On Safari in Kenya

REMARKABLE WILDLIFE & LANDSCAPES

Kenya is home to vast and varied landscapes, peppered with huge herds of wildlife, including the sweeping Tsavo East National Park, the largest national park in the country. You’ll really get to know your surroundings as you spend six nights at Ashnil Aruba Lodge on full-board basis, close to the park. With luck, on this extraordinary safari holiday, you’ll get a glimpse of the fabled Big Five of lions, leopards, rhinos, buffaloes and elephants.

Highlights

Fly to Nairobi and spend the night there, before travelling to Voi, near Tsavo East National Park
Spend a day at the Kenya Wildlife Service Education Centre, with a fascinating included talk by a qualified park ranger
Explore the spectacular Lugard’s Falls and Crocodile Point
Enjoy five included open-air safaris into Tsavo East National Park, led by wildlife experts
Pay a visit to a local primary school in Voi and the Commonwealth War Cemetery
Take the train from Voi to Nairobi

Inclusions

Eight nights’ carefully chosen accommodation, including two at the Eka Hotel, Nairobi, and six nights full-board at the Ashnil Aruba Lodge, Tsavo, plus one night on the aircraft
17 meals, including six breakfasts, six lunches and five evening meals
Return flights to Nairobi
Comfortable, air-conditioned coach transfers throughout
Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager and wildlife specialist

Day 1

Fly overnight from the UK to Nairobi, Kenya’s bustling capital.

Day 2

Meet your tour manager upon arrival in Nairobi and transfer to the nearby Eka Hotel for an overnight stay. Relax and unwind as you enjoy a night at leisure, perhaps dining in a nearby restaurant, no doubt looking forward to an exciting adventure ahead.

Day 3

Check out of your hotel this morning and begin your scenic transfer to the Ashnil Aruba Lodge, on the edge of Tsavo East National Park, Kenya’s largest national park and home to the fabled Big Five – lions, leopards, rhinos, buffaloes and elephants. You’ll stop en route for some light refreshments, before continuing your journey. Sit back and relax as the urban cityscape melts into pristine wilderness, keeping your eyes open for wildlife. You’ll arrive at the lodge in the late afternoon for a six-night stay on full-board basis. Settle in and unwind after your journey, perhaps taking a dip in the pool before dinner is served under the stars this evening.

Day 4

Join your tour manager this morning for the short drive through Tsavo East National Park to the Kenya Wildlife Education Service Centre for a fascinating talk, delivered by a qualified park ranger, about the wildlife you’re likely to encounter over the new few days. After the talk, you’ll pay a visit to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, before returning to the lodge in time for lunch. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure, followed by a late-afternoon game drive before dinner back at the lodge.

Day 5

Rise and shine early this morning for an included excursion to the nearby Lugard’s and Crocodile waterfalls. You’ll be supplied with a picnic lunch for the day. Your first stop will be Lugard’s Falls, located on a pretty stretch along the Galana River. Named after Captain Frederick Lugard, the famous British explorer and colonist, the falls are a wonderful landscape of water-sculplted channels partioned with rocks. Enjoy your packed lunch here as you take in the incredible panoramic view, before the tour continues to Crocodile Point, where, with luck, you’ll see plenty of these magnificent creatures. Return to camp for dinner and to enjoy a night under the stars.

Days 6 and 7

The next two days bring four included spectacular safaris into Tsavo East National Park, one of the world’s oldest game reserves. With a bit of luck, you’ll spot the Big Five and many other wonderful animals, including buzzards, giraffes, ostriches, African wild dogs, cheetahs and many many more.

Day 8

After breakfast, head out with a packed lunch to nearby Voi, where you'll visit a local primary school and the Commonwealth War Cemetery, home to 136 graves of soldiers who died during World War One. Return to the lodge, enjoying a game drive en route. Please note, visits to the school will only go ahead during term time.

Day 9

After breakfast, check out of the lodge with a packed lunch and head to the SGR Teminus to catch your train to Nairobi, where you’ll check into the Eka Hotel for an overnight stay and enjoy the evening at leisure, no doubt reflecting on a wonderful adventure in East Africa. The train to Nairobi will take approximately 4 hours.

Day 10

Transfer to the airport this morning for your return flight to the UK, at the end of a fantastic week exploring Kenya’s vast wilderness. You’ll land in the UK in the early evening.

Further Information

Hotel transfer times

The transfer time from the airport to your hotel is approximately 1 hour.

Passports and visas

British Citizens require a visa to travel to Kenya, which can be applied for online. We will send you details prior to travel. Passports must be valid for six months from your date of entry into Kenya, and have two adjacent blank pages available for arrival in Kenya.

Foreign Office Travel Advice

Visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to find out the latest Foreign And Commonwealth Office travel advice for your holiday destination, as well as information about passports and visas.

Luggage allowance

You are permitted to take one suitcase per person on the aircraft, which should not exceed 23kg.

Special requirements

If you have notified us of any special requirements, please check that they have been noted and acknowledged. This is especially important with any dietary needs you may have.

Disabled access

The majority of our tours involve a certain amount of walking, including a short walk from the coach stop to the town, attraction or venue you're visiting. If you are bringing a wheelchair, please let us know at the time of booking so that appropriate arrangements can be made. In many developing countries access is sometimes not as easy as at home. Should you have walking difficulties, getting around monuments and attractions may be harder and, in some cases, impossible. Should you have any concerns whatsoever please do contact us prior to travel.

Travel vaccinations

Requirements and advice can vary over time, and from person to person, so please contact your GP about eight weeks before your trip to check whether you need any vaccinations or any other preventive measures.

Changes to your hotels

Should circumstances require, we reserve the right to accommodate you in alternative hotels, of a similar standard, nearby. Full details of your hotels will be sent with your Final Travel Documents.

Road Conditions

In developing countries road networks are continually being improved and expanded, which can mean that, from time to time, roadworks and rough road surfaces can extend journey times. Some journeys are made on winding mountain roads and passes, which may also make for slow travelling - although the scenery is usually worth it! Many roads do not have separate pavements or safety barriers, and great care should be taken when crossing or walking alongside roads.

Itinerary changes

Occasionally, for operational reasons, we may have to change the order of the excursions on your holiday. The final day-by-day itinerary will be confirmed on your Final Travel Documents, which you will receive approximately three weeks prior to your departure.

The Great Migration

Why not coincide your safari with the annual Great Migration, which sees the largest mass movement of mammals on Earth, travelling from Tanzania to Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve and back again? Witness over one million stampeding wildebeest and other wild animals make the journey, which usually can be seen in the Maasai Mara from July to September. Prices naturally increase at this time, but the spectacle is more than worth it.