Kenya Big five Safari Tour to Masai Mara, Amboseli, Samburu, Aberdare, Tsavo.
This tour Kenya Big five Safari Tour will give you a chance to explore Kenyan six best parks and reserves. You’ll see all the Big Five, special five and small five. Experience the great migration of wildebeest to and from the Maasai Mara/ Serengeti crossing the Mara River, awaited by hungry crocodiles and big cats once they cross the river.
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4x4 safari Landcruiser
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2 & 3 Stars Hotels
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Nairobi
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All year round
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Eco-Tour, Wildlife Safari
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All meals during the safari
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English, Spanish, French, Italian
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Easy to Moderate
Overview
Highlights
- Explore Kenyan six best parks and reserves.
- Visit Masai Mara, Amboseli, Samburu, Aberdare, Tsavo.
- Experience the great migration of wildebeest to and from the Maasai Mara.
- Witness the drama of Mara River crossing as hungry crocodiles and big cats await the wildebeest crossing mara river.
Itinerary
Day 1 :
Arrival at Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport - Transfer to Hotel
Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you will be picked up at the airport and taken to your hotel. The rest of the day is free. Relax, take a stroll, enjoy the sights and sounds. Get plenty of rest – tomorrow will be huge!
Dinner and overnight at Skynest Residences.
Day 2 :
Nairobi to Tsavo East National Park
Have your breakfast at the lodge in leisure and later depart for Tsavo East National Park with an enroute game drive on the way. You will arrive in time for lunch. After lunch, you will have an afternoon game drive.
The joint mass of Tsavo West and Tsavo East National Parks forms one of the largest national parks in the world and covers a massive 4% of Kenya’s total land area. Tsavo East the larger of the two, lies to the east of the Nairobi – Mombasa road, equidistant between Nairobi and Mombasa. It offers a vast and untapped arena of arid bush which is washed by azure and emerald meandering of the Galana River. It's guarded by the limitless lava reaches of the Yatta plateau and patrolled by some of the largest elephant herds in Kenya.
Dinner and overnight at Ashnil Aruba.
Day 3 :
Full Day Exploration of Tsavo East National Park
You will have a full day in the park with your morning and afternoon game drives.
Main attractions in the park, 'Elephant in Eden' - The sight of dust-red elephants wallowing, rolling and spraying each other with the midnight blue waters of palm-shaded Galana River is one of the most evocative images of Africa.
Aruba Dam - The beautiful Aruba dam located on the north bank of the seasonal Voi River, is visited by thousands of animals and is a great game viewing destination.
Mudanda Rock - This whale–backed rock towers above a natural dam, which acts as a draw to thousands of elephants.
Yatta Plateau - At 300 kilometers in length, the heat shimmering edge of Yatta Plateau is the longest lava flow in the world and an ornithological paradise that attracts migrating birds from all over the world.
Dinner and overnight at Ashnil Aruba.
Day 4 :
Tsavo East National Park to Amboseli National Park
After breakfast, you'll depart to Amboseli National Park. Set against the legendary Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain, Amboseli is home to the “Big Five" of African wildlife: elephant, rhino, lion, buffalo and leopard. The view of the Amboseli plains, with elephants moving below the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro, is one of the most photographed vistas in Africa. A network of swamps and wetlands ensure excellent game viewing all year-round. Upon your arrival in the park, have an enroute game drive heading to the lodge. Check in and enjoy your lunch. After lunch, embark on an afternoon game drive with an expert game driver.
Dinner and overnight at Aa Lodge Amboseli.
Day 5 :
Amboseli National Park Game Drive
You'll have a full day of exploration in the park. After breakfast, depart for the morning game drive. Afterwards, you'll be transferred to your lodge for lunch at leisure. Later, embark on an afternoon game drive. You will later return to the lodge for dinner.
You will be able to see the peak of Mt Kilimanjaro, the Big Five and more than 400 birds species.
Dinner and overnight at Aa Lodge Amboseli
Day 6 :
Amboseli National Park to Lake Naivasha
You will have your morning breakfast at the lodge, then depart to Lake Naivasha. You will arrive in time for lunch. In the afternoon, you'll have a boat ride.
Lake Naivasha is a beautiful freshwater lake, fringed by thick papyrus. It is almost 13km across, but its waters are shallow with an average depth of five metres. The waters of the lake draw a great range of game to these shores.
Giraffes wander among the acacia, buffalo wallow in the swamps and Colobus monkeys call from the treetops. You'll also see the lake's large hippo populations sleep the day out in the shallows.
