5 NIGHTS 6 DAYS
Day 1 – Nairobi – Amboseli
Early arrival at Jomo Kenyatta airport, clients will be met and leave the hustle and bustle of Nairobi behind, you head south across the beautiful and seemingly never ending Athi plains and then turn east to Amboseli National Park at the foot of majestic Mount Kilimanjaro, home to a wealth of wildlife but particularly known for its elephants. By lunchtime you’ll reach the lodge, your base for exploring this corner of Kenya and admiring the dramatic views of Africa’s highest mountain. After lunch enjoy and afternoon game drive in Amboseli National Park, returning to the lodge as the sunsets. Afternoon game drive. Overnight at Amboseli Sopa Lodge on a full board basis
Amboseli Sopa Lodge Set on 200 acres of private land on the foothills of Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, the lodge is perfectly poised to provide a luxurious base from which to explore the park and get some great pictures of this incredible mountain. The lodge is also close to where Ernest Hemingway lived whilst writing his famous novel, The Snows of Kilimanjaro. Each of the 47 rooms has their own private veranda on which to relax, sunbathe and take in the views. All rooms are en suite, with walk-in shower, lavatory, wash basin and shaving socket – they’re all modern, spacious and comfortable. Meals are a cosmopolitan combination of European, African and Asian dishes, all made with fresh produce and served from a colourful buffet. There are also several bars, a great pool, TV lounge and many other small niceties that make this a superb location.
Day 2 – Amboseli
Wake up early this morning for a game drive as the sun starts to rise. This is the best time of day to spot the animals as they wake and go in search of their breakfast. If the weather is clear you’ll also see the stunning snow-capped peak of Kilimanjaro appear on the horizon, a glorious sight. Return to the lodge for breakfast and time to relax and enjoy the facilities. Amboseli is not a large park, however the unusual dusty terrain of the dry lakebed and swamps makes an interesting place to explore. There are huge herds of elephants here and if you are lucky you’ll catch them crossing sedately across the grassy plains with Kilimanjaro as a backdrop. A classic photo opportunity. Morning and afternoon game drives give you maximum opportunity to spot the wide variety of animals at different times of day. Return to the lodge for meals. . Two game drives AM/PM or full day with picnic. Overnight at Amboseli Sopa Lodge on a full board basis
Day 3 – Amboseli – Naivasha
After an early breakfast, perhaps catch a clear view of the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro as you leave Amboseli and travel north cross the Athi plains and then west through the Kenya’s fertile highlands, where tea and coffee farms abound, and suddenly to your left, the trees part to reveal a spectacular view of the Great Rift Valley. Here the with dormant Longonot volcano lies at centre stage. These panoramic views brings you to Lake Naivasha with its Crescent Island. Arrive at the lodge in time for lunch and the rest of the afternoon is at leisure. Overnight Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge on full board basis Lake Naivasha Sopa Set in one hundred and fifty acres of grassland studded with Acacia bushes and trees, the resort is not only home to our resident giraffe, waterbuck and both Vervet and Colobus monkeys, but it is also a night stop for the hippos when they leave the lake every night to come and trim the grass on our expansive lawns. With Sopa’s traditional and conscientious care for the environment, we carefully positioned all the buildings on our property so we did not have to fell any of the many trees there. As a result of this, we had to come up with a radically innovative and artistic design for the main public area building which now snakes its way between the trees with long and graceful curves. It is also why you might well ask just why our two swimming pools with a children’s section and a pool complex with its bar, snack kitchen, pizzeria and health spa; our tennis court; our two conference halls with their four differently sized meeting areas, and our stables are so widely set apart.
Day 4 – Naivasha – Masai Mara Game Reserve
After an early breakfast, you’ll travel across the bottom of the rift escarpment and head southeast, passing the dormant Longonot volcano on your right. Then you’ll turn off the main road across the Rift Valley and head towards Narok, district headquarters of this part of Maasailand. After Narok you’ll travel across the “breadbasket” of Kenya, covered with acres of wheat and barley, before you reach the Mara and your lodge, home to some of the greatest concentrations of game in Africa. Afternoon game drive. Overnight at Mara Sopa Lodge on full board basis. Mara Sopa Lodge The lodge is set in the Oloolaimutia Valley and built into the surrounding hillside landscape. The accent around the lodge is on the indigenous Masai people and the fabulous wealth of wildlife, birdlife and natural flora seen in every direction. The lodge is luxuriously appointed with all the mod cons one would expect from a Sopa styled lodge in the bush. The bedrooms are spacious, the large pool has wonderful views and there’s evening wildlife films and CNN to enjoy during the down-time. All this ensures that your stay will be blissfully comfortable.
Day 5 – Masai Mara Game Reserve
Today will be spent exploring the vast plains of the Masai Mara, starting early with a game drive before breakfast, and returning to the lodge for meals. This reserve is an extension of the Serengeti ecosystem to the south. Game abounds here, particularly when the migration is on, and millions of wildebeests and zebras make their way back and forth across the Mara River on their annual trek. The Mara is also noted for its abundance of lions – particularly the superb black manned males. You’ll see lots of elephants here often in large herds, as well as, if you’re lucky, leopard, cheetah and rhino. All of the Big Five are residents. You’re sure to see the African buffalo. The huge expanse of grassland covers 320 sq km and is dotted with distinctive flat-topped acacia trees are watered by two rivers, Mara
River and Talek River. It is also home to the nomadic Maasai people, who can be see grazing their cattle, usually brightly dressed in red chequered capes. Get the cameras ready, stock up on film and enjoy yourselves! Two game drives AM/PM or full day with picnic. Overnight at Mara Sopa Lodge on full board basis.
Day 6 – Masai Mara Game Reserve – Nairobi
After breakfast you’ll depart the Masai Mara and head across acres of rolling wheat and barley farms to Narok, the district headquarters of this part of Maasailand. From here cross the vast plains on the floor of the Rift Valley whilst keeping an eye out for herds of giraffe and gazelle before heading up the rift escarpment on a road built by Italian prisoners during World War II. You’ll arrive into Kenya’s bustling capital around mid-day. Once in the city, clients will be dropped off at Jomo Kenyatta Airport for onward flight (booked by agent). Pre-dawn/morning game drive. End of our services.
