African Safari Tour

Tour #15

November 24-December 5, 2010

For over 35 years Illinois International Travel has been arranging unforgettable tours for Jehovah’s Witnesses to some of the most remarkable destinations around the globe. This tour starts in Dubai for the first two nights that’s known as the most modern city in the world. Besides a tour of Dubai, we have included an unusual dinner in the desert before continuing on to Africa for your safari. Kenya is where wildlife can be 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 deliciousmeal as breakfast, lunch and dinner is included while on safari at the game lodges. You will see thousands of animals, as there are over twomillion untamed as on their day of creation.On some evenings you will hear different tribes perform their ancient dances to the beat of African drums. Seeing somany animals and the proudMasaiwarriors walk fearlessly while they tend their cattle is something hard to describe. You’ll enjoy the luxury of safari lodges as you travel in our 4-wheel drive vehicles. Since you are near the equator, the warm weather will be ideal for swimming at the lodges. Each daywill be different as game driveswill be in the early morning when the animals are on the move. You then return to your lodge for breakfast.Atmidday, the animals rest in the shade as you take a siesta or 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 herd. The difference in our Safari from other tours is that it is 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. 24 Depart your hometown and fly to New York for our overnight flight on Air Emirates that departs at 11:00 p.m. to Dubai. This airline is rated #1 in the world for its service and meals. This is a great way to start this exciting tour.

Nov. 25 Because of the time change, you will arrive this evening in Dubai. Here you will be transferred to your hotel for an amazing Arabian adventure.

Nov. 26 Following breakfast, you’ll tour Dubai, the city of gold with its modern Palaces including a walk through the gold souks, the market place for anything made in gold. Later, you will have the thrill of going up and down the sand dunes in a dune buggy followed by a camel ride. You will then be seated in tents in the desert for a barbeque dinner with Arabian music and entertainment.

Nov. 27 After breakfast, fly to Nairobi and transfer to your hotel. Tonight you’ll hear experiences from our Brothers in Africa.

Nov. 28 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 lunch, relax by the swimming pool before your first game drive. Each vehicle has excellent viewing for plenty of photographs. Later, return to the lodge for dinner under the stars.

Nov. 29 This morning, there will be a game drive before breakfast. Even from your bedroom, you can see crocodiles and hippos. After lunch, you can lounge around the pool and read about the local habitat. 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 experienced.

Nov. 30 Another game drive to see elephants, giraffes, Grevy’s zebra, warthogs and leopards. After lunch, you will visit a Masai village where you can meet and talk with these most interesting people who live an entirely different life. Tonight you will hear a presentation on a local tribe’s life.

Dec. 1 Today, instead of driving all day for 10 hours over dirt roads, 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 that overlooks a water hole where animals come to drink. Later, there is a game drive that you will not 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 his trained eyes see long before you do. (Read Awake, 9/22/87, p, 5).

Dec. 2 Time to explore more of this reserve on a morning and afternoon game drive. Besides the big game animals, you will see hundreds 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 by the pool.

Dec. 3 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, storks and more. This is why a safari is so popular!

Dec. 4 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, depart to the Kenya airport for the overnight flight to New York.

Dec. 5 Arrive New York with connections to your hometown city.