Private vehicle safari in Kenya
| country: | Kenya |
| location: | Masai Mara, Rift Valley, Laikipia Plateau |
| departures: | This trip can be tailor-made to suit your requirements |
| price: | From £1670 (10 days) excluding flights, based on group size of 2-6 people |
the amazing things you'll be doing
This safari visits three of Kenya’s many different habitats; the dry arid northern plains of Laikipia, the famous acacia woodlands and alkaline lakes of the Great Rift Valley, and the stunning open plains of the Masai Mara savannah. You’ll be staying in small, 6 or 7 room permanent camps or lodges on private or community owned ranches where the emphasis is on getting you out of the vehicle and into the wilderness on foot, camelback or horseback. Traditional game drives are of course available but you’ll also have the chance to explore the wilderness with your guides in the traditional manner, tracking the animals through the bush.
The areas you visit have abundant wildlife, with a little safari luck you’ll be able to tick off all the animals and birds on your must see list! Your daily schedule is set by yourself with the help of your private driver/guide, your time is your own as you explore the wonders of the Kenyan wilderness.
The areas you visit have abundant wildlife, with a little safari luck you’ll be able to tick off all the animals and birds on your must see list! Your daily schedule is set by yourself with the help of your private driver/guide, your time is your own as you explore the wonders of the Kenyan wilderness.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive into Nairobi, where you will be met and taken to your Nairobi hotel for dinner and overnight. |
| Day 2: | Depart Nairobi and drive through the Kikuyu Highlands en the way to the private ranch of El Karama in Laikipia. El Karama Ranch is a 15,000 acre cattle and game ranch set in the heart of the Laikipia Plateau. The Laikipia area is part of an ancient lava plain covered with red dirt, thorn scrub, broken volcanic rock, dried riverbeds, steep hills and rocky outcroppings. Unusual for this arid area of Northern Kenya, Laikipia has a permanent water supply, the Ewaso Ngiro or "brown river". This permanent water flow provides an oasis for the many elephant, hippo, and crocodile that abound in this area. El Karama has a flourishing population of wildlife with over 70 species of mammals and nearly 400 species of birds. Of the well-known African big game El Karama is home to elephant, hippo, buffalo, lion, leopard and cheetah. In addition to these there are such species as the rare and geographically restricted grevy's zebra, the unique Laikipia hartebeest, and the unusual reticulated giraffe. Recently African hunting dogs have also reappeared on the ranch. Stay in the delightful El karama Cottages here and game walk, game drive and night drive as you choose. |
| Day 3: | A full day exploring the area on foot, or on horseback and by vehicle as you choose. All meals and overnight at the cottages. |
| Day 4: | After breakfast, drive to the Bebong Ranch to meet up with your camel guides and the camel train. You’ll head off into the wilderness with your guides for a one night camel trek. You may walk or ride the camels as you choose as your guides explain to you their traditional cultural and survival methods in this harsh, arid land. Spend the night in an adventure camp near a waterfall or dam. Dinner and overnight at the camp. |
| Day 5: | Depart Bebong Ranch after breakfast and drive down the escarpment into the Great Rift Valley and the Lake Nakuru National Park. Arrive for lunch at the Mbweha Cottages and then game drive in the Nakuru Park in the afternoon. This world famous park was created to protect its stunning flocks of lesser flamingo, which literally turn the lakeshore pink in color. Notable game within the lake area is hippo and the diverse bird life. Both black and white rhino reside in the sanctuary and Rothschild giraffe, buffalo, impala, eland, warthog, mountain reedbuck, klipspringers and black and white Colobus monkeys are all plentiful. This park is world-renowned as a beacon for ornithologists, scientists and wildlife filmmakers. Dinner and overnight in the park at the Mbweha Cottages. |
| Day 6: | Game drive in the area after breakfast, lunch at the cottages and then take a hike up the Delemere’s Nose in the afternoon. Enjoy the stunning views of the Great Rift Valley before returning to the cottages for dinner and overnight. |
| Day 7: | Depart Nakuru after breakfast and head up the Narok escarpment to the Masai Mara National reserve. Arrive at the Leleshwa Camp and enjoy lunch before taking a walk with your Masai guides through the savannah plains. Enjoy sundowners and then a night drive back to the camp for dinner and overnight. Located to the south of Nairobi, and bordering Tanzania, the Masai Mara forms part of the huge Serengeti eco-system. The Mara spreads over 1510 square km of rolling plains, sudden rocky outcrops and green winding rivers. Not only is the Mara blessed with this stunning landscape, but also its animal diversity is one of the greatest in Africa. Surrounded by the grazing lands of the Masai people, the Mara is a sanctuary for all of the “Big Five” animals: lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard. The sweet grasses and abundant water ensure a full compliment of plains game such as the impala and Thompsons gazelle. The deep river pools provide homes for hippo and crocodiles. |
| Day 8-9: | Spend these two days exploring this rich area with its abundance of wildlife and beautiful scenery. Visit a local Masai village for a cultural immersion if you wish and enjoy your meals and overnights at the camp. |
| Day 10: | Return after breakfast to Nairobi for your departure or onward holiday extension. |
tailor made holiday
This trip can be tailormade to create a unique holiday for your individual requirements by travel experts with intimate knowledge of the destination. It is a more luxurious trip that will suit those who enjoy immersing themselves in new cultures and environments before relaxing in comfort in some of the best and most characterful local accommodation! Quality and value are the hallmark of these trips.how this holiday makes a difference
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In each area we visit we are employing local villagers as the staff for the camps and cottages. In most places we are the sole employer in the area and provide the only possible form of monetary income. We utilise solar lighting and practice water savings in all of these camps and lodges and we pay the local communities bednight fees and rent for the land we use. We also pay into bursaries in each area for medical care and school fees for the local villagers.
Animals and people both need land. Ecotourism provides an alternative income for the people, leaving space for the migratory animals. We actively support the villages and projects that are protecting East Africa's environment and culture. We develop self-help eco-projects, which promote wildlife conservation. We also educate both our consumers and our partner camps with two free ezines. We use renewable energy products, reduce paper and plastic consumption in our office and have left the natural vegetation unscathed, resulting in duiker and monitor lizards visiting the office! We donate 10% of all post-tax profits to fund community and/or conservation projects. Community projects are operated with the local villagers as the operators and managers; We provide advice and guidance when requested, but abides by local beliefs and traditions. Our current projects include: The Children of the Rising Sun Orphanage, which provides accommodation, meals, medicine and schooling for 28 street-children. Our goal is to have a vocational job-training center operational at the home, for the kids and local villagers. The Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve, the last remaining tract of coastal lowland forest in Kenya, which provides the only refuge for several endemic birds and mammals, such as the golden-rumped elephant shrew and the Sokoke Pippet. Designated as one of Conservation International's 26 global bio-diversity hotspots (www.conservation.org) and surrounded on all sides by an ever increasing human population, the Forest is in danger of disappearing as trees are cut for carvings, land cleared for subsistence farming and animals trapped for food. We hope to ensure that the local villagers become the greatest supporters of the Forest. One of the many projects in the Forest trains the local villagers to breed forest butterfly species for export to the live butterfly market. With two local butterfly farms already in operation, over 400 people in the area bordering the Forest now have an income that relies upon the continued health of the Forest. Our goal is to employ another 100 people. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |