Kenya Grand Safari

Enjoy unforgettable close-up encounters with Kenyan wildlife, the scenic wonders of the forested highlands and the teeming plains of the Maasai Mara. Discover for yourself what is arguably East Africa’s greatest natural wonderland as you visit a quartet of protected national parks and reserves. You’ll have opportunities to view some of the most extraordinary wildlife on earth on a succession of unforgettable game drives. Meet some of Africa's most fascinating peoples, and journey through a country filled with striking and dramatic scenery.

Highlights

Set out in search of the Big Five on six safari game drives, including an excursion into the acclaimed Maasai Mara
Journey through the Rift Valley to renowned Lake Nakuru National Park - a giraffe and rhino sanctuary
A visit to a Maasai village
Visit historic Nyahururu – formerly ‘Thompson Falls’

Inclusions

Seven nights' full-board accommodation at game lodges in the Aberdare (1 night), Samburu (2), Lake Nakuru (1) and Maasai Mara (2) national parks, and Nairobi (1), plus one night on the aircraft
A farewell dinner at the Fairmont Norfolk Hotel
Three game drives in the Samburu National Reserve
Three game drives in the famed Maasai Mara National Reserve
A boat ride on Lake Naivasha
Return flights to Nairobi
Travel by 4x4 safari vehicles throughout
Fully escorted by friendly, experienced drivers and safari guides

Day 1

Travel to Kenya - Fly overnight from the UK to Nairobi.

Day 2

Travel to Aberdare National Park - Your driver/guide will be waiting to meet you when you arrive, today, and together you'll head north in your safari vehicle. You'll pass acres of ripening pineapples in Thika, and climb through the forested hills to Aberdare National Park. Here you'll spend the night at the incredible Ark Lodge, which looks out over a floodlit waterhole that attracts an assortment of wildlife. This area was also a popular destination for the British Royal Family in the past (the late Queen was staying here when she learned of her father's death in 1952). Unwind this afternoon at the lodge, making sure to keep an eye out for the visiting animals.

Day 3

Journey to Samburu National Reserve - After breakfast, drive to Samburu National Reserve, perhaps catching a glimpse of Mount Kenya, often shrouded in cloud, on the way. Journey into the high plain, through grasslands dotted with market towns, cross the Equator and take in the panorama of the Laikipia plateau before dropping down onto the arid lowlands to Samburu National Reserve. On the banks of the Ewaso Ny’iro River, rugged Samburu is one of Kenya’s most peaceful and beautiful locations. It's also home to elephants, cheetahs, leopards, crocodiles, giraffes, zebra, the blue-legged Somali ostrich and the giraffe-necked gerenuk gazelle. After lunch, join your driver/guide for your first included game drive, returning to the lodge in time for a sundowner before dinner.

Day 4

Enjoy game drives in Samburu - You'll spend today in the reserve. Choose morning and afternoon drives, and return to your lodge for lunch, or spend the whole day out on safari, taking a packed lunch with you.

Day 5

Travel through the Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru National Park - Journey, via Kenya’s highest town Nyahururu (formerly known as Thompson’s Falls after the nearby waterfall), into the Rift Valley. Enjoy lunch at the Thomson Falls Lodge, and an afternoon game drive en-route to Lake Nakuru National Park, a popular grazing ground for black and white rhinos, Rothschild giraffe, buffaloes and several species of gazelle, and similarly popular with leopards. The lake itself is a paradise for birdwatchers, who can expect to see flamingos and pelicans, as well as fish eagles, heron and hundreds of other species.

Day 6

Continue through the Rift Valley to the Maasai Mara - Continue south, pausing at spectacular, freshwater Lake Naivasha - one-time home of Born Free author Joy Adamson. Board a boat to cruise on the lake’s waters, which are home to hippos, and keep a look out for its many bird species, and for giraffe, zebra, waterbuck and wildebeest on the shore. By early afternoon you will have entered the Maasai Mara, perhaps the world’s most famous protected game reserve, to enjoy an afternoon game drive en route to your lodge. The Mara is the setting for Kenya's annual wildebeest migration and, thanks to a rigid conservation programme, it's a place where game can be seen in numbers little diminished from the pre-hunting days of the 19th and early 20th Centuries. If you're hoping to see giraffes, zebra, hippos, buffalo, elephants, ostriches - not to mention lions, cheetahs and leopards - this particular corner of Africa offers unparalleled opportunities, and your two-night stay here should leave you with some indelible memories.

