TOUR DURATION: 8 DAYS
Destinations visited: Kenya, Amboseli National Park, Meru, Masai Mara
This 8-day fly-in safari is a convenient & time-efficient way of seeing Kenya’s top reserves of Amboseli, Meru & the Masai Mara on a short vacation.
Day to Day Itinerary:
- Day 1: Arrival to Nairobi
- Days 2 – 4: Amboseli
- Days 4 – 6: Touchdown in Meru
- Days 6 – 7: Masai Mara
- Day 7: Back to Nairobi
8 DAYS AMBOSELI, MERU & MARA
Day 1: Arrival to Nairobi
You will be met on arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and whisked through the city to Hemingways Nairobi, a luxurious hotel in the upscale neighbourhood of Karen. Here, your personal butler will ensure you have the best possible start to your Kenyan holiday, from assisting you with optional bookings at the spa and wellness centre to confirming your dinner reservation at the contemporary restaurant, which is overseen by the resident Michelin-starred chef.
Alternatively and if your schedule allows it, you may choose to visit some of the city’s highlights like the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, the Karen Blixen Museum or the Giraffe Centre, where you can see a herd of endangered Rothschild’s giraffes. You may even want to have your first game drive with a short visit through Nairobi National Park, where plains game roam freely with a surprising background of skyscrapers!
However you choose to spend your time here, Hemingways Nairobi offers a peaceful respite – with views of the Ngong Hills – after a long-haul flight to Kenya.
Days 2 – 4: Amboseli
After breakfasti, you will be driven to Amboseli National Park. Although it is a small park by Africa’s standards, Amboseli has some of the best views of snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world.
You will arrive in time for lunch, from which you can enjoy those beautiful vistas of Kili, before heading off on your afternoon game drive in a 30 000-acre private conservancy in the national park. The next morning, breakfast will be out in the bush on your morning game drive while your afternoon will be given over to an exciting walking safari with an armed and trained guide. A highlight of your nature walk will be sundowners in scenic spot as the sun sets on another day in Africa.
Days 4 – 6: Touchdown in Meru
Meru National Park is named after another of Kenya’s indomitable giants – Mount Meru. After a last morning game drive and final breakfast at Tortilis Camp, you will fly out of Amboseli and land in Meru in time for a midday meal. Your home for the next two night will be Elsa’s Kopje, named after the lioness Elsa made famous in Joy Adamson’s book Born Free.
The thatched suites and organic shapes that characterize the architecture at Elsa’s Kopje are designed to make the lodge blend into the natural environment on Mughwango Hill as much as possible. A ‘kopje’ is a rocky outcrop and this is one of the original places where Elsa was raised in the mid-1950s. The reserve shelters at least 47 types of raptors in its 600-strong bird list, as well as over a thousand elephants and a large rhino sanctuary.
After lunch, it is up to you whether you would like to go on an afternoon game drive or be pampered with a relaxing massage. The following day follows the classic rhythm of safari: a morning game drive with bush breakfast, lunch at the lodge, an afternoon game drive with sundowners and so to bed…
Days 6 – 7: Masai Mara
You are finally flying to the big one: the Masai Mara is one of the most famous parks in the world and is renowned for its role in the annual wildebeest migration from about August every year.
Having enjoyed a dawn nature walk and a breakfast at Elsa’s Kopje, you will then take off from the Meru Airstrip and touchdown at the Keekorok Airstrip in the Mara. A camp inspired by the bygone safaris of the 1920s will be your home here – relax and enjoy dinner on your first night at Sand River Masai Mara, which enjoys a secluded riverside setting.
The next morning, having slept soundly in your canopied 4-poster bed, have breakfast at camp before setting off for a full-day dame drive in Masai Mara National Park. Instead of a few hours, you will have the whole day to seek out lions, elephants, birds or whatever else you and your guide agree to try and find. At midday, your guide will set out a delicious picnic lunch in a shady and safe spot before continuing in the afternoon. Part of the drive will include visiting a traditional Maasai village, generally known in Swahili as a ‘manyatta’.
Back at Sand River, you can freshen and savour a sundowner before tucking into a delicious dinner under the stars, the dusting of the Milky Way twinkling above you…
Day 8: Back to Nairobi
The beauty of a fly-in safari is the extra time that it affords you at each lodge. Once again, you are able to enjoy breakfast at Sand River and even go on a final morning game drive if you choose. Only then will you be driven back to Keekorok Airstrip for the short hop back to Wilson Airport. In Nairobi, you’ll check in at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your flight home.
