Kenya, Masai Mara & Serengeti Adventure

Day 1 - Tuesday 11 April 2023

Melbourne - Kenya (Meals Inflight)

Welcome to Sisterhood Womens Travel!  Meet your Sisterhood Tour Hostess and fellow travellers at the Melbourne Airport for our flight to Kenya.  Sit back, relax and enjoy the inflight entertainment of our airlines as we head towards Nairobi.  JAMBO - KARIBU!! 

Day 2 - Wednesday 12 April 2023

Melbourne - Kenya

Upon our arrival into Kenya we'll be warmly met upon our arrival with a traditional, unique & special welcome (bubbly, wet towels and presentation of authentic safari hat and a beautiful authentic canvas pouch filled with safari essentials).  Check in to our hotel in time for a good nights sleep!

Overnight - The Sarova Stanley (or similar)

Day 3 - Thursday 13 April 2023

Nairobi Sightseeing (B,L,D)

After breakfast we begin our exploring with a visit to the David Sheldrick elephant orphanage. Opened for just one hour a day and set in the Nairobi National Park, the orphanage will give us a rare opportunity to come close to baby elephant, their ages vary from a few months up to 3 years. Each orphaned elephant is assigned its own keeper who acts as a replacement mother and will stay with the elephant until it is re-introduced into the wild. The keeper as well gives a talk about the elephants, where they came from, how they are getting on and how some of the previous orphans are progressing.

We then move onto the Karen Blixen Museum situated at the foot of the Ngong Hills. The Museum was originally the home of Karen Blixen of the Out of Africa fame. This is combined with a visit to the Giraffe Centre, an educational centre and part of African Fund for Endangered Wildlife. The centre has a small herd of Rothschild's Giraffe which are endangered species and you will get a chance to feed them.

Afterwards we'll visit Kazuri Beads and Pottery Centre. This is a popular place for many guests who have just a few hours to spend seeing the sights of Nairobi.  Kazuri beads produce brightly-colored, hand-made ceramic jewellery which are sold all over the world.

Return to the hotel, freshen up then later in the evening, we'll have dinner with the Manji Family.

Overnight - The Sarova Stanley (or similar)

Day 4 - Friday 14 April 2023

Nairobi - Lake Nakuru National Park (B,L,D)

Today after breakfast, we drive to Lake Nakuru with a brief stop at the Rift valley view point. We'll arrive at our lodge to a very warm welcome and lunch. This afternoon our first game view to some interesting places including the baboon cliff, the lion hill and the Mau escarpment. The park is one of the best game viewing parks with various animal species including prides of lion, Cape buffalo, waterbucks, wart hogs, the endangered Rothschild giraffes, the black and white Rhino, the Burchell’s zebra, impalas, and the elusive leopard among many others. Over 300 bird species have been recorded here too. Lake Nakuru National Park is one of the best places to see the endangered black and white Rhino.

We return to our lodge for dinner and overnight.

Overnight - Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge (or similar)

Day 5 - Saturday 15 April 2023

Tipilikwani Mara Camp, Maasai Mara (B,L,D)

Enjoy an early breakfast and depart for the Maasai Mara National Reserve offering wonderful scenery and plenty of 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. Arrive for lunch at our lodge and afterwards we'll enjoy and afternoon of game viewing in the vast and expansive reserve teeming with game. Be on the look-out for the famous big five; the most sought after in the early 20th century, when Kenya was a hunters' paradise. These include the lion, Cape buffalo, the savannah elephant, black rhino and the elusive leopard.The vast savannah grasslands stretch as far as the eye can see is home to impalas, maasai giraffes, waterbucks, warthogs, thompson and grant's gazelles, topis, the resident wildebeests among many others.  Game drives offer the unforgettable opportunity to enjoy the diversity of animals and birds living permanently in the Maasai Mara, as well as many migratory species and to also learn more about the Maasai people, proud pastoralists and warriors, many of whom still retain their traditional nomadic lifestyle.

After our game drive a specilal visit to a local Primary School in the area that is supported by ‘The Manji Foundation’ to enjoy meeting the children who will interact and hopefully sing a few songs for us – a truly remarkable and rewarding experience!

Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Overnight - Tipilikwani Mara Camp, Maasai Mara (or similar)

Day 6 - Sunday 16 April 2023

Game Viewing in the Maasai Mara (B,L,D)

Today, as a group, we will make a choice to go out on an early morning game viewing drive and return to camp for a hot breakfast OR enjoy a hearty breakfast first and head out for a full morning’s game viewing drive returning to camp for lunch.

We will also visit a traditional Masai Manyatta and experience the culture of this world famous community. The Masai still live as they did for centuries - interact with these nomadic people and experience their way of life as we learn about their customs and traditions.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY: Balloon Safari over the Mara plains in time with the sunrise and affords guests the opportunity to experience an eagle’s view of the Masai Mara and all it’s beauty. To complete the celebration, a champagne breakfast is served on the Mara plains after the flight. 

Return late afternoon to the camp for dinner and overnight.

Overnight - Tipilikwani Mara Camp, Maasai Mara (or similar)

Day 7 - Monday 17 April 2023

Mwanza, Lake Victoria, Tanzania (B,L,D)

Enjoy an early breakfast and depart with a simple but delicious picnic lunch to Tanzania via the Isebania/Sirari border. Clear all immigration and customs procedures to enter Tanzania and continue to the shores of Lake Victoria, the largest fresh water lake in Africa.  We'll enjoy the rest of our day at the resort, where fingers crossed, we will witness a spectacular sunset shimmering over the lake.

The massive 6.5 million-hectare Lake Victoria is shared by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Known as one of Africa’s ‘Great Lakes', it is world-renowned as the source of the Nile and is Africa’s largest lake. Its waters are rich in fish life with shimmering shoals of colourful cichlids and large Nile Perch, sought after by the local fishermen. 

Dinner and overnight at our lodge.

Overnight - Serenity on the Lake Eco Luxury Resort  (or similar)

Day 8 - Tuesday 18 April 2023

Mwanza, The Serengeti (B,L,D)

Enjoy a delicious breakfast and proceed to the Serengeti National Park. Covering an area of 14,763 square kilometers, this world famous Serengeti National Park is Tanzania's oldest park, and one of the world's last great wildlife refuge. The Serengeti ecosystem supports the greatest remaining concentration of plains and in Africa, including more than three million large mammals. The Central Serengeti forms part of the great wildebeest and zebra migration and provides an ideal habitat for a variety of wildlife such as giraffe, impala, waterbuck, hippo, elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, hyena, jackal, serval and much more. 

We will enjoy a picnic lunch en route and an afternoon game viewing drive before a lovely dinner at our lodge.

Overnight - Serengeti Sopa Lodge (or similar)

Day 9 - Wednesday 19 April 2023

The Serengeti (B,L,D)

This morning after breakfast, depart with picnic lunch boxes for a full day of game viewing drives on vast Serengeti plains. In the early morning and evening light, the Serengeti landscape is stunningly beautiful. The rolling plains and grasslands, stretching far into the horizons as far as the eye can see, is home to the black-manned lion, the savannah elephant, the cape buffalo, wildebeest, the elusive leopard, cheetah, the spotted & stripped hyena, rhino, topi, burchelle’s zebra, masai giraffe among many others. Serengeti National Park is one that can never disappoint.  There are many variety's of bird and wildlife species in this game reserve. Enjoy dinner and overnight stay.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY: Dawn Balloon Safari over the Serengeti Plains ending with a champagne breakfast - $750 (Subject to availability)

Overnight - Serengeti Sopa Lodge (or similar)

Day 10 - Thursday 20 April 2023

Ngorongoro Conservation Area (B,L,D)

After breakfast, we depart for Ngorongoro, stopping enroute at the Oldupai Gorge, one of the most important prehistoric sites in the world to learn about human evolution. We will enjoy an on-site talk on the interpretation of the gorge by the resident guide. We arrive at our lodge to a warm welcome, check-in and lovely lunch.

Ngorongoro Crater has the largest unbroken caldera in the world. It has been described as one of the great natural wonders of the world. Eight million years ago, the Ngorongoro Crater was an active volcano but its cone collapsed, forming the crater that is 610 meters deep, 20 kilometres in diameter, and covers an area of 311 sq. km. Spectacular as it is, the crater accounts for just a tenth of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The crater is home to many species of wild game and birds. With the exception of impala and topi (due to fierce competition with the wildebeest) and the giraffe (because there is not much to eat at tree level), almost every species of African plains mammal lives in the crater, including the endangered black rhino, and the densest population of predators in Africa. The birdlife, which includes the flamingo, is mainly seasonal, and is also affected by the ratio of soda to fresh water in Lake Magadi on the crater floor.  Depending on weather conditions we'll end the day with a Guided Walk around the Crater.

Dinner and overnight at our Crater Lodge.

NOTE: Warm jacket/cardigan is highly recommended.

Overnight - Acacia Farm Lodge (or similar)

Day 11 - Friday 21 April 2023

Ngorongoro Conservation Centre (B,L,D)

After breakfast we descend some 610 metres into the crater which is home to an abundance of wildlife and a photogenic paradise, for a full day of game-viewing drive with a picnic lunch. Ngorongoro Crater is the largest intact caldera in the world. Some of the wildlife that are permanent residents of the crater floor are prides of lions, herds of Cape buffalo, impala, Thompson gazelles, rhino, giraffes, golden & black-backed jackal, zebra, cheetah, leopard and the spotted hyena freely roam on the crater floor plains. Known for its natural variety & breath-taking beauty, there are few places on earth where such a tremendous diversity of landscapes exist inside a region this size. Apart from its wildlife riches, the crater is also of great archaeological importance, with the remains of some of mankind’s earliest ancestors discovered in the area, also a home to hundreds of bird species, refreshing in the small lakes in the crater floor.

Return late afternoon to our lodge. Enjoy dinner and overnight.

Overnight - Acacia Farm Lodge (or similar)

Day 12 - Saturday 22 April 2023

Ngorongoro - Tarangire National Park (B,L,D)

After breakfast we depart to Tarangire National Park, which of all Tanzania parks boasts the largest number of savannah elephants, arriving at our lodge for lunch. This afternoon we depart on an exciting game viewing drive in this area dotted with majestic baobab trees, stately eland antelopes among other game. Herds of up to 300 elephants scratch the dry Tarangire river bed for underground streams, while migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest and eland crowd the shrinking lagoons. It's the greatest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti ecosystem - a smorgasbord for predators and the one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as the stately fringe-eared Oryx and peculiar long-necked gerenuk are regularly observed. 

Enjoy dinner and overnight at the lodge.

Overnight - Tarangire Sopa Lodge (or similar)

Day 13 - Sunday 23 April 2023

Tarangire National Park - Amboseli National Park (B,L,D)

An early morning breakfast and depart for Amboseli National Park.  We'll stop for lunch in Arusha at Arusha Coffee Lodge and visit Shanga to see a bead factory with an open workshop for glass-blowing, weaving, sewing, tingtinga painting, bead-making and metal work, as well as a shop. Shanga is one of life’s small and heartwarming success stories. In 2007 Saskia Rechsteiner made some necklaces for a Christmas Fair in Arusha, and now Shanga employs many disabled Tanzanian people. Continue to Amboseli via Namanga, the border town between Kenya and Tanzania where we will clear all immigration and customs formalities.

Amboseli is home to lions, buffalo, cheetah, giraffe, baboon, gazelle hippo and wildebeest among many others. It is also an ornithological paradise with over 400 species of birds, flora and fauna and some of the most soul-searing views in Africa.

This afternoon we'll enjoy a game drive in this park with the majestic and tallest snow-capped mountain in Africa, Mt. Kilimanjaro towering over the plains of the park. 

Located in the southern reaches of Kenya, the Amboseli National Park is renowned for its excellent variety of wildlife such as Masaai giraffe, elephant, lion and cheetah and not surprisingly it is one of Kenya's most popular parks. The landscape of Amboseli is dominated by the majestic snow cap of Mount Kilimanjaro, as well as open plains, acacia woodland, swamps and the massif of Ol Doinyo Orok. The birding is excellent, especially closer to the lakes and swamps. The park is famous for being the best place in Africa to get close to large herds of elephants among other wildlife species. Other attractions of the park include opportunities to meet the Maasai people and soak up spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world.

Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Overnight - Amboseli Serena Lodge (or similar)

Day 14 - Monday 24 April 2023

Amboseli National Park (B,L,D)

Today we will enjoy a visit to a local school in Amboseli and spend some time with the gorgeous school children. 

Later we'll enjoy more game viewing drives. Amboseli offers some of the most breathtaking views in Africa. Her scenery - one of the best places for a photogenic view of Mount Kilimanjaro (weather permitting) is next to none. This is best seen on a clear day. Amboseli National Park provides the classic Hollywood image of Africa. The park is famous for her large herds of giant elephants.

In the evening we will have a group Cooking Class, mastering the local Cuisine.

Dinner and overnight.

Overnight - Amboseli Serena Lodge (or similar)

Day 15 - Tuesday 25 April 2023

Amboseli - Nairobi - Melbourne (B, L, Meals Inflight)

Unbelievable but true, our fantastic bush moments have come to an end. We bid farewell to our wonderful lodge manager and his team then depart for the Nairobi Airport. Not empty handed though. With us are many photographs – a capture of the special moments we have had on this tour as a permanent reminder of an amazing experience. 

Enroute we will stop at a rerstaurant for our last lunch together. before arriving at the airport for check in. 

Sit back, relax and enjoy the inflight entertainment of our airlines as we head towards home.

** Or if you're not ready to leave Africa why not continue your adventure by joining our 10 Day Sisters in the Mist Uganda add on tour.  Please contact Sisterhood Central for more information.

Day 16 - Wednesday 26 April 2023

Welcome Home!

Welcome Home!  What an amazing time we've all enjoyed.  Thank you for travelling with Sisterhood Womens Travel and we look forward to welcoming you back for your next adventure.