SINGLES ONLY DEPARTURE KENYA & TANZANIA

Transcription

1 SINGLES ONLY DEPARTURE KENYA & TANZANIA Fully Escorted Small Group Safari Best of East Africa Departs 15 June days from $14,290 pp single room Nairobi. Lake Manyara. Ngorongoro. Serengeti. Amboseli Lake Nakuru. Masai Mara Includes return international flights (ex Sydney), taxes, game viewing activities, most meals, internal flights, all transport in 4x4 safari vehicle, park fees, most tipping and personal Bench escort. Maximum Group Size of 12 passengers. Solo Traveller 674 High Street, East Kew, VIC, 3102 AFRICAN EST EXPERTS

2 Level 4, 55 York Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia Ph: Fx: info@benchinternational.com.au Licence No: 2TA5922 ABN: ITINERARY PREPARED FOR BENCH INTERNATIONAL SINGLES TO EAST AFRICA FULLY ESCORTED EX SYDNEY June 2014 Itinerary at a Glance: Day Date Accommodation Inclusions Day 1 15 June Depart Sydney Day 2 16 June The Boma Hotel, Nairobi D Day 3 17 June Kirurumu Tented Lodge, Lake Manyara BLD Day 4 18 June Ngorongoro Farm House, Ngorongoro Crater BLD Day 5 19 June Ngorongoro Farm House, Ngorongoro Crater BLD Day 6 20 June Serengeti Sopa Lodge, Serengeti National Park BLD Day 7 21 June Serengeti Sopa Lodge, Serengeti National Park BLD Day 8 22 June Satao Elerai Camp, Amboseli National Park BLD Day 9 23 June Satao Elerai Camp, Amboseli National Park BLD Day June Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge, Lake Nakuru BLD Day June Mara Sarova Game Camp, Masai Mara BLD Day June Mara Sarova Game Camp, Masai Mara BLD Day June Mara Sarova Game Camp, Masai Mara BLD Day June Departure on flight B Day June Arrive Home

3 East Africa: For sheer weight of number and species of animals and birdlife, the East African wildlife reserves are arguably the world s best and most rewarding. The open grasslands offer excellent game spotting opportunities and the phenomena of the annual migration of wild beast and the zebra through both countries and across the Mara River is one of the world most remarkable sights. Day 1 Sunday 15 June: Sydney to Abu Dhabi This African adventure tour begins at Sydney International Airport, flying Etihad Airways to Nairobi via Abu Dhabi departing at approximately 21h50. Flight: Sydney to Abu Dhabi EY455 21h50/06h40 Arrive 16 th June Day 2 Monday 16 June: Abu Dhabi to Nairobi Flight: Abu Dhabi to Nairobi EY641 09h40/13h25 On arrival in Nairobi you will be met for your escorted Highlights of East Africa safari. Transfer to your hotel in Nairobi. Accommodation: 1 night at The Boma Hotel including breakfast and dinner at Carnivores Resturant The Boma offers 148 luxury deluxe guest rooms, having a modern contemporary design with a traditional African touch in different room categories. All rooms and suites come with luxury amenities including complimentary highspeed internet access, multi media plug and play port, LED television, Direct Dial Up Telephone, all to ensure guests have a memorable stay. The Carnivore is a unique experience. This open-air meat specialty restaurant has become a standard stop on the safari trail. Every type of meat imaginable, including four choices of wild game, is roasted on traditional Maasai swords (skewers) over a huge, visually spectacular charcoal pit that dominates the entrance of the restaurant. The waiters then carry these swords around the restaurant, carving unlimited amounts of the prime meats onto sizzling, cast iron plates in front of you. A wide selection of salads, vegetable side dishes, and a variety of exotic sauces accompany the meat feast. Dessert and coffee follow this.

4 The full meal including a soup course, is a flat price. Day 3 Tuesday 17 June: Lake Manyara National Park This morning you will visit the Giraffe Centre and then continue onto Nairobi Wilson airport to connect with your scheduled flight to Tanzania. (B) The Giraffe Centre invites you to explore the unique ecosystem of the Centre's dry upland forest, which is one of the remaining segmented natural forests outside Nairobi city. You will have the option of guiding yourself or taking a guide. This leisurely stroll begins directly in front of the parking lot at Giraffe Centre. Using interpretative brochure and walk way stations, you will acquaint yourself with the most common vegetation in the forest sanctuary. The trail gradually descends to the Gogo River then turns rightwards back to the start point. Flight: Nairobi Wilson to Kilimanjaro On arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport you will be met and transferred to Arusha Town for lunch. Then proceed to Lake Manyara, a mineral lake lying in the Rift Valley. (LD) Accommodation: 1 night Kirurumu Tented Camp including all meals and game viewing activities Kirurumu Tented Lodge is set high on the edge of the Great Rift Valley, enjoying a marvellous, uplifting and panoramic view eastward over Lake Manyara, the Rift floor and Mt. Losimingori. Behind Kirurumu, the Ngorongoro Highlands rise in green and fertile splendour and form the gateway to Ngorongoro Crater and, finally, Olduvai Gorge, the Serengeti. Day 4 Wednesday 18 June: Ngorongoro Conservation Area This morning you will enjoy a game drive in Lake Manyara National Park, known for the famous tree climbing lions. Apart from the varied types of landscape including jungle, swamp and savannah, there is also a large variety of animals including giraffe, zebra, elephant, gazelle and about 350 different species of birds. Lunch at the Lodge followed by your drive to the Ngorongoro Highlands to your lodge situated in Karatu just outside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The crater covers over 102 square miles (250 square kilometers) of land and is the home of the rare black rhino, prides of lion, elephant, cheetah and great herds of buffalo, antelope and wildebeest. (BLD) Accommodation: 2 nights Ngorongoro Farm House including all meals and game viewing activities

