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Eastern Odyssey
Local Payment: USD 500
Tour Code: GAEO
Tour Duration: 15 days
Countries Visited: Kenya, Tanzania
Our journey begins with the vast open grasslands of Masai Mara, which plays host to the greatest migration of wildlife in the world. Two nights here in our special tented camp allow for a full day's visit to the reserve and exciting game viewing opportunities. From the majesty of 'the Mara' we travel to Kenya’s most famous body of freshwater - Lake Naivasha. This lake is home to an incredible variety of bird species and has a substantial hippopotamus population. Time is included for an optional activity such as cycling in Hell's Gate National Park, walking amongst the plains animals at Crescent Island Sanctuary or partaking in a sumptious afternoon tea at Elsamere, home of Joy Adamsom of 'Born Free' fame. Contrastingly, our next destination is the soda lake at Nakuru. The shallow alkaline lake that forms the centrepiece of Lake Nakuru National Park attracts millions of flamingos, which form a carpet of pink across the lake's surface. There is much more to the park than the lake, and the area is particularly well known for its white rhino and leopard numbers. Two days are spent in the shadows of Mount Kenya amidst tremendous scenery and rich bird life. A range of optional activities here allow you to explore aspects of region that holds the most personal interest, before you return to Nairobi.
Tanzania’s two main drawcards are the celebrated grasslands of the Serengeti and the outstanding Ngorongoro Crater. Both are so well-known they need little introduction. The Serengeti/Masai Mara eco-system is one of the largest in Africa, a massive region of some 15,000 square kilometres (about a quarter of the size of the Australian state of Tasmania and three times the size of Wales). It supports the largest concentration of plains animals anywhere in the world, along with plenty of predators. The nearby ancient crater at Ngorongoro measures 20 kilometres in diameter and is the largest unbroken, intact, unflooded caldera (collapsed cone of an ancient volcano) in the world. Often described as a ‘natural zoo’, the crater offers outstanding opportunities for seeing a large variety of wildlife, including the highly endangered black rhinoceros.
The children of the East Africa Mission Orphanage and the School of St Jude will provide many smiles and great memories as we share some very sepcial time together. All in all, this trip offers a superb wildlife encounter, whilst also providing support for a very inspiring school and hundreds of poor children whose dreams of a good education are now a reality.
Today is an arrival day, so you may arrive at any time. A pre-departure meeting takes place at 6pm at the hotel. You may choose to eat at the hotel restaurant this evening or venture out to one of the many fine restaraunts that Nairobi has to offer (own expense).
Days 2-3: Nairobi - Masai Mara National Reserve
Leaving Nairobi we travel down into the Great Rift Valley and the Masai Mara region, where we spend two nights and enjoy a full day's safari. As dusk falls we may see a variety of animals in the vicinity and listen to the sounds of the African night from our camp. We explore the park on morning and afternoon game drives and witness the wonderful procession of wildlife that inhabit this area. Wildebeest, zebra and gazelle are plentiful and, with luck, we may spot lion or cheetah keeping a casual eye on their movements. Elephant, giraffe and eland are also commonly sighted, along with plenty of bird life. Whilst in the region, we also have the time to experience some of the Masai culture and you may choose to take an optional visit to a local village, where you may experience the dancing and singing for which the Masai are renowned.
Meals included: 2 breakfasts, 2 lunchs, 2 dinners
This morning we depart the Masai Mara we head to the nearby freshwater Lake Naivasha, where we set up camp on the banks of the lake. Tonight we can fall asleep to the sound of grunting hippos! This afternoon is at leisure to take in one of the optional activities of the area. You may choose to visit Elsamere, the former home of writer Joy Adamson of ‘Born Free’ fame, and learn about her life and work, before enjoying a sumptuous afternoon tea. Alternatively you can take a cycling tour into Hell's Gate National Park, to try game viewing on two wheels! Another great option is a nature walk in Crescent Island Sanctuary to see just how close you can get to the resident animals such as giraffe, zebra and wildebeest, on foot. Please note that these activities will be offered if time permits. Time may be reduced according to road conditions and hours of daylight (season).
Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
This morning we travel to the nearby Lake Nakuru National Park for a day of game driving. Lake Nakuru is particularly noted for its populations of white and black rhino, Cape buffalo and the elusive leopard. Many other animals abound here including the Masai giraffe, which is often sighted quite close to the many roads in the park. Lake Nakuru is one of several soda lakes in the Rift Valley. Rich in algae, it attracts large quantities of flamingos and at times the surface of the lake resembles a moving carpet of pink feathers. Leaving the park we pass through Nakuru town to East Africa Mission Orphanage, where we 'bush camp' for the night. There are only be basic facilities here (pit toilets and no showers), but the cause is certainly an exceptional one! Tonight we enjoy a special dinner, as we eat with the children in their dining room.
Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
We spend the morning visiting the children of the orphanage and interacting with them through scheduled sport or school classes. The East Africa Mission Orphanage looks after more than 100 children ranging in age from just a few days old to fifteen years years of age. The complete needs of the children, including full school education, are provided for by the orphanage. This orphanage is actually the result of the dream of one family, who arrived in Kenya in 1997 with nothing more than two suitcases each. It is a charitable institution, registered with the Kenyan Government for the purposes of caring for the thousands of homeless orphans, that would end up either dying a premature death through malnutrition, walking the streets in search of food or turning to prostitution as a means of survival. The orphanage is taking up the challenge to reach out to these children before they have to fend for themselves out in the streets. Gecko's is proud to help support the efforts of this family and their incredible orphanage, and is excited to be able to take clients right into the orphanage itself! From the orphanage our journey to the foothills of Mount Kenya takes us through some beautiful landscapes, as we venture northeast. Our campsite near Nanyuki is a veritable oasis of nature. It has a dam, a river, incredible mountain views and spacious grass camping areas shaded by ancient trees that are frequented by cheeky, white colobus monekys.
Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
We have a day at leisure to take in one of the many optional activities on offer in the area or to simply relax and enjoy the tranquility of the camp and surrounding area. One option is a guided full-day walk on Mount Kenya. The highest peak, Batian, stands at 5199 metres, making it Africa's second highest mountain. A day walk takes in some of the fantastic and dramatic scenery and trails of the foothills and moorland region. The local Kikuyu people believe it is the place where the Kikuyu god, Ngai, resides. Being less than 20 kilometres south of the equator, the snowy peaks and permanent glaciers are surprising and inspirational! A less strenuous hike to Mau Mau Caves takes approximately four hours. If you choose to visit the caves by horse it takes approximately 2 hours. The Mau Mau Caves are the former hideouts of the Kenyan freedom fighters and the hotbed of anti-colonialist fighting in the 1950s. The caves were used both as a military base and also as a convalescing hideout for injured fighters. Our guide will explain aspects of the area's history and ecology on this great hike/ride. An alternative half-day excursion is to visit a local village on foot. Not only does the local community benefit from the tourist interest in the region, but the area also benefits as the communities endeavour to conserve their natural habitat and traditional customs. On this guided tour you visit local farms and community projects, as well as stop at a local home for a morning or afternoon tea break. Alternately you may choose to take a 2-3 hour guided nature walk in the vicinity of the campsite, with a specialist guide. The walk can be tailored to specific interests such as birdwatching, learning about local plants and their medicinal uses or seeking out rare forest animal species such as Sykes monkey, Abyssinian black and white colobus monkey and bushbuck.
After breakfast on Day 8 we are driven back to Nairobi, where we apend a night before continuing to Tanzania. Tonight we farewell some fellow travellers who are departing here and welcome new travellers joining us to Tanzania. A tour briefing for the Tanzanian sector of our trip takes place at 6pm at the hotel.
Meals included: 2 breakfasts, 2 lunchs, 1 dinner
We depart from Nairobi at around 9am. We cross the border at Namanga and enter Tanzania, before travelling on to Arusha. Arusha, also known as the Safari Capital of Tanzania throbs with activity, and you can expect to see several safaris heading off – or returning after a week in the bush. Here, we set up for our first night of camping in Tanzania.
Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
This morning we visit a very special school in Arusha. The School of St Jude was founded in 2002 by Gemma, a young Australian woman, for orphans and very poor children of Arusha. The school was founded on Gemma's belief that not only was a good and accessible education a right for all children in the world but without it, Africa's rate of development would continue to lag behind the rest of the world. Under the banner of 'Fighting Poverty through Education' the school provides a totally free education to over 90% of the pupils, including supplying transport, uniform, stationery, snacks, water and a hot meal. The opportunity for sponsorship at St Jude is given to the brighest and most ambitious children of extremely poor families, after a series of tests designed to measure potential and poverty levels. Whilst on a guided tour of the school we are given more information on how it operates and the success that it has achieved. We have time to visit children in class, before joining them for morning tea and lunch. We may hear some singing and see some of the children displaying special skills. This is a morning that is certain to touch our souls and fill us full of optimism. Leaving Arusha we may stop of at Meserani en route to our campsite in Mto Wa Mbu if time allows. At Meserani you have the opportunity to explore a snake park or visit an excellent Masai museum, as well as purchase crafts from the local Masai women (time permitting).
Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
Continuing toward Ngorongoro, we stop on the top of the Rift Valley escarpment for an incredible view out over Lake Manyara before continuing to the Serengeti Plains. These massive grasslands seem to stretch as far as the eye can see, and even beyond! Over a million wildebeest roam through the park, along with a multitude of antelope species and a significant populations of lion and cheetah. We spend two days exploring the plains on game drives as well as checking out the rocky outcrops, or ‘kopjes’, which are a favourite resting spot for the predators. We spend two nights camping inside the park - perfectly situated for the opportunity to hear the night time serenade of the African savannah.
Please note that the campsites in Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater are national park campsites and have no shower facilities. These are the only public campsites available and the facilities are basic in the extreme. There are no fences surrounding the campsites and wildlife is free to roam at leisure. The toilets are pit toliets and are not cleaned regularly. As mentioned, there is no water for showers or for washing up. As a result the water tank on the vehicle will be required for cooking. You will need to purchase bottled water at your own expense for this part of the tour. However the opportunity to camp in the middle of the Serengeti Plains and on the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater are real highlights and incredible experiences that you are unlikely to forget.
Meals included: 2 breakfasts, 2 lunchs, 2 dinners
We enjoy a final early morning game drive, before heading back to break down camp. We then traverse the southern part of Serengeti National Park and then cross over into the adjacent Ngorongoro Conservation Area. On the way to our campsite there is the option of visiting the small museum at Olduvai Gorge (time permitting), which documents the discovery of 1.8 million year old human-like fossils. We arrive at our campsite on the rim of the crater in the early evening – be warned that it gets very cold up here! This campsite is another government campsite and has equally primitive facilities, but is often frequented by buffalo, elephant and zebra.
Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
At the heart of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is the crater, which is a volcanic caldera some 20 kilometres wide that contains an abundance of wildlife and bird life. Ngorongoro is often referred to as a microcosm of Africa, with forest and grasslands, as well as freshwater and soda lakes. We transfer into Land Rovers and head down to the crater floor, where we spend the morning exploring this outstanding wildlife sanctuary. The crater is home to several black rhinos and, with luck, we may have the opportunity to seeing some of these highly endangered animal. (National park regulations stipulate that vehicles are only allowed a maximum of six hours in Ngorongoro Crater.) After an exciting morning in the crater we head through Karatu to Mto Wa Mbu and return to our campground in Arusha. where a hot shower and cold drink awaits!
Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
This morning our tour officially ends in Arusha. You may choose to take a free transfer with the safari vehicle, as it continues back to our Nairobi hotel. Alternately you may join our Mount Kilimanjaro trek in Marangu today. If climbing a mountain is not the challenge you are after, then you may choose to join our 'Zanzibar Revealed' tour which begins in Zanzibar today. These additional tours should be pre-booked with Gecko's to ensure availability. Linking flights and transfers to join these tours can also be pre-booked and arranged through Gecko's. If you are travelling with the vehicle back to Nairobi you will arrive in there in the late afternoon, where you will be dropped off at the downtown hotel. Flights out of Nairobi tonight should not be booked before 9.00pm. Transfers to Nairobi Airport are at an additional cost.
Meals included: 1 breakfast
Occasionally it may be necessary to amend this itinerary for reasons beyond our control such as weather and road conditions. This safari ends in Arusha on the morning of Day 15. From there you can take our free transfer back to Nairobi or join our 'Zanzibar Revealed' tour or Mount Kilimanjaro trek. If you plan to return to Nairobi and fly out of there on the same day, you should not book your departure flight to depart prior to 9pm.
Tour Grade: Moderate
A moderate level of fitness is required. These trips generally involve some physical activities and occasional long travelling days. Accommodation and travel conditions may be more basic.
Valid from 10 November 2007
| Start Date | End Date | Local_Payment | Price |
| 09 Aug 2008 | 23 Aug 2008 | USD 500 | $2095 |
| 20 Sep 2008 | 04 Oct 2008 | USD 500 | $2095 |
| 01 Nov 2008 | 15 Nov 2008 | USD 500 | $2095 |
| 13 Dec 2008 | 27 Dec 2008 | USD 500 | $2095 |
| 24 Jan 2009 | 07 Feb 2009 | USD 500 | $2095 |
| 07 Mar 2009 | 21 Mar 2009 | USD 500 | $2095 |
| 18 Apr 2009 | 02 May 2009 | USD 500 | $2095 |
Local Payment: USD 500
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