13 Days-Nairobi-Masai Mara-Lake Nakuru-Amboseli-Lake Manyara-Serengeti-Ngorongoro-Tarangire

Day 1 - Amsterdam / Nairobi, Kenya
Arrive in Amsterdam early this morning from your home city. Connect on your KLM flight to Nairobi, Kenya. Upon arrival, there will be a local representative to meet you and provide a transfer to the hotel for check-in & overnight. Situated only 5 miles from city center and 12 miles from the airport, the Safari Park Hotel has an African theme and is located on 64 magnificent acres. There is a wonderful pool, several bars, health club, tennis courts and business facilities.
Safari Park Hotel
Day 2 - Nairobi / Masai Mara Game Reserve
Leaving Nairobi after breakfast, you'll meet up with your traveling companions and head with your guide towards Kenya's fertile highlands down the Rift Escarpment on a road built by Italian prisoners of war during World War II. Look for the charming chapel they built at the foot of the escarpment. You'll pass the impressive Longonot earth satellite station as you head across the Valley to Narok, and then travel across acres of wheat and barley, before you reach the Masai Mara in time for lunch. Following lunch and a siesta, there is an afternoon game drive returning to the lodge as the sun sets.
Mara Sopa Lodge (BLD)
Optional Hot Air Balloon safari available upon request.
Day 3 - Masai Mara Game Reserve
Following an early breakfast join the group for a morning safari, returning to camp in time for lunch and rest, this afternoon you can participate on your second safari of the day.

The Masai Mara borders the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and is the same eco-system. The landscape is mostly open Savannah grasslands and acacia scrubland. Many times of the year you will see a large number of lion, hippo, crocodile and vultures - all of which prey on the weak and young migrating animals. Other game to be found in the Masai Mara at any time of the year include: elephants, cheetahs, baboons, gazelles, giraffes, jackals, leopards, hyenas, water buffalo, ostriches and a large variety of antelope and birdlife.
Mara Sopa Lodge (BLD)
Day 4 - Masai Mara / Great Rift Valley / Lake Nakuru National Park
Leave the Masai Mara after breakfast, travel across the 'breadbasket' of Kenya, where acres of wheat and barley litter the landscape as you head north to Narok, the district headquarters of this part of Maasailand. We travel across the vast floor of the Rift Valley, keeping an eye out for herds of giraffe and gazelle as you head up the Mau Escarpment, before arriving at Lake Nakuru lodge for lunch. The waters here are often colored shimmering flamingo pink, from thousands of the beautiful birds lining its shores. After lunch, head into the park for game viewing then continue to Lake Naivasha or Lake Nakuru for overnight.
Lake Nakuru Lodge (BLD)
Day 5 - Amboseli Game Reserve
After breakfast depart for Amboseli and the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Once in the park, proceed on an afternoon game drive enroute to your lodge, arriving in the early evening. Amboseli is a place of stark contrast, the name meaning "salty dust" in Maasai. Amboseli, despite its sometimes dry and dusty appearance, has an endless supply of water filtered through thousands of feet of volcanic rock from Mt. Kilimanjaro's snow melt. These underground streams converge into clear fresh water springs in the heart of the park. The powder like dust is volcanic ash, which was thrown from Kilimanjaro millennia ago. The main attraction of Amboseli is its vast herds of elephant within the park. The bull elephants here have some of the largest tusks in Kenya. Early morning and late afternoon photographic opportunities are incredible, with plentiful game and Mt. Kilimanjaro (the highest freestanding mountain in the world) providing an impressive and majestic backdrop.
Amboseli Sopa Lodge (BLD)
Day 6 - Amboseli Game Reserve
Up early this morning with the hopes of seeing the magnificent snow-capped peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro. After breakfast, head out on a game drive searching for elephant, cheetah, Cape buffalo and the many other plains game that inhabit this area.
Amboseli Sopa Lodge (BLD)
TANZANIA
Day 7 - Amboseli / Lake Manyara National Park
After breakfast, board your vehicles and head to the Tanzania border post. Today's drive will be rather long but rewarding. Arrive in Arusha in time for lunch. Then head out across the Masai Steppe to the Great Rift Valley. Your hotel is perched high on the escarpment overlooking the park below.
Lake Manyara Serena Lodge (BLD)
Day 8 - Lake Manyara /Olduvai Gorge / Serengeti National Park
After breakfast, depart on a game drive in Lake Manyara National Park returning to the lodge for lunch. Lake Manyara National Park is located 75 miles south west of Arusha. More that two thirds of this small park (127 square miles) are covered by lake. The park lies at the foot of the escarpment of the eastern branch of the Great Rift Valley at an altitude of 3,100 feet. Lake Manyara National Park has five different vegetation zones including groundwater forest with giant fig and mahogany trees, marshlands and reedbeds, stretches of open grassland, acacia woodland, and, on the escarpment slopes, thorn bushes and baobabs. The highlight of the park's wildlife is the wonderful hippo population. Elephant, giraffe, monkeys, lion and impala are also to be found. Over 380 species of birds have been identified within the park.

