AFFORDABLE KENYA & TANZANIA

The remainder of your day is at leisure to acclimate to your new surroundings and to prepare yourself for the incredible safari that lies ahead. You are at leisure to relax on the open game viewing decks watching game coming to drink at the floodlit water hole

Mt. Kenya is Kenya's highest mountain, a national icon, a climbers' Mecca, the nation's namesake, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage site, and a wildlife stronghold. One of the world's highest National Parks, it is also an extinct volcano some three and a half million years old and the sacred home of Ngai, God of the Kikuyu people

After a long flight, there can be no better place to relax and unwind before starting your Kenya safari than on the slopes on Mt. Kenya, tucked in between the Mt. Kenya Forest where you can relax on the open game viewing decks watching game coming to drink at the floodlit water hole

Sailing like an ark amid the primeval forests of Kenya's highest mountain, Mt. Kenya, the Serena Mountain Lodge timbered tree hotel offers champagne-clear mountain air, sweeping views across the tree-canopy, sparkling trout streams, and gentle forest walks. Located on the lower slopes of the mountain, the lodge is cool, tranquil, and hushed for optimum game-sightings. The open-air viewing-deck looks down on to its own water hole and salt lick, which attracts numerous herds of elephant and buffalo. There is also a tunnel leading to a photo-hide, which offers spectacular viewing and photographic opportunities just feet away from the wildlife at the water hole

Raised on stilts above the forest canopy, a timbered drawbridge leads from the forest and up on to the wooden 'decks' of the lodge. Inside, the impression of having boarded a ship is perpetuated by a combination of log-paneled walls, timbered game-viewing decks, and winding stairs leading to a selection of snugly comfortable, cabin-styled rooms. Each timber-built, cabin-styled room has its own luxury bathroom and a private balcony overlooking the water hole. The décor, which echoes the Kikuyu culture, features hand-woven wall hangings, soft lighting, and warm soft furnishings. Hot-water bottles are provided at night. Smoking is not permitted within the lodge, but a smoker's area is provided on the rooftop terrace

You'll enjoy overland transfers and safari game viewing drives in the comfort and luxury of 4X4 pop-top minivans. Each minivan occupies a maximum of 7 passengers affording everyone a window seat as well as access to the pop-top 'roof hatch' when you are on a safari game viewing drive in the National Parks. For additional comfort, we request that you travel with soft-sided luggage on safari, as it is easier to pack in to the safari vehicle

Shaba National Reserve is located in central Kenya on the Uaso Nyiro River in a semi-desert area. It is the natural habitat for the Grevy Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe, and Gerenuk, which found in this part of Kenya. There are also herds of Elephant, prides of Lions, Cheetah, Crocodile, hundreds of species of birds and other game

Situated along the Great North Road, Shaba National Reserve forms part of a trio of reserves quite different from the ones found in the rest of Kenya. Shaba takes its name from Mount Shaba a volcanic mountain that became extinct around 5,000 years ago and lies on the border of the reserve

In the middle of a desert of volcanic earth lies Sarova Shaba Game Lodge, Kenya's best kept secret. Built in an oasis around the natural terrain of this breathtaking volcanic desert, the safari lodge is attractively laid out with chalet style rooms overlooking the Uaso Nyiro River. Natural spring water has been harnessed to ribbon its way in and out, all around the property creating a beautiful landscape. Coupled with the large free-form swimming pool that flows around the lush gardens and tall trees, all this refreshing water lends an almost magical feel to a natural oasis

Sarova Shaba Game Lodge offers a unique experience that extends beyond game drives in the reserve. The safari lodge has a plethora of activities to indulge in from bird watching to camel safaris to the viewing deck along the river to feed and watch crocodiles, making it a destination in itself

The most famous of the Rift Valley lakes, Nakuru is a soda lake set within the 24 square mile Lake Nakuru National Park, renowned for its magnificent array of spectacular bird life. It is the migratory flocks of thousands of greater and lesser flamingo that really create the attraction here when the lake's shallow waters turn pink with their vast numbers. Black and white rhino, the rare Rothschild's giraffe, a small herd of buffalo, dik-dik, klipspringer, eland, the occasional leopard and many other plains game are also found here

Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge is nestled along the Lion Hill overlooking the spectacular flamingo pink-rimmed Lake Nakuru. Its location affords panoramic vistas of the Lake and the picturesque Lake Nakuru National Park. A short drive from Nairobi, the safari lodge is a favorite with residents and visitors to Kenya, among the Lake Nakuru lodges

