Photographic Wildlife Safari, Friday 26th July, to Sunday 11th August, 2019 AS YOU LIKE IT (SAFARIS) LTD. Tour Leaders: Vivien Prince with Jeff Sink DAY 01: Friday 26 July: Arrival in Nairobi, Kenya Upon arrival at Nairobi s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you will be met by our representatives and transferred to the Nairobi Serena Hotel. On the outskirts of Nairobi s central park, shaded by Jacaranda, bougainvillea and acacia trees, stands the Nairobi Serena Hotel. This tranquil location is only moments from most inner city attractions and convenient to nearby game reserves. A member of the Leading Hotels of the World the hotel offers an exceptional standard of accommodation, service, cuisine and amenities. It is the natural choice of corporate executives conducting business in Nairobi or luxury adventure travelers en route to safari. Nairobi Serena: Dinner on your own. (BB) NAIROBI SERENA HOTEL
DAY 02: Saturday 27 July: Drive to Amboseli National Park Framed against the glorious backdrop of Africa s highest mountain, the magnificently beautiful Mount Kilimanjaro, surrounded by miles of rolling grasslands, patrolled by vast herds of elephant, shaded by the lush, feathered-green of an acacia grove and hugging the banks of a gently flowing river, this very traditional yet supremely luxurious lodge is the safari destination of a lifetime. Nestled in the foothills of Kilimanjaro, Amboseli Serena lies beneath a copse of giant acacia trees and beside a gently flowing natural spring. The lodge enjoys a beautiful and close view of Africa s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro. Inspired by local Maasai architecture, the design of the lodge is in total harmony with the environment. Each guest room conveys a distinctive Maasai Manyatta mood and is furnished with authentic African murals painted by a local artist Amboseli Serena Lodge (FB) AMBOSELI SERENA LODGE
Day 03: Sunday 28 July Your second day in Amboseli National Park a very good place to be able to view the elephants walking down from the hills in the morning, and maybe running to get to the swamp for the day s feed. You can sit and observe their behavior as the mothers protect babies, and young bulls may interact with each other. Later in the evening, you might catch the elephants as they re-group to lumber up to the hills again to sleep overnight. Pay your bar bills or any extras tonight, as we will want an early start tomorrow. Amboseli Serena Lodge (FB) Day 04: Monday 29 July After an early breakfast, we will Drive to Nairobi for activities which will melt your heart. We will start with a visit to a school in a Nairobi s Ngando Slum, called, Hope Streams Academy. We will have arranged to bring treats for the children, and in turn they will be thrilled to have us as visitors, and surprises await us. HOPE STREAMS ACADEMY
We will then drive a short distance to the Karen Blixen Coffee Garden Cottages where we will check in and have lunch. After lunch I hope we will have time to visit the Karen Blixen Museum, always keeping in mind, the most important visit of the day will be our visit to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant orphanage. Fine details will be worked out nearer the time. KAREN BLIXEN COFFEE GARDEN COTTAGES THE SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust operates the world s most successful orphan elephant rescue and rehabilitation program and is one of the pioneering conservation organizations for wildlife and habitat protection in East Africa. We will have dinner and overnight at the Karen Blixen Cottages. Please remember to pay your extras before going to bed. Accommodation is BB.
Day 05: Tuesday 30, July After breakfast we will drive north to the Samburu Game Reserve, en route you will see how Nairobi is sprawling into once rural areas, vastly and quickly expanding the city. You should still be able to capture sights of coffee and pineapple plantations, and see flower farms, as well as many new buildings; some just colorful Africa, people, fruit stalls and second hand clothing (known as mitumba), you will also see how, with heavy traffic, there is now a flourishing boda boda taxi business (scooter/motor bikes), bobbing along and winding through cars. We will pass Mt.Kenya, beautiful, large-scale farms growing vast fields of Wheat and other crops. Eventually, paved roads, will give way to dusty, bumpy murram, and ignites our adventure again. We will hope to see a variety of species of animals in Samburu. Overnight Larsen s Camp FB Day 06: Wednesday 31 July Day 2 in Samburu: Game drives in the Samburu Game Reserve Beautifully situated on the banks of the Uaso Nyiro River in the arid heart of Samburu National Reserve, Kenya, larsen s Camp looks out over riverbanks where herds of elephant, buffalo and zebra
come daily to drink. Set in a rugged landscape with a stunning backdrop of jagged mountains and its own indigenous wildlife unique to the region. It is the place of the semi-nomadic Samburu people and a place of open plains and vast horizons of the African desert. Facing the river, the open-sided Dining Room allows guest to enjoy the sights and sounds of the river as they dine. Doum palms decorate the river banks, and birds of many species abound. Larsen s Camp FB LARSEN S CAMP.. Day 07: Thursday 01 August Day 3 in Samburu Game Reserve. The phenomenon of the elephants coming from the hills to the river to drink, happens in Samburu too, with them returning to the hills in the later afternoon. Hopefully you will see them. When the river is dry, the elephants dig holes in the river bed to drink, and in this way help other animals to survive in trying to reach water too. This dry, arid, unforgiving landscape has many treasures to find, in the way of wildlife, and truly African vistas. Please remember to pay your extras before going to bed. Larsen s Camp (FB) We may have the opportunity to visit a Samburu Village if you wish, when driving out of Samburu on the last day. Here you would see children schooling under the trees. Visit inside a Samburu hut, see goats in their pens, and masses of handicrafts.
