African Safari Tour

Tour #14

November 21-December 1, 2008

For over 30 years Illinois International Travel has been delivering unforgettable journeys to some of the most remarkable destinations around the globe. It is however, only in Africa that you can come so close to the world’s greatest natural wonders and enjoy all the comforts of modern life. Kenya is where African wildlife can be seen and photographed in their natural habitat. After an exciting day on safari, where lions, zebras, elephants and giraffes are your constant companions, you’ll return for a delicious meal as breakfast, lunch and dinner is included while on safari at the game lodges. You will see thousands of animals, as there are over two million untamed and spontaneous as on their day of creation. On some evenings you will hear different tribes perform their ancient dances to the beat of African drums. Kenya is a place of great beauty from the snow-covered peaks of Mt. Kenya and Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti. Seeing so many animals and the proud Masai warriors walk fearlessly while they tend their cattle is something hard to describe and yet it will be an experience you will long remember.
You’ll enjoy the luxury of safari lodges that overlook the Serengeti. Everyone will enjoy fantastic views in each of our four-wheel drive vehicles. Since you are near the equator, the warm weather will be ideal for swimming at the lodges. Each day will be different as some game drives will be in the early morning when the animals are on the move. You then return to your lodge for a hearty breakfast. At midday, the animals rest in the shade as you take your own siesta or enjoy a swim. Afternoon game drives begin around 4:00 p.m. when the animals are again on the move. You may see a cheetah stalking or a baby elephant trying to keep up with the heard. Kenya is known as the most natural theater in the world as it is home to the highest concentration of animals and birds anywhere on the continent. After sending several groups on safari, we find it more convenient and less tiring for everyone by flying from one game reserve to another instead of driving on dusty dirt roads for hours between game lodges. For this reason, we have planned the following itinerary.

Nov. 21 Depart your hometown and fly overnight to London, England. Enjoy dinner and a movie as you cross the Atlantic Ocean.

Nov. 22 This morning you will arrive in London where you will transferred to an airport hotel to rest for the day or you can explore London for a few hours. This evening you will board an overnight flight to Nairobi, Kenya.

Nov. 23 Upon arrival in Nairobi this morning, you will be transferred to your hotel and then the balance of the day will be free to rest and enjoy Nairobi. Tonight you will hear some experiences from our brothers in Africa.

Nov. 24 After breakfast, instead of driving for hours, you will board a short flight passing snowcapped Mount Kenya to the Samburu Game Reserve. Upon arrival, you will immediately start seeing animals on your way to the Serena Game Lodge, your home for the next three nights. After an enjoyable lunch, you can relax by the swimming pool before your first game drive to see a variety of animals. Each vehicle has excellent viewing for plenty of photographs. Later, return to the lodge for dinner under the stars.

Nov. 25 This morning, there will be a game drive before breakfast. Your safari lodge is perfect for animal viewing. Even from your bedroom, you can see crocodiles and hippos. Enjoy another late afternoon game drive. At night, you can look for leopards while dining along the river. Each day will be more exciting than the other as you enjoy your African safari as this is something very few people have ever seen.

Nov. 26 Another game drive to see giraffes, Grevy’s zebra, warthog and leopards. Later, you will visit a village where you can purchase tribal crafts. After lunch, there will be a nature walk with a naturalist and then you can lounge by the pool reading up on the area’s local habitat. Tonight you will hear a presentation on a local tribe with an opportunity to photograph these colorful people.

  
 
   
                       
     

YOUR TOUR INCLUDES:
• Round-trip airfare
• Hotels and lodges
• All meals while on safari
• All wildlife viewing
• Game park entry fees
• Professional safari guides

All prices are per person based on two people in a room. If you do not have a roommate, we will attempt to assign one for you or you can pay a supplement for a single room. Besides the above cities, you can depart from any major U.S.A. or Canadian airport by indicating this on the reservation form. We will then inform you of the total cost from your hometown.
     
                       
       
SAMPLE DEPARTURE CITIES
Chicago $4349
Detroit $4349
Los Angeles $4399
Miami $4499
New York $4299
Phoenix $4499
San Francisco $4399
Seattle $4499
Washington, DC $4299
         
                       
(Airline taxes are an additional $249 per person)
 
 
     
   
 
   

Nov. 27 Today you will fly to the Masai Mara Game Reserve in the Serengeti where the movie “Out of Africa” was filmed. After checking in at the Mara Serena Lodge, you will have lunch at the restaurant that overlooks a water hole where animals come to drink. Later, there is a game drive that you will never forget as you will now see the greatest wildlife show on earth! Here, the “Big 5,” elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, and rhino roam freely. This is your home for three nights as it will take three days to see more lions than anywhere else including cheetah, leopards, and other animals. From the herds of elephants and the prides of the mighty lion, your driver will point out sights that his trained eyes see long before you do. (Read Awake, 9/22/87, p. 5)

Nov. 28 It’s time to explore more of this great reserve on a morning and afternoon game drive. Besides the big game animals, you will see thousands of impala, topi, Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelle (This is only a sampling of what you will see each day.) During your free time, you can relax in the pool. Tonight, there will be a surprise dinner.

Nov. 29 Enjoy another morning and afternoon game drive. The Masai Mara borders Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park and offers a wide variety of game, (95 species of animals and 450 kinds of birds) plus lions, hippos, crocodiles, antelope, giraffes, wildebeests, baboons, hyenas, jackals, zebras, cap buffalos, eagles, cranes and storks.

Nov. 30 A final game drive to see animals not seen previously. Following lunch, you will then fly to Nairobi for a farewell dinner at the “Carnivore” restaurant, Kenya’s greatest eating experience. It’s known for the atmosphere as meats are roasted on Masai swords over a charcoal pit. After dinner, you will proceed to the Kenya Airport for the overnight flight to London, England.

Dec. 1 Upon arrival in London, you will change planes and then board your return flight to your hometown.
Comments from Past Friends: “We will long remember the different sounds of the animals while walking on the grounds of the lodges. We could see the Milky Way and a cloud winking like glitter tossed out of nowhere. We all looked up and felt small and yet huge as there was pure silence. Even without a single photograph, we’ll always picture it clearest of all in our mind’s eye.”