Kenya - Namibia Air Safari 2015

An Epic Air Safari from 

Kenya to Namibia and Return

First part: Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Namibia

Start May 3rd, arrive May 18th (16 days safari)

Second part: Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya

Start May 19th, arrive June 5th (18 days safari)

About the trips:
First part: Campi ya Kanzi, Serengeti (mobile camp following the migration), Lake Tanganyika to see the chimpanzee, Lake Malawi for a moment of relaxation, Victoria Falls, Etosha for wildlife and then the wild Namib Desert.

Second part: Red Dunes desert, Okavango Delta, Mana Pools, Liwonde National Park, Vamizi Island (beach, snorkelling, diving), Ruaha National Park, Mnemba Island (beach, snorkelling, diving), Campi ya Kanzi.

About the flying: we will scenic fly over the most beautiful areas of Africa: the Rift Valley, Serengeti and the migration, Lake Malawi, Luangwa Valley, Zambezi River and Victoria Falls, the Caprivi Strip, Namib Desert and the Kariba, the Zambezi and Luangwa Rivers, the Liwonde, the spectacular coast of Mozambique, the wild Ruaha, Zanzibar and the Indian Ocean. Most flights will be less than two hours.

Truly a trip of a lifetime!

Click on the photos below to see the camps' websites!

3rd, 4th and 5th May: 
Campi ya Kanzi
Plan to arrive in Nairobi on either the 2nd evening or the early morning of the 3rd. We will fly you to Campi ya Kanzi on the morning of the 3rd. Luca & Antonella have created this boutique lodge in partnership with the Maasai, in 1996. While at Kanzi we will have a chance to review the itinerary and enjoy sundowners in front of Mount Kilimanjaro. You will be able to have diverse safari activities (walk the Chyulu Hills, go on game drives, horse-back ride, visit the Maasai village) or simply chill out at our wellness centre.

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6th and 7th May: 
Private Camp, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
In about a total of 3 hours amazing flying in the Rift Valley and over the Serengeti plains and kopjes, we will be in Northern Tanzania.

We will stay in a private mobile camp which travels with the natural flow of the wildebeest through the Serengeti ecosysytem. As the herds move West, so does the camp and it is positioned in the Western Corridor from May to mid-July to intercept the migration on its turn North.

This is a traditional under-canvas camp designed to balance safari authenticity and comfort. There are six tents plus the pilots tents and a large lounge/dining area; each tent is either a double or twin with toilets and safari bucket showers in en-suite bathrooms.

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8th and 9th May: 
Kungwe Beach Lodge, Lake Tanganyika, Tanzania
A beautiful flight over the Serengeti will take us to the oldest fresh water body in the World, Lake Tanganyika. In the forest of the Mahale National Park we will have the incredible experience to track wild chimpanzee, with whom we share 98% of our DNA. An ancestral moment!

The tented camp is just next to the chimps, on a beautiful beach on the lake.

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10th and 11th May: 
Kaya Mawa, Lake Malawi, Malawi
The 10th morning we will leave the crystal deep waters of Lake Tanganyika for another incredibly beautiful lake: Malawi. A great scenic flight over amazing terrain and waters.

Kaya Mawa was voted top ten "Most Romantic Places in the World" by Conde Nast and in Tatler's "Top 101 Hotels in the World". You will have 2 great days of relaxation in this stunning camp.

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12th and 13th May: 
Royal Chundu, Zambia
On the 12th morning we will fly to Zambia. A scenic flight over the Luangwa Valley.

Royal Chundu is a sanctum of quiet solitude and untouched beauty and the first Relai & Chateaux property in Zambia. The mighty Zambezi and the Victoria Falls are one of the most amazing water shows on Earth.

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14th and 15th May:
Ongava Tented Camp, Etosha, Namibia
An amazing flight will take us from Vic Falls to Etosha, from the immense waters to the desert, over the Caprivi strip. Ongava Tented Camp is located in the much-lauded Ongava Game Reserve to the south of the Etosha National Park. The main area - made of stone, canvas and thatch with a bar and swimming pool - offers great watching of the wildlife that comes to drink at the waterhole. Eight large comfortable tents accommodate 16 guests, all with en-suite facilities, open air showers and private verandas. Wildlife here is amazing, with good chances to see White Rhinos.

