The Ultimate 2 Weeks Kenya And Tanzania Safari Itinerary

The Ultimate 2 Weeks Kenya And Tanzania Safari Itinerary. This is the charm of Africa: that even before leaving a place that had become more like home than home, a brilliant man like Hemingway would lie in his tent, homesick. Nowadays, everyone tells us to live in the here and now, but Hemingway, like many of us African lovers, understood that sometimes you can’t control your feelings. A beloved of the staff at The Bespoke African Safari Co., the Hemingway Wing Safari pays homage to both the allure of Africa and the classic, homey safaris of Ernest Hemingway’s day. It features three tented camps—a touch fancier than Ernest’s day, but he was never one to turn down intelligently offered luxury—excellent views of some of the most famous game parks in East Africa as well as a few lesser-known treasures, and five aerial flights that bring us up close to the breathtaking landscapes of Africa.

Detailed 2 Weeks Kenya And Tanzania Safari Itinerary

Day 1: En route to a classic East African safari

We board our flight and enjoy the anticipation of 2 Weeks Kenya And Tanzania Safari – Africa.

Days 2 & 3: Getting acquainted with Nairobi

We’ll be met by our The Bespoke African Safari Co. Director and whisked away to the beautiful Kempinski Villa Rosa. Our itinerary includes a stop at the National Museum of Kenya, a visit to the Harambee Centre, a stop at the Giraffe Centre, lunch at a delightfully modern restaurant in Nairobi, and a visit to the home of Isak Dinesen, author of Out of Africa (also known as Karen Blixen), whom Hemingway mentioned on multiple occasions should have received the Nobel Prize for literature instead of him.

Days 4 & 5: The Laikipia Plateau

Ol Jogi, luxury villa in Kenya’s Laikipia Plateau

We take off from Nairobi and head north toward the Laikipia Plateau. The flight is brief, but it takes us far away from the hustle and bustle of Nairobi, into a huge wilderness teeming with wildlife, where we can see the famed Mount Kenya and the massive clouds that seem to rise from its 17,000-foot peak. Here we are, joyfully, in the Africa that has been a part of our dreams since we were little.

The 20,000-acre Mutara Conservancy is a successful collaboration between the local people and the owners of Mutara, who are deeply concerned about the environment and cultural heritage. Our sanctuary here is the excellent Mutara Camp, which is situated on a clifftop overlooking the Plateau and is the sole camp (or lodge, or, really, any modern artifact) in this remarkable world. We go on game drives in Laikipia, a region that drops precipitously from its lofty cliffs, and we get to meet its enormous (and deceitfully diminutive) mammals—including all five of the Big Five and a few particularly slender leopards—among a cast of fantastic, naturally occurring, fascinating characters. (After admiring the Big Five, some tourists start the more challenging quest to find the Little Five, whose names will be revealed in Tanzania Spectacular.)

Days 6 & 7: The famed Maasai Mara

The Maasai Mara, located in the northern part of the Serengeti-Maasai Mara ecosystem—the most biologically diverse place on Earth—is reached by flying south. The Olare Mara Kempinski, a modest tented camp in the calmingly sumptuous Kempinski style, serves as our base for expeditions in the legendary Mara. Guests at Olare Mara can enjoy balcony views of hippos frolicking and elephants joyfully bathing in the Ntiakitiak River from the tents that are constructed on wooden platforms along the riverbanks. Also, the Mara’s varied landscapes, including its waterways, make it an ideal starting point for thrilling game drives.

Hemingway once said, “I loved this country and I felt at home and where a man feels at home, outside of where he’s born, is where he’s meant to go.” As we meander through this natural beauty, we’ll stop at a typical Maasai community.

Days 8 & 9: Gazelles by the gazillions on the golden Serengeti

The Truth About a Serengeti Safari

Asking, “How can one convey the power of Serengeti?” Cyril Connolly posed the question in The Evening Colonnade. Under a marquee of sky, there is an endless lawn…At regular intervals, kopjes emerge from the grass, some of which are forested; the enchantment of the American grassland here combines with the other enchantment of the prehistoric animals. The light is brilliant, and the air is delicious.

The Serengeti can’t be compared to any other place on Earth, although it does occasionally remind us of the American grassland. Its breathtaking variety of flora and fauna, massive expanses of open sky, and kopje-dotted terrain set it apart from all others. Our base, Migration Camp, is on the banks of the Grumeti River, a sanctuary for hippos, and we fly there from Nairobi and Arusha. As a Serengeti specialty, the peace and quiet at Migration Camp is as renowned as the tents’ quality (one traveler said, “have only one thing in common with normal tents: canvas”) and the camp’s spectacular location among rocky outcrops.

Days 10 to 12: Exquisite Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater

Our flight from the Serengeti takes us to Lake Manyara, and from there we’ll drive to our three-night home, the Ngorongoro Lodge Melia. This magnificent property sits gracefully on the edge of a natural wonder—the caldera of the Ngorongoro, a volcano that was once violently angry but is now peaceful and kind. The Melia skillfully blends contemporary luxury with profound reverence for African culture. It boasts a spa, gym, beautiful and subtly ambitious restaurant, and one of the world’s most conveniently located infinity pools.

Vail and Aspen are at elevations of over 7,000 feet, and being at such a high altitude (both literally and metaphorically) may make us think of what Isak Dinesen said in Out of Africa: “The air of the African highlands went to my head like wine, I was all the time slightly drunk with it.” Next, we’ll take a helicopter ride down to the verdant, park-like floor of the Lost World—a kingdom of animals, not humans—to enjoy a picnic in the bush and watch some games.

Lake Manyara, dubbed “the loveliest lake in Africa” by our hero Ernest Hemingway, will serve as a backdrop for our wildlife drives and viewing opportunities. With 300 different species of migrating birds and water from springs in the Crater Highlands, this lake is a haven for the most spectacular big animals, including the renowned manyara tree-climbing lions. It’s also a birdwatcher’s paradise. (It’s a bit disrespectful, but perhaps “tree-lounging” would be more accurate.)

Day 13: Back to Nairobi and onward

As we bid farewell to the great crater, we will fly to Nairobi. Once there, we will have the opportunity to relax and enjoy a classic African safari. We will be accompanied by our Safari Director and have a vehicle available for transportation. The Four Points by Sheraton offers a full-service, meals-included day room, so you can shop or simply unwind. To ensure a smooth check-in process for our late-night flights, we will be accompanied by an escort to the airport.

Day 14: Connect in Europe with homeward flights

…for flights home.

End of the 2 Weeks Kenya And Tanzania Safari Itinerary

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