Jambo! Welcome to Kenya. When you arrive, you’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel in Nairobi, where you’ll meet your local leader and fellow travellers for a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive early, maybe browse the artistic and cultural displays at the Nairobi Gallery or lounge by the pool at your home for the night – a central hotel complete with bold pan-African art and a sauna and steam room. After your welcome meeting, you’ll head out for dinner with your group. Sharing food is a big part of the culture here and a great way to get to know your new travel companions – maybe try samosas, fried plantains and tilapia. It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place. You will be travelling in a 4WD landcruiser throughout your trip. Each landcruiser has a maximum capacity of six passengers per vehicle, ensuring that everyone has a window seat and access to the pop-up roof. For groups of seven or more, we provide a second vehicle.

Today, you’ll travel to the Great Rift Valley of East Africa. Along the way, you’ll stop in Elsamere – the former home of writer Joy Adamson, whose 1960 book helped bring wildlife conservation into the mainstream. The house is a veritable museum dedicated to the works of Joy and George Adamson, with many photos of Elsa (the lioness that started it all). Then, embark on a boat trip on Lake Naivasha, the highest lake in the Great Rift Valley and home to many hippos. Later, sit down to a high tea lunch on the very grounds Joy cherished for so many years, with the lake as a serene backdrop. After lunch, continue to your Lake Nakuru lodge, arriving in the early evening. From your lodge, take in the magnificent views of Lake Nakuru and the surrounding national park, alive with the call of birds and rich in wildlife.  Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.

This morning you’ll visit Lake Nakuru National Park – situated in the heart of the Great Rift Valley. As you explore, look for some of the many birds and wildlife who call this national park home – including waterbuck, Rothschild’s giraffes, gazelles and leopards. After a morning spent learning about this diverse landscape with your knowledgeable local leader, you’ll return to your lodge for lunch, before heading out for a game drive this afternoon. Keep your eyes peeled for one of Africa's most endangered creatures, the elusive black rhinoceros.

Travel to the Maasai Mara this morning – one of the most active and beautiful game reserves in Africa. Today is a bit of a long travel day, so it’s a good idea to get stuck into a book or favourite podcast. Along the way you’ll cross the Great Rift Valley and pass by the remote region of Loita Hills, home of the Maasai people. This is one of the few places where they still practice their traditional way of life with little influence from the western world. Stop at Tepesua Village where you’ll be welcomed by Maasai warriors through traditional song and dance. When you arrive, you’ll meet your Maasai hosts and take a walk to the community village. The village offers support, safety and economic growth through the Tepesua Widows Income Project, where widowed women sew eco-friendly handicrafts to sell to visitors and locals. Learn about village life and be shown around a traditional Maasai home and cattle enclosure. Later, move on to Zebra River Camp – your Feature Stay accommodation for the next three nights. Here, you can watch the sunset and share stories over the bonfire (maybe with a cocktail) before retiring to your room. Your travel time today will be approximately 7 hours.

Explore more of the park by 4WD today with game drives from morning to afternoon. You’ll drive to the further part of the Maasai Mara National Reserve to look for wildlife including wildebeest, zebra and gazelles. Elephants, giraffes and elands are also commonly sighted, along with plenty of bird life. The area is known for its green plains and riverine woodlands. As the sun starts to set, stop and take a moment to soak it all in with a drink in hand – which is just what you’ll do during your Premium Experience. Set against the backdrop of the open wilderness, indulge in canapes, light bites and a sundowner as the atmosphere comes alive with traditional Maasai dance performances and a cosy bonfire. As dusk falls, a variety of animals might be visible in the vicinity of your camp.

This morning, maybe take an optional hot balloon ride over Maasai Mara at sunrise. If you’ve pre-booked this activity, you’ll be picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site for a safety briefing from your pilot. You’ll then glide through the skies, sometimes at tree height, for some amazing photo opportunities. After landing, you’ll sit down to a bush breakfast before meeting up with the rest of your group. Today you’ll venture into the Maasai Mara National Reserve with expert local driver guides for a day-long 4WD safari. Explore this diverse environment and look for roaming wildlife like lions and cheetahs along the way. An optional hot balloon ride over the Mara at sunrise is offered as a pre-booked service, which guarantees you a place. If you would rather wait and try to get a better price by booking this locally on the ground, you are welcome to, but keep in mind that this is a popular activity, and places are limited.

Say goodbye to the Maasai Mara as you travel back to Nairobi today. When you arrive this afternoon, your adventure will come to an end. If you would like to extend your stay in Nairobi, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time. Your travel time today will be approximately 6 hours. Please do not book any international flights departing from Nairobi International Airport before 8 pm this evening to allow for any unexpected delays. To reduce your travel time back to Nairobi, consider a morning flight from Maasai Mara to Nairobi (additional cost). This gives you the chance to catch a late afternoon international flight out of Nairobi. Please note that the flight from Maasai Mara arrives at Wilson Airport (Nairobi). International flights leave from Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). If you’d like to stay longer in Nairobi, you may require a transfer from Wilson Airport back to our Nairobi hotel. We are able to book the flight and also the transfer to our Nairobi hotel (additional costs involved).