East African Hemingway Safari - A&K

Itinerary

Days 1-2: USA or Canada/Nairobi, Kenya

Norfolk Hotel Depart by overnight flight to Nairobi.

Day 3: Nairobi/Laikipia Plateau

Exclusive A&K Mobile Tented Camp Fly to the exclusive Laikipia Plateau and your private game conservancy at the foot of Mount Kenya. Located in the Northern Frontier District, Laikipia Plateau is home to a diverse array of wildlife in some of KenyaÂ’s most spectacular scenery. The snowcapped peaks of Mount Kenya dominate the view to the south. To the north, the terrain drops away rapidly with breathtaking views of the Samburu Game Reserve. After your first safari game drive, you return to camp where this evening, you enjoy a special welcome dinner and safari briefing hosted by Abercrombie & Kent.

Day 4: Laikipia Plateau

Exclusive A&K Mobile Tented Camp Search for elephant, rhino, leopard and lion on a full day of game viewing on foot or by vehicle in the Laikipia wildlife conservancy. Glimpse unique northern species such as reticulated giraffe, GrevyÂ’s zebra, beisa oryx, Somali ostrich and the graceful, long-necked gerenuk. For a completely unique perspective, enjoy game-viewing by horseback or search for nocturnal species on a night game drive. All the big cats can also be found here, including leopard and lion. Gourmet meals, picnics and sundowners are served by your attentive staff in between game drives with your guide, who shares his knowledge of the bush and its myriad inhabitants.

Day 5: Laikipia/Nairobi/Arusha, Tanzania/Ngorongoro Crater

Exclusive A&K Mobile Tented Camp Today you fly to Arusha via Naiorbi. After stopping for lunch, board another flight to the Lake Manyara airstrip, where you continue overland to the Ngorongoro Crater and your private safari camp. Ngorongoro Crater is the largest unbroken caldera in the world and its floor is home to a year-round population of wildlife. Dozens of animal species make their home here — with the notable exception of cheetah, chased out by the Crater’s aggressive hyena population. After settling in to your exclusive camp, you spend the evening around the campfire, listening to the sounds of the wildlife all around you.

Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater

Exclusive A&K Mobile Tented Camp A “pocket paradise,” Ngorongoro Crater’s ancient volcanic caldera brims with an alluring, densely populated cross-section of East African wildlife. Go on a game drive, searching for lion, elephant, hyena, wildebeest, zebra and rhino. Animals are particularly easy to spot on its short, grassy plains. Bypass the crowded, shared picnic sites of the crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; today, enjoy an Out of Africa-inspired, gourmet barbecue lunch at a private, shady site beneath yellow acacia woodland. Later, learn about the Maasai people, their culture and traditions while visiting a local village, followed by a private Maasai dance performance back at your camp.

Day 7: Ngorongoro Crater/Serengeti National Park

Serengeti Serena Lodge Leaving the Ngorongoro Crater, you head west to Serengeti National Park. En route stop at Olduvai Gorge where the Leakey family has made many of the fossil discoveries, including the Zinj skull, that traced manÂ’s remote ancestors in East Africa. Descend to the gorge and enjoy a privately guided visit of this most famous archaeological site.

Days 8-9: Serengeti National Park

Exclusive A&K Mobile Tented Camp Move to your exclusive luxury camp and spend two days exploring the vast and varied landscapes of the Serengeti, home to a wide variety of plains game. The name Serengeti conjures up timeless images of predators and prey competing in some of the worldÂ’s loveliest landscape. Those lucky enough to visit this wilderness area come away with memories of vast herds of antelope feeding on the plains; the Serengeti is the site of the annual migration when an astounding number of herbivores trek across the plains in search of green grass and water. Rivers flow through the park, providing habitats for a variety of birds, mammals and reptiles. Your game drives may reveal sightings of giraffe, buffalo, wildebeest, zebra and gazelle, as well as predatory lion, leopard and cheetah. Spend your evenings sipping sundowner cocktails around the campfire.

Day 10: Serengeti/Arusha/Nairobi/ Masai Mara Game Reserve

Exclusive A&K Mobile Tented Camp Wing you way to Nairobi then continue to the Masai Mara, the northern extension of the Serengeti. Your private camp sits on the edge of the Mara plains, a vast expanse of open land with a dense concentration of wildlife.

Days 11-12: Masai Mara Game Reserve

Exclusive A&K Mobile Tented Camp One of Kenya’s most spectacular, wildlife-populated areas, the Mara is yours to explore for the next two days. Running along the Tanzanian border, it forms an essential part of the Serengeti ecosystem, its annual migration drawing more than one million wildebeest — accompanied by zebra and gazelle — to graze on lush grasses; it truly is a singular experience. Along the Mara River, crocodile bask in the sun, while hippo wallow in the muddy water and monkey cause mayhem overhead. Meanwhile, elephant roam the forest edge, while a large coalition of lion prepare to hunt. As you wind your way through the reserve, see the Siria Escarpment at the park’s northwest corner — it’s a likely setting for viewing giraffe, zebra and a variety of gazelle species. You witness it all from the close, safe comfort of your vehicle, where every seat provides an impeccable view. As the end of your trip draws near, join fellow travellers for a farewell dinner, the perfect opportunity to toast your journey and swap stories.

Day 13: Masai Mara/Nairobi/USA or Canada

Norfolk Hotel (dayroom) Bid a fond kwaheri (farewell) to your camp staff, and fly back to Nairobi. Spend the afternoon at leisure — a dayroom is provided for your comfort and convenience. Board your international flight this evening.

Day 14: USA or Canada

Connect with your homebound flight.