5 Located in the Ngorongoro Highlands, the farm is only minutes from the Ngorongoro Crater entrance gate. Forty spacious luxury bungalows are each decorated in an original colonial style, complete with private baths. Additional facilities include a swimming pool and two dining areas. The 500 acre working farm on the slopes of the crater features a 6 acre organic vegetable garden which not only supplies the lodge, but many other lodges and our mobile camp operations throughout the northern Tanzania. Enjoy fresh roasted coffee from the on site 15 acre coffee plantation. The farm also has home grown pigs, free range chickens, ducks, rabbit, lamb and milk cows. These fresh foods are combined with the fish imported from the coast enabling us to serve up abundant, fresh, organic cuisine. Day 5 Thursday 19 June: Ngorongoro Conservation Area Today you will drive to Ngorongoro Conservation Area and descend over 600 meters to the floor of the crater for a full day crater tour. Explore the forest areas that are inhabited by monkey and elephant, the lake area, where you may see the flamingos and the open savannah where the lions hunt for food. Picnic lunches will be served in the crater. Late afternoon drive back to Ngorongoro Farm House. (BLD) Day 6 Friday 20 June: Serengeti National Park After breakfast drive with lunch Boxes to Olduvai Gorge, site of Louis and Mary Leakey s renowned archaeological discoveries. Their findings include some of the man s earliest known ancestral remains. Continue to Serengeti National Park with game drive en-route. This enormous park supports every variety of animal imaginable - from large predators such as lion, leopard and cheetah to the smaller herbivores they prey on. Afternoon game drive. (BLD)

6 Accommodation: 2 nights at Serengeti Sopa Lodge including all meals and game viewing activities The Lodge: Nestled in the acacia woodland on the edge of the escarpment overlooking the plains of the south-western Serengeti National Park, one of the most famous parks in the world, and host to the largest and most spectacular annual migration of the wildebeest. Accommodation: 69 standard rooms, all with 2 queen size beds, carpeted, and tastefully furnished with local fabrics and pictures. One entering the room is a lounge with a mini bar. In the front is a verandah with 2 comfortable chairs and coffee table, with glass windows facing the vast Serengeti plains which extend as far as the naked eye can see. 3 of these rooms are suitable for the physically handicapped. The rooms have en-suite bathrooms and hairdryers. 4 very spacious double storey suites, with a lounge area on the ground floor where one can dine, sit out on the balcony facing the Serengeti Plains. Upstairs is the bedroom with a king size bed on a raised wooden platform, and on one side a bathtub facing the plains. There is an outside open shower as well. The interior of the suites are painted with the same colours as the main building, terracotta, mustard and blue, which is incorporated in the fabrics. A verandah extends from the room facing the plains, ideal for relaxing and watching. Day 7 Saturday 21 June: Serengeti National Park Today you spend the whole day on game drive in this National Park, which is rich with all different species of animals. To give you the best chance of seeing the big five - Lion, Elephant, Leopard, Buffalo and Rhino you will carry a picnic lunch with you and spend a full day in the Serengeti National Park. (BLD)

7 Day 8 Sunday 22 June: Amboseli National Park Breakfast at the Camp and then with a game drive en-route to Grumeti Airstrip you will connect with your scheduled flight to Arusha. On arrival at Arusha transfer to the Restaurant for Lunch. After lunch you will drive to the Tarakea border and onto Satao Elerai Camp. Enjoy evening sundowners in the Conservancy. (BLD) Accommodation: 2 nights Satao Elerai Camp including all meals and game viewing activities Satao Elerai Camp is located in a quiet, unspoilt, unique setting on a 5000 acre private conservation area 12 kms south east of Amboseli National Park at the foot of Africa s Largest mountain, Mt Kilimanjaro. The camp looks down onto the Amboseli National Park in one direction and up to Mt Kilimanjaro in the other direction, giving clients what is arguably the best location of any camp in Amboseli. The camp offers 12 luxury en-suite mountain facing tents and five luxury chalets supplied with hot running water provided by eco friendly solar units. The Satao Elerai project is a community project that has been a long time in the making, a concerted effort between Satao Elerai, The African Wildlife Foundation and the Elerai community. The concept is to provide a sustainable income from tourism for the Masaai community in the area and ensure that it is in the community s interest to protect the wildlife for generations to come. Amboseli has been a location where human-wildlife conflict has been an issue for many years, and it is projects like these that can over time ensure that communities start to benefit from wildlife and to ensure they invest in protecting and securing their future for their own benefit.

8 One of the biggest advantages of Satao Elerai Camp is that being located on its own private conservation area clients have the chance to view wildlife in private surroundings. In addition clients are offered clients the chance to enjoy spectacular bush sundowners, night game drives and game walks on the conservancy, activities that are not available to the lodges located within the park. Dinners at Satao Elerai Camp are served a la carte. Using locally grown vegetables and fruit the chefs prepare a wide variety of dishes to suit all tastes. On a clear night tables are set out on the terrace where clients can enjoy a meal under the stars. Regularly the Mountain will be clear early evening and can be seen lit up by the moon from your dinner table Day 9 Monday 23 June: Amboseli National Park After breakfast depart for a game drive in Amboseli National Park. Enjoy your afternoon at leisure in the conservancy before enjoying an evening bush walk. (BLD) Day 10 Tuesday 24 June: Lake Nakuru National Park Your journey will take you straight to Nairobi for lunch at Karen Blixen Coffee Garden. Afternoon drive to Lake Nakuru, which is notorious for its flocks of Flamingos and Pelicans. The park also boasts

9 over 30 Rhinos as well as a large population of Leopards. Late afternoon game drive in the park. (BLD) Accommodation: 1 night Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge including all meals and game viewing activities Lake Nakuru provides the visitor with one of Kenya s best known images. Thousands of flamingo, joined into a massive flock, fringe the shores of this soda lake. A pulsing pink swathe of life that carpets the water, the flamingo are a breathtaking sight. The lake has become world famous for these birds, who visit the lake to feed on algae that forms on the lake bed. They move back and forth, feeding and occasionally and spectacularly taking to flight, filling the sky over the lake with colour. The lake is extremely variable in size- changing from 5 up to 30 sq kms in area. Day 11 Wednesday 25 June: Masai Mara Game Reserve Morning of game drives in Lake Nakuru National Park. After lunch you will drive past the extinct Volcano of Mt Longonot and Suswa into the homelands of the Masai. The Masai Mara located on Kenya s southern border with Tanzania, constitutes the northern stretch of the Serengeti and has the richest concentration of animals in Kenya. (BLD) Accommodation: 3 nights Sarova Mara Game Camp including all meals and game viewing activities

10 Sarova Mara Camp has 75 deluxe tents - 72 twins and 3 triple rooms for families. They have permanent roofs and bathrooms with shower. All rooms are spaciously set amongst indigenous gardens with the open plains beyond. You can walk around the large camp without fear as it has been fenced to keep out dangerous animals. Stroll the walkways or birdwatch from the boardwalk. Take a romantic stroll onto the bridge over the lily ponds. Sarova Mara is a centrally located, tented camp in the heart of the Masai Mara in the middle of well-grazed grasslands. It is an excellent base from which to depart on early morning and late afternoon game drives. A swimming pool is such a treat at Sarova Mara Camp, and this one will cool you off in the heat of the day when all the animals are resting (and when you should be too). Day 12 Thursday 26 June to Day 13 Friday 27 June: Masai Mara Game Reserve You will spend a full day on a game drive which will take you through the vast plains of the Masai Mara searching for the Big Five ; Elephant, Rhino, Buffalo, Lion and Leopard. Return to the camp for lunch followed by an afternoon game drive. (BLD)

11 Day 14 Saturday 28 June: Travel Home Your final day in Kenya will start with an early morning game drive through the Masai Mara Game Reserve. After lunch transfer to the airstrip for your scheduled flight to Nairobi Wilson Airport. (BL) Flight: Masai Mara to Nairobi Wilson 11h00/12h15 Note: The baggage allowance on domestic flights within Kenya is restricted to 15 kilos per person (including hand luggage) in soft bags, plus a reasonable amount of photographic/video equipment. On arrival at Nairobi Wilson Airport you will be met and transferred to Nairobi International Airport for your onward flight Flight: Nairobi to Abu Dhabi EY642 14h25/20h20 Flight: Abu Dhabi to Sydney EY454 22h00/18h10 Arrive home 29 th June 2014 TOTAL COST PER ADULT: $14, based on SINGLE ROOM Inclusions: International Flights with Etihad Airways (Economy) & taxes One night at The Boma Hotel - breakfast and dinner One night at Kirurumu Tented Lodge - full board basis including game viewing activities Two nights at Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge full board basis including game viewing activities Two nights at Serengeti Sopa Lodge full board basis including game viewing activities Two nights at Satao Elerai full board basis including game viewing activities One night at Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge full board basis including game viewing activities Three nights at Mara Sarova Game Camp full board basis including game viewing activities All transport in Kenya & Tanzania in 4x4 safari vehicles All listed transfers One way flight Wilson airport to Kilimanjaro airport One way flight Serengeti to Arusha airport One way flight Masai Mara to Nairobi Wilson airport All park entrance and conservation fees Bush sundowner in Satao Elerai Bottled water Scheduled game drives and activities Most gratuities Bench International Escort

12 Exclusions: - Visa fees for Kenya and Tanzania - All drinks - Porterage - Laundry, shop purchases and other items of a personal nature