2nd Annual Girlfriend Getaway

Highlights

Day 1

Nairobi

Welcome dinner at Safari Park Hotel. We were entertained by safari cat dancers as we enjoyed our Nyama Choma dinner.

Day 2

  • Nairobi National Park: Nairobi National Park (at 117 sq. km, is one of Africa’s smallest) has abundant wildlife which can, in places, be viewed against a backdrop of city skyscrapers and landing planes – it’s one of the only national parks on earth bordering a capital city. Remarkably, the animals seem utterly unperturbed by it all. The park hosts a wide variety of wildlife including the endangered black rhino, lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, buffaloes, giraffes and diverse birdlife with over 400 species recorded.
  • The Giraffe Center: The Giraffe Center was started by Jock Leslie-Melville, the Kenyan grandson of a Scottish Earl.  He and his wife Betty captured a baby giraffe to start a program of breeding giraffes in captivity at their home in Langata.  Since then the program has had huge success, resulting in the introduction of several breeding pairs of Rothschild Giraffes into Kenyan national parks. The Giraffe Centre is located in Langata, approximately 5 km from the center of Nairobi, Kenya. It was established to protect the endangered Rothschild Giraffe that is found only in the grasslands of Africa. In 1979, Leslie-Melville added an education center to his (then still private) giraffe sanctuary.
  • Elephant Orphanage: Daphne Sheldrick, Elephant Orphanage: Get up close and personal with orphaned elephants (and often rhinos). This is where Daphne Sheldrick has perfected the raising and reintegrating of orphaned elephants into the wild. The visit will be from 11am to 12pm. Here you will see the elephants being fed and playing. In addition, there is a keeper who will give a talk about the elephants, where they came from, how they are getting on, and how some of the previous orphans are progressing. You can get really close to the elephants. The orphanage also takes in rhinos so if you are lucky, you will get a chance to see a young rhino
  • Nairobi City Tour
  • Carnivore Restaurant

Day 3

  • Ngong Hills Hike: The Ngong Hills are peaks in a ridge along The Great Rift Valley. The word Ngong is a Maasai word meaning ‘knuckles’ derived from the 4 highest peaks of the hills. The highest peak of the Ngong Hills is at 2460 meters (8070 feet) above sea level.
  • Olepolos Country Club
  • Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya and the starting point for many safaris. Just over a century ago Nairobi was little more than a water depot for the notorious “Lunatic Express. Nairobi which means ‘cool water’ in the language of the Maasai is now the main gateway to East Africa and gives access not only to Kenya, but also Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda. Since it was founded little over a century ago, the city has grown at an unimaginable rate.

Day 4

Maasai Mara Game Reserve driving further through the Great Rift Valley

Day 5

  • Maasai Mara
  • Full day game drives
  • Maasai Village

Maasai Mara Game Reserve is an extension of the Serengeti National Park and is named after the traditional inhabitants of the area, the Maasai.  It is also the home of the Annual 7th Wonder of the World; the wildebeest migration. There is an abundance of animals in the park such as elephants, giraffes, and a variety of gazelle species and zebra. Mara is also Maasai country and one is likely to see the Maasai Morans herding their cattle.  The terrain is primarily open savannah grassland that is in places broken up by rocky outcrops, small valleys, and clumps of acacia trees and some forest around the rivers. There are 3 main rivers; the Sand River, the Talek, and the Mara. The Talek and the Mara meet in the center of the park and continue as the Mara River. It is famous for its cats and of course for the annual migration. It is also great for watching birds, larger animals, and plains game.

Day 6

  • Hells Gate National Park: Hell’s Gate National Park covers an area of 68.25 square km and is situated in the environs of Lake Naivasha about 90 km from Nairobi. It is characterized by diverse topography and geological scenery. The Park is dry and dusty but infinitely peaceful, it is safe to explore by bicycle or on foot. Large carnivores are very rare so you can cycle to your heart’s content past grazing zebras, giraffes, impalas, and buffaloes. And if the pedaling isn’t enough exercise, hike the gorge or climb Fischer’s Tower.
  • Picnic in the countryside
  • Nightlife (optional)

Kenya Nightlife:  Nairobi city transforms at sundown to become the ultimate partying hub, full of revelers bustling about, trying to find the perfect spot to party the night away. Music from the tons of clubs all around seems to get louder as the night approaches, and there is no shortage of drinks and snacks to munch on as you rave.

Day 7

  • Beach/Spa day to Mombasa (optional)
  • Free Day to explore Nairobi at leisure

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