Discovery Tour Kenya – From the Masai Mara via Tsavo East to Diani Beach

Detailed itinerary

• Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi – introduction and briefing

  On your arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport you will be met by our staff member and taken to the Tamarind Tree Hotel. The Tamarind Tree Hotel is ideally located just 5 km south-west of the city on the spacious Carnivore grounds with its famous Carnivore Restaurant. Via the neighbouring Wilson Airport and the Southern Bypass, Nairobi, its national park and the country’s many attractions are easily reached. The nearby suburbs of Langata and Karen are among Nairobi’s liveliest and most popular, with first-class shopping centres and excellent restaurants. Overnight at the Tamarind Tree Hotel standard room or an accommodation of equal category (B).

• Day 2: Drive from Nairobi to the Masai Mara – game drive

  Look forward to the first highlight of your journey into the legendary Masai Mara. After breakfast we drive via Narok to the Masai Mara National Reserve, one of the most famous wildlife reserves in Africa. Together with the Serengeti in Tanzania, it forms a vast nature conservation area in which the world-famous wildlife migration takes place every year. The Masai Mara plays a crucial role in preserving the world’s largest mammal migration. With more than 95 species of mammals, amphibians and reptiles, as well as over 400 bird species, the reserve is considered one of the most impressive wildlife observation zones in Kenya. The wildebeest herds dominate the landscape. Every year in July, more than 1.5 million wildebeest, accompanied by numerous zebras and Thomson’s gazelles, move from the Serengeti in Tanzania to the fresh pastures of the Masai Mara before returning in October. Dinner and overnight at the Zebra Plains Mara Camp Savanna View Tents or an accommodation of equal category (B|L|D).

  

  

  

• Day 3: Game drive in the Masai Mara – the Great Migration

  Enjoy an exciting game drive in the Masai Mara with a packed picnic basket, surrounded by an impressive variety of animals such as elephants, buffalo, antelopes, zebras, giraffes and rhinos. This area offers excellent opportunities to spot the famous “Big Five”. Overnight at the Zebra Plains Mara Camp Savanna View Tents or an accommodation of equal category (B|L|D).

• Day 4: Drive from the Masai Mara to Lake Naivasha – optional boat trip on the lake

  After breakfast you drive to Lake Naivasha with its impressive location at the foot of the Rift Valley escarpment. Lake Naivasha is an important horticultural area of Kenya. Lunch at the lodge. The afternoon is at your leisure. Optionally, you can take a boat trip on Lake Naivasha to explore the birdlife. Dinner and overnight at the Naivasha Sopa Lodge standard room or an accommodation of equal category (B|L|D).

  

  

• Day 5: Drive from Lake Naivasha to Amboseli National Park – elephant herds and Mount Kilimanjaro

  Early breakfast and afterwards drive via Nairobi to Amboseli National Park, situated to the north-west right at Kilimanjaro on the border with Tanzania. The area was originally established as a reserve in 1968 and declared a national park in 1974. With an area of 392 km², the park forms part of the 3,000-km² Amboseli ecosystem. The diverse wildlife makes Amboseli a popular destination in Kenya. The view of Mount Kilimanjaro in particular makes a visit worthwhile. The elephant herds and the flat landscape give the area a very special charm. Thanks to its marshy areas, the park retains its green flora even in the dry months. The park is divided into five different habitats for animals (open plains, acacia woodland, rocky thornbush savannah, marshes and wetlands) and includes part of the dry Pleistocene lake basin. In this basin lies Lake Amboseli, which during the rainy season serves as a vital waterhole for the diverse wildlife. Overnight at the Kibo Safari Camp Tents or an accommodation of equal category (B|L|D).

