Maasai Safari & Lamu Island holiday

A 9 day safari combining wildlife, local culture and the beach.

All stays are purposefully in small exclusive camps and lodges so that you can be in touch with the environment and the people. You’ll visit 2 of the most famous wildlife reserves in Africa, Amboseli famous for its elephants and views of Kilimanjaro and the Maasai Mara famous for its big cats and wildebeest migration. Throughout your safari you’ll have opportunities to enjoy meeting the Maasai people and learning about their culture. Then on to the historic Swahili island of Lamu and the small lodge of Kipungani Explorer, overlooking a deserted 14 km beach on the south-western tip of the island. The initial transfer to/from Porini Camp Selenkay will be by road, a 3 hour journey from Nairobi, and after that all other transfers will be by plane to give you a birds eye view of the stunning landscape.

You’re safari begins in Nairobi, from where you’ll be transferred by road to Porini Camp Selenkay. The Selenkay Conservancy, 1500 feet lower than Nairobi, is located in a vast wilderness area in the heart of Maasailand near Amboseli National Park and is owned by a Maasai community. Here you will be really off the beaten track in an area which has not been visited by tourists until recently and where visitor numbers are restricted to a maximum of 18, so you will not see any other safari vehicles. Game drives at Porini Camp Selenkay (and later at Porini Mara Camp) are in custom-built open-sided 4x4 safari vehicles (not vans), and driven by expert safari guides for the best game viewing. Selenkay actually has a greater diversity of game than Amboseli itself - look out for gerenuk, oryx and lesser kudu - and on our night game drives you can see the nocturnal wildlife.

Within the Conservation Area the following animals have been seen in recent months: elephant, lion, cheetah, Thomson's and Grant's gazelles, gerenuk, impala, oryx, lesser kudu, zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, warthog, striped hyena, jackals, bat-eared fox, African wild cat, serval cat, civet cat, genet cat, mongoose, ostrich, honey badger and porcupine. Birdlife is prolific especially birds of prey. You also spend a day in nearby Amboseli to get close to elephants, driving beside the permanent swamps that attract the wildlife, and with spectacular views of Mt Kilimanjaro, Africa's tallest mountain.

And then on to the fabled Mara. The new Porini Mara Camp is situated along the lush banks of the Laetoli River, lined with majestic Yellow-barked Acacia trees. The camp lies within the newly founded Ol Kinyei Conservancy - a tract of pristine wilderness just outside the Maasai Mara reserve, which is considered to be one of the most scenic parts of the Mara / Serengeti ecosystem, and where you can do walks and night drives. As it is a private conservancy like Selenkay, you won't see any other safari vehicles.

The Conservancy is full of wildlife on every scale; elephant, buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, eland, topi, kongoni, impala, hyena, jackal, cheetah, leopard - a pride of 24 lions is just one family of these magnificent cats that roam the area near the camp. You will also have a full day in the Maasai Mara reserve. Then on to Kipungani Explorer to enjoy the magnificent Indian Ocean coast and the local Swahili culture. Fourteen spacious and secluded chalets sit above the soft white sands of Kipungani Bay, which is Swahili for ‘the place of fresh air’. Shaded by the palm trees that line the 600 m beachfront, the chalets are constructed entirely from local materials, with mkeka matting floors and makuti thatch roofs woven by the residents of neighbouring Kipungani Village. The large interiors are a picture of rustic simplicity, with giant king-size beds and all furniture handmade from local mangrove and palm woods.

Each chalet has an ocean-facing verandah with local funzi sofas and chairs piled high with colourful cushions. Just relax and enjoy the surroundings or take advantage of the many activities such as, snorkeling and diving on the reefs, windsurfing, creek or deep sea fishing, sailing aboard our own dhow, bird walks, visiting Lamu’s historic mosques, markets and museums, visiting the ancient ruined forts of Manda Island, or visiting the neighbours in Kipungani Village. Kipungani is a dream destination for those seeking a true desert island holiday with a spice of culture.