East Africa Wildlife and Coast

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Nairobi

Arrive in Nairobi any time and make your way to the joining point hotel. A brief departure meeting will be held in the hotel reception area in evening on Day 1 of your tour. Upon arrival look for information from your tour leader on the hotel bulletin board regarding the meeting time.Take today to wander the streets of central Nairobi, taking in old colonial architecture and the brightly coloured crowds to get a feel for Africa. The city’s best attraction is the National Museum, home to most of the great prehistoric finds made by the Leakey family in East Africa, from Ethiopia to the Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania. It also has sections on wildlife, art, geology, local history and a snake park.West of the city, the suburb of Karen is named after Karen Blixen, author of “Out of Africa”. Her house is now the Karen Blixen Museum, complete with a garden and tea house, it tells the history of the famous author. Also in Karen is the African Butterfly Research Institute , a large magical greenhouse alive with native butterflies.South of Nairobi, in Langata, are a number of the city's best attractions. At the Giraffe Centre, you'll have the option of hand-feeding the rare Rothschild giraffes, plus embarking upon a nature walk with 160 species of bird. The Sheldrick Animal Orphanage cares for young, orphaned elephants. The Bomas of Kenya is a living open-air museum of the tribes of Kenya, including regular dance performances. The Nairobi National Park is just south of the city, and covers 114 sq km. It has over 400 bird species of and populations lions, leopards, and one of the country’s few thriving populations of black rhino. The name Nairobi is derived from the Masai word for cool waters, which the Masai people gave to a water hole known as Ewaso Nyirobi. In modern times, the sprawling, cosmopolitan city of Nairobi combines the first-world glamour of reflecting-glass skyscraper buildings with abject developing-world poverty. It originated in 1899 from a handful of shacks that marked the end of the railhead during the building of the Uganda railway. Due to big game hunting bringing tourists from Britain, the city expanded dramatically in the early 1900’s. A large number of British nationals settled in the area, prompting more growth and this angered both the Masai and Kikuyu people, as they were losing hunting ground due to the expansion of the city limits. The friction increased and, eventually led to the Mau Mau uprising, which saw Jomo Kenyatta, the future president jailed. Kenya was granted independence from Britain in 1963, with Nairobi as the capital.Apart from being Kenya’s capital and the main centre of government and commerce, Nairobi is the most significant city in East Africa and an important player on the pan-African stage. It is the diplomatic base for many counties in Africa, with its broad spectrum of international embassies and headquarters for the United Nations, multi-national companies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and press correspondents. It’s also the center of the growing safari business of East Africa.

Day 2-3 Masai Mara (2B,2L,2D)

