Kenya dolphin conservation & safari holiday
| country: | Kenya |
| departures: | 2009: 28 Feb |
| price: | From £2295 (21 days) including flights from the UK. Local payment US $400. This trip can also be booked without flights |
the amazing things you'll be doing
The East Africa marine eco-region represents an important area for biodiversity and incorporates diverse and critical marine habitats.
Highlights
Tsavo East National Park. Researching dolphin movements around Shimoni Archipelago. Lake Naivasha: Chance of foot safari on Crescent Island sanctuary. Lake Nakuru National Park: Big game viewing to see white rhino, lions, leopards and flamingos. Maasai Mara Reserve: Abundant wildlife & game viewing.
Based in an isolated and beautiful corner of the Kenyan coast, close to the border with Tanzania, we'll be supporting the work of the Kenya Wildlife Service in monitoring the dolphin population and its movements in the area.
Monitoring dolphin populations
Following our training and an introduction to the local language, Kiswahili, we'll be monitoring, photographing and logging the movements of boats and dolphins around the remote Shimoni Archipelago. Observing from land and boat - occasionally from the water itself! - we hope to see Bottlenose, Indian Ocean Humpback and Spinner dolphins, as well as Green and Hawksbill turtles which inhabit this area. Manta rays and humpbacked whales are seasonal visitors. We also have the opportunity to experience the wildlife of the threatened coastal forests, including the rare coconut crab and the vulnerable Angolan Black & White Colobus monkey.
Rift Valley Lakes & the Masaai Mara
At the Rift Valley's Lake Naivasha we take a boat ride to Crescent Island before continuing to Lake Nakuru where we observe its thousands of flamingos and large numbers of white rhino. We end our tour in the Masaai Mara, Kenya's best-known reserve, famous for its 'big cats' and abundant game and bird life. You may even like to make a balloon trip over the plains at dawn for an unforgettable end to the trip.
Highlights
Based in an isolated and beautiful corner of the Kenyan coast, close to the border with Tanzania, we'll be supporting the work of the Kenya Wildlife Service in monitoring the dolphin population and its movements in the area.
Monitoring dolphin populations
Following our training and an introduction to the local language, Kiswahili, we'll be monitoring, photographing and logging the movements of boats and dolphins around the remote Shimoni Archipelago. Observing from land and boat - occasionally from the water itself! - we hope to see Bottlenose, Indian Ocean Humpback and Spinner dolphins, as well as Green and Hawksbill turtles which inhabit this area. Manta rays and humpbacked whales are seasonal visitors. We also have the opportunity to experience the wildlife of the threatened coastal forests, including the rare coconut crab and the vulnerable Angolan Black & White Colobus monkey.
Rift Valley Lakes & the Masaai Mara
At the Rift Valley's Lake Naivasha we take a boat ride to Crescent Island before continuing to Lake Nakuru where we observe its thousands of flamingos and large numbers of white rhino. We end our tour in the Masaai Mara, Kenya's best-known reserve, famous for its 'big cats' and abundant game and bird life. You may even like to make a balloon trip over the plains at dawn for an unforgettable end to the trip.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly London - Nairobi. |
| Day 2: | Drive Tsavo East National Park and PM game drive. |
| Day 3: | In Tsavo East National Park. Game drives to Mzima springs and underground observatory. |
| Day 4: | Drive Shimoni. |
| Day 5: | Kiswahili lesson, orientation and training. |
| Day 6-13: | Dolphin & turtle research. |
| Day 14: | Drive Mombasa, fly Nairobi; drive Lake Naivasha. |
| Day 15: | Visit Crescent Island, drive Lake Nakuru National Park. |
| Day 16: | In Lake Nakuru National Park and game drives. |
| Day 17: | Drive Masaai Mara and game drive. |
| Day 18: | In Masaai Mara and exploration of the park. |
| Day 19: | In Masaai Mara. Early morning optional balloon ride and further game drives. |
| Day 20: | Game drive and drive Nairobi. |
| Day 21: | Fly London. |
a taste of volunteering trip - what's it all about?
This type of trip is ideal for people who are unable to take very long periods off work but who are interested in volunteering to work with communities in need, or in wildlife conservation. These shorter trips combine volunteering with an opportunity to see the main sights in destinations. Find out more about 'taste of volunteering'how this holiday makes a difference
|
This marine conservation project is operated on behalf of the Kenya Wildlife Service. We are providing manpower and funding which the KWS does not have the resources to fund alone. Our research and observations will go to help formulate policy to preserve marine life, develop responsible approaches to tourism and balance the needs of wildlife and local communities.
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. |