INFORMATION ABOUT THE TOUR
Destination: Kenya
Destinations: Nairobi, Samburu National Reserve, Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Lake Nakuru National Park, Masai Mara Game Reserve
Arrival Airport: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi (NBO)
Departure Airport: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi (NBO)
ABOUT MASAI MARA
Masai Mara National Reserve is 1,510 km2
Distance from Nairobi International Airport: 280km
Driving time from Nairobi International Airport: Approx. 6 hours
Flight time from Wilson airport to Keekorok airstrip approx. 45 minutes, daily departures
Known for:
World’s densest populations of mammals during migration, June – October.
The world’s largest animal migration
Endless grasslands
The Masai Mara is one of Africa’s most famous natural areas. Masai Mara is located in southeast Kenya, and is the country’s second largest natural area after Tsavo National Park in southern Kenya. Masia Mara consists of open large grasslands, savanna transitioning into wooded and bush savannah in the central and northern parts. The landscape is also characterized by rolling hills and kopjes. Kopjer are granite formations, bedrock that juts up from the Savannah and gives the landscape a special and beautiful character.
In the south, the Masai Mara borders the Serengeti in Tanzania, together this forms a special ecosystem that is world-renowned for its rich animal and bird life. Together, these areas form unique ecosystems.
Every June/July, a fantastic spectacle takes place when wildebeest and zebra migrate from the Serengeti in the south to the Masai Mara in the north. This phenomenon is often referred to as The Great Migration. The Great Migration is the world’s largest animal migration with approx. 1.5 million wildebeest and 500,000 zebra that migrate into the Masai Mara from the Serengeti in July and leave the Masai Mara in September/October when they again retreat to the Serengeti in Tanzania. The Masai Mara has the highest density of mammals in the world when the migration visits the plains.
The Masai Mara is located on a plateau 1500 – 2170 m above sea level, which gives a cool climate and a more humid climate than another region in Kenya. The temperature rarely goes above 30 °C and almost never lower than 15 °C at night.
TERMS
Jolita Safari reserves the right that the aforementioned accommodations do not have available rooms at the desired travel time. If any of the lodges are fully booked, we will contact you and suggest good alternatives.
Jolita Safari reserves the right to currency changes and price changes beyond Jolita Safari’s control. Read our travel conditions
Day 1: ARRIVAL NAIROBI
You land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO). Visas are purchased (50 USD) prior to baggage claim and meeting your safari driver who will also be your private guide on your safari.
You will be driven to the Sarova Panafric Hotel Nairobi around 18 km from the airport. Enjoy the afternoon and relax by the pool before continuing to Samburu the next morning.
More about Sarova Panafric Hotel Nairobi
Sarova Panafric Hotel is a perfect arrival hotel where you can enjoy your first night in Nairobi. The place has a good pool in the back garden which is sheltered from traffic and noise. The chain is known for its good food. The hotel has beautiful rooms with views of the city or the garden, and it is a short distance to most of the sights Nairobi has to offer. The hotel has 162 rooms in several categories.
Additional activities in Nairobi – ask us for a price
Nairobi offers many exciting experiences. If you arrive in the morning, we can tailor some excursions for you on the first day.
Elephant orphanage – open between 11:00 – 12:00
Giraffe center – feed the giraffes and get some good photos taken for the Christmas card
Karen Blixen’s home – Get a guided tour of the Danish author’s home on the outskirts of Nairobi.
Carnivore Restaurant – A well-known restaurant that serves many different meat dishes from a large grill.
Day 2: TO SAMBURU
After an early breakfast, the car is packed and you head north towards the Samburu National Reserve. You pass small villages, big cities, drive through giant pineapple plantations and pass the fertile landscape around Mt. Kenya. You arrive at Samburu Sopa Lodge at lunchtime, you check in, lunch is enjoyed and you are then ready for your first safari experiences.