Day 08: Friday 02 August Today we will drive to Nanyuki, from where you will once again see Mt Kenya. We will be able to visit the Mt Kenya Safari Club Animal Orphanage en route to our next stop at Sweetwaters Tented Camp in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Read the whole story here http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/about-mount-kenya-wildlifeconservancy/ BUT, it is basically for rescue, rehabilitation, and eventually releasing wild animals into the expansive Mt Kenya Conservancy. It is here that Jeff had a disagreement with a monkey as to ownership of his sunglasses whose sunglasses? Overnight Sweetwaters tented Camp FB
MT. KENYA SAFARI CLUB ANIMAL ORPHANAGE Day 09: Saturday 3 August This is your second day in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy which is a 90,000-acre not-for-profit wildlife conservancy in Central Kenya's Laikipia County. It is situated on the equator west of Nanyuki, between the foothills of the Aberdares and Mount Kenya. Extinct in the wild, the Northern White Rhino is a subspecies of white rhino, which used to range over parts of Uganda, Chad, Sudan, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Years of widespread poaching and civil war in their home range have devastated northern white rhino populations, and they are now considered to be extinct in the wild. Only two remain alive and protected on Ol Pejeta.
Apart from game drives, a unique feature here is the Chimpanzee Sanctuary. Formed in 1993 as a joint alliance between the Jane Goodall Institute, and the Kenya Wildlife Service, this sanctuary was established as a refuge for rescued and orphaned Chimpanzees; and is the only place in Kenya where non-indigenous Chimpanzees can be seen. The 40 or so Chimpanzees are protected on an island, and access to see them is by boat. Overnight Sweetwaters Tented Camp FB SERENA SWEETWATERS TENTED CAMP Day 10: Sunday 04 August Drive to the Great Rift Valley, to Lake Nakuru National Park, which will just be a one-night stop en route to the Maasai Mara, and the greatest show on earth. Lake Nakuru will have abundant bird-life, and there is also a chance to see Rhinos here, both Black and White. There is a Euphorbia forest, which though badly damaged by fire a few years ago, marks a large area. You see the Rothschild s Giraffe in Lake Nakuru with its most distinguishing mark being their rather plain yellow legs. These are in danger of extinction, but breeding well here. Overnight Lake Nakuru Lodge FB
LAKE NAKURU LODGE Day 11: Monday 05 August Early start for the long drive to the Maasai Mara Game reserve. We will have breakfast at 6 am and depart by 6.30 am. Make sure you have paid your bar and laundry bills the night before. Drive to the Maasai Mara National Reserve, which is probably the most prolific wildlife area in the world. Your first 4 nights will be at an authentic Out of Africa, ecofriendly, camp, which is close to nature, and rare to find in today s world. You will be right in the middle of the Great Migration dispersal area, with the possibility of seeing Lions, maybe Leopard, and Cheetah; Wildebeests and much more wildlife in the vicinity. We will arrive for Lunch, and an afternoon game drive. Overnight Mara Bush Camp FB Day 12: Tuesday 06 August With the dawns early light, and beyond, we will be game driving, photographing and enjoying an abundance of wildlife, beauty and freedom. We will gather round the camp fire in the evenings, telling stories, and enjoying the social time. It is fun to have a game of Scrabble, packs of cards, Uno, or what games you enjoy to pass the rest times happily engaging with each other, afternoons or evenings. A good time for a good book too. Overnight Mara Bush Camp FB
MARA BUSH CAMP (MAIN) DAY 13: Wednesday 7 August Another full day in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. Overnight Mara Bush Camp FB
DAY 14: Thursday 08 August This is your fourth day in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. No two game drives are ever the same, no matter how many you do. Breathe, enjoy, keep your eyes open, scour the horizon. The adventure is in looking and searching, the excitement is in finding. Overnight Mara Bush Camp FB DAY 15: Friday 09 August This is the day we change location to the Mara Triangle. You are so well trained now, that of course you paid your bills the night before? You are packed before breakfast, and we will have a slightly easier morning, before we take off on a game drive over to the Triangle. Overnight Mara Serena FB
Da D D DAY 16: Saturday 10 August Alas and alack, your last day on safari is this one. You will overnight once more in the Mara Serena FB. DAY 17: Sunday 11 September A sad good bye, yet hopefully enthralled with our lives having changed forever, because of this adventure. We will have a nice breakfast at 6 am(as always) and set off for the long drive back to Nairobi. Time will be of the essence, and I very much hope to host you for lunch at the Muthaiga Country Club, or we will go back to Karen Blixen Coffee Garden Cottages. This final detail will be released to you nearer the time. Transfer and departure from JKIA. Kindly note: anyone wishing to arrive a day or two early, or leave a day later, will be catered to, and the extra bookings made. Three days at the coast is an optional add-on for anyone who wishes to go. See the separate itinerary.
This safari is inclusive of: All Transfers 4-wheel drive, specially equipped Toyota Land Cruisers English speaking driver/guides Park Fees for you Park fees for the drivers and vehicles Unlimited Game drives (within reason and pre-arranged) Vivien Prince logistics specialist, and Proprietor of As You Like It (Safaris) ltd. Bean bags to steady your cameras Mineral water in the vehicle Sweets, biscuits and nuts/snacks in the vehicle. Cushions and blankets Accommodation as stipulated in the above itinerary FB (full board on safari) BB (bed and breakfast in Nairobi) Lunch on the last day. Amref :Flying Doctor Evacuation Insurance Medical box in the Vehicle The cost of this safari excludes: Drinks, tips and laundry in the camps and lodges Tips to your driver/guides Any extra activity not listed above: i.e. Visits to Samburu or Maasai Villages Private visit to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Orphanage Visit to the Mt Kenya Safari Club Animal Orphanage. Travel insurance (which is a must) International air tickets Visas into Kenya Balloon ride, horse riding or other activity you may choose. END OF SERVICES Management reserves the right to change any prices or locations, should there be any unforseen rises in price or conditions.