The safari lodge is designed to afford most guest rooms and sitting areas stunning views of the Lake and the Park. Incorporating natural landscaping with tall acacia trees, winding walkways and greens dotted with bird feeds, the safari lodge is a natural haven for bird life and attracts over 50 species of birds amongst the 400 species that inhabit the Park

Undoubtedly the best known of all the Kenya Game Reserves, the Maasai Mara National Reserve lies along Kenya's south west border with Tanzania, bisected by the Mara River and bordered on the western boundary by a spectacular escarpment (several scenes in the film 'Out of Africa' were shot in this area). The Maasai Mara National Reserve is an area of 1,042 square miles and is the home of the greatest variety and largest number of wild animals in Kenya. It is also the northern extension of Tanzania's famous Serengeti National Park and the animals wander freely across man made boundaries

It is impossible to prepare the first time visitor for the number of animals they may see. The waving wheat-eared grass attracts huge numbers of plains game. Zebra, giraffe and a variety of gazelle, including topi and eland, graze in proximity to large herds of buffalo, while elephant meander across the landscape or browse in the cooler areas of forest and swamp. During the Great Migration, the whole area may be dotted with herds of visiting wildebeest (resident animals remain in the Maasai Mara National Reserve throughout the year) mingling among the smaller game such as warthog, jackal, hyena, mongoose and bat-eared fox to name but a few. From the normal quiet and peaceful rolling grasslands, the National Reserve resounds to the lowing of the visiting herds that remain until the rains once again turn the grass green in Tanzania's Serengeti National Park. Then they return from whence they came and the 'circle of life' repeats itself. A count during the migration in the 1980's revealed over a million wildebeest, half a million gazelle, and over 200,000 zebra resident in the National Reserve at any one time

In recent years the Maasai Mara National Reserve has been host to the 'Big Cat Diary' and viewers all over the world are familiar with the prides of lion, and families of cheetah and leopard

For the visitors more used to the busy helter-skelter life of big cities, it is a once in a lifetime experience to sit in silence beside a pride of lions and watch their daily interaction - an experience that will remain in their memories throughout their lives. In the Maasai Mara National Reserve, people of the area co-exist alongside the Animal Kingdom. The Maasai tribes who inhabit this area have lived in peaceful companionship with the game for centuries. It is common to see a Maasai 'enkang' on the skyline close to where herds of elephants are 'chomping' their way through the high grass. The bird life in the Maasai Mara National Reserve is also prolific with 350 different species recorded including 53 different birds of prey

Nothing quite captures the true spirit of East Africa, like a safari in Kenya’s richest national reserve, the Maasai Mara. Among the various Mara lodges, Sarova Mara Game Camp offers front seats to nature's most breathtaking show - the wildebeest migration. The endless plains of East Africa are the setting for the world's greatest wildlife spectacle where, from the vast Serengeti plains to the champagne colored hills of Kenya's Maasai Mara, over 1.4 million wildebeest and 200,000 zebra and gazelle, relentlessly tracked by Africa's great predators, migrate in a clockwise fashion over 1,800 miles each year in search of rain ripened grass

Sarova Mara Game Camp is well positioned to enjoy this unique phenomenon

The rolling plains around the tented safari lodge are teeming with wildebeest, gazelles, and zebras, during the migration months as the safari lodge is situated right in the center of their migration path

Sarova Mara Game Camp is also the ideal choice for those seeking a richer experience of Maasai Mara that goes much beyond just safari game viewing drives. By virtue of its location and layout, the safari lodge offers an unparalleled plethora of activities and experiences from luxury tented living to bird-watching, mini golf, sport fishing and a unique insight into the Maasai culture at the adjoining Maasai village

MAASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE

The remainder of your day is at leisure to acclimate to your new surroundings and to prepare yourself for the incredible safari that lies ahead

At only 127 square miles, much of which is the lake, Lake Manyara National Park is one of the northern circuit's smallest parks. Despite its size, Lake Manyara National Park boasts a fascinating ecosystem and an abundance of both wildlife and bird life

The lake is home to several groups of hippopotamus and species of birds including pelicans and storks. The number of trees in the park's forest area, fed by underground springs, is home to a variety of monkeys and large troupes of baboons

