants at a narrow bend in the road, in the middle of this thick luxuriant vegetation is a completely new sensation.
At 2000m, forest gives way to dense clusters of bamboo. At 3500m, the vegetation is already scarce and is mostly composed of tracts of heather. Here, Giant Lobelias and Giant Senecio, which grow to heights of 5m, flourish. The highest point is Ol Doinyo Lesatima, at 3999m. The region has three distinctive vegetation zones: thick highland forest, bamboo forest and Afro-alpine moorland. A visit to either of these areas provides a bird-watching opportunity of no less than 13 species of sunbirds; including the northern double-collared, golden-winged, tacazze, green-headed, variable and scarlet-tufted malachite, along with the larger birds of prey such as the Mountain Buzzard and African Goshawk.

Dia 3

Tuesday: Aberdare - Lake Nakuru
After breakfast at the Ark, return transfer to the Aberdare Country Club, to re-join your Safari driver/guide and depart for Lake Nakuru National Park, with a brief visit/stop at Thompson Falls in Nyahururu. A scenic drive and dramatic descent down the Great Rift Valley Escarpment to the Rift Valley floor, to Nakuru Town and onwards to Lake Nakuru National Park. Arrive at your lodge in time for lunch. Late afternoon game drive at the Park, where you are almost guaranteed of sighting white rhinos and the African Buffalos! Dinner and overnight at lodge.

Lake Nakuru is among Kenya's finest national parks. Flanked by rocky escarpments, patches of acacia forest and at least one waterfall, the park is often described as an ornithologist's paradise.
It was once christened the 'Pink Lake', due to the over 1 Million Lesser flamingos that resided on the shores of the shallow, alkaline lake. But the rising water levels in 2014 forced the flamingos to flee (although they are slowly returning). Hundreds of other water birds, including pelicans, marabou storks, seagulls, avocets, plovers and stilts can also be found at the lake itself, while the acacia trees and rocky cliffs of the park house Verreaux's eagles, splendid fish eagles, vultures and wood hoopoes.
The parklands are filled with numerous buffaloes, waterbuck, gazelles and impalas, while the majestic and rare Rothschild giraffes roam the riverine forest of acacias, occasionally walking across the open plains. Lions, leopards, hyenas and jackals are commonly sighted, as are the black and white rhinos, who have found refuge in Kenya's prime rhino sanctuary.

Dia 4

Wednesday: Lake Nakuru - Masai Mara
After breakfast, (at 07:30 hrs) depart for the world famous Maasai Mara National Reserve, driving along the Rift Valley floor, past lakes Elementaita and Naivasha, via Mai Mahiu Town, where you turn left towards the Maasai Mara – going past Narok Town (the Maasai Capital).
Arrive at the lodge in time for lunch. Afternoon game viewing drive (at 16:00 hrs) in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, generally acclaimed as the finest game viewing area in the world!
Return to the lodge at sunset, for dinner and overnight at lodge.

Offering superb plains scenery, unmatched safari activities and diverse wildlife, Masai Mara National Reserve is considered Kenya's best park and one of Africa's highest wildlife density region for predators. The reserve covers 583 square miles (1510 square kilometres) of outstanding wilderness in South West Kenya.
The location, wildlife, activities and comfortable moderate climate puts Mara at the top of the list, even for the most discerning traveller to Kenya. When the public reserve was first established, it covered 645 square miles (1672 square kilometres). Strategically, the size of the reserve was later reduced in 1984 to accommodate Maasai cattle grazing on their ancestral lands. Although the decrease in land area may be considered a let-down for wildlife conservation and protection at its infancy, the animals and habitats of the reserve found new allies to ensure their survival for generations to come. Many private conservancies have been introduced to protect the land that surrounds the reserve, thereby providing more area for wildlife. The lands not only protect habitats for resident species, but also preserve a critical part of the route used by wildebeests and zebras during the Great Migration that traverses the Masai Mara via the Serengeti National Park. Recognized as one of the most spectacular wildlife events on the planet, the migration is a continuous route that is followed by an over 1.5 million wildebeests and thousands of zebras, gazelles and elands. In their never-ending pursuit for the finest grazing and watering grounds, the gnu relocate on an almost constant basis. The perseverance of these wildebeests is demonstrated in their ability to mate while on the move, and many cows are pregnant during part of the migration. Additionally, even the youngest wildebeest calves are expected to keep up with the herd. Standing and walking within minutes are critical to its survival.

Dia 5

Thursday: Maasai Mara
Morning and afternoon game viewing drives in the extensive Maasai Mara Game Reserve, if lucky, opportunity to see the big five in one day!!!
In consultation with your drivers / guides, there is an option of a full day game viewing drive with packed lunches, this allows you time to explore greater areas of the reserve uninterrupted by journeying back to the lodge for lunch. All meals and overnight at lodge.

