Robert Ruark

Robert Ruark

14 Nights/15 Days Kenya Bush and Beach Safari

Day 01 : NAIROBI

On arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you will be met and greeted by our customer service representative and transferred to the luxurious NAIROBI SAFARI CLUB HOTEL where you will relax in your air-conditioned suite. Nairobi Safari club, formerly a private club for members only is the ideal place to be. All the rooms in the hotel are suites, six of which are Presidential Suites. Here you can enjoy the clubs sauna, gym, swimming pool, various bars and other amenities. Overnight at NAIROBI SAFARI CLUB.

Day 02 : NAIROBI - MASAI MARA

Today our safari expedition will take us to the jewel of Kenya's parks, the world famous Masai Mara Game (Wildlife) Reserve. This is Kenya's number one park and is always on every tourist's "Must see list". Full of life with various types of animals and birds, Masai Mara crown's the climax of every safari in Kenya. Its rolling grasslands and acacia savannah have time and again been captured on film with the movie "Out Of Africa" being the most famous. Masai Mara is home to the "Big Five" (Elephant, Buffalo, Lion, Leopard and Rhino) and over 450 bird species. Apart from the big five, the Masai Mara is most famous for the spectacular annual migration of over a million wildebeest, zebra, gazelle etc from the Serengeti in northern Tanzania crossing the Mara River into Kenya in search of fresh feeding grounds, which takes place in late July or August. During this crossing, hundreds of animals are swept away by the first moving Mara River and others are killed by the ferocious African Crocodiles. This crossing gives true meaning to the phrase "Survival of the fittest".

Lunch to be served at the luxurious MARA SAROVA TENTED CAMP set in the African bush, on an elevation between two streams, the camp is a combination of luxury and adventure. After lunch you can take time out to read a book, novel, sunbathe, take a refreshing dip in the pool, or simply sit back and relax under the tent. All luxurious tents have permanent roofs, electricity, and en-suite bathroom facilities. The grounds are beautifully laid out with trees and flowers inhabited by a collection of exotic birds and butterflies.

In the afternoon head out with your driver guide in search of the shy and elusive leopard, other wild animals and over 450 species of birds of which 57 species are birds of prey. As the sunset starts to edge dip into the African horizon it will be the perfect opportunity for you to capture the beautiful Mara landscape on film. After dinner, enjoy the warmth of the roaring log fire before going to bed under the star filled African sky. Dinner and overnight at, MARA SAROVA TENTED CAMP (BLD).

Day 03 & 04 : MASAI MARA

We start the day off with an early morning game drive before dawn, followed by breakfast upon your return to the camp. After breakfast you can go swimming in the pool under the African sun or just sit back and relax for the rest of the day. In the afternoon we return to the bush in search of wildlife, such as Thomson's and Grant's Gazelle, elephants, lions, and the solitary and ill-tempered Rhino, among others (All meals and overnight at MARA SAROVA LUXURY TENTED CAMP (BLD).

Day 05 : MASAI MARA - LAKE NAKURU

Today after an early breakfast, our safari will be destined for brief stopover at Lake Naivasha, the only freshwater lake in the Rift Valley. From the top of the Rift Valley escarpment, you can see the lake sparkling under the sun thousands of feet below you. The lake is home to a large colony of hippos and it's also a Mecca for bird watchers and researchers since over 400 different species of birds have been recorded here. An optional boat ride will be a good ideal.

After a brief stopover at the lake, we travel in a northerly direction to your next destination lake Nakuru, which is usually dotted with pink flamingoes (birds) lining its shores.

After checking in and having lunch at the lodge, you can sit back and relax or go for a dive in the pool. The 65-room SAROVA LION HILL LODGE is set on a hillside over looking the lake. All rooms come with an attached bathroom and verandah (Patios), from where you will have great unforgettable panoramic views of the lake and pink flamingoes from the privacy of your room. The lodge has one honeymoon suite as well.

In the afternoon we shall go for a game drive where you can expect to see leopards, lions, giraffes, a million or so of pink flamingoes as well as the short sighted and ill-tempered rhino. Dinner & overnight at SAROVA LION HILL LODGE (BLD).

