Highlights of Kenya

Receive a warm karibu (welcome) to Kenya, as you touch down at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Arrive at your hotel, then the rest of today is all about going pole-pole (slow). Sleep off the jet lag and ease into holiday mode before meeting up with your Costsaver Driver Guide and fellow travellers for a briefing and traditional (and tasty) dinner.

Today is all about taking in the delights of Nairobi your way, with two optional experiences to enjoy during the day. Culture vultures will want to join the Nairobi City Tour to see must-visit sights including City Market, Parliament Buildings and the National Museum and Snake Park. In the evening, food lovers can opt to join an unforgettable trip to Africa’s “greatest eating experience” at Carnivore Restaurant. With a unique feast including delicacies such as crocodile and ostrich, it’s the perfect way to top off your day in Nairobi.

Swapping concrete jungles for iconic views of mighty Mount Kilimanjaro and the home of the legendary Maasai, today you'll travel to Amboseli National Park. Settle in to your accommodation nestled among Amboseli's vast plains before heading out on a safari adventure later this afternoon. Surrounded by scenes that feel like a real-life film set, the fantasy of coming to Africa will really set in, and it will be all eyes peeled during your first encounters with Kenya's epic wildlife.

In Africa, the early bird gets the best wildlife sightings. Rise before the sun to head out on a morning safari through Amboseli National Park with your Driver Guide in search of leopards, cheetahs and lions. As the sun rises, sit back and enjoy the ride whilst watching large herds of African elephants roaming through the park’s “salty dust” and high grasses. Enjoy lunch with the snow-capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro in the background. Return to your lodge as the sun goes down for a delicious dinner and an evening of swapping stories about all the animals you spotted.

Another day, another blockbuster. The utterly serene Lake Elementaita is guaranteed to capture your imagination today, not least because of the multitude of bird species that inhabit this area - some of which can only be found here. See if you can spot the lake’s Great White pelicans, greater and lesser flamingos, yellow-billed stork, or African spoonbill from the camp grounds. If you’re a self-proclaimed twitcher or bird enthusiast, welcome to utopia.

Why not start the day your way, with a lazy breakfast and a cup of steaming coffee whilst admiring the view. Wave goodbye to Lake Elementaita and cast our eyes on the vast expanse of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Today the Maasai Marai is all yours to explore. Accompanied by your Driver Guide, your mission today (should you choose to accept it), is to spot the Big 5. Keeping energy levels high, you’ll tuck into a picnic lunch whilst out in the wild, before continuing the safari adventure into the afternoon. If you’re visiting between June to October, you may even get a chance to witness the Great Migration, where vast herds of wildebeest make their annual journey across the plains. Keen to learn more about the culture and people of this ancient land? An afternoon Optional Experience will give you the chance to visit a Maasai village to learn about local life and traditional customs.

The words of ‘Out of Africa’ author Karen Blixen will feel especially poignant as you say a final farewell to the Maasai Mara this morning. “If there were one more thing I could do, it would be to go on safari again”. Well, never say never! Returning to Nairobi in a haze of wildlife and happy memories, you’ll have a quiet afternoon at your hotel ahead of your evening flight (onward flights should not be booked to depart until after 5 pm). If you already can tell you’ll want another day to explore cosmopolitan Nairobi and grab some final gifts, consider staying overnight and flying out the following evening. On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilised.