KENYA PHOTO SAFARI WITH
JAMES CORWIN JOHNSON
AUGUST 5 - 14, 2012
DATES FOR 2013 TO BE ANNOUNCED
Day 1
On arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport you will be met by a representative of Safari Ventures and transferred to The Stanley Hotel.
The Stanley Hotel is deluxe hotel, recalling the graceful era of fine furnishings, grand living and cool Victorian elegance. It features the famous Thorn Tree Coffee Shop, the Zen gourmet restaurant with unique fusion cuisine, the pool-deck restaurant and the Exchange Bar. The hotel also boasts an elegant shopping arcade, a fully equipped health club with heated swimming pool and a modern business center
Accommodation: The Stanley Hotel (BB)
Day 2
After being collected from your Nairobi hotel you will be driven across the plains of Mount Kenya and up into the foothills and forests of the second highest mountain in Africa. Arriving in time for lunch on the decks of your timber built 'Ark' hotel, Serena Mountain Lodge, you are free to spend the afternoon watching the game around the water hole, taking a forest walk or visiting the photo-hide. Wildlife highlights include: elephant, buffalo, antelope, water buck, genet cats and leopard. At Serena Mountain Lodge guests may awake to the trumpeting of elephant, fall asleep to the symphony of the African night or sit in stillness and observe the fascinating interplay of the animals as they arrive to drink, bathe, spar and forage around the water hole. Finally, they can venture down to the secret viewing hide by the water’s edge and experience the awesome thrill of being only meters away from some of the most massive beasts on earth.Accommodation: Serena Mountain Lodge (B, L, D)
Day 3
After breakfast drive north to 'Born Free' country where Joy and George Adamson raised Elsa the lion cub in the wild and beautiful Shaba National Reserve which along with Buffalo Springs is part of the area known as 'Samburu'. Arrive in time for lunch at the luxurious Sarova Shaba Lodge, which is built around natural springs and offers an oasis of green in the midst of this beautiful but harshly arid landscape. The Sarova Shaba Lodge is located high above the Shaba Game Reserve, and it cleverly incorporates the beautiful natural springs as one of its special features, also offering itself as the perfect base from which to explore The Shaba Reserve. Spend the afternoon discovering the unique wildlife of the reserve, which is famous for its elephants and lions. Return to the lodge in time to relax before dinner in the restaurant which is raised on timbered stilts overlooking the Ewaso Nyiro River.
Accommodation: Sarova Shaba Lodge (B, L, D)
Day 4
Spend all day on safari in the reserve. Irrigated by the river, which is home to numerous hippo and crocodiles Shaba offers sanctuary to large herds of elephant, healthy numbers of lion, leopard, cheetah, plentiful plains game, reticulated giraffe, rare Beisa Oryx, kudu and gerenuk. It is also one of the few reserves in which you can see the Grevy’s zebra (rather than the more common Burchell's zebra found elsewhere) and the critically endangered wild dog. Offering 100 species of birds, the reserve is also home to the rare blue-shanked Somali ostrich.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be at the lodge.
