UNDER CANVAS AFRICAN ADVENTURE SAFARI.
(11 Days / 10 Nights)
This is one of our most popular itineraries because
it is incredibly diverse and incorporates the very
best of Kenya's wildlife areas and at a great price!
This Safari has been extremely popular amongst our
families as well as couples or a group traveling together
.It is also perfect for singles as we can utilize
plenty of scheduled flights thus keeping the cost
of charter flights down.
Day 1 Nairobi Arrival.
Arrive at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
in the evening where you will be met by the warm,
smiling face of your private ‘Spice Guide and
transfer you to your homestead or lodge where you
may have a light snack before settling in for the
night. During your first night in Africa you will
probably awaken to the sound of a territorial male
tree hyrax who makes a very weird, electrifying call
which you may think is some poor tormented soul! In
actual fact they are delightful little furry brown
creatures that look like a giant guinea pig and are
also the closest living relative to the elephant.
Overnight at Macushla House. Meal Plan {BED}
Day 2/3/4 Amboseli National Park.
Wake up in the morning to a hearty breakfast after
which you will be transferred to Wilson Airport where
you will board a scheduled flight to Amboseli airstrip.
Upon arrival you will be met and driven through this
fantastic "Elephant Park" to your Tented
Camp. The Camp is located under the shade of the Acacia
Tortillas Trees and sits in the shadow of the majestic
Mount Kilimanjaro. Kilimanjaro belonged in the 18th
century to British Colonial Rule but by 1889 the mountain
was in German Colonial rule. The widely spread story
that Queen Victoria giving Kilimanjaro to Kaiser Wilhelm
Spitze for a birthday present - is colorfully untrue!
Once in camp, take your time to unpack and wander
around camp familiarizing yourself with the sights
and smells of Africa perhaps stopping by the kitchen
to see how a true Bush Kitchen actually works! Enjoy
a delicious lunch with your hosts who will chat to
you about the different activities and options that
you may do whilst you are here.
After lunch you may choose to take a short siesta,
start on your diary or settle into a good book. After
a scrumptious tea set out on a game drive stopping
to take countless photographs of the huge and magnificent
elephants that engulf you in their shadows.
The sheer enormity of these gentle giants is most
apparent when they are standing right next to you
jeep and your realize just how huge they really are!
Late afternoon your guide will stop under the shade
of a rather large acacia tree, spread out a tartan
blanket and proceed to pull all sorts of delicious
looking hors d'oeuvres from a basket, he will also
whip out a cork screw and pour glasses of chilled
South African Chardonnay, or pop off the top of a
bottle of Tusker. This is a very important part of
the day in Africa and even though each of yours Days
will be so incredibly different from the next you
will find yourself in a wonderful spot at around the
same time every day - just enjoying Africa as you
watch the African sunset . The first of many unforgettable
experiences.
Every night is like a dinner party in Africa, one
table and plenty to talk about whether it is international
politics or African gossip. This is the time when
you can really get to know your hosts and the other
guests over a delicious three course meal, served
in a fantastic Safari Tent with the snow tipped peak
of Kilimanjaro peaking out amidst the stars. We encourage
all our guests to spend a minimum of three Nights
at each property as it take time to settle in and
get to know the people and the places that you are
visiting....why rush it?
Amboseli meaning a "place of water"
in Masai is sometimes very dry and dusty in appearance,
but it has an endless water supply filtered through
thousands of feet of volcanic rock from Kilimanjaro
snow melt. The main attraction here of course is the
vast herds of elephants within the park. The bull
elephants here have some of the largest tusks in Kenya.
Two especially interesting antelopes may be found
in this area as well, the Long-necked Gerenuk - often
called the Giraffe-necked Antelope and the Fringe-eared
Oryx. Bird life is abundant especially in the vicinity
of the lakes and swamps where a great variety of water
birds may be seen. We enjoy using the private ranches
and conservation areas surrounding the national parks
- for the obvious reason of less traffic but also
because these areas offer a wealth of game viewing
and walking safaris because our African partners work
very closely with the local people to develop Eco-tourism,
which benefits the indigenous communities and protect
this fragile Ecosystem. Overnight at Ol Kanjau Camp.
Days 5/6/7 Laikipia
After three fulfilling Days in Amboseli, you will
have an early departure to a nearby airstrip and board
the scheduled flight to Nairobi where you will connect
onto Laikipia. Upon arrival at the ranch you will
be met by a wonderful guide who will take you on a
scenic route back to the property telling you about
the history of the property. Once you arrive you may
enjoy another fantastic lunch before your afternoon
rest or enjoy a nice swim in the pool and relax under
the shade of natural “umbrellas” trees.
