Family safari to Kenya & Swahili Coast
| country: | Kenya |
| location: | Masai Mara, Rift Valley, Lamu |
| departures: | 2010: 4 Aug, 18 Aug, 22 Dec 2011: 3 Aug, 17 Aug |
| price: | From £1795 - £2220 (13 days) per adult and £1615 - £2040 per child (11 yrs and under) including flights from the UK, from £1335 - £1420 excluding flights. Minimum age 8 years. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
A classic Kenya safari covering the major parks and reserves from the Rift Valley Lakes to the famous savannahs and abundant game of the Maasai Mara. We end our trip relaxing on the Swahili coast close to Mombasa.
Rift Valley lakes
Beginning our journey in Nairobi, we head north into the celebrated Rift Valley. Our first stop, Lake Nakuru, is famous for its superb game-viewing including its thousands of flamingos and large numbers of white rhino as well as leopard, buffalo and lion. At Lake Naivasha we take a trip to Crescent Island Nature Reserve and you may like to explore the spectacular landscapes of Hell's Gate National Park. We end our time here with high tea on the lawn at Elsamere, the home of Joy Adamson of Born Free fame.
The Maasai Mara
Next we head across the Rift Valley floor to the legendary Maasai Mara. Watered by the Mara River and its tributary the Talek, the savannah plains and density of wildlife in the Mara is the classic image of an African safari.
As Kenya's best known reserve, it is particularly famous for its 'Big Cats' amongst its abundant game and bird life and we may be lucky enough to witness a hunt. You may even like to make a balloon trip over the plains at dawn for an unforgettable experience.
Exotic Swahili Coast
Returning to Nairobi, we fly east to Mombasa to spend our final few days on the Swahili Coast overlooking the Indian Ocean. Here you can beachcomb, snorkel in the warm waters, take a dhow trip to nearby islands, birdwatch, enjoy excellent local produce and seafood or just relax and enjoy the tropical warmth on the secluded beach. The perfect end to a classic East African adventure.
Rift Valley lakes
Beginning our journey in Nairobi, we head north into the celebrated Rift Valley. Our first stop, Lake Nakuru, is famous for its superb game-viewing including its thousands of flamingos and large numbers of white rhino as well as leopard, buffalo and lion. At Lake Naivasha we take a trip to Crescent Island Nature Reserve and you may like to explore the spectacular landscapes of Hell's Gate National Park. We end our time here with high tea on the lawn at Elsamere, the home of Joy Adamson of Born Free fame.
The Maasai Mara
Next we head across the Rift Valley floor to the legendary Maasai Mara. Watered by the Mara River and its tributary the Talek, the savannah plains and density of wildlife in the Mara is the classic image of an African safari.
As Kenya's best known reserve, it is particularly famous for its 'Big Cats' amongst its abundant game and bird life and we may be lucky enough to witness a hunt. You may even like to make a balloon trip over the plains at dawn for an unforgettable experience.
Exotic Swahili Coast
Returning to Nairobi, we fly east to Mombasa to spend our final few days on the Swahili Coast overlooking the Indian Ocean. Here you can beachcomb, snorkel in the warm waters, take a dhow trip to nearby islands, birdwatch, enjoy excellent local produce and seafood or just relax and enjoy the tropical warmth on the secluded beach. The perfect end to a classic East African adventure.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly London/Nairobi. |
| Day 2: | Arrive Nairobi; drive Lake Naivasha; excursion to Crescent Island. |
| Day 3: | Optional trip to Hell's Gate N. Park; high tea at Elsamere. |
| Day 4: | Drive Lake Nakuru; game drive. |
| Day 5: | To Maasai Mara; game drive. |
| Day 6-7: | Game-viewing in Maasai Mara with optional early morning balloon safari. |
| Day 8: | Morning game drive; drive Nairobi. |
| Day 9: | Fly to Mombasa; transfer to Maweni beach. |
| Day 10-11: | At leisure. |
| Day 13: | Fly London. |
small group family holiday
This is a 'small group family adventure' - typically you will join several other families and travel in a group of approx. 16 people. The trips are great value and a great way for you and your children to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of time to yourselves. Most adventure kids tend to be aged between 7 and 15, but some are younger (minimum age is usually 5) and some older (perhaps travelling as part of a larger family group). Please check with the operator to confirm the minimum age for this trip award winner
This tourism business won an Award in our 2008 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Daily Telegraph, World Travel Market, Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society and BBC World News.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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The famous protected game areas of Kenya offer a world-class and unforgettable safari experience and our family tour concentrates on the Rift Valley Lakes and the magnificent Maasai Mara.
During our safari we provide significant level of funds direct to conservation causes from our entrance fees to the private game sanctuary of Crescent Island at Lake Naivasha, Hells Gate National Park and the Maasai Mara National Reserve. We provide further financial support to the Elsa Conservation Trust, through our visit to the Elsamere Conservation Centre, once home to Joy Adamson of 'Born Free', where families are able to learn more about wildlife conservation and the work of the trust. We predominantly camp during our safari, limiting our impact on the local environment. At our river camp on the border of the Maasai Mara, local Maasai people are employed as camp staff and we encourage positive interaction with the local community through a school visit during our time here. In addition to using park rangers and other locally employed guides during our tour, the driver and crew of our specially adapted safari truck are also local Kenyans who have worked for us for a number of years. Our safari vehicle is largely self-contained and equipped with large water tanks that further limit our impact on the environment and we purchase all food and provisions for the camping sections of our trip direct from local suppliers. As well as the above, we support a variety of charities and projects worldwide which support vulnerable communities and habitats including Friends of Conservation, Hope Worldwide and Send A Cow. We are also actively engaged with UK travel industry bodies which promote best practice in responsible tourism, such as Tourism Concern, The Travel Foundation and AITO. Our commitment to responsible tourism is not limited to our overseas operation and we have measures to ensure our UK office operates according to our responsible tourism policy. Carbon offsets for all flights booked with us are included in the tour cost. |
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. |