Wilderness at Heart Photo Safari with Karen Schuenemann

Overview

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Depart USA

• Depart the USA on your overnight flight to Dubai.

Day 2 Arrive Dubai

• Arrive to Dubai and overnight at your airport hotel

Day 3 Arrive Nairobi

• Depart on board your flight to Nairobi
• Upon arrival in Nairobi, following customs and immigration formalities, meet our representative and transfer to your hotel. Overnight at hotel

Villa Rosa Kempinski Breakfast

Day 4 Nairobi

• Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage
• Karen Blixen Giraffe Centre and museum
• Afternoon at leisure

Villa Rosa Kempinski Breakfast & lunch

Full Day Itinerary

After breakfast depart for Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage (11am Public visit), followed by Karen Blixen Giraffe Centre and museum. Lunch will be provided at Tamambo restaurant at the Karen Blixen Coffee Garden. After lunch, enjoy the remainder of the evening on your own.  Overnight at hotel.

Day 5 Sarova Shaba National Reserve

• Travel north to Sarova Shaba National Reserve
• After a stop for lunch, continue to your lodge, enjoying a game drive en route

Sarova Shaba Game Lodge Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

After breakfast, depart Nairobi and drive to Samburu National Reserve arriving at Sarova Shaba Game Lodge for lunch.  Later enjoy an afternoon game drive.

Return to the Lodge for dinner and overnight at Sarova Shaba Game Lodge.

Day 6 Sarova Shaba National Reserve

• Morning game drive
• Lunch, followed by some free time to relax
• Early evening game drive

Sarova Shaba Game Lodge Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

Enjoy another day of game viewing drives in the Buffalo Springs / Samburu side of the park. There are three reserves are in one area - separated by either Uaso Nyiro river or by the great north road.

Enjoy your game drives in a safari vehicle with roof hatch access for perfect game viewing and photography. Guided by your expert driver, enjoy searching for animals native to this fascinating and beautiful area.

Day 7 Ol Pejeta Conservancy

• After a morning game drive and breakfast, depart for Ol Pejeta Conservancy
• Upon arrival, enjoy lunch at your camp
• This evening sit by the lit waterhole to view the animals

Sweetwaters Serena Camp Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

After a morning game drive and breakfast, depart for the 90,000 acre Ol Pejeta Conservancy. The conservancy is situated on the equator, in Kenya’s Laikipia District, between the foothills of the Aberdares and the snow-capped Mount Kenya. The conservancy hosts a large variety of animals, including Grevy’s zebra, Jackson’s hartebeest, cheetah and chimpanzee. Enjoy lunch at your camp.  This evening, sit by the lit waterhole to view the animals.

Day 8 Ol Pejeta Conservancy

• After a morning game drive and breakfast, depart for Ol Pejeta Conservancy
• Enjoy lunch at your camp
• In the afternoon, visit the Jane Goodall Chimpanzee sanctuary
• Late afternoon game drive

Sweetwaters Serena Camp Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

Morning game drive. In the afternoon, visit the Jane Goodall Chimpanzee sanctuary followed by a game drive.  Dinner and overnight at your lodge.

Day 9 Lake Nakuru

• Early this morning, travel to Lake Nakuru National Park
• Enjoy lunch at one of the lodges, followed by a game drive

Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

Early this morning, travel to Lake Nakuru National Park. Travel south through the town of Naromoru and then head west via Nyahururu (still known to many as Thompsons Falls). This park is a rhino sanctuary, offering the rare opportunity to see these endangered animals. It's also home to rare Rothschild's giraffes, buffalo, leopards and lions. Enjoy lunch at one of the lodges, followed by an afternoon game drive.   Later, enjoy dinner at the lodge this evening.

Day 10 Masai Mara National Reserve

• After breakfast, head out for the Masai Mara National Reserve
• Enjoy lunch at your lodge then relax
• Later this afternoon take your first game in the Siana Conservancy

Spirit of Masai Mara Tented Camp Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

After breakfast, head out for the Masai Mara National Reserve, which borders Tanzania's Serengeti National Park. Every year, between July and September, millions of wildebeests and zebras migrate into the Mara in search of water. The timing of this phenomenon varies, depending on the rains, but they usually start heading back to the Serengeti in October.

Whether you see the migration or not, the grassy plains and lush landscape offer a huge variety of game including lions, cheetahs, buffalo and abundant bird life such as ostriches, cranes and storks. Enjoy lunch at your lodge then relax until later this afternoon when you'll take your first game drive through this haven of wildlife.   Today you will enjoy game drives in Siana Conservancy / Masai Mara Game Reserve. 

Day 11 Masai Mara National Reserve

• Morning game drive, or take an optional hot air balloon safari
• Lunch at the lodge, followed by some free time to relax
• Late afternoon game drive

Spirit of Masai Mara Tented Camp Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

Today you will take two safari drives, one in the morning and another in the early evening, in a safari vehicle with roof hatch access for perfect game viewing and photography. You have the option of replacing one safari drive with an optional balloon safari, which provides a thrilling opportunity to soar high over the plain for animal viewing from above.

Whether you go by air or land, you will enjoy searching for animals native to this fascinating and beautiful area guided by your expert driver, who will amaze you with his ability to spot game hidden in the bush.  