Accommodation: Sarova Shaba Lodge (B, L, D)
Day 5
After breakfast drive south to Lake Nakuru which is the most famous of the Great Rift Valley lakes and home to a shifting population of over one million flamingos. Arrive in time for lunch at the Sarova Lion Hill Lodge, which enjoys sweeping views across the lake. Lion Hill Lodge impresses every guest with its panoramic view of the pink shoreline created by millions of flamingos on Lake Nakuru. The Lodge is situated within the Lake Nakuru National Park Rift Valley Province and is surrounded by natural flora and fauna in its beautiful grounds. Spend the afternoon on safari in Kenya's first and largest rhino sanctuary where sightings of both black and white rhino are almost guaranteed and where you have a higher than average chance of spotting a leopard. Other wildlife includes; lion, hippo, the rare Rothschild's giraffe, Colobus monkey, numerous plains game and 450 species of birds. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Accommodation: Sarova Lion Hill Lodge (B, L, D)
Day 6
After breakfast, drive to the world-famous Masai Mara National Reserve, backdrop to 'the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth', the annual migration of over one million wildebeest. Arrive in time for lunch at the Mara Sarova Lodge, a luxury tented camp. Sarova Mara is set in the African bush but the luxurious tents all have permanent roofs, zip-up fronts, and electricity and en-suite facilities. Relaxing outside your own tent listening to the orchestra of rasping Cicadas, croaking Tree Frogs and the intermittent call of birds and monkeys is a memorable symphony. Spend the afternoon on safari in Kenya's most popular reserve. Arrive back in camp in time for a swim, a hot shower, campfire cocktails and dinner in the luxurious central restaurant.Accommodation: Mara Sarova Tented Camp (B, L, D)
Day 7
Spend the whole day on safari in Africa's richest wildlife viewing arena. Historically teeming with wildlife, the Mara hosts Kenya's largest lion prides and elephant herds. Other predators include leopard, cheetah and spotted hyena; while in the Mara River you will see fat pods of hippo and vast Nile crocodiles. Other highlights include giraffe topi, gazelle, zebra, buffalo and over 550 species of birds. Spend the evening in camp where colorful Masai dance and cultural performances are offered nightly.Accommodation: Mara Sarova Tented Camp (B, L, D)
Day 8
After breakfast you will depart for Mara Serena Lodge with a game drive en-route, where you will be spending the next two nights at the Mara. You will arrive in time for lunch. Siesta until 1600Hrs when you will leave for an afternoon game drive each year, far south in the great vastness of the Serengeti, the wildebeest raise their dignified but quaint heads, sniff the air and, as if by one accord, start the long trek to the Kenya border and the Masai Mara National Reserve. After exhausting the grazing in Tanzania's northern Serengeti, a large number of wildebeest and zebra enter the Masai Mara National Reserve around the end of June drawn by the sweet grass raised by the long rains of April and May. Accommodation:Mara Serena Lodge LDBB
Day 9
Early morning tea or coffee and thereafter enjoy a full day in the Mara with two game drives included. This reserve is situated to the west of Nairobi, on Tanzania's northern border - it is the extension to the larger Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. The Maasai Mara offers wonderful scenery and an abundance of big 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.
It is a reserve of breathtaking vistas, panoramas of vast rolling plains, hills and woodland groves, well watered by the lovely Mara River, which bisects the Reserve from north to south. The Mara is home to the largest population of lions in Kenya, these magnificent beasts spending most of the day sleeping in the shade of acacia trees. Vast herds of buffalo, zebra and wildebeest roam the plains. Impala, gazelle, giraffe and hartebeest grace the landscape, and the cautious topi may also be seen standing sentinel on earth mounds on constant lookout for predators. The waters of the Mara River are home to crocodiles and pools of hippo, the acacia woodlands and riverine forests favored by leopard and elephant, and the open savannah and dry bush areas play host to the plains' game and their attendant predators such as lion, cheetah, hyena and jackal.Accommodation: Mara Serena Lodge LDBB
Day 10
After breakfast at the lodge, bid farewell to the Masai Mara as you set on your journey back to Nairobi. Drive back down the Great Rift Valley to Nairobi. Keep an eye out for herds of giraffe and gazelle. You will arrive in Kenya's bustling capital city Nairobi in the early afternoon.
PRICES
$4,399.00 per person sharing triple
$4,599.00 per person sharing twin
$5,899.00 per single
Price in USD valid for a minimum of 10 guests
Optional Services
One Way flight Wilson - Mara per adult 197.00 (subject to change)
QUOTATION INCLUDES:
1. Accommodation as stipulated in the itinerary.
2. Transportation in a chauffeur driven minivan with pop-up roof for easy game viewing & photography.
3. Services of an English speaking driver-guide, game viewing drives and parks entrance fees as indicated in the itinerary.