This marks the end of what we hope will be an adventurous trip- Thank you very much!
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Sun Africa Expeditions Terms & Conditions
Luggage
PLEASE be reminded that the luggage allowance on our inbound schedule flights is strictly 15KGS PER PERSON and that SOFT BAGS are highly recommended, if not essential. In light aircraft the baggage area and weight allowance is limited. Hard Samsonite type suitcases do not fit into the cargo compartment easily, if at all. Due to limited space available for storage in safari vehicles, we strongly recommend use soft duffle bags rather than hard suitcases.
Your contract
A binding contract will come into existence once Sun Africa Expeditions and yourself agree on the itinerary and quote provided for the same. The booking will then be considered confirmed when an invoice is issued. Your contract for the services chosen will be direct with the relevant supplier(s). Your supplier contact will be governed by the laws of the country in which the supplier is located and will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of that country.
Reservations, Payment and Deposits
When Sun Africa Expeditions has accepted your booking, the date of the confirmation invoice activates the terms and conditions of the contract. Confirmation of services is subject to payment of a non-refundable deposit of 15% of the total invoiced amount. The balance is to be paid not later than 30 days prior to commencement of the services. When bookings are made within 30 days prior to the departure date, full payment is required immediately on written confirmation.
All bookings are subject to availability at the time of booking and cannot be guaranteed except for scheduled departures.
Prices
Prices are quoted in US dollars. All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Should prices or costs from suppliers increase due to inflation, currency depreciation and fuel surcharges, then Sun Africa Expeditions will not have any other option than to pass on the same to you. All suppliers reserve the right to increase prices at any time of the year when costs increase outside the control of the supplier. Please note that when the clients’ itinerary overlaps two seasons, the price will be prorated over the two seasons.
Rates include but are not limited to the following services specified in the itinerary. Accommodation with meals, tours, transport, driver/guide, park entrance fees, hotel taxes and service charges.
Rates exclude (Unless otherwise specified), Medical Air Rescue services, Porter-age, domestic Air Charters, Visa fees, beverages, laundry, telephone calls, scheduled flights, gratuities and all expenses of personal nature.
NB: Flying doctor services are Optional at USD 25 per pax (Subject to change and vendor terms & conditions).
Child rate: – is only applicable to one or two children under 12 years sharing a room with 2 adults. In the case of 02 children sharing a room with parents, the two children will share a bed, as most hotels/lodges cannot accommodate a fourth bed. 01 child sharing a room with 01 adult will be charged full adult rate.
Single Room Policy
Single rooms are available at supplementary cost but the suppliers do not guarantee singles. Single rooms are scarce and cannot be guaranteed even if paid for at twin sole use rate. Where this occurs an appropriate refund will be made by the supplier to the client. Suppliers will only allow a maximum of 3 single rooms per group at a single room rate except for high end luxury camps where single rooms are limited to only 02 singles.
Cancellation Policy
Should you wish to cancel your confirmed booking, you must advise the company in writing.
Reservations that are cancelled, reduced in length of stay or reduced in numbers (hereinafter collectively called a CANCELLATION) are subject to Cancellation and No Show fees if cancelled within 30 days of the arrival date:
55 days to 41 days prior to arrival: 25%
40 days to 22 days prior to arrival: 35%
21 days to 15 days prior to arrival: 50%
14 days to 07 days prior to arrival: 65%
06 days to 03 days prior to arrival: 80%
Within 48 hours and after commencement of holiday: 100%. Once the holiday has commenced no refund will be made. The figures expressed are percentage of the total tour price.
Cancellation: Although it rarely happens, and Sun Africa Expeditions will do their utmost to avoid doing so. Sun Africa Expeditions must reserve the right to cancel tours and other arrangements. Where your holiday is cancelled (other than due to your default in payment) due to unavoidable circumstances beyond our control e.g. Natural disaster or over booking, Sun Africa Expeditions will offer you the choice of purchasing an alternative holiday.