More about Samburu Sopa Lodge
Samburu Sopa Lodge is located inside the Samburu National Reserve with panoramic views of Samburu’s bushland and hills. The lodge’s design reflects the architectural heritage of the local communities in the area. The lodge consists of 15 cabins, of which each cabin has 2 living units. The lodge has a pool where you can cool off in the middle of the day when the sun is at its strongest. The waterhole close to the lodge attracts animals looking for water.
About the safari in Samburu National Reserve:
As a guest of Jolita Safari, you have a private safari car and a private English-speaking guide who are at your disposal during the entire safari. Already today, you get an afternoon safari out on the savanna where the chance of seeing herds of lions and elephants is high, often close to the camp. The park is particularly famous for the Grevy Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe, Gerenuk Antelope and Oryx
Meals:
This day includes breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 3: SAFARI IN SAMBURU
You will be woken up at 06:00, coffee and tea will be served at At 06:15 and at 06:30 you drive out into the savanna in search of new and exciting safari experiences. The chance of experiencing a lion hunt is greatest in the morning before the sun gets too hot. You return to the lodge for breakfast and relaxation. At 15:00 you drive out on an afternoon safari.
Meals:
This day includes breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 6: SAFARI IN OL PAJETA CONSERVANCY
After an early breakfast, the car is packed and you set off for the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. You will once again enjoy the sight of Kenya’s highest mountain, Mt. Kenya which stretches to 5199 m You arrive at beautiful Sweetwater Serena Camp at lunchtime. Enjoy your lunch with a view of the water hole before you drive out and experience the unique safari experiences Ol Pejeta bry offers.
Driving time Samburu – Ol Pejeta: 3 hours
Distance: 140 km
More about Sweetwater Serena Camp
What makes this camp unique is that it is located on the equator, it has an exciting water hole where rhinos, elephants, gazelles, giraffes and other animals come and quench their thirst. Beautiful and inviting canvas tents with a view of the waterhole allow you to dream deep into Karen Blixen’s history. There are a total of 56 tents at the camp. Great communal area, large garden and swimming pool help to create a good setting for your safari experience in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
About safaris in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Your driver will take you and give you fantastic safari experiences that you won’t soon forget. You are visiting the Sweetwater Chimpanzee Sanctuary . The chimpanzees housed here are rescued from the “black market” and this is the only place in Kenya where you can experience this fascinating animal. You will also see one of the few remaining specimens of the Northern White Rhino , today there are only 3 surviving rhinos of this species. The park offers “the big five”, which are lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant and buffalo. The park has the largest population of Black Rhino in East Africa.
Meals:
On this day, breakfast, lunch and dinner are included
DAY 7: SAFARI LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK
After the morning safari and check-out, you pack the car and the trip continues to Lake Nakuru National Park. You drive through Kenya’s lush highlands and arrive at Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge at lunchtime. Enjoy the view and perhaps a little swim in the pool before you head out on today’s afternoon safari.
Driving time Ol Pejeta – Lake Nakuru: 4 hours
Distance: 145 km
More about Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge
Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge is a medium-sized lodge with 60 large well-designed rooms, all with large bathrooms as well as individual balconies so that the guest can enjoy the wonderful view of Lake Nakuru and the park. The lodge has a pool and good common areas.
About safari in Lake Nakuru National Park
Lake Nakuru National Park is a soda lake located in the Great Rift Valley. The park is one of the few parks in Kenya that is enclosed by an electric fence, this is done to protect the animals from poachers looking for rhinoceros. The park has a special status as a so-called sanctuary (i.e. a safe haven) for rhinos, which were badly affected by poaching in the 1970s and 1980s. The lake was originally made into a national park to protect its rich birdlife. The lake is best known for its pink flamingos, at times there are several million here. In the park around the lake you can see the most common safari animals such as zebra, antelope, buffalo, baboons, lions, leopards and giraffes. You will not find elephants in Lake Nakuru as the park is too small for the elephant to thrive here. If you’re lucky, you’ll see lions climbing trees to get away from the wet ground.
