15-DAY GROUP EXPLORER SAFARI TO KENYA AND TANZANIA

Transcription

1 15-DAY GROUP EXPLORER SAFARI TO KENYA AND TANZANIA Group Lodge Safari in Kenya to Amboseli/Nakuru/Maasai Mara Group Lodge Safari in Tanzania to Lake Manyara/Serengeti/Ngorongoro/Tarangire Departures: ~ Weekly on Monday and Wednesday Program highlights: This is an affordable, standard group lodge safari that is all driving through Kenya and Tanzania. It visits all the main parks in each country offering a wide diversity of ecosystems and scenery. Your vehicles are specially constructed to make photography easy. You are guaranteed a window seat with a maximum of seven people. In Kenya and in Tanzania a 4-wheel drive Landrover is used. The highlight of your safari will be experiencing both the Maasai Mara in Kenya and the Serengeti in Tanzania. Naturalist Guides - Our carefully selected group of naturalist guides bring an excellent knowledge of the areas you will visit and have built up an excellent camaraderie with our clients over the years. As you spend several days with the same guide, you maximize seeing and doing everything and come away at the end of a trip with a friend for life East Oakland Park Boulevard, Suite 600 Fort Lauderdale, Florida U.S.A Tel: Tel: Fax: safari@africanadventure.com

2 Safari Vehicles: Your vehicle has a specially constructed rooftop that makes photography easy. You are guaranteed a window seat in your vehicle that seats maximum 7 persons. In Kenya and Tanzania your 4x4 vehicles (Land Rovers or Land Cruisers) have specially constructed roof hatches that make photography easy. Our clients comment all the time that these are a most comfortable ride, they are always some of the newest vehicles on the road and that the addition of the cooler for drinks is most welcome. Day Destination Accommodation 01 Fly USA Europe Travel 02 Fly Europe - Nairobi Safari Park Hotel Drive to Maasai Mara Mara Sopa (2 nights) 05 Drive to Lake Nakuru Lake Nakuru Sopa 06 Boat ride on Lake Naivasha Drive to Amboseli Amboseli Sopa Lodge 07 Amboseli Amboseli Sopa Lodge 08 Drive to Arusha - Lake Manyara Lake Manyara Kilimamoja Lodge 09 Am. Game drive in Lake Manyara Drive to Serengeti Serengeti Sopa Lodge 10 Serengeti Serengeti Sopa Lodge 11 Drive to Ngorongoro Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge 12 Full day Crater tour Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge 13 Drive to Tarangire Tarangire Sopa Lodge 14 Drive to Nairobi, Fly Nairobi-Europe Travel 15 Fly Europe-USA

3 ITINERARY DAY 01 (MON/WED) USA/EUROPE Depart this evening on an overnight flight to Europe. DAY 02 EUROPE/NAIROBI You will be met and transferred to your hotel. Nairobi, Kenya s capital is situated at an altitude of about 6,000 feet (1,830m) and means place of cool waters in the Maasai language. The Safari Park Hotel is just a 20 minute drive from the city center and sits on 34 acres of idyllic gardens. The large bedrooms are tastefully decorated with an African theme. There are several restaurants and a large swimming pool. Accommodation: Safari Park Hotel (B) DAY 03 NAIROBI/MAASAI MARA Depart after breakfast on your group safari driving through the Rift Valley to the Maasai Mara arriving at your lodge for lunch. Enjoy an afternoon game drive. The Maasai Mara is undoubtedly the finest wildlife area in Kenya. All of the big game is here: elephant, lion, leopard, cheetah and buffalo. Commonly seen species include zebra, wildebeest, Thomson's gazelle, Defassa waterbuck, eland and Maasai giraffe. This is the only place in Kenya where topi are common. Maasai Mara National Reserve, a northern extension of the Serengeti Plains (Tanzania), is located southwest of Nairobi and covers 590 square miles. Open plains, acacia woodlands and riverine forest along the banks on the Mara and Talek Rivers are home for many hippo, crocs and waterfowl. As the park teems with resident wildlife, game viewing is good year-round. The migration is when great herds of wildebeest (1.4 million) and zebra (250,000) reside in the Mara, from approximately July to October. During the migration, prides of 40 or more lion may be seen.

