Kenya Family Safari - Family Safaris in Kenya

Day 01: Nairobi, Kenya
Arrive Jomo Kenyatta International. Upon clearing Customs and Immigration, you are met by an rrepresentative and transferred to your hotel. Check-in and enjoy you day at leisure. Meals provided: Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Giraffe Manor

Day 02: Sweetwaters Game Reserve
Meet your driver-guide for road transfer to Nanyuki and Sweetwaters Game Reserve.

Sweetwaters Camp lies in the heart of 24,000-acre Sweetwaters Game Reserve, with magnificent views across the plains to the snow capped peaks of Mount Kenya. Luxury tents overlook the waterhole, floodlit by night, providing excellent and secluded rarely seen game viewing.

This game sanctuary is the closest reserve to Nairobi (2.5 hours drive) home to all the big five game, and has the highest ratio of game-to-area of any park or reserve in Kenya.

Game drives at Sweetwaters are indeed a pleasure. Game viewing may also take the form of game walks accompanied by a resident Naturalist, and game rides on horseback. Camel riding, night game drives and “bush” lunches or dinners are a delight. The Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Morani the tame black rhino, and the Visitor’s Information Center are most informative and entertaining and should all be visited while in the Game Reserve. Activities include a half-day game drives and night game drives in the reserve. Additional activities (extra cost) are camel riding, horse riding and nature walks.

Meals provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Sweetwaters Tented Camp

Day 03: Lewa Downs Private Reserve
After morning activity and breakfast, you will transfer to Lewa Safari Camp, your home for the next two nights.

Lewa Safari Camp is set on the 45,000 acre privately owned Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Lewa Downs. Situated against the dramatic backdrop of the snow-covered massif of Mt Kenya and with the magnificent Northern Frontier District stretching out to the North, Lewa is an outstanding tourist destination, offering spectacular scenery, superb game viewing and exciting activities for the discerning traveler. The conservancy, formerly a working cattle ranch and otherwise known as Lewa Downs, has been in the Craig family since 1924. Three generations of the family continue to be involved in daily operations on Lewa. With wildlife densities as high as anywhere in Africa, it is possible to see all of Africa’s Big Five on Lewa, and the conservancy provides a refuge for several endangered species.

Meals provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Lewa Downs Safari Camp

Day 04: Lewa Downs Private Reserve
Activities at Lewa Safari Camp include day and night game drives in search of rhino and other wildlife, guided walks, and visits to pre-historic sites.

Cultural excursions to visit the II'Nguesi, Ndorobo and Samburu peoples; horseback riding and camel riding are available at an extra cost. Time at Lewa Downs is a unique combination of hospitality, spectacular scenery and abundant wildlife.

Meals provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Lewa Downs Safari Camp

Day 05: Maasai Mara National Park
After breakfast drive to the airstrip for the scheduled flight to the Maasai Mara.

You will be met at the Ol Kiombo Airstrip and transferred the short distance to the Mara Intrepids Camp, your base for the next three nights.

Sheltered in a shady indigenous forest on a broad sweep of the Talek River, Mara Intrepids is a delightful, homely camp set in one of Kenya’s prime wildlife-viewing areas. With its 30 tents arranged in small clusters along the riverbanks, Mara Intrepids has the feel of a small, intimate camp, with its bar and dining areas nestled under groves of acacia and fig trees. The tents themselves are a picture of old-world elegance, with large four-poster beds, fine mahogany furniture, and modern en suite bathrooms with flush toilets and electricity. The camp’s amiable staff will pamper to your every need, while the very knowledgeable guides offer game drives and walking safaris to order.

Mara Intrepids also boasts its exciting Adventurers’ Club – a club specifically for children between the ages of 4-12. Accompanied by highly trained naturalists and cultural specialists, children are treated to an enlightening series of walks, talks, games and activities, designed to help them better understand their wild surroundings. A dedicated team of Kenyan naturalists and teachers with a long experience of hosting children’s safaris runs the Adventurers’ Club.

After checking in, there’s time to freshen up before taking lunch.

This afternoon take your first game drive in the Maasai Mara in search of its famous inhabitants.

