12 Days Africa big cats and elephant safari

12 Days Africa big cats and elephant safari combines the best safari parks in Kenya for observing and learning about elephant facts, and capture images of the African big cats.

Tsavo East, the home of the red elephants

Watch and photograph the red elephants home Tsavo East the big cats as well. Landscape photography with the red colored elephants makes a magnificent natural studio set up. Tsavo plays host to some of the biggest elephants in Africa. The iron rich soil makes the elephants appear red after they dust bathe and wallow in mud. In this vast ecosystem that is semi-arid the water holes act as a refuge during the lean times and they are the best places to wait for the gentle giants.

Learn more about the African elephant

Elephants are water dependent especially due to the fact that they dont have sweat glands and they rely of external mechanisms like splashing water of their “wrinkled” skin which helps keep moisture even longer. Tsavo being a vast area is a perfect habitat for the free ranging giants of Africa and is one of the remaining safari destinations and elephant habitats to have long tusked males. We also have opportunities to enjoy other wildlife like the cats of Tsavo. This is the park famed back in the day for man eating lions during the construction of the railway line famed as the lunatic express. We have a chance of spotting leopards and cheetahs as well. Kudu zebras dik diks and other wildlife.

Tsavo West, The land of enchanting landscapes

12 Days Africa big cats and elephant safari then takes us to the bushier and hillier Tsavo West. The land of lava and elephants as it is rightly called offers photography opportunities with hilly backgrounds. Enjoy as the elephants strip the back off the trees and play their role as key stone species. The elephants here will migrate between the Tsavo East, Chyulu and the Amboseli ecosystem in response to food availability. Most of the lodges and camps at Tsavo west will have water holes where elephants might show up as you have your sumptous lunch or even during dinner time. As we enjoy the elephants, we also check into Mzima springs and enjoy watching hippos and crocodiles from an underwater viewing tower.

young lion at Tsavo West National Park
12 Days Africa big cats and elephant safari

Amboseli National Park, the home of the Africa Elephant

The Amboseli National Park is the definite home of the African elephant and it is one of the best places in Africa to view them. Watch the elephants in their natural habitat, our passionate and professional safari guide explains about the complex elephant families. The elephants here have a daily ritual where every morning they will come to the swamps which are fed by water from Mount Kilimanjaro. You get perfect elephant photography opportunities. The elephants are known for their intelligence and through studies by the Amboseli elephant trust, these elephants will move all the way to the base of the Kilimanjaro where the soil profile is different offering diversity in the plants and thus nutrition. You also get the opportunity to see lions and cheetahs at the Amboseli. The Eastern white bearded gnus and zebras are found in plenty, the hippopotamus feed in the swamps or busk on the edges.

Experince safari away from the safari jeep at Lake Naivasha

12 Days Africa big cats and elephant safari Experience brings you to Lake Naivasha which acts as break point between the southern circuit and the Masai Mara. At Naivasha you get a chance to do outdoors activities that breaks the vehicle monotony. Activities at Lake Naivasha include horse riding, boat ride or riding bicycles at hells gate.

Masai Mara, one of Africa’s best safari destinations

We then head to Masai Mara. This is the home of the elephants and predators. We get prides of lions, serval cats, cheetahs and leopards. Big herds of elephants are not left out too. The dotted plains offer numerous photographic opportunities of the elephants in the savannah. The elephant population here explores both the Mara ecosystem and the Serengeti. Join us on the 12 Days Africa big cats and elephant safari and let’s explore the wonderful world of the gentle giants of Africa

Itinerary

Cost

Map

Itinerary

Cost

Map

Day 1 :

Nairobi to Tsavo East National Park

Leave Kenya’s capital city early in the morning and drive towards the Kenyan coast. We arrive at the camp/lodge for lunch. Later in the afternoon we head out and explore this semi-arid conservation area that is covered in beautiful iron rich red soils. The famous huge red elephants of Tsavo are to be found here as well as lions’ cheetahs and leopards. We later return to the camp/lodge for dinner and overnight after chasing the ever-magical sunset in Africa.

Day 2 :

Full Days Spent Exploring the world of the red elephants, Tsavo East National Park

Our flexible safari itinerary gives you the option of doing morning and evening game drives or crafting an ideal day program with our professional safari guide. Tsavo is the biggest conservation area in Kenya and offers not only the red covered elephants but also the rare hirola antelope. Zebras dik diks and a good variety of antelopes call this magnificent Tsavo East their home. These dry plains have the Galana river snaking its way seeking out its way to the Indian ocean, its water roars over the rocks at the Lugard’s falls as the sneak between the creeks. A stop worth visiting. The 1.6 km inselberg of stratified rock acts as a water catchment that supplies a natural dam below is locally called the Mudanda rock. A refuge for animals during the dry season. After a day of exploration, we return to the camp/ lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 3 :

Another Full Day at the land of the world famous man eaters of Tsavo

Day spent again in Tsavo East National Park with flexible game drives

Day 4 :

Tsavo East national P{ark to Tsavo West National Park

After breakfast we head out to the neighbouring Tsavo West National park. We do a game drive as we head to our lodge arriving in good time for lunch. Later in the afternoon we go out for a game drive. We explore the mzima springs. A natural reservoir under the Chyulu hills feeds the springs. Water percolates through underground porous volcanic rocks and the natural filtration process gives the mzima springs clear water. There is a small watch tower where you can observe the aquatic life from such as fish and Nile crocodiles from. Further exploration and we could run into savannah monitor lizards’ lions’ leopards buffalos elephants common waterbucks amongst other beautiful creatures and not forgetting a prolific birdlife. Later return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 5 :

Tsavo West National Park drive to Amboseli National Park

After breakfast we head out on a game drive as we head to Amboseli National reserve. Shetani lava flow as its locally referred to is an eight-kilometre lava flow that is 1.6 kilometres wide. Emerging from the Chyulu cones the flow is such a sight with the rock habitat adapted klipspringer hoping occasionally We further proceed to Amboseli National park arriving in time for lunch. This is the best place to observe the behavior and enjoy watching the magnificent creatures, in fact most of what we know today has been researched in this conservation area by Dr. Cynthia Moss of Amboseli elephant trust.

