Notes
If there participate who opt in for a *Drive in Mara package, please note that you will depart Nairobi earlier (6:30-7:0am due to the long drive, expected to arrive in time for lunch in Maasai Mara. Also, on return, the 3:30- 4-hour drive will get you back to Nairobi early afternoon. Drive in package participants will stay at Basecamp Maasai Mara.
Itinerary
Arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, Kenya. On arrival, you will be received by our ground handling team reps who will coordinate your transfer to your hotel. In Nairobi, hotels offer bed and breakfast.
Lunch and dinner not included. Nairobi Serena Hotel or similar.
After breakfast, our ground director will meet up with the group after breakfast for a debrief of the day's activities. At around 9:30 am, you will drive to the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage along Langata Road. The orphanage is adjacent to Nairobi National Park, which overlooks the City. The drivers will ensure you arrive in time to secure a precise spot that will enable you to see all these baby elephants being feed. The presentation begins at 11 am. Some of you may have the only opportunity to touch and feel the skin of an elephant.
At the end of this excursion, you will drive to the nearby Giraffe Center. Here too, you will have an opportunity to observe some semi-domesticated Rotchild Giraffes. If brave enough, you can feed them some food pallets off your hands or attempt to get them to snatch one from your mouth if you do not mind slimy giraffe saliva smothering your mouth or skin. This center is open- ended, which means guests can interact with these giraffes as long as you wish. When done, the tour guide/lead driver-guide will recommend a spot where you can grab a quick lunch.
After lunch, you will drive to Kazuri Bead Factory. Kazuri is Swahili for "small and beautiful." Kazuri specializes in making and selling handmade ceramic, beads, and pottery in Nairobi and to over 20 countries globally.
The factory is situated along Mbagathi Ridge in Karen Nairobi. Kazuri began in 1975 as a tiny workshop experimenting in making ceramic beads made by hand. The factory location used to be part of the Karen Blixen Estate. The founder, Lady Susan Wood, started with two Kenyan women and soon discovered that there were many other women in the villages around Nairobi, most of whom were single mothers in need of employment.
Kazuri was purchased in 2000 to provide more opportunities to women in Kenya. Kazuri produces over 5 million beads per year and employs over 300 women who are mostly single mothers.
After Kazuri, you will be transferred back to your hotel, expected to arrive by 3:00 pm. The rest of the afternoon will be at leisure for you to enjoy the hotel amenities or just rest some rest.
Dinner at Safari Park Nyama Choma Ranch
The Nyama Choma Ranch offers a stunning selection of roasted, barbecued meats; sizzling hot, presented on skewers and carved at your table; accompanied with jacket potatoes, crispy salads, and tasty dips. Choose from prime Kenyan steak, succulent chicken, traditionally roasted mutton, and sink your teeth into a variety of meats (plenty of vegetarian options too!). The ranch also features one of the most evocative stage shows in Africa. A compelling kaleidoscope of the beat, color, costume, culture, acrobatics, and raw excitement, the sleekly sensual Safari Cats are a dance team with a difference. Choreographed dancers, better known as the Safari Cats, showcase a 45-minute performance at 9 pm each night.
You will depart for the ranch at 6:30 pm. Usually, it takes 25-30 minutes to drive there, but due to the heavy traffic in Nairobi, it may take a bit longer to get there.
When the dinner and performance concludes, you may have a chance to pose for some photos with the dancers before you head back to the hotel for an overnight stay.
After breakfast, you will check out of the hotel and embark on a drive from Nairobi to Gatunga in Tharaka Nthii County. Distance 116 miles (187 kilometers. You will be expected to arrive in time for lunch. To be on the safe side, we recommend you take along lunch sandwiches from the hotel in the event of traffic, poor roads, or just bad weather. Otherwise, the drive is likely to take 3 ½ to 4 hours. On arrival at your lodging hotel at Homeland Guest House in Tharaka Nithi, you will be met and greeted by your host.
The host will coordinate the respective projects alongside visiting guests. Our drivers will be at your disposal to facilitate transfers from the hotel/lodging facility to the individual project locations. Dinner and overnight at Homeland Guest House.
On this day, the program will conclude. The guests will check out of the Homeland Guest House and return to Nairobi. Nairobi Serena Hotel or similar. Afternoon shopping options after Gatanga include:
The Maasai Market
This is an open-air market where you can find paintings, drawings, jewelries, clothes and fabrics, sisal bags, wood-carvings, beaded necklaces, batik wall hangings, shoes, soap stone carvings, textiles, and many other exciting products handmade by local artisans. selection of arts and crafts, wooden carvings and souvenirs.
PS - Locations change every day of the way. We will coordinate accordingly with those interested.
