Itinerary

Day 1 Nairobi

Nairobiis the least expensive arrival city for flights with a full range of hotels and local attractions. Dubbed the “Safari Capital of the World,” cool, clear and cosmopolitanNairobiis the natural departure point for most safari itineraries. A city of contrasts, it is simultaneously the largest, the youngest, the most modern, the highest (1700m) and the fastest growing city inEast Africa. High-altitudeNairobienjoys a pleasant tropical climate all year round. There are ATMs and banks to stock up on cash, great restaurants, and malls where you can purchase any forgotten items.

You will receive a private airport transfer to/from the airport.

In the event of serious illness, all travellers are covered by Flying Doctors Insurance. This covers the cost of emergency air evacuation service needed to fly back to Nairobi for treatment. This insurance does not cover the cost of medical treatment.

Kensington Tours donates a portion of proceeds to our charitable initiative www.kensingtoncares.com which supports education-based initiatives in disadvantaged communities.

Owned and operated by Fairview Hotel, Country Lodge offers modern accommodations at reasonable prices. Located in quite Upperhill, relax in the gardens or take advantage of gym facilities and local restaurants. Rest in comfort and security at this lovely location.

Overnight at Country Lodge.

Day 2 Masai Mara

Masai Mara is the northernmost portion of the larger Serengeti ecosystem and features the best game viewing in the region. The small size funnels animals into a tight space, and park rules allow for off-road driving which means that guests can venture into plains covered with hundreds or even thousands of animals. Take an optional hot air balloon ride over the plains, with the opportunity for amazing pictures of the animal herds below.

This morning you'll meet up with your guide and head off to the Masai Mara. The drive will be about 5 to 6 hours.

This afternoon's game viewing will be exciting as you are searching for game with your private guide and driver. The leopard is difficult to see as it moves fast and is very shy. If you're lucky there is a good chance to spot them around water holes or up in a tree after a long, hot day.

Kensington Mara West Camp has been revamped and relocated to what is surely one of the best views in East Africa. Perched elegantly on the Ololoolo escarpment, forming the western boundary of the Masai Mara Reserve itself. This is the authentic Out of Africa experience where much of the original film itself was filmed & produced. The camp borders the remote and beautiful western edge of Masai Mara National Reserve. Kensington Mara West provides nature lovers with deluxe accommodations while experiencing the sights and sounds of an unforgettable African safari. Tents offer rustic charm surrounded by grassy fields. Chalets are perched in secluded spots on an escarpment edge overlooking the vast plains of the Masai Mara Game Reserve, giving tremendous views and a sense of private exclusion.

Overnight at Kensington Mara West.

Day 3 Masai Mara

Masai Mara is named after the traditional inhabitants (Maasai) and the Mara River. At some point during your stay in the Mara, you'll drive by the river, which is a great place to spot wildlife. This area is a photographer's delight where with any luck you'll be able to take amazing pictures of the hippos and elephants in the water.

On today’s afternoon game drive the choice is up to you: search for the Big 5 or expand your horizons to discover something different. Masai Mara not only has a rich mix of animals – it also has an incredible array of bird life with almost 450 different species.

Overnight at Kensington Mara West.

Day 4 Masai Mara

Today you'll set out early on your morning game drive with your private guide and vehicle. The Mara is most famous for its exceptional population of game and the annual migration of zebra, Thomson's gazelle and the wildebeest from the Serengeti every year from July to October.

This afternoon you'll meet up with your guide and head out on your game drive. Mara is one of the few places you could spot the rare rhino. Stay alert as you track these elusive lumbering giants.

Overnight at Kensington Mara West.

Day 5 Serengeti

Tanzania's oldest and most popular national park, the Serengeti is massive in size, 14,763 sq km (5,700 sq miles). Famed for its annual migration, when some six million hooves pound the open plains, as more than 200,000 zebra and 300,000 Thomson's gazelle join the wildebeest’s trek for fresh grazing. Yet even when the migration is quiet, the Serengeti offers the most diverse game-viewing in Africa.

Your guide will drive you from Masai Mara to Serengeti. This full day commute includes some game drives through the park. This excursion will include a multi-hour drive across highway and bumpy patches of road to the border.  You will enter Tanzania today. A box lunch near Lake Victoria will be provided, with an option to visit a local fishing village, or simply drive straight to the border.

NOTE: Be aware that for portions of this LONG drive, the road will be rough and unfinished, though most is now newly paved. This total drive to Serengeti will take approximately 6-9 hours depending on game drives and any breaks taken.