After breakfast, we depart for the world famous Masai Mara Game Reserve. With its vast open plains and distinctive flat-topped acacia trees, no visit to Kenya would be complete without a visit here! In the afternoon we will arrive in the area, and get settled at our permenant tented camp, our base for our time here. Then we make our way into the reserve for an afternoon game viewing drive, with excellent chances of seeing the "Big 5" - lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino.Day 3 starts with an early morning game drive, since the best time to spot wildlife is in the early hours of the morning. The day continues with more game viewing as you criss-cross the rolling hills of the African savannah. You will also have a chance to try the optional balloon safari, in addition to stopping at a Masai village to learn about, and interact with, the local Masai people.The Masai Mara (also spelled Maasai Mara) is a game reserve in south-western Kenya, which is effectively the northern continuation of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. Named for the Masai tribes people, who are the traditional inhabitants of the area, and the Mara River, which divides it, the reserve is famous for its exceptional population of game and the annual migration of the wildebeest every September and October, a migration so immense to be called the Great Migration. Thousands of wildebeest die in the crossing due to crocodile attacks. The Great Migration is one of the most impressive natural events worldwide, involving an immensity of herbivores: some 1,300,000 wildebeest, 360,000 Thomson's gazelle, and 191,000 zebra. With an area of 1510 km sq., the Masai Mara is not the largest game park or reserve in Kenya, but it is probably the most famous. The entire area of the park is nestled within the enormous Great Rift Valley that extends from the Mediterranean Sea to Mozambique. The terrain of the reserve is primarily open grassland, with clusters of the distinctive acacia tree in the south-east region. The western border is the Esoit Oloololo Escarpment of the Rift Valley, and wildlife tends to be most concentrated here, as the swampy ground means that access to water is always good. The easternmost border is 224 km from Nairobi.The Masai Mara is perhaps most famous for its lions, though the other members of the "Big Five" (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, and rhinoceros) are as well found. This said, the population of black rhinoceros is severely threatened, with a population of only 37 recorded in 2000. Hippopotami are found in large groups in the Masai Mara and Talek Rivers, and many cheetah, zebra, impala, gazelles, hartebeest, warthog, ostrich, topi, the Masai giraffe, among other mammals, all consider the “Mara” their home territory. As well, the large Roan antelope and the nocturnal bat-eared fox, rarely present elsewhere in Kenya, can be seen within the reserve borders. Like in the Serengeti in Tanzania, the wildebeest are the dominant inhabitant of the Masai Mara, and their numbers are estimated in the millions. Around July of each year these animals migrate in a vast ensemble north from the Serengeti plains in search of fresh pasture, and return to the south around October. These numerous migrants are followed along their annual, circular route by a block of hungry predators, most notably lions and hyena. The Masai Mara is a also major research centre for the spotted hyena. Additionally, over 450 species of birdlife have been identified in the park, including vulture, marabou, secretary bird, hornbill, crowned crane, ostrich, long-crested eagle, and pygmy falcon.

Day 4-5 Nakuru (2B,2L,2D)

Descend into the Great Rift Valley and travel to Nakuru. Named for the shallow soda lake within its boundaries, Lake Nakuru National Park is renowned for its millions of resident flamingos. Spend a full day viewing a vast array of wildlife through the park's woodlands and grasslands.Kenya's fourth largest town and the capital of the Rift Valley province, Nakuru, meaning “dusty place” in the Masai language, is a cheerful and vibrant agricultural town with a variety of coulourful local markets. We camp outside of the town itself, at the edge of Lake Nakuru National Park, the area’s principal highlight and best natural attraction. Lake Nakuru National Park began in 1961 as a small protected territory, only encompassing the famous lake of the same name, and the surrounding mountainous vicinity. Now it has been extended to include a large part of the area’s grassland savannahs and woodland slopes, and covers an area of roughly 188 km sq. Lake Nakuru itself is one of the Rift Valley soda lakes. The alkaline lake's abundance of algae attracts the large quantity of flamingos, estimated into the millions, that famously line the shore. The surface of the shallow lake is often hardly recognizable due to the continually shifting mass of pink. There are two types of flamingo species: the Lesser flamingo can be distinguished by its deep red carmine bill and pink plumage unlike the greater flamigo, which has a bill with a black tip. But flamingos are not the only avian attraction, also present are two large fish-eating birds, pelicans and cormorants. The park is rich in other birdlife, including grebes, white winged black, stilts, avocets, ducks, and in the European winter, the migrant waders.The park has recently been enlarged partly to provide the sanctuary for the black rhino. This undertaking has necessitated a fence - to keep out poachers rather than to restrict the movement of wildlife. The park now has more than 25 rhinos, one of the largest concentrations in the country, so the chances of spotting these survivors are better than in other parks. There are also a number of Rothschild's giraffe, again translocated for safety from western Kenya beginning in 1977. Numerous other mammals can be seen, including zebra, impala, gazelle, waterbuck, lion, warthog, bushbuck, many buffalo, and even at times leopard.

