Arrival in Nairobi
Land in Kenya’s capital city and a vehicle will be waiting at the airport to take you to your conveniently located hotel only a short drive away. After an easy journey, drop your bags and unwind. Overnight at Eka Hotel.
Things to do:
Hemingways Nairobi: a haven in the heart of the capital
Nairobi
Today you have Nairobi at your fingertips to explore. For your first taste of wildlife and Kenyan conservation, we've included a morning at the Giraffe Centre sheltering endangered Rothschild’s giraffes that will happily lap up food from your hand with their long black tongues. In the afternoon you have time for an optional visit to the reputed Sheldrick Wildlife Trust where you can meet the orphaned elephants in an intimate setting and listen to their rescue stories. Warning, cuteness overload as you watch them race for feeding time and roll around in the mud. Overnight at Eka Hotel.
Things to do:
Visit endangered Rothschild’s giraffes
Meet orphaned elephants at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Nairobi & Amboseli
Rise early for a 6-hour drive in a private 4x4 safari vehicle to Amboseli National Park, bordering Tanzania, with stops to stretch your legs and take in the rural scenery until the tarmac dissolves into red dirt roads. If long car journeys aren’t your thing, at an additional cost, a direct flight and a transfer will have you there in just a few hours. Your lodge lies in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro looming in the distance. Rooms with vibrant Maasai-red colours accommodate 2 adults and 2 children (under 12) while a fun kids club keeps children entertained with water polo, beading, painting, volleyball, football as well as board games such as Trivial Pursuit and Monopoly, fit for family competition. Overnight at Ol Tukai Lodge.
Things to do:
Tawi: the Amboseli eco-lodge
Elephants and Kilimanjaro views: Tortilis Camp Amboseli
Amboseli
Mid-morning and afternoon game drives cover ample ground in Amboseli’s rich terrain. No wildlife documentary can prepare you for seeing its postcard-worthy scenes from elephants parading in their thousands under Kili’s snowcapped peaks to hot pink flamingos flocking against the pale blue sky. The diverse landscapes - woodland, springs, savannah and hills - are home to a variety of prized game such as magnificent big cats, comical looking warthog, over 400 bird species and shyer species such as the striped hyena and bat-eared fox. When with wildlife, there are usually no guarantees, the feeling of awe is a sure thing. Overnight at Ol Tukai Lodge.
Amboseli & Tsavo
Drive 5.5 hours to Tsavo, Kenya’s largest and oldest national park and a renowned wildlife stronghold. Your tented camp sits in Tsavo West on a peaceful dam with glimpses of Kilimanjaro and neighbouring Maasai communities nearby. Your classic safari tent allows for 2 adults and 2 children (under the age of 12) and harks back to the days of the early explorers. The kids’ club offers nature walks along the dam identifying tilapia and supersized catfish, and swimming in the crater lake. Then there’s concocting cocktails out of foraged treasure, archery and learning how to make fire with the help of a Maasai village member using sticks and elephant dung. Don’t miss stargazing with a giant telescope too, a good excuse for a later bedtime. Overnight at Voyager Ziwani.
Things to do:
Enjoy Kilimanjaro views at Voyager Ziwani
Discover Amboseli, a photographer’s paradise
The luxury Finch Hattons safari experience
Tsavo
Head out on game drives exploring the tumbling rock, lava flows, thick woodland and open grass looking for resident lion, leopard, buffalo or the regal looking lesser kudu. The area though is famous for its giant tusker elephants coated in the rich red soil. For an additional treat but totally worth the cost, you could request a thrilling hot-air balloon ride (minimum age 8yrs) to stealthily watch the game below left to its own devices. Glide over monochrome herds of zebra or perhaps the rare gerenuk that stands on its hind legs to nibble at the trees. Arguably the best view though is of Kilimanjaro when the conditions are near perfect, and you can ascend above the clouds to see its mighty peaks soaked in the encroaching sun. Overnight at Voyager Ziwani.
Things to do:
Visit Tsavo, Kenya’s largest national park
The Amboseli hot air balloon adventure
Tsavo & Mombasa
This morning, a 2-hour transfer will take you to Voi Station in good time for the midday train to Mombasa. This journey whisks you to the coast in a couple of hours, but should you want to keep to a private car, this can be included although the journey will be longer. On arrival, transfer to Serena Beach based on a Swahili village where the palms sway in the ocean breeze and and the waves roll lazily onto the golden shore. We’ve chosen this hotel for its wonderful laidback vibe whether paddling up to the swim-up pool bar or pondering an afternoon ice cream. Family Rooms include a double room for adults and twin beds for children, each room with their own bathrooms, televisions while sharing a sunny balcony. Should you wish to upgrade, Diamonds Dreams of Africa a couple of hours north in Malindi is a good option for sprawling luxury or take to Diani beach further south to Kinondo Kwetu for a boutique-style escape. Overnight at Serena Beach Resort & Spa.
Things to do:
Diamonds Dream of Africa: sustainability behind the fabulous suites
Kinondo Kwetu: the Swahili-style boutique beach resort
Mombasa
Spend the whole day doing as little or as much as you please. If your modus operandi is to decompress on the beach or next to the swimming pool, there is no better place to do this. Meanwhile, the kids (and grown ups) should visit the charming butterfly pavilion with experts on hand who happily share their wealth of knowledge, and don’t miss the turtle hatchery during March and September to see minute hawksbill and olive ridley turtles. While you could eat pizza and ice cream on tap, don’t miss the Jahazi grill for a bit of fun, fitted out like a Swahili dhow complete with a sandy floor and ship’s wheel. Overnight at Serena Beach Resort & Spa.
Mombasa
On your last day, why not break up the sunbathing with an invigorating massage or beauty treatment at the lovely spa. If you can summon the energy, there’s tennis, beach volleyball and a giant chessboard, perfect for children who can burn off steam. Round it off with a celebratory supper in the alfresco restaurant accompanied by live music and traditional cultural shows. Overnight at Serena Beach Resort & Spa.
Mombasa & Departure
Say goodbye to the sand and transfer to Mombasa airport for onward travel.
