Leleshwa
Camp Masai Mara Walking & Hiking
Siana
Conservancy & Loita Hills - Masai Mara, Kenya
(Walking
& Hiking Safaris in the Masai Mara area surrounding
Leleshwa Camp within the Siana Conservancy offers a
range of terrain to be explored. Trek with Masai guides
on a traditional hiking safari in Kenya's remote Loita
Hills)
Walking
& Hiking at Leleshwa Camp Masai Mara
Walking
& Hiking at Leleshwa Camp View
Rates, Discounted Prices - Book & Save Now!
Walking
& Hiking at Leleshwa Camp Masai Mara
is a unique Kenya safari that offers you a combination
of a hiking safari in the Loita Hills followed by the
best of what the Masai Mara has to offer.
Your
adventure begins with a private trek through the homeland
of Masai Purko clan, guided by local tribesmen. Your
spend three to six days on foot, discovering the Sacred
Forest filled with cedar, podo and strangler fig trees,
waterfalls, and spectacular bird life.
Some
2,000 colobus monkeys roam the trees; you’re also
likely to see or find evidence of elephant, buffalo,
baboon, bushbuck, bush pig, leopard and hyena.
Donkeys
are used to carry the lightweight camp to the base,
located deep within the forest near natural springs
and hippo pools. Your route is tailored according to
your physical abilities and interests—a rare adventure
to thrill even the most seasoned safari-goer!
Walking
& Hiking at Leleshwa Camp Travel
Options
*
Stay the night before at Leleshwa Camp which is accessed
by road or air (regular scheduled or chartered flights
into Siana Airstrip). After breakfast travel to Kanunka
(approximately 3 hours) to begin your hike.
*
Drive from Nairobi in 4x4 vehicles across the spectacular
Rift Valley, enjoying expansive views en route to arrive
at Kanunka at noon.
Day
1:
After
breakfast travel to Kanunka (approximately 3 hours)
to begin your hike
On
reaching Kanunka, the starting point of your hike, you
will meet your Masai walking guide, porters and donkeys
who will transport your gear and camping equipment.
Day packs are provided by Leleshwa Camp, and you will
pack only what you need for the hike – all other
luggage will be transported to Leleshwa Camp to await
you at the end of your trek.
We
commence our walking safari for 3-4 hours this afternoon,
hiking through Masai farmland and broken bush. After
a stop for lunch under a classic umbrella thorn tree,
we continue our walk toward the hills. As villages become
increasingly remote and dirt tracks diminish into footpaths,
we eventually leave the last settlements behind and
enter the forest. Our first camp, Kalema campsite, is
in a clearing on the forest edge.
Day
2: Loita
Hills –Masai Walking Trail
We
rise early and, after a fortifying breakfast, begin
our day on the trail, climbing the hill behind the campsite
with our first view over the Shompole & Rift valleys.
Following elephant and buffalo trails into the forest,
we pass small water holes and traverse forest glades,
dropping into the Seigei Valley to walk along the massive
swamp that runs along the valley floor.
During
our lunch stop we’ll hope to get a glimpse of
the animals that frequent the swamp – buffalo,
elephant, the Namenkio Forest – the views just
keep getting better! We spend the night at our second
campsite – Alandabibi – which lies within
a clearing around a natural waterhole that often has
animal visitors at night. [Total hiking time 6 hours,
+/- 10 km]
Day
3: Loita
Hills - Masai Walking Trail
Today we do a long circuit walk from Alandabibi campsite
along Miguu ya Mbwa Hill, to an amazing viewpoint –
on a clear day we can see all the way to the soda lakes
of Magadi and Natron where Africa’s famous pink
flamingos breed; 6,600-foot Ol Donyo Lengai, Tanzania’s
only active volcano; and the heights of Gale and Shompole.
We’ll
stop for lunch here, overlooking this iconic panorama
of East Africa. In the afternoon we drop down into the
valleys to spend more time in the amazing pristine forest.
[Total hiking time 6 hours, +/- 10 km]
Day
4: Loita
Hills - Masai Walking Trail
After breakfast, we depart camp and head towards the
Enchipai Valley, one of the largest valleys in the Loita
Hills, with a major stream running through it, fed by
crystal-clear spring water, which will be our lunch
spot en route to camp.
The
spring is used by Masai herdsmen in times of drought
so there is a chance that we might encounter one or
two lone nomads during this morning’s hike –
these interactions are always fun and interesting for
everyone as it is such a remote area.
