RECS007: 8 Days Samburu / Rift Valley / Maasai Mara


8 Days Samburu / Rift Valley / Maasai Mara
Royal ecotravel will treat you to an unforgettable safari from the semi-arid Kenya through the lakes of the Great Rift Valley to the sun-baked plains of the Maasai Mara. This offers a great variety in animals, vegetation, ecosystems and cultures. The animals in the northern semi-arid Kenya north of the equator differ greatly from those in the south. Those in the north are more beautiful and unique i.e. the reticulated giraffe, gravy zebra, gerenuk/giraffe-necked gazelle, oryx, Somali ostrich among others. You also get the chance of interacting with the Kikuyu at Mt. Kenya, the Samburu and the Maasai.

DAY 1: NAIROBI – SAMBURU NATIONAL RESERVE
Depart from Nairobi and drive northwestwards through the agriculturally rich Central Kenya Highlands. After a 3-hour drive we stop briefly at Mountain Rock Lodge for Lunch and then proceed further to Samburu National Reserve arriving in the late evening. Dinner and overnight at the Public campsite in the reserve

DAY 2: SAMBURU NATIONAL RESERVE
Whole day game drive in the park where our expert guides and drivers will take you to different locations of the reserve where you will have spectacular chances of spotting wildlife. You break off during the midday heat for lunch. After lunch you may visit a nearby lodge for a refreshing swim (at your own cost).

Samburu is a semi arid ecosystem which teems with a host of wildlife endemic to the northern part of Kenya chief among them being the reticulated giraffe, the gravy zebra, the oryx, the Somali ostrich, and the gazelle with the longest neck called the gerenuk, the vulturine guinea fowl among others. Apart from the above species, elephants, buffaloes, gazelles, crocodiles, impalas and dik-diks are seen in plenty as well as the elusive lions, cheetahs and leopard. Dinner and overnight at public campsite

DAY 3: SAMBURU NATIONAL RESERVE – MT. KENYA
We depart early after breakfast headed for Mount Kenya region. We arrive at Mountain Rock Lodge for lunch and later an afternoon cultural walk to the nearby kikuyu villages. On coming back to the Lodge we pass the forest reserve where the local our guide explains to us some of the medicinal plants in that forest. Dinner and overnight at the Lodge

DAY 4: MT. KENYA – LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK
We depart early after breakfast headed for Lake Nakuru National park. This is another soda lake on the floor of the Rift valley which a home to hundreds of thousands of flamingos and other bird species. Here we get chances of seeing zebra, buffalo, gazelle impala, water buck, hyena, leopard among others. This park is also a Rhino sanctuary and both the black and white Rhino are present here. Dinner and overnight at public campsite

DAY 5: LAKE NAKURU – LOITA PLAINS
Early morning Game Drive in the Park and later depart after breakfast headed for Maasai country to a small village called Olonganayo which lies in the Olenkuluo Community group ranch. On the way we stop at Narok, the Maasai Capital for a visit of this Maasai town. In the evening we visit a local Maasai homestead to learn more about the way of life of these fascinating people who have defied modernity to remain faithful to their culture. Dinner and over night at community Campsite with our Maasai hosts.

DAY 6: LOITA PLAINS – MAASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE
After breakfast we do a short game walk in the Loita plains where we have chances of seeing many plain game as well as enjoying splendid views of the endless plains and the Loita hills in the horizon. We  are  guided  by  Maasai  warriors  who constantly  explain  to  us  how  they  utilize  what  nature  has  to offer  to  lead  their  day  to day  lives. After a 2-3 hour walk we depart for the Maasai Mara National reserve.

Maasai Mara, now the seventh wonder of the modern world, is a country of breathtaking vistas, vast rolling plains and rounded hills, acacia woodlands, dense thickets of scrub. The whole bisected by the Mara River and its tributaries margined with luxuriant riverine forests. Its vast plains teem with endless herds of game together with the associated predators. It is perhaps the only region left in Africa where the visitor may see animals in the same super-abundance as existed a century ago.  Here, you find the largest population of lions in Kenya, seen in their natural setting and the impressive herds of elephants. Other animals include buffaloes, hartebeest, wildebeest, topi, eland, impala, gazelles, black rhino (very rare), giraffe, zebra, waterbuck, hippopotamus, crocodile, leopard, cheetah, hyena, jackals, among others. Bird species include eagles, vultures, marabou, ostrich, touracos, guinea fowls, bastards, cranes, and many more.

Perhaps the most intriguing phenomenon in Maasai Mara is the Wildebeest migration that occurs between the months of July and September. Every July, millions of wildebeests and zebra move from Serengeti to Maasai Mara on their annual migration, attracting an entourage of cheetahs, lions and other predators. The reserve was established in 1961 and covers a surface area of 1,812sq km. Night in Tents

DAY 7: MAASAI MARA

Full day exploring different parts of the reserve as we watch the animals feed and groom each other. Dinner and over night at Campsite

 

DAY 8: MAASAI MARA - NAIROBI
We do an early morning game drive then come back to the camp for breakfast and later depart for Nairobi.