Wild at Heart - Kenya

DAY 1 | SAT 30 SEP | NAIROBI | 1 NIGHT

Arrive in the safari capital of the world today!  Our late arrival will have us hitting the hay early in preparation for our game & culturally enriched fortnight ahead!

DAY 2 | SUN 01 OCT | NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK | 2 NIGHTS

Driving through Nairobi Nat’l Park this morning to reach The Emakoko we will have every chance of seeing wildlife en route – truly a unique arrival! Settle into the lodge & enjoy sundowners & our first game drive before a Welcome Dinner this evening.

DAY 3 | MON 02 OCT | NAIROBI & NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK

After breakast we drive out of the Nat’l Park to visit the Giraffe Sanctuary & Karen Blixen Museum. Return to the lodge for lunch & an afternoon game viewing in Nairobi Nat’l Park – famous for its very healthy black Rhino population & renowned for very close encounters with lions this is a phenomenal experience given its proximity to a thriving metropolis.

DAY 4 | TUE 03 OCT | LEWA CONSERVANCY | 2 NIGHTS

Farewell the Emakoko this morning and transfer Nairobi’s Domestic Airport – Wilson for our private charter flight to the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.

Met on arrival we will drive into camp, game viewing enroute.

Located at the very heart of the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Lewa House is set on top of a hill with extensive views over gentle rolling hills with Mount Kenya to the south and the rugged Mathews Range and the sacred mountain of Ol Olokwe to the north.

Lewa House is owner-operated and hosted and with only ten rooms it offers a small and intimate experience.

Established as a cattle ranch in 1922 – Lewa has always been managed with wildlife as a top priority. In 1995 the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy (a non-profit organisation) was formed and in 2013 the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today there is minimal livestock on Lewa and the main focus of the conservancy is wildlife conservation together with community outreach programmes and development. Host to over 14% of Kenya’s Black Rhino population and over 12% of the global population of Grevy’s zebra, Lewa is one of the best places in the country to see both of these iconic animals. Wildlife abounds, with all of the Big Five and herbivores associated with the north of Kenya.

After settling into camp we will enjoy lunch before our first game drive on the 62,000 acre Lewa Conservancy before watching our first African bush sunset, with breathtaking views of the Matthews Range as we listen to stories of old.

DAY 5 | WED 04 OCT | LEWA CONSERVANCY

A team of fully qualified guides are on hand to lead us on bushwalks, forays into the  Ngare Ndare Forest Reserve where we can swim beneath waterfalls or walk amongst the tree canopies, 10 metres above the ground, surrounded by butterflies and birds, and, of course, on game drives across the conservancy.

Lewa’s specially adapted open vehicles allow for excellent viewing but it is the richness of the game that will take our breath away. All the main safari predators, the rare Grevy zebra and of course the threatened rhino can be viewed in abundance. A particular favourite and well recognised aspect of the area near the lodge are the good elephant numbers and at least weekly sightings of the elusive wild dogs.  We will also have the opportunity to explore the conservancy by night, using spotlights, to track nocturnal species.

DAY 6 | THU 05 OCT | SARARA | 2 NIGHTS

Enjoy a final early morning game viewing activity on the Lewa Conservancy before departing for the airstrip to board our private charter flight to Kenya’s Northern Frontier District and Sarara Camp.

Sarara is located on the 850,000 acre Namunyak Conservancy which encompasses the entire Mathews Range. Established in 1995, Namunyak is one of the oldest community owned conservancies in East Africa and has become the successful role model that has catalysed community conservation initiatives across northern Kenya and beyond.

This remote and dramatic landscape is home to the Samburu people whose age-old traditions, including the famed ‘singing wells’ are as much a part of the fabric of this land as the wildlife. Sarara is named after the ‘Sarara’ singing wells where the community water their cattle during the dry season. Sarara means ‘meeting place’ in the Samburu language and it is here where the keystone of Samburu culture may be viewed authentically.

After settling into our stunning ensuite safari tents and enjoying lunch we will head out on a game drive to see the ‘Samburu Five’ – five species of herbivores that are only found north of the equator, along with elephant, reticulated giraffe, wild dog and kudu in ever increasing numbers. Our game drive today may also lead into a nocturnal search for the star of Saraara -the leopard!

DAY 7 | FRI 06 OCT | SARARA

An early start today as we travel to observe one of the Samburu tribe’s most significant traditions.  With water a precious resource in this dry and desolate land, the warriors dedicate their day to digging deep wells for drinking water for their livestock.  Stripping themselves of their striking red cloth, the traditional dress of the Samburu tribe,  they sing as they dig – a deep and resonant, melody that creates a hypnotic rhythm that they work. Each warrior’s herd will recognise and respond to their master’s voice, using it to locate their particular well.  This is an incredible sight, and sound, to behold.

And just when you thought our day couldn’t get any better we will we will drive to the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary – another absolute highlight of our safari!

Reteti aims to rescue, reunite, rehabilitate and rewild orphaned and abandoned elephant calves whilst creating much-needed benefits for the local people that live alongside them.

Visiting the Sanctuary is one of the best ways to safeguard the wildlife in this area and we are also supporting the local community dedicated to protecting them. We will have the opportunity to witness feeding and playtime at the Sanctuary, as well as an in-depth look behind the scenes.