After
lunch, a 1 ½ hour hike brings u to our campsite,
which surveys a series of sweeping bends in the stream
in a wide-open part of the valley. By now, we are thoroughly
steeped in the solitude and silence of the wilderness—there
is simply no match for the wonder of experiencing the
African wild on foot
Day
5: Loita Hills - Masai Walking Trail
This morning we depart on one of the most spectacular
walks in the Loita Hills – down the Enchipai Valley
to the Alarsu waterfall, a 300-foot drop into an enormous
pool. The route was opened up by our Masai walking guide,
Robert Rerende, who leads the way as we negotiate the
rocky path down the valley wall.
It
is a difficult walk but, when we reach the bottom and
are rewarded with a chance to cool off in the huge plunge
pool, it is well worth the effort. Enjoy a hearty picnic
lunch at the base of the falls before climbing back
up to through the forest to return to Enchipai Camp,
where we will spend a second night.
Here
we'll enjoy a special celebration on our last night
of the walking safari as the Masai crew, who have become
our friends over the past four days, provide some traditional
entertainment with music and dance. Involvement by guests
is highly encouraged and great fun! [Total hiking time
7-8 hours, +/- 10 km]
Day
6: Loita Hills / Leleshwa Camp
After one last breakfast in the bush, it’s time
to begin our 2-hour walk back to the civilized world
of roads, vehicles and agriculture.
Once
we reach the vehicles, we say a fond farewell to our
Masai guides, who have shared and shown us so much.
We drive in 4X4 safari trucks to Leleshwa Camp. [Total
hiking time 2 hours, +/- 7 km]
Variations
on Hiking Itineraries
Length of trip can vary from 3 – 6 days. If you
choose to do a 3 day hike a perfect itinerary will be
days 4, 5 & 6. If you choose to fly directly to
Siana Airstrip from Nairobi on the day of starting hike,
you’ll have lunch at Leleshwa Camp and then transfer
to alternative starting point.
Note
on Distances and Times
The itinerary laid out above is a suggestion for a group
of average fitness. Should our guides see that the group
is particularly fit and able, hike times and distances
can be extended to cater for this.
Leleshwa
Camp Mara
Non-Residents
Walking & Hiking Prices
Leleshwa
Loita Hills Hiking Non-Residents Rates Per Night Include:
Loita Hills area community & conservation contribution
+ Fly-camp accommodation in a donkey-portered lightweight
camp + All meals + House wines, beers, soft drinks,
spirits, bottled water + Airstrip transfers : Siana
Springs, Naboisho + Loita transfers from Ngoswani or
Leleshwa Camp + Hiking excursions with Leleshwa Camp
and Masai Loita Hills guide
Dates
From |
Dates
To |
|
|
Child
Sharing
6
Years to 17 Years
|
3rd
Jan 2013
|
30th Apr 2013 |
|
|
|
01st May 2013 |
31st May 2013 |
|
|
|
01st Jun 2013 |
30th
Jun 2013 |
|
|
|
01st Jul 2013 |
31st
Oct 2013 |
|
|
|
01st Nov 2013 |
14th
Dec 2013 |
|
|
|
15th Dec 2013 |
3rd
Jan 2014 |
|
|
|
Notes
*
Community Fees: Local area community
& conservation contributions included in rates
*
Minimum age: 12 Years – children
should be accustomed to hiking and able to hike for
2 hours in one stretch
*
Groups 2-3 Guests: A supplement of 50 US
Dollars per person per night
applies - minimum 2 Guests required
*
Physical requirements: An average to above average physical
ability is required for this trip. Routes can be adapted
according guests’ interests & abilities, however
guests must be able to walk a minimum of 5 hours in
one day. Because of the remoteness of the area &
the terrain, a support vehicle is only available at
the start/end point
Leleshwa
Loita Hills Hiking Non-Residents Rates Per Night
Exclude:
*
Gratuities
*
Personal effects
*
Champagne, luxury spirits, selected wines
* Personal travel and medical (required) insurance
* Flying Doctors Emergency evacuation to Nairobi which
is mandatory for all guests (can be included upon request)
Booking
& Reservations for Walking
& Hiking Safaris in the Masai Mara area surrounding
Leleshwa Camp within the Siana Conservancy
on the North - Eastern edge of the Masai Mara Game Reserve
in Kenya
Booking
Office Tel: + 254 (0)
20 2437871
Mobile
: 0721-242-711 (Safaricom) - Kenya
Email:
info@africanspicesafaris.com
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