Dinner and overnight at Sawela Lodges.
Day 7 :
Lake Naivasha to Masai Mara National Reserve
Have breakfast at the lodge and later depart to Maasai Mara National Reserve. Upon arrival in the park, you will have an en-route game drive heading to the lodge, for check in and lunch. Afterwards, you will have an evening game drive. Later, return to the lodge for dinner and your overnight stay.
Enjoy an exploratory drive around the 1,792sq km game park with its low hills and savannah type rolling grasslands, gallery forest on the Mara River and its tributaries. Get introduced to the herbivores; elephant, rhino, buffalo, the variety of antelopes, the Masai giraffe and the Burchell zebra. The carnivores are the black mane lion, cheetah and leopard. Also to be seen are the largest bird including the Masai ostrich, the Secretary bird, the crested crane and saddle-bill stork. Crocodiles and hippos share the river.
Dinner and overnight at Fisi Camp.
Day 8 :
Maasai Mara National Reserve
You can have an optional early morning balloon safari ride (US$450.00 per person ) across the Masai Mara plains.
Enjoy breakfast at the lodge then go for morning and afternoon game drives. Masai Mara is an extension of the Serengeti ecosystem to the south. Game abounds here. The Mara is noted for its abundance of lions, particularly the superb black maned males. During the great migration, over 1.5 million wildebeest and other antelopes cross the mighty Mara River. You are also likely to see lots of elephants here often in large herds. If you're lucky, you'll see leopard, cheetah and rhino. All of the Big Five are residents. You're sure to see the African buffalo. Get the cameras ready, stock up on film/tapes and enjoy yourselves! In the evening, visit a Maasai village.
Dinner and overnight at Fisi Camp.
Day 9 :
Maasai Mara National Reserve
You can have an optional early morning balloon safari ride (US$450.00 per person ) across the Masai Mara plains.
Enjoy breakfast at the lodge then go for morning and afternoon game drives. Masai Mara is an extension of the Serengeti ecosystem to the south. Game abounds here. The Mara is noted for its abundance of lions, particularly the superb black maned males. During the great migration, over 1.5 million wildebeest and other antelopes cross the mighty Mara River. You are also likely to see lots of elephants here often in large herds. If you're lucky, you'll see leopard, cheetah and rhino. All of the Big Five are residents. You're sure to see the African buffalo. Get the cameras ready, stock up on film/tapes and enjoy yourselves! In the evening, visit a Maasai village.
Dinner and overnight at Fisi Camp.
Day 10 :
Masai Mara National Reserve - Lake Nakuru National Park
You'll be woken up by marching elephants and the sounds of birds. Have breakfast at your lodge, check out and drive through the cool Rift Valley environment towards Nakuru. Drive through the park and arrive at your lodge in time for lunch. Afterwards, have an afternoon game drive at Lake Nakuru National Park. Lake Nakuru is a small park with over 50% of its area covered by the Lake. Located in the middle of the Rift valley, L. Nakuru National Park has a wide variety of animals which include the Rothschild giraffe, lions, white and black rhinos as well as the leopard. All these can be spotted depending on your luck. The park is also considered by birdwatchers as an ornithological paradise! A myriad of both greater and lesser flamingoes have made this lake their home.
Dinner and overnight at Kunste Hotel.
Day 11 :
Lake Nakuru National Park – Aberdare National Park
You will have an early morning game drive then return to the lodge for your breakfast and check out then depart to the Aderdare National Park. On your way, you will have a stopover at Thomson’s Falls. Have an opportunity to explore the enchanting waterfalls that attract colorful birds and provide good photographic opportunities. A nature trail at the base of the falls and through the gorge is a safe haven for the endangered Columbus monkeys, baboons and small animals. Afterwards, embark on the safari to Aberdare National Park. You will arrive in time for lunch which will be at Aberdare Country Club (base serving hotel for The Ark). After lunch, enter the national park for a game drive and later head to the lodge for your dinner and overnight stay.
Dinner and overnight at The Ark.
Day 12 :
Aberdare National Park to Samburu National Reserve
After your morning breakfast, drive to Samburu arriving in time for check in and lunch. You will have some rest before you embark on the evening game drive in the famous Samburu National Reserve, which is known for its “special 5”. If you're lucky, you will be able to see them as they include; reticulated giraffe, Gravy’s zebra, gerenuk, Somali ostrich and Baisa oryx.
Dinner and overnight at Samburu Sopa Lodge.
