Day-by-day itinerary

• Day

  01

  Nairobi, Kenya

  Welcome!

  Touch down in Nairobi where you are welcomed with a warm friendly smile by our Born Free VIP host who will assist with formalities and escort you to your hotel. Get a good night’s sleep, as your adventure will begin in the morning!
  
  Nairobi is a surprising city, with excellent large hotels, small boutique properties and world-class restaurants. There is a strong British influence with everything from high tea to their bit of formal friendliness.
  
  With an extra day, we can arrange for visits to the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Center. Sheldrick's is located in the Nairobi National Park. It is here that orphaned or hurt baby elephants and rhinos are taken to rehabilitate back into their natural habitats.
  
  Giraffe Center or AFEW, is a non-profit organization that has been established to educate Kenyan school children on their country's wildlife and environment. It is on the grounds of the world famous Giraffe Manor.
  
  "Karibu" = Welcome in Swahili

  Dinner
• Day

  02

  Amboseli National Park

  On Safari

  A short flight takes you to the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro and the Amboseli National Park. You are met at the airstrip and escorted out on your first game drive. The park is the home to large herds of elephants, cheetah, giraffe, zebra and Cape Buffalo to name just a few.
  
  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. If you are lucky, you may get to see the shimmering dry lakebed with false mirages of populated horizons.
  
  Do not miss the dawn game drives, when the plains are golden with the new day’s sun and the predators are most active. This is truly a magical time.

  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
• Day

  03

  Amboseli National Park

  Up at dawn – the Amboseli plains are golden with the new day’s sun. Head out for some game viewing to one of the five main swamp areas where elephants & hippos gather.
  
  This is also the time that the lions go on their hunts. Every turn will bring a new wildlife surprise. Herds of zebra and wildebeest are easily seen. Amboseli is also the home to Cape Buffalo, hippo, eland, giraffe, as well as lion and cheetah.
  
  Return to the lodge for a delicious buffet lunch and then out again for an afternoon game drive.

  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
• Days

  04-05

  Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

  After breakfast in Amboseli, cross into Tanzania, where you'll meet your Born Free Safaris Tanzania guide. Today will be one of the longest drives, but you will travel through interesting villages and scenery. Stop in Arusha for lunch and then continue to Tarangire National Park.
  
  Tarangire is all that symbolizes classic Africa. Acacia trees, ancient baobab and sausage trees spot the landscape. Elephants can number in the hundreds, as well as large herds of Cape buffalo, all making their way to to the river.
  
  After a full day of game drives, end your days here with a relaxing dinner at your lodge or camp and fall asleep to sounds of the bush.

  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
• Day

  06

  Lake Manyara

  Treetop Walkway

  Ernest Hemingway referred to Lake Manyara as “the loveliest place I have seen in Africa.”
  
  More than two-thirds of the 127-square mile Lake Manyara National Park is covered by lake, and the highlight of the park's wildlife is the large flamingo population when in season.
  
  Elephant, giraffe, monkeys, impala, and more than 380 species of birds are also to be found among the park’s five different vegetation zones. In addition, the park is known for its tree-climbing lions, which may be seen sleeping off the heat of the day on a nearby branch.
  
  There is a new treetop walkway that will take you high above the trees. Here you can look to see the colorful bird life, monkeys playing in the trees and possibly even a tree-climbing lion.
  
  After your game viewing in Lake Manyara, continue up the Great Rift Valley Wall to the Ngorongoro Highlands.

  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
• Day

  07

  Ngorongoro Crater

  Early morning wake-up call, breakfast and then head down into Ngorongoro Crater for prime time game viewing. The area is inhabited by an impressive variety of wildlife including lions with black manes and the highly endangered black rhino. The lake area in Ngorongoro is also one of the best places to see the large flocks of flamingos.
  
  Picnic lunch by the hippo pool, and continue for a few more hours exploring the Crater. The area has a very delicate eco-system and in order to protect the area, travelers must start out of Ngorongoro by 3:30 p.m.
  
  In order to get further into the bush and make our drive time shorter tomorrow, we will continue into the southern Serengeti region for tonight's stay.

  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
• Days

  08-10

  Serengeti National Park

  In Search of the Migration

  We are dedicating three full days for exploring the great Serengeti. Game viewing areas in the Serengeti will be dependent on the projected location of the herds during the time of year you are traveling. No matter when this is, you can be sure Serengeti National Park will not disappoint.
  
  This is the Africa you’ve been dreaming of! The 10,000-square mile park boasts massive islands of granite, grassy plains, an acacia savannah, woodlands, and a range of mountains that support the thousands of species you may encounter.
  
  Here in the Serengeti (and Maasai Mara) is where you'll do your most intense game viewing. Time between the two areas will be divided according to the seasonal movement of the wildebeest and zebra.
  
  As the herds travel throughout the Serengeti Eco-system, we will search for the migrating herds. Our safari camps are selected to ensure the best game viewing for the time you will be traveling. As a guideline in August-September you will stay longer in the Mara. The rest of the year you will be in strategic areas of the Serengeti to optimize the game viewing experience.

  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
• Days

  11-12

  Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya

  Cross back into Kenya with an air and land transfer to the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, the northern extension of the Serengeti Plains. It is here where the annual migration crosses over the river in search of greener grasses.
  
  Sweeping views of rolling grasslands studded with acacia trees, rivers, and forests lend chance to see a range of animals from the ‘Big Five’ to cheetah, crocodiles, and birds of prey.
  
  Your base for exploration will always be selected to maximize game viewing during the time you travel.

  There will be at least one flight and a short scenic segment of road travel to the Maasai Mara in Kenya from the Serengeti. Routing will depend on location of the safari camps.

  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

  OPTIONAL:
  Hot Air Balloon Safari
  Add to your unforgettable safari with a flight over the Mara. Champagne bush breakfast.
• Day

  13

  Your Journey Onwards

  Flight to Nairobi

  After breakfast in the Mara, bid farewell to the bush and the friends you've made at camp. A short flight takes you back to Nairobi, and a dayroom waits for your convenience. Rest and relax until your flight onwards, taking with you memories that will last a lifetime.
  
  "Kwa Heri" Goodbye

  Breakfast