Meals provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Mara Intrepids Camp

Day 06: Maasai Mara National Park
You have the whole day to enjoy the sights and sounds of Maasai Mara on your early morning and late afternoon game viewing drives.

The jewel in Africa’s crown, Maasai Mara is host to the most spectacular array of wildlife. Her 320 square kilometers of open savannah, woodlands and tree-lined rivers creates an eco-system that supports huge numbers of bird and mammal species. The western border of the park is the spectacular Siria Escarpment, and together with the acacia dotted plains, creates scenery of stunning beauty.

Lion are found in abundance throughout the park, as are elephant, giraffe, a variety of gazelle species and zebra. Cheetah and leopard are also regularly seen and, if lucky, you may also find rhino. Game viewing is never dull in the Mara, and patience is often rewarded with unique sightings: a pride of lion stalking their prey; a solitary leopard retrieving its kill from the high branches of an acacia tree; male wildebeest sparring to attract females into their harem; or even a herd of elephant protecting their young from opportunistic predators. The annual wildebeest migration traditionally is present in the Mara from July-September and at this time nature’s dramas unfold before your very eyes at every turn. As well as wildlife, the Maasai Mara is also home to many members of the colorful Maasai tribe who may be seen around the borders of the park – morans (warriors) loping across the plains, young boys herding goats, or elders grouped under a tree discussing matters of the day.

Meals provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Mara Intrepids Camp

Day 07: Maasai Mara National Park
You have another full day to enjoy the splendors of the Maasai Mara. There will also be the option to take a balloon safari or visit to Rusinga or Mfangano Island on Lake Victoria (at an extra cost).

Balloon Safari
As the balloon is inflated against the first rays of sunrise your pilot will go through safety procedures. It’s then time to climb aboard. Once aloft, the balloon floats gently over the plains, giving a bird’s eye view of the game below as the sun creeps slowly over the horizon. Spread beneath you is a panorama of Africa – elephants looking improbably small; giraffe browsing amongst the treetops; antelope grazing; a pair of lionesses stalking a herd of wildebeest; an eagle guarding his eerie; and cheetah glancing up as the shadow of the huge balloon crosses their paths.

After around one hour the balloon lands and nearby breakfast is already being prepared. The smells of bacon, sausages and eggs drift on the breeze as you begin breakfast with platefuls of exotic Kenyan fruits and homemade pastries and, of course, glasses of bubbly to toast your flight in a tradition initiated by the Montgolfier brothers.

Lake Victoria Adventure
An early start this morning with a transfer to take you to the airstrip for a 0630 hrs flight (25 minutes) by light aircraft to Mfangano or Rusinga Island on Lake Victoria. There will be the opportunity to try fishing for the legendary giant Nile perch found in these waters as you explore the myriad of tiny islands found in this region of the lake. An experienced and knowledgeable fisherman captains each boat. Nile perch weighing over 150 lb are regularly caught on the lake. Lake Victoria is a spectacular sight: the world's second largest freshwater lake, an inland sea covering some 68,800 square kilometers. Although an area comparable in size to Scotland, Lake Victoria remained unknown to the outside world until the middle of the 19th century. Birdlife is abundant and includes the spectacular fish eagles that can be seen perching high in the treetops or dramatically swooping across the lake as they capture fish in their fiery talons. There is the chance to stop at a traditional fishing village and see how the villagers live from day to day before returning to the island for your return flight to the Maasai Mara.

The afternoon is available for a game viewing drive and/or other activity in the Mara whether or not you take the optional adventure.

Meals provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Mara Intrepids Camp

08: Maasai Mara - Nairobi - Home City
Enjoy an early morning game drive and breakfast with your family before your transfer to Masai Mara Airstrip for your scheduled flight to Wilson Airport.

On arrival you will be transferred to Norfolk Hotel where you can relax in your dayroom. Enjoy lunch and dinner (meals for your own account) before your transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Meals provided: Breakfast
Accommodation: Norfolk Hotel (dayrooms)

Kenya Family adventure Safari

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12 Days Kenya wildlife family vacation and beach holidays

Day 1: Arrival
Pick up from the airport on arrival and transfer to Nairobi Safari Club for Dinner and Overnight stay

Days 2 Nairobi

Pick up from your hotel and visit Elephant Shedrick and Girrafe center. Lunch at Karen Blixen. Transfer to hotel for overnight.