Day 7

Game drives in the Maasai Mara - Enjoy a last full-day of game drives, whether you choose morning and afternoon safaris or spend all day in the reserve. During the day, you’ll visit a Maasai village, and will have the opportunity to meet the villagers, speak to them about their lives here and buy a locally produced souvenir of your stay. Enjoy a last dinner at the lodge.

Day 8

Travel back to Nairobi - Make the journey up out of the Rift Valley back to Nairobi. Enjoy a short visit to the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife’s engaging Giraffe Centre - with its protected Rothschild giraffes. Your last night's stay in Kenya will be in the sumptuous five-star surroundings of the Fairmont Norfolk Hotel, an historic Nairobi landmark. Enjoy a Farewell Dinner here, this evening.

Day 9

Travel back to the UK - After an early breakfast, transfer to the airport to check in for your flight home, which arrives back in the UK late the same afternoon.

Further Information

Small group tours

Group sizes on each departure of this tour are restricted to a maximum of 24 people. The usual group size is between 16 and 20, with most travel undertaken in smaller six-seater vehicles meaning you can enjoy experiences and encounters (and in some cases even stay in wonderful little places) that are denied to larger groups.

Itinerary changes

Occasionally, for operational reasons, we may have to change the order of the excursions on your holiday. The final day-by-day itinerary will be confirmed on your Final Travel Documents, which you will receive approximately three weeks prior to your departure.

Passports and visas

British Citizens require an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to travel to Kenya, which can be applied for online. We will send you details prior to travel. Passports must be valid for six months from your date of entry into Kenya, and have two adjacent blank pages available for arrival in Kenya.

Hotel transfer times

The transfer time from the airport to your hotel is approximately 4 hours.

Foreign Office Travel Advice

Visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to find out the latest Foreign And Commonwealth Office travel advice for your holiday destination, as well as information about passports and visas.

Luggage allowance

You are permitted to take one suitcase per person on the aircraft, which should not exceed 23kg. Soft sided luggage is preferable over hard sided suitcases as these are easier to fit into the safari vehicle. 

Special requirements

If you have notified us of any special requirements, please check that they have been noted and acknowledged. This is especially important with any dietary needs you may have.

Disabled access

The majority of our tours involve a certain amount of walking, including a short walk from the coach stop to the town, attraction or venue you're visiting. If you are bringing a wheelchair, please let us know at the time of booking so that appropriate arrangements can be made. In many developing countries access is sometimes not as easy as at home. Should you have walking difficulties, getting around monuments and attractions may be harder and, in some cases, impossible. Should you have any concerns whatsoever please do contact us prior to travel.

Changes to your hotel

Should circumstances require, we reserve the right to accommodate you in alternative hotels, of a similar standard, nearby. Full details of your hotels will be sent with your Final Travel Documents.

Road conditions

In developing countries road networks are continually being improved and expanded, which can mean that, from time to time, roadworks and rough road surfaces can extend journey times. Some journeys are made on winding mountain roads and passes, which may also make for slow travelling - although the scenery is usually worth it! Many roads do not have separate pavements or safety barriers, and great care should be taken when crossing or walking alongside roads.

No Single Supplement

Every date on this tour has a limited number of places dedicated to solo travellers, where no single supplements apply. Once sold, a room for sole-use supplement will apply.

The Great Migration

Why not coincide your safari with the annual Great Migration, which sees the largest mass movement of mammals on Earth, travelling from Tanzania to Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve and back again? Witness over one million stampeding wildebeest and other wild animals make the journey, which usually can be seen in the Maasai Mara from July to September. Prices naturally increase at this time, but the spectacle is more than worth it.

Travel vaccinations

Requirements and advice can vary over time, and from person to person, so please contact your GP about eight weeks before your trip to check whether you need any vaccinations or any other preventive measures.