7-Nights Ultimate Kenya Safari - Small Group Journeys from $10,495

1 Arrive Nairobi, Kenya

Touch down in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, which serves as your gateway to safari adventure. Kenya is classic safari country featuring vast national parks and reserves brimming with the iconic wildlife most associated with an African safari. These include the fabled Big Five — lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos and Cape Buffalo — along with countless other species, from zebras and wildebeests to cheetahs and giraffes. It’s also home to the pastoral Maasai people who live in harmony with the land.

Begin your luxury safari adventure with a drive from Nairobi to Nanyuki, crossing the equator as you go. Continue to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, a private reserve encompassing 90,000 acres of unspoiled African landscape where the Big Five roam, and arrive at your stunning tented camp in time for lunch. Nestled among fever trees in the shadow of Mount Kenya, Tambarare Camp in Laikipia looks out across a grassy plateau. Your tent is large and airy, with a private veranda and an en-suite bathroom that features a walk-in shower. Tonight, gather for a welcome dinner.

Set out on a morning game drive highlighted by an up-close visit with the world’s last northern white rhinos in their heavily guarded enclosure. Then, make a late afternoon game drive in this biodiverse home to black rhinos, reticulated giraffes and Grévy’s zebras.

This morning, set out on an exhilarating game drive, before enjoying one of these Design Your Day activities.

• Take a Guided Bush Walk accompanied by a ranger, getting up close to life in the African bush.
• Interact with the Dogs of an Anti-Poaching Unit and test their skills as you hide and let them sniff you out.
• Visit a Chimpanzee Sanctuary to observe rescued and orphaned chimpanzees up close while learning about protection and rehabilitation efforts.

Later this afternoon, head out on a game drive, followed by dinner in camp.

Fly to the Maasai Mara Game Reserve and your private tented camp — set up exclusively for you and your fellow A&K guests and taken down right after you leave — occupying a secluded location in the heart of the wilderness. This afternoon, set out on a game drive that introduces you to the Maasai Mara. The action never seems to stop, and the chain of command begins with the Mara’s lion population, the largest in the country. The delicate ecosystem of the Mara is the focus of a major conservation effort to preserve one of Africa’s last true game strongholds. During your time in the Maasai Mara, enjoy the peace of mind that comes with staying at A&K Exclusive Tented Camp.

On morning and afternoon game drives, observe crocodiles basking in the sun, hippos wallowing in muddy water, elephants rustling along the forest edge and graceful giraffes snatching leaves from high branches. Enjoy the option, today or tomorrow, to lift off on a hot air balloon ride (at an additional cost), gliding over the plains and taking in the game-rich landscapes from a low-level aerial perspective. After today’s activities, return to camp, where a chef demonstrates how to cook the local dish ugali (a porridge similar to polenta). Then learn hands-on how to scoop up beans, cooked greens and condiments with the ugali and sample your concoction.

Set out on morning and afternoon game drives. On an A&K-exclusive experience, stop at a Maasai village and visit a local school on the edge of the Mara (when in session) to see a LifeStraw Water Filter that purifies water for teachers and students — like the ones funded by each departure of this journey — a project supported by A&K Philanthropy. Later, sip a refreshing cocktail before your farewell dinner.