Kenya

Kenya, Tanzania & Mauritius
Mauritius 6 nights, Kenya 7 nights, Tanzania 8 nights

*Fully escorted from Australia
Guaranteed SINGLE room throughout
Departing Australia 07 July, 2010

3 nights Mauritius, 2 nights Nairobi, 2 nights Lake Nakuru, 3 nights Masai Mara, 3 Nights Serengeti, 3 nights Ngorongoro, 1 night Arusha,
and then finishing with 2 nights in Mauritius en-route to Australia

This is one of our most popular tours and this year we've made it more leisurely (and more even perfect) with
3 night stays in the Masai Mara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
Our luxury lodges are wonderful and just add another perfect dimension to this perfect tour.

The endless plains of east Africa are the setting for the world’s greatest wildlife spectacle - the amazing wildebeest migration. From the vast Serengeti plains to the champagne coloured hills of Kenya’s Masai Mara more than 1.5 million wildebeest and 200,000 zebra and gazelle, relentlessly tracked by Africa’s great predators, migrate in a clockwise fashion over 1,800 miles each year in search of rain ripened grass.

The precise timing of the Wildebeest Migration changes annually and it is a very unpredictable and spontaneous natural event. The 'best' time to see the migration is usually between June and August when the wildebeest congregate and prepare to cross the famous Grumeti River. Whilst there is no guarantee of seeing any animals, we've run this trip for a number of years around these dates every group is continually in awe at the indescribable sight of such huge herds and the fact they can actually get so close to
so many amazing animals in such incredible surroundings.

Day 1     07 July, 2010   Australia - Mauritius We'll depart from Melbourne this morning with Air Mauritius and spend 3 nights in Mauritius en-route to Nairobi. It's a wonderful way to get to know your fellow travelling companions and relax in preparation for our upcoming safari. Accommodation: Le Preskil Beach Resort Le Preskîl Beach Resort is ideally situated on a natural private peninsula along the South East Coast of Mauritius Island at La Pointe Jérôme, nearby the historical village of Mahébourg and only 15 kilometres from the International Airport. With its typically Creole architecture, Le Preskîl is truly a haven of peace spread over 3.5 hectares of luxuriant tropical garden and three idyllic beaches of white sand. The resort borders a lagoon which offers an exceptional stretch of unique clear blue water which leads to the astonishing marine park of Blue bay and offers a magnificent view over l'île aux Aigrettes where nests a unique bird sanctuary.

Day 2     08 July 2010 Mauritius (B,D) At leisure. Relax today or take an optional tour which can be booked at the hotel. Mauritius and its people is like taking a journey into some of the most fascinating and refined ancestral traditions ever. The legacies of those who, for the past 400 years, have settled on its shores, where Europe meets India, China and Africa in a frenzy of colours, scents and savours. Strolling through the streets, it is not unusual to find yourself in a little China after alleys filled with the scent of saffron, of cinnamon, reminiscent of India. Alongside, churches with a medieval architecture are remembrances of the European heritage of the island. Hence shopping can become a very interesting or enticing experience, with the variety of products, their diverse origins and the quality of the craftsmanship.

Day 3     09 July 2010   Mauritius (B,D)  At leisure

Day 4    10 July 2010   Mauritius - Nairobi (B)   Early morning departure from the hotel for our flight to Nairobi.   On arrival we'll be met by our guides and transferred to Holiday Inn Hotel for overnight. Lunch and dinner at the hotel is at own expense.    The Holiday Inn Nairobi is located only 13 miles from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and is situated in a popular shopping and residential suburb close to the city centre. Hotel features an outdoor pool, sauna, and a health/fitness centre. All rooms have colour TV, radios, telephones, tea/coffee making facilities and private bathrooms. Guests can enjoy in-room movies and 18-hour room service.