4 From the southern Serengeti a major portion of the migration moves northwest toward Lake Victoria, then north across the Mara River into Kenya in search of grass, usually returning to Tanzania in late October. The best time to witness large numbers of wildebeest and zebra crossing the Mara River is from mid/late July to mid/late September. The Mara Sopa Lodge is located in the eastern area of the park and offers 77 rondavel style rooms with en suite facilities. The patios have expansive views across the valley. A dining room and lounge welcome guests after the day s game activities. Accommodation: Mara Sopa Lodge (Full Board) DAY 04 MAASAI MARA After an early breakfast, visit a Maasai village followed by a game drive. Return to the lodge for lunch followed by an afternoon game drive. An optional balloon safari may be taken. You will have a bird s eye view of the world below and the chance to see game from a completely different perspective. After landing, there is a champagne breakfast in the bush. Accommodation: Mara Sopa Lodge (Full Board) DAY 05 MAASAI MARA/LAKE NAKURU Continue to Lake Nakuru National Park where you will enjoy lunch. Lake Nakuru National Park encompasses the alkaline lake of the same name and is frequently visited by hundreds of thousands (sometimes more than a million) of greater and lesser flamingos and more than 400 bird species in all. Located 100 miles (160 km) northwest of Nairobi on a fair road, the park covers 73-square miles (188-km2) most of which is the lake itself. Nakuru has been declared a black rhino sanctuary and has a fair number of these endangered animals. A small population of white rhino has been reintroduced from South Africa. Other wildlife includes lion, leopard, Rothschild s giraffe (introduced), waterbuck, reedbuck, hippo, baboon, pelican, and cormorant. The lake is an important stopover for thousands of migratory wading birds that head to and from Europe each year.

5 Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge is located on the western edge of the Rift Valley and overlooks Lake Nakuru and the surrounding park. The lodge features 62 rooms with en suite bathrooms and private balconies. Enjoy the lounge, bar and dining room with extensive outdoor terraces. The infinity pool overlooks the lake and has its own bar. Accommodation: Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge (Full Board) DAY 06 LAKE NAKURU/NAIROBI/AMBOSELI After an early breakfast continue to Lake Naivasha for a boat ride. Later, leaving the Rift Valley behind, proceed to Nairobi, collect a picnic lunch and then head south towards Amboseli arriving at your lodge by late afternoon. Amboseli is one of the most popular parks in East Africa. With magnificent Mount Kilimanjaro in the background you may have an opportunity to photograph an elephant with the mountain as a backdrop. Elephants are often found in the lower forest and swamp areas and hippos in the pools, with a prolific bird lif e found in the surrounding swamp. Lion and cheetah are often seen on the salt flats and giraffe may be seen walking past doum palms. Set on 200 acres of private land on the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, the Amboseli Sopa Lodge is the perfect base from which to explore the park and get some great pictures of this incredible mountain. The lodge is close to where Ernest Hemingway lived whilst writing his famous novel, The Snows of Kilimanjaro. Each of the 47 rooms has its own private veranda, en suite facilities with walk-in shower, lavatory, wash basin and shaving socket. Meals are a cosmopolitan combination of European, African and Asian dishes served from a colorful buffet. There are also several bars, a great pool, TV lounge and many other small niceties that make this a superb location. Accommodation: Amboseli Sopa Lodge (Full Board) DAY 07 AMBOSELI Depart the lodge after a sumptuous breakfast for a full day game drive. Enjoy a hot picnic lunch at a picnic site returning to the lodge at approximately 4:00 pm. Accommodation: Amboseli Sopa Lodge (Full Board)

6 DAY 08 AMBOSELI/ARUSHA/LAKE MANYARA Continue by road to the Namanga border and onward to Arusha, Tanzania. Depart late afternoon for Lake Manyara. Lake Manyara National Park is most famed for its tree-climbing lions that may be seen (if you are very lucky) sleeping amongst the branches of acacia trees. The park is situated in the Great Rift Valley where hippos abound along with the excellent bird life as well as elephant and baboon. Lake Manyara Kilimamoja Lodge is located on the rim of the Rift Valley with unobstructed views of Lake Manyara and in the distance, Mount Kilimanjaro. Fifty two suites are positioned to enjoy the panoramic views and include en suite bathroom with inside-outside shower, air-conditioning and fireplace. The main lodge area features the dining room, lounge, cigar and whiskey bar, gift shop, internet café, outside fire pit, children s activity room and infinity pool. Accommodation: Lake Manyara Kilimamoja Lodge (Full Board) DAY 09 LAKE MANYARA/SERENGETI Leave as the sun comes over the horizon and enjoy an early morning game drive in Lake Manyara Park. Proceed through the Serengeti National Park and the vast African plains game viewing on the way. Serengeti is derived from the Maasai language and appropriately means "endless plain." The park's 5,700 square miles makes it larger than the state of Connecticut. Altitude varies from 3,120 to 6,070 feet. As you enter the park gate you will take a game drive through the open plains.