Day 6 :

Full Day Exploring Amboseli National Park

Its day two and three at the royal court of Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro. Our itinerary is flexible and we have the option of doing half day game drives and later again in the afternoon after a lunch break. Amboseli National park is the best place to see big herds of elephant. The swamps attract this magnificent creature that find themselves living in this vast semi-arid ecosystem. The dusty plains also play host to cheetahs and lions amongst the big cats. On early morning game drives, you have a higher chance of seeing the rarer mammals like the honey badger, African wildcat, African civet amongst others. Thus, we always recommend our guests leave camp or lodge at the earliest legal times with packed breakfast to catch the morning serenity. The thought of the beautiful African sunrise in the open plains and breakfast in the wild with enchanting views should be motivation enough to make you jump out of bed early. . In Amboseli conservation area we also have the dry lake Amboseli that offers quit good elephant photography opportunities as well as other herbivores that you may come across in the vast dry lake bed. Amboseli also offer unmatched photography opportunities, the golden light spiced with the dust as the animals move into and out of the swamp in the morning and in the evening, which happens to be their daily migration routine. Dinner and overnight at the camp or lodge

Day 7 :

Another Day spent exploring the Amboseli National Park

With flexible game drives tailored by your professional safari guide and you all depending on your main interests

Day 8 :

Amboseli National Park to Lake Naivasha

We Leave Amboseli early in the morning and head to Lake Naivasha. We make a stop stop at the East African section of the great rift valley view point. It is a geologic wonder of the world. A fracture on the earths in the earth’s surface. Enjoy views of a stratovolcano, Mount Longonot,with a 8x12 km caldera is quit a sight to behold. Drive on further past the small Italian catholic church built in 1942 during the second world war, the Italians were prisoners of war and Kenya at that time was still a British colony until 1963. We arrive in time for lunch then later after a brief rest head out for the afternoons activities. We begin with the boat ride, about one hour in the only fresh water lake in the Kenyan rift valley that is home to hippos and over 400 bird species. Get pied kingfishers in action, the African fish eagle busy looking for the all-important protein source, the fish. Common carp is the most common fish here. Later we go out for a horse ride or nature walk depending on your preference at the crescent island or the sanctuary farm. You can also do a bike ride as you watch wildlife, you will have a guide with you. You can choose to explore the hells gate national park, walk amongst giraffes’ zebras warthog “pumba”. Visit and explore the hells gate gorge as you examine obsidian rocks and hot springs in the gorge. Later on, return to the relaxing ambience of your lodge for dinner and overnight

Day 9 :

Lake Naivasha to Masai Mara National Reserve

Leave Naivasha early in the morning and head to the Masai Mara with several stops enroute, Reach the Mara in perfect time for lunch and later leave for the evening game drive in search of the big cats of Masai mara, the lions, leopards cheetahs elephants’ rhinos and other species of elephants. The Masai mara national reserve offer unrivalled opportunities for big cat sightings. Check back to the camp /lodge for dinner and overnight. Leave Naivasha early in the morning and head to the Masai Mara with several stops enroute, Reach the Mara in perfect time for lunch and later leave for the evening game drive in search of the big cats of Masai mara, the lions, leopards cheetahs elephants’ rhinos and other species of elephants. The Masai mara national reserve offer unrivalled opportunities for big cat sightings. Check back to the camp /lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 10 :

Full Day Spent Exploring the Masai Mara National Reserve

We have a very flexible itinerary and game drives are tailored to your interests with our experienced professional safari guide. Early morning game drive with picnic breakfast gets you higher probabilities of catching the sunrise, animals whilst they are still active. The morning serenity is just unexplainable, you just have to experience. Explore more of the spotted savannah with its diverse landscapes as to capture beautiful animals, with your lenses. The Mara river where river crossings happen in July August September is the main water body snaking its way through this paradise. Hippopotamus and the Nile crocodile call this home and it’s the best place I the reserve to catch a glimpse of them as they warm themselves in the river banks. Other rivers include the talek river and smaller tributaries like sekenani river. The sand river is another picturesque area at the Masai mara and it is right at the border with the endless plains, the Serengeti. All these as our safari guide explains more about nature as it unfolds right in front of you, getting you the best angles for that shot! After a fulfilling adventurous day, you retire back to your strategically located safari camp/lodge for sumptuous dinner and overnight

Day 11 :

Full Day at Masai Mara

Full day spent at the Masai Mara with flexible game drives

Day 12 :

Masai Mara National Reserve to Nairobi

After early breakfast we head out for our Last game drive. Capture silhouettes of topis , giraffe elephant or even lucky a male lion silhouette. After an exciting morning game drive, we drive back to Nairobi.

12 Days Africa big cats and elephant safari