Aberdare National Park

Situated in the Aberdare Mountain Range, this is a remarkably varied area with vegetation ranging from open moorland, rushing waterfalls, bamboo thickets and the dense forest of the salient. It is home to an enormous variety of bird and animal life including the rare and elusive bongo antelope, elephant, black rhino and giant forest hog.

By spending a night at one of the two forest lodges, the Ark or Treetops, you can experience unique night game viewing at the salt licks deep in the forest. This is an ideal way to see some of the nocturnal animals that you might not normally see elsewhere.

Our preferred camps and lodges include:

Treetops
The Ark
Aberdare Country Club
Serena Mountain Lodge (Mt Kenya)

Amboseli National Park

At just 392 sq. km Amboseli is a small but enchanting National Park situated close to the border with Tanzania. Superb views of the imperious Mount Kilimanjaro form the principal backdrop of the park as Amboseli’s famous herds of elephant wallow in the waterholes or forage for food amongst dense clumps of palms.

Consisting of swamps, open plains, acacia woodland and the vast seasonal dry bed of Lake Amboseli, this is a fascinating and relatively easy place for game viewing.

Our preferred lodges and camps include:

Tortilis Camp
Tawi Lodge
Ol Kanjau
Amboseli Porini Camp
Amboseli Serena Lodge
Ol Tukai Lodge

Ballooning over the Masai Mara

Dawn breaks and ribbons of light streak across the sky as the sun silently rises above the distant horizon. The silence is broken only by the occasional roar of heated air as your balloon continues its gentle rise above the endless plains of the Masai Mara.

Its residents stir as you float above them: herds of buffalo and wildebeest and weary prides of lion greet a new day. To explore this fascinating environment from a totally different perspective is a captivating experience and as you glide back to earth, the ground crew is already preparing your champagne breakfast beneath the spreading branches of an umbrella tree.

A balloon safari can be enjoyed from most camps and lodges within the Masai Mara National Reserve and adjacent group ranches – please contact us for further details.

Laikipia Plateau

The Laikipia Plateau in central Kenya boasts a romantic atmosphere of Africa of old: vast open ranches shadowed by snow-capped Mt. Kenya and home to many communities including the Laikipiak Maasai and Samburu. More than two million acres of wild savannah have been brought under protection and big game, including elephant, buffalo, lion, reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra and gazelle, now abounds. This is also the largest stronghold in Kenya for the endangered rhino population.

The landscapes at Laikipia are diverse: from the edge of the Great Rift Valley wall to dusty plains, verdant grasslands, rocky hills and the two great rivers, Ewaso Nyiro and Ewaso Narok, which feed this land. Just a handful of lodges, many of them owner-managed colonial homesteads, are dotted around the region, offering game drives, bush walks, camel safaris (some with overnight fly camping), cultural visits, horse riding and fishing. The scenic beauty and diversity of activities available here make Laikipia one of the most exclusive and fascinating areas of Kenya to visit.

Our preferred camps and lodges include:

Ol Malo & Ol Malo House
Loisaba Lodge, Loisaba Cottage, Loisaba House & Starbeds
Sabuk Lodge & Eagle Cottage
Sosian Ranch House
Kicheche Laikipia
Lewa Wilderness & Lewa House
Lewa Safari Camp
Borana & Laragai House  
Mukutan & Makena’s Hills
Ol Pejeta Bush Camp
The Sanctuary at Ol Lentille
Mutamaiyu House
Solio Lodge
Sirikoi
Enasoit
El Karama
Lemarti’s Camp

Lake Victoria

Lake Victoria measures some 70,000 sq. km in size and is the second largest freshwater lake in the world. Sought after by early European explorers as the legendary source of the Nile and now bordering three countries – Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda – the lake is relatively shallow to its size.

Ideally visited by light aircraft as an extension to a safari in the Masai Mara, the lake is a serenely beautiful and little visited part of Kenya offering boat trips, fishing for giant Nile perch, cultural visits to Luo villages, excellent bird watching and island hikes.

Our recommended camps include:

Mfangano Island Camp
Rusinga Island Camp

Masai Mara Game Reserve

Famous the world over as a haven for the great migrating herds of wildebeest and zebra, as well as for one of the highest concentrations of predators anywhere in the world, the Masai Mara is located in the south west of the country on the border with Tanzania and forms an extension of the Serengeti National Park.

