Kenya

Two Half Days Exploring Nairobi with a Private Guide

Enjoy two half days exploring Nairobi with a private guide and driver at your disposal.

Suggestions include:

- Sheldrick Wildlife Trust - an orphan elephant rescue and wildlife rehabilitation program.
- Giraffe Center - watch and feed the critically endangered Rothschild giraffe
- Karen Blixen Museum - the former African home of Danish author Karen Blixen, famous for her 1937 book 'Out of Africa'
- Nami Nami excursion - personal orientation of the downtown area led by a former street child

Private transfer this morning to Wilson Airport (south of Nairobi), a drive of approx. 30 - 40 mins.

Check in for the Safarilink flight to Nanyuki.

Nanyuki serves as a gateway to the Laikipia plateau, one of Africa's most important wildlife conservation areas.

Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to the camp in Ol Pejeta Conservancy, your journey time is approximately 45 minutes. Lunch is included at camp, after which there will be some time to relax and enjoy your new surroundings before afternoon tea is served.

Venture out onto the rolling plains on your game drive to enjoy the wonderful array of game on offer. Game driving in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy is a true pleasure with very few other vehicles in the area.

This evening, enjoy a sundowner drink at a scenic spot followed by a spotlight drive back to camp. Take a hot shower before joining other guests for a drink around the campfire or in the cosy lounge tent. Dine with your hosts in the dining tent with the welcome warmth of the fire. Nights can be pretty chilly in Laikipia.

Note: There are no mosquito nets in the tents. The tents have mosquito proof nets and housekeepers spray the tents during turn down.

Included during your stay are:

- Transfers
- Full board accommodation including picnics & drinks
- Game drives on a sole-use basis
- Night drives
- Laundry
- Children’s activities
- Canoeing
- Mountain biking
- A $5 per night Community Trust contribution

Under the supervision of a childminder, the kids club’s Junior Ranger activities for 6 to 14 years, include:

- Beading traditional Maasai bracelets and necklaces
- Exploratory walks around the camp and identification of animal footprints, bones, plants and leaves
- Starting a fire without matches
- Become a Junior ranger at Kicheche Laikipia in Ol Pejeta Conservancy: Work through all the questions and games in the booklet provided, and repeat the official ranger’s oath, then get rewarded with a certificate and a hat.

Introducing Laikipia Plateau

Laikipia Plateau is a remote and beautiful region in the central highlands of Kenya, stretching from the foothills of Mount Kenya to the shores of Lake Baringo. The expansive region is home to rolling farmland, traditional ranches, and acacia bushland. The wildlife may not be as prolific here as some of the other regions, but it's one of Kenya's successful conservation areas, free from mass game vehicles found in more well-known regions. Several game reserves can be found in the region, such as Lewa Downs, Borana and Ol Pejeta, where one can encounter endangered species such as the black rhino and Grevy's zebra. It makes for a great base for exploring the north and the great lakes of Kenya.

Activities at Ol Pejeta Conservancy - Lion Tracking

An early start to the day with piping hot coffee or tea brought to your tent. We will depart at 6.30am.

The Ol Pejeta Conservancy has one of the highest predator densities in Kenya with lions being the dominant species in this category. See these predators up close during a lion tracking activity. Some of the lions have been fitted with radio collars and you will help track collared lions using a receiver and gather information about each pride member. The data you collect goes straight to Ol Pejeta’s ecological monitoring unit and will help find solutions to the challenges facing Laikipia’s lions.

Enjoy an alfresco lunch at camp.

Explore the Western side of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy

This afternoon, head off to the Western side of the Conservancy with one of the Kicheche Laikipia Silver guides. Return to camp and relax afterwards observing the birdlife and if you are lucky some bigger game around the waterhole. You will be back for sundowner and chat with your hosts. You might choose a private dinner this evening, this is up to you.

Activities at Ol Pejeta Conservancy - Northern White Rhino

The morning is at leisure to enjoy the activities offered at the Camp.

Optional Activities (payable locally)

- Fly Camping Excursions
- Anti-poaching dogs display
- Horse riding excursions
- Endangered Species Enclosure Visit
- Ngare Ndare day trip forest visit & canopy walk

This afternoon, a meeting is included of the last remaining white rhinos at the Northern White Rhino enclosure.