Day 5 11 July, 2010   Nairobi - Lake Nakuru   (B,L,D)    Depart after breakfast to Lake Nakuru National Park. Arrive for lunch at Lake Nakuru Lodge situated not far from the shores of Lake Nakuru, one of the many beautiful Rift Valley Lakes, also home of thousands of flamingos and other bird and animal life. Afternoon game drive in the park.   Accommodation: Lake Nakuru Lodge (2 nights)   Lake Nakuru lodge is situated in the South East Ecological niche of Lake Nakuru National Park. The Lodge is an oasis of comfort and excellent service, with commanding views of the lesser Flamingo dotted with the Greater Flamingo for which Lake Nakuru is justly famous for. The lodge blends well with its surrounding and the animals often browse peacefully close to the lodge and environs, much to the fascination of the visitors

Day 6 12 July, 2010   Lake Nakuru (B,L,D) Full day at Lake Nakuru National Park with two game drives, one in the morning and the other one in the afternoon.

Day 7 13 July, 2010   Lake Nakuru - Masai Mara (B,L,D) We leave in the morning and head across the floor of the Great Rift Valley, the longest rift in the crust of the earth, to Masai Mara with packed lunches. We spend three full days in this natural paradise among zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, buffalo, elephant, antelope and gazelle. We will encounter prides of lions resting in the shade of acacia trees or lying low in the tall grass, in wait for their next meal. There is a good chance of spotting cheetah and if you are lucky, the shy leopard.   Accommodation: Karen Blixen Camp (3 nights) Karen Blixen Camp in the Masai Mara offers an authentic ’yesteryear’ experience for visitors wishing to gain that little extra from their safari. Set on the bank of the Mara River the camp consists of 22 luxurious tents. The location is spectacular, with the great Mara plains behind the camp and the impressive escarpment and Mara River in front. Throughout the day, zebras, elephants and hippos come to drink from the river. Long gone are the days when staying in a tented camp meant roughing it. You will find that the Karen Blixen Camp experience is a step back in time with the luxurious of today.

Day 8 & 9 14 July & 15 July, 2010   Masai Mara (B,L,D) On these two days we go game viewing before breakfast and again in the afternoon, with lunch and a siesta at the camp. In the evening, it is time for a well-deserved shower and a refreshing drink before dinner. The Camp compromise 22 luxurious en-suite tents; each set on a beautiful mahogany platform with a spacious veranda completed with cushion daybed from which one can enjoy an afternoon siesta, taking in the wonderful surroundings. Each tent has a private bathroom with toilet, twin washbasins and an outdoor shower with view to the sky. The water is heated by gas and there is 24 hour electricity in all tents provided by solar panels.   19 tents are placed along the river whilst 3 are set on raised platforms offering stunning views of the surrounding area. Camp facilities also include a restaurant, a bar, a lounge, a gift shop with wireless internet and a swimming pool. The resident masseuse offers a wide range of wellness treatments.    Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the restaurant or bush garden from where one has an incredible close view of the Mara River and the wild animals coming to drink.   Karen Blixen was passionate about cooking and our chefs have found many of her original recipes. Dining at the Camp captures the taste of these long gone colonial days with classical cooking from the French, English, Italian and Danish kitchens. Modern day’s love for cosmopolitan food with clear notes from the Far East, India or Kenya’s own traditional cooking is also served alongside the African continent’s finest wines.