Larger mammals including elephants, Cape buffalo, and giraffe roam the park. Lake Manyara National Park also has a reputation for tree climbing lions whilst in reality, all lions climb trees and there is a chance to spot them in any of the parks

Located at the foot of the Great Rift Valley escarpment, the cliff wall forms a dramatic backdrop and borderline to the park

Standing high on the bluff of a dramatic ochre and terracotta-streaked cliff above the flamingo-frosted expanse of Lake Manyara's gleaming alkaline waters, the Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge commands panoramic views across the volcano-studded floor of the Great Rift Valley

Designed to reflect the brilliance of Lake Manyara's unique birdlife, the safari lodge draws on an inspirational architectural motif that melds swooping avian curves with the gentle concentric patterns of traditional Maasai 'Bomas' (encampments) whilst the vibrantly colored frescoes lining the walls depict the intricacy of bird migratory patterns

The ambiance of the safari lodge is a fusion of lakeside tranquility, towering volcanic splendor, and adventure-packed sporting activity

Each circular, closely-thatched guest room with its private bathroom, echo the traditional Maasai 'Boma' style of construction whilst featuring a vibrant interior design concept that reflects the Maasai people's abiding love of brilliant scarlet-and-indigo checked 'Shukas' (cloaks) and bright yellow, white, blue and orange beadwork

Each guest room has a private veranda that boasts breathtaking views of the shimmering reaches of the flamingo-frosted lake way below at the foot of the escarpment

Perhaps the best-known name in wildlife parks, the Serengeti National Park is located along Tanzania's northeastern border with Kenya. At 5,700 square miles, it is currently the largest national park in Tanzania and along with Kenya's Maasai Mara and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area comprises one of the largest wildlife ecosystems in Africa

The Great Migration of more than 1.6 million wildebeest is perhaps the most dramatic feature of this park. The herds enter at the park's eastern edge around mid-January and begin calving in the south of the park in mid-February. In April and May, they begin moving northward and large groups split off heading to the west whilst others continue to move north. June and July find the herds spread along the center of the Serengeti from Seronera westward into Grumeti. In late July and through August the herds begin to accumulate. Crossing the Grumeti and Mara Rivers, the migration will move to Kenya's Maasai Mara National Reserve by September

But the Serengeti National Park is much more than just the migration. Resident non-migratory game is extensive with a variety ranging from hyrax to elephant. There are more than 3,000 lions in Serengeti as well as leopards, cheetah and some of the other smaller cats. The Grumeti River is famous for its giant crocodiles that are believed to date back to the age of the dinosaurs

Birders are always thrilled at the site of more than 500 species of birds, which range from majestic eagles to tiny bee-eaters

The Ngorongoro Crater is referred to as the 'Eighth Wonder of the Natural World'. The area formed over centuries of volcanic activity dating back more than twenty-five million years. This activity developed after shifts in tectonic plates created a rupture and split in the land that is now the Great Rift Valley

There are several extinct volcanoes in the Conservation Area, but perhaps the best known of them is the Ngorongoro Crater. At 102 square miles on the floor, it is the world's largest intact and unflooded caldera. The view from the 8,000 feet rim is breathtaking. At the crater's floor, some 2,000 feet below, more than 30,000 resident animals carry on the daily struggle of survival. Here, the 'Big 5' are easily spotted with leopards protecting their kills in trees and massive rhinoceroses in search of fresh grass. Cape buffalo with oxpeckers perched on their backs are seen in large herds

Lake Magadi, the Swahili word for 'Soda Lake', is at the Centrex of the crater. It often provides home to thousands of lesser flamingos as well as a variety of other waterfowl. Hippo pools, where the massive hippopotami spend their time relaxing, and keeping cool dot the crater floor! Huge bull elephants come to the crater's floor in search of minerals from the soda lake whilst the females and young remain behind on the rim

The management plan for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area allows for the use of the land by both the wildlife and the indigenous Maasai and other tribesmen that have resided in the area for generations. Visitors often awake to the sound of cattle bells as Maasai warriors lead their cattle down the wall of the crater to the floor below

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is also home to Olduvai Gorge. Known as "The Cradle of Mankind," the gorge is the site of the famous archaeological work of the Leakey family including the discovery of Zinjanthropus Bosei or "Nutcracker Man"

