Secret & Classic Kenya

Nairobi - Aberdare National Park. We leave Nairobi this morning and drive to Aberdare National Park or Mount Kenya National Park, arriving in time for lunch. After lunch and high tea, we continue to The Ark Tree Lodge, set in the forested slopes of the Aberdare Mountains at about 7,000 feet.

Here we enjoy high altitude game viewing, with chances to see species rarely encountered elsewhere, including giant forest hog, bush pig, tree hyrax, large spotted genet and the elusive bongo. Wildlife can be observed from different levels at the lodge – outdoors to take in the sights, sounds and scents of the forest, or indoors where you can stay cosy with a cup of tea. Buffet lunch and dinner at the lodge. Overnight at The Ark Tree Lodge or similar.

Aberdare National Park - Ol Pejeta Conservancy - Nanyuki. We travel from Aberdare National Park to Sweetwaters in the secluded heart of Ol Pejeta Ranch and Rhino Reserve near Nanyuki. This private sanctuary protects endangered rhinoceros and other wildlife. We settle into Sweetwaters Tented Camp. We include buffet breakfast, buffet lunch and buffet dinner at the camp. Sweetwaters Tented Camp or similar.

Nanyuki - Lake Nakuru National Park. After breakfast at the lodge, we leave Sweetwaters and drive to Lake Nakuru National Park in the Great Rift Valley, travelling with a packed picnic lunch.

After lunch, we head out on an afternoon game drive – wildlife here is plentiful and impressive. We round off the day with dinner at the lodge. Included meals: buffet breakfast, picnic lunch, buffet dinner. Accommodation: Lake Nakuru Lodge or similar.

Lake Nakuru National Park - Lake Naivasha National Park. We spend the morning in Lake Nakuru National Park with the chance to see flamingos and other birdlife – around 350 species have been recorded. The park is home to both black and white rhinoceros and was established to protect endangered species. Other possible sightings include colobus monkeys, leopard, giraffe and a variety of plains antelope.

We then depart for nearby Lake Naivasha with a picnic lunch en route, arriving for an evening boat ride on the lake. Dinner and overnight at Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort or similar. Meals – buffet breakfast; picnic lunch; buffet dinner.

Lake Naivasha National Park - Hell's Gate National Park - Masai Mara. After breakfast at the lodge, we drive to Hell’s Gate National Park. Once inside, you can choose between a game drive in a safari vehicle or cycling 7 kilometres to the ranger’s post, after which you set off on a walking safari to enjoy the gorge’s striking viewpoints.

After lunch, we continue to the Masai Mara National Reserve – part of the greater Serengeti ecosystem, renowned for the Great Wildebeest Migration and home to the Big Five. We check in at Masai Mara Sopa Lodge or Ol-Moran Tented Camp for dinner.

We spend a full day in the Masai Mara, one of the world’s great wilderness areas. After a buffet breakfast at the lodge, we set out on a morning game drive, returning for lunch before heading back out for an afternoon drive, with a focus on migration sightings. Wildlife is varied, abundant and often easy to see – resident species include Masai giraffe, buffalo, impala, zebra, topi, and both Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles. Buffet breakfast, buffet lunch and buffet dinner are included at the lodge. Overnight at Masai Mara Sopa Lodge or Ol–Moran Tented Camp or similar.

We spend another full day in the Masai Mara with morning and afternoon game drives. Distant shapes may reveal giraffes, a clump of bushes could hide a pride of lions, and that shifting rock might be a rhino moving off the track. With patience and a little luck, we may encounter cheetahs or watch elephants crossing ahead, while warthogs often provide light-hearted moments as they scamper past. Buffet breakfast and lunch are served at the lodge between drives, followed by buffet dinner in the evening. Overnight at Masai Mara Sopa Lodge or Ol–Moran Tented Camp or similar.

Masai Mara - Nairobi. We enjoy an early buffet breakfast at the lodge or camp, check out, and head out on a final game drive as we depart the Masai Mara. We then travel by road to Nairobi with a packed lunch for the journey, arriving in the late afternoon.