WHY OUR MASAI MARA TOUR: We focus on the Masai Mara National Reserve. It is arguably Kenya's premier wilderness hotspot, home to the famous Big Five and much more. Accommodation is situated only 15-minute drive from the Mara River! We fly from the Masai Mara late afternoon giving you almost another full-day in the Mara Professional Safari guides. Unlimited mileage on game drives. Window Seats for all clients. ITINERARY OVERVIEW: Day 1 Nairobi airport to Masai Mara National Reserve (flight) Day 2 Masai Mara NR Day 3 Masai Mara NR Day 4 Masai Mara NR Day 5 Masai Mara NR to Nairobi (flight) 2016 SCHEDULED GROUP DEPARTURE DATES: 3 7 September 2016 2 rooms available SAFARI COST: (per person) Ground arrangements Kenya Airways Flights: Airport Taxes: TOTAL FOR SAFARI: SHARING: R33 804.00 R2 760.00 R4 112.00 R40 676.00 SINGLE: R39 154.00 R2 760.00 R4 112.00 R46 026.00 * Exchange rate used : R14.90 to US$1.00 * Flight Taxes quoted are current and subject to change till your ticket is issued FLIGHT DETAILS: Daily flights from Johannesburg International airport: JHB (01h55) Nairobi (06h55) / Nairobi (21h45) JHB (01h00*) MASAI MARA BALLOON SAFARI: (Optional) R7 000.00 per person (USD470) Exchange rate used : R14.90 to US$1.00 * Please note: if you book your balloon safari on arrival the cost will be $500.00, pre-book with us at a rate of $470.00
VISIT TO MASAAI VILLAGE: (Optional) USD35 pp (payment must be made in cash to the village chief on arrival) TRAVEL INSURANCE: (Optional but highly recommended) We highly recommend that you take out adequate Travel Insurance for the duration of your holiday for peace of mind and to avoid the high costs related to medical emergencies! R350.00pp OR R660.00 per couple (Comprehensive cover) - if younger than 70 years. R240.00pp OR R450.00 for a couple (Premium cover) - if younger than 70 years. * We will send more detailed info together with the booking form. INCLUDED (Detailed itinerary below): Return economy airfares with Kenya Airways from Johannesburg to Nairobi airport o Including airport taxes Airport transfers from Nairobi Airport to the Masai Mara with English speaking driver guide Flight from the Masai Mara to Nairobi Accommodation on safari in full board basis (breakfast, lunch & dinner) 4x4 stretched Land Cruiser vehicle (maximum 6 clients per vehicle) o Mini-fridge you can use to stock with drinks (for your own account) o Binoculars o Reference books o Maps o Bottle water in vehicles to enjoy during game drives Unlimited game drives during the safari Services of your professional and knowledgeable Kenyan English speaking driver guide All national park entrance fees Driving in the parks is allowed between 6am and 6pm only (no night drives aloud) Services of clinical officers at the Serena lodges at NO CHARGE if medical attention is needed (medicine will be for your own account) Comprehensive support from our operational office in Kenya for the duration of the safari Travel information pack Free postage of travel documents EXCLUDED: Entry visa to Kenya (SA passport DO NOT require a visa for Kenya) Yellow Fever inoculation certificate or and exception letter from your doctor - compulsory Travel Insurance (Highly recommended) Meals and drinks not specified Laundry services Gratuities to the driver/guide, hotel staff & porters o Driver guide suggested at USD $10 per person per day ($50pp for entire safari) o Waiters at lodges at your own discretion o Porter fees at lodges that carries suitcases to and from the rooms. Maasai Village visit fee which is USD $35 per person Balloon safari All expenses of personal nature
PLEASE NOTE: Exchange rate used (bank selling rate): R14.90 to US$1.00 As your package is partly in US Dollars all prices are subject to exchange rate fluctuations and are subject to change without prior notice. The exchange rate on the date of final payment will be used as the basis of the cost of your tour package. Price quoted is based on a cash (EFT) discounted price. For any other means of payment contact us for an updated price. Price is based on 12 to 18 persons traveling: if less people are traveling the possibility might be there that we wont be able to send a tour assistant to accompany the group you will than however be in the capable hands of our Tanzania safari guides Kenya Airways prices quoted are based on a group fare o Flight airport taxes quoted are current and subject to change Maximum baggage allowance of 15kgs per person this allowance shall INCLUDE all HAND BAGGAGE. Soft bags are strongly recommended SAFARI ITINERARY: DAY 1: Johannesburg / Nairobi Airport / Masai Mara National Reserve Meet and greet by a representative of explore Plus Travel & Tours at OR Tambo airport at the Kenya Airways check-in counter (+/- 3 hours before the scheduled departure time). The cost includes return economy airfare with Kenya Airways from Johannesburg to Nairobi Airport (depart: 01h50 arrive 06h55). Meet and greet at the airport with a briefing before departing on your African Adventure. You will drive through the Rift Valley to the Masai Mara National Reserve, arriving in time for lunch at the lodge, followed by an afternoon game drive in the park. The annual highlight is the Great Wildebeest Migration; creating one of the world s supreme natural spectacles. The wildebeest entrance into the Mara makes a breathtaking spectacle, as they cross the crocodile infested waters of the Mara River. Overnight at the Mara Serena Safari Lodge with lunch, dinner & breakfast included. Masai Mara Game Reserve The Masai Mara is well-known and the most popular reserve in the whole of Africa. Bordering the Serengeti National Park, Masai Mara offers a wide variety of wildlife and the best opportunity to see lions (some with gorgeous, long black manes) and cheetah. In one day alone, you can spot lions, hippos, crocodiles, antelope, giraffes, wildebeests, warthogs, baboons, hyenas, jackals, zebras, Cape buffalo and dozens of birds. Every year, millions of wildebeests and zebras migrate into the Mara in search of water. The timing of this phenomenon varies, depending on the rains. Whether you get to experience the migration or not, wildlife watching is good all year round, and the Mara will leave you with a lasting impression of Kenya. The landscape of rolling plains is crossed by rivers and dotted with lone acacia trees. DAY 2 / 3 / 4: Masai Mara National Reserve Optional: Balloon safari (see details & cost below itinerary) Enjoy Another 3 full days in Masai Mara National Reserve with morning and afternoon game drives (or a full day game drive). With luck you will see some of the "Big Five" and most certainly you will be impressed by the
