11 DaysJeep Safari: In the footsteps of lioness Elsa

Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you will be expected with a name badge and taken to your hotel in the quiet Karen district, where you can rest from the flight – 1 overnight at the Hotel Rudi.

After breakfast your driver awaitis you and you will start north towards Mt. Kenya – with lunch in Nanyuki – and drive to Meru National Park, still an insider tip. The park is a wild, ralely visited beauty which will cast you its spell on you. Many wild animal species were resettled here after years of poaching and have increased in number. The orphaned lioness Elsa was released back into the wild on one of the famous Kopjes – today there is a small luxury camp.

However, you will spend the night in a wildly romantic camp just before the park entrance which you will reach in the afternoon. Time to relax from the impressive drive and to explore the surroundings of the camp – 2 overnights at Ikweta Safari Camp (B/L/D).

After breakfast, you go on a full day game drive and explore the beautiful, huge national park with your driver. Listen to the rushing waters of the Tana River and feel going back in time to the 1960’s, when Joy and George Adamson had camped out here. Visit the rhino sanctuary and have a picnic at a beautiful spot before returning to camp in the late afternoon (B/L/D).

After a delicious breakfast and a guided nature walk around the camp, you continue to Samburu land. Elephant, lion and giraffecan be seen quite often. After a picnic in the reserve, check in at the lodge and relax a bit.

Afternoon game drive along Ewaso Nyero River. We keep our fingers crossed that you will see a leopardbefore dusk. After sunset you come back to the lodge –
1 overnight at Samburu Sopa Lodge (B/L/D).

After breakfast, you check out and go on a long game drive with picnic lunch before you drive to the neighboring Shaba National Reserve and your next lodge.

In the afternoon game drive to the memorial plaque for the lioness Elsa and to look out for other animals and impressive landscapes – 1 overnight in the Sarova Shaba Game Lodge (B/L/D).

Today, after an extensive morning game drive and breakfast, you drive to Nanyuki.

Before that, go for a guided hike through the protected forest at the foot of Mt. Kenyas to learn more about the traditional uses of various types of plants and trees. picnic on a beautiful place in the forest. You will arrive at your accommodation in the late afternoon. Let the day end with a glass of wine and admire the stars at an altitude of almost 2,000 m –
1 overnight at Le Rustique (B/L/D).

Today you can sleep a bit longer and after breakfast at 9.30 am start heading towards Nakuru . Stop at the equatorand at Thomson Falls in Nyahururu, where you will have lunch at a local restaurant. After another stop with at Subukia Valley Viewpoint, you will reach your hotel in Nakuru in the afternoon – 1 overnight at Eagle Palace Hotel (B/L/D).

Early breakfast and departure to the nearby Lake Nakuru National Park. The park is known for its abundance of birds and is also home to many rare and endangered animal species. Rhinocerosis ‘almost’ guaranteed here, as are the rare Rothschild giraffe, buffalo and zebras.

After a picnic(self-catering) on ​​the “Out of Africa” cliff with a view over the lake or at the Makalia Falls (your driver will see where it is better that day), you will continue your game drive. In the afternoon, you drive slowly towards the exit and proceed to Lake Naivasha (approx. 70 km).

There you will spend the night at Joy Adamson’s legendary property – a house that still clearly conveys the spirit of the past when the Adamson’s spent time with the lioness Elsa and their other cats. An unforgettable atmosphere with a view over the lake – you will wish you could stay here longer – 3 overnights in Elsamere(B/D).

After breakfast, guided walk at Crater Lake Sanctuary, past antelopes (impalas, elan) and gazelleswith a view over Crater Lake. You will be back in Elsamere for lunch. In the afternoon, you can watch a documentary about Jay Adamson and visit the on-site museum.

With a cup of tea or coffee and homemade cake you can enjoy the view over Lake Naivasha and the animals in the garden and feel like in bygone times. Dinner in the Adamson’s former living room only adds to the historic impression. Perhaps you will also see a hippograzing in the garden at night (B/L/D).

Colobus monkeys will wake you up for breakfast. Thenafter drive to Hell’s Gate National Park, where a local guide will be waiting for you and guides you around 3 hours through the park, introducing you to flora and fauna. You shall see warthogs, zebras, Masai giraffes, gazelles and buffalo. Picnic at the entrance to the gorge, a great place to hike (approx. 1.5 hours).

In the afternoon, boat ride on Lake Naivasha to see hipposand many water birds up close.

The delicious dinner in Elsamere rounds off a wonderful day (B/L/D).

After an excellent breakfast, spend the morning in Elsamere or use it for one last shoppingin Naivasha.

Lunch again in Elsamere.

Depending on the departure time of your flight, you will drive to Nairobi, where you will say goodbye to your driver at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (B/L).

(B = Breakfast / L = Lunch / D = Dinner)