Day 6-7 Amboseli National Park (2B,2L,2D)

Venture south to the famed Amboseli National Park, located at the foot of Africa's highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro. The snow-capped peak of the mountain dominates every aspect of the park, providing the ultimate photo backdrop. Amboseli covers only 392 sq km, though despite its small size and its fragile ecosystem, the park supports a wide range of mammals (well over 50 of the larger species) and birds (over 400 species). You will have the late afternoon of day 6, and the full day of day 7 to criss-cross the park in seach of lions, buffaloes, elephants, rhino, cheetah, and of course the photo of a lifetime.Part of Masailand, Amboseli National Park is thus the home of the Masai people, those tall, proud nomads whose legendary prowess in battle and single handed acts of bravery in fights with wild animals has spread across the globe. Perhaps more than any other community in Kenya, the Masai have learned to live in complete harmony with their environment, and coexist and thrive together with the wildlife that surrounds them. The park is surrounded by manyatta - Masai villages - quickly built out of bent poles and sticks and plastered with cow dung and equally swiftly abandoned when the grazing is finished and the herds must move on. It is not unusual to see the proud Masai warrior or small children tending their cattle as you traverse their territory.A part of the park is composed of a dried-up lake bed which in the shimmering heat produces mirages. Swamps and springs, fed by underground rivers from Kilimanjaro's melting snows, form permanent watering places for the wildlife through times of drought. The lake bed is subject to sporadic floods and noxious salts in the gravel bed are dissolved to serve as a deadly poison for what is left of the local woods; very few of the fine acacias, once a feature of this region, remain.The snows of Kilimanjaro, white and crystalline, form a majestic backdrop to one of Kenya's most spectacular displays of wildlife - lion, elephant, leopard, rhino, cheetah, buffalo and hosts of plains' game, creating Kenya's most sought after photographer's paradise. The park's best game drives are around the swamps and there is a fine lookout on Observation Hill which offers views over the whole of the park and beyond.Years ago this was the locale around which such famous writers as Ernest Hemingway and Robert Ruark spun their stories of big-game hunting in the wilds of Africa. In addition, the park that has been made famous by Cynthia Moss, the noted American naturalist and author who has one of the longest-running studies on elephants. You might even see some of the elephants that Cynthia has immortalized in her many books and award-winning film Echo of the Elephants.

Day 8 Tsavo West National Park (B,L,D)

With its spectacular red elephants, zebras, hippos and leopards, Tsavo West is part of Kenya's largest national park, with nearly 22,000 sq km. Spend the afternoon capturing the beauty and diversity of this immense territory.Tsavo is the largest national park in Kenya and one of the largest in the world. Because of its size the park was split into two, Tsavo West and Tsavo East, for easier administration. Located midway between Nairobi and the coast, the area boasts volcanic hills, four rivers, more than 60 major mammal species and 1,000 plant species. The northern part of Tsavo West has spectacular scenery with a rolling volcanic landscape carpeted in long grass and dense bush. Although the tall vegetation makes game spotting trickier than in some of the other parks, Tsavo West has amazing biodiversity. The landscape is a mixture of grassland and forest shrub vegetation. Thus driving and exploring the vegetation allows you chances for close encounters with the following animals: lions, leopard, cheetah, zebras, giraffes, antelopes, kongoni, waterbuck, klipspringer, impala, gazelles, buffalos, and elephants. Apart from Tsavo’s elephant population there are many lion – some undoubtedly the descendants of the infamous and feared “Man-eaters of Tsavo” popularized in the film Ghost in the Darkness. In addition to lion, the resident carnivores in Tsavo include serval, hyena, leopard, cheetah, and caracal. The landscape is dominated, especially off the hills, by the giant baobab, a tree which is reputed to live 1,000 years.