Swirling rivers, open grasslands that stretch to the horizon and acacia woodlands scattered throughout the reserve play host to a huge variety of animals and birdlife. The annual migration of zebra and wildebeest crossing the Mara River is undoubtedly one of the most thrilling of all wildlife spectacles. There are a number of luxurious lodges or camps both within and outside the reserve which provide an excellent base from which to discover this wildlife paradise.

Our preferred camps and lodges include:

Governors’ Main Camp, Little Governors’ Camp, Governors’ Private Camp & Il Moran
Bateleur Camp & Kichwa Tembo
Cottar’s 1920′s Camp & Cottar’s Private House
Elephant Pepper Camp
Richard’s Camp & Richard’s Private Camp
Saruni Mara & Saruni Wild
Olonana
Rekero Camp & Rekero Kidogo
Mara Intrepids & Explorer
Kicheche Mara Camp, Kicheche Bush Camp & Kicheche Valley Camp
Leleshwa Camp
Offbeat Mara Camp
Naibor, Little Naibor & Naibor Wilderness
Karen Blixen Camp
Ol Seki Hemingways Mara
Royal Mara Safari Lodge
Mara Plains Camp
Sala’s Camp
Serian & Ngare Serian
Naboisho Camp
Mara Serena Lodge

Meru National Park

Once part of Kenya’s old Northern Frontier District, Meru is perhaps the least visited of all Kenya’s parks. Wildlife may not be as abundant as in other places, but this is a spectacular land of kopjes, streams, baobab trees and riverine forests which has recently returned to the limelight with the opening of a new lodge in the park.

Meru is an area of outstanding natural beauty and to walk with a professional guide through the bush, stopping en route for sundowners’ on a rocky outcrop, is to experience the raw, wild Africa at its most alluring. Meru was also the former home of George & Joy Adamson who helped to return orphaned lion cubs to the wild, in particular Elsa of Born Free fame.

Our preferred lodges and camps include:

Elsa’s Kopje & Elsa’s Private House
Offbeat Meru

Nairobi

Nairobi is a busy cosmopolitan city which boasts numerous optional day trips, funky shops and delightful restaurants.

Nairobi National Park, Giraffe Manor, the Karen Blixen Museum and the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage are amongst some of the most interesting places to visit.

Some of our recommended hotels include:

House of Waine
Macushla House
Ngong House
Palacina Suites
Hogmead
Giraffe Manor
Nairobi Serena Hotel
The Norfolk Hotel
The Fairview
Ole Sereni Hotel
The Emakoko
Karen Blixen Coffee Garden

Northern Kenya

Northen Kenya is an explorer’s paradise, a vast and remote area of ancient tribes, deserts, mountains and lakes. From the huge jade sea of Lake Turkana in the north to the forested slopes of the Matthews Mountains, this is a land rich in culture and colour, scenery and serenity.

Dotted throughout this vast wilderness are a number of small, luxurious and privately owned lodges and homesteads dedicated to showing the best that this diverse region has to offer. Usually hosted by the owners, you can enjoy day and night game drives, camel trekking, fly camping and bush walking with an armed guide.

This is an area of wild and largely unspoiled Kenya with endless opportunities for remote adventure, we highly recommend a visit to this region.

Our preferred camps include:

Sarara Camp
Kitich Camp
Desert Rose Lodge
Wild Frontiers Camel Safaris
Karisia Walking Safaris

Riding Safaris

Kenya boasts some of Africa’s most beautiful landscapes and finest game viewing in all of Africa. From the snow and glaciers of Mt Kenya to rain forests, savannah plains, freshwater lakes, parched deserts and idyllic shores of the Indian Ocean coast, the country offers a bountiful array of environments.

Offbeat Safaris

To ride on horseback across the real Africa, where you might not see a fence post for 200 miles or more, is a huge privilege: combining magnificent scenery with the thrill of riding amongst teeming herds of game is something no horse lover coming to Africa should miss. All the horses are home or ranch bred to a very high standard, thoroughbred and thoroughbred cross. The safaris cover 20 – 30 miles per day with opportunities for long canters and gallops and you will often encounter big game.