Force Majeure
The expression “force majeure” means any event which the supplier(s) in question could not have foreseen or avoided even with all due care. Such events may include war or threat of war, riots, civil strife, industrial dispute, terrorist activity, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, adverse weather conditions, government action and all similar circumstances outside the suppliers’ control. In these circumstances the suppliers shall not be liable to pay any compensation or otherwise be responsible for any expenses or losses you incur where supplier is forced as a result to cancel, delay, curtail or change your holiday arrangements in any way or where the performance or prompt performance of the supplier’s contractual obligations is prevented or affected.
Complaints
In the unlikely event that a tour member has a dispute whilst on safari this must immediately be brought to the attention (and put on record) of the local representative, Hotel, Lodge or Camp management. It is likely that the tour member’s complaint will be satisfactorily resolved there and then. If, however, this is not the case and the tour member wishes to pursue the matter on their return from safari, it is essential the complaint be communicated in writing to Sun Africa Expeditions within 21 days of the end of tour quoting tour reference, destination and departure date.
Responsibility of Sun Africa Expeditions
Sun Africa Expeditions acts only as the Agent for the suppliers and shall not in any event be liable for any negligence, breach of contract or acts of omission on the part of suppliers, their employees or any other Agent, it shall be the responsibility of all customers including (without limitations) Tour members, Tour Operators and Travel Agents, to read and familiarize themselves with the terms and conditions of suppliers. Sun Africa Expeditions liability for its own negligence or breach of contract shall be limited to the Tour price.
Transportation
Safari Minibuses, Cars, Land Cruisers and coaches will be provided according to the route and number of participants. Sun Africa Expeditions reserves the right to employ services of sub-contractors. Multi-lingual driver guides are provided on request. For flying packages, clients will share vehicles with other guests booked at the hotel. For exclusive use, please check with Sun Africa Expeditions for supplements, which will be subject to availability.
Insurance
The hazards of travelling in Africa may inevitably rise to some risks and dangers. It is therefore a condition of booking that all tour members must have sufficient and appropriate travel insurance for the duration of their tour. Such insurance (which is not supplied by Sun Africa Expeditions) should fully cover all personal requirements including death, personal injury, medical expenses, and repatriation in the event of accident or illness, cancellation or curtailment of the tour members’ personal property.
Special Requests
Any special requests (e.g. for single rooms or particular diet) must be notified in writing when the booking is made. Whilst the supplier will endeavour to meet such requests they cannot be guaranteed and any failure to comply will not be a breach of contract.
Sun Africa Expeditions services include flight re-confirmation and airport assistance within Africa if clients are provided all services by Sun Africa Expeditions. In cases whereby Sun Africa Expeditions is providing part of the services and the clients have other arrangements of their own, then Sun Africa Expeditions will only reconfirm where forwarding address or contacts are provided.
Itineraries
Demand for safaris can be high and may lead to shortage of lodge/hotel accommodation. All bookings will be confirmed, but no occasions changes may be necessary. Hotels/Lodges/camps, here specifically named are given as an indication of the category and rooms may be reserved at similar lodges/ hotels/camps. We undertake to advise you of any changes known to us prior to departure, but the possibility of change without notice, must be acceptable when booking. Where ever possible we book rooms with private baths showers throughout on the basis of two persons sharing a double room. Single rooms are available at supplementary cost but neither single rooms nor rooms with private bath/shower can be guaranteed.
Safari minibuses cars, four wheel drive vehicles or coaches will be provided according to the route and number of participants. The right is reserved to employ the services of subcontractors. Multi-lingual chauffer/guides are provided. Occasional mechanical problems, changes of lodge or adverse road conditions may in turn lead to a change of routing or game viewing without prior notice being given. We reserve the right to offer substitutes of equal value or to cancel the operation of any tour. In practice, very few itineraries are affected but a little flexibility on your part will ensure the tour is unique and rewarding.
Website and Brochure Description
Descriptions of accommodation facilities and services in our brochures are shown in good faith, it is however possible that certain facilities or services may be unavailable or limited due to maintenance , adverse weather, local conditions, seasonal restrictions etc.
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this website/e-brochure at the time of printing, regrettably errors do occasionally occur. You must therefore check all details of your holiday booking with your travel agent or supplier at the time of presentation.
The company cannot therefore accept responsibility for any information not contained in this brochure, being confirmed verbally by its staff or representatives unless subsequently reconfirmed in writing by the company.