Two Rivers Mall (Nairobi)
Landmark contemporary shopping center with 200+ stores, multiple eateries & an amusement park.
Address: Limuru Road Nairobi KE, Kenya Hours: 9:00AM - 9:00PM
Phone: +254 709 190511
The Village Market
Large retail complex with an eclectic mix of stores & restaurants, plus a sophisticated vibe.
Address: Village Market, Nairobi, Kenya Hours: 8:00AM - 10PM
Phone: +254 20 7122488
Galleria Shopping Mall
Located at the Junction of Magadi and Langata road, Galleria Shopping Mall brings you a selection of over 70 outlets of the most renowned brands in Africa.
Address: Junction of Magadi &, Langata Rd, Nairobi, Kenya
Hours: 8AM-5PM (Mon-Sun) Phone: +254 20 2363063
The participants of this group will drive back to Nairobi along with everyone. On arrival in Nairobi, you will check into Nairobi Serena Hotel for an overnight stay.
After breakfast, you will check out of your hotel and after that be transferred to Wilson Airport in time to check in before catching a 10:00 am flight to Maasai Mara National Reserve. The 45-minute flight will land you at an airstrip with this expansive Mara Reserve, where the driver guides from Governors Camp. You may have an adventurous first-time game drive on the way to the Camp. On arrival at the Main Governors Camp, the staff will check you into your respective luxury camp, and soon after that, lunch will be served. After lunch, you will have some time to relax in your tent or get to explore the Camp with an escort of a Maasai warrior to ensure you are safe from any potential elephant, rhino, or crocodile that may be roaming the Camp. At around 3 pm or soon after that, you will depart for your afternoon game drive that will expose you to wildlife or fascinating Savannah features that make Maasai Mara a wildlife wonder. The game drive will conclude with an outstanding sunset that showcases Africa's clear skies brilliantly juxtaposed with beautiful endless plateaued landscapes. On your return to the Camp, you will have a moment to catch a warm shower before you all dine together. Depending on the weather, the staff may have a fire pit near the dining area to keep you warm and also catch up on the day's moments.
Overnight at Governor's Main Camp or similar.
The day will kick off with two optional events – A 6 am early gave drive or if balloon safari (this may need you to wake up at 5:30a to make it to the launch place). Both offer you a chance to catch early morning activities in Mara, which include hunting antelopes by some big cats like lions, leopards, cheetah. The balloon safari package costs an additional cost, but it is a unique experience that concludes with a bush breakfast. The regular game drive returns you to the Camp in time for breakfast. You will have two other game drive options (late morning and afternoon) before your day concludes with a farewell dinner.
After breakfast, you will check out, and after that transferred to the airstrip in time to capture your flight back to Nairobi expected to arrive at noon.
You will transfer to the Radisson Blu, Upper Hill, to check into a dayroom stay, assuming you will be catching an overnight flight from Nairobi back home to the United States.
You will arrive back home.
Kenya is truly a year-round destination for luxury or specialized safari travel. No matter when you are planning to travel, you will find a place in Kenya that is perfect for that time of year. Generally, though, dry season is the best time for game-viewing—and this takes place at slightly different times in different parts of Africa. For Kenya, the dry season is generally from July through October. We wish to remind you that these are the peak seasons when advance booking is essential. Otherwise, last-minute bookings can be cumbersome and potentially disappointing especially if we are unable to find accommodation.
Visas are required for entry into Kenya and its neighbors – Tanzania, Rwanda or Uganda and can be obtained from the country’s online portal or the respective embassies or consulates within the United States. For U.S. passport holders, visas are not required for travel on shorter stays in Zanzibar.
In many cases, you won’t need any immunizations at all! For example, no immunizations are required to enter Kenya if arriving from the United States, Canada or
Europe. We will address topics such as immunizations and general health considerations prior to your safari, however, please consult your local immunization
clinic before you travel.
It is always wise to carefully assess your health requirements before travelling abroad. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommend a malaria prophylactic
(just to be on the safe side—contracting malaria is highly unlikely). You may also wish to review the CDC guidelines at www.cdc.gov or by calling 1-877-FYI-TRIP
(1-877-394-8747). We recommend contacting your physician well in advance of your departure to discuss these suggestions.
In a word: delicious. From the moment you arrive, your meals are included and each is a delight. Lodges or camps where you are booked offer continental cuisine, in addition to local specialties to appeal to a wide range of palates. Nairobi boasts a variety of mouth-watering regional specialties, in addition to exceptional French cuisine, Indian curries and the ever-abundant fresh fish and game. In Masai Mara, the quality of the cuisine at various lodges or camps booked into is superb. Meats, vegetables and fruits arrive daily, fresh from the surrounding area’s rich farmlands. We want to assure you that all food served on a SEED Group safari will be of the highest quality.