wide variety of species present in this area. The Masai Mara has the highest concentration of land mammals compared to all other parks in Kenya! The prime location of the lodge makes it possible for you to explore the banks of the river at daybreak. This is something a lot of the other lodges cannot offer. Owing to the proximity of the river you are perfectly positioned to photograph the massive herds of wildebeest as they gather and ultimately start crossing the Mara River. The annual highlight is the Great Wildebeest Migration - creating one of the world s supreme natural wonders. The wildebeest create a magnificent sight when they enter into the Mara and cross the crocodile infested waters of the Mara River. Overnight another 3 nights at the Mara Serena Safari Lodge with breakfast, lunch & dinner included. DAY 5: Masai Mara National Reserve / Nairobi / Johannesburg Enjoy a morning game drive before returning to the lodge for a farewell lunch. Depart with en-route game viewing to the Mara airstrip for your scenic afternoon flight back to Nairobi. On arrival your driver will meet with you for transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport where you will board your flight home (departing at 21h50, arriving in Johannesburg at 00h05*). End of service INFORMATION ON THE BALLOON SAFARI: (Optional) The Balloon Safaris are an opportune moment to capture the vast Masai Mara plains on a bird's eye view! The balloon safari takes place at the crack of dawn to ensure that you are part of the spectacular sunrise, which is totally magical. Anything and everything can be expected as the balloon takes off the ground with the gas burners warming you up from the early morning chill. Lions would be hunting, elephants panting and running off scared of the burners, hyenas laughing and the birds of prey hanging out on the large indigenous African greenheart trees. The balloon will float over the Mara River and hundreds of hippopotamus lay in and on the banks of the river ignorant of the huge basket floating by. It is a breathtaking experience that ends with a sumptuous champagne breakfast cooked out in the savannah. It is also the time to see the extension of the greater Mara into the Serengeti. During the great migration, guests can capture the wildebeest attempting to cross the Mara River from Serengeti into Masai Mara as crocodiles, lions, hyenas, jackals; vultures eagerly wait to have a good meal! The hot air balloon safari is a once in a lifetime experience that surpasses your expectation beyond the mind's imagination. The flight takes about one hour depending on wind conditions. The pilot will award a certificate to each guest in memory of this exhilarating adventure.
VISIT TO MASAAI VILLAGE: (Optional) The Masai people are one of the 42 tribes in Kenya. A visit to the Masai village to experience the lifestyle of this tribe is a must for every one!! The villages are small circular huts in huge thorny-fenced enclosures where the Masai people live with their herds of cattle, sheep and goats. Masai warriors will welcome the guests with song and dance and even dare them to join in their sky leaping jumps that is both thrilling but breathlessly difficult. Guests learn about their craftsmanship from the village blacksmith who specializes in metal wares, aluminum bangles, spears, and machetes. The Masai people live with their goats, sleep on sheep s' or cowhides and feed on meat, milk and blood from their cows. The Masai women are intriguing, beautifully adorned in colourful clothing, beaded jewellery and will happily trade the beads with the guests. DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMMODATION: Mara Serena Safari Lodge Rating: Luxury Located at the very centre of the famous Mara Triangle' of the world-renowned Masai Mara National Reserve, the Mara Serena Safari Lodge is the ultimate safari destination. Set high on a bush-cloaked hill with long views over the savannah and down to the winding coils of the hippo-filled Mara River, it stands centre-stage to one of Africa's most dramatic wildlife arenas, with a ringside seat for the greatest wildlife show on earth', the legendary migration of the wildebeest. Total rooms: 74 rooms (inclusive 5 family rooms and one suite: all non-smoking) Hotel Facilities Room Facilities Activities Central dining room Mosquito net Balloon safari Internal and external bar Ceiling fan Guided nature walks or birdwatching Swimming pool and sundeck Telephone and Wi-Fi walks Gym and Spa connectivity Game Drives Gift shop 24-hour room service Enjoy classic safari sundowner Business centre Complimentary mineral water cocktails in the bush Satellite TV (in communal areas and toiletries Take breakfast by the hippo only) Valet, laundry, shoe-shine pools of the Mara River. Wi-Fi Hairdryers and safes (from 24-hour on-call medical services reception)
Conference centre Baby-sitting Board games Library of Africana books All day complimentary Tea & Coffee 240V/3-pin (square) sockets and shaver socket OUR SAFARI VEHICLES: BEST TIME TO VISIT KENYA: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec The best time to travel A good time to travel Travel is not recommended Travel is possible, but this is not the best time of year With only a slight fluctuation in weather, pretty much anytime is a good time to visit the Kenya s National Parks. With May being the only month to really avoid, your trip to Kenya can be arranged around your schedule. PASSPORT & VISA S: SA passport holders DO NOT require a visa for Kenya. Other nationalities can to check with the Kenyan High Commission in Pretoria. YELLOW FEVER & MALARIA: A Yellow Fever inoculation IS compulsory for Kenya. Kenya is malaria risk area - speak to your doctor/travel clinic for advice. The explore Plus team thanks you for your enquiry. Warmest regards, explore Plus Team For more Safari info visit: www.explorekenya.net explore our playground then make it yours