Evening: Depart on overnight flights from the USA.

Evening: Arrivals in Nairobi in the late evening. Meet your Study Leader on arrival and check in to the hotel.

Lodging: Southern Sun Mayfair Nairobi

Note: The drive from Nairobi to Amboseli will take at least 4 hours and part of the road is unpaved. 2-3 hour game drives at sunrise and in the late afternoon. There are no toilet facilities outside of the lodge

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: Meet with your study leader for a program orientation before departing by safari van to Amboseli National Park. This small park is famous for its big features: large families of elephants roam the landscape, and the immense Mt. Kilimanjaro rises in the distance. The people of Amboseli say the best views of Kilimanjaro are to be had from this pristine park, especially on mornings when the peak is not hidden among the clouds.

Lunch: In the lodge.

Afternoon: Get a taste for the Amboseli on a very short game drive as you make your way to the Amboseli Elephant Trust. Meet with an expert from the trust to learn about the life of the East African Elephant.

Dinner: In the lodge.

Evening: At leisure.

Lodging: Kilima Safari Camp

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: The Study Leader may change the lecture discussion according to group interests.

Breakfast: In the lodge after the morning game drive.

Morning: As the sun rises, head out to continue the search through the varied wildlife habitats of the park. Back at the camp, join your Study Leader for a discussion: "Understanding the Tribes of Kenya and Tanzania" with a focus on the culture and customs of the Maasai.

Lunch: In the lodge.

Afternoon: After lunch, continue your exploration of the Amboseli on another game drive, or relax at the camp with your view of the majestic Kilimanjaro.

Dinner: In the lodge.

Evening: At leisure.

Lodging: Kilima Safari Camp

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: The drive from the the lodge in Amboseli to the border will take at least 3 hours and part of the road is unpaved and can be rough at some times of year. The drive from the border to Arusha will take 3 hours and is paved. Finally the drive from Arusha to the Lodge in Ngorongo will take about 3.5 hours and is also paved most of the way. While long, this day offers some excellent scenic driving and a unique look into rural East Africa.

Breakfast: In the lodge at Amboseli.

Morning: This morning we leave early, enjoying a scenic game drive through the western part of Amboseli to the Tanzanian border. Late in the morning we stop at the border for formalities and to change vehicles. We continue our drive from the border to the city of Arusha for lunch. This drive, while long, offers an intriguing view of rural life in Kenya and Tanzania.

Lunch: In Arusha at a local hotel.

Afternoon: Cross the Great Rift Valley and continue to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where agriculture, wildlife conservation and tourism co-exist in one of Africa’s first experiments of multiple-land use. Upon arriving at the park gates learn more about the larger conservation area from your Study Leader.

Dinner: In the lodge in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Evening: Prior to dinner take the time to enjoy the view of the crater floor from your rooms or from the terrace. The crater rim is a perfect viewpoint to observe the constellations of the Southern Hemisphere.

Lodging: Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: In the lodge.

Morning: Descend the slope into the Ngorongoro Crater in 4-wheel-drive vehicles to spend the morning observing wildlife on the floor of the crater. The 102 square miles of the Ngorongoro Crater are home to 25,000 mammals, many of which are resident due to the geographically enclosed nature of the crater. The crater is also home to the last population of black rhino in northern Tanzania.

Lunch: Pause in the picnic area on the crater floor, for a boxed lunch.

Afternoon: After your packed lunch enjoy another short game drive and return to the lodge to relax on the panoramic viewing terrace. Don’t miss the sunset splendor while the fiery sun makes its dramatic exit and spreads its glow over the crater. Later enjoy an early evening Presentation: "The Crater Ecosystem and Conservation." Please note that the Study Leader may change this presentation based on participant interest.

Dinner: In the lodge.

Lodging: Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Early Human History at Olduvai Gorge / The Vast Plains of the Serengeti

Note: The drive from Ngorongoro Crater Lodge to Olduvai Gorge is 2 hours on a paved road. The drive from Olduvai Gorge to Seronera Wildlife Lodge varies according to how much game is seen en route.

Breakfast: In the lodge.

Morning: Depart early leaving the Crater Rim and make your way to the romantic Serengeti National Park. En route, visit the Olduvai Gorge Museum and learn about the Leakey’s research and discovery of the earliest known species of humanoids.

Lunch: A box lunch is provided to eat at the Serengeti Visitor center picnic area. The area also has a walking path up rocky outcrops known as ‘kopjes’ for those looking to stretch their legs.

Afternoon: As you continue driving to the lodge enjoy a game drive though the plains of the Serengeti. In February, this area can get very crowded with Zebras, Wildebeest and Gazelles often with young newborns, be on the lookout for wildlife, as this unfenced land is all part of the Serengeti ecosystem.

Dinner: In the lodge.

Evening: Late evening Presentation: Stargazing – A Unique Night Under the African Sky led by your Study Leader. The lodge has an ideal viewing terrace high above the Serengeti that allows a spectacular view of the stars. Weather permitting, learn about the stars of the southern hemisphere as seen through the eyes of an East African.

Lodging: Seronera Wildlife Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: In the lodge after the morning game drive.

Morning: Get out early to search for game and perhaps a fresh kill just as the sun rises over the Serengeti. Look for fresh tracks with the help of your expert driver and your Study Leader as the park flares to life with the rising sun.