Accommodation at this second property will probably
be in thatched cottages, stylishly decorated from
locally made fabrics, the furniture made and carved
on the land. We guarantee you that each destination
that you visit will be so unique and different from
the last, and that each new day will bring new surprises
and the warmth and enthusiasm of your hosts and guides
will captivate you. Each property is very different
to the next in terms of what activities they have
to offer and your guides will advise you what to d
each day, but the most wonderful thing is, you can
do whatever you want to whenever you want to!
The Laikipia Escarpment is a remote paradise which
has been devoted to the conservation of wildlife and
its natural habitat. This area consists of several
large and private wildlife ranches that are deeply
committed to preserving and protecting the wildlife
of these parts. The Laikipia Escarpment appears to
be cut off from the outside world, hidden in the shadows
of Mt. Kenya, and boasts a wildlife population that
includes all the big game animals, and more than 400
species of birds. Overnight at Wilderness Trails,
Ngare Niti, Camp. Meal Plan {B, L, D}
Day 8/9/10 Laikipia –Masai Mara
On your last morning wave a teary good-bye to your
new friends and once again you'll board a scheduled
flight to the Masai Mara. You will fly over numerous
herds of wildlife, Mt. Kenya, the Laikipia Escarpment
and the Great Rift Valley until you finally reach
the Masai Mara. As you land on a dirt airstrip you
will fly low over herds of wildebeest and zebra and
marvel at the sheer numbers of wildlife that litter
the grassy plains. The Masai Mara is Africa's most
prolific wildlife destination.
Upon arrival you will be met with a smiling face and
enjoy a game drive with your professional guide through
the Mara. The Masai Mara holds the greatest and most
diverse concentration of wildlife remaining in Africa
today. It is home to the Masai people and to small
clans of Ndorobo, the traditional hunter-gatherers
of East Africa. This place is guaranteed to take your
breath away.
The Masai Mara is home to several of our private
properties, which are hidden in intimate parts of
the Mara where you won’t see "matatus"
(mini buses) and hordes of other travelers. Each of
our properties is located in very different, remote
regions of the Mara. Each of these properties is as
unique as the different regions where they are located.
Each day in the Mara will be dramatically different
to the next, you may spend hours tracking rhino on
foot with an Ndorobo tracker, or sitting quietly for
hours observing a typical day in the life of a pride
of Mara lions, or let the circus antics of infant
cheetah cubs bring tears of laughter to your eyes.
The drama of the Mara is never ending, the cycle of
life and death is seemingly endless, it is this sheer
magnetism that has captivated all of us and will captivate
you!
Overnight at Rekero, Rekero Tented Camp
Day 11 Masai Mara – Nairobi
After breakfast you will be transferred to the airstrip
where you will board the scheduled flight to Nairobi's
Wilson Airport. Upon arrival you'll once again be
met by that familiar smiling face of Paul which comforted
you so much with your timid entrance into this strange
world. Only this time you're well experienced with
Kenya's landscape, language, wildlife and people.
Now you feel like a true Kenyan as you share your
experiences.
At this point we will drive you around so that you
can do some last minute shopping. Later that evening
he will drop you off at a Nairobi restaurant for supper.
After dinner you'll finally be transferred to Jomo
Kenyatta International Airport in time to check in
for you overnight flight back home. A tear comes to
your eye as you give the ‘Spice’ driver
guide a final hug, you embrace him as if you were
embracing the entire nation - its people, its wildlife,
its diverse topography.
As you
board the plane the culmination of events
over the past eleven Days begins to settle
in. You begin to reflect on the whirlwind
of experiences as you settle into your seat.
And suddenly you realize how overwhelming
and magical your whole experience has been,
but you also realize that you didn't have
near enough time to discover the secrets of
the Dark Continent. As so many of our clients
in the past have done, you begin to go over
the plans in your head for your next trip
to Africa and what you will do differently
next time. And then you're eager to get back
home to share your stories with your family
and friends. You come home not quite the same
person as you have experienced eleven Days
that have changed your life forever.
Request for a quote
Included
-
All
accommodations as indicated
-
All
meals except while in Nairobi on arrival day/night
and departure day/night
-
All
government and hotel taxes and service charges
-
All
land travel
-
All
Intra-Kenya scheduled and charter flights
-
All
park, reserve, and conservation area entrance
fees
-
All
game-viewing activities; guided walks, horseback
rides, or 4x4 game drives in open top vehicles
-
All
vehicle transfers to/from Bush Homes, airports,
hotels, etc.
-
Half
day tour of Nairobi with a private driver/guide
-
AMREF
medical evacuation coverage
-
Not
Included:
-
Some alcoholic beverages and other personal
expenses.
-
Lunches
and dinners while in Nairobi.
-
Gratuities
to drivers/guides and staff members (suggested
$5-$10 per person per day)
-
Pre-trip inoculations.
-
International Airfares.
-
Travel
Insurance.