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16th and 17th May: 
Serra Cafema, North West Namibia
Another flight with break taking scenery will take us to one of the most incredible places on Earth: the Hartman Valley of the North Namib Desert. This place is simply amazing.

Set amongst shady trees on the banks of the Kunene River, Serra Cafema is one of the most remote camps in Southern Africa, its Portuguese name originating from the mountains that dominate the northern skyline. Guests falls asleep to the sound of rushing water, while by day they explore one of the driest deserts in the world.

The camps eight unique canvas and thatched chalets, each with its own en-suite bathrooms, show great attention to detail; the elevated decks and simple structures of wood, canvas and thatch create a camp that is at one with its surrounding. The dining room and pool look out over the Kunene River.

Activities here are varied, including boating, walking, viewing breathtaking landscapes, as well as carefully guided quad-bike excursions that tread lightly on the dunes. In this isolated region, the Himba people continue their nomadic, traditional way of life and when in the area, offer guests the opportunity to learn about their lifestyle and traditions.

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18th May: 
Naankuse, Namibia
Nothing will prepare you for flying over the Skeleton Coast. Wild, remote, desert, and ocean meeting together. We could even see elephants getting to the shores and we will certainly see hundreds of seals. The perfect way to terminate our first part of this spectacular air safari.

Naankuse is a luxury break amid the stunning African Savannah and award winning lodge.

On the 19th some friends will leave us and fly back home from Windhoek, while other friends will join us for the second part of our air adventure!

19th May: 
Naankuse, Namibia
Located just thirty minutes drive from Windhoek International Airport and nesteled in the stunning African veldt, the lodge is perfectly situated to start your trip to Namibia. With a range of enjoyable activities available, including Carnivore Feeding Tours, and Cheetahs Up Close you are sure to enjoy something special.

Naankuse is the only charity lodge in Namibia.

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20th and 21st May: 
Dunes Lodge, Wolwedans, Namib Desert, Namibia
We will start our second part of the air safari with yet another spectacular flight: we will reach the Coast, fly over the Skeleton Coast, flamingo, ship wrecks, seals and then the stunning red dunes of the Sossusvlei, reaching the Namib Rand Reserve.

The Dunes Lodge is perched on top of a dune plateau, overlooking panoramic vistas in all directions and capturing the beauty of the desert in a most memorable way. The building style is a combination of wooden structures and canvas blinds, opening up to the desert beyond. The lodge reflects the ambience of a tented camp, but provides the comfort and protection of a permanent building. Each of the nine spacious chalets with en-suite bathrooms has a private verandah, which connects you to vast stretches of untouched sand. Sleeping with your canvas blinds open is just like sleeping under the starts.

The lodge also has a swimming pool, which is suspended above the sand. The variety of recreational space makes a visit both exciting and relaxing.

Varied activities aim at acquainting guests with the splendour, solitude and stark beauty of the Namib Desert, with excursions to Sossusvlei, and nature drives and walks providing awe-inspiring views of desert-adapted wildlife and plants. A balloon safari at extra cost offers a unique experience soaring silently above the desert.

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22nd and 23rd May: 
Jao Camp, Okavango Delta, Bostwana

A great flight of Namibia and then the Kalahari Desert will take us to a much different and contrasting place: the Okavango Delta. We have chosen a very special lodge: Jao Camp. This superb camp is set in an area where islands fringed with riverine forests meet open floodplains. Its nine spacious and beautifully-designed tents are situated beneath a canopy of shady trees and have en-suite facilities, as well as an outdoor shower. Built on raised decks, each has a private sala for afternoon siestas with views of the spectacular surrounds. In addition to the lounge and dining area, there are two plunge pools, a boma for dining under the stars and a spa with a wide range of massage therapies.

 

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24th and 25th May:
Flying from the Okavango to Mana Pools in Zimbabwe will be simply fascinating. Incredible wilderness and plentiful wildlife. We will fly over the Zambezi and Lake Kariba. You cannot imagine their infinite beauty.

The mighty Zambezi River flows from Lake Kariba through the Lower Zambezi Valley, a huge rift in the earth's crust. Over the millennia the Zambezi has rushed through this valley creating islands, channels, and sandbanks. Old river meanders, left in the mineral-rich volcanic soils, have formed into small ox-bow lakes surrounded by lush vegetation and tall old strands of mohagany and ebony. This abundance of water and luxuriany greenery accounts for the valley's wealth of big game. Here we will have our own private mobile camp. We will have the opportunity for fabulous walking safaris.

