Watch our Online Travel Show about this tour and earn a $100 credit for your next booking with Holiday Vacations.
Captivating Kenya Safari
Highlights
- Day 1: Depart the United StatesOur adventure begins with an overnight flight to Europe.
- Day 2: Fly to KenyaThis morning, we arrive in Europe and take a connecting flight to Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi. Our English-speaking local guide provides a special welcome at the airport before bringing us to our luxurious home for two nights, The Residences at Karen. Enjoy the tranquility of being tucked away in a lush forest overlooking the second hole of the Karen Golf Course. A large part of the 18-hole course was built on a former coffee estate developed by the pioneer Karen Blixen, whose life and times were depicted in the film Out of Africa.
- Day 3: Sheldrick Wildlife TrustOur day begins with a visit to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s Nairobi Nursery, the most successful elephant rescue and rehabilitation program in the world! After lunch, we arrive at Bomas of Kenya to discover rich Kenyan culture, browse historical artifacts, and watch a spectacular cultural performance. This evening, we get to know fellow travelers over a wonderful Welcome Dinner at Manji Family Residence.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 4: Aberdare National ParkWe depart for central Kenya this morning and watch for views of soaring Mount Kenya along the way. Arriving in the heart of Aberdare National Park, known for its picturesque rainforest with towering waterfalls and deep ravines, we enjoy a delicious included lunch at Aberdare Country Club before checking in to The Ark Lodge. The nearby floodlit waterhole attracts a variety of wildlife during our stay, including elephants, buffalo, monkeys, and leopards, providing incredible viewing opportunities from the comfort of our lodge’s decks.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 5: Shaba National ReserveToday, we travel to Sarova Shaba Game lodge, our home for the next two nights. Located within Shaba National Reserve, this serene oasis is a perfect area to soak up the breathtaking surroundings and reconnect with nature. Later, we embark on an afternoon game drive in search of lions, elephants, Grevy’s zebras, reticulated giraffes, the elusive leopard, and many others. Our custom safari land cruisers have pop-up game-viewing rooftops, reference guidebooks, and coolers with complimentary bottled water.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 6: Exciting Game DrivesOur day includes morning and afternoon game drives through Samburu National Reserve or Buffalo Springs National Reserve, both interconnected to Shaba National Reserve. Our trusted guide takes us to the area that offers the best opportunity to witness extraordinary and unique species found only north of the Equator. Between our exciting adventures, enjoy time to swim, have a drink at the poolside bar, indulge in fresh fruits and vegetables from the hotel’s garden, or simply relax in the serene environment.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 7: Sweetwaters Game ReserveThis morning, we depart for Sweetwaters Game Reserve and stop along the way at Nanyuki Spinners and Weavers. Learn about their goal of empowering women living in the surrounding villages by teaching them the craft of spinning, knitting, and weaving. Later, we arrive at Sweetwaters Tented Camp, nested within the privately owned 24,000-acre reserve. Each luxury tent has a thatched roof, an in-suite bathroom, and its own veranda. After lunch, we embark on a late afternoon game drive showcasing a plethora of wildlife – lions, elephants, rhinos, cheetahs, and over 400 species of birds. Our day concludes with a visit to Jane Goodall’s Chimpanzee Sanctuary, where mistreated and orphaned chimps receive lifelong refuge to happily live out the rest of their lives.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 8: Lake Nakuru National ParkOur journey continues to Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge today, set near gardens and the glistening lake. After lunch, we take a photo safari of Lake Nakuru National Park, nestled on the floor of the Great Rift Valley. As Kenya’s first rhino sanctuary, these lands boast one of the largest black rhino concentrations in the country! It’s also home to white rhinos, reedbucks, warthogs, baboons, Rothschild giraffes, over 400 bird species, and more. Don’t forget your complimentary safari hat and essentials pack!
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 9: Mara Serena Safari LodgeThis morning, we travel to the famous Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya’s most precious wildlife sanctuary. After lunch at Sarova Mara Game Camp, enjoy an afternoon game drive en route to the Mara Serena Safari Lodge, our home for the next three nights. This lodge is the ultimate safari destination, set high on the saddle of a hill offering one of the most spectacular views imaginable across the vast plains, forests, and rivers that make up the Masai Mara.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 10: Masai Mara National ReserveGuests who booked the optional hot air balloon excursion rise just before the sun for the experience of a lifetime over the Serengeti plains, followed by a champagne breakfast. Afterwards, we learn about this important preservation area for the wilderness in southwestern Kenya, brimming with rolling hills and vast plains. Revel in a morning and afternoon game drive in the great Mara-Serengeti ecosystem, home to the “Big Five” of Africa: lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino, and leopard. It also provides an opportunity to experience one of the most intriguing spectacles on Earth: the Great Migration! During this time of the year, millions of wildebeests and thousands of zebras, gazelles, and elands migrate across the Mara River from Tanzania in search of rich soil, water, and green grass.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 11: The Great MigrationOur day is again filled with captivating morning and afternoon game drives in the Masai Mara National Reserve, providing additional chances to observe the largest and longest overland migration in the world. Game are found here in staggering numbers, which in turn supports a tremendous predator population, including thousands of crocodiles lurking in the Mara River in anticipation for the large herds of wildebeest to cross. This evening, marvel at the warm and vibrant Kenyan sunset once more during our last overnight in this unforgettable country.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 12: Nairobi National MuseumThis morning, we fly to Nairobi and visit the National Museums of Kenya to learn about the local culture and national heritage. Early this evening, we celebrate our extraordinary adventure with a Farewell Dinner before beginning our journey back home.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 13: Arrive HomeWe land back in the United States today, returning home with incredible memories and photos of our time in Kenya.
What's Included
All Accommodations
- 2 nights at The Residences at Karen in Nairobi
- 1 night at The Ark Lodge inside Aberdare National Park
- 2 nights at the Sarova Shaba Game Lodge
- 1 night at Sweetwaters Serena Camp
- 1 night at Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp near Lake Nakuru National Park
- 3 nights at Mara Serena Safari Lodge
Attractions & Highlights
- Bomas of Kenya Cultural Center
- Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
- Mount Kenya
- Shaba National Reserve
- Samburu or Buffalo Springs National Reserve
- Jane Goodall’s Chimpanzee Sanctuary
- Nanyuki Spinners & Weavers
- Sweetwaters Game Reserve
- Lake Nakuru National Park
- World-renowned Masai Mara National Reserve feat. the Great Migration
- Nairobi National Museum
- Eleven extraordinary game drives
30 Excellent Meals
- Welcome Dinner at Manji Family Residence
- Lunch at Karen Blixen Coffee Garden
- Lunch at Aberdare Country Club
- Farewell Dinner in Nairobi
Learn more about what's included with the Holiday Advantage.
Birmingham - Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport