This tour features these superb lodges (subject to availability): Olonana Camp, Sasakwa Lodge, Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, Manyara Tree Lodge, The Palms, Stone Town Serena

FULL ITIERARY

Day 1
-NAIROBI You are met at the airport by a representative and transferred to your hotel. The Norfolk has played a leading role in Kenya's colorful history, and continues to be Nairobi's finest and best-known hotel. The town and later the modern city of Nairobi grew up around The Norfolk, which still has its own private tropical gardens. The hotel is still the traditional starting point for safaris and the Lord Delamere Terrace is modern Nairobi's most famous meeting place, where drinks and light meals are served continuously from morning until midnight. The Norfolk was expanded in 1999 and subsequently renovated in time for its centennial, which it celebrated in 2004. The hotel now offers accommodations in 168 guest rooms and suites, has three conference rooms, the largest seating 175 delegates, a heated outdoor swimming pool, health club with gym, sauna and steam room, beauty salon, book shop and gift shops.

Day 2
NAIROBI-MARA Flight transfer to your next destination. KE-Nairobi-Mara (AK, 10:00 (45min) Relax at the game lodge. Lunch (with vegetarian options). Enjoy the lounge, pool, bar, or game viewing terrace. Olonana is situated on the banks of the Mara River. In addition to big game viewing in the Masai Mara Reserve, visitors are offered a rare glimpse of the day-to-day lives of the Maasai people in the adjacent Maasai village or 'engang'. Olonana features 12 spacious permanent tents, each tastefully appointed with two comfortable queen-size beds, ensuite bathrooms with showers, and large, riverview verandahs. Enjoy a quiet evening drink, cozily seated on your verandah, watching the hippo frolicking just before heading out for their nightly grazing. Our chefs will delight you with exquisite cuisine, which can be served al fresco perched on the Siria escarpment overlooking the Mara plains or as a picnic deep in the bush. (alternate lodges; Governor's Il Moran, Fairmont Mara Safari Club, Mara Intrepids) 2-3hr game drive

Day 3
MARA Day of game viewing with your skilled guide. A dawn drive and afternoon drive for 2-3hrs each, or ask your driver to take you on a full day drive with a picnic lunch. Sign up for optional activities at your lodge (not included in tour price); hot air balloon ($460pp), guided nature walk ($40pp), or other.

Day 4
MARA Day of game viewing with your skilled guide. A dawn drive and afternoon drive for 2-3hrs each, or ask your driver to take you on a full day drive with a picnic lunch.

Day 5
MARA-GRUMETI Transfer to your next lodge/hotel. Border crossing, clear customs and immigration, transfer to other vehicle and guide Sasakwa Lodge is in a 400,000 acre private reserve adjacent to Serengeti park and features with awe-inspiring views over the Serengeti plains. A grand Colonial Ranch home, it has seven suites, each with 1-4 bedrooms. Each air-conditioned suite featuress a bedroom, en suite bathroom, dressing area, guest bathroom, lounge with fireplace, private veranda, heated infinity plunge pool, direct dial telephone and wireless internet. The lodge areas offer a dining room, lounge and bar, garden room, television room with satellite television, DVD player and collection, reading library, billiards room, wine cellar, and store. Outside are clay and artificial surface tennis courts, gymnasium, spa with steam room, and a heated infinity swimming pool and Jacuzzi. Our Equestrian Centre is home to sixteen horses and includes a lunging arena, fenced paddock, and a walled 2.7 kilometre riding track. Experienced riders can enjoy a day on the Serengeti plains. Tack is English style, with English or Western saddles. Enjoy game drives and walks, archery, lawn croquet, or mountain biking. 2-3hr game drive

Day 6
GRUMETI Day of game viewing with your skilled guide. A dawn drive and afternoon drive for 2-3hrs each, or ask your driver to take you on a full day drive with a picnic lunch.

Day 7
GRUMETI-NGORONGORO 2-3hr game drive Includes a stop at the famous Olduvlai Gorge where the homonid "Lucy" and other significant archeological discoveries have been made. Ngorongoro Crater Lodge is perched on the edge of the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater at the eastern edge of the Serengeti in northern Tanzania. It lies within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which covers more than 8 000 square kilometres (3 100 square miles) of pristine African wilderness. Inspired in design by the Maasai mud-and-stick manyatta (homestead), Ngorongoro Crater Lodge is without doubt one of the most architecturally spectacular safari lodges in Africa. Ngorongoro Crater Lodge comprises three separate and intimate camps North Camp (12 suites), South Camp (12 suites) and Tree Camp (6 suites) each offering breathtaking views of the Crater below. Each suite has a private deck, fireplace, en suite bathroom and exclusive butler service. Descend into the Ngorongoro caldera to view the wildlife on the crater floor.

Day 8
NGORONGORO-MANYARA Descend into the Ngorongoro caldera to view the wildlife on the crater floor. Transfer to your next lodge/hotel. From soaring groundwater forests and a tranquil lake, to the mountain escarpment of the Great Rift Valley, Lake Manyara National Park boasts an incredible wealth of habitats and diverse African wildlife. Guests are offered an exciting, interpretive safari experience in game-rich surrounds which include large herds of elephant and buffalo. The Lodge, which was designed to exert minimal impact on the environment, is situated in the remote southwestern region of the Park. Cradled in the boughs of mahogany trees, 10 stilted tree house suites are a sophisticated blend of intimacy and romance, offering privacy and exclusivity in cool, leafy surrounds. 2-3hr game drive

Day 9
MANYARA-EASTSHORE 2-3hr game drive TZ-Manyara-Zanzibar (RA, 11:50 (3hr) Flight transfer to your next destination. The Palms is the finest luxury retreat in the eastern shore. Six private villas, each over 140 square meters with a bedroom, living room, full en suite bathroom, dressing room, extra room with it's own en suite bathroom & large furnished terrace with views of the Indian Ocean. Each villa features a sophisticated interior composition in all colours of coffee and cream where filmy caramel coloured curtains billow, dark grained polished floors extend and the décor is a unique marriage of colonial grandeur and traditional design. On the veranda, a silk-draped four-poster Zanzibar Bed accents a sunken, midnight blue plunge pool. Exotic cuisine at the Plantation House restaurant. Relax by the warm ocean on a broad sandy beach.

Day 10
EASTSHORE Relax by the warm ocean on a broad sandy beach. Sign up for optional activities at your resort (not included in tour price); deep sea fishing, boat excursions, scuba diving, or other.

Day 11
ZANZIBAR Relax by the warm ocean on a broad sandy beach. Includes a fascinating tour of the fabled Spice Gardens of Zanzibar, the tour also includes a visit to the Persian baths and the Sultan s palace. Idyllically situated on the sea front of ancient Stone Town, washed by the aquamarine waters of the Zanzibar channel, redolent of the scent of cloves and flanked by an exotic melange of sultan's palaces, Portuguese forts, ancient dhow harbours, dark slave markets, and bright bazaars, the Zanzibar Serena Inn is a haven of tranquillity and opulence amongst the bustle of Zanzibar. Faithfully restored and lavishly embellished with a jackdaw collection of antique clocks, crystal chandeliers, fretwork screens, carved staircases, Persian rugs and brass-studded doors, the interior design concept is a fusion of authenticity and opulence that reflects the very essence of Zanzibar.

Day 12
ZANZIBAR-NAIROBI Includes a guided tour of historic Zanzibar and Stone Town. TZ-Zanzibar-Nairobi (KQ493, 15:15 (1:45hr) Flight transfer to your next destination. Depart from Nairobi international airport - end of itinerary. Enjoy a family style meal with the Graduate Tours team, with a sampling dinner featuring indigenous dishes from the region (On request; we can arrange dinner at Carnivore game meat restaurant, though there is limited wild meat on the menu these days)

Trip Includes
All ground transport in a comfortable vehicle fitted with pop up roof for easy photography and game viewing whilst on safari
Guaranteed window seating
Guaranteed departure
Free airport transfers as per the itinerary
Fullboard accommodation whilst on safari, bed and breakfast in Nairobi, and Half board at the beach
Meal plan as per the itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch and D=Dinner)
Specialised and personalised services
All park and reserve entrance fees to include local government taxes
Service of an English speaking professional driver/guide
Game drives as detailed in the itinerary
Flights where indicated as per the itinerary
Trip Excludes
Laundry
Tips
Soft and alcoholic beverages including mineral water
International airfare
Country visa if required