Djoser's Land Program begins and ends in Nairobi. The days on this program are numbered to match the Djoser Netherland's program so that travelers from North America and the Netherlands will all be on the same schedule. An additional travel day from the United States and back is denoted as +1. The program, with flights from the U.S. is 21 days in total.
Nairobi, Mount Kenya
+1 Day Depart USA
Day 1 Nairobi
Day 2 Nairobi - Mount Kenya
At the end of the 19th century Nairobi was merely a poor encampment for construction workers of the “crazy railroad” from Mombasa to the heart of Africa. Despite the unhygienic circumstances in the camp due to drainage problems, the administrative machinery was quickly moved to Nairobi and the commercial sector followed soon after. The Nairobi of today with more than a million inhabitants is an administrative, cultural and commercial center unequaled in Africa. The Somalians, Arabs, Nubians, Indians, Pakistani, Japanese and Westerners live together relatively trouble-free among the African majority. The presence of mosques, temples, synagogues and churches are proof of the cosmopolitan character of Nairobi.
The day after arrival we immediately start our trip. In about 4 hours we drive to Mount Kenya, the holy mountain of the Kikuyu, residence of their god Ngei who maintains the mysterious white – the eternal snow. Around 1890, when the first travelers returned from this region, they were laughed at when they talked about the eternal snow on the equator. The top of Mount Kenya was not reached until 1930. The region around Mount Kenya consists of several mountain ranges, snowfields, glaciers, ponds, lakes, waterfalls and gigantic rubble slopes. Extensive dense rainforests at the bottom of the mountains host a large variety of wildlife. The vegetation on the slopes is exceptional, especially the large ragwort and the numerous heather plants. The surroundings of Mount Kenya consist of grassy plains and farmlands of the Kikuyu, the largest agricultural community of Kenya. Most of the food supply of Nairobi comes from this region. During our stay you are free to explore the broad-leaved forest of Mount Kenya by foot, by mountain bike or on horseback.
Samburu Wildlife Reserve
Day 3 Mount Kenya – Samburu National Park
Day 4 Samburu Wildlife Reserve
Day 5 Samburu NP - Nyahururu Waterfall –
The trip continues to the Shaba Wildlife Reserve, north of Isiolo. The last part of the trip is on a bumpy sandy road through the region of the Samburu tribe. At the small town of Archer’s Post we turn of the road to enter the park. Samburu National Reserve is famous for the Grevy’s zebra, giraffes and Somalia ostriches. Chances are that you will see elephants and crocodiles. Plains of lava, deep gorges and round hilltops dominate the landscape. Vegetation mainly consists of prickly bushes and acacias, and forest along the Ewaso Nyiro. We will set up the tents in the shade of the trees. The Samburu mainly live off their goats and cattle. They are closely related to the Masai; they speak the same language, the Maa, and wear the same red and purple clothing. We also visit the nearby Buffalo Springs Wildlife Reserve. The next day we drive to the Nyahururu Falls.
Day 6 Nyahururu Waterfall – Navaisha Lake
Day 7 Navaisha Lake
Day 8 Navaisha Lake – Lake Nakuru National Park
The next day to drive we to the Nyahururu water falls. In the afternoon or the next morning is it possible make a walk and descend to foot of the water falls. With the truck we descend inti the Rift Valley and pass the first tea plantations on the way to Lake Navaisha. We set up our tents for two nights on the bank of the lake. In the surroundings of Navaisha there is lots to do in the area.
We drive to the highest lake in the Rift Valley, Lake Navaisha. In the afternoon you may take an optional boat ride on the lake and be sure to encounter some of the many hippos that live in the lake. The lake also has a great diversity of birds. At the shore of this lake, we might visit Villa Elsamere, the residence of the Adamson family, famous for the book ”Born Free”. Be sure to take a traditional high tea at the house. There are a number of black and white (colobus) monkeys who live in the yard, who are easy to photograph. Nakuru National Park is famous for its alkaline lake of the same name and is the home base of thousands of flamingoes and numerous other sorts of birds. On the shore of the lake you can pick up the unusual scent of the brackish, mineral-rich water. During the drought the water surface may drop so much that salt rims become visible. Since 1986 Lake Nakuru National Park has a special region set aside called ”Rhino Rescue” to protect the endangered species of the rhinoceros, so there is a good chance that you will see rhinos in this park. Other wildlife in this park includes lions, buffalos and giraffes. From ”Baboon Cliff” you will have a beautiful view of the lake.
