KVI TRAVEL

DAY 1

ARRIVE NAIROBI, KENYA

Arrive in Nairobi and transfer to the luxurious Fairmont The Norfolk. Perhaps Kenya’s most famous hotel, it has welcomed generations of safari-goers since it first opened on Christmas Day, 1904.

Fairmont The Norfolk

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Image by Gabriel P

DAY 2

AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK | AT THE FOOT OF KILIMANJARO

Today, drive to Amboseli National Park at the base of soaring, snowcapped Mount Kilimanjaro, which, at 19,341 feet, is the highest freestanding mountain in the world. Set out in search of the region’s spectacular wildlife — African savanna elephants, leopards, cheetahs and hosts of plains game — all roaming freely amid swamps, springs, and a shimmering, dried lakebed. This evening, gather with fellow guests for a welcome dinner celebrating the start of an unforgettable safari adventure.

Tawi Lodge
 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 3

AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK | A FULL DAY IN THE BUSH

Spend a full day exploring wildlife-rich Amboseli National Park, watching for lions and buffalo. Enjoy a morning on safari before breaking for lunch. This afternoon, make another game drive, capped with a refreshing sundowner.

Tawi Lodge 
 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 4

TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK | ABUNDANT GAME VIEWING

Drive to the Tanzania border, stopping for lunch in Arusha. Board a direct flight from Arusha to Tarangire National Park and settle into your luxurious accommodations. Sanctuary Swala’s large tents are built on raised decks under umbrella acacia trees overlooking the Gurusi flood plains. The layout is very open, with resident herds of impalas often grazing in camp. Wide panoramas of wooded savanna stretch in every direction in the park, which is nurtured by the permanent Tarangire River and populated by abundant big game, such as lions, elephants and buffalo. Its dusty red landscape also hosts a large bird population. Tonight, dine in camp.

Sanctuary Swala 
 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 5

TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK | INTO THE WILD

Today, embark on morning and afternoon game drives, seated six to a vehicle so that every guest enjoys a window seat. Explore Tarangire National Park, backdropped by the spectacular, rust-hued Great Rift Valley. At Tarangire, find a stunning concentration of animals — herds of elephants, impalas and zebras. Look, too, for pythons and the twitching tails of leopards, who hide high above in sausage trees. As dusk falls, you may opt for a night safari, available at an additional cost, to search for nocturnal animals rarely seen by visitors. You may spy an African wildcat, the elusive leopard or the round eyes of a bushbaby. With specialized lighting, look for lions and hyenas and smaller creatures — spotted genets, servals, bat-eared foxes and nightjars. While at Swala, you also partake in a Chef ’s Table experience, including a cooking demonstration of local dishes such as ugali, makande and kachumbari, followed by an opportunity to taste them.

Sanctuary Swala 
 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 6

NGORONGORO CRATER | DESIGN YOUR DAY

Learn how Tanzanians live today, exploring in and around the village of Mto wa Mbu, as you Ride Like a Local by tuk-tuk, a major form of transport here. See rice fields and a banana plantation, and try banana beer at a local bar. In the village, walk the local market to see the colorful produce on display. Afterward, head to your restful luxury lodge, set near the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, for lunch. This afternoon, enjoy one of these Design Your Day activities.
 

Walk with a Maasai Healer, discovering the uses of over 20 different indigenous plants in the Ngorongoro Forest.
 

Bicycle the Back Roads of a nearby village to get a feel for life as the locals live it.
 

Enjoy a Traditional High Tea on the veranda overlooking the gardens at Gibb’s Farm; meet the artist-in-residence.
 

Settle in for a tranquil evening and overnight stay.

Gibb's Farm 
The Manor at Ngorongoro 

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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 7

NGORONGORO CRATER | WILDLIFE-RICH HAVEN

Today, set out on a game drive in Ngorongoro Crater, exploring the panoramic, short-grass prairies along the floor of this ancient volcanic caldera, home to rare black rhinos as well as lions, hyenas and gazelles. The diverse and profuse wildlife dwelling within the encircling crater walls led this incredible “Lost World” to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy lunch al fresco in the crater before returning to your lodge. Tonight, gather for dinner with your fellow guests.

Gibb's Farm 

The Manor at Ngorongoro 

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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAYS 8 - 10

SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK | ON THE ENDLESS PLAINS

Fly to Serengeti National Park, a vast Tanzanian landscape that hosts one of earth’s last remaining wildlife spectacles: the annual Great Migration, when millions of herbivores trek across the Serengeti plains in search of water and fresh grass, with hungry predators awaiting them. Over the next two days, your adventure may reveal giraffes, wildebeests, elephants and far more on morning and afternoon game drives. You may also opt for a hot air balloon ride across the boundless Serengeti, at an additional cost, for an exciting new perspective.

Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti 
 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 11

MASAI MARA GAME RESERVE | KENYA’S CROWN JEWEL

Fly to the Masai Mara, the northern extension of the Serengeti. After settling into your riverside accommodation within the Masai Mara, immerse yourself in the wild during an afternoon game drive. Follow the Mara River to see crocodiles basking in the sun; hippos as they wallow in muddy water; and monkeys, busy sparking mischief overhead. Here, too, you may sight any of more than 400 species of birds, among them eagles who glide effortlessly above the sun-soaked landscape. During your time in the Mara, enjoy the peace of mind that comes with staying at Sanctuary Olonana, hailed since its recent comprehensive rebuild as one of the finest safari lodges in all of Africa. Relax each night in large, spacious suites — complete with generous tubs and rain showers en suite. Each suite also features a private veranda for game viewing or simply absorbing the magical scenery, as well as floor-to-ceiling glass doors that fold open to reveal magnificent views of the Mara River. Tonight, join fellow guests for a Scenic Sundowner, followed by an elegant dinner.
 

Sanctuary Olonana 

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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAYS 12-13

MASAI MARA GAME RESERVE | UNMATCHED WILDLIFE

Spend two full days exploring the open savanna, woodlands and tree-fringed rivers of the Masai Mara, where patience is rewarded with unique sightings such as leopards, who retrieve kills from acacia branches high above, or elephants protecting their young from opportunistic lions. Game viewing is never dull in the Mara, especially when the dramatic annual Great Migration unfolds. Amid the stunning scenery, watch as Maasai tribesmen traverse the plains or herd goats and cattle. On one day here, visit a Maasai village and meet with an elder to learn about local culture and traditions. During one of your mornings, enjoy another opportunity for an optional hot air balloon ride over the sprawling Mara (at an additional cost). Connect with local residents when you visit a village and primary school supported by A&K Philanthropy. Observe and learn firsthand how AKP’s LifeStraw partnership is changing lives by providing locals access to safe, clean drinking water.

Sanctuary Olonana 

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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 14

DEPART NAIROBI 

Fly back to Nairobi and spend the afternoon at leisure in a comfortable dayroom. In the evening, transfer to the airport for your departure flight or begin a Post-Tour Extension to Uganda.

Fairmont The Norfolk

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Meals: Breakfast