Day 3: Nairobi- Sweet waters
Pick up from your hotel at 0830 hrs and drive towards the slopes of Africa's second largest mountain at 5199m - Mt Kenya .Lunch at Mt.Kenya safari Club followed by afternoon game drive at Sweetwater’s game ranch to see the wildlife including rehabilitated chimpanzees. We spend the night at the Sweetwater’s Tented Camp. The private ranch at Sweetwater’s is the o¬nly sanctuary for rehabilitation in Kenya of these widely abused chimpanzees with two groups living in an environment as close to their natural habitat as possible. The site is also a dedicated black rhino breeding area.

Day 4: Aberdares – Lake Nakuru
Depart the lodge soon after breakfast and drive to Lake Nakuru National park. Lunch at a lodge followed by a full afternoon gamedrives at the Kenyas Park famed by its numerous species of birdlife. Dinner and overnight stay at Lake Nakuru Lodge or Similar.

Lake Nakuru's claim to fame is anchored on its flamingo's and the over 400 species of birds found here. The lake itself is a soda lake on the floor of the rift valley. The sight of the at times millions of flamingos is quite spectacular. From a distance the lake appears ringed in pink. The Lake has also earned a reputation as an important haven for endangered species- particularly the Rothschild Giraffe and the black and white rhino. Lions, waterbuck, buffalo and baboons are all residents here.

Day 5 Lake Nakuru – Lake Naivasha
Breakfast at leisure before driving to Lake Naivasha. A visit to the hells gate national park this park can be explored on foot or you could also cycle around the park. Afternoon boat ride to Crescent Island can be arranged .Dinner and overnight at Naivasha Sopa Lodge

Day 6 : Lake Naivasha – Maasai Mara
Drive to via the Great Rift Valley to arrive at Maasai Mara in time for lunch at a Lodge. Full afternoon game drive till dusk when we return to Mara Sarova camp for dinner and overnight stay.

The Mara offers wildlife in such variety and abundance that it is difficult to believe: over 450 species of animals have been recorded here. You will easily see lions, rhinos, hippos, crocodiles, giraffe, wildebeests, zebras, buffalo, warthogs, hyenas, jackals, wild dogs, buffalo, leopard, many kinds of antelopes and elephant. It is in the Mara that perhaps the most spectacular event of the natural world takes place. This is the annual migration of millions of wildebeest and zebra from the Serengeti (Tanzania) in search of water and pasture. Following on their heels are the predators of the savanna- lion, cheetah, wild dog, jackal, hyena and vultures.

Day 7/8: Maasai Mara
Full days spent exploring the park in search of the big 5- Optional balloon safari can be arranged at an extra cost of US$ 425 per person. Visit to the Maasai villages for children to learn their culture and their ways of life.

The Mara offers wildlife in such variety and abundance that it is difficult to believe: over 450 species of animals have been recorded here. You will easily see lions, rhinos, hippos, crocodiles, giraffe, wildebeests, zebras, buffalo, warthogs, hyenas, jackals, wild dogs, buffalo, leopard, many kinds of antelopes and elephant. It is in the Mara that perhaps the most spectacular event of the natural world takes place. This is the annual migration of millions of wildebeest and zebra from the Serengeti (Tanzania) in search of water and pasture. Following on their heels are the predators of the savanna- lion, cheetah, wild dog, jackal, hyena and vultures.

Day 9 : Maasai Mara -Nairobi - Mombasa
Breakfast then transfer to the airstrip to board a Mara – Nairobi flight departing at 1100 to arrive at approx 1230 hrs . On arrival our guide will meet you and take you to the Carnivore restaurant for Lunch. After Lunch we will transfer you to the airport to catch flight to Mombasa to start the beach holiday. Overnight at Sarova White Sands Hotel


Day 10/11 Mombasa
Days spent sunbathing at the beach hotel

Day 12 – Mombasa – Nairobi
Full morning spent on your own then transfer to Moi international airport after lunch to catch your flight back to Nairobi arriving in good time to connect you’re your homebound flight.