Day 1
Karen, Nairobi

A uniformed Old Line Safari Company representative meets you on arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and transports you to the gorgeous Giraffe Manor or Ngong House, both located in a quiet, leafy Nairobi suburb, where your room awaits you. For the rest of the day, you may relax and catch up with the time zone or opt to visit the David Sheldrick Trust (to see the orphaned baby elephants) or the Giraffe Centre and Karen Blixen Museum (made famous in the film Out of Africa) at no extra charge.(D)

Today, after breakfast with the Giraffes you drive up the Great Rift Valley escarpment through the rich agricultural area in central Kenya to the Serena Mountain Lodge at the base of snow-capped Mount Kenya. Unwind and enjoy the fresh ambience of the dense rainforest that comes alive at dusk with myriad sounds, making the African bush so special and exhilarating. From the comfort of a specially constructed bunker, you can view an amazing parade of wildlife to the lodge waterhole, where elephants, Cape buffalos, rhinoceroses, and waterbucks are regular visitors. (B, L, D)

Following a hearty breakfast, you fly back to Nairobi before proceeding to Meru National Park on a private charted aircraft. You'll stay at the exclusive Elsa's Kopje for a memorable three nights, tracing the footsteps of George and Joy Adamson, the legendary conservationists featured in the film Born Free.

Next, you fly to the world famous plains of Maasai Mara National Reserve via the northern frontier district of Samburu. Your two-night stay in Sekenani camp recalls the early explorers' experience. With no electricity nor noisy generators, you'll quickly become accustomed to the bush life of early morning game drives to watch the waking plains and afternoon siestas, with plenty of time to write in your journal before tea and a late afternoon guided game walk or drive. An optional balloon safari for a spectacular “hawk's eye view” of the game-studded plains breaks the routine, providing another memorable experience. Bush breakfast, sundowners by the campfire, and evenings lit by soft lanterns ensure that your experience is magical. ( B, L, D)

A final game drive at dawn to catch the best of the waking Mara plains seems in order. After breakfast, you must bid farewell to the camp staff before boarding your flight back to Nairobi. Lunch precedes afternoon shopping at Utamaduni Crafts Centre, followed by a farewell dinner. Then, it's time to transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to catch your departing international flight. (B, L, D)