7 Nearly 500 species of birds and 35 species of large plains animals can be found in the Serengeti. The park may contain as many as 1.5 million wildebeest, 500,000 zebra, 300,000 Grant's gazelle, 250,000 Thomson's gazelle, 120,000 impala, 70,000 topi, 20,000 buffalo, 9,000 eland, 8,000 giraffe, 1,000 lion and 800 elephant. The huge herds of plains game such as wildebeest, zebra and antelope dominate the park while the attendant predators such as lion and cheetah are to be found amongst the many kopjes scattered across the plain. Leopard can often be found draped in the trees along the Seronera River. From December-May wildebeest, zebra, eland and Thomson's gazelle usually concentrate on the treeless short-grass plains in the extreme southeastern Serengeti and western Ngorongoro Conservation Area near Lake Ndutu in search of short grass, which they prefer over the longer dry-stemmed variety. This is the best time to visit the Serengeti. In April and May, the height of the rainy season, a 4wd vehicle is highly recommended. The rut for wildebeest is concentrated over a three-week period and generally occurs at the end of April, May or early June. After a gestation period of eight and one-half months, approximately 90% of the pregnant cows will give birth on the short-grass plains within a six-week period between the mid/end of January and February. Zebra calving season is spread out over most of the year, with a slightly higher birth rate December-March. The best time to see wildebeest and zebra crossing the Grumeti River is in June/early July and November. Wildebeest move about six to 10 abreast in columns several miles long toward the western corridor. Zebra do not move in columns but in family units. As a general rule, by June the migration has progressed west of Seronera. The migration then splits into three separate migrations: one west through the corridor toward permanent water and Lake Victoria and then northeast; the second due north, reaching the Maasai Mara of Kenya around mid-july; and the third northward between the other two to a region west of Lobo Lodge, where the group disperses. At present, there are few roads in the region where the third group disperses; however, this may change. During July-September, the Serengeti's highest concentration of wildlife is in the extreme north. The first and second groups meet and usually begin returning to the Serengeti National Park in late October; the migration then reaches the central or southern Serengeti by December. Serengeti Sopa Lodge features 73 standard rooms and suites each with a private lounge with a mini bar, a bedroom with two queen size beds and an en suite bathroom plus a private verandah offering stunning views over the plains. It also has an inviting swimming pool. Accommodation: Serengeti Sopa Lodge (Full Board)

8 DAY 10 SERENGETI Enjoy a full day of game viewing. Accommodation: Serengeti Sopa Lodge (Full Board) DAY 11 SERENGETI/NGORONGORO Continue to the Ngorongoro Crater game driving on the way. Enjoy a picnic lunch and short Maasai village visit. You will arrive at your lodge late in the afternoon. Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge is located on the northeastern rim of the crater with the closest access road down to the crater floor. Each of the 97 rooms offers en suite facilities and has a sitting room "porch" overlooking the crater. The lodge s swimming pool provides a fabulous view for you to enjoy in between activities. Accommodation: Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge (Full Board) DAY 12 NGORONGORO This morning descend into the crater for a game drive. You will have a picnic lunch on the crater floor. Enjoy the evening at leisure. Ngorongoro Crater is the largest unflooded, intact caldera in the world. Known as the eighth wonder of the world, its vastness and beauty are truly overwhelming. Ngorongoro Crater itself is but a small portion of the 3,200-square-mile Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a World Heritage site that is characterized by a highland plateau with volcanic mountains as well as several craters, extensive savannah and forests. Altitudes range from 4,430 to 11,800 feet.

