A journey of discovery through the Rift Valley and Maasailand, ideal as short tour or an extension of a mount Kenya trekking adventure. On this tour you discover the contrasting scenery, wildlife environments and cultures of the Kikuyu Highland areas, Great Rift Valley Lakes and Maasai savanna. As a way to support community conservation and encourage the locals to preserve their heritage, we include visits to complimenting community area. On this tour we do a side-trip en-route to Masai Mara and get privileged insights into the Maasai people’s fascinating way of life. Then, proceed on to Maasai Mara for quality game viewing in the park as well as visit adjoining Siana community conservancy as part of the wildlife safari. Within Siana conservation area there are chances for hiking, sun downer outing, bush dinner as well as night game drives.
Accommodation for this itinerary is a mix of a comfortable local hotel, lakeside chalets, permanent tented safari camp and bush camps (fully supported). The bush camping section on this trip allows us access to wilder areas. Irrespective of the location we never compromise on health, safety or reasonable comfort. And although we generally don’t include luxury lodges in our itinerary planning, Lodge accommodation can be arranged for most nights on private group departures if required.
Detailed itinerary:
Day 1: Journey to Nakuru / Coffee & Tea farm visit.
After breakfast commence a 200kms / 3h journey to a community run coffee and tea estate for lunch and local farming experience. Our lunch destination is a pleasant, cool, lush forested setting where we will enjoy a delicious farm lunch, guided bird-watching walk and visit to the tea and coffee processing operations. You can try your hand at picking tea and coffee if you like. In the evening we check-in to a comfortable local hotel just outside Nakuru National Park for dinner and overnight. (L,D).
Day 2: Lake Nakuru park / farm visit.
Early start (06.00) for game drives in Lake Nakuru national park. Though smallish in size the park is spectacular and picturesque with abundant wildlife and where there is the best chance of seeing the rare rhino (both black and white species), the elusive Leopard, and the unusual Rothschild’s giraffe as well as vast herds of buffalo, gazelles, eland, zebra and much more. The Park also has 400 species of birds recorded within its borders among them the thousands of flamingos that decorate the lake edge with their shimmering pink plumage. Other birds include pelicans, ostrich, marabou, ibis, eagles, vultures, woodpeckers, and turacos among others. After enjoying a picnic lunch we commence the journey to Lake Naivasha 50Kms / 1.5h. En-route we stopover at Lake Elementaita (another soda lake on the floor of the Great Rift Valley), where we have afternoon tea at a farmer’s home and visit their substance farm then, explore the lakeside environment. There ’re thousands of pelicans bleeding nests, hot springs with amazing heat tolerant fish and eroded ash cones with fascinating shapes. A further short drive brings us to Lake Naivasha for overnight accommodation in chalets right by the lake. (B,L,D).
Day 3: Boat ride / Maasai cultural insights.
Lake Naivasha is a vast freshwater lake, famed for its hippos and birdlife particularly fish eagles, love-birds and pelicans. You take an early morning boat trip to see some of them, disembarking at an animal sanctuary half way to walk amongst giraffe, zebra, impala, gazelle and waterbuck. Leave mid morning for Maasailand. Today we get a chance to visit a Maasai widow support home for our lunch en-route to Maasai Mara and get insights into the Maasai culture in the process. Then, drive on to our secluded camp in the Masai Mara at a slow pace viewing wild game as we go. In the evening we drive partway up Naunare Hill to enjoy a memorable sundowner outing in the bush as we watch the sun go down over the Mara and enjoy a snack – enthuthiastic trekker can hike to the top of the hill for a fabulous view of the Mara park. Weather permitting we get a chance for a brief night game drive within the Siana wildlife conservancy (adjoining Mara Park) for the only chance to observe nocturnal wildlife – no extra cost for the night game drive but advise us in advance please. Dinner and overnight in our comfortable permanent tented safari camp with en-suite facilities. (B,L,D).
Day 4: Full day game drive in Masai Mara.
A day dedicated to game viewing in Maasai Mara. Now the seventh wonder of the modern world, Maasai Mara an extension of Serengeti is a country of breathtaking vistas, vast rolling plains and rounded hills, acacia woodlands, dense thickets of scrub and the riverine ecosystem of the Mara River. It’s vast plains teem with endless herds of grazing game together with the associated predators, this is where you can see elephant, buffalo, lion, cheetah, leopard, zebra, giraffe, hippo, crocodile and a whole ark-full of other animals. Our expert naturalist guides and sturdy vehicles ensure you have the best chance of seeing them all and understand their habits. (B,L,D).
Day 5: Morning Game drive / return to Nairobi.
Another early morning game drives in the Mara and then return to camp for breakfast before embarking on the journey back to Nairobi. On arrival in Nairobi you are offered a homemade lunch at our Rock house before proceeding with your next arrangements. (B,L)