Day 9 Lake Nakuru NP - Kericho
Day 10 Kericho – Mbita (Lake Victoria)
Day 11. Mbita
Day 12 Mbita – Serengeti
Day 13 Serengeti surroundings – Serengeti National Park
Day 14 Seregnti NP
After a short ride we set up our tents between the tea plantations of Kericho. The ground and the climate are ideal for cultivating tea shrubs. An optional excursion this day is visiting a tea plantation and tea factory, where you can see the tea leaves are processed. We drive on to the direction of Mbita, in a quaint fisherman’s village on the banks of Lake Victoria, possibly stopping at the colorful markets in this area. Lake Victoria is the largest lake of Africa. The lake is a habitat of a large variety of birds. The next day you have the option to take a boat tour on the lake. Local fishermen can talk on and on about life in and on the water. With some luck fresh fish will get caught for our evening meal. What can be more enjoyable than fresh baked fish at sunset? It is also possible to go mountain biking, by yourself or with a guide. We continue to Serengeti, where we will stay the night in a lodge on the hotel trip.. The next day we will go on two game drives. Taking in account that wildlife is most active in the early morning or in the late afternoon, we will take our game drives in the park at those times.
Serengeti is the largest and best-known park of Tanzania. It covers an area of 8,520 square miles with a spectacular wildlife density and a bird lover’s heart’s desire. Serengeti consists mostly of extensive open grass plains with occasional characteristically rock formations, named outcrops. There are also acacias, savanna woodlands, and forests along rivers, an occasional pond and even swamplands. Along with the famous herds of gnus, zebras and gazelles, Serengeti is also famous for its lion population. It is not unusual to see lions and cheetahs more than once a day including the black mane old male species. Also the leopard shows up often around the outcrops resting in the trees during the day. The spectacular annual migration of the gnus and the zebras takes place in a large circle, which includes the Masai Mara in Kenya. In the months of December and January the great herd is in the far south of the Serengeti. From March on the animals start to move northward. Between May and July most animals are in the north and the west of the park. During the months of August and September the herds are in the Masai Mara and after October they move south. The amounts of precipitation and especially the location of the precipitation are of great importance to the animals. As early as September the herd may move to the center of the Serengeti, depending on the rainfall.
Day 15 Serengeti NP – Ngorongoro Crater
Day 16 Ngorongoro Crater – Eyasi Lake
Day 17 Eyasi Lake – Mto Wa Mbu
Day 15 Serengeti NP - ngorongoro crater day 16 ngorongoro crater - Lake Eyasi day 17 Lake Eyasi - Mto wa Mbu We set off in the morning to the spectacular ngorongoro crater. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area are of Afrika's most spectacular nature areas, not only because one of the largest craters of the world are (264 km²) but certainly also because of the large diversity and compactness to wild. On the floor of the crater are themselves ` all members of the so-called piglet five (elephant, lion, rhinoceros, leopard and buffalo). Also for the liefhebber of birds the ngorongoro crater has to offer much.
Early in the morning we get on the road to the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater. On the way we stop at the Olduvai Gorge. This gorge is known for the Leaky family's discovery of fossils of hominids. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is one of Africa’s most spectacular natural beauties, not only because it is one of the largest craters in the world (155 square miles) but also due to its great diversity and density of wildlife. On the crater’s bottom you will find all members of the animal groups known as the ”Big Five”: the elephant, the lion, the rhinoceros, the leopard and the buffalo. The Ngorongoro Crater also has a lot to offer to bird lovers. The next day we will have a magnificent ride to Mto wa Mbu. Fanciful shaped “monkey bread trees” and the view of Lake Manyara offer fantastic photo opportunities. In the lively town of Arusha we arrive back in civilization. In the afternoon you have plenty of time to explore the city and perhaps to buy some nice souvenirs. Finally we reach the Kenyan capital of Nairobi via the border town of Namanga. Nairobi has a small center and most sights, such as the indoor City Market, the Jamai Mosque and the Nairobi National Museum, can be reached from the hotel by foot or by a short taxi ride.
Day 18 Mto wa Mbu – Arusha
Day 19 Arusha – Nairobi – NL group departs 11:25 PM
Day 20 Arrival U.S.
We camp outside the city on the outskirts of Mount Meru. By means of the grensplaatsje Namanga we reach eventually the next day the Kenyan capital Naïrobi, where we will depart in the evening.
(With travel from U.S., this program is 21 days)
