9 DAYS, 8 PARKS – CLASSIC SAFARI TSAVO EAST, TSAVO WEST, AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK, LAKE NAIVASHA & AREA ATTRACTIONS, LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK & MASAI MARA NATIONAL GAME RESERVE

Collection - Nairobi – Tsavo East: (340km-Appr 5 hrs)
Meal plan: Lunch, dinner

06:00 hrs. Your driver/guide will pick you up from your Nairobi area hotel, Nairobi airport or Nairobi area residence. We’ll take the Mombasa/Nairobi Highway in our private 4 x 4 Jeep for Tsavo East.

Along the way, we’ll make stops to stretch and enjoy the scenery.

Safari - Arriving at Tsavo East you’ll know you’ve come to a large and legendary park, home to folklore tales of ferocious lions. Notice the oxide-red soil – the elephants like to roll in it and give themselves a unique rosy coat.

We’ll begin our first game drive of your 9-day safari looking for the big animals like lion, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, and more, over this vast and rugged terrain.

Your driver/guide will point out the special sites and of course, all the wildlife you’ll be tracking.

As the day wanes, you’ll be treated to the first of several fiery African sunsets.

Overnight - Tonight, we’ll stay in Tsavo East, at your choice of safari lodge or tented camp.

Safari - Tsavo East- Tsavo West
Meal plan:Breakfast,lunch,dinner

Now that we’re on a safari schedule, we’ll be up with the birds to hear their song and catch the first breaking light upon the park. It’s time for an early game drive to search for the wildlife as it awakens to the new day.

We’ll breakfast and then enjoy another game drive as we exit the park for the short trip to Tsavo West.

The look is different here with more colours to the landscape and the inclusion of all the Big Five. That means Tsavo West features rhinos and we’ll head over to the Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary to track these fascinating but sometimes elusive creatures.

Overnight - We’ll spend our second safari night at Tsavo West at your choice of lodge or tented camp.

Safari - Tsavo West – Amboseli: 100kms Appr 2 hrs:
Meal plan:Breakfast,lunch,dinner

Before our breakfast, let’s see who we can spot on the way to their breakfast with an early morning game drive.

The park and its natural features are stunning this time of day as the light is soft at this golden hour.

Some of the park’s population may be headed for Mzima Springs, a natural, fresh oasis. We’ll join them to view hippo, crocodile, fish, and birds amidst the crystal waters and green canopy of this lush spot.

It’s soon time for the short drive to Amboseli National Park and we’ll have lunch, relax and head out for an afternoon game drive.

Amboseli’s signature landmark is the grand form of Mt. Kilimanjaro soaking up the south view of the park. With the great herds of elephants and other wildlife, it all combines to create postcard views throughout the reserve.

Overnight - We’ll spend the first of two nights at Amboseli at your safari lodge or tented camp.

Safari - Amboseli National Park
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Amboseli is a small but exciting park. The foliage is spare making for easier game viewing and sightings of the large animals (including the elephants) are common.

We will fill our day with game drives and see how many species we can check off our list. Keep an eye out for wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, gazelle, and lion.

But there is plenty of small wildlife as well – hyena, fox, monkey, and baboon have been frequently spotted.

The park is also known for its active birdlife so look for pelican, kingfisher, crake and, egret.

And if you desire some relaxation time, just tell your driver/guide and he’ll be happy to comply.

Toward evening look toward Kilimanjaro’s snowy peak which may emerge through the clouds as they sometimes disperse. You may be rewarded with a stunning view of Africa’s grandest summit.

Overnight - Our second night at the park at your lodge or tented camp.

Safari - Amboseli- Lake Naivasha – (340 km: Approx. 6 hrs)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

We have a lot to see and experience today, so let’s be up and bid adieu to the mighty mountain as we head out to the Great Rift Valley to view its dramatic towers and gorges.

We’re on our way to Lake Naivasha and will arrive in time for a fun sailing safari across the lake. Say ‘hello’ to hippo and other aquatic life as we gently glide by, perhaps taking in zebra and antelope near the lakeshore.

We’ll follow this boat ride with a walking safari – a guided tour of nearby Crescent Island Game Sanctuary. This tiny park can be deceiving as it is filled with game, the peaceful type. We’ll walk by wildebeest, waterbuck, zebra, and gazelle.

We may also see giraffe, buffalo, and even some hippo. What a fun way to end the day.

