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DAY 1: ARRIVE NAIROBI Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, you will be met by our representative and transferred to the House of Waine (Standard Room) for an overnight stay. Each of the eleven bedrooms is individually styled along a theme featuring canopy beds, deep claw-foot bathtubs, and sumptuous fabrics. Spend the remainder of the day relaxing after your flight. You may like to start exploring on your own with a trip to the National Museum, which houses one of the world's best exhibits on the early history of mankind. The museum has strong connections with the Leakey family and is a major center for paleontology and the study of human evolution. Extensive collections are also devoted to Kenya's fantastic birdlife: most of the country's thousand species are represented. There is also an interesting display of photographs documenting Kenya's struggle for independence. DAY 2: NAIROBI - AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK Transfer to the airport for your flight to Amboseli National Park, best known for its spectacular views of Mt. Kilimanjaro and its impressive elephant population. The park is small but it has a year-round water supply, which keeps a range of animals dwelling amid its marshy depths all year. The park's acacia woodland is home to many bird and mammal species. Spend two nights at Tortilis Camp in a luxury tent built on a wooden platform with a private veranda. (B,L,D) DAY 3: AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK Enjoy a full day of safari viewing activities. The best times to visit are from January to March, when the views of Kilimanjaro are best. Game drives should provide excellent sightings of large elephant herds. This is a semi-arid region, covered with classic savannah. Herbivores such as antelope, buffalo, gazelle, giraffe and zebra flourish here. Recent changes in rainfall patterns have seen wild variations in water levels at Lake Amboseli. When the waters are high, the lake is home to a range of water birds. (B,L,D) DAY 4: AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK - MASAI MARA NATIONAL PARK Transfer to the airstrip for your flight to Kichwa Tembo, in the heart of the great Masai Mara National Park. Upon arrival you will be transferred to Kichwa Tembo Bateleur Camp for a three-night stay. This is a superb base for exploring the wonders of Maasai Mara, one of east Africa's greatest wildlife enclaves. The area is home to a concentration of game that existed throughout much of Kenya until the early 20th century, but now has been severely depleted elsewhere. Lion prides live around the Musiara Swamps, while cheetah, leopards, and rhinos maintain a relative isolation. The annual wildebeest migration is one of the most extraordinary events in the world, as hundreds of thousands of animals travel across the Serengeti Plains of Tanzania, over the border and into the Masai Mara. They arrive in July and August, struggling across the Mara River on their journey to the eastern side of the reserve. (B,L,D) DAYS 5 & 6: MASAI MARA NATIONAL PARK Spend these days fully exploring this wonderful wildlife spectacle. The Mara is a truly magical setting: the lazy views, the sunsets, the canopy of stars and the campfire experience make this a wonderful part of your journey to Kenya. Watch the relationships between predators and their prey. Mating rituals, playful wrestling of young animals, stalking, and the full range of life amid the plains are awe-inspiring experiences. Game drives, walking in the bush, and meeting with the Maasai all provide excellent opportunities to learn about this extraordinary realm. You may also wish to arrange for an optional balloon flight, which provides a sublime view over the plains; discuss incorporating this option into your itinerary with your Absolute Travel consultant. (B,L,D) DAY 7: MASAI MARA - DIANI BEACH Transfer to the airport for your scheduled flight to Diani Beach where you will transfer to the Alfajiri Villas (Cliff Villa) for the next three nights. The three ultra-exclusive villas (Cliff, Garden, and Beach) known collectively as the Alfajiri Villas are considered the finest accommodation on Kenya's Indian Ocean coast. The interiors of the two- and four-bedroom villas are designed with African artifacts, large windows, ivory floors and exposed wooden beams. With its floor-to-ceiling glass walls, the romantic Turret Suite in the Cliff Villa has a 270-degree view of the sea, as well as a private pool perched on the edge of a cliff. All three villas feature private verandas with plush hand-carved sofas surrounded by green gardens and magnificent ocean views. DAYS 8 & 9: DIANI BEACH Spend two full days relaxing and enjoying optional activities including golf, fishing, boat excursions to the nearby coral reef for scuba diving, snorkeling, and more. Guests feast on fresh local seafood flown in daily and prepared by the chef and served in the privacy of their own dining room. Massages and reflexology are also available as part of the experience. DAY 10: RETURN TO NAIROBI Transfer to the airport for your flight to Nairobi. (B) |