Leaving Lake Manyara, the journey continues northwest across the stunning hilly countryside of Karatu and the highlands which is filled with wheat and coffee plantations, and then into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. We go off the main road to travel to OLDUVAI GORGE, the site of the discovery of one of the oldest known human skulls. From here lies the vast plains of the Serengeti, where you'll hopefully start spotting game well before you enter into the park.
Serengeti Sopa Lodge (BLD)
Day 9 - Serengeti National Park
The world famous Serengeti National Park, the largest in Tanzania, occupies about 14,763 square kilometers. The name Serengeti means endless plains and is derived from the Maasai word 'siringiti'. You are now in the southern eco-system of the Mara plains. This is the area of the world-famous migration. However, as in the Mara, the Serengeti has year round resident game. As in all ecosystems, the vegetation and types of animals you find are closely correlated. The principal features of the park are the short and long grass open plains in the southeast, the acacia savannah in the central are, the hilly, more densely wooded central northern section and the extensive woodland and black clay plains, dominated by the central ranges of mountains in the western corridor. Morning and afternoon game drives in the Serengeti National Park.
Serengeti Sopa Lodge (BLD)
Day 10 - Serengeti / Ngorongoro Crater
Depart after an early breakfast and drive back across the Serengeti plains and onto Ngorongoro with a picnic lunch. Upon arrival, immediately descend into the crater for game viewing in this magnificent area. Ngorongoro is one of the largest collapsed calderas in the world and home to elephant, black maned lion, rhino and beautiful pink flamingos. After game viewing head back up the wall for overnight on the rim of Ngorongoro.
Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge (BLD)
Day 11 - Ngorongoro Crater / Tarangire National Park
After breakfast, you depart Ngorongoro and drive to Mto Wa Mbu Village arriving in time for an excursion to the local village. After lunch, experience the local culture - feel the heartbeat of an authentic African village with every step you take. A leisurely stroll with a village guide will take you through local homes, farmlands, resident bars, a kindergarten and a church. After the walk we gather at a private, local banana-leaf bar, for a one in a million African fruit tasting. A wide variety of local fruits will be presented to you to taste and appreciate. Following the excursion you continue to Tarangire National Park with a game drive enroute to your lodge located deep within the park.
Tarangire Sopa Lodge (BLD)
Day 12 - Tarangire National Park
Morning and afternoon game drives in Tarangire National Park.

Following breakfast at the lodge, continue your explorations with your group with a game drive in the park that is the quintessence of Old Africa. Tarangire has not only excellent wildlife but also features over 300 bird species! The intriguing atmosphere seems quite prehistoric with ancient baobab trees, scrub bush and outlines of strangely horned antelopes and tall giraffe. This area has a very different and magical feel that makes it so unique - even without the wildlife, the visit is worthwhile. Fewer tourists visit this park than all the other parks. It is one of the best areas on the Tanzania northern circuit to see elephant.

The wildlife viewing is excellent, with many migratory animals returning in early summer to the only permanent water source in the area - the Tarangire River and its tributaries.
Tarangire Sopa Lodge (BLD)
Day 13 - Tarangire / Nairobi / Depart
Depart Tarangire after breakfast and drive back to Arusha arriving in time for lunch. After lunch you continue the journey by road to Nairobi. You may optionally fly back to Nairobi or book a dayroom to unwind in before your international departure.
(BL)