Overnight - We’ll spend the evening at Lake Naivasha at your lodge or tented camp.

Safari - Lake Naivasha – Lake Nakuru: (70km:2 hrs)
(You can choose to go to Lake Bogoria instead of Lake Nakuru if you’d like to view larger flocks of flamingoes.)

Ever been to a park called Hell’s Gate? Ever safari on a bicycle? Today we’ll do both as we take an easy bike ride to the nearby national park. There’s lots of geothermal activity – geysers and hot springs – hence the park’s curious name.

We’ll take a hike through the canyons here looking for peacefully grazing wildlife such as impala and antelope.

Then it’s a quick one-hour drive to Lake Nakuru National Park to view waterfalls, acacia and euphorbia trees accenting the park. This pretty spot boasts fascinating birdlife, and we’ll look for ostriches, cormorants, pelicans, and pink flamingoes!

The park’s wildlife is just as unique, showing off rare Rothschild’s giraffe and a great population of endangered rhinos.

But keep an eye out for lion and leopard as they’ve been seen here as well.

Overnight - We’ll overnight here at your choice of safari lodge or tented camp.

Safari - Lake Nakuru – Masai Mara:(300 km: 6 hrs)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

We can’t think of a better park for an early morning game drive with its exotic collection of birdlife. Watch the early light break over the lake as heron and eagle take flight. Such are the wonders of Lake Nakuru.

But now it’s time to buckle up and head out for the mighty Masai Mara National Reserve.

The Masai Mara may well be the world’s most famous wildlife park. It’s certainly one of the most popular. There is a dense concentration of wildlife on these rolling hills and golden savannahs, with a special emphasis on lions and other big cats.

We’ll get here in time for an afternoon game drive to get you familiarized with the park’s beautiful terrain, complete with Africa’s iconic acacia trees.

The sunsets here are also spectacular.

Overnight - We’ll enjoy the first of two nights in the park at your safari lodge or tented camp.

Safari - Full Day – Masai Mara
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

The Masai Mara boasts the greatest concentration of wildlife of any park in this region of Africa.

We’ll get started early to take advantage of this natural wealth on the first of unlimited game drives throughout the day. Just speak with your driver/guide as to how you’d like to plan your time in the park.

Another signature feature of the Masai Mara is the occurrence of the Great Migration (July – October) – simply the greatest procession of wildlife animals on the planet. During the season you’ll see uncountable hordes of gazelle, wildebeest, and zebra fording the Mara River in a timeless cycle as they search for more vegetation.

We’ll take our lunch down at the Mara River perhaps viewing the migration but also looking for hippo and crocodile who make the river their home. While nearby in the hills and on the plains other predators lie in wait for the grazers in the natural order of the wild.

You may also want to make some time for an optional cultural encounter with the tribespeople of the area. Ask your driver/guide to arrange a visit with the local Maasai villagers to observe and learn about their lives and culture.

For a spectacular finish to your 9-day adventure, we offer an optional pre-dawn hot air balloon safari over the park. There’s nothing like rising with the sun over the great park and watching it come alive in the dawning day. You’ll be talking about it for years. Your guide will be happy to make the arrangements.

Overnight - This will be our second night spent here at your Mara accommodation.

Safari - Masai Mara – Nairobi: (265km: 5hrs)

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch.

After a leisurely breakfast at your lodge/camp, your dedicated driver guide will assist you with the checkout process and proceed to Nairobi – Kenya’s colorful capital city.

On the way, your guide will point out the Longonot extinct volcano which is a strato volcano located southeast of Lake Naivasha in the Great Rift Valley of Kenya. It is thought to have last erupted in the 1860s and its name is derived from the Maasai word Oloonong’ot, meaning “mountains of many spurs” or “steep ridges “.

You can opt to drive via Naivasha for lunch/excursions at an extra cost or drive straight to Nairobi and pass by Kiambethu farm for the tea farm tour inclusive of a three-course buffet lunch (at an extra cost) OR drive straight back to the capital and later transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International airport for your back home.

Drop Off - We will bring you to your hotel, residence or the airport.

You now probably know the difference between a cheetah and leopard, a buffalo and a wildebeest. As an experienced safari-goer, we’re sure you have a new appreciation for our precious natural world. Thank you for letting us take you to this special place. And thank you for placing your trust in us.

From all of us at Hidden Treasure Africa Safaris we offer our deepest gratitude and our thanks.