The 7 Nights 8 Days Ernest Hemingway and Joy Adamson’s Footsteps Safari takes you to Nairobi, the “green city in the Sun”, the picturesque Amboseli National Park which submissively curls itself on the foothills of the mighty snow-capped Mt. Kilimanjaro, Meru National Park; one of Kenya’s best kept safari secrets where the lioness Elsa, of the famous film “Born Free” by Conservationists Joy and George Adamson was first released into the wild. Torlitis Camp is arguably the epitome of luxurious camping accommodation not just in Amboseli but on an African safari. Elsa’s Kopje, your abode on this safari blends into the hillside of Mughwango Hill, site of George Adamson’s original camp. Sand River Masai Mara Camp is located alongside the banks of the river of the same name. Close to the border of the Serengeti National Park, and within the Masai Mara National Reserve, Sand River Mara lies on the most northerly route of the spectacular Annual Migration. Request a Quote
7 Nights 8 Days Ernest Hemingway and Joy Adamson’s Footsteps Safari
Day 1- Arrival in Nairobi: Arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport where our safari manager will meet and assist you to your private vehicle. You will be chauffeur driven to your hotel, located in the posh Karen suburbs of Nairobi and assisted with check in formalities followed by pre-safari briefing. Rest of the day at leisure with dinner on own account.Overnight stay at Hemingways Nairobi.
Day 2- Nairobi / Amboseli National Park: Early breakfast at your hotel. Pick up at 0630 and transfer to Wilson Airport for a domestic flight to Amboseli National Park scheduled to depart at 0730 hrs / 0815 hrs. Arrival at Amboseli airstrip at 0800 hrs / 0855 hrs. You will be met by your safari guide in a customized 4 x 4 safari jeep and transferred to your lodge with game viewing en route. Morning hours at leisure to rest until lunch is served from 1230 hrs. At 1600 hrs, enjoy game viewing activities in the park, located at the foothill of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain until 1800 hrs.
Dinner and overnight stay at Tortilis Camp/ similar.
Day 3- Amboseli National Park
Morning and afternoon game drives and activities in Amboseli as per the camp’s schedule. Rest of the day may be spent enjoying the African sun at the camp’s swimming pool or resting in your room.
Amboseli enjoys stunning views of Mt. Kilimanjaro with good weather and clear skies and has several lakes and swamps that attract several wildlife and bird species. Lions, Hippos, Cheetahs, black backed Jackals, Zebras, and several bird species including the Kori Bustard (the heaviest flying bird)
Amboseli is one of Kenya’s most popular national parks, located very close to the Tanzania border. The snow-capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro rising above the clouds dominates every aspect of Amboseli. Years ago, this was the locale around which such famous writers as Ernest Hemingway and Robert Ruark spun their stories of big game hunting in the wilds of Africa. The park encompasses dry lake beds, savannah woodland and extensive swamps constantly fed by springs emanating from the mountain. The water and seasonal lakes attract a wide variety of bird and animal life, in particular herds of elephant. Amboseli is one of the best parks in Africa to observe family groups of elephants and large bull elephants at close quarters. All meals and overnight stay at Tortilis Camp /similar.
Day 4- Amboseli / Meru National Park: After early breakfast, you will be transferred to the local airstrip where you catch your scheduled flight to Meru National park via a connection in Nairobi. Arrival at the local airstrip at around 1030 hrs and your guidewill be at hand to welcome you, followed by transfer to your lodge for check in. Your discovery of Meru’s untamed wilderness and stunning scenery begins this afternoon as per your lodges’ schedule. All meals and overnight at Elsa’s Kopje.