  

  

• Day 6: Drive from Amboseli National Park to Tsavo West National Park – game drive

  After a cup of coffee or tea we set off around 6:30 a.m. today on a highly recommended early game drive. At this time of day you not only have the best chances of seeing the summit of the snow-capped Kilimanjaro and its neighbour Mawenzi cloud-free, but can also look forward to magnificent wildlife sightings. After breakfast at camp you drive to Tsavo West National Park. Tsavo West National Park covers about 30 per cent of Kenya’s entire national park area and is home to a wide variety of habitats, wildlife and an impressive mountain landscape. The park extends as a vast savannah landscape from Mtito Andei along the Mombasa–Nairobi road to the southern border with Tanzania. To the north-east it adjoins Tsavo East National Park along the highway. The park’s varied habitats include open plains, savannahs, scrubland and semi-desert, bushland and acacia woodland. There are numerous rocky outcrops and koppies in the park. The area of the park opposite the Chyulu Hills is of volcanic origin and features lava fields and cinder cones, including the Shetani Lava Flow, an example of a young volcano. In the vast south-western part of the park on the border with Tanzania lies Lake Jipe, fed by meltwater from Mount Kilimanjaro and the North Pare Mountains. In the north of the park the water is filtered underground by the Chyulu Hills and flows from a lava ridge into a series of crystal-clear pools. Dinner and overnight at the Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge or an accommodation of equal category (B|L|D).

  

  

  

• Day 7: Game drive in Tsavo West and drive to Tsavo East National Park

  Today the journey leads to Tsavo East National Park, one of the oldest and largest national parks in Kenya. Tsavo East offers wonderful scenery, in particular Mudanda Rock and the Yatta Plateau, the largest lava flow in the world. At over 13,000 square kilometres, Tsavo East National Park is vast and, with its establishment in 1948, one of the oldest national parks in Kenya. Explore the extensive savannah of the Yatta Plateau with its red elephants and see an astonishing number of animals. Four of the Big Five (elephant, leopard, lion and buffalo) as well as animals such as dik-diks, zebras, giraffes, cheetahs, baboons, hyenas, jackals, African wild dogs, elands, gazelles, gerenuks and over 500 species of birds are waiting for you here. Overnight at the Ashnil Aruba Lodge or an accommodation of equal category (B|L|D).

• Day 8: Morning game drive in Tsavo East & drive to Diani Beach

  The day begins early in the morning with a last game drive in Tsavo East National Park, when the wildlife is particularly active and the warm light of the rising sun bathes the savannah landscape in impressive colours. With a little luck we again observe elephant herds, antelopes, giraffes or even predators in search of prey — a fitting close to your safari. Afterwards we return to the lodge, where a relaxed breakfast awaits you. After that it is time to say goodbye to the fascinating wilderness of East Africa. Around mid-morning we begin the return journey towards the coast. The roughly 150-km route leads through varied landscapes — from dry bush and savannah areas to increasingly tropical vegetation as we approach the Indian Ocean. After arrival in Mombasa, the transfer takes you to your booked beach hotel on the south coast, usually in the region of Diani Beach, known for its palm-fringed white sandy beaches and turquoise sea. Here begins the restful part of your journey: enjoy the sea breeze, look back over the impressions of the past days or simply relax on the beach. Overnight at the Pinewood Beach Resort or an accommodation of equal category (B|D).

  

  

  

• Day 9: Mombasa South – relaxing by the sea

  Over the next few days, relaxation by the sea is on the programme. Overnight at the Pinewood Beach Resort or an accommodation of equal category (B|D).

• Day 10: Diani Beach – relaxing by the sea

  Day at leisure by the sea. Overnight at the Pinewood Beach Resort or an accommodation of equal category (B|D)

• Day 11: Diani Beach – relaxing by the sea

  Day at leisure by the sea. Overnight at the Pinewood Beach Resort or an accommodation of equal category (B|D).

  

  

• Day 12: Diani Beach – relaxing by the sea

  Day at leisure by the sea. Overnight at the Pinewood Beach Resort or an accommodation of equal category (B|D).

• Day 13: Diani Beach – relaxing by the sea

  Day at leisure by the sea. Overnight at the Pinewood Beach Resort or an accommodation of equal category (B|D).

• Day 14: Drive to Moi Airport – return flight home

  Time for the journey home. Think of the breathtaking landscapes, the fascinating wildlife and the diverse culture you have experienced in Kenya. May the memories of your time here last long and bring a smile to your heart as you look back. Goodbye, Kenya. May your farewell be only an “until we meet again”, and may you return one day to discover more of this fascinating country (B).

  We reserve the right to make changes to the programme due to special events, force majeure or weather conditions.

  Legend: B = Breakfast | L = Lunch | D = Dinner