In 2009, Ol Pejeta Conservancy welcomed four of the world's last remaining seven northern white rhinos. The two remaining rhino now live in the 700-acre rhino enclosure. Here, visitors have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet these remarkable rhinos up close and personal and to hear their amazing story from the keepers that look after them 24/7. All proceeds from the Meet the Northern White Rhinos experience are reinvested into the continuing efforts to pull the species back from the verge of extinction.

Come back to the camp at dusk for shower and dinner with your hosts. And then head out on your evening game drive in search of the black rhinos and other special games Ol Pejeta Conservancy is offering.

This morning, take an early morning walking excursion from camp with one of the guides and a ranger. Walk duration and distance can be arranged to suit your preference. Return to camp for breakfast before departing to Nanyuki airstrip for the Safarilink flight to the Masai Mara.

On arrival, you will be welcomed and transferred to your Camp, located in the heart of Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve.

Set alongside the seasonal Olare Orok stream in the excellent Mara North Conservancy area of the Maasai Mara in southwest Kenya is the traditional Speke's Camp. The plains host a rich and varied population of grazers year round, including giraffes, zebras, hartebeests and warthogs. These small herds are accompanied by high densities of predators, including lions, cheetahs, hyenas and jackals.

Notes: - There are no mosquito nets in tents. House keepers spray for mosquitos during turn down.

Included during your stay are:

- 3 meals per person per day with bottled water, soft drinks, house wines and non-luxury spirits with meals
- sundowners
- picnic and bush meals
- airstrip transfers
- private vehicle for game drives
- laundry

Note - there is no Wi-Fi at this property.

Optional Extras:
Hot Air Balloon Safari in Masai Mara. Whilst this can be pre-booked on the ground, we recommend booking in advance if possible. Costs from USD $380 per adult and $280 per child - costs will be confirmed locally if not planning in advance.

Introducing the Masai Mara

The Masai Mara National Reserve is the most well-known wildlife regions in Kenya and the country's flagship conservation area, home to sprawling savannahs, acacia woodland, and an abundance of plains game, big and small. It is world-renowned for its extraordinarily high populations of lion, leopard, cheetah and African bush elephant. Witness the annual wildebeest migration from August-October, one of the world's most incredible wildlife spectacles, when the Masai Mara welcomes 1.5 million wildebeests onto its open grasslands. The Mara is a national reserve that belongs to the Maasai people, and you will see villages and herders rounding up their cattle, along with 'warriors', known as 'moran', dressed in traditional red finery.

Game Drives and Activities within the Mara Confluence and Surrounding Areas (Spekes Camp)

Enjoy exploring the Masai Mara with your guide. Enjoy game drives with private vehicle use for all guests. Your guides will share their customs and cultures with you. Learn how they read the landscape and listen to the stories of their fore­fathers.

Private transfer this morning by road, approx. 2-3 hours to another area of the Masai Mara, the Mara Naboisho Conservancy, bordering the Masai Mara Reserve in southwest Kenya.

Note: There are mosquito nets in the tents and the tents will also be sprayed.

The following are included during your stay:

- All meals
- Conservation bed-night fee
- All house drinks (except champagne)
- Game drives
- Night drives
- Airstrip transfers
- Limited laundry service

Some of the child-friendly activities available at the Camp include:

- Bow-and-arrow shooting with Masai
- Starting a campfire with elephant dung and sticks
- Educational bush walks around camp

Introducing Mara Naboisho Conservancy

The Mara Naboisho Conservancy is known for its prolific wildlife and award-winning sustainability model that balances the needs of local communities, wildlife, and tourism. It has an even higher density of animals than the neighbouring Masai Mara National Reserve and one of the world’s most concentrated lion populations.

Safari Game Drives in the Mara Naboisho Conservancy (Encounter Mara)

Game drives depart in the early morning and late afternoon to take advantage of the cooler temperatures when animals are more active. The times will differ slightly with the seasons. If you have a private vehicle, you can talk to your guide about your schedule, but the below is a good example of what to expect.

Generally, you'll start your day bright and early with a wake-up call and tea or coffee. Enjoy breakfast before you depart for your morning game drive (or have it packed as a picnic to take with you). You'll arrive back in camp mid-morning, with a chance to freshen up before lunch.

After a leisurely lunch, enjoy siesta time. Read a book or just relax and enjoy the views from your tent or the viewing deck. Refuel with afternoon tea, then depart for your afternoon/evening game drive with sundowners. You'll be back in time for drinks at the bar and dinner under the stars – the perfect chance to unwind after a long day in the bush.