Day 5- Meru National Park
Morning and afternoon guided game viewing activities as per the lodge’s schedule. Meru is vast with arid, open plains dotted with Doum Palms and Baobab trees and lush vegetation along 13 rivers, like green ribbons, bisecting the Park. Elsa’s lodge is invisible to the eye as you approach the kopje (means a small hill). Meru National Park is a complete wilderness. Brilliant on a magnificent scale, Meru features luxuriant jungle, coursing rivers, verdant swamp, khaki grasslands and gaunt termite cathedrals all under the sky’s great blue bowl. Little visited and utterly unspoilt, few places are comparable to the remote and rugged atmosphere found here. Visitors can see Grevy’s zebras, Elephants, Bohor reedbucks, hartebeests, pythons, puff adders, cobras, buffalos among others and more than 427 recorded species of birds. All meals and overnight at Elsa’s Kopje.
Day 6- Meru /Masai Mara National Reserve: Breakfast will be served at your camp from 0630 hrs. Check out and enjoy a game drive en route to the airstrip for your scheduled morning flight to Masai Mara via Nairobi. Arrival in Masai Mara in the afternoon where you will be met at the airstrip by guide from the camp in a customized 4 x 4 safari vehicle and transferred for check in with game viewing en route. Dinner and overnight at Sand River Masai Mara Camp /similar.
Day 7 – Masai Mara: You will have the full day to explore the Masai Mara savannah as per the lodge’s game viewing activities schedule. Your professional guide will be on the lookout for your sightings of interest or the spotting that you were not lucky to get to your bucket list the previous day. This reserve’s open savannahs abound with game density, prolific birdlife as well as the annual wildebeest migration involving millions of Wildebeests and Zebras which takes place every year between July and October. This reserve is home to the BIG 5, which are Lions, Leopards, Buffalos, Rhinos and Elephants amongst several other animal species. Birdlife is also prolific in the reserve with over 400 bird species having being recorded as residents of this reserve. Mid-morning and early afternoon will be at leisure in your lodge or enjoying a swim. This day, you can enjoy game viewing and scenery from a bird’s eye view on a Hot Air Balloon, and your guide may also organize for an optional visit to an authentic Masai Village, to sample the day to day life of this African tribe which has somehow managed to co-exist with wildlife for years. All meals and overnight at Sand River Masai Mara Camp /similar.
Day 8 – Depart: Breakfast will be served from 0630 hrs. Check out and enjoy a game drive en route to the airstrip for your scheduled morning flight back to Nairobi. Arrive at Wilson Airport at around 1300 hrs, Met and proceed for Farewell lunch to be served at the Carnivore Restaurant /similar and we will then transfer you to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your evening / night onward flight.
OPTIONAL HOT AIR BALLOON SAFARI IN MASAI MARA – USD$ 435 per person payable together with the safari
End of the 7 Nights 8 Days Ernest Hemingway and Joy Adamson’s Footsteps Safari.
Inclusions in the above 7 Nights 8 Days Ernest Hemingway and Joy Adamson’s Footsteps Safari package:
- Return transfers from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in private, air-conditioned vehicles.
- Bed and breakfast accommodation in Nairobi Hotels.
- Full board accommodation (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) while on safari.
- Shared airstrip transfers and game drives in customized 4 x 4 safari land cruisers complete with a pop-up roof / open sided for enhanced photography and sightseeing (Safari Vehicles have no A/C).
- Park entrance fees and conservation fees to the listed parks and national reserves.
- Enrollment on the AMREF FLYING DOCTOR emergency medical evacuation cover provided guests have valid travel insurance.
- Scheduled domestic flights as per itinerary, Services of professional, English speaking safari / driver guides.
Meals and Activities as listed in the itineraries, Applicable Government taxes on tour services.
NB: Some game camps in the itineraries above have welcome cocktails, local beers, soft drinks, non-premium spirits, Mineral water, tea and coffee, bush picnics, sundowners, guided bush walks and laundry included in their packages. We have the details available on request.
Exclusions in the above 7 Nights 8 Days Ernest Hemingway and Joy Adamson’s Footsteps Safari package: Request a Quote
*Additional sightseeing or deviation from the itinerary, all items of personal nature such as tobacco; mosquito repellents, laundry, drinks/beverages; phone calls, etc, Tip for guides, porters, waiters, Medical/Travel Insurance, Festive season supplements, All International Flights, Kenya Entrance Visa (USD 50 per person), Any Other Items not in the inclusions list above.