Today you will switch between your Kenyan and Tanzanian guide, crossing the border and continuing your safari. You will also be switching vehicles.  Visas can be purchased for US cash (no bills older than 2006 due to local counterfeiting safeguards). Please be sure to have your Yellow Fever certificate handy.

Kenya/Tanzania border crossing. Continue on to Serengeti with your private guide. Once you have entered the park, enjoy game viewing on your way to your lodge.

A tented wilderness camp in the Serengeti, this is an intimate connection to nature in this world famous park. Look forward to attentive service with fine bush cuisine of the pan-African and traditional sort. Three main meals are served each day in the large canvas dining tent overlooking the plains. The tents, appropriately furnished with Masai inspired style, feature campaign furniture and canvas wardrobe. The Masai theme is showcased with evocative headboards, lamps and fixtures. Located in the Grumeti area, the camp sits right in the Serengeti plains inside the park. This is a rare opportunity to experience a classic tented camp experience. Fall asleep to the sound of animals outside; enjoy drinks by the fire as you watch the sun set over the plains.

Overnight at Kensington Serengeti.

Day 6 Serengeti

Head out into the park early in the morning as animals are more active in the early morning and afternoon. Tanzania's oldest and most renowned national park, the Serengeti offers the most expansive game-viewing in Africa: great herds of buffalo, smaller groups of elephant and giraffe, and thousands upon thousands of eland, topi, kongoni, impala and Grant’s gazelle. Explore this amazing park with the help of your expert guide.

Spend today searching out Impala, one of Africa's most beautiful and graceful animals. Previously thought to be part of the gazelle tribe, Impalas have been found to be so different that they are now classified as their own sub-family status. When frightened or startled the whole impala herd starts randomly leaping to confuse their predator. They can jump distances more than 10 meters (33 ft) and 3 meters (9 ft) high. Leopards, cheetah, lions and wild dogs prey on impala. Impala can reach running speeds of approximately 50 to 55 mph (80 to 90 km/h) to escape its predators. See if you can track these incredible animals!

Overnight at Kensington Serengeti.

Day 7 Ngorongoro

"The Ngorongoro Crater is often called ‘Africa’s Eden’ and the ‘8th Natural Wonder of the World’. A massive extinct volcano, the sheet walls drop thousands of feet to a "Noah's Ark" of animals on the verdant floor below. Large herds of zebra, buffalo, antelope and wildebeest graze nearby while sleeping lions laze in the sun. At dawn, the endangered black rhino returns to the thick cover of the crater forests after grazing on dew-laden grass in the morning mist.

This morning you will depart from the Serengeti on your way to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. For the first part of the drive you'll be doing some game viewing as you leave the Serengeti. This drive usually takes between 5 and 6 hours but can take longer during the rainy season.

The Olduvai Gorge or Oldupai Gorge is commonly referred to as "The Cradle of Mankind." It is a steep-sided ravine in the Great Rift Valley, which stretches along eastern Africa. Olduvai is in the eastern Serengeti Plains in northern Tanzania and is about 30 miles (48 km) long. The gorge is named after the Maasai word for the wild sisal plant Sansevieria ehrenbergii, commonly called Oldupai.

A small and exclusive lodge facing the Oldeani Volcano, only 5 kms. from the Ngorongoro Lolduare gate was built, meant to offer our clients an original experience reminiscent of the atmosphere of the old days.

Overnight at Ngorongoro Farm House.

Day 8 Ngorongoro

Private transportation and guide in the Ngorongoro national park.

You'll be up early this morning as you drive approximately 20 minutes from your camp or lodge to the main gates of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. There are only three roads that connect the crater rim with the crater floor, one for driving down, one for driving up and another that goes both ways. The crater is roughly 20 km/12 mi wide and 600 m/2,000 ft deep, once you've reached the top of the caldera it takes about 45 minutes to descend to the crater floor. The floor is home to a rich and highly concentrated wildlife. Some 20,000 mammals of size live there, including about 20 black rhinoceros, making the crater the best place in Tanzania to see the rhino. The crater floor also has one of the highest carnivore densities in the world. Lions, cheetahs, hyenas and jackals are commonly seen, while leopards, servals and bat-eared foxes may be seen with some good luck. You'll spend most of the day in the crater.

Overnight at Ngorongoro Farm House.

Day 9 Nairobi

From Ngorongoro, your guide will drive you to Arusha. This drive will take approximately 2.5 hours.