Nights are spent in fully serviced mobile camps in remote and secluded areas, supported by lorries and Land Rovers. Adventure is blended with creature comforts, freshly prepared meals and ice cool drinks. Accommodation is in spacious double sleeping tents with en suite toilet and hot water bucket shower. At the end of most safaris you will also spend two nights at Deloraine, an old colonial house located near Nakuru in the Rift Valley. There are lovely rides on the surrounding 5000 acres farm with interesting day trips to Lake Nakuru and Lake Bogoria.

Regular 10-day safaris operate on a set departure basis around the Masai Mara National Reserve, crossing the plains below the Loita Hills to the foot of the Bardamat Hills and onwards to the Mara River. This is some of the most impressive wildlife country in Kenya, home to abundant plains game and feline predators, and game drives by 4×4 Land Rover and bush walks supplement the 4 – 6 hours daily spent in the saddle.

Longer two week Long Distance Saddle Safaris also operate on a regular basis, both in the Mara region and on the Laikipia Plateau.

There are a minimum of 4 and maximum of 12 guests on each set departure trip. Please note that riding safaris do not operate in the months of April, May, November & December owing to the onset of the rains. Tailor-made safaris can also be arranged.

Kenya Safaris Unlimited

A horseback safari is one of the most unique and exciting adventures in East Africa. These safaris that journey through the game-lands of Kenya on Somali-Arab crossbred horses provide an exceptional opportunity to experience wildlife and habitats off the beaten track.

In the saddle your trek will take you through mountains and forest, across vast open savannah, into rivers and water-holes and up huge escarpments, all filled with a variety of animals. There are no fences, telegraph poles or tarmac roads and the sense of space and freedom is quite overwhelming. Imagine riding across the open plains surrounded by zebra and wildebeest or watching a family of elephant feed, or imagine a gallop alongside a herd of giraffe.

Your safari starts either in the Loita or Chyulu Hills, some 150 kms from Nairobi. After having spent a night in a comfortable Nairobi hotel you will be driven out to a first camp set up by a spring or in a glade of acacia trees. Each day, your saddlebags are packed with a picnic, hip flask, camera and sunscreen and you head into the wild blue yonder, riding for about 3 to 7 hours. Meanwhile the skilled safari crew have broken camp, driven round on bush tracks and re-erected the whole ‘show’ in time for your arrival. You arrive at your new hideaway in time for tea, cocktails and a hot shower followed by a sumptuous supper cooked over an open fire.

Typical riding itineraries last between 5 – 12 days and include:

Chyulu Trail to Kilimanjaro – an 8 days ride in the shadows of Mt Kilimanjaro, following the line of the 7000 ft Chyulu Hills to vast game-filled plains below.

The Masai Mara Ride – a 9 days exploration on horseback in the Masai Mara region, crossing from the Loita Hills to the Mara River.

During the riding safari nights in the bush are spent in fully serviced luxury mobile tented camps with comfortable beds and hot water showers. Meals are taken in the mess tent and are prepared from the freshest ingredients.

All safaris are arranged on a private, tailor-made basis throughout the year except during the month of April. Rates vary according to group size (2 – 10 guests recommended) – please contact us for full details.

If a long Riding Safari is not for you but you would still like the opportunity to ride, then the following camps & lodges offer riding as an activity:

Ol Donyo Lodge
Ol Malo
Loisaba
Lewa Wilderness
Borana
Kinondo Kwetu

Samburu & Shaba National Reserves

The Uaso Nyiro River is the lifeblood of the Samburu National Reserve and its adjoining neighbours, Buffalo Springs and Shaba National Reserve, offering an oasis for wildlife amidst the arid lands to the north of Mount Kenya.

Rounded kopjes covered in thick scrub and the rich riverine environment of wavering doum palms offer the perfect habitat for reticulated giraffe, crocodile, warthog and Grevy’s zebra, as well as significant numbers of leopard and lion. Birdlife is also prolific with immense flocks of Helmeted and Vulterine Guineafowl making their way to the river bank to drink each afternoon.

Being a little more remote than other parks, a flying safari incorporating Samburu will take you away from the crowds and into the rugged splendour of a land which is very different from the highlands and savannah plains in the south of the country.