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26th and 27th May: 
Mvuu Lodge, Shire River, Malawi
Another incredible scenic flight will take us from Mana Pools to Southern Malawi, in the Liwonde National Park.

Mvuu Lodge nestles discreetly on the banks of the lagoon just off the Shire River. The main lounge building is set high above the water for long views up-river. Accommodation comprises eight tents for a maximum of 16 guests, each with en-suite bathroom facilities and a private viewing platforms looking out on the lagoon. Lodge facilities include a dining room, pub, lounge area, wildlife library and a swimming pool. We will have great opportunities to see rhinos.

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28th, 29th, 30th May: 
Vamizi Island, Mozambique
A great flight will take us from the wilderness and wildlife to the wilderness of a pristine island in one of the nicest places of the Indian Ocean.

Despite being located in one of the wildest places on Earth, set among the Quirimbas Archipelago in the calm, cyclone free waters off the coast of Northern Mozambique, Vamizi offers the definitive experience of barefoot luxury in Africa.

On the surface Vamizi Island is utterly mellow. Go a few feet below and everything changes, as the Vamizi seas - which guests share with no other tourists - are bristling with big ocean action.

Some of the dives here are said to be the best in the world and the deep sea fishing is exhilarating. But this is only part of the story... Snorkelling trips, castaway picnics, whale watching expeditions, kayak trips up the estuary, traditional dhow sunset cruises, nature walks, community visits and miles of beaches are waiting to be explored... keeping even the most active souls happy.

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31st May and 1st June: 
Mwagusi Camp, Ruaha, Tanzania
The views of the Indian Ocean will give place to the superb wilderness of Tanzania, when on 31st May we will fly to Ruaha, Tanzania's largest National Park situated in the Southern Circuit of Tanzania.

Mwagusi Camp is an expression of the unwavering love and passion of its owner Chris Fox for the Tanzanian bush, its wildlife and its people.

The camp is build from organic natural materials with guests being treated to a unique tented safari experience. Each en-suite tent is comfortably secured under a cooling thatched roof and nestled snuggly into the sandy banks of the Mwagusi River. Elephants are often visiting the camp.

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2nd and 3rd June: 
Mnemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania
Once again a change of scenery, from the Ruaha River to Zanzibar, to the private island of Mnemba. Created by a friend of Luca in the 80's, this is probably the most beautiful place on the Indian Ocean.

From snorkelling, swimming and kayaking, to massages on the beach, to doing nothing at all, Mnemba has something for everyone.

If you have ever harboured the secret wish of finding yourself the sole inhabitant of a beautiful tropical island, but without the effort of having to lift a finger to fend for yourself, this is just the place for you! Discover sheer, unpretentious paradise on this private island, where the simple pleasures become your most treasured of memories for many years to come. Relax and unwind in the exclusivity of your own stretch of beachfront, where simple yet luxurious bandas peep out onto unblemished sands from the dappled shade of the casuarina pine forest.

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4th and 5th June: 
Campi ya Kanzi, Kenya
A flight over the Indian Ocean coast will take us to Tsavo and then Campi ya Kanzi.

It it our last stop of the epic air safari! Campi ya Kanzi is a unique boutique community ecolodge which enjoys an exclusive wilderness of 280 000 acres, in front of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Authentic ecotourism and genuine immersion in Maasai culture, while on safari in one of the most iconic landscape of Africa. The Chyulu Hills where the camp is nested, are the Green Hills of Africa of Ernest Hemingway. Game drives, game walks and horse-back riding is available, together with yoga and massages for true African bliss.

On the 6th you will be flown to Nairobi and bid farewell... until the next adventure!!

The Flying:

First part:

Kenya (Chyulu Hills)

Tanzania (Serengeti and Lake Tanganyika)

Malawi (Lake Malawi)

Zambia (Victoria Falls)

Namibia (Etosha, Hartmann Valley, Windhoek)

Second part:

Namibia (Windhoek, Namid Rand Reserve)

Botswana (Okavango Delta)

Zimbabwe (Mana Pools)

Malawi (Liwonde National Park)

Mozambique (Quirimbas Archipelago)

Tanzania (Ruaha National Park and Zanzibar)

Kenya (Chyulu Hills)