9 Ngorongoro Crater is about 12 miles wide and its rim rises 1,200-1,600 feet off of its expansive 102- square-mile floor. The steep descent into the crater along winding roads takes minutes from the crater rim. The crater floor is predominantly grasslands (making game easy to spot) with two swamps fed by streams, and the Lerai Forest. The walls of the crater are lightly forested. Ngorongoro contains possibly the largest permanent concentration of wildlife in Africa, with an estimated average of 30,000 large mammals. In addition, this is one of the best reserves in Africa in which to see black rhino. Large concentrations of wildlife make Ngorongoro Crater their permanent home. Game viewing is good year-round. Because there is a permanent source of fresh water, there's no reason for much of the wildlife to migrate as they must do in the Serengeti. Accommodation: Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge (Full Board) DAY 13 NGORONGORO/TARANGIRE Proceed by road to Tarangire Park. Stop en route for lunch before continuing to your camp, game viewing along the way. The Tarangire-Lake Manyara eco-system is a region of dense bush as well as high grasses and old baobab trees. The land is hilly and dominated by the valley of the Tarangire River, which attracts migratory animals during the dry months between July-September. Game viewing during this time frame is quite exciting as the animals come to the river to drink. The eco-system has a localized migration that is followed by most game (except lion which don t tend to abandon their territory). The animals disperse during April and May when there is reliable rainfall and rich vegetation. In June, the eland and oryx begin to return, followed by the elephant towards the end of the month. Zebra and wildebeest come together through July. By mid-august the animals are congregating around their last reliable water source, the Tarangire River. The calving season falls in the months of January-March taking advantage of the fresh grass during the rainy season.

10 Tarangire Sopa Lodge has 75 rooms with a large lobby and dining area. It has a swimming pool with views overlooking the park. The lodge is located on the eastern side of the Tarangire River opposite Tarangire Hill. Accommodation: Tarangire Sopa Lodge (Full Board) DAY 14 TARANGIRE/ARUSHA/NAIROBI/EUROPE This morning you will be transferred by road back to Arusha. Continue by road to Nairobi. Depart this evening on an overnight flight to Europe. DAY 15 WELCOME HOME! EUROPE/USA 2018 LAND ARRANGEMENTS: Jan-Feb / Jul-Oct Jun Mar/Nov-Dec 15 Apr-May Per person sharing $5, $5, $5, $4, Single Supplement $ $ $ $ * Pricing is quoted per person sharing a room INTERNATIONAL AIRFARE: (subject to change until ticketed) Please note the following sample airfares. Lower promotional airfares are offered throughout the year so please take a moment to contact our in house air department for even better pricing options! ECONOMY AIR: From $1, per person (low season) From $1, per person (high season) New York/Nairobi/New York (via Europe) - Please call for add-ons from your departure city. LAND ARRANGEMENT COSTS INCLUDE: All accommodations All meals and game activities (Full Board) on safari Meals as stated Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Dinner (D) Airport and road transfers Park fees and guiding fees Flying doctor service Bottled water on game drives Services of a driver/guide

11 NOT INCLUDED: Tips to staff and driver/guides Drinks (unless specified) Laundry Airport departure taxes Kenya and Tanzania visas Optional ballooning safari ($ pp Maasai Mara) International scheduled airfares Items of a personal nature Travel insurance Departures: ~ Weekly on Monday and Wednesday Notes: 1) Holiday supplements of $50.00 per person/per night will apply for travel during Christmas (December 24, 2017-January 01, 2018) and Easter (March 29-April 2, 2018). 2) This safari operates with a minimum of 2 travelers. 3) Single Supplement is based on a minimum of two travelers arriving together. Those travelers arriving and departing alone have an additional transfer supplement of $ ) This safari is also available as a private departure. Ask your Safari Consultant for the surcharges based on 2-4 people. For parties of 5-6 people, the upgrade to a private departure is complimentary. Tour Code: KT15EXPLORER (Driving times are approximate) Nairobi to Maasai Mara - Maasai Mara to Lake Nakuru - Lake Nakuru to Nairobi / Nairobi to Amboseli Amboseli to Arusha / Arusha to Lake Manyara Lake Manyara to Serengeti Serengeti to Ngorongoro Ngorongoro to Tarangire Tarangire to Arusha / Arusha to Nairobi 5 hours 4 hours 2.5 hrs + 4 hrs 2 hrs + 2 hrs 5 hours 4 hours 3 hours 2 hrs + 3 hrs Trip Report: First off, we both found you easy to work with. My wife found your detailed itinerary especially comforting and easy to follow. The transactions between all changes in places was smooth.(country to country --etc) Our guides were especially outstanding because they both really knew how to locate animals and had strong backgrounds in identifying birds. George was outstanding. We enjoyed all the parks immensely;. We loved the Crater and the Serengeti park in Tanzania. We saw lots of baby animals in Tanzania. Our weather and food were good. I liked that there were lots of fruits and vegetable combinations. All of the hotel workers were friendly as we're the people in Kenya and Tanzania. Best regards, Mike Croke