Travelers that are more adventurous can trek to smaller craters such as Olmoti and Empakai. Some also choose to descend to Lake Natron, passing the still active Ol Donyo L'Engai. In the northern area of the Conservation Area along the border with the Serengeti National Park is Lake Ndutu. This popular soda lake is home to a number of waterfowl including flamingos and is along the wildebeest migration route

Perched on the jagged rim of the crater, wreathed in morning mist, camouflaged in river-stone and cloaked in indigenous creepers, the Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge is a triumph of ecological and architectural fusion. Sensitively constructed to take nothing from its environment whilst affording endless vistas over the heat-shimmering reaches of the crater below, the clustered boulder-built buildings of the safari lodge hug the crater rim, linked by rope-lashed timber walkways that skirt the buttressed roots of ancient, liana-hung trees

The interior, radiating out from the primeval log fire glowing at the heart of the safari lodge, blends the concentrated hush of a game-viewing hide with the ochre, rust, and charcoal images of a prehistoric cavern. Lit by flaming wall-lanterns, clad in gigantic volcanic boulders and decorated by the iron spears, bright-beaded robes and intricately carved artifacts of the Maasai, the safari lodge is a unique blend of excellent luxury, timeless volcanic splendor and ethnic style. As for the views, from lilac-streaked sunrise, to indigo star-studded night, the immeasurably ancient Ngorongoro Crater delivers a theatre of vistas, most unchanged since the dawn of time

NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA
ARUSHA
NAIROBI

PASSPORT – you must make sure that your passport is valid for at least 6-months after your intended return date back home E.G. if your intended return date home is September 01, 2010, your passport must be valid up until and including March 01, 2011

VISITOR'S VISA – you will require a visitor's visa to enter the country. It is not necessary to apply for your visitor's visa ahead of your arrival. It will be issued on arrival at your point of entry into the country. Please make sure that you have two consecutive blank pages in your passport for local Immigration to issue your visitor's visa. We provide you with a PDF downloadable visitor's visa application form with your final travel documentation to complete ahead of arrival. You will not require passport photographs when obtaining your visitor's visa upon arrival. To be financially prepared, be aware that the only form of payment accepted for your visitor's visa will be US Dollar cash. No local currency, Travelers Checks, credit cards or any other forms of payment will be accepted under any circumstances (the cost of your visitor's visa is not included in this safari price)

TRAVEL MEDICATIONS / INOCULATIONS – you are not required to produce any inoculation certificates upon arrival BUT prevention against Malaria is recommended! For all other matters, please consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

ELEVATE YOUR COMFORT – review A Safe Trip Abroad presented by the U.S. Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs

PROTECT YOUR TRIP - we understands the importance of protecting your 'Travel Investment'! That is why we have partnered with Travel Guard Travel Insurance Services, as they provide comprehensive travel protection plans, combining travel insurance with extensive services. Contact Travel Guard Travel Insurance Services Toll-Free on 1-800-826-1300 and refer to Location Number 205419

You follow in the footsteps of Isak Dinesen (the pseudonym of the author Karen Blixen), who published OUT OF AFRICA in 1937, as you travel towards the farm at the foot of the Ngong Hills

The old colonial farmhouse is simple; housing a few items, that Karen Blixen chose and once enjoyed herself. There are also the colorful gardens to explore, where several old coffee machines have lain untouched for decades. From here, visit the Giraffe Center, where the highly endangered Rothschild giraffe lives in peace. With an elevated viewing-cum-feeding platform, this optional excursion is wonderful for adults and children alike

The Carnivore Restaurant is one of Africa’s greatest eating experiences, made famous for its succulent steaks, barbecue dishes, game meat, and great African hospitality. A visit here is an excellent complement to a safari and makes a perfect spot for meals with an 'African buzz'. Delicious barbequed and skewered vegetarian meals are also available

2AFRIKA makes every effort to operate every African safari, tour, resort, spa, and relaxing beach vacation as described on our website. However, we reserve the right to alter or curtail any itinerary, substitute sightseeing, safari lodges, hotels, spas and resorts, and/or conveyances as deemed necessary. Whilst not anticipated, prices on our website are subject to change without notice until full payment is received, as all prices are based on the availability of services when you make your safari reservation

2AFRIKA, INC. is fully committed to your Satisfaction, Security, and Safety at all times, and is actively involved in 'Corporate Social Responsibility in Tourism'