Explore Africa with Gate 1 Travel. They offer Africa vacations, custom-made for your time, family and vacation budget. Experience Africa with luxury vacation packages on a budget.
Escorted Package Includes
- All intra-flights: Nairobi-Kilimanjaro, Kilimanjaro-Nairobi
- 8 nights First Class accommodations
- 2 nights Nairobi
- 1 night Lake Elmentaita
- 2 nights Masai Mara National Reserve
- 1 night Tarangire National Park
- 2 nights Ngorongoro Conservation Area
- Hotel taxes, fees & service charges
- Hotel porterage
- All transfers included only with airfare purchase on package arrival & departure dates†
- 21 meals: 8 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 6 dinners
- Restaurant tips throughout tour
- Sightseeing per itinerary in modern 4×4 vehicles
- Services of English-speaking driver-guides throughout
- National Park fees
Special Features
- Safari game drives at all national parks
- Guided nature walk and lecture by a naturalist-guide
- Hand-feed Rothschild giraffes, an endangered species
†Transfers are available for purchase for land only or on alternative flight dates
DETAILED ITINERARY:
DAY 1, Tuesday – Depart for Kenya
Depart for Kenya
DAY 2, Wednesday – Arrive in Nairobi
Arrive in Nairobi, gateway to your thrilling Kenya safari; transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to acclimate to your new time zone and prepare for the African adventure that awaits you
Overnight: Nairobi
DAY 3, Thursday – Lake Elmentaita, Soysambu Conservancy
Morning drive through the lush Great Rift Valley to your camp on the shore of the ‘pink’ Lake Elmentaita, overlooking the vast unspoilt plains. After lunch at the camp, take a guided nature walk to learn about the ecosystem and the different birds found here. Later, join a game drive to Soysambu Conservancy, a 48,000 acre wildlife conservancy, which protects over 450 bird species and 15,000 wild animals. It is home to an astounding variety of flora and fauna, including elegant Rothschild giraffes, eland, zebra and more!
Overnight: Lake Elmentaita
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 4, Friday – Afternoon Game Drive in Masai Mara
Travel to the magical Masai Mara National Reserve in the southwest corner of Kenya, renowned for its spectacular game viewing. Lunch at the camp, before going out on the afternoon game drive. The vast savannahs are a stunning backdrop to the diverse and abundant wildlife dominated by lions, elephants, buffalo, and rhinos, as well as antelopes, gazelles and hippos
Overnight: Masai Mara National Reserve
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 5, Saturday – Morning & Afternoon Game Drives in Masai Mara
Set out early for a morning optional hot air balloon safari. Take off in a hot air balloon as you view the breathtaking sunrise over the Masai Mara. Drift above the beautiful landscape, watching wild game roam the vast plains below. The finale is a sumptuous champagne breakfast joining the rest of your group on the morning game drive. In the afternoon, enjoy your final game drive in the Mara. Return to your camp in time for dinner
Optional: Sunrise Balloon Safari & Breakfast (AM)
Overnight: Masai Mara National Reserve
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 6, Sunday – Karen Blixen Museum and Giraffe Centre
Depart the Mara this morning and return to bustling Nairobi. In the afternoon, travel towards the Ngong Hills to visit the Karen Blixen Museum, once the farm house of the prominent author of Out of Africa. Continue to the Giraffe Centre, where you hand-feed the Rothschild giraffes from an elevated feeding platform and learn more about the successful breeding program and extensive conservation efforts. Arrive at your hotel and bid farewell to your Kenyan guide. Spend the rest of the day and evening at leisure in this energetic city
Overnight: Nairobi
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 7, Monday – Depart Kenya, Arrive in Tanzania, Travel to Tarangire National Park
This morning, transfer to the airport for your flight to Tanzania. Arrive in Kilimanjaro and meet your Tanzanian guide. Drive to Tarangire National Park, known for its huge herds of elephants and giraffe, as well as a remarkable variety of over 500 bird species. The Tarangire River and its tributaries provide the only permanent water supply on Maasai land during the dry season, thus supporting a great diversity of wildlife – up to 6,000 elephants, giraffe, buffalo, zebra, lion, leopard and cheetah. The afternoon game drive is certain to inspire – be sure to capture photos of the park’s gigantic Baobab trees silhouetted against the sky!
Overnight: Tarangire National Park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 8, Tuesday – Lake Manyara National Park
After an early breakfast, depart for Lake Manyara National Park, world-famous for its nimble blue monkeys and elephants. More than 400 species live here, along with an abundance of birdlife that makes it a haven for bird watchers. The afternoon is at leisure to rest and enjoy the amenities of the lodge. This evening, a sumptuous dinner awaits with your fellow travelers
Overnight: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 9, Wednesday – Ngorongoro Game Drive
Explore the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Africa’s “Garden of Eden”. Descend almost 2,000 feet to the floor of the crater, one of the largest calderas in the world, containing diverse ecosystems and an astounding concentration of birds and animals. View herds of elephants slowly wandering along the trails as lions wait for their prey and guard their prides. You may spot gazelles, zebra and perhaps even the endangered rhino. Enjoy a picnic lunch in this astonishing setting before you ascend to the crater rim and return to the lodge. At dinner tonight, celebrate your final night in Tanzania with your newfound friends
Overnight: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 10, Thursday – Depart Tanzania
Morning drive to Arusha. After lunch, transfer to the airport in Kilimanjaro for your flight to Nairobi, where you will connect to your departure flight. Please select flights that depart no earlier than 7 PM
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
OPTIONAL HOT AIR BALLOON (DAY FIVE)
Arise before dawn, and take off in a hot air balloon as you watch the breathtaking sunrise over the Masai Mara. Drift above the beautiful landscape, watching wild game roam the vast plains below. The finale is a sumptuous champagne breakfast before beginning today’s game drive.*
*Please note that departure time for this excursion is very early in the morning, 5 AM or earlier. Agility is required to embark and disembark the balloon basket. Wildlife viewing, quantity and species of animals seen is dependent upon local conditions including weather, wind and seasonal migration patterns. The take-off time and the duration of the flight and tour may vary due to weather conditions. Balloon rides vary but are usually 45 minutes to an hour.
Approximate tour duration is 2 hours.
*Please note that the group’s morning game drive will begin while en route to pick you up, and may see other wildlife before you’ve rejoined the group.
Is This Trip Right for You?
This is an active trip. The tour covers a lot of ground each day. Expect to spend most of your time driving over roads that are often rough and bumpy in safari vehicles that cannot be air-conditioned. Only “bush toilets” are available during game drives. There are many early mornings. Electricity in the camps is provided by generator and may not be available 24 hours a day. Many of the accommodations are built in the traditional local style and have no air-conditioning. Visitors to Kenya are required to carry proof of Yellow Fever vaccination if traveling through or from a country with risk of yellow fever, and are encouraged to consult their health-care providers regarding malaria prophylaxis. We suggest you check with your health-care provider before signing up for this tour. Some of our tours require walking or stairs between tents. Safari vehicles have high ground clearance and require agility to embark and disembark. During this tour, you may come into proximity of wild animals whose actions can be unpredictable. Certain inherent risks are involved which should be considered at your own discretion. This is a Classic program.
Pricing for this Gate1 tour begins around $4300.00 per person, based on double occupancy, not including flights to Kenya. If you’d like a quote for yourself, just give me a shout!
Cleared For Take-Off! 