AWRS 20. 8 DAYS SAMBURU RIFT VALLEY AND MAASAI MARA

A safari to see the best game parks in Kenya and also the world famous bird sanctuaries of the Great Rift Valley lakes before taking you down or (proceeding) to the coast to enjoy leisure at the beautiful sunny beaches of Mombasa, Malindi and Lamu.

For 40 million years Africa has been torn apart by forces deep below the earth’s crust, which formed The Great Rift Valley, the largest visible scar on the earth’s surface. Along this great fissure, is an incredible and unparalleled diversity of ecosystems? Nowhere is The Rift Valley more prevalent than in Kenya, where the high escarpment walls, and associated volcanoes, support a unique Afro-alpine environment.

Winter and summertime temperatures are experienced in a single twenty four hour period. Along the valley floor, lakes - both fresh water and alkaline - support huge concentrations of wildlife.
The millions of Lesser Flamingos on Lake Nakuru have a well deserved reputation as being one of the world’s greatest bird spectacles. The grassland savannas, formed by the volcanic ash are home to the last great concentrations of large mammals that are yet to be seen on our planet. The great Wildebeest migration of the Serengeti/Mara ecosystem is truly an unforgettable experience.

Day 1 – Samburu
Depart Nairobi in the morning passing through the rich agricultural farmland on the slopes of Mountain Kenya to the mainly dry scrubland and open Savannah plains of Samburu Game Reserve. Here, the Ewaso Nyiro River supports a wide variety of game among them elephant, buffalo, cheetah leopard, lion, grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, Oryx and the long necked gerenuk. Accommodation in our permanent campsite beautifully set on the edge of the river under a canopy of trees, or pitch tent nearby.

Day 2 – Samburu
Day spent game viewing in the park.

Day 3 – Baringo
Leaving Samburu in the early morning, we make a scenic drive to the west across the Lerochi Plateau. Lunch enroute and later descend to the floor of the Great Rift Valley, arriving at Lake Baringo in the afternoon. This is a fresh water lake, which supports a great variety of birds as well as hippos and crocodiles. Indeed, the lake is reputed to be the bird-watching centre of Kenya.

Day 4 - Lake Nakuru
Early in the morning, we head south via Lake Bogoria, which is a shallow soda lake with a beautiful scenery and also home to a sizeable number of flamingos and other species of birds. The highlight, however, is the boiling hot springs and geysers, which also contribute to the beauty of the lake. After lunch, we proceed to Lake Nakuru in the south - another shallow soda lake that has been described as "an ornithologist’s paradise and one of the world's most magnificent sights". Here one has an opportunity to see up to two million flamingos besides tens of thousands of other birds if lucky. Lake Nakuru is a rhino sanctuary and also harbors lions, warthogs, waterbucks, buffaloes, hippo and many other animals. Dinner and overnight in a campsite outside town.

Day 5 - Maasai Mara
We head further south to Narok, camping in our permanent campsite on the Talek River, which is at the edge of the park by afternoon. Here we have stand-up tents with beds for use, if available, otherwise we pitch tent. Showers are available in the camp and meals are served in the dining mess or in the open.

Day 6 - Maasai Mara
From the base camp, we explore the Mara region, packed with the elephant, zebra, rhino and all kinds of game throughout the year with the spectacular wildebeest migration from Serengeti occurring mainly in July and August. Being at Maasai Mara is "as if you found yourself in the New York of the natural world according to some authorities". Indeed, you have the best opportunity of seeing all the big five.

Day 7 – Nairobi
We break camp and drive to Narok where Maasai souvenirs can be bought and then proceed to Nairobi, arriving in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight in a hotel.

Day 8 – After an early morning breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight.

Feel free to request for our safari rates
Include: Accommodation, meals, park fees, game drives, transportation in 4x4 safari vehicle and services of driver/guide.
Exclude: Personal expenses. Travel and health insurance, visa fees, airport taxes, laundry services, personal phone calls & emails, porter services and tips, beverages other than those offered with meals. Etc