RECS 006: 8 Days Mt. Kenya / Rift Valley / Maasai Mara
Mt. Kenya, a mystical majestic massif in the central highlands of Kenya is not only known for its outstanding beauty, but also for the myths surrounding it. The kukuyu believe that their god, ‘Ngai’ lives on this mountain. Visit them and hear from them the mysteries of Mt. Kenya. Combine this with the Rift Valley lakes, and the Maasai and you can be sure you have the best of Kenya. You can spend a night in a kikuyu village on request. Good new! Children can come too. From the age of 6
DAY 1: NAIROBI - MT. KENYA
Depart from Nairobi and drive northwestwards through the agriculturally rich Central Kenya Highlands. After a 3-hour drive 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 2: MT. KENYA - LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK
This day we head for Lake Nakuru National park. This is one of the most famous soda lakes on the floor of the Rift valley which a home to hundreds of thousands of flamingos and other bird species. We arrive in time for lunch and after lunch we leave for an evening game drive where we get chances of seeing zebra, buffalo, gazelle impala, water buck, hyena, leopard among others. This park is a Rhino sanctuary and both the black and white Rhino are present here. Dinner and overnight at Campsite
DAY 3: LAKE NAKURU - LAKE BOGORIA NATIONAL RESERVE
We go for an early morning game drive after breakfast. We return to the camp for early lunch. After lunch we head for the Lake Bogoria National Reserve. Lake Bogoria is a shallow alkaline lake on the floor of the rift valley, which is a natural abode of thousands of flamingoes. With its steaming hot springs and geysers and a variety of bird and animal species, Lake Bogoria National Reserve is a truly one of the most beautiful reserves to explore on foot. It is this park that one has the chance to see the rare Great Kudu. Dinner and overnight at the local community campsite
DAY 4: LAKE BOGORIA NATIONAL RESERVE
We do a morning Game Walk around the lake and on our way out we visit local Tugen village to get insights in the culture of this Nilotic ethnic group. In the afternoon we drive halfway and walk halfway to the hot springs and geysers. In the evening we drive towards the camp while on the lookout for the greater Kudu. Dinner and overnight at the local community campsite
DAY 5: LAKE BOGORIA – HELL’S GATE NATIONAL PARK
Depart after break fast and head to Hell’s Gate National Park. This is a small and beautiful park with plenty of plain game and spectacular gorges. This is one of the few national parks in Kenya where one is allowed to explore it foot since there are no big predators. We drive through the park where you will have close encounters with giraffes, gazelles, impalas, zebras, elands, hartebeests among others. Upon arrival at the Rangers Post we hike to explore the gorges to see the magnificent geological formations and hot springs. Dinner and overnight at campsite
DAY 6: HELL’S GATE – MAASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE
Depart after breakfast and head for the Maasai Mara National reserve.
Masai 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: MASAI 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: MASAI MARA - NAIROBI
We do an early morning game drive then come back to the camp for breakfast and later depart for Nairobi.