Lunch: In the lodge.

Afternoon: In the Afternoon before going back out, stop at the Serengeti Visitor Center and enjoy an illustrated presentation on the "Circle of Life". Then head back out and search for eland, the largest of the antelope, observe bird life, hippos and other animals as we follow the watering holes along the Seronera creek on your afternoon game drive.

Dinner: In the lodge.

Evening: At leisure.

Lodging: Seronera Wildlife Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: NOTE: The game drive on this day may go to a different area based on the migration. The group leader will make this decision on site based on where the best viewing of the animals are.

Breakfast: In the lodge.

Morning: Depart early for the northern Lobo Area of the vast Serengeti. As the landscape changes from savannah to riverine forest, keep watch for wildlife. Approaching the Lobo area, the land changes once again to rolling, open spaces dotted with high, rocky outcrops known as ‘kopjes’. Few travelers venture into this remote area of the Serengeti as animal life can be scarce at certain times of the year. But the change in atmosphere and terrain, along with the peaceful solitude make this a very interesting venture.

Lunch: Lunch at the Lobo Lodge.

Afternoon: Continue with your game drive and return to the Seronera Wildlife Lodge in the late afternoon. Later enjoy an early evening presentation: "Lake Victoria and it’s influence on the Maasai Mara". Please note that the Safari Director may change this presentation based on your questions during the program.

Dinner: In the lodge.

Lodging: Seronera Wildlife Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

From the Serengeti to the Shores of Lake Victoria and into the Maasai Mara

Breakfast: In the lodge in Serengeti National Park.

Morning: In the early morning depart the lodge to enjoy a scenic drive through the Western Corridor to the shores of Lake Victoria. As you make your way west, use your newly attuned eyes to watch for the abundant resident wildlife.

Lunch: Stop to enjoy a boxed lunch on the way to Speke's Bay.

Afternoon: Upon reaching the shores of Lake Victoria, take a brief stop for photographs. Meet with a local villager who has grown up on the shores of this famed lake and take time to ask her questions about her life, and the lake. Then, continue north to Kenya. During this drive you will notice completely different local architecture. You are no longer in Maasai territory and the houses now look quite different. After crossing the border continue to Migori where a charter flight awaits to bring you to the Maasai Mara. Upon arrival at the airstrip continue on a short game drive before arriving at your camp in the late afternoon.

Dinner: At the safari camp in the Maasai Mara.

Lodging: Fig Tree Camp

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: In the Maasai Village, you will be offered an opportunity to purchase hand made crafts. Some participants have experience "pushy" selling techniques. Road Scholar makes a donation to the village on behalf of our participants. You must not feel obligated to purchase anything unless you want to.

Breakfast: In the camp after the dawn game drive.

Morning: Head out at sunrise on a game drive. The plains are home to the distinctive Maasai giraffe as well as the common giraffe. Search for Roan spotted hyena and some of the more than 450 species of birdlife including vultures, marabou storks, secretary birds, hornbills, crowned cranes, and ostriches.

Lunch: In the camp.

Afternoon: This afternoon head continue your exploration of the Maasai Mara. Meet with a village of Maasai people to learn about their traditional way of life. Be welcomed into their homes and enjoy an opportunity to ask questions. Later join your study leader for a presentation: "The Rift Valley Formation, its History and Lakes". Please note that the Study Leader may change this presentation based on your questions.

Dinner: In the camp.

Evening: At leisure.

Lodging: Fig Tree Camp

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: In the camp after the morning game drive.

Morning: As the light brightens over the Mara, head toward the river to observe hippo, crocodile and birdlife. Depending on the migration, you may see wildebeest attempting the dangerous crossing. Later in the morning before lunch join a local Masai Moran on a nature walk through the edges of the Maasai Mara Park. Learn about local plant life and maybe observe some insects and lizards.

Lunch: In the camp.

Afternoon: In the afternoon set out on your final game drive. Enjoy the sounds and sights as you say farewell to the Maasai Mara. Later join your Study Leader for a final wrap-up session and presentation.

Dinner: Dinner at the camp.

Lodging: Fig Tree Camp

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: The drive from the Maasai Mara to Nairobi will take at least 4 hours and part of the road is unpaved.

Breakfast: In the camp

Morning: This morning depart early for the return drive to Nairobi. Leave the mara behind and drive through the heart of Kenya on the way into the city.

Lunch: In a local restaurant en route or on arrival in Nairobi.

Afternoon: Check in to the hotel. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure.

Dinner: Your choice to explore local fare. Suggestions will be provided locally.

Evening: at leisure

Lodging: Southern Sun Mayfair Nairobi

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: During a special presentation, learn about the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife Kenya efforts to increase the numbers of endangered Rothschild Giraffe at the Giraffe Center, where you will have the rare treat of hand-feeding these gentle giants and face them eye-to-eye from an elevated viewing platform. Then enjoy a visit to either the National Museum or the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Today's second activity will be decided on site, and will depend on weather and site conditions.

Lunch: Enjoy a leisurly farewell lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Take the afternoon at leisure to rest and pack prior to your flight. You have the use of your day room until 6 PM. The transfers will leave for the airport shortly after this time.

Dinner: Your choice to explore local fare.

Evening: At leisure.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Morning: Overnight flights arrive to the USA.