Stop for lunch at the Arusha Hotel in this tourism capital of Tanzania. Shop the local souvenir market.

Take your flight from Arusha (ARK) to Nairobi (Wilson) today. The flight duration is approximately 2hrs.

You will receive a private airport transfer to/from the airport.

Owned and operated by Fairview Hotel, Country Lodge offers modern accommodations at reasonable prices. Located in quite Upperhill, relax in the gardens or take advantage of gym facilities and local restaurants. Rest in comfort and security at this lovely location.

Overnight at Country Lodge.
    
Day 10 Livingstone

Victoria Falls, the world's largest falls cascade across a sheer rock face over 1km wide, mere meters away from visitors. The falls form the border between Livingstone (Zambia) and Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe). Livingstone features fine hotels and a broad array of adrenaline activities from ultra light and helicopter flights, white water rafting, river cruises, bungee, elephant-back safaris, and much more - it is a great spot to visit. Flight connections are limited to Lusaka.

You will receive a private airport transfer to/from the airport.

Take your flight from Nairobi to Lusaka airport (Zambia) today. The flight duration is approximately 2hrs 30mins. Please note: if you are continuing to Livingston (Vic Falls) the connecting flight is with another airline on a separate ticket. The connection is very tight. It you have any questions speak to your travel consultants about this connection.

Upon arrival into Lusaka, you will be met on arrival after customs by our representative that will help you transfer to your next destination and welcome you to Zambia.

Upon arrival you will receive all of your necessary documents for your trip which contains a detailed personalized itinerary, maps, restaurant suggestions, Top Tips for exploring each city or region and a 24 hour concierge service (for restaurant reservations, spa treatments, child minders, day tours etc).

Take your flight from Lusaka to Livingstone today. The flight duration is approximately 1 hr.

Airport transfer with private vehicle.

You will be collected from your hotel and transferred to the Royal Landing to meet the African Queen. She gracefully meanders slowly upstream along the length of the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in search of a number of animals and a host of bird species which can be viewed from comfortable chairs on the cool wooden decks. Excellent hot and cold food is served on board and the bar is well stocked with spirits, good wines, beers and soft drinks. All food and drink is included in the price and served throughout the cruise by professional, friendly waiters making the whole experience probably the most luxurious cruise on the Zambezi River. The duration of the cruise is about 2 hours and you can expect to be back at your hotel by 19h00. Children under 12 are half price, and children under 4 are free.

Situated on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls, in Livingstone, the Zambezi Sun is a 3 star quality hotel that is conveniently placed a 5 minute walk from the splash of water. The hotel has 212 rooms and a deliberate aged feel as it resembles a grand estate from times past. Dining is splendid, with the option of a pricey buffet or exceptionally fulfilling a la carte restaurant. The landscaped swimming pool and lounging area are definitely relaxing and worth some time, perhaps with a book or good conversation. Many choose to stay at this hotel for its proximity to the Victoria Falls, which are gorgeous and a must-see.

Overnight at Zambezi Sun.

Day 11 Livingstone

Victoria Falls are a spectacular sight of awe-inspiring beauty and grandeur on the Zambezi River, bordering Zambia and Zimbabwe. You'll meet up with others in the lobby of the hotel and start out for your tour. A path along the edge of the forest provides the visitor who is prepared to brave the tremendous spray with an unparalleled series of views of the Falls. One special vantage point is across the Knife edge bridge, where visitors can have the finest view of the Eastern Cataract and the Main Falls as well as the Boiling Pot where the river turns and heads down the Batoka Gorge. Other vantage points include the Falls bridge and the Lookout Tree which commands a panoramic view across the Main Falls. Different times of the year will provide completely different experiences of the Falls region. Peak flood season is around March and April and the full power of the falls can be experienced in all its glory. As the floods abate the view of the falls gets better and better through the year, but at it’s lowest, around November and December the Falls become little rivulets running over the edge and in some places along the 1,7km width no water falls at all. You'll have the afternoon free.

Sign up for optional activities at your hotel (not included in tour price); helicopter, ultra-light, Gypsy Moth flights, elephant-back or horseback safari, white-water rafting, bungee jumping, Chobe game park day trip, jet boat, cultural tours, and more.

Overnight at Zambezi Sun.