Meals:
On this day, breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
DAY 8: TO THE MASAI MARA GAME RESERVE
You say goodbye to Lake Nakuru and head for the world-famous Masai Mara park. You drive through small towns and villages, over large plains and past volcanoes. Arrival at Masai Mara Basecamp at lunchtime. The Serengeti in Tanzania and the Masai Mara in Kenya are connected and the animals wander across national borders in search of food. At 16:00 you drive out on your first safari in the Masai Mara.
Driving time Lake Nakuru – Masai Mara: 6.5 hours
Distance: 220 km
More about Masai Mara Basecamp
Basecamp Masai Mara is an award-winning eco-friendly camp beautifully situated by the Talek River. The camp currently consists of 15 tents, two of which are large, spacious family tents. The camp’s focus is to preserve the wonderful wildlife found in the area, but they also run good and exciting projects among the Maasai people who live just outside the Masai Mara. The staff come from the surrounding areas and have first-hand knowledge of the Masai Mara.
The tents are simple, but beautifully furnished and all tents have their own bathroom with toilet, indoor shower and outdoor shower. Here you will feel like you are out in the wilderness. The camp is known, among other things, for hosting Barack Obama during his visit to Kenya.
Other camps in the same price category
Mara Leisure Camp
Azure Mara Haven
Masai Mara Sopa Lodge
Upgrade options in Masai Mara
Sarova Mara Game Camp
Mara Engai Lodge
Mara Crossing Camp
Karen Blixen Camp
Meals:
On this day, breakfast, lunch and dinner at the camp are included.
DAY 9: SAFARI DAY IN MASAI MARA
As a guest at Jolita Safari, you have a private safari car and a private English-speaking guide who are at your disposal during the entire safari. Already from the first day in the park, you get an afternoon safari out on the savanna where the chance of seeing herds of lions and elephants is high, often close to the camp.
The driver is a safari expert and knows the park, the walking pattern and which parts of the park are worth visiting at different times of the year. Our guides have extensive experience and knowledge and therefore “read” nature in a unique way.
You can either drive out on a full-day safari with a picnic lunch, or you can split the day with a morning and afternoon safari.
If you are out on a full-day safari, the driver packs your lunch, which you later eat out on the savanna under a “real African tree” – acacia.
Additional activities in the Masai Mara – ask us for a price:
Balloon safari with champagne breakfast – The excursion lasts around 4 hours, fly around 1 hour with a balloon and enjoy a good breakfast on the savannah.
Goose safari with a local Maasai – Hike across the plains with a Maasai showing small reptiles, medicinal plants and special places.
Visiting a Masai village – The Masai are the tribe that owns the park area, they live in the area and you can see their houses and way of life.
Bush dinner – Enjoy a better dinner under the stars.
Meals:
On these days, breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
DAY 10: JOURNEY HOME
The day starts with a morning safari and sunrise over the Masai Mara’s endless plains. You eat breakfast, pack the car and head for Nairobi. On arrival in Nairobi you will have lunch at the Carnivore Restaurant.
The African adventure is over for this time and you say goodbye to the country that has given you unique experiences and memories for life.
Driving time Masai Mara – Nairobi: 6 hours
Distance: 280 km
Meals:
This day breakfast and late lunch are included
PRICE INCLUDES:
- English-speaking guide/driver
- Private safari car with safari hatch in the roof
- Safari in Samburu National Reserve
- 2 nights at Samburu Sopa Lodge
- Safari in the Ol Pajeta Conservancy
- 1 night at Sweetwater’s Serena
- Safari in Lake Nakuru National Park
- 1 night at Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge
- Safari in the Masai Mara Game Reserve
- 2 nights at Masai Mara Basecamp
- Meals as described in the program
- Drinking water in the safari vehicle
- All park fees
- All transfers in program
PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:
- Beverages
- Meals not mentioned in the day to day program
- Cancellation and travel insurance
- Vaccinations
- Additional activities
- Tip for safari guide/driver, 5-10 USD per day, from each of you
- Visa on entry USD 50 per person
- Expenses of a personal nature
