Kenya

Upon arrival in Nairobi, our private driver will transfer you to our centrally located hotel. In the evening, we'll all gather for an orientation meeting and our first group dinner!

*For those who arrive early, our tour leader will be on-site to offer recommendations and help everyone make the most of their time.

After breakfast on day we start off with a small theatre group welcoming us to Kenya, taking us on a journey of rhythm and dance, showing us how it is the common denominator of African tribes. They perform the dances of 8 of Kenya's 44 tribes for us explaining how dance was used to enforce ethics, bring the rain and connect people.

Next up, we head out of the city to the Rescue Centre for Rothschild Giraffes for an up close and personal encounter that also promotes the protection of endangered populations. This centre has released 30+ giraffes into the wild from their breeding program. We will hand feed the giraffes and learn about the different types of giraffes in Kenya.

Lastly, you cannot visit Nairobi with a trip to see Karen Blixen's home, "Out of Africa". We take a guided tour of the property and learn about her struggles as a trailblazing woman in a male dominated colonial society!

We drive on to Samburu, taking a total of 5.5 hours. On the way we will stop at Thingira Cultural Centre in Sagana where we interact with locals and learn about the cultures of the Akamba, Ameru, Agikuyu and Ambeere tribes. We will have a traditional lunch at the center. Our remaining drive to Samburu will be on the outskirts of Kilimanjaro, the most beautiful mountain in Africa and reaching up to 5,199m (17,060 ft) above sea level.

Samburu's dominant feature is the Ewaso Ngiro River, which slices through the otherwise bone-dry country. The river acts as a magnet for thirsty animals, and large numbers of elephants, Grevy's zebras, giraffes and lions gather along the riverbanks. That's what we go there to observe!

Once we settle into our hotel in the afternoon, we'll head out for our first game drive in the incredible Samburu National Reserve.

Today will involve a full day spent at Samburu National Reserve with morning and late afternoon game drives, going deeper into our surroundings. We we'll also visit an actual Samburu village in order to interact with members of the community and learn about their culture and traditions straight from the source. We'll then return to our lodge in the evening for another great dinner.

Our drive this morning to Aberdare takes approximately 3 hours. Along the way we'll break up the drive with a visit to the weaving and spinning centre in Nanyuki. Here we get to observe a group of women that weave and spin woolen carpets in an inspiring co-operative.

We then head to the most popular park in northern Kenya. Aberdare can claim some of Kenya’s most dramatic up-country scenery. The fuzzy moors, in particular, possess a stark, wind-carved beauty, wholly unexpected after driving up from the richly cultivated plots of the eastern Aberdares. The national park here has two major environments: an eastern hedge of thick rainforest and waterfall-studded hills known as the Salient and the Kinangop plateau, an open tableland of coarse moors that huddles under cold mountain breezes.

Our accommodation for the night puts us close to the 'memory of elephants' daily migratory path, giving us a chance to hopefully watch the elephants walk along this route.

Today we leave for a 3 hour drive to Lake Nakuru, where we will stay inside the national park boundaries. The highlight of Lake Nakuru is the rhinoceros population - including rare black rhino. We will take an afternoon and early morning safari here hoping to catch a glimpse of this species.

On our evening drive we should have a fairly good chance of spotting a white rhino which were introduced into this region to provide an example to black rhino on how to maintain their numbers.... and it worked!

Lake Nakuru is among Kenya's finest national parks. Flanked by rocky escarpments, pockets of acacia forest and waterfalls, the park is gorgeous year round and is home to both black and white rhinos, lions, leopards, hippos and endangered Rothschild giraffes.

We will make the most of the morning in Nakuru as it is our best chance to spot a black rhino. Your guides know the best areas to spot them, as this shy, yet aggressive animal prefers to stay in the dense grass.

