11-Nights Kenya & Tanzania Wildlife Safari - Luxury Small Group Journeys from $12,495

Abercrombie & Kent: Kenya & Tanzania Wildlife Safari

DAY 1 Nairobi, Kenya

Arrive in Nairobi, where you are met and transferred to yourhotel. A microcosm of the African continent, this capitalcity is your gateway to a dramatic procession of naturalspectacles in Kenya and Tanzania, among the most thrillingdestinations in the world.

Drive to Amboseli National Park, known for its thrivingbig-game population, especially elephants, more than 1,000of which live in the park. From a distance, take in views ofthe highest mountain in Africa, the snowcapped MountKilimanjaro, with its impressive Uhuru Peak soaring to19,341 feet. Arrive at your lodge set beneath acacia trees inthe shadow of Kilimanjaro. After lunch, explore the acaciawoodland, freshwater swamps, scrub brush and open plainsin search of wildlife. Part of the park is composed of a drieduplake bed, where mirages rise from the shimmering heat.This evening, share in a special welcome dinner with yourfellow guests.

Set out on early morning and afternoon game drives,crisscrossing the landscape in search of the park’s large herdsof elephants, as well as zebra and wildebeest, along the saltpan trails. Prepare for predator sightings as opportunisticanimals begin roaming the plains in search of prey. Return toyour lodge for dinner, followed by a relaxing evening underAfrican skies.

Cross the border into Tanzania and continue to your hotelon the picturesque slopes of Mount Meru. This afternoon,stop at the kennels of the Canines for Conservation trainingcenter for a special behind-the-scenes visit with the K-9cadets trained to detect illicit wildlife products in cargo andluggage. Return to your hotel, enjoying a refreshing ScenicSundowner on the edge of Lake Duluti before gathering fordinner.

Drive from Arusha to Lake Manyara National Park for amorning game drive, searching for nonchalant baboons,dik-diks that forage for food beneath acacia trees, andlarge herds of buffalo, wildebeest and zebra, which gatheron the grassy, sun-drenched plains. Along a narrow belt ofacacia woodland, you may even spot the region’s storiedtree-climbing lions, ascending branches for a cool breeze.After lunch, travel to Ngorongoro Crater, ascending its outerwall through dense vegetation. Ngorongoro is the largestunbroken ancient caldera in the world and a likely place toview lions, elephants, hyenas and gazelle. This afternoon,participate in a Chef’s Table demonstration in the hotelkitchen, preparing and sampling local dishes.

This morning, descend into the crater, arriving ahead of mostvisitors — thanks to the ideal location of your accommodationson the crater’s rim — to view the resident wildlife at its mostactive time of day. The prairies of this “Lost World” aregreat spots for watching buffalo and elephants as well as thecountless other species that roam the crater’s 100-square-milefloor. You may even sight flamingos (when in season) or rareblack rhinos. Following lunch, visit a Maasai village to gain abetter understanding of the nomadic cattle herders’ daily lifeand culture.

Drive to vast, wildlife-rich Serengeti National Park andthrough its spectacular mix of savanna grassland andvolcanic hills, stopping en route for a privately guided tour ofOlduvai Gorge, one of the key sources of prehuman hominidfossils. Renowned paleontologists Mary and Louis Leakeymade many notable finds here, including “Nutcracker Man,”who lived approximately 1.75 million years ago. Visit theon-site museum, take in views from the lookout point andexamine the excavations, which revealed 3.7-million-yearoldfootprints and the 1.8-million-year-old skull of a human.Continue to your lodge, which is framed by commandingviews of this land of lions, leopards, hyenas, cheetahs,giraffes and topi. The park also serves as a setting for theGreat Migration when it passes through each year. Enjoyyour room’s blend of elegant and contemporary design withinfluences from the traditional Maasai culture.

Today, revel in true safari country, searching for iconicspecies, such as lions, leopards, Cape buffalo and elephants,as well as giraffes, gazelle and zebra. Along the rivers androcky outcrops, you may also spot some of the Serengeti’smore diminutive denizens, such as leopard tortoises andrhinoceros beetles.

Fly to the vast Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya’s finestwildlife spectacle, offering excellent game viewing year-round.The unending landscape hosts some 450 bird species,95 animal species and all of the great predators, including thecountry’s largest lion population. After familiarizing yourselfwith your classic tented accommodations, ideally situatedat the confluence of the Mara’s four game-viewing regions,drive through the famed reserve.

Explore a region bestowed with over 500 square miles ofsavannas, woodlands and tree-fringed rivers on morning andafternoon game drives. You may observe crocodiles baskingin the sun, see ever-alert hippos wallowing in muddy wateror catch the antics of mischievous monkeys overhead. Watch,too, as African elephants rumble along the forest edge andgiraffes snatch leaves from branches high above.

Venture forth on a morning game drive or enjoy an optionalhot air balloon ride (at an additional cost), viewing the MasaiMara and its wild inhabitants from a new perspective. Afterlunch back at camp and time to relax, head out on a lateafternoongame drive for a final look at the Mara’s treasures.Later, enjoy a Scenic Sundowner, sipping traditional cocktailswhile marveling at the incredible open plains just beforedusk — a relaxing prelude to a memorable farewell dinnerwith your fellow guests.

Return to Nairobi. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure in a reserveddayroom before your international departure flight home.