Day 9-10 Mombasa (2B)

Descend from the dry Tsavo savannah to the Swahili coast. Mombasa, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is East Africa's oldest city. Visit the old town, cruise on a dhow, and test the seafood while soaking up the Swahili culture.To discover this fascinating center, take a stroll into Old Town – now a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and get lost in the maze of narrow roads slicing between tall white buildings and stunning mosques dating back to the early 19th century. Visit the historic Fort Jesus, an important icon of Mombasa. It has been restored as a historical museum, one of the most important in East Africa. While checking out the Swahili architecture and beautifully dressed people, stop into a bakery, restaurant, market, or curio (art) shop for some respite from the tropical sun. The coastal town of Mombasa is the second largest city in Kenya, with a population of half a million. Unlike the hustle and bustle of Nairobi, Mombasa has a different, laid-back feel; it is a place where locals dressed in traditional Islamic garb move as slowly as possible in the blistering heat.As the largest port in East Africa, and a base for exploration of the beautiful beaches historic Swahili settlements, Mombasa plays an important role in the country’s economy through both trade and tourism. The history of Mombasa and of the Kenyan coast stretches back millennia. Greeks, Persian and Arab traders frequented this coastline and evidence of a flourishing maritime trade can be found – gold, ivory and slaves were sent to distant lands from here.In 1548, with the arrival of the Portuguese at Malindi, north of Mombasa, the balance of power along the coast changed. Mombassa was taken by the Portuguese and the massive Fort Jesus was completed in 1593. Less than 40 years later the Arabs wiped out the garrison, lost the town again and re-captured it after a three-year siege over the years of 1696–1698. Despite the Arab success, European expeditions in the middle of the 19th Century exercised a powerful influence on life at the coast and the interior beyond. All these influences have left their mark on the fantastic patchwork of race, religions, tribes, languages and customs that can be observed among the people of the Mombasa region.

Day 11-12 Shimba Hills/Diani Beach (B,L)

Enjoy a half-day tour searching for the rare and endemic wildlife of the Shimba Hills National Reserve, in the lush zones above the coastal plain. Continue on to Diani Beach, where you may spend your time at leisure, enjoying the white sand beaches, adventurous water sports, or visiting the unique Colobus Monkey Trust.Shimba Hills National Reserve covers an area 320 sq km in the lush hills inland from the Indian Ocean. Its rolling meadows, forests of giant, primeval trees and gentle hills are home to leopard, zebra, ostrich, warthog, lion, a relatively large number of elephant (approximately 700) and the last remaining breeding population in Kenya of the rare, indigenous sable antelope with its impressive near-black coat. The Masai giraffe was introduced into the reserve during the 1990s, plus the lush scenery makes for an incredible backdrop to see rare and unusual species such as black and white colobus, serval cat, red duiker, black-faced vervet monkey, golden-rumped elephant and the Suni antelope. The reserve hosts 50% of the 159 rare plants in Kenya including some endangered orchid species, and this lush, verdant ecosystem facilitates a rich insect and avian environment. About 35% of Kenya’s butterfly species occur here, including the endemic, boldly patterned black and white Roger’s Sailer butterfly, plus numerous species of Swallowtail and Swordtail butterflies. The small, but diverse ecosystem of the reserve provides a rich habitat for hundreds of resident birds. Look for the colorful plumage of the Fischer’s Turaco, and the red-belly of the Narina Trogon as it shyly perches in the trees. Flitting among the forest flowers is the iridescent Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird, while the Spotted Ground Thrush lingers in the shadows. This is one of the last strongholds of the little ‘robin of the forest,’ the East-coast Akalat and the Sokoke Scops Owl, recently discovered in 1966. You may even see the unusual Palm-nut Vulture feeding on the fruits of the palm tree. Walking along the trail to the spectacular Sheldrick Falls with its cool, inviting swimming pool, watch for foot-long, red-legged millipedes scurrying amidst the forest floor. Diani Beach is one of Kenya’s jewels, lying on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya, south of Mombasa. It is located along a beautiful white-sanded beach which is about 25 km long and it merges with the small town of Ukunda.