As the Camp is in a private conservancy, your guide can drive off-road to get a closer look when they spot something in the bush. They are also able to drive after dark, which means better chances of spotting nocturnal animals.

Day 12 - Maasai Community Village Visit

A visit to a local Maasai community village is included today (timing to be co-ordinated directly with the camp).

Take a step into the world of the Maasai — one of more than 100 tribes living in Kenya and Tanzania — by visiting a remote village. Learn about their way of life, centred around the importance of community and coexistence with nature.

There may be the chance to connect with a young Maasai peer, making a football from recycled materials and sharing a game together, bridging the divide between different languages and lands.
Or opt to visit a local school and watch young leaders of tomorrow enjoy education in their mother languages. You are encouraged to get involved in making a difference in the communities by supporting one of many initiatives promoting education, health or sustainable agriculture.

Morning transfer to Mara Airstrip for the Safarilink flight to Wilson-Nairobi. Connect with the Safarilink flight to Lamu.

A picnic lunch will be provided by Encounter Mara to take with you.

On arrival in Lamu, you will be transferred to the pier where you board a small boat to transfer you approx. 20 minutes to Manda Bay.

Manda Bay has been transformed into a peerless, castaway lodge which stands out as an authentic barefoot beach hideaway. The large, breezy rooms give a sense of space and tranquillity. The food is very good and the can-do attitude of the staff ensure every guest is made to feel at home.

Note: Manda Bay does not have A/C in the rooms, but they come with fans and mosquito nets.

During your stay, the following is included:

- All Meals
- Use of swimming pool and exercise room
- Wi-Fi
- Laundry
- SUPs, kayaks, windsurfing boards, and sailboats

Introducing the Lamu Archipelago

The Lamu Archipelago is comprised of a string of 7 desert islands on Kenya's north coast in the Indian Ocean. The largest of the islands are Pate Island, Manda Island and Lamu Island. Lamu is the most developed and most important of the islands. It remains a relatively sleepy backwater which retains a good deal of that magical old Swahili Coast atmosphere. Lamu has long been the place to visit if you want to avoid the increasingly busy and mainstream coastal areas to the south, a favourite amongst a well-travelled crowd. Manda Island is directly opposite Lamu and is much less visited, but it has an incredibly pristine beach, an old ruined town called Takwa, and there are some delightful places to stay. Pate Island is a 2-3 hour ferry ride away, and is completely off the tourism radar, but makes for a great day trip if you have the time, as it has some of the most impressive ruins anywhere on the coast. The Archipelago is blessed with outstanding coral reefs and exotic marine wildlife, with the clear water making it perfect for snorkelling. There are numerous different dolphins, fish and sea turtles to see, along with the mighty whale shark (in season).

Days at Leisure at Manda Bay

At Manda Bay it's all about being outside. Waking at the crack of dawn, wrapping a woven kikoi (provided) around you and trotting out across the sands as the sun breaks over the horizon is a memorable experience.

On land, you can go for a walk about 15 minutes to the nearby ruins of Manda town, a 9th–13th century Swahili port which once had an estimated population of 3,000 and covered an area about 400m wide. It's a fascinating spot to explore before breakfast while it's cool. You need to be accompanied: Manda's resident buffalo herd live in the area, along with bushbuck, dik-dik and snakes. For more gentle activities, there is also a yoga room, spa and games room.

As for marine activities, Manda Bay has lots of water sports included in the rates, and others available at extra cost. Generally speaking, non-motorised equipment is free to use. Anything that needs to be towed or driven you will have to pay the fuel for. The lodge is equipped for fly-fishing all year round. Other sports include water-skiing, sailing, kayaking, windsurfing, kitesurfing and sundowner excursions. There are excellent snorkelling spots around Manda Toto, a 15-20 minute boat ride from the lodge, and Manda Bay has a storeroom full of masks, snorkels and fins.

Flight and Transfer to Nairobi

Transfer to Lamu Airport for the scheduled flight to Nairobi. There is a short stop in Malindi en route. On arrival at Wilson Airport, you will be met and transferred to the International Airport for your overnight stay at Four Points by Sheraton.

Depart Home

Say goodbye! Transfer to the airport on the hotel's complimentary shuttle (please check timings directly with the hotel front-desk). You are recommended to arrive at the airport 3 hours before departure.