4. All Government taxes and levies.
5. Complimentary 500 ml mineral water per person per game drive in the safari vehicle.
6. All meet and greet services.
7. All arrival and departure transfers.
8. 24 hours stand-by contact number.
9. Meals as indicated in the itinerary.
10. 7 passenger guaranteed window seat in each vehicle.
11. Two-way long range high frequency radio communication in each vehicle.
12. On safari accessories in each vehicle: - First-aid kit, wildlife books, a pair of binoculars, cool box and fire extinguisher.
13. Services of James Johnson
QUOTATION EXCLUDES:
1. All items of personal nature e.g. telephone call bills, fax/email bills etc. Tips and gratuities to hotel, lodges, camp staff and driver- guide(s). Budget approx. $ 2.00 – $ 4.00 per person per day for lodge and hotel staff, $ 1.00 per bag for porters and $ 10.00 - $ 12.00 per person per day for driver-guides).
2. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks,
3. Any local or international flight and departure taxes.
4. Laundry services.
5. Any other item(s) not included in our itinerary.
6. Visa fees (currently US$ 25.00 per passport holder - and FOC for children under 16). Visas are available on arrival at international airports or recognized border entry points.
7. Flying doctors coverage: Optional @ US$ 20 dollars per person.
§ Covers you within East Africa for a period of 14 days. In the eventuality of a medical emergency, you will be airlifted to Nairobi where you will be taken to a good hospital. Hospital bills are born by the patient.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS ONLY A PROPOSAL AND SPACE
CONFIRMATION WILL BE ADVISED ONCE WE RECEIVE YOUR
BOOKING CONFIRMATION REQUEST..
ACCOMMODATION INFORMATION
The Stanley
The New Stanley Hotel was first opened in 1902 as "The Stanley". In the passing years modern Nairobi has sprung up around the New Stanley Hotel which with its ideal location and vibrant atmosphere at the corner of Kenyatta Avenue and Kimathi Street, lies in the center of the commercial business district. The New Stanley underwent a complete yet sympathetic refurbishment. The design concept takes on a Victorian Theme, retaining the high ceilings and old world charm of that era while incorporating every comfort and luxury for the traveler of today.
With this transformation the New Stanley has re-inherited its original name, The Stanley.
Mountain Lodge
At 7,200 feel on the slopes of Mount Kenya, Mountain Lodge is ringed by a dense rain forest which comes alive at dusk with a myriad of sounds of creatures all sizes. Constantly towering the scene are the majestic rocky peaks of Mount Kenya, providing some dramatic photographic opportunities. This is the adventure offered at Mountain Lodge, regarded by many as having the most consistent high record of animals "visits" and sightings in the area. Mountain lodge is a two and half hour drive from Nairobi and has 42 rooms each with private showers, toilets and spacious verandahs. Game viewing throughout the day and evening includes, elephant, buffalo, rhino and waterbuck. A specially constructed viewing bunker, connected to the lodge by a short tunnel, offers spectacular closer views of wildlife at the waterhole.
Sarova Shaba Lodge
The Lodge is situated in the Shaba National Reserve. This Reserve is part of a conglomeration of reserves in the Eastern Province, descending from Mt. Kenya, at the entrance to the vast scrub desert that reaches beyond L.Turkana, are situated Samburu National Reserve, Buffalo Springs National Reserve and the third contiguous National Reserve, Shaba. The Ewaso Nyiro River whose origin is the northern slope of Mt. Kenya around the Nanyuki Township borders all the reserves. The river's name is a derived from the local community's language. It means the river of brown or muddy water.