Day 12 Chobe

Chobe National Park, in northwest Botswana, has one of the largest game concentrations in Africa continent. By size, this is the third largest park of the country, after the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and the Gemsbok National Park, and is the most diverse. As one of the largest reserves in Southern Africa, the game at Chobe is varied and plentiful. Most travellers experience the Chobe waterfront in the north west, and the main attraction is the vast herd s of elephant which frequent the river. This is the largest elephant population in the world, with numbers of 45 000 in the immediate Chobe vicinity. This north west corner is also renowned for excellent hippo and Nile crocodile sightings, and large herds of buffalo, zebra and wildebeest migrating towards Savute are often trailed by prides of lion. Over 450 species of bird have been recorded in the reserve. The Chobe River is the meeting point of the three countries: Botswana, Namibia and Zambia and boasts dramatic skies over the expansive river, with palms dotting the islands that make up the three different countries.

Transfer between Livingstone and Chobe lodges.

Game viewing in the Chobe National Park with your skilled guide. You'll have a great chance to view the abundant elephant and other big game species up close.

Located in the Chobe region, Elephant Valley Lodge makes its home in the Kasane Forest, just near the Chobe National Park. Spacious and clean, guests can get some rest and relaxation in the 20 tents offered by the camp. Private bathrooms and twin beds offer a welcome comfort in the rough. Savor the delicious spices and ingredients of the region. Both local and continental dishes are served by staff. For the curious sorts, knowledgeable guides offer walks and hikes through the area. Others prefer the adrenaline rush of the safari, which brings travelers in contact with the world's largest population of wild elephant.

Overnight at Elephant Valley Lodge.

Day 13 Chobe

A game cruise on the Chobe River is one of the finest game viewing experiences in Africa. With over 80 000 elephant in the park alone they are a very frequent sighting. Hippo, water birds, buffalo, crocodile and puku are also viewed from the river.

Game viewing in the Chobe National Park with your skilled guide. You'll have a great chance to view the abundant elephant and other big game species up close.

Overnight at Elephant Valley Lodge.
    

Day 14 Cape Town

Cape Town is the second most populous city in South Africa, famous for its harbour as well as its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, including such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point. Popular day activities include; Robben Island (Nelson Mandela's prison), Cape Point, Stellenbosch winery tour, diamond buying shops, and great white shark diving.

Game viewing in the Chobe National Park with your skilled guide. You'll have a great chance to view the abundant elephant and other big game species up close.

Transfer between Chobe lodges and Livingstone.

Travel today between Livingstone and Cape Town via Johannesburg.  Travel time is approximately 2 hours.

Upon arrival into South Africa you will be met at the door of the plane and escorted through Customs and Immigration avoiding any queues.

Enjoy a private transfer between the airport and your hotel.

The Cape Cadogan is a stately double-storeyed Georgian and Victorian building that dates back to the beginning of the 19th century. It was originally a farmhouse which was ‘Victorianised’ in 1912 and declared a national monument in 1984.

Overnight at Cape Cadogan .

Day 15 Cape Town

Today you will be met by your guide for an exploration of Cape Town, known affectionately as the Mother City. Your tour will take in the Houses of Parliament, the Castle (built between 1666 and 1679, this is South Africa’s oldest building), lively Greenmarket Square with its daily market, the Company Gardens and of course Table Mountain which will give you spectacular views over the city and Peninsula (cable car fee is not included as it is weather dependent). On our descent, we stop at the Bo Kaap, home to the Cape Malay community, with its cobbled streets and brightly coloured houses.

Overnight at Cape Cadogan .

Day 16 Cape Town

Today we embark on a full day tour of the Cape Peninsula. We take in the beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay, before crossing over to Hout Bay, where you may choose to join an optional boat cruise to Seal Island. From here we drive to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve via Chapman’s Peak, one of the world’s most breathtaking coastal drives, where you will board a funicular to the top of the Peninsula to witness the symbolic meeting of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans as well as have spectacular views over False Bay. We enjoy lunch near here (not included – own account) before continuing to Simonstown, the naval base, and visiting the African Penguin breeding colony at Boulders Beach. En route back we stop at the world renowned Kirstenbosch Gardens before returning back to your hotel.

Overnight at Cape Cadogan .

Day 17 Cape Town

Sign up for optional activities (not included in tour price); diving to see Great White sharks, whale watching, visit to Robben Island to see Mandela's prison, visit to local townships, walking tours, visit winelands, cycling, cultural tours and more.

Overnight at Cape Cadogan .

Day 18 Cape Town

Enjoy a private transfer between the airport and your hotel.

Depart from Cape Town international airport - end of itinerary.

Overnight at Depart.

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