Optional Excursion: Masai Mara Hot Air Balloon Safari & Champagne Breakfast, $490

Enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take a balloon ride across the Masai Mara. Weather conditions permitting, your flight begins in the pre-dawn hours, when the view over the park is most magnificent. Toward the end of your adventure, you'll rise to a height of 1,500 feet for a panoramic view of the twisting Mara River and the savannah below. After an hour or so in the air, your safari finishes with a champagne breakfast in the bush, cooked on the balloon's burners. Flight may not operate if weather conditions are not suitable.  Later this afternoon, enjoy a visit to a Masai village.

Day 12 Masai Mara National Reserve

• Morning game drive, or take an optional hot air balloon safari
• Lunch at the lodge, followed by some free time to relax
• Late afternoon game drive

Spirit of Masai Mara Tented Camp Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

Today you will take two safari drives, one in the morning and another in the early evening, in a safari vehicle with roof hatch access for perfect game viewing and photography. You have the option of replacing one safari drive with an optional balloon safari, which provides a thrilling opportunity to soar high over the plain for animal viewing from above.

Optional Excursion: Masai Mara Hot Air Balloon Safari & Champagne Breakfast, $490

Enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take a balloon ride across the Masai Mara. Weather conditions permitting, your flight begins in the pre-dawn hours, when the view over the park is most magnificent. Toward the end of your adventure, you'll rise to a height of 1,500 feet for a panoramic view of the twisting Mara River and the savannah below. After an hour or so in the air, your safari finishes with a champagne breakfast in the bush, cooked on the balloon's burners. Flight may not operate if weather conditions are not suitable.  Later this afternoon, enjoy a visit to a Masai village.

Day 13 Masai Mara & Nairobi

• Depart the Masai Mara for Nairobi

Breakfast & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

After breakfast, depart the Masai Mara for Nairobi.  Check in to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 14 Depart Kenya

• Day-use room at hotel.
• Enjoy a farewell dinner
• Transfer to the airport for your overnight return flight via Europe

Breakfast & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

After breakfast, enjoy some free time today to relax or enjoy some last minute shopping and lunch.  Day room use at the Villa Rosa Kempinski (until 6pm). Check out and depart to the Nyama Choma restaurant for dinner.  Bid farewell to Kenya as you transfer to the airport for your return flight to the U.S.A. via Dubai.  Alternatively, continue t an optional excursion to Amboseli!

Day 15 Arrive USA

• Arrive in the USA today.

Optional Extension to Amboseli

Day 14 Nairobi/Amboseli

• Morning transfer to Amboseli
• Lunch at the lodge, followed by some free time to relax
• Late afternoon game drive

Ol Tukai Lodge Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

Early this morning you will depart Nairobi and drive to Amboseli National Park arriving at Ol Tukai Lodge for lunch. Enjoy an afternoon game drive in Amboseli National Park returning to the Lodge as the sun sets for dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Day 15 Amboseli

• Morning game drive
• Lunch at the lodge, followed by some free time to relax
• Late afternoon game drive

Ol Tukai Lodge Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

Morning and afternoon game drives in Amboseli. Overnight at Ol Tukai Lodge on a full board basis.

Day 16 Amboseli/Nairobi

• Return to Nairobi
• Afternoon at leisure

Villa Rosa Kempinski Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

After breakfast, return to Nairobi early this afternoon.  Check-in to your hotel and enjoy the remainder of the day free at your leisure.

Day 17 Nairobi/Depart Kenya

• Morning at leisure
• Dinner at Nyama Choma Restaurant
• Transfer to the airport for your overnight return flight via Dubai

Breakfast & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

After breakfast, enjoy some free time today to relax or enjoy some last minute shopping and lunch.  Day room use at the Villa Rosa Kempinski (until 6pm). Check out and depart to the Nyama Choma restaurant for dinner.  Bid farewell to Kenya as you transfer to the airport for your return flight to the U.S.A. via Dubai.  

Day 18 Arrive USA

• Arrive in the USA today.

Hotels

Sweetwaters Serena Camp

First Class

The exclusive Sweetwaters Serena Camp is a tented camp located in a private conservancy with a higher wildlife-to-area ration than any of Kenya's national parks. The camp lies in the center of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy which is host to elephants, rhinos, lions, buffalo, and leopard.

More information

Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge

First Class

Located on a range of hills that form the western limits of Africa’s Great Rift Valley, the lodge offers spectacular views of Lake Nakuru and surrounding National Park.

More information

Spirit of Masai Mara Tented Camp

Deluxe

The Spirit of Masai Mara is located in the Siana Conservancy, overlooking the Masai Mara National Reserve. The location offers our visitors fantastic game viewing opportunities within the private Siana Conservancy.  

More information

In the unlikely event that a particular hotel is not available, a similar or better hotel may be substituted.

Trip Details

• What should I know before I go? We've compiled a comprehensive checklist, including information on how to pay your balance due, flights & transfers, packing & luggage, and more.
• Do I need a visa or other documents? Are there any entry requirements? Travel visas are required for this package. Please review the visa & entry requirements.
• Can I make changes to my trip? Want to upgrade your seats? Stay a few extra days? Something else? Just ask!
• Can I bring my kids? Are there any age restrictions? To book this package, you must be 18 or older. Your traveling companions must be 8 or older at time of travel.
• Should I purchase travel insurance? Yes! We recommend you purchase travel insurance to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. For your convenience, we offer a plan provided by Travelex Insurance Services.
• What's the fine print? Review the terms & conditions for this package.
• What should I know about Kenya? Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.