Day 06 : LAKE NAKURU - SAMBURU

After an early breakfast bid farewell to lake Nakuru as we drive heading eastwards and we make a brief stopover at Nyahururu Falls, still known to many as Thomson's falls for its 237ft cascade. After the stopover, we drive northward through Nanyuki town , crossing the northernmost foothills of Mount Kenya, until we reach Isiolo town and then down into the thorny landscape of Samburu country. This area boosts of unique northern species of wildlife which are not found in any other part south of equator, here you will find the Grevy zebra, Beisa Oryx, Reticulated Giraffe, Somali Ostrich, the long necked gerenuk, herds of elephants and their predators abound. The life-giving Uaso Nyiro River plays a major role in the ecosystem of this region.

Your new home for the next two nights will be at SAMBURU LODGE. It's located at Samburu Reserve. The lodge beautifully incorporates the existing natural springs as one of its special features. An open-air restaurant over looking the river, swimming pool, curio shop, bars, and it's location at an oasis make it a perfect base from which to explore the Samburu Reserve, as well as its sister reserve - Buffalo Springs to the west. Overnight SAMBURU LODGE (BLD)

Day 07 : SAMBURU

Before dawn we head out in search of Africa's wild cats. From the game drive we return to the lodge for breakfast and some R&R "rest and relaxation", read a book/novel, sunbathe or perhaps go for a refreshing dip in the uniquely designed swimming pool before heading out again on your afternoon game drive. All meals & overnight at SAMBURU LODGE (BLD).

Day 08 : SAMBURU - MT.KENYA

After an early breakfast bid farewell to Samburu as we drive south through Isiolo, crossing the northernmost foothills of Mount Kenya, until we reach Nanyuki town and then a short distance to SERENA MOUNTAIN LODGE for lunch. The Lodge, which comes alive at night with the various sounds of animals, is one of the exotic "Tree Hotels" situated in the heart of Mt. Kenya's forest reserve. All of the en-suite rooms have balconies from which you can look beyond the trees to observe the endless parade of wildlife. You can watch these animals from the safety of your room or from a specially built viewing bunker connected to the lodge by a tunnel, which affords you an amazing up-close view of the animals as they visit waterholes and saltlick. Dinner & overnight at SERENA MOUNTAIN LODGE (BLD).

Day 09 : MT.KENYA - AMBOSELI

After an early breakfast we head for Nairobi "The City Under The Sun" for an early lunch at NAIROBI SERENA HOTEL. After lunch, we proceed to Amboseli National Park through the statan lava plateau. Beautifully situated beneath the foot of Africa's highest mountain Mt. Kilimanjaro (5895m), the park is well renowned for its huge herds of elephants and various types of other Savannah wildlife such as Giraffes, Bushbuck's, Kudu, Warthog's, Zebra's and over 425 species of birds recorded here. The snowcapped peak of Kilimanjaro rising above white clouds dominates every aspect of Amboseli and forms a backdrop to an impressive display of wildlife attracted to this location by swamps and springs fed by underground rivers from Kilimanjaro's melting snow. With an airstrip at Empusel Gate, the park is also home to the Masai people, those tall, brave, and proud nomads who live in close harmony with the environment and the wildlife that surrounds them. Amboseli was the location around which such famous writers like Sir Ernest Hemingway and Robert Ruark tailored their stories of big game hunting in the wilds of Africa.

Enjoy a game drive en-route, as we arrive in time for your lunch at the AMBOSELI SERENA LODGE, situated deep in the heart of the world famous Amboseli National Park. The lodge itself draws on a subtle Maasai cultural motif, featuring natural woodcarvings, traditional artefacts and a glowing selection of local art. Sensitively located and built from ecologically sympathetic materials, its architectural shapes, style, textures and colours reflect the true essence of the African bush. They also enable it to blend effortlessly into the landscape and work in gentle harmony with the natural environment. The rooms, each with an uninterrupted view over the ever-changing vistas of the African plains, are styled to a traditional Maasai concept featuring beadwork, gourds, hand-painted murals and the clever use of the traditional manyatta bent-brushwood effect so as to blend. Dinner & overnight at AMBOSELI SERENA LODGE (BLD).

