Day 1: Arrival Nairobi

Transfer Hemingways
Hemingways Nairobi – Dinner
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.

Hemingways Nairobi has a sophisticated and tranquil ambiance. Each of the 45 suites is a generous size, all with walk-in dressing rooms and a terrace with magnificent views of the Ngong Hills. Enjoy a light lunch in the Brasserie overlooking the well-tended gardens.

Meals included: Dinner | Stay: Hemingways (1 night)

Days 2-3: Maasai Mara Game Reserve

Accommodation: Mara Serena Safari Lodge – Fullboard
After breakfast, drive to the Masai Mara National Reserve offering wonderful scenery and plenty of game. It is perhaps the only region left in Kenya where the visitor may see animals in the same super-abundance as existed a century ago. Arrive for lunch at Mara Serena Safari Lodge. Afternoon game drive until sunset. Discover the Kenya of your dreams, a vast, gently rolling landscape of acacia-specked grasslands darkened by migrating wildebeest herds. Mara Serena Safari Lodge invites you to a world where dramatic sights and experiences are enhanced by gracious service and five-star amenities. As the only lodge in the famed Mara Triangle, we offer a setting matched by few other hotels in the world: perched high on a bush-cloaked hill with sweeping views of the savannah and the meandering shoreline of the Mara River.

The breathtaking landscapes of Masai Mara National Reserve, uninterrupted views of the Mara River and a design inspired by a traditional Maasai Manyatta set Mara Serena Safari Lodge as an unforgettable destination for safari holidays. The 74 guest rooms and one suite have been inspired by the local Maasai heritage and surrounding natural splendour, welcoming guests to experience the allure of the only lodge located within the famed Mara Triangle. A merger of Africa’s untamed beauty and modern sophistication, our accommodations are arranged with one slightly in front of its neighbour, allowing for sweeping river and savannah views. Adorned in swirling patterns that reflect the colours and shapes of the bush, rooms feature Maasai-inspired design motifs, king or twin beds, lavish, all-encompassing mosquito curtaining and marble bathrooms with walk-in showers.

Meals: Fullboard | Stay: Mara Serena Safari Lodge (2 nights)

Days 4-5: Serengeti National Park

Accommodation: Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge
After breakfast drive to Serengeti National Park arriving in time for lunch at Serengeti Serena Lodge. Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge is an award-winning gem of a hotel in one of the most beautiful settings in Tanzania. Seamlessly blended high into acacia-lined ridge, this African-style lodge and infinity pool offers panoramic views across the Serengeti’s vast, endless grasslands, where lions and cheetahs stalk their prey and massive migrating wildebeest herds darken the landscape in a relentless search for fresh grazing grounds. Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge has been designed to blend seamlessly into the landscape of acacia groves and sparkling streams. Our 65 guest rooms and one suite are housed in clusters of traditional domed “rondavels” arranged around the lodge’s stunning infinity pool.

Set high on a hill with the rolling plains below forming a natural amphitheatre, your room offers a ringside seat for the greatest show on earth, the annual migration of the wildebeest. Sweeping views, traditional stone-built and thatched architecture and private balconies immerse you in the stunning beauty and solitude of Serengeti National Park like no other accommodation can.

The Great Migration pulses and pauses, but is in more-or-less constant, million-animal movement throughout the year. Nestled amidst huge, kopje-like boulders overlooking the always lively Grumeti River, Migration Camp is designed for spectacular game-viewing, luxurious relaxation, and a full, vitalizing dose of the world-unique—solar system unique!—Serengeti. Yet even when the migration is quiet, the Serengeti offers arguably the most scintillating game-viewing in Africa: great herds of buffalo, smaller groups of elephant and giraffe, and thousands upon thousands of eland, topi, kongoni, impala and Grant’s gazelle.

The spectacle of predator versus prey dominates Tanzania’s greatest park. Golden-maned lion prides feast on the abundance of plain grazers. Solitary leopards haunt the acacia trees lining the Seronera River, while a high density of cheetahs prowls the southeastern plains. Almost uniquely, all three African jackal species occur here, alongside the spotted hyena and a host of more elusive small predators, ranging from the insectivorous aardwolf to the beautiful serval cat.

Meals: Fullboard | Stay: Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge (2 nights)

Day 6: Transfer Ngorongoro Crater

Accommodation: Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge
After breakfast drive to Ngorongoro Conservation Area arriving in time for lunch, check in at Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge. Rest of the day at leisure. Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge is built on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, and its natural stone and ivy-covered walls blends in with its surroundings. The lodge has taken the cave paintings of Olduvai Gorge as its main décor inspiration, with all the interiors filled with African artifacts and frescoes. Enjoy game drives on the crater floor – home to an impressive wildlife and birdlife – or enjoy a guided hike with a picnic across the Serengeti plains or among the nearby volcanic mountains of the Crater Highlands.

Spanning cascading verdant hills, luxuriant wetlands, and immense golden plateaus, the Ngorongoro Crater is a dreamy safari destination boasting a wealth of opportunities to witness the wildlife during your short stay in the caldera. From spotting massive lions lounging in the shade to rhinos and their calves peacefully grazing the short grass, you will be eager to discover these momentous creatures as well as the remainder of the Big Five. You may also learn more about the origins of humankind during a visit to the intriguing Olduvai Gorge, a valuable site answering questions on the evolution of our species.

Meals: Fullboard | Stay: Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge (2 nights)

Day 7: Lake Manyara National Park

Accommodation: Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge – Fullboard
Breakfast at your lodge, then drive to Lake Manyara National Park, one of the Rift Valley’s numerous alkaline lakes, which apart from its abundant bird life, is known for its tree-climbing lions. Arrive for lunch at Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge. Afternoon game drive until sunset. Effortlessly blending traditional style and modern comfort, Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge provides a tranquil retreat for your Tanzania holiday. Settle in to your beautifully appointed accommodation, which is furnished with colours inspired by the breathtaking natural beauty of our surroundings. Make use of thoughtful amenities including free Wi-Fi, enjoy the views from your veranda or wrap up in your plush robe and relax with room service after an exhilarating day on safari. For a truly special experience, reserve our lush Losimingori Suite, which offers a separate sitting area, a flat-screen TV and a balcony.

Lake Manyara National Park offers a wilderness experience in diverse habitats, from its Rift Valley soda lake to dense woodlands and steep mountainsides. Apart from a spectacular setting, the park is famous for its unusual tree-climbing lions and the vast elephant herds it was established to protect. The shores of the lake, encrusted with pink flamingo, attract more than 400 species of birds, many of them waterfowl or migrants. Large herds of buffalo, cheetah, Masai giraffe and impala roam the lake shores and the forested valley slopes. A Lake Manyara safari is a fascinating experience, as the park also features a ground-water forest, acacia tortilis woodland and hot springs called Maji Moto. Troops of several hundred olive baboon appear alongside Sykes monkey and short-eared galago. Cape clawless otter, Egyptian mongoose, hippo and klipspringer are other park residents.

Meals: Fullboard | Stay: Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge (1 night)

Day 8: Depart, Transfer Arusha

Optional: Meals/Dayroom
After breakfast, drive to Arusha. Drop off at Kilimanjaro Airport for your onward flight or transfer to your Arusha Hotel. Our representative will reconfirm your onward flights and assist at check-in.