Saturday July 19, 2008  We will be leaving the United States today for in Nairobi, Kenya. Arriving at approximately 2:00 PM Sunday July 20, 2008. 

Sunday July 20, 2008 Day 1: Nairobi, Kenya. Today we will start our day in Nairobi, Kenya's capital city and the starting point for your safari adventure. You will meet your guide and take a city orientation tour. An optional welcome dinner, including transfers, is available at the world-renowned Carnivore Restaurant, where you'll find all sorts of meat and game cooked to delicious perfection, carved tableside and served with a variety of sauces and salads ($40). Hotel Nairobi Hilton – guestroom (B)

Monday July 21, 2008 Day 2: Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. After breakfast, board your touring coach for the Masai Mara National Reserve, which borders Tanzania's Serengeti National Park. Every year, between June and September, millions of wildebeests and zebras migrate into the Mara in search of water. The timing of this phenomenon varies, depending on the rains, but they usually start heading back to the Serengeti in October. Whether you see the migration or not, the Mara almost guarantees you'll enjoy a magnificent time in Kenya. Here among the grassy plains and lush landscape, you'll find a huge variety of game, the largest in all of Kenya, including lions, cheetahs, buffalo and abundant bird life such as ostriches, cranes and storks. Enjoy lunch at your lodge then relax until later this afternoon when you'll take your first game drive through this haven of wildlife. This afternoon you'll have an optional opportunity to visit to a Masai Village for an in-depth look at this colorful and pastoral people in their natural setting ($15).  Hotel Keekorok Lodge or similar (B, L, D)

Tuesday July 22, 2008 Day 3: Masai Mara National Reserve. Today you will take two safari drives, one in the morning and another in the early evening, in a safari vehicle with roof hatch access for perfect game viewing and photography. You will have the option of replacing one safari drive with an optional balloon safari ($385) which provides a unique and thrilling opportunity to soar high over the busy for animal viewing from above. Whether you go by air or land, you will enjoy searching for animals native to this fascinating and beautiful area guided by your expert driver, who will amaze you with his ability to spot game hidden in the bush. (B, L, D)

Wednesday July 23, 2008 Day 4: Lake Nakuru National Park. Early this morning, you'll drive to Lake Nakuru National Park, known throughout the world for its two million flamingos as well as its other birds. The sight of the massed flamingos is quite spectacular, and when you look down on the lake from an overlook, it appears to be ringed in pink. Arrive at the park in time for lunch at the lodge and a little time to rest. Later this afternoon enjoy a game viewing drive with a stop at the shore of the lake to see the flamingos at close range as well as other animals which also inhabit the park. This park is a rhino sanctuary, and offers probably one of your best chances to see these endangered animals. It's also home to rare Rothschild's giraffes as well as buffalo, leopards and lions, which are known to climb trees. Hotel Lake Nakuru Lodge (B, L, D)

Thursday July 24, 2008 Day 5: Samburu Game Reserve. Depart after breakfast and drive north to the remote, dry area of Samburu. This is the homeland of the nomadic Samburu people, whose culture attaches great value to tending their livestock of cattle, sheep, goats and camels as their main economic activity. Samburu is rich in species not seen in southern Kenya's more famous parks, such as Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, kudu and gerenuk. You'll also have a good chance at spotting lions, cheetahs and the elusive leopard. The semiarid landscape is dramatic, with the rugged outcrop known as Mt. Ololokwe a prominent feature. The Ewaso Ngiro River, which forms the southern boundary of the reserve, attracts many birds and is a popular watering hole for elephants. Arrive at your lodge in time for lunch and some relaxation, then take an evening drive for more game viewing.  Hotel Samburu Lodge (B, L, D)

Friday July 25, 2008 Day 6: Samburu Game Reserve. Enjoy another day of game viewing drives in the Samburu Game Reserve during two safari drives, one in the morning and another in the early evening, in a safari vehicle with roof hatch access for perfect game viewing and photography. Enjoy searching for animals native to this fascinating and beautiful area guided by your expert driver, who will amaze you with his ability to spot game hidden in the bush. (B, L, D)

Saturday July 26, 2008 Day 7: Aberdares National Park. After breakfast, enjoy the scenic drive to the Aberdare region, also known as Nyandarua, whose diverse topography includes waterfalls, rain forests, rivers and, at the highest elevations, open moors. After lunch at the Aberdares Country Club or Outspan hotel, with time to relax and enjoy the gorgeous scenery around you, drive to your tree hotel with only an overnight bag while the rest of your luggage is safeguarded at your base hotel. While home to such rare species as bongo (large antelopes whose hides were used to make drums) and black rhino, the dense forest of the Aberdares region makes it difficult to spot animals. However, you'll have perfect viewing from the lounge of your tree hotel of the floodlit watering hole and saltlick where wildlife congregates. Hotel The Ark Tree Lodge (B, L, D)

Sunday July 27, 2008 Day 8: Amboseli National Park. In the morning after breakfast, transfer to the base hotel to collect the rest of your luggage then drive to Amboseli, which lies in the shadow of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The combination of salt flat and marshland provides one of the most dramatic settings in Kenya, and the mountain makes an amazing background for photographing animals. Enjoy lunch en route at Toona Tree Restaurant, then continue to Amboseli, with opportunities for animal viewing en route to your lodge. Hotel Ol Tukai Lodge (B, L, D)

Monday July 28, 2008 Day 9: Amboseli National Park. Waking up for an early morning game viewing drive you return to your lodge for breakfast. From your lodge you enjoy unrivalled views of Mt Kilimanjaro and Meru which can be clearly seen in the morning, particularly before 10 am. The rest of the morning is spent at leisure perhaps enjoying the panoramic views of the park, particularly atop Observation Hill, where you'll also find young Masai ready to have their pictures taken (for a fee). In the evening you undertake another game viewing drive to appreciate the abundance of wildlife that thrives here. Amboseli is known for its elephant herds, amazing to watch as they and buffalo stand in the marshes to keep cool, drink water and munch on vegetation. Other animals, such as zebras and wildebeests and even lions are also found here. This park, like others you visit, is a bird-watcher's paradise. (B, L, D)

Tuesday July 29, 2008 Day 10: Kenya/Tanzania. After breakfast, board your touring coach and drive to the Kenya/Tanzania border at Namanga. Continue to Arusha and enjoy lunch at the Arusha Hotel. After lunch drive to Tarangire National Park, home to thousands of elephant, and, in the dry season, game which congregates along the river after having migrated from the Masai Mara. Tarangire is an ornithologist's paradise, rich in an incredible diversity of birds. In addition, large herds of antelope, zebras, gazelles, buffalo, wildebeest, leopards, elephants, rhinos and lots of smaller mammals make the park their home. Arrive at your lodge later in the afternoon, with game viewing en route. Hotel Tarangire Sopa Lodge (B, L, D)

Wednesday July 30, 2008 Day 11: Lake Manyara National Park. After breakfast drive to Lake Manyara National Park. Located at the base of the Great Rift Valley, the park is covered with forest, woodland, grasslands, and swamps. After lunch, take a game drive in search of tree climbing lions and thousands of flamingos dotting the lake. Hotel Lake Manyara Serena Lodge (B, L, D)

Thursday July 31, 2008 Day 12: Ngorongoro Conservancy. After breakfast drive to Ngorongoro Conservation Area arriving at in time for lunch at the lodge. This extinct volcano, whose completely intact rim rises 1800 ft above the floor, offers among the very finest game viewing in Africa. It is considered one of the world's greatest natural wonders, and its abundant game, including rare species such as black rhinos and cheetahs and magnificent scenery will thrill even the most experienced safari traveler. After lunch, descend into the crater, whose floor, with the passage of time, has become grassland with a lake in the middle that is a sanctuary and source of water for the abundance of wildlife found. Hotel Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge (B, L, D)