“There is something about safari life that makes you forget all your sorrows and feel as if you had drunk half a bottle of champagne – bubbling over with heartfelt gratitude for being alive. One only feels really free when one can go in whatever direction one pleases over the plains, to get to the river at sundown and pitch one’s camp, with the knowledge that one can fall asleep beneath other trees, with another view before one, the next night.”
– Karen Blixen, Danish Author (lived in Kenya for a long time)
We may spend our entire life seeking peace in the wilderness. Yet never really come across anything close to the experience that awaits us when the stillness of the Savannah in Masai Mara suddenly transforms into a thunderous noise of thousands of beating hoofs! The feeling is beyond words and the encounter with such a huge number of wild beasts in migration is nothing that can be compared with any wildlife experience. You will find herds of wildebeest, zebras, giraffes, Thompson’s gazelles and elands trampling their way through the long grass towards Masai river. If its the wild cats you seek, you will not be disappointed. Crouched under the shade of the acacias, you will find them waiting expectantly to pounce on a poor, unsuspecting herbivore that might have strayed from its herd.
Nowhere on this wonderful earth will you witness a movement of animals as immense as the wildebeest migration; millions of animals migrate from the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to the greener pastures of the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya following the rain and patterns of growth of their staple food, the long Savannah grass. Amazing, isn’t it? The herds are found to pass through Masai Mara somewhere around mid July through October. When monsoon hits the Serengeti by late October, filling the water holes and bringing back greenery in the low-grass plains, the animals head South again to the open plains.
Adventure Africa Expedition offers an exciting safari through Masai Mara, Kenya, for all seasons, besides arranging customised safaris in other parts of Africa. Based on my personal experience, I can confidently say that you will enjoy a true tented safari experience or get a taste of wild Kenya staying within the comforts of a luxury lodge nestled in the wilderness, whatever suits your fancy. Dickson Wambugu, safari consultant at Adventure Africa Expedition, was honoured with the Best Private Mountain Guide Award by Mount Kenya Mountain Guide Association in 2008. Rest assured, you will certainly be in the hands of the best guides in Africa, handpicked by Dickson.
Here’s an interesting safari itinerary offered by Adventure Africa for the wildebeest migration season (food, game parks and accommodation included) and beyond. This tour will also give you a glimpse of the spectacular Mt Kilimanjaro, another dream-come-true for travellers visiting Kenya, for an entire day. You can get the trip customised as per your requirement.
Day 1: Nairobi
Arrive at Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta airport in the evening. You will be picked up by one of our drivers and dropped at your hotel. Overnight in Nairobi.
Note: If you arrive at Nairobi airport in the morning or afternoon, you will be picked up by one of our drivers and dropped at the hotel. For those of you who would like to have a short city excursion, you will have few minutes to refresh up and our guide will take you for sight seeing around the city. You will get a glimpse of various sites like the Parliament Building, Kenyatta International Conference Center (Kicc), visit the biggest market City Market. You can enjoy dinner in one of the classic Indian Hotel in Nairobi Westlands and thereafter you will be dropped back to the hotel for overnight stay.
Day 2: Nairobi – Masai Mara
The 5 days Kenya Safari and Tour starts early in the morning with a pick up by one of our drivers from your hotel in Nairobi. Proceed to the city center, the departure point, where you meet other travelers who you will be joining for the 5 days safari if its a Kenya Joining Safari. Drive down the escarpment via the floor of the Great Rift Valley. The first stop will be at Great Rift valley view point. At this point we normally take 30min short halt. You will learn how the Rift Valley was formed as well as you will have an opportunity to visit the Rest Rooms/ Wash Rooms. Thereafter we leave and for the next 3 hours, we will be driving to Narok Town. Enroute you will have your lunch in Transit Hotel or Similar. After lunch proceed for Masai Mara. In the next 2 hours or so you will be in Masai Mara. On arrival check in the Camp, later proceed for the game drive which will continue till 1830hrs. Return to the Camp for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3: Masai Mara Full Day Game Drive Safari
Explore the parks for the whole day and enjoy an amazingly high concentration of game. This game reserve is Kenya’s finest wildlife sanctuary. Including migrants, well over 450 species of animals have been recorded here. Mara plains are filled with migrating wildebeest and zebra, there is also resident wildlife year round.The Mara’s gentle fertile climate bounded by The Rift, offers perhaps the richest stocked reserve set within some 1672 sq kms – an unlimited spectacle of wildlife. Located 268 kms west of Nairobi, the emphasis here is on game. Drive through herds of immense elephants, lions, buffaloes, Thompson’s Gazelles, zebras and topi. You may occasionally sight a rhino or leopard. In the Mara River, hippos play and crocodiles bask on the banks. The annual migration of a million Wildebeest follows the rains north.After exploring the park, return to the camp for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: Masai Mara – Lake Nakuru Rhino Sanctuary
Wake up call at 0600hrs, you will have a cup of hot coffee, proceed for the early morning game drive until 0930hrs, then return to the Camp for full breakfast. Thereafter if you like you can visit the Masai Village (optional tour) before going to Lake Nakuru. Then leave Masai Mara and drive to Lake Nakuru having your lunch again in Narok town, then proceed to Lake Nakuru arriving late evening, check in the hotel for dinner and overnight in Lake Nakuru Budget hotel.
