2011 Kenya Migration Safari Itinerary

Africa's Legendary Herds

Days 1 & 2
U.S. / Nairobi, Kenya
Fly from the U.S. to Nairobi and overnight at the Nairobi Safari Club. (Meals Aloft)

Days 3 & 4
Samburu Reserve
Fly to the Samburu Reserve in Kenya’s Northern Frontier District. Daily game drive safariss in our six passenger, 4 x 4 Land Cruisers — the ultimate safari vehicle — allow ample time to observe the thin-striped Grevy’s zebra; reticulated giraffe — recognized by its well-defined color patches; and Beisa oryx, with its rapier-like horns, that call this harsh region of scrub desert home. Surprisingly, this semi-arid desert region boasts an abundance of birds, including Somali ostrich, secretary bird and desert hornbill. Spend two nights at the Samburu Simba Lodge or Samburu Serena Lodge. (B,L,D Daily)

Day 5
Samburu / Isiolo / Sweetwaters Game Reserve
Visit a local school en route to Sweetwaters Tented Camp, our home for two nights. (B,L,D)

Day 6
Sweetwaters Game Reserve
Afternoon and evening game drives at Sweetwaters give us a chance of seeing Africa’s “Big Five” (lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard) as we travel in both open safari vehicles. Other Kenyan wildlife here includes oryx, Coke’s hartebeest, Thomson’s gazelle and reticulated giraffe. While here you will also visit Jane Goodall’s Chimpanzee Sanctuary. (B,L,D)

Day 7
Sweetwaters / Lake Nakuru National Park
Set out for Lake Nakuru National Park, a birdwatcher’s paradise with more than 400 recorded bird species. The alkaline lake is an important stop for migratory birds as they head to and from Europe. An afternoon game drive is the perfect opportunity to look for pelicans, cormorants and both lesser and greater flamingos. Spend the next two nights at Sarova Lion Hill Lodge, savoring a panoramic view across the lake. (B,L,D)

Day 8
Lake Nakuru National Park
Most of Lake Nakuru National Park is covered by the lake itself, but our morning and afternoon game drives give us an opportunity to discover the wildlife that congregates along the park’s shoreline and bushy grassland. In addition to lion, leopard, waterbuck, hippo, baboon and reedbuck, the park also hosts species introduced from other areas of Africa. Nakuru has been declared a black rhino sanctuary, and populations of South Africa’s white rhino and Rothschild’s giraffe have been introduced to the environment. (B,L,D)

Day 9
Masai Mara Reserve
Drive toward the Masai Mara Reserve, stopping en route for lunch on the southern end of the reserve at the Mara’s first lodge, Keekorok Lodge. Enjoy our first game drive in the Masai Mara Reserve, a rich savannah famous for its concentration of plains game and predators, including leopard, cheetah and hyena. From our accommodations at the Mara Serena Safari Lodge, enjoy expansive views of the plains below. (B,L,D)

Days 10 & 11
Masai Mara Reserve
Enjoy two full days of morning and afternoon Masai Mara safari game drives. Here in this northern extension of the Serengeti Plains, the land is teeming with elephant, large prides of lion, buffalo, Thomson’s gazelle, giraffe and even topi — the only place in Kenya where they are common. You may even rise early one morning for an optional hot air Masai Mara balloon safari. While here, we also meet Maasai elder Ben Kipeno and visit a Maasai village, seeing how this pastoral tribe still tends herds of goats and cows much as their ancestors did for centuries. (B,L,D Daily)

Days 12 & 13
Masai Mara / Nairobi / U.S.
After a morning Masai Mara game drive (time permitting), fly from the Mara to Nairobi. Enjoy a memorable lunch at the Carnivore, an open-air restaurant where meats are roasted on tribal swords, before an afternoon at leisure. Dayrooms are available at the Ole Sereni Hotel or you may do some shopping. Transfer to the airport for return flights to the U.S., arriving Day 13. (Day 12: B,L; Day 13: Meals Aloft)