Day 10 16 July, 2010 Masai Mara – Sirare border – Serengeti (B,L,D) Transfer after breakfast with packed lunches to Sirare border where you will clear customs and immigration formalities then drive to Speke Bay on Lake Victoria. Here we'll meet with the local tribal leaders and learn about the way the live. We'll have a relaxing boat ride on the river and walk through the village to meet the villagers before being entertained by traditional dancers. We then drive to our lodge in the Serengeti.   Accommodation: Mbalageti Lodge (3 nights).          The Mbalageti Serengeti is located in the Western corridor of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. Our lodge is situated on the Mwamyeni hill and offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the Serengeti plain lands and the Mbalageti River. The pool is made out of local rocks and situated on the edge of the hill. This allows for a 360 degree view of the Serengeti so your game viewing can continue even while you're at the camp. The bar is situated in the centre of the main building, and is the natural meeting place and heart of the lodge, where you can compare your day’s game experience while being served the drink of your choice. You can also sit back and relax in the lounge loft, a cozy corner on the second floor in the main building. Board games, puzzles, magazines and books are available for all the guests. Situated on either side of the Mwamyeni hill, 24 luxury tented chalets - 12 a side - offer breathtaking sunset or sunrise views of the Serengeti plain lands and the Mbalageti River. With a structure of local rock and wood, these canvas fitted chalets are the perfect way to relax after a day of game viewing. All chalets have a bathroom with luxury amenities and are designed with attention to the smallest detail. Pamper yourself in the bath while enjoying a spectacular view. The private veranda with its cooling thatch roof is a private oasis and works as an extension of your bedroom in the wild.

Day 11 & 12   17 July and 18 July, 2010    Serengeti National Park (B,L,D) After breakfast we have two full days to explore. Your driver-guide will choose your route based on his extensive knowledge of the park and local conditions but the Serengeti rarely disappoints. We might carry our picnic lunches with us so as to make the most of the day instead of returning to the lodge for lunch, but our trip might include a trail along the banks of the Grumeti River in search of basking lions and tracking cheetah. The entire ecosystem thrives from the annual migration, from the lions and birds of prey that gorge themselves on the weak and the faltering to the gamut of hungry crocodiles that lie in patient wait at each river crossing for their annual feed.   But it’s not just the wildebeest that use the Serengeti as a migratory pathway. Animals and birds of the area have a free range of movement to follow their seasonal migrations. Indeed, in the wake of the wildebeest migration, many of the less attention-grabbing features of the Serengeti are often overlooked. The park has varied zones in which each ecosystem is subtly different.

Day 13 19 July, 2010   Serengeti - Ngorongoro Conservation Area (B,L,D) After early breakfast we depart the Serengeti with the final game viewing en route to Ngorongoro. We will visit the World Famous Olduvai Gorge. This truly magical place is where the Leakey’s discovered the hominoid remains of a 1.8 million year old skeleton of Australopithecus boisei one of the distinct links of the human evolutionary chain. In a small canyon just north of the crater, the Leakey’s and their team of international archaeologists unearthed the ruins of at least three distinct hominoid species, and also came upon a complete series of hominoid footprints estimated to be over 3.7 million years old. Evacuated fossils show that the area is one of the oldest sites of hominoid habitation in the world. Continue to your lodge in Karatu and arrive just before dusk.   Accommodation: Plantation Lodge (3 nights)   Like a green oasis, Plantation Lodge rests on the soft, red-brown hills amidst the vastness and silence of East Africa. The individually furnished rooms and suites melting harmoniously into the flowering garden offer comfort and relaxation. Everywhere you look, you can see and even feel the personal atmosphere of this owner-run lodge with furnishings that were selected with great attention to detail. Plantation Lodge’s cordial service leaves no wish unfulfilled. The lodge’s location promises maximum safari enjoyment: a stone’s throw from the entrance to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a short hop from the Tarangire and Lake Manyara National parks, and just a short journey from the Serengeti .

Day 14 20 July, 2010   Ngorongoro Conservation Area (B,L,D) To stay at Plantation Lodge is to immerse yourself in a world of rest and relaxation.   And that is exactly what we need today ! The lodge’s rooms lie generously distributed throughout the flowering garden, some with verandas and direct access to the garden. Individuality is a major feature of Plantation Lodge, where each room has its own style, choice accessories and bouquets of fresh flowers from the garden that put the cherry on the cake.