Our preferred camps and lodges include:

Sasaab
Saruni Samburu
Elephant Watch Camp
Joy’s Camp
Larsens Camp
Samburu Intrepids
Samburu Serena Lodge

The Kenya Coast

With a tropical climate, the white sandy beaches of Kenya’s coast are the perfect place to end up if you are in search of some rest and relaxation after a busy safari.

This coast has some of the best game fishing in the world, as well as excellent marine parks for those interested in snorkelling and scuba diving.

If you wish to combine sun with a little history then fly north to the historic Swahili island of Lamu where the pace of life is dictated by trotting donkeys and graceful dhows sailing out in search of the ‘catch of the day’.

There is an excellent choice of private houses or small, luxurious hideaways that will leave you longing to return.

For details of our recommended hotels and lodges on the Kenya coast please click here.

The Rift Valley

Stretching for thousands of miles down through eastern Africa as far as Mozambique, the Rift Valley is one of the most remarkable geological faults in the world.

Along this fault are a series of Kenyan lakes - Naivasha, Elementaita, Nakuru, Baringo and Bogoria - all of which are a mecca for resident and migrating birdlife including the pink clouds of greater and lesser flamingoes.

Throughout this region there are a number of delightful, privately owned houses and luxurious camps that allow you to enjoy a safari in this remarkable area. Game drives, bush walks, horse riding, bird watching, boat trips, fishing and appreciating the incredible geology are just some of the recommended highlights.

Our preferred lodges and camps include:

Loldia House
Chui Lodge
Kiangazi House
Samatian Island
Hippo Point
Deloraine
Lake Elementeita Serena Camp
Mbweha Camp

Tsavo National Park & Chyulu Hills

Tsavo National Park is Kenya’s largest wildlife area covering an area of over 20,000 sq. km. Tsavo East is a vast undeveloped wilderness with wonderful game viewing and very few camps, which ensures a feeling of complete exclusivity during your stay. A world of wide horizons, lava flows, swirling rivers and palm trees, there is no better place to discover a part of pristine Africa either on foot or 4X4 vehicle.

Tsavo West was formed by the same volcanic upheavals that created the Rift Valley, Mount Kenya and Mount Kilimanjaro, hence the peaked hills and escarpments that are the main feature of this area and the adjoining Chyulu Hills.

Some of these volcanic ridges gave rise to the underground river systems that have formed the extraordinary Mzima Springs and a number of other such oases in the dry scrubland. Home to a few exclusive and luxurious safari camps this is another area of secluded beauty with Africa’s wildlife on the doorstep.

Our preferred camps and lodges include:

Galdessa Camp
Ol Donyo Lodge
Finch Hattons
Campi ya Kanzi

Walking Safaris

Why on foot? An African safari in a 4×4 vehicle is always an exciting concept and a wonderful way to see parts of this beautiful continent, but to travel on foot brings you that much closer to the real Africa and with senses heightened this can be a truly exhilarating experience. The slower you travel, often the more you see!

Walks can last from anything between one or two hours from your camp to a full walking safari over several days and supported by a mobile lightweight camp and crew.

Several lodges on the Laikipia Plateau such as Sabuk offer camel assisted walks with nights spent in fly camps, whilst Karisia Walking Safaris and Wild Frontiers are excellent operations offering off the beaten track walking in the Mathews Range and other areas of remote northern Kenya.

The Governors Safari

Highlights of this itinerary:

• Loldia House – explore Lake Navaisha & the Rift Valley
• Amazing game viewing in the Mara
• Explore the BBC Big Cat Diary’s territory

This itinerary is based on tailor-made arrangements with departure from London on the date of your choice. Nights at individual camps and lodges may be added or subtracted at will.

Day 1 – Fly from London
Day 2 – Arrive Nairobi & transfer by road to the shores of Lake Naivasha – Loldia House – 3 nights
Days 3/4 – Two full days of game drives, walks and excursions to Lake Nakuru, Hells gate, Lake Elementaita and Lake Bogoria in the Rift Valley
Day 5 – Fly to the Masai Mara – Little Governors Camp – 4 nights
Days 6/7/8 – Three full days of game viewing
Day 9 – Morning on safari – afternoon fly to Nairobi – dinner & transfer for your flight to London
Day 10 – Arrive in London

2012 price from £2,570 per person

(Price based on two people sharing a twin/double room excluding the cost of international flights London/Nairobi/London.)

