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Welcome to Nairobi, and so the adventure begins.
You will arrive into Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (international flights not included), clear immigration (Kenya visa available online in advance of travel or upon arrival. We recommend you apply before departure for convenience), collect your bags and proceed through customs to the arrivals hall. Here, you will be warmly welcomed by our representatives who will assist you with luggage to the private vehicles. Road transfer to the historical and tranquil neighbourhood of Karen.
On arrival, you will check in as a group for one night at House of Waine with dinner and breakfast included.
After breakfast please pack up and be ready in reception at the agreed time. Depart in the private vehicles to Wilson airport (the domestic terminal). Here, you will disembark and meet your private pilot. Board your private sole use Cessna “Grand Caravan” and depart Nairobi heading North to Meru National Park. Along the way you will enjoy Kenya’s magnificent scenery from the air. Spot majestic Mt Kenya before landing at the Meru airstrip.
Upon landing, please disembark and meet your guides who will transfer you in 4x4 to camp, game viewing along the way. On arrival at Elsa’s Kopje savour two magical nights with all meals, soft drinks, beer, house wine, game drives and laundry included.
Spend these days enjoying morning and afternoon safari activities with your private guides not to mention spectacular views, Born Free history, visit to the Rhino Sanctuary and very special sundowner drinks together as a group with your wonderful guides.
Good morning for the last time here in Meru. Enjoy your early morning safari activity and return for breakfast. Then it's time to pack up and head off again to the airstrip. Board your private use Cessna “Grand Caravan” and fly to Loisaba. This is a scenically beautiful flight over the northern frontier district. On arrival into Loisaba airstrip, disembark, collect your bags, and meet your private guides who will transfer you to your accommodation.
Check in and spend two nights at Loisaba Tented Camp with all meals, local brand drinks, and safari activities included. Spend these days enjoying morning and afternoon safari activities on the private concession with your private guides.
Loisaba is a more remote area away from the crowds and here there is a wonderful opportunity to visit a local Maasai village and learn about local life.
As the sun rises and you venture off on one last Loisaba safari activity, ahead of you awaits the Masai Mara. Enjoy breakfast before packing up and heading to the airstrip. Bid your guides goodbye and board the Cessna “Grand Caravan” flight to the world famous Masai Mara.
On arrival at the airstrip, you will be met by guides, assisted with luggage into the 4x4 vehicles. Game drive to camp. Arrive at Elephant Pepper Camp and enjoy two nights with all meals, soft drinks, beer, house wine, game drives and laundry included.
Can you believe you are here on safari in the Masai Mara? Enjoy every morning and afternoon game drive during the peak migration season (based on average migration trends, of course not guaranteed as it's weather and wildlife dependent). You can also experience guided walking safaris and night game drives.
Elephant Pepper Camp Masai Mara
Enjoy your last Masai Mara game drive and breakfast. Ensure you are all packed up and ready to go at the agreed time. Road transfer to the airstrip where you will bid the guides goodbye and board your private aircraft bound for the Northern Serengeti. This flight goes via Kisumu and Musoma to clear immigration procedures. On arrival into the Serengeti's Kogatende airstrip, disembark and meet your guides who will assist with luggage into the 4x4 vehicles. Transfer to camp, game viewing along the way.
Check in and spend three nights at Lamai Serengeti with all meals, local brand drinks and private safari activities included. Spend these days enjoying morning and afternoon game drives with your private guides. Peak migration season is in full swing so you may get the opportunity to witness an iconic river crossing.
Simply put, the very best game viewing in the world today is found in this area of Tanzania. It is not well known and we like it that way! Imagine secret valleys and rolling hills with the Mara river running through. Kogatende, also known as Wogakuria offers great quality game viewing without the crowds and all year round. The pinnacle of safari though is between July and October when the migration herds are moving through, it's adrenalin fuelled excitement. Hopefully you will witness a river crossing and just be forewarned you may see crocodiles gorging themselves. Big cats are all here - lion, cheetah and leopard and each predator makes the most of the smorgasbord of nomadic mega herds passing through.
The only accommodation options in this area are small tented camps, luxury mobile operators and three luxury tented lodges. There are no public campsites, large lodges or tourist crowds. Basically you enjoy a private concession experience in a national park located in a prime position to witness the worlds greatest natural migration.
After your morning safari activity and breakfast, it is time to pack up and head with the guides back to the airstrip. Here, bid the staff goodbye and board your private charter flight bound for the Ngorongoro region. Note there is no airport at the Crater due to weather conditions, so you will land at Lake Manyara airstrip. Disembark and meet your guides who will assist with luggage into the vehicles. Road transfer to your accommodation passing through local villages along the way.
Check in and spend two nights at Gibb's Farm with all meals, local brand drinks, and safari and plantation activities included.
This afternoon the group will participate in the "Donate a Desk" project. Two desks have been included and you have the opportunity to deliver them to the school.
ABOUT GIBBS FARM
This is a beautiful working plantation and luxury accommodation in Karatu, the nearest town to Ngorongoro Crater. It produces coffee and fresh produce on the southeastern slopes of the Ngorongoro Crater. The area sits at about 75,00 ft above sea level, often with its head in the clouds, and feels lush, green and in stark contrast to the dry floor of the Rift Valley a short distance to the east. There are wonderful plantation activities on offer to guests from watching coffee processes to visiting the fresh produce farm, picking vegetables, milking cows, making bread or visiting the resident artisans.
DONATE A DESK PROJECT
Gibbs Farm created this fantastic initiative in response to the desperate need for desks in schools, primary and secondary. It is not uncommon to see 3 or 4 children sharing a desk. So Gibbs Farm offers guests the opportunity to pay for a desk to be crafted and presented to the local school. It's a simple and empowering way for our guests to make a difference to the lives of children in Tanzania.
The material to produce each desk is purchased locally and carpenters expertly build the desks to precise specifications after which they carefully engrave a personal message by hand. You are welcome to join the carpenters for an afternoon in the workshop and assist with the crafting of the desks. When delivering the desks to the school, the headmistress will conduct a tour of the school and there will be a small ceremony followed by some playful interaction with the children.
Today is an early start and we highly recommend you rug up because the Crater is cold early mornings. After a quick breakfast, you will meet your guide and descend onto the Ngorongoro Crater floor. Enjoy a morning safari and picnic lunch at one of the designated sites before returning to your accommodation in the afternoon.
There are so many other activities that can be done such as biking, coffee and garden tour, forest walk to enjoy in the afternoon or following morning.
After your morning activity and breakfast, it's time to pack up one last time and head off with the drivers to Lake Manyara airstrip. Board the private plane and fly to Kilimanjaro Airport. You will arrive around lunch time so you are able to connect with afternoon international flights home.
Why not extend your stay and head over to Zanzibar with time in the cultural melting pot of Stone Town and beach lazy days with dhow sailing, snorkelling, diving and more on offer. We've previously had guests add on Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking which can be done in Rwanda and Uganda or why not go to the ultimate paradise, Greystoke Mahale for Chimp trekking in Tanzania.
All arrangements with Encompass Africa come to an end unless we can help tailor a finale to your Air Adventure Safari.