Lunch and afternoon coffee and cake will be served in this delightful setting at one of the garden tables. Fresh variety is the motto of the kitchen. The lodge grows its own vegetables, salads, herbs and fruit. This means that the products from the kitchen are healthy, untreated and particularly tasty. In the restaurant guests are pampered every evening with a fine multicourse meal in a stylish, comfortable atmosphere.

For those who are interested in birds, the lodge staff will explain the various bird species to you on a tour around the flowering garden. Such colourful birds as Fischer’s lovebirds or the yellow-bellied sunbird are regular visitors to Plantation Lodge. For those who are interested, the lodge staff will lead you to a neighbouring coffee plantation. Here you will learn how coffee beans are treated and what steps are needed to make this delicious and aromatic beverage or alternatively if you prefer, you can visit one of the farms adjacent to the lodge and gain an insight into African country life: You will see how the people on the farm live and work.

Day 15 21 July, 2010   Ngorongoro Crater (B,L,D)   After breakfast we descend down the 2000-ft walls of the Crater with packed lunches from your lodge. Ngorongoro Crater is a World Heritage Site and home to nearly 25,000 animals, for a game drive. Here you have a very real chance of spotting the big five: lion, elephant, endangered black rhino, buffalo and leopard plus countless other African mammal species. This caldera, formed by a volcano sinking, hosts a unique cross-section of eco-systems, from soda lake to savannah and is home to almost every major species of African mammal. Our presence does not threaten the wildlife making for an exhilarating proximity to the game that we rarely encounter elsewhere.

Day 16   22 July, 2010   Ngorongoro - Arusha (B,L,D) After breakfast we drive to Arusha and visit the Cultural Heritage Centre. The Cultural Heritage Centre in Arusha presents crafts and artefacts from hundreds of tribes both local and from other parts of Africa. It carries everything from masks to traditional weapons to Tanzanite to wood carvings of all shapes and sizes. The selection is amazing and it just could be a museum of all kinds of African crafts.   There are a lot of items of very good quality and the extreme variety makes it a one stop shop for all your needs for souvenirs that you may not have collected along the way.   It’s a great place to visit and ideal for those looking for good quality souvenirs to take back home. Accommodation: Mt. Meru Lodge (1 night) Nestled between the peaks of Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru Game Lodge & Sanctuary was created in 1959 to provide intimate accommodation to discerning lovers of both wildlife and nature. The lodge is located within 33 acres of mature, well manicured gardens bounded on one side by the tranquil waters of the Usa River and on the other by the Animal Sanctuary.    The main emphasis of the Game Sanctuary is to provide safe haven to African plains game and birds. These include eland, ostriches, waterbucks, zebras, buffalo, small carnivores such as Monitor lizards, small wild cats and of course the enormous variety of birdlife who come to feed, breed and enjoy the unique freedom offered by our very safe environment.

Day 17 23 July, 2010   Arusha - Nairobi (B,L) Morning is at leisure before we transfer on private Riverside shuttle bus to our hotel in Nairobi. Dinner at the hotel is at own expense tonight. Accommodation: Holiday Inn (1 night)

Day 18 24 July, 2010   Nairobi - Mauritius (B,D) Breakfast at our hotel before our mid morning transfer to the airport and flight to Mauritius. On arrival in Mauritius we will transfer back to the Le Preskil Hotel for 2 nights to relax and ease back into civilisation. Accommodation: Le Preskil (2 nights)

Day 19 25 July, 2010 Mauritius (B,D) The warm crystal clear waters of the lagoons and white sandy beaches are ideal for any water sport activities. Sailing, diving, snorkelling, water ski-ing etc, as well as fishing for Blue and Black Marlins, sail fish and tunas which thrive in the tropical water around the island. With record catches the island boast one of the best reputations around the world for deep-sea fishing.

Day 20 26 July, 2010 (B) Morning at leisure before we transfer to the airport and bid farewell to Mauritius and the end of our tour. We have an overnight flight to Melbourne.

Day 21 27 July, 2010 Arrive Australia