Meet the Kings of the Jungle
Embark on a family adventure. A real-life ‘Lion King’ journey, filled with the captivating characters and expansive landscapes celebrated in Disney’s classic.
Your journey plays out against the boundless plains and rugged outcrops of East Africa’s legendary Masai Mara, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater: a photographer’s dream of picture-perfect light, coloured by the unrivalled hues of African sunrises and sunsets. Children will love this engaging and interpretive journey, as they learn about the ‘Circle of Life’ as it plays out in the bush in this cycle that’s as old as our planet.
This is the animated world in all its cinematic glory, complete with warthogs, clans of hyena, wildebeest migration herds, warthogs, baboons, zebra, giraffe, elephant, red-billed hornbills (named Zazu of course) and, holding centre stage, Africa’s ever-magnificent wild lions.
This adventure pays tribute to Disney’s new Lion King, and to Disney’s #ProtectThePride campaign in support of the Lion Recovery Fund, a global organization dedicated to the future of Africa’s wild lions. Since the release of the original Lion King, the African wild lion population has halved!
Day 1
Hemingways Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya
On your arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, a representative will welcome you and transfer you to your hotel in Nairobi.
Once at the hotel, it’s time for “hakuna matata” (no worries): relax, recoup, and enjoy your beautiful surroundings.
Enjoy a private visit to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (an elephant and rhino orphanage) followed by dinner at your Hotel. The private viewing takes place at 15h00, a scheduled feed time for the orphaned elephants lasts for 30-40 minutes. During this time you would be able to experience a personalized encounter with both the orphans and their Keepers. An employee from the trust will be present to explain about the project and the individual rescue stories of each elephant orphan in the nursery.
The only city in the world with a national park on its doorstep, Nairobi is the hub of East Africa and is packed with unique attractions, from bustling markets to fascinating historical sites such as the Karen Blixen Museum. Named after a Maasai watering hole, ‘enkare nyarobi’, which means ‘place of cool waters’, the city is also known for its leafy streets and parks. A modern city with towering skyscrapers and imposing architecture, Nairobi also boasts a beautiful skyline.
Spend your 1 night at Hemingways Nairobi in a Deluxe Room with ensuite bathroom. Your stay includes dinner, breakfast, butler valet services, wi-fi and mineral water.
Day 2 - 3
Bateleur Camp, Mara, Kenya
You will be collected from your hotel for your early flight in to the Masai Mara, where you will be welcomed by the Bateleur Camp team.
From the moment you land in the Mara you will be captivated by the sights and sounds. Settle in before embarking on your first game drive. You should get to see a host of familiar characters, including Zazu and his fellow red-billed hornbills, gatherings of elephant, buffalo, giraffe, lion and cheetah, alongside wildebeest and zebra. At the camp we have many resident warthog, so look out for ‘Pumba’.
Choose from a wonderful range of excursions over the next two days: game drives, nature walks, night drives, or at an additional cost, Maasai community visits.
Catch the moment when the sunrise spills over the plains, lighting up the flat-topped acacias: the landscape that inspired the unforgettable opening scene of this African epic.
Reawaken your soul during your 2 night stay at Bateleur Camp in a spacious Tent with indoor and outdoor showers, a bathtub and a private deck. Your stay includes accommodation, all meals, soft drinks, house wines, local brand spirits and beers, scheduled safari activities, return Kichwa Tembo airstrip transfers and laundry.
Day 4 - 5
Grumeti Serengeti Tented Camp, Serengeti Western Corridor, Tanzania
This morning, wake early for your connection through Tarime (or Wilson in low demand season) to the Serengeti. You will have about an hour’s flight, followed by a drive across the border, before connecting to another short flight to Grumeti Serengeti Tented Camp.
Located in the remote Western Corridor of the Serengeti, this picturesque riverside camp and surrounds is known not only for its high-season dramatic wildebeest crossings and enormous Nile crocodiles, but also for its exceptional year-round wildlife.
Freshen up with a swim in the pool overlooking the seasonal hippo pods, before heading out on a game drive. With few other vehicles, it will feel like your private Serengeti.
This is ‘Mufasa’ country: discover the art of tracking as you follow the massive paw prints of lions to find them slumbering under shady trees, on the prowl, or playfully interacting with one another
On your game drives from the camp, you can expect to encounter large lion prides, bounding ‘Simbas’ and ‘Nalas’, and giggling clans of ‘Shenzi’ and his hyena buddies up to a hundred strong.
Expect adventure during your 2 night stay at Grumeti Serengeti Tented Camp in a Flamboyant Tent with ensuite bathroom with open air shower. Your stay includes three meals daily, soft drinks, house wines, local brand spirits and beers, teas and coffees, scheduled safari activities, refreshments on game drives and laundry.
Day 6 - 7
Serengeti Under Canvas, Northern Serengeti, Tanzania
After breakfast, you’ll head to Serengeti Under Canvas. This is seasonal mobile camp that changes location five times a year, as it shadows the migration.
Here your adventure continues in this luxurious tented camp, complete with a private butler service, chandeliers, silver and crystal ware, and comfortable beds with fluffy duvets. Dinners are an idyllic lantern-lit affair, held under a canopy of stars.
This mobile camp is designed to shadow the migration, providing optimal sightings of the mega herds of wildebeest and zebra, with an ever-present plethora of big cats in close attendance.
Look out for ‘Shenzi’ and his cronies skulking in the shadows, hoping to scavenge a tasty morsel or two. Is ‘Scar’ perhaps close by?
Gather around a roaring campfire to share stories of the day’s magic as the African night comes alive. Toast marshmallows over the camp fire, or sip a glass of full-bodied red wine.
Thrill in the excitement of safari during your 2 night stay at Serengeti Under Canvas in a Bedouin style tent with ensuite bathroom with outside bucket shower. Your stay includes three meals daily, soft drinks, house wines, local brand spirits and beers, teas and coffees and laundry.
Day 8 - 9
Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
Today you head off to Ngorongoro Crater, famed as an ancient caldera and unique ecosystem, and home to a teeming gathering of game that has echoes of the animated classic.
Take pleasure in the dramatic contrast of the lodge’s baroque elegance, and the drop-away views onto this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Spend a day in the Crater, looking for big tuskers and the endangered Rhino.
Stretch your legs and do a guided crater rim walk, or book a full-day Empakai hike, a birdwatcher’s heaven.*
We highly recommend participating in a KOPELion conservation experience, or meeting the lion guardians that are working to secure Simba’s future in the wild.* (Be sure to book this activity in advance)
Toast the day with sundowner cocktails to the accompaniment of a private performance by Maasai warriors.*
Indulge and explore at Ngorongoro Crater Lodge during your 2 night stay in a Suite with ensuite bathroom with bath and shower. Your stay includes three meals daily, soft drinks, house wines, local brand spirits and beers, teas and coffees, scheduled safari activities, refreshments on game drives and laundry.
*These activities are at an additional cost
Day 10
Departure
After breakfast wave a fond farewell to the Ngorongro Crater Lodge team as your family adventure comes to an end. You will be driven to Manyara Airstrip for your flight to Kilimanjaro and your onward connection.
* Please inquire for customized itineraries, availability and rates. (&B)