Bush & Beach

Highlights of this itinerary:

• Amazing game viewing in the Mara
• Kicheche Camp – fantastically good value
• Kinondo Kwetu – a home away from home
• Relax on a stunning beach & swim in the Indian Ocean

This itinerary is based on tailor-made arrangements with departure from London on the date of your choice. Nights at individual camps and lodges may be added or subtracted at will.

Day 1 – Fly from London
Day 2 – Arrive Nairobi & transfer to Wilson – Fly to the Mara – Kicheche Mara Camp – 4 nights
Days 3/5 – Three full days of game viewing
Day 6 – Fly to Ukunda – Kinondo Kwetu – 4 nights
Days 7/9 – Three full days at leisure
Day 10 – Morning at leisure – Fly to Wilson in the afternoon – dinner & late transfer for flight to London
Day 11 – Arrive London

2012 price from £3,160 per person

(Price based on two people sharing a twin/double room excluding the cost of international flights London/Nairobi/London).

Bush, Lake & Spas

Day 1 – Fly from London
Day 2 – Arrive Nairobi & transfer to Wilson – fly to Samburu – Saruni Samburu – 3 nights
Days 3/4 – Two full days of game viewing
Day 5 – Fly to the Mara – Saruni Mara – 3 nights
Days 6/7 – Two full days of game viewing
Day 8 – Fly to Rusinga Island – Rusinga Island – 3 nights
Days 9/10- Fishing, boating & bird watching
Day 11 – Morning at leisure – afternoon fly to Nairobi – dinner & transfer for flight to London
Day 12 – Arrive London

2012 price from £ 3,998 per person

(Price based on two people sharing a twin/double room excluding the cost of international flights London/Nairobi/London).

A Romantic Escape

Highlights of this itinerary:

• Scenic flights from camp to camp
• Camel riding at Loisaba
• Sleeping under the stars at the Koija Starbeds
• Amazing game viewing in the Masai Mara
• Funzi Keys – the perfect romantic hideaway!

This itinerary is based on tailor-made arrangements with departure from London on the date of your choice. Nights at individual camps and lodges may be added or subtracted at will.

Day 1 – Fly from London
Day 2 – Arrive Nairobi & transfer to Wilson Airport – Fly to Loisaba – Loisaba Lodge – 4 nights
Days 3/5 – Three full days of game drives, bush walk, horse riding & camel treks
*Your 3rd night is spent at the Koija Starbeds where you sleep under the stars
Day 6 – Fly to Masai Mara – Olonana – 4 nights
Days 7/9- Game viewing
Day 10- Fly to Ukunda – Funzi Keys – 4 nights
Days 11/13- At leisure
Day 14 – Morning at leisure – Fly to Wilson in the afternoon – dinner & late transfer for flight to London
Day 15 – Arrive London

2012 price from £4,299 per person

(Prices based on two people sharing a twin/double room excluding the cost of international flights London/Nairobi/London).

Family Adventure

Highlights of this itinerary:

• Family friendly camps & lodges throughout
• Wide range of activities at Sosian
• Amazing game viewing in the Masai Mara
• Kinondo Kwetu – great beach property

This itinerary is based on tailor-made arrangements with departure from London on the date of your choice. Nights at individual camps and lodges may be added or subtracted at will.

Day 1 – Fly from London
Day 2 – Arrive Nairobi & transfer to Wilson airport. Fly to Loisaba - Sosian Ranch - 3 nights
Days 3/4 – Horse riding, bush walks, game drives, camel riding and fishing
Day 5 - Fly to the Mara - Elephant Pepper Camp – 3 nights
Days 6/7 – Two full days for game viewing
Day 8 – Fly to Ukunda – Kinondo Kwetu - 4 nights
Days 9/11 – Three full days to relax at Kinondo Kwetu
Day 12 – Morning at leisure - afternoon fly to Nairobi – dinner & late transfer for flight to London
Day 13 – Arrive London

2012 price from £12,690 total for a family of 4

(Price based on 2 adults & 2 children under 12 years of age sharing 2 twin/double rooms excluding the cost of international flights London/Nairobi/London).