11 Days Big Five Dream safari

Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you will be met and assisted to transfer to Hemingways Nairobi. Overlooking the Ngong Hills in Nairobi’s tranquil and upscale neighbourhood of Karen, this luxurious boutique hotel is a haven of elegant charm. With great service and a tranquil atmosphere, Hemingways Nairobi makes an ideal 1- or 2-night stopover for travellers beginning or ending their Kenya safari. It is popular with high-level delegations and VIPs, and is a sought-after meeting place for well-heeled Kenyans.

You will transfer to the Wilson Airport for your flight to Amboseli National park. On arrival you will be met and assisted to check in for an early lunch at luxurious Elewana Tortilis Camp - Tortilis is a peaceful permanent tented camp nestled within a private corner of the park. The camp has received numerous awards from the likes of Ecotourism Kenya and Good Safari Guide, in addition to a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence! Accommodation is booked on a full-board basis, including all meals, a selection of alcoholic and soft drinks, and a laundry service. The camp is open all year round.

Amboseli is also known for its magnificent elephants – a population of over 1000 elephants reside in the parks eco-system that features some of the largest in Africa. Boasting a vast and beautiful unspoiled landscape stretching from the foothills of the mighty Mount Kilimanjaro, Amboseli National Park is one of Kenya’s finest wildlife sanctuaries that you will soon discover after landing in the country and transferring to your accommodation beneath the trees. En route, you and your family will discover the majesty that is Amboseli during a guided safari drive within a kitted-out 4x4 vehicle. From giraffes picking at towering acacia trees to buffalo grazing the golden savannah plains, your first moments in Kenya will showcase the country’s rich tapestry of indigenous wildlife.

After breakfast, you will transfer to a local airstrip, where you will catch a flight to Wilson Airport. You will be transferred by road to Mount Kenya. Arrival at the Ark Lodge by lunch time. Quirky and iconic, Noah Ark is set in the heart of the Aberdare National Park, in Nyeri. The lodge overlooks a watering hole and salt lick, attracting a variety of wildlife, and features four viewing areas, including a ground-level bunker. The Ark has four viewing areas from which to observe the ever-present animal activity at the waterhole and saltlick. There is also a ground level hide – the perfect spot for the discerning photographer. From this vantage point, photos of animals can be taken at eye-level.

The diversity of Kenya's parks ensures that every day brings a new safari experience. Travel through the rural green hills of southern Kenya as you head towards Mount Kenya. From your elegant lodge, the jagged peaks of Africa's second highest mountain can be glimpsed through the trees. At 7,200 feet above sea level, on the thickly forested foothills, a new world of wildlife provides an atmospheric feast for the senses. Spotting game is not so easy in such a dense forest. So rather than battle through the trees, you just need to sit back and wait for the wildlife to come to you.

Early morning breakfast, you will proceed on your journey along the picturesque Mount Kenya region towards Samburu National Reserve. On arrival you will check in at the scenic and luxurious Saruni Samburu - Saruni Samburu’s six luxury villas are open and spacious, heralding spectacular views over Kenya’s Northern Frontier District, and on a clear day Mount Kenya in the distance. The warm and welcoming hospitality makes for an intimate and exceptional experience. The lodge is revered for its innovative, eco-chic architecture and interesting design and décor, as well as its Italian-inspired cuisine. Guests can enjoy the vast panoramas from the dining and lounge area, the infinity pool and Samburu Wellbeing Space. Saruni Samburu is the only lodge in Kalama Conservancy, which borders Samburu National Reserve, with a vast expanse of unspoiled wilderness to explore and exclusively enjoy.

An immaculate glamping-style suite awaits your arrival at the phenomenal Kalama Conservancy, a private reserve sharing the purity of the African landscape from your chic, secluded accommodation. Upon arrival, you may join an experienced ranger for a behind-the-scenes wildlife tour to breathtaking game viewing spots sprinkling the untamed landscape. In the afternoon, you may gaze upon the stars twinkling in the night sky without the interruption of light pollution common to populated places. With exceptional stargazing equipment available, you will be able to see the furthest stars and planets floating around our universe.

Early morning breakfast, check out and proceed on your road transfer towards Sweetwaters Sanctuary. On arrival you will check in at the Sweetwaters Serena Camp - The oldest lodgings in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Sweetwaters Serena Camp is a large tented camp in the eastern sector of the conservancy, catering predominantly to a mid-range, drive-in group safari market. Part of the international Serena Hotels group.

The Sweetwaters Sanctuary holds the greatest concentration of rhinos in East Africa. Over 100 critically endangered black rhinos live here, a remarkable figure that's thanks to the reserve's excellent conservation efforts. The full Big Five roam freely around this reserve and there are a numbers of ways to explore. Game drives, horseback safari, camel safari, and game walks are all possible in this thriving wilderness. Black rhino, white rhino, what's the difference? With both species in this reserve you'll gain first hand knowledge of how to distinguish them (clue – it's not by their color). In addition, a chimpanzee sanctuary and rhino information center ensure that this will be one of the most action packed days of your safari itinerary. Back at the lodge, your luxurious thatched-roof tent gazes down on a floodlit waterhole that is frequented throughout the night. Keep your camera on standby as you rest and relax. You never can predict what time the black rhinos will approach for a drink.

Early morning breakfast, check out and proceed on your scenic journey along the great rift valley towards Lake Nakuru National Park. You will arrive at the luxurious Cliff Kenya for a late lunch as you grace the bird haven that is Lake Nakuru National park.

The Cliff is a stunning tented camp surrounded by nature and offers 10 beautifully appointed tented suites. A fusion of the elegance of Europe and the wild of Africa, each suite features a king size bed, a viewing deck to gaze at sensational 180 degree views of Lake Nakuru, a private lounge, and free standing bath tub and shower.

Vivid colors welcome you to Lake Nakuru, the deep blue lake encircled by a bright pink blanket of flamingos. Millions of these birds wade in the shallows, a stunning spectacle when admired from a distance. Another 400 resident bird species surround the lake, ranging from cormorants and pelicans to tiny avocets and grebes. Lake Nakuru is one of Africa's most beautiful parks, the vibrant colors merging to form a picturesque landscape of water, savannah, and misty mountains.

You will check out of your camp this morning after breakfast and transfer by road to the famous Masai Mara game reserve, arrival early afternoon for a late lunch at &Beyond Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp.

Sprawled along the Saparingo River on the edge of the Oloololo escarpment, where riverine forest meets the sweeping plains in the seasonal path of the awe-inspiring Great Migration, &Beyond Kichwa Tembo Tented camp provides an authentic dose of African wildlife, delivered with legendary Kenyan hospitality. Set on a private concession, with abundant iconic wildlife and panoramic Masai Mara views, Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp dazzles with its contemporary safari feel.

The Masai Mara National Reserve is arguably Kenya’s premier wildlife sanctuary, a staggering untouched natural park comprising sprawling emerald pastures, rugged rocky outcrops, and dense viridian forests. Furthermore, Masai Mara is home to the world’s ultimate wildlife spectacle, the Great Migration. Should you travel to Masai Mara during the appropriate time of year, you will have the fortune of witnessing this impressive natural display in which millions of wildebeest, gazelle, zebra, and other creatures sprint across the Serengeti towards the greener plains of Kenya while many predators seek kills during the chaos.

5am coffee, early morning game drive. Breakfast. You will thereafter be transferred to the airstrip for your maiden flight to Wilson airport Nairobi. Marking the end of another memorable tour. Lunch will be on own arrangements, therafter transfer to JKIA for your onward flight.