Day 5: Lake Nakuru – Lake Naivasha
After breakfast check out from the hotel and then we drive to Lake Naivasha . Upon arrival you will check in and then you will have a boat ride which will take you to the Hippo Pool where you will be able to see many of them in the water. Bird life, too, is plenty in this Lake. Thereafter proceed back to the Camp for dinner and overnight in Lake Naivasha.
Day 6: Crater Lake Walking Safari – Nairobi
After breakfast, we proceed south passing through Naivasha town and drive around the southern end of the lake, past the flower farms to Elsamere. Elsamere is home to the late Joy and George A damson, of “Born Free” fame. This is now a conservation center and museum where you will enjoy an hour-long boat ride on Lake Naivasha, before a delicious lunch in their beautiful gardens. You can look out for 
some of the hundreds of bird species as well as the hippos (which you may hear at camp tonight!). During lunch you may even have the company of black and white Columbus monkeys. After lunch we proceed to Crater Lake Conservancy Area where we walk up to the rim of the beautiful volcanic crater for views down to the emerald-green Crater Lake. Flamingo populations have boomed here recently, having migrated from Lake Nakuru. With your guide you can walk through the conservancy area trekking after plains animals including giraffe, eland and antelope, while admiring the various species of birds and plants. Return to Elsamere for afternoon tea. Stay overnight in camp.
Days 7: Lake Naivasha – Amboseli
After the breakfast, check out from the camp and proceed for Amboseli. You will have lunch on the way on this day. Upon arrival, check in the Camp and then proceed on for the late afternoon game drive which takes continues till 1830hrs. Then return to the Camp for dinner and overnight in Amboseli Kibo Tented Camp.
Day 8: Amboseli Full Day
After the breakfast proceed for a full day of game viewing in 
the Park. Amboseli National Park is located at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain. The snows of the mountain form a majestic backdrop to one of Kenya’s most popular spectacular displays of wildlife – lion, elephant, leopard, rhino,cheetah, buffalo and host of plains game, creating Kenya’s most sought after photographer’s paradise. You will have lunch and leisure break at look-out point or at the observation hill for the peak of Kilimanjaro which may be seen in clear weather. Large herds of elephants and hippos can be seen bathing in the swamp grounds whose water source is Mt. Kilimanjaro. After lunch proceed for another game drive till 1830 hrs after which you will return to the Camp for dinner and overnight in Amboseli Kibo Tented Camp.
Day 9: Amboseli – Nairobi
Wake up call, then have a cup of hot coffee and proceed for the early morning game drive. You will return to the Camp for Main breakfast at 0930 hrs. Thereafter you can decide to go for a short walk with the Masai morans (optional) and then leave for Nairobi. You will have your lunch on the way back and then you will be dropped back at a hotel in Nairobi for any further stay on your own or to Nairobi airport for return flight home. Kwaheri! Nitakuona hivi karibuni (Goodbye, see you again soon)!
Inclusions
- Pick up from the airport upon arrival
- 1 night hotel stay in Nairobi
- Transport with safari Vehicle with pop-up roof
- All park entrance fees
- Accommodations in the Tented Camps
- Full board,three meals per day while on safari
- Drop off to the airport the last day
- Game drives
- Drinking water
- Boat Ride
- Bikes
Interested in experiencing Masai Mara in its full glory (migration season)? Drop in a line at info@internationalbackpacking.com with your name, travel dates and number of interested travellers. I promise to get back to you at the earliest! Remember, groups are heading there on 15 July, 23 July, 6 August and 10 August. You can join them too, if you are looking for a group tour. Limited seats, so book your slots immediately.
You can even opt for customised tour on any of your preferred dates. Mail me at info@internationalbackpacking.com for special group pricing if you are a large group. However, if you want to do it on your own, well, go ahead and just do it! You could take a look at these neat budget accommodations if you wish to venture on your own. Remember, do book your hotel or hostel well in advance during super peak seasons (July-October).
International Backpacking 