AREAS OF INTEREST:
Great Rift Valley, Masai Mara Game Reserve, Narok, Great Wildebeest Migration (Seasonal).
ACTIVITY:
Scenery, Camping, Game and Bird Watching, Ethnic, Culture, Traditional Dances (Optional), Photography, Relaxation, Visit the Local Manyatta (village) (optional at extra cost), Early morning Balloon Safari with Champagne Breakfast in the Park (optional at extra cost).
COUNTRY, KENYA
This is a safari to Kenya’s greatest concentration of game – the Masai Mara National Reserve. As Kenya’s most famous park, it offers the chance of seeing the ‘Big Five’ and is home to the colourful Masai people. On our way there, we pass through Kenya’s rift valley escarpments which offer some of the most breath taking views.
The Rift Valley is part of the East African rift system; a massive geological fault line stretching almost 6500km across the African continent, from the Dead Sea in the north to Beira, Mozambique in the south Africa. In Kenya, the rift valley landscape comprises of escarpments, ravines, flatlands and soda lakes that mark much of East Africa.
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DEPARTS: MONDAYS
DAY 1. MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE
Departing our office in the morning we drive down the escarpment via the floor of the Great Rift Valley. We camp at our permanent Talek riverside campsite situated at the edge of the park. Here we have stand-up tents with beds for use as well as small wood cabins for those after a touch more comfort. Hot showers are available in the camp and meals are served in the dinning mess or in the open.
In the night you can hear a chorus of different animal sounds as they communicate with each other in the darkness – more than a reason to visit though the ultimate action here is without doubt the annual wildebeest exodus in July and August when millions of these grass eaters move north from the Serengeti in search of lusher grass before turning south again in October.
DAY 2 AND 3. MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE
We spend the day game viewing and relaxing in the campsite grounds. On clear days, the mara offers fantastic orange tinted sunsets and you will definitely want to capture this moment while sipping on a sundowner back at our campsite. The Mara reserve is 1510 sq km of incredible wide-open landscapes and fertile riverine woodland following the looping meanders of the Mara and Talek rivers.
Wherever you go in the Mara you will see a frequent amount of wildlife such as Masai giraffe, baboons, warthogs, bat eared foxes, grey jackals, spotted hyena, topis, impala, hartebeests and wildebeest. Elephants, buffaloes, zebras and hippos also exist in great numbers. It is also common to see lions either basking after a heavy meal, or surveying the plains for their next meal. Cheetahs and leopards are harder to spot but are still reasonably common.
Balloon trips are an entirely outstanding way of seeing the savannah plains and the wildlife after which you come back down for a beautiful champagne breakfast. These trips can be arranged at our office upon booking.
DAY 4. NAIROBI CITY
Depart Camp and drive through the northern part of the reserve viewing game as we proceed to the main Narok road where we stop to give you a chance to buy souvenirs, or just to have a cup of tea. We return to Nairobi by late afternoon for lunch in Carnivore Restaurant then later be dropped at the airport or in a city hotel.
End of the safari.
Price will be advised at the time of booking for clarity reasons.
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICE.
Transport by special safari vehicle, services of an English speaking driver/tour guide and cook, all campsite fees, all camping equipment including use of our three-person tents (each tent shared by 2 people), stools, foam mattresses except sleeping bags, three meals a day while on safari whether vegetarian and non-vegetarian prepared by our safari cook.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE.
Cultural visits to villages (can be arranged with the guide), personal travel insurance,
sleeping bags (available for hire in the office at US$ 25 per bag per safari with US$ 40 refundable deposit) drinking water, hotel all international & domestic air flights and train bookings (but can be arranged on request), all airport taxes and visas, all personal expenses and toiletries; e.g. mineral water, toilet tissue, laundry, telephones, beverages, tips, portage, all our transport has insurance plus we could offer on request and at extra cost rescue and evacuation by air and road within East Africa only the rescue and evacuation by air and road is for all Top Africa Safaris ltd clients. The cover does not include in hospital bills overseas cover, the cover is only for residents and non-residents, for detailed information please log on to http://www.ersafari.com, it gives you the complete solution to the traditional procurement of the tourist cover and any other extras not stated as included above
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WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING ON SAFARI.
Sleeping bag (available for hire in our office for US$ 25 per bag per safari plus a refundable deposit of US$ 50 after the safari, only a small case or rucksack, as storage space is limited (maximum 20kgs), a pair of long trousers and jersey for the cool mornings and evenings in addition to plenty of light clothes for hot days (do not forget a hat), swim suit, a pillow, good walking and biking shoes and sweets, torch, sunglasses, suntan lotion, insect repellent/spray but not mosquito coils, mineral water for drinking (available for sale in our office) camera, films, binoculars, maps, guide-books and also darts for our dart board at Maasai Mara National Reserve toilet paper, towel, soap and toothbrush/paste, all personal travel insurance and it is good idea to bring any drinks you might want around the campfire as they are not always available enroute.
