Kenya Classic, Sentrim Lodges

After landing at Nairobi International Airport, make your way to the arrivals hall where a representative will meet and transfer you to the hotel. Please note that check-in is from 02:00 pm, clients arriving in the middle of the night must book a pre-night, as waiting in the lobby is not permitted. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure, perhaps taking advantage of the comfortable facilities, featuring beautifully landscaped gardens and large pool. You may also pay a visit to Nairobi’s city centre, and return for dinner at the hotel’s restaurant (own expense).  

Overnight in Nairobi.

Leaving Nairobi early morning, travel towards Kenya’s fertile highlands and head down the Rift Escarpment on a road built by Italian prisoners during World War II. Keep an eye out for the charming chapel at the foot of the escarpment. Pass the futuristic Longonot earth satellite station as you head across the valley to Narok, and then travel through beautiful fields of wheat and barley. Reach the Maasai Mara and Sentrim Mara Camp in time for lunch and perhaps a siesta. Afterwards, it’s time for the first game drive of the tour in the afternoon. Sentrim Mara Camp, located only three kilometres from the Sekenani gate, makes the perfect base for an authentic safari experience. The rustic-style tents are spread out in serene surroundings amongst acacia trees and have modern en-suite bathrooms, hot showers, and an elevated private balcony for spectacular views of the sunsets and the hills filled wildlife. The pool too offers wonderful views. All this ensures a blissfully comfortable stay, in the late evening, dinner will be served at the lodge. 

Overnight in Maasai Mara.

Enjoy an early breakfast before departing on a morning game drive. The Maasai Mara National Reserve is home to millions of wild animals, including the fabled Big Five – lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes and black rhinos. There are also antelopes, gazelles, wildebeest, and many other wonderful creatures. Return to the lodge for lunch and a break before setting off for an afternoon game drive and a visit to a Maasai village. Return to the lodge as the sun sets, where you’ll end the day with dinner.

Overnight in Maasai Mara.

Bid farewell to the Maasai Mara after breakfast and travel across the ‘breadbasket’ of Kenya. Wheat and barley plantations dominate the landscape as you head north to Narok, the district headquarters of this part of Maasailand. Cross the vast plains on the floor of the Great Rift Valley, keeping an eye out for herds of giraffes and gazelles as you head up the Mau Escarpment. Arrive at your lodge at Lake Elementaita around midday. After lunch, depart for an afternoon game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park, whose waters are often coloured a shimmering pink from the thousands of flamingos that line its shores. Both black and white rhinos are also carefully protected and given a new lease of life in this fully fenced 188 square-kilometre park. The Rothschild’s giraffe is another rarity and the park has its fair share of buffaloes, leopards, zebras, elands, waterbucks, and lions. Sentrim Elementaita Lodge is located on the shores of flamingo and pelican-fringed Lake Elementaita. The lodge overlooks this beautiful lake and its surrounding national park – a paradise for bird-watchers and wildlife lovers alike. Head back to the lodge as the sun sets, before ending the day with dinner.

Overnight at Lake Elementaita.

Rise early for breakfast before continuing the adventure with a drive south to Lake Naivasha for a one-hour boat ride to discover the spectacular habitat of hundreds of bird species and hippos. The lake is located at one of the highest elevations in the Rift Valley, which is left behind as the tour proceeds towards Nairobi for an early lunch (or a picnic lunch depending on the road conditions). Head south to Amboseli National Park, arriving at Sentrim Amboseli Camp by late afternoon. The lodge lies on the border of the national park, with amazing views of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, and is considered one of the best spots for viewing elephants at close range. Sentrim Amboseli Camp provides a great base from which to explore the park and take some great photos of this stunning snow-capped mountain. Each protected tent has its own private veranda, perfect for relaxing, sunbathing, and taking in the views. There is also a superb pool area framed by Kilimanjaro, a restaurant, and a bar. In the evening, wrap the day up with dinner at the lodge.

Overnight at Amboseli.

Wake up to breakfast and prepare for a morning and afternoon spent on game drives in Amboseli. Most of the park consists of a partially dry lake bed of evaporated salts and fragile grassland with patches of acacia woodland. You can see most types of game in the park, including rhinos, giraffes, gazelles, lions, cheetahs, and leopards. Birdlife is prolific, too, especially around the swamp areas. This entire experience is carried out under the shadow of the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro, which rises some 5,000 metres above the national park. There is a warm picnic lunch at the park with the return to the lodge in the afternoon. Unwind on arrival or perhaps even take a quick dip in the pool before dinner.

Overnight at Amboseli.

After an early breakfast, catch the last views of magnificent Mount Kilimanjaro before heading northwards to Nairobi, crossing the seemingly never-ending Athi Plains. Arrive in the bustling capital or the airport by 01:30 pm, for drop off and ongoing travel arrangements. Recommended departure flights departing from 04:00 pm.