Day 13 Shimoni (L)

Start early and board a Dhow and sail across to Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park. You spend a bit of time trying to spot dolphins, and have a couple hours on a marine safari, snorkeling among colourful coral and tropical fish. Feast on a Swahili lunch on Wasini Island, and spend some free time visiting the village or seeing the bizarre and fascinating coral gardens. Return back to Shimoni in the late afternoon, where you will get settled in you cabins (locally called "bandas"), in the late afternoon.Shimoni, meaning the ‘the place of the hole’ in Swahili is a charming little village about 80 km south of Mombasa near the Tanzanian border. At one time it was the headquarters of the Imperial British East Africa Company and the local market is built over an old British colonial outpost. Its prime coastal position also meant Shimoni was used by the Slave Trade throughout the 19th century. For the traders, the natural limestone caves in Shimoni provided the perfect warehouse for the slaves before they were shipped off to Zanzibar. Today, visitors to the caves can witness rusted chains and hooks embedded into the walls of the caves as a stark reminder of Kenya’s violent history.Formed in 1973 to protect the precious coral heads and their resident marine life from damage by over-fishing and trophy collecting, the Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park lies just off the Shimoni Peninsula. Adjacent to Wasini Island, a small traditional fishing and trading centre noted for its coral gardens, the pristine coastal reserve covers 39 sq km on the southernmost part of the Kenyan coastline and is managed and protected by the Kenya Wildlife Service. The island itself is unblemished and a great place to relax. The positive results of the protection of the area are the best examples of what managed conservation can do - a pristine reef with protected and thriving marine life.

Day 14-15 Pangani (B,2L,2D)

Cross the border into Tanzania, and step back in time visiting this old Arab slave trading centre. For a bit of sun, swimming or snorkeling, head across to the tiny Maziwe, a truly magnificent Indian Ocean island.Pangani is considered the Zanzibar of the Tanzanian mainland. But being much less known it is much more peaceful, and the beaches around Pangani are virtually unspoilled. It lies on the mouth of River Pangani that flows east to the coast from the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro. It is an ancient town, and is believed to have been established before the 6th Century BC and played an important role during the slave trade era. It was a trading port dealing mainly with slaves and ivory. Several historical sites in and around the town serve as reminders for the strong Arabic influence and the later German, British colonial era in Tanganyika.The old German administrative boma still stands behind a colonade of tall shade trees and the former prison, painted a fading ochre red, looks over the river’s lazy waters. Old houses along the main road offer lived-in examples of colonial and traditional Swahili architecture, the buildings slowly crumbling against the monsoon winds. A short walk around town rewards visitors with a glimpse of quiet life in the old trading towns along the Swahili Coast.Pangani River hosts birds and crocodiles. Maziwe Island is a nature reserve, which provides ground for snorkeling opportunities and dolphin tours.

Day 16 Saadani National Park (B,L,D)

Continue on through this unique and relatively unknown park where the bush, river, and sea meet. Enjoy a game drive and learn about the slave rebellions of the region.Palm trees sway in a cooling oceanic breeze. White sand and blue water sparkle alluringly beneath the tropical sun. Traditional dhows sail slowly past, propelled by billowing white sails, while Swahili fishermen cast their nets below a brilliant red sunrise.Saadani is where the beach meets the bush. The only wildlife sanctuary in East Africa to boast an Indian Ocean beachfront, it possesses all the attributes that make Tanzania’s tropical coastline and islands world renowned. Yet it is also the one place where those idle hours of sunbathing might be interrupted by an elephant strolling past, or a lion coming to drink at the nearby waterhole!Protected as a game reserve since the 1960s, in 2002 it was expanded to cover twice its former area. The reserve suffered greatly from poaching prior to the late 1990s, but recent years have seen a marked turnaround, due to a concerted clampdown on poachers, based on integrating adjacent villages into the conservation effort.Today, a surprisingly wide range of grazers and primates are seen on game drives and walks, among them giraffe, buffalo, warthog, common waterbuck, reedbuck, hartebeest, wildebeest, red duiker, greater kudu, eland, sable antelope, yellow baboon and vervet monkey.Herds of up to 30 elephants are encountered with increasing frequency, and several lion prides are resident, together with leopard, spotted hyena and black-backed jackal. Optional boat trips on the mangrove-lined Wami River come with a high chance of sighting hippos, crocodiles and a selection of marine and riverine birds, including the mangrove kingfisher and lesser flamingo, while the beaches form one of the last major green turtle breeding sites on mainland Tanzania.