Day 10 : AMBOSELI

A dawn game drive will be the perfect time for photographing the humbling and magnificent Mt. Kilimanjaro the highest peak in Africa. We return to the lodge for breakfast and some R&R "rest and relaxation", sunbathing, swimming or for those of you reading enthusiasts, you can read the day away in the well-stocked library with a relaxing view of Mt. Kilimanjaro, before heading out for an afternoon game drive. All meals and overnight at AMBOSELI SERENA LODGE (BLD).

Day 11 : AMBOSELI - TSAVO

After an early morning breakfast, we depart Amboseli National Park through the statan lava plateau , to the legendary land of the "Man-Eaters" - Tsavo National Park. The 21,000 sq km park is one of the largest in the whole world. Due to its enormous size, this animal and plant heaven was divided into two parts Tsavo East and Tsavo West, for easy administration and management. This wilderness is home too over 1000 plant species, 400 bird species and more than 60 major mammal species such as lions, huge herds of buffalo, the solitary and ill-tempered Rhino and at least 7000 elephants. The park is the location of Africa's most famous adventure story "Man eaters of Tsavo", in which two lions where responsible for eating over 500 workers who where building the Uganda railway also known as the "Lunatic Line " by it's opponents in the British Parliament in 1898. The story was made famous in the 1996 movie "The Ghost and the Darkness."

Enjoy your lunch at KILANGUNI SERENA LODGE. Conveniently located in the heart of the park, the lodge offers captivating views of the majestic Mt. Kilimanjaro and the Chyulu Hills. Only 100m from the main building, is a water hole where animals come to quench their thirst. Each of the 53 rooms has a private shower, toilet, and a verandah (Patio) overlooking the waterhole and Africa's highest mountain, snowcapped Mt. Kilimanjaro. With it's own airstrip nearby, Kilanguni lodge is the place to be. Dinner & overnight at KILANGUNI SERENA LODGE (BLD).

Day 12 : TSAVO - MOMBASA

After breakfast, you will drive through the North Great Road via VOI TOWN and later proceed to WHITESANDS BEACH HOTEL for lunch. Whitesands Beach Hotel is five star hotel with 340 rooms are suites and have balconies or verandas All rooms ensuite bathrooms, air-conditioning, direct dial telephones and in-room safes.The executive rooms offer satellite television and mini-bars. For guests on business, there is a business center offering superb conference facilities for up to 400 people. The presidential suites comprises two ensuite master bedrooms and a spacious lounge. Both suites have Jacuzzis and a large verandah overlooking one of the swimming pools.

The Beach And Pool At Whitesands Beach Hotel Whitesands Beach Hotel enjoys the longest seafront on the North Coast of Mombasa, which boasts one of the finest beaches in East Africa. The resort is set amongst 22 acres of tropical gardens, swaying palm trees and fishponds. Five free form swimming pools are complete with waterfalls, a secluded island and an exhilarating waterslide. Dinner and overnight at WHITESANDS BEACH HOTEL (BD).

Day 13 & 14 : MOMBASA

Today you have Mombasa excursions which will include ISLAND TOUR , Fort Jesus built in 1853 by the portuguese, Old Town & Mombasa City. An option of visiting Akamba Village where carving are made will be ideal if time permits. Dinner and overnight WHITESANDS BEACH HOTEL (BD).

Day 15 : MOMBASA - NAIROBI - FLY

Very early morning breakfast and you will be transferred for you 7:30am flight to Nairobi arriving at 8:30 where you will connect your flight back home at 11:00hr.

About the Author

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Favorite Ruark / Capstick quotes?

I was looking for some interesting quotes by Robert Ruark (preferably in The old man and the boy) and some by Peter Hathaway Capstick. You can add as much as you want. thank you.

Deader than easy credit.

Capstick.

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