KENYA'S LION SAFARI
A cultural Safari in Kenya

African wildlife is known for the big five and amongst the big five the lion is rightfully regarded as the king of the jungle both by the animals and us humans. The lions are ferocious animals as well as very caring when it comes to defending their own. As we go through the game parks of Samburu, Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara we witness this. This eight days safari has been tailored to give THE picture of wild life existence as well as spectacular scenery with very comfortable lodging including the world famous Tree Tops – probably an experience  of a life time. Combine this with a cultural experience at Lamu, Malindi or Zanzibar and you will never forget Kenya’s lion Safari. 

Day 01: Arrive Nairobi
Karibu! We are warmly received in Africa’s most well known capital – Nairobi. The Kiswahili language here is often easily understood as many people mix in English words, in fact more people in Kenya speak English than in any other African country.
Overnight: Nairobi Safari Club (1 night) (B)
www.nairobisafariclub.com                     

Day 02: Nairobi / Samburu Game Reserve
After breakfast, we get into our safari gear and head north to Samburu Game Reserve where we will spend the next two nights. Morning and afternoon game drives allow us to explore this beautiful and game abundant park, home to rarely found species such as the Beisa Oryx, Grevy's zebra, blue-necked Somali ostrich and reticulated giraffe. The park is also renowned for its big cats as the nearby Ewaso Nyiro River attracts many leopards.
Overnight: Samburu Sopa Lodge (2 nights) (B, L, D)
www.sopalodges.com

Day 03: Samburu
Game safari at this unique national park. A safari at Samburu stands out as it is much less crowded here than the other parks can be at times, and it is rather easy to spot lions, cheetahs and leopards here. Home to large herds of elephants, today’s experiences will also be added by the fact that there are good chanes of viewing the odd, yet distinguished looking gazelles, called genernuks and the 365 bird spices that the park has to offer. (B, L, D)

Day 04: Samburu / Mt. Kenya
A spectacular scenery as we drive towards the second highest peak in Africa, Mt. Kenya. Located at 7,200 feet on the slopes of Mt. Kenya, ringed by a dense rain forest is The Mountain Lodge, a unique “tree-hotel” experience that comes alive at dusk with an orchestration of sounds of creatures of all sizes. Mountain Lodge is an adventure within itself, and is regarded by many as having the most consistent high record of animal ‘visits’ and sightings in the area. Mt Kenya National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Overnight: Mountain Lodge (1 night) (B, L, D)
www.serenahotels.com
 
Day 05: Mt. Kenya / Lake Nakuru
Another scenic drive gets us to Lake Nakuru in time for lunch. Visit the world famous bird sanctuary of Lake Nakuru National Park, a park renowned also for its conservation effort toward the black rhino and the thousands of flamingoes which flock to the lake.
Overnight: Lake Nakuru Lodge (1 night) (B, L, D)
www.lakenakurulodge.com

Day 06: Lake Nakuru / Masai Mara Game Reserve
Another scenic day as we cross the Great Rift Valley to reach Kenya's most famous Game Reserve, The Masai Mara. The next two days is spent safaring and exploring the rolling hills and plains viewing for the spot black-maned lions, elephants, leopards, cheetahs, buffalos along with varied species of hoofed animals.
Overnight: Mara Sopa Lodge (2 nights) (B, L, D)
www.sopalodges.com

Day 07: Masai Mara
The Masai Mara lies in the Great Rift Valley, which is a fault line some 3,500 miles (5,600km) long, from Ethiopia's Red Sea through Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and into Mozambique. Here the valley is wide and a towering escarpment can be seen in the hazy distance. The animals are at liberty to move outside the park into huge areas known as 'dispersal areas'. There can be as much wildlife roaming outside the park as inside. Many Masai villages are located in the 'dispersal areas' and they have, over centuries, developed a synergetic relationship with the wildlife. The plains are full of wildebeest, zebra, impala, topi, giraffe, Thomson's gazelle. Also regularly seen are leopards, lions, hyenas, cheetah, jackal and bat-eared foxes. Black rhino are a little shy and hard to spot but are often seen at a distance.Hippos are abundant in the Mara River as are very large Nile crocodiles, who lay in wait for a meal as the wildebeest cross on their annual quest to find new pastures. (B, L, D)
(Optional Tour - Baloon Safari)

Day 08: Masai Mara / Nairobi / departure
After breakfast we return to Nairobi. Afternoon we have lunch at the world famous Carnivore restaurant where all types of game meats are served. They are roasted on large spits right in front of you. The restaurant caters to vegetarians with a vast array of delicate dishes and salads. We are then transferred to the airport for onwards flight. This is an ideal opportunity to extend your African experience with excursions to Lamu, Malindi or Zanzibar. (B, L)

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Departure Dates
2012 English Speaking Departures Daily
Inclusions
Tour Price Includes Tour Price Does Not Include Accommodation/cruise as mentioned or similar, including hotel taxes          International airfares Meals as mentioned (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner) Insurance and visa fees All sightseeing and transfers as per the itinerary Tips & gratuities to local guide/driver Services of local English speaking safari guide/driver   Entrance fees for the various game parks in East Africa
Tour Price
We accept payment in US $ (US Dollars), CA $ (Canadian Dollars) or equivalent EURO (for clients outside North America). Bestway Tours & Safaris offers conversion rate protection. Once full payment has been received, and no modification has been made to the tour itinerary, we will honour that rate. For complete payment procedures, please download Bestway_Payment_Info.pdf Note: to read this file you must have Adobe Acrobat.
Departures - 2012 Double Occupancy Single Room Supplement Low Season (Apr 01 - Jun 15) US $ 2695 US $ 300 Shoulder Season (Jun 06 - 30 & Nov 01 - Dec 15) US $ 2835 US $ 325 Rest of the Year (till Dec 15, 2012) US $ 2895 US $ 350 Optional tour Day 07 – Balloon Safari at Masai Mara US$ 525 per person Child rate under 12years is 65% of the per person sharing room rate.
Estimated International Airfare - International airfare is NOT included in this tour
Canada - West Coast US $ 1800 USA - West Coast US $ 1600 Canada - East Coast US $ 1700 USA - East Coast US $ 1500
Participants
This tour operates on a minimum of 02 and a maximum of 07 participants.
Customised Itinerary If you would like to have a tour on dates other than the above ones or with a customised itinerary, please contact us and we will be happy to work out an exclusive program for you. Foreign Language Departures Please contact us for information on French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking departures. You may e-mail us at bestway@bestway.com or call us at 604.264.7378. Residents of U.S.A./Canada may call us toll free at 1.800.663.0844.