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Contact UsAn overnight flight between New York and Nairobi takes about 17 hours.
Overview:
The best time to visit Kenya for a safari is between July and October when the big migration reaches the Maasai Mara in July until the game returns to the Sarengeti in Tanzania in October.
The rainy season is normally from March to May and during that time less animals are to be seens as they do not need to move around to find water. November through February prices are lower and short showers are frequent.
Should you have more or less than 12 to 14 days to visit Kenya we recommend the following itinerary with a stay of 2 or 3 nights in each place. Should you have less time, we will select the best and prioritize the regions which will correspond to your preferences and to main interests.
Today’s visit to Nairobi includes the Elephant Orphanage where cute baby elephants have been saved after poachers killed their mothers. Then from the top of an upper gallery at the Giraffe Center, you can feed giraffes or even give them a kiss. In the afternoon visit the open air museum of a traditional Village at Bomas. Various tribes are represented and dancing performances are part of the exhibits.
Full day excursion to Nairobi National Park, the first National Park created in Kenya in 1946. Originally it had been an animal reserve since 1910. You may well see buffalos, ostriches, wild beasts, rhinos, jackals, sprinbox and also lions. Four of the big fives are present with the exception of the elephant.
Departure in the morning for a 5 hour drive more or less to cover 182 miles and reach Lake Nakuru. You will arrive before sunset for an evening game drive.
Settle in a safari lodge for 2 nights
The main inhabitants of the shores of Lake Nakuru are the flamingoes and the Rhinos. Flocks of thousands of the birds live on the shore and eat the algaes from the lake.
Rhinos were introduced following a project to save these animals which were on the verge of extinction and rehabilitated quite successfully in this region.
Morning departure to cover the 6 hour drive which will cover 182 miles and take us to the famous Reserve of the Maasai Mara. As for all safaris we will enjoy a game drive with our nature guide in the evening to spot some of the animals.
Today we will follow our guide and drive through the vast grassland of the Reserve in order to meet with some of the animals which are part of the great animal migration. We will stop and visit a fascinating Maasai village to learn about their unique culture.
An experience of a lifetime is also possible if you are ready to spend $450 0r $500 for ballooning over the plain. Nowhere else can you balloon and view exotic animals. The views from the sky will be spectacular.
Drive back to Nairobi Airport to take a short flight of 50 minutes to Mombasa. Your orientation guided city tour includes Fort Jesus which is on the UNESCO Heritage list. It was built between 1593 and1596 for King Felipe II of Castille a.k.a as King Felipe I of Portugal. Then, twenty miles south of Mombasa, embark on the ferry which in a few minutes will take you to Diani Beach. A splendid stretch of more than 10 miles of white sands are waiting for you to relax and enjoy the pristine water of the Indian Ocean.
Diani Beach is there, peaceful and beautiful. You could go snorkeling or sailing for a while on a local boat called a “dhow”; it is a typical two-mast vessel used originally for transporting all kinds of goods on the Indian Ocean.
You could also go and visit the Kongo Mosque dating from the 14th century.
The area is well known for its coral reefs and the black and white Colobus monkeys.
Note that the largest park in Kenya, Tsavo National Park, one of the largest game sanctuaries in the world, is only 3 hours away from Diani Beach and could be added to the program.
Back to Mombasa airport for a short flight that will take you to Lamu Island in 40 minutes. The ambiance and the slow rhythm of life of this island is accentuated by the fact that pushcarts and donkeys are replacing cars. Check-in at your hotel for 2 nights and start your promenade through another world.
The first settlements on the Island of Lamu date from the 12th century and it is now one of the best preserved centers of the Swahili culture for which tradition goes back before the birth of the Prophet Mohammed. A great mixture of traders, sailors and natives results in a unique social structure of European, African, Arabic and Asian traditions. Social groups correspond to their origin and each group speaks its own dialect.
The slave trade made the island very prosperous for a while but it declined soon after 1873 when the slave markets closed. In 1890 it became part of Zanzibar but returned to Kenya when independence was granted by the British in 1953.
Fly to Nairobi for your international flight back home.
This sample tour is just an example of a specific itinerary related to the country we just described to give you an idea of what is available in that country when you travel.
All our trips are tailor-made and we are at your disposal to plan your trip in consideration of how many people will be traveling, how many days you wish to travel, the season, the standard and the location of the hotels, the amount of meals you wish to include, the guided tours or experiences which will show you not only the “must see” landmarks but also the special interest sites and events you will love that are off the beaten track.
Francoise is the president and founder of Celestial Voyagers. She graduated with a tourism degree at Nice University in France and has worked as a tour director and operations manager in France, Australia and Mexico. Settling in New York City, she founded Celestial Voyagers with the aim of creating uniquely curated group travel for adults and Academia.