Day 17 Bagamoyo (B)

After your final game drive in the morning in Saadani, continue south to the town of Bagamoyo. Stroll through this relaxed, colourful town, with German-era colonial buildings, Swahili architecture, and bustling local markets combining to create a truly unique experience.Bagamoyo lies just 75 km north of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s largest city. Bagamoyo was founded towards the end of the 18th century as a small port trading in dried fish, gum, cobalt and salt. Later on, Bagamoyo was the starting point of the slave caravan routes and also the terminus of the white missionaries. In fact, Bagamoyo became the main entreport on the mainland for the slave and ivory trade. Caravans would come to the coast from the interior, as far as Morogoro and Usumbara, with slaves and ivory. They’d return inland with goods like clothing, wire, beads and other ornaments. Bagamoyo's importance began to decline when in 1940 the Sultan of Oman, Seyyid Said, decided to move his capital from Muscat to Zanzibar, to be closer to his dominion along the Eastern African coast.Renowned European explorers like Burton, Speke, Stanley and Livingstone all passed through Bagamoyo. The Holy Ghost fathers established their first mission station in Bagamoyo in 1868, and it was in its chapel that Dr. Livingstone's body was brought from the interior and kept before being shipped back to Europe.While in Bagamoyo, visit the Kaole Ruins (dating back to the earlier part of the 15th century), and the first Roman Catholic Church in Tanganyika built by the Germans in the 1880's. Do not forget the museum, which houses numerous historical artifacts, or take a stroll along the fine Indian Ocean beach.

Day 18 Dar es Salaam

Take a short trip south to Tanzania's largest city, Dar Es Salaam. Arabic for “Abode of Peace” (a word closely related to the familiar “Yer u-salem” in Israel), Dar es Salaam is the largest city in Tanzania. With a population estimated around 2,500,000, it is also the country’s richest city and an important economic centre. The city was founded in the 19th century by Sultan Majid bin Said, the Sultan of Zanzibar, because of its strategic location on the East African coast, and its natural deep waterways. Though it really did not become a prominent centre until after the sultan’s death, German colonialists seized Dar es Salaam from its Arab rulers and fought off an uprising by the Bushiri local tribe. They built the small port into a trading center, making their mark with several grand edifices scattered around the waterfront, most notably the German Hospital, the Lutheran Church and St Joseph’s Cathedral. The city changed hands to the British as the Germans lost their territories after World War II, and became Tanzania’s capital after independence. However, Dar es Salaam lost its official status as capital city to Dodoma in the mid-1970s, but it remains the centre of the permanent central government bureaucracy and continues to serve as the capital for the surrounding Dar es Salaam Region.Life in Dar es Salaam revolves around the huge harbour, with the business district fanning out from here in a series of fascinating side and main streets. The cruise liners, cargo ships, and traditional dhows dot the habour while the bustling fish market of Kivukoni Front comes alive in the morning as the dhows offload the night’s catch. In the Asian business district, along India Street and the intersecting Indira Ghandi Street, you’ll find some of the best restaurants in East Africa.Look out for the distinctive Makuti-palm roofed building that houses Nyumba ya Saana, the House of Art. Begun in 1972 by an American nun, the co-operative supports nearly 200 young artists, with work ranging from batiks through carvings, oil paintings, pottery, weaving and clothing. Other places worth a visit include the Kariakoo Market, the botanical gardens, and the adjacent National Museum, where archaeology buffs can see the skull of “Nutcracker Man”, antique tribal artifacts and some fascinating World War One memorabilia.