Kenya and Zimbabwe: 11-Day Lake Nakuku, Masai Mara, and Victoria Falls

Both its capital city and gateway to the green, Nairobi is Kenya’s dream destination where you will stop over for a night before setting off on safari. You will meet your private transfer at the international airport and retreat to a stunning hotel fringing the world’s only urban game park. Nairobi National Park is punctuated by zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, and other beautiful game that wallow in the fresh waters of nearby waterholes and graze the expanding emerald grasslands, a spectacular introduction to the majesty of natural Kenya you will swoon over from your balcony.

Upon arrival in Lake Nakuru National Park, you will lap up your first scenes of Kenya’s untouched landscapes before arriving at your accommodation and dropping off your belonging. Shortly after, you will head out with your knowledgeable guide on an extensive safari through the park. Rhinos and their calves will slowly munch on short grass, rare Rothschild’s giraffes will pluck leaves off thorny acacias, hippos will swim in the lake’s refreshing waters, and birds of prey will hover high in the sky scanning for prey. These are a few animal sightings to soak up during your tours of the riveting reserve.

It is easy to lose oneself in the serenity of your gorgeous accommodation. However, there are sensational activities to partake in before you make your way to Masai Mara. Today, you will head for the gleaming lake, where you will be met with views of a pink ring circling the edge of the water. As you come closer, you will perceive the feathered flamboyance of flamingos spreading across the lake like a vivid pink blanket covering its shallow waters. This sight is but one magnificent birdlife spectacle you will admire on your bird-watching excursion through the national park today.

Masai Mara National Reserve delivers unprecedented wildlife viewing opportunities across its vast open grasslands, along its tranquil rivers, and over its acacia-peppered plains. Beyond boasting Africa’s Big Five, the reserve is the stage on which the remarkable Great Migration is set. During your stay, day and night safaris led by knowledgeable rangers will show off the region’s boundless beauty and allow you to immerse yourself in the wilderness through surreal sightings of millions of migrating wildebeest, prides of big cats hunting in the early morning, and herds of elephants and other enormous mammals grazing the bushveld.

4x4 vehicles provide plenty of picture-perfect encounters with the wilderness, but there are few better ways to explore Masai Mara than by foot. Today, you will join your experienced ranger and wander the shaded paths leading through the bushveld to prime viewing spots speckling the park. You will have the opportunity to cherish the natural beauty up close as you catch the wafts of fragrant flowers blooming in the forests, photograph the tiny bugs and animals scuttling through the shrubbery, and treasure the melodic symphonies of birds singing from the trees.

You may discover Masai Mara from a new vantage point this morning as you float towards the clouds in a hot air balloon. The sunrise scenes will be spellbinding, flooding the landscape in colorful hues and silhouetting the animals grazing the grasslands. Upon arriving back on land, you will toast your morning adventures with a glass of champagne before venturing deeper through Masai Mara towards a local village hemmed in the bushveld. Traditional performances and delicious delicacies prepared by the villagers will provide insight into their unassuming values and the ancient customs that continue to guide their humble way of life.

You will stay in Nairobi today for an evening enjoyed at your leisure before continuing to the final destination of your vacation. Your sensational accommodation fuses contemporary and traditional design in its gorgeous suites that share access to the city’s exquisite cultural and local experiences. After checking in, you may stroll through Nairobi’s busy districts to exuberant markets and pumping bars dotting the streets. Following the delightful fragrances pouring out from the windows of these popular hotspots, you will locate exceptional restaurants offering unique takes on traditional Kenyan dishes.

Your travels will lead you from Kenya to Zimbabwe, and you will transfer via plane to the Victoria Falls region, a tremendously beautiful destination that is home to one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, the falls itself. After unpacking at your lovely Zimbabwean-styled lodge, you will head for the riverbanks, where you will board a charming wooden boat for an enchanting sunset river cruise on the Ra-Ikane. You will sip on decadent cocktails as you stand on the terrace and gaze upon the blazing orange sunset flickering over the horizon and burning silhouettes into the river.

Victoria Falls is an epic geological wonder you will never forget as its phenomenal images are imprinted in your memories during a tour of the Natural World Wonder today. This iconic natural masterpiece consists of an enormously wide pounding waterfall that billows into a steep valley dissecting the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia. You will stand on pathways and terraces on the edge of the looming precipice as the spray of the gushing waterfalls drenches your raincoats. Nothing will prepare you for your first encounter of Victoria Falls, and no image can possibly do it justice.

A gorgeous natural park and wildlife sanctuary lies near Victoria Falls, and you will visit its flourishing environments after breakfast this morning. You will be welcomed by professional rangers with years of experience tracking game and protecting these lush landscapes and the animals finding shelter within the green. Today, you will satisfy your wildest dreams during a lion walking tour of the bush. Accompanied by several tame and calm lion cubs as well as rangers with protective equipment, you will thrillingly stroll through the wilderness, spotting more magnificent creatures along the way.

You will wake up on your final day in Africa thrilled to have spent time exploring its immaculate, untouched landscapes and diverse environments teeming with fascinating creatures, brilliant birdlife, flourishing flora, and magnificent game. You will enjoy a light breakfast with views of Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls, a memory to be cherished for years to come, and bask in the blissful moments of relaxation before you pack your bags and transfer to the international airport. You will return home having discovered the best of Kenya and Zimbabwe, two countries boasting endless wilderness attractions.