The Experience

Witness wildlife-rich Kenya and Tanzania on game drives through East Africa’s revered, wildlife-populated parks and reserves, pausing to visit a Maasai village and glean man’s origins at Olduvai Gorge. Day 1: Arrive Nairobi, Kenya
Arrive in Nairobi. Considered a microcosm of the African continent, it is your gateway to a dramatic procession of natural spectacles and wildlife in Kenya and Tanzania, among the most thrilling, exotic destinations in the world.

Nairobi Serena Hotel
Day 2: Amboseli National Park | Game and Mountain Vistas
Drive to Amboseli National Park, known for its thriving big game population and views of towering, snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro. Its impressive Uhuru Peak soars to 19,341 feet, commanding attention at every turn. Attend a safari briefing, when you learn about the days ahead and the wondrous species that call Amboseli home. After lunch, explore the acacia woodland, freshwater swamps, scrub brush and open plains in search of wildlife. Part of the park is composed of a dried-up lakebed, where mirages rise from the shimmering heat. This evening, sit down to a welcome dinner with fellow guests.

Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge | Meals: B L D
Day 3: Amboseli National Park | Mountainside Sightings
Spend the following day on early morning and afternoon game drives, crisscrossing the landscape in search of elephants, zebras and wildebeests along the saltpan trails. Prepare, too, for predator sightings, just as opportunistic animals begin roaming the plains in search of unsuspecting prey.

Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge | Meals: B L D
Day 4: Lake Manyara National Park | Tree-Climbing Lions
Travel by road to Arusha, crossing the border of Tanzania. Continue to your next lodge, located in a picturesque region of the rusty-gold Great Rift Valley. Spend the remainder of the day at leisure. Overlooking shallow, freshwater Lake Manyara one of a chain of lakes you stay nestled at the foot of a spectacular 2,000-foot escarpment. Your lodge is a gateway to high-adventure sports, such as mountain biking, as well as a tranquil respite for guests who want nothing more than to unwind.

Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge | Meals: B L D
Day 5: Ngorongoro Crater | Wildife in the Round
Set out on a morning game drive in Lake Manyara in search of nonchalant baboons; dik-dik, which forage for food beneath acacia trees; and large herds of buffalo, wildebeests and zebras, who gather on the grassy, sun-drenched plains. Along a narrow belt of acacia woodland, you may even spot storied tree-climbing lions, who ascend branches for a cool breeze. You may also take a leisurely walk along a nature trail, or simply relax by the shimmering pool. After a farm-fresh lunch, continue to the Ngorongoro Crater, ascending its outer wall through dense vegetation. Participate in a Chef,™s Table demonstration in the hotel kitchen, at which you prepare and sample local dishes. Spend the day winding your way through the magnificent landscape, one of the most inspiring outdoor arenas in all of Africa. Ngorongoro is the largest unbroken ancient caldera in the world, and it is a likely place to view lions, elephants, hyenas, wildebeests and gazelles.

Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge | Meals: B L D
Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater | Natural Wildlife Haven
Wake to explore this Lost World, of animals; its prairies are an ideal spot to see buffalo and elephants. Bird lovers can view flamingos and countless other species on the crater,™s 100-square-mile floor. Among mammals, there,™s also the chance to see the rare and elusive black rhinoceros. Following a picnic lunch near a pool where hippos gather, visit a Maasai village to experience its culture and gain a better understanding of the nomadic cattle-herders,™ daily life.

Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge | Meals: B L D
Day 7: Serengeti National Park | Rambling Plains
Drive to vast, wildlife-rich Serengeti National Park, stopping en route for a privately guided tour of Olduvai Gorge, where ancient fossils offer insight into humankind. Pass through a spectacular mix of savanna grassland and volcanic hills, before dropping steeply downward into the gorge. Visit the small museum, absorb views from the lookout point and examine the excavations, which revealed 3.7-million-year-old footsteps and the skull of a 1.8 million-year-old man. Get settled at your lodge, which is framed by commanding views of this land of lions, leopards, hyenas, cheetahs, giraffes and topi. The park is also the setting of the Great Migration.

Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge | Meals: B L D
Day 8: Serengeti National Park | Observing the Little Five,
Spend your day in true safari country, searching for the Big Five, (lions, leopards, Cape buffalo, elephants and rhinos), along with giraffes, gazelles and zebras. You may also see the lesser-known Little Five, including leopard tortoises and rhino beetles along the rivers, plains and rock outcroppings.

Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge | Meals: B L D
Day 9: Masai Mara Game Reserve | Wildlife Revealed
Fly to the vast Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya,™s finest wildlife spectacle and host of the country,™s largest lion population. The unending landscape is home to 400-500 bird species and 95 animal species, including all of the great predators. The Mara lies within the territory of the Maasai, who help administer the park and protect it from poachers. After familiarizing yourself with your luxurious tented accommodations, poised at the confluence of the Mara,™s four game-viewing regions, take a drive through the famed reserve.

Mara Intrepids | Meals: B L D
Days 10-11: Masai Mara Game Reserve | Days of Discovery
Spend the next two days in the Mara, a region bestowed with over 500 square miles of savannas, woodlands and tree-fringed rivers, all of which shelter an astonishing range of wildlife. Watch as they amble out with wide, purposeful eyes as the sun begins to set. You may observe crocodiles as they bask in the sun; see hippos wallow in muddy, cooling water; and catch the antics of monkeys, as they frolic and cause mischief overhead. Watch, too, as elephants rustle, near-silent, along the forest edge and lanky, graceful giraffes survey the plains or snatch leaves from branches high above. On your final evening, attend a memorable farewell dinner, during which you may reflect on your animal adventure, swap stories of animal sightings and toast your enriching stay with fellow guests.

While in the Mara, you may pay a meaningful visit to a local primary school, which is supported by A&K Philanthropy.

Mara Intrepids | Meals: B L D
Day 12: Depart Nairobi
Return to Nairobi. Spend the afternoon relaxing at leisure in a reserved dayroom in preparation of your international departure.

Nairobi Serena Hotel (dayroom) | Meals: B