Day 13 :
Samburu National Reserve Game Drive
Your wake up call will be at 6:00 am for tea/coffee and cookies at the lobby. Set off for the early morning game drive in the reserve. Return to the lodge for breakfast and thereafter, the rest of the morning will be at leisure. Lunch will be served at the lodge, and in the evening, set off for the late evening game drive.
The landscape of the Samburu area is beautiful, arid and scrubby with magnificent mountains in the background. An unusual forked palm; the doum palm, grows along the banks of this river and adds striking beauty to the panorama. Wildlife is surprisingly abundant for such a dry place. It includes several species which are unique to the area such as; gerenuk, Gravy’s zebra, Beisa oryx, reticulated giraffe and Somali ostrich. Not to be overlooked are the hundreds of species of birds to be found here. This is home to the Samburu people, “cousins” to the Maasai and the young warriors’ colourful dress and ornamentation distinguish them from other members of the tribe.
Dinner and overnight at Samburu Sopa Lodge.
Day 14 :
Samburu National Reserve – Nairobi
After breakfast at the lodge, have an enroute game drive in the park. Afterwards, drive to Nairobi where you will be transferred to the airport for your home flight. This brings to an end our Kenya migration tour.
Dinner and overnight at Skynest Residences.
Day 15 :
Transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
It’s the final day in Kenya, Take advantage of the relaxed schedule and sleep in before breakfast is served. Enjoy the breathtaking views of Nairobi city as the sun rises at the horizon one last time and also if time allows be sure to grab any last minute souvenirs you may want and say one last goodbye to the new friends you made in Kenya before being transferred to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your flight back home.
Kwa heri ya kuonana – (Good bye and see you again).
Cost
The Cost Includes
- Local tourist taxes.
- Binoculars for game drive viewing.
- Bottled Water at all times while on safari.
- Park or reserve entry fees – where applicable.
- Driver’s salary and allowances and park fees for vehicle and driver.
- Game drives or sightseeing as detailed on the itinerary – where indicated.
- All meals at hotels as mentioned in the itinerary – ( Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner ).
- Ground transportation with an English-speaking driver/guide or naturalist guide.
- Pick up from airport of arrival and drop off to the airport of departure while on safari.
- Transport based on excellent 4X4 Vehicle (Landcruiser or Van) with open roof for game viewing.
- Full board Accommodation and If accommodation is fully booked we’ll suggest a comparable alternative.
The Cost Excludes
- International flights.
- Your travel and medical insurance.
- Tips and gratuities, which are optional.
- Airport customs entry visas (currently US$ 50 per person.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How fit do I need to be to do this trek?
Annapurna Base Camp is a Grade B or a moderately difficult trekking route. So any fit person can do this trek, even if you do not have any previous experience. You should be aware of what to expect and mentally prepare for it. Then, as long as you will too, you can.
How long do we walk every day when doing Annapurna Base Camp trekking?
On average, you walk about 4 to 6 hours per day. One or two days can be as less as 3hrs and one or two days can be as long as 7hrs.
What is the highest altitude reached in this trek?
The highest altitude reached is 4190m. This is the elevation of Annapurna Base Camp. ABC is the highest we will climb in this trek.
What about battery charging and hot shower facilities?
Yes, you can charge batteries en route. Charger should be brought. There are hot shower facilities as well. You may have to pay a certain amount for both ($1-$2). Negotiate. Also, a hot water facility could be free at a lower elevation.
Are there ATMs on the way to Annapurna Base Camp?
No. There are no ATMs on this trek route. You will have to draw enough cash in Pokhara or Kathmandu. There are a number of ATMs in these cities. Everything is paid in Nepali rupees. So money should be exchanged before the start of the trek.
What about internet access?
Yes. The Internet can be accessed in most places. Sometimes, there might be some technical problems. The Internet in Nepal is not as fast as you are used to and at times you can just lose connection.
Is it necessary to hire Guides/trekking agency for Annapurna Base Camp trekking?
Not really. It depends on you. If you want, ABC trekking can be done independently. You could hire a guide and a porter by yourself instead of going through an agency or not hire a guide at all. Although, not having a guide can be a little problematic during the offseason.
It really depends on you. Is it your first time in Nepal? How confident are you of being able to find your way around? How pressed on time are you? If you go through an agency, it will be costlier but everything will be planned. You will only have to come, trek and return.
How much do guides and porters cost?
For the Annapurna region, pay for guides range from $20 to $30 per day and porters take $15 to $25 per day.
