Unveiling the Wonders of the Great Rift Valley

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Journey to Lake Nakuru
Early pick-up from your Nairobi hotel or the airport, then drive west from Nairobi, briefly stopping at a viewpoint for astounding views of the Great Rift Valley. A further short drive gets us to a Kikuyu homestead in a village near Lake Elementaita for exploration of subsistence farming here and an African lunch (a financial boost to the local farmer and his family). After the sumptuous African meal, we drive further for 30 minutes to Lake Nakuru Park, arriving in time for a late afternoon game viewing session. Lake Nakuru National Park is Kenya’s largest rhino reserve and home to the greatest ornithological spectacle in the world, at times hosting more than a million pink flamingos. Tonight, we camp inside the park. (L, D)
NB: Options for upgrading the accommodation are available inside the park, though limited.

Day 2: Lake Nakuru Park / Coffee and Tea Estate Visit
A very early (6:00 AM) start for game drives in Lake Nakuru National Park. Lake Nakuru Park is moderately small but spectacularly picturesque and abundant in wildlife. Here, you have unmatched chances of seeing the rare rhino (both black and white species), the unusual Rothschild's giraffe, and the elusive leopard, among other animals. The park has also recorded nearly 400 species of birds within its boundaries. After the morning game drives, we exit the park and drive for half an hour (30 km) to a co-operative-run coffee and tea estate for lunch. This lush, cool, forested setting allows you to participate in a guided bird walk and visit the tea and coffee processing plants. You can try your hand at picking tea and coffee if you like. After concluding the farm activities, we journey for another 1.5 hours (100 km) to Hell’s Gate National Park for an overnight stay at a bush camp inside the park.
NB: No option for upgrading the accommodation is available inside the park. Available facilities are found on the shores of Lake Naivasha just outside the park.

Day 3: Hell’s Gate Walking Safari
After an early breakfast, we commence the hike across the flat terrain to arrive at the gorge. Hell’s Gate is a small and beautiful park with plenty of plains game and spectacular gorges (one of the few national parks in Kenya where exploration on foot is permitted). On the walk, we’ll have close encounters with giraffes, gazelles, impalas, zebras, elands, and hartebeests, among others. As a highlight, we descend into the gorge, where we’re welcomed by fascinating sights of volcanic formations, geysers, and hot springs. After this memorable game walk and picnic lunch, we drive past the geothermal power generation plants and check in to a comfortable resort on the shores of Lake Naivasha for a relaxed evening and a chance for a refreshing swim and some refreshments before dinner.

Day 4: Journey to Amboseli Park
Lake Naivasha is a vast freshwater lake, famed for its hippos and birdlife, particularly pelicans, fish eagles, kingfishers, cormorants, and lovebirds. There are also many hippos, and we’ll have a chance to see some of them on the early morning boat ride. Halfway, we’ll disembark at an animal sanctuary to walk among waterbuck, giraffe, zebra, impala, and gazelle. After the boat ride, we embark on a 5-hour (330 km) journey to Amboseli, making a brief stop at our Rock House for lunch. Arrival in Amboseli will be in time for an evening game drive. Amboseli Park, located near the border of Kenya and Tanzania, is famous for being the best spot in Africa to get close to free-ranging elephants. Other attractions of the park include the spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro—the highest freestanding mountain in the world—and opportunities to meet the Amboseli Maasai tribesmen. Overnight bush camp in the community-run camping site.

Day 5: Kilimanjaro Viewing / Journey to Tanzania
Early morning game drives in Amboseli offer the best chance to view Mount Kilimanjaro and wildlife in their various habitats—open grassland plains, acacia woodland, rocky thorn bush, swamps, and marshland. The Amboseli ecosystem is home to gazelles, elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, wildebeests, zebras, and hippos, among others, and the presence of permanent swamps makes birdlife in Amboseli abundant. After our morning tea at camp, we have an optional chance to visit the local Maasai for insights into their fascinating way of life before driving for 1.5 hours (90 km) to the border town of Namanga. Those proceeding to Tanzania will make a connection here, while those returning to Nairobi will drive back in the same vehicle. The journey to Arusha or Nairobi from the border takes approximately 2 hours.
(B, L, D) refers to meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.