The migrators of Masai Mara National Reserve are present from approximately late June – early August until end of October – early November. But the Mara offers year-round game viewing. The reserve and surrounding conservancies offer diverse resident species experiences. Frequently to be seen are impalas, topis, giraffes, elephants, zebras, buffalos, warthogs and other grazing herbivores. With so many prey animals, Masai Mara is a veritable bonanza for large predators, such as lions, cheetahs, leopards, crocodiles and other stealthy, powerful hunters. The abundance of terrestrial animals is enhanced by the presence of more than 450-winged species, including 57 birds of prey. Masai Mara Game Reserve offers varied tour activities to explore the plains landscape and see incredible animal behaviours. The adjoining conservancies offer distinct activities that are not allowed in the reserve. Game drives in the reserve are perfect for those who seek to be immersed in Kenya's bush country and see larger animals.
For guests interested in observing the nocturnal animals, these are available in the form of night game drives in some of adjoining private conservancies. The Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is recognized for an enormous diversity of flora and fauna, and some small details are missed during game drives. Most conservancies offer bush walks for an intimate look at the micro-ecosystems of the area. To complement these walks or a general visit to the Mara, a balloon safari experience, for a bird's-eye view of the area, is a memorable experience.
Lastly, the Maasai community is key to the advancement of wildlife management in the area. It is hence recommended for one to take time learning more about these noble people by visiting one of their villages for a life-changing cultural experience in. understanding their modest and simple lives.

Dia 6

Friday: Maasai Mara - Lake Naivasha
Breakfast at the lodge. Depart for Lake Naivasha to arrive in time for lunch. In the afternoon, depart for the shores of the Lake, for an Hour's Boat ride, to enjoy the expansive bird life as well as numerous hippo families that reside within and around the Lake. Dinner and overnight.
Note: Depending on the day's weather the boat ride could be undertaken before lunch if bad weather / rains are forecasted in the afternoon.

Resting at an elevation of 1890 meters is the serene freshwater Lake Naivasha, a superb oasis for a safari holiday. Just beyond its shores are papyrus swamps, acacia woodlands, forests and unique geologic features that are remnants of the area's volcanic past. The nutrient-rich soil is fertilized by an abundance of water, including the Gilgil and Malewa Rivers, to create an ecosystem that is known around the world for a diverse avian presence, as well as terrestrial game animals. Lake Naivasha is a RAMSAR site, a designation that reflects the ecological importance of the wetlands around the lake. More than 450 distinct birdlife species have been identified, and the resident avi-fauna are joined by migratory species from October to March. The lake, high cliffs and forests are home to spectacled weavers, red-billed firefinches, grey-backed fiscals, grey-capped warbler and many other interesting and colourful aerial creatures. The most prominent, though, are the cormorants and pelicans while the African fish eagles are the most majestic of the raptors. As you tour through the acacia forests, you may sight hawks, cuckoos, woodpeckers, shrikes and other birds, and a solo giraffe may peer through the thorn-leaves branches out of curiosity. The papyrus swamps are where you find jacanas, herons and kingfishers.
Lake Naivasha is one of the primary drinking holes for buffalos, zebras, elands, impalas, waterbucks and other grazers, as well as a favourite place for hippos to cool themselves during the day. Take a night game drive on one of the surrounding private conservancies like Loldia and Oserian, and you will see these incredible animals slowly emerge from their wallowing sites in the lake to grass along the shores. On your game drive, you may also see the other plains and forest fauna including the elusive leopard.

Dia 7

Saturday: Lake Naivasha - Nairobi - Amboseli National Park
Early breakfast at the lodge. After breakfast, depart Naivasha and commence your drive to Amboseli National Park passing through Nairobi. Continue due South of Nairobi on the Nairobi/Mombasa road for the first 125 KM (2 hours' drive) before turning due West towards Mount Kilimanjaro. The drive thence is through typical African savanna country dotted with local homesteads and colourful Masai herdsmen grazing their cattle. Arrive in time for lunch at the lodge. At 15:30 hrs depart for your first game viewing in Amboseli National Park, which is one of the best in Africa to spot large herds of Elephants up close, with the immense grandeur of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, as a picturesque background.
If weather permits, you will get a chance to watch the vibrant sunset over Mount Kilimanjaro – a spectacular scene to capture through your lenses.
At sunset, exit the park and return to lodge for dinner and overnight.

Amboseli National Park
Located in southern Kenya, Amboseli National Park is renowned for its excellent variety of wildlife, such as Masai giraffes, elephants, lions, and cheetahs, making it one of Kenya's most popular parks. Amboseli's landscape is dominated by the majestic snow-capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro, as well as open plains, acacia forests, swamps, and the Ol Doinyo Orok massif. Birdwatching is excellent, especially near the lakes and swamps. The park is renowned for being the best place in Africa to get up close to large herds of elephants and other wildlife. Other attractions include the chance to meet the Maasai people and enjoy spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro, the world's highest free-standing mountain.

Dia 8

Sunday: Amboseli - Nairobi
Early morning breakfast at the lodge. After breakfast depart for a brief game viewing drive in Amboseli National Park. Early in the morning is the perfect time to capture the best views of Mount Kilimanjaro – weather permitting!! At Amboseli Sopa Lodge the mountain is revealed with all its splendor from the restaurants viewpoint while having Breakfast!! – weather permitting
At 09:00 hrs, return drive to Nairobi arriving at 14:00 Hrs, drop off will be at the Airport for your departure flight/respective hotel. (Transfer 3/4 hours prior to departure)

Nairobi
Located along the Nairobi River in beautiful Kenya, the capital city of Nairobi is East Africa's most cosmopolitan city. It's an excellent starting point for African safaris in Kenya. Nairobi is Africa's fourth-largest city and a vibrant and exciting place. It boasts some fascinating attractions: its café culture, vibrant nightlife, the National Museum, the Karen Blixen Museum, and, best of all, just 20 minutes from the city center, lions and wild buffalo roam the world's only urban game reserve. Be sure to visit the elephant orphanage run by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.