Shaba is the only lodge in the 239 sq. km Shaba National Reserve. The reserve was gazetted as a conservation area in 1976. Thirteen (13) years later, the lodge became officially operational. This is an 85-room, three-star lodge whose decor perfectly blends with the adjoining environment. The lodge is set on a natural oasis and the water is channeled into cascades and fishponds on the entire premises. The Lodge basks in a legacy bequeathed by Joy Adamson of the 'Born Free' fame. She was wife of a prominent conservationist, George Adamson, who was a senior game warden of the area. Joy raised her adopted animals next door to the current Sarova Shaba Lodge's site. She first came to Kenya in 1910. Located in the Semi-desert Shaba Game Reserve in the Central Kenya the Sarova Shaba Lodge offers the guests a chance to see the bounty of unique wildlife made famous by the film "Born Free". In March 1998, the Lodge played host to the cast and crew of the " Born Free", true-life story of George and Joy Adamson and starred both Kenyan actors and International film stars. The majority of the filming took place in the Game Reserve but some of the scenes were actually shot in the lodge.
Sarova Lion Hill Lodge
Set on a plateau in an elevation above Lake Nakuru. The lodge is beautifully landscaped with natural foliage and a startling variety of flower gardens, and is surrounded by electrical fences. Flamingo Restaurant on the ground floor has an interior section, a patio overlooking the pool, the lodge grounds and the rift valley and serves a buffet breakfast and lunch. Dinner is table d'hote Capacity of 200 people. Rift Valley Bar Ground floor, overlooking a spectacular view of the lake.
All bedrooms are chalets with private shower and WC, mosquito net, verandas with panora
Sarova Mara Camp
Relaxing outside your own tent listening to the Orchestra of rasping Cicadas, croaking Tree Frogs and the intermittent call of birds and monkeys is a memorable symphony. The Camp is set in the African bush but the luxurious tents all have permanent roofs, zip-up fronts, electricity and ensuite facilities. The Camp is set in the African bush but the luxurious tents all have permanent roofs, zip-up fronts, electricity and ensuite facilities.
Mara Serena Lodge
An interpretation of a traditional Masai Manyatta village of domed huts, Mara Serena Safari Lodge is set on the saddle of a hill where it overlooks the 1,800 square kilometers of rolling plains, woodlands and rivers that make up the Masai Mara Triangle - one of the world's richest wildlife sanctuaries. No other lodge has such a spectacular view of the surrounding landscape or the game and birdlife that inhabit it. It is on this very terrain stretching endlessly before the lodge where the annual migrations take place, where millions of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle traverse the landscape to feed on the rich new grass and give birth to their young.
An architectural echo of the traditional Maasai manyatta (village) of domed huts, the guest rooms of Mara Serena are styled and arranged to blend into the natural landscape. Every room is an individual"hut" - spread out to give each one uninterrupted views of the plains, the meandering riverine forest and the silhouetted hills beyond.
Additional Information:
Drinks:
These are not included in our costs although we do provide complementary mineral water in vehicles.
Visa:
All nationals will require visas for Kenya. The cost of which is US$50 per person per entry. We recommend that where possible our clients attain their visas in advance, although they are available upon arrival in Kenya.
Climate:
The climate is hot and sometimes humid. From December to March, when the north-east monsoon blows, it is hot and humid. In April and May heavy rains occur with June to October being the coolest and driest period. The lesser rains fall in November. Temperatures sway between 25 degrees Celsius and 35 degrees Celsius and annual rainfall is about 20mm.
Baggage allowance:
Baggage is restricted to 15kg per person on the domestic flights within East Africa. Soft-sided luggage or duffels are preferable to hard luggage for storage on safari vehicles and on aircraft used within Africa. Large suitcases of dimensions greater than 24" x 17"x 7" are impossible to store in vehicles and on aircraft and should not be used. ( Baggage and personal effects are at owner's risk throughout the tour and baggage insurance for members is strongly recommended).
Shopping Trips
Driver/Guides will only stop at the shops/curios stall, which are recommended by Safari Ventures. We provide escort at no extra cost to accompany guests on shopping trips so as to help with recommendations and save money.