After the game drive, we'll pack up and head out to the Kenana Farms in Njoro. We'll visit a women's co-op called the Kenana Knitters that uses totally organic, natural dyes to spin wool and knit animal teddy bears that have become world famous. We will explore, shop and have lunch on the farm before we continue on to Lake Naivasha.

Hugged by grassy banks and shingled with cacti and sand olive trees, the Rift Valley's highest lake (at 1884m above sea level) extends like a vast, sunlit sea. But there's more to this spot than the lovely blue lake. You can drive among giraffes and zebras, sip on a glass of Rift Valley red wine, look for hippos on the lake and relax in the garden at Elsamere, the former home of the late Born Free personality, Joy Adamson.

Lake Naivasha is a world away from Nairobi's busy streets!

Upon arrival at our hotel, you'll have a free evening to relax or explore the hotel grounds where zebra and waterbuck roam free.

In the morning, we'll head out to see Naivasha's biggest industry, flower farming.

We'll visit one of the farms that are typically closed to the public for a behind the scenes glimpse. Kenya is the fourth biggest flower exporter and Naivasha is the most prolific flower producing region in the world.

We will then rest at our hotel in the afternoon before a two hour boat trip on the lake to see hippopotamus bathing in the shallow waters, extraordinary bird life and hopefully the resident giraffes that rest on the lake's island.

In the morning, those interested can join a morning bicycle ride through Hell's Gate National Park. This activity offers a unique experience as you pedal along the well marked paths while a variety of wildlife roam all around.

For those not on bicycles, we'll still experience this most spectacular park with a leisurely drive, spotting plenty of animals along the way.

After our time in Hell's Gate National Park, we'll drive to the Olkaria Spa and Hot Springs to bathe in the mineral rich pools. We'll rejuvenate and relax in the springs before returning to our hotel for the night and a restful sleep.

We now leave Naivasha and head to the heart of Masai land, Loita Hills. Here we enjoy a completely different experience during our two day stay. While here, we have several activities planned to help us learn more about the Masai culture. In fact, our camp for these nights is fully operated by the local Masai community.

Some of our activities include making bead ornaments with the local women, warrior training by the young Moran’s, the traditional jumping dance as well as nature walks in the local area.

Our goal is to give you a real opportunity to connect with the local culture on this trip and not only view wildlife, and this is a unique opportunity to do just that!

*The accommodation in Loita Hills is our most basic. We stay in comfortable, furnished tents with a communal bathroom and shower area. The camp is located on top of a hill offering spectacular views of the plains and an unprecedented opportunity to make friends with one of the most unique tribes in the world. This is one of the only places that allows you to really get to know the Maasai people.

Today we'll continue our unique cultural activities, interacting with the local community and learning about their culture in ways that few travelers will ever experience. We'll spend time in beautiful nature, authentic villages and with our welcoming local hosts throughout the day. There will be ample time to participate in activities and relax among our serene surroundings before our wonderful dinner at our camp. We shall then enjoy one more peak of the star-filled sky before returning to our tents for another peaceful sleep.

Dream of Africa and chances are that you dream of the Masai Mara. This huge expanse of gently rolling grassland – specked with flat-topped acacia trees and trampled by massive herds of zebras and wildebeest – is the ultimate African cliché. But for once the reality lives up to the hype! The Masai Mara, which consists of the famous reserve, several communities and numerous Maasai villages, is for many people the highlight of their Kenyan adventure!

We'll drive the short distance to our safari lodge right on the edge of Masai Mara National Reserve. From here, we'll head out for the ultimate in game drives.

At this time of year, we can expect something unique to view every several hundred feet as the Masai Mara has one of the biggest animal concentrations in the world.

In addition to the memorable game drives, there will also be an optional activity - a hot air balloon ride over the wide open plains!

Today we'll continue our game drives, with a chance for one more morning experience out in the open and stunning Africa savannah. We'll search for more wildlife, learn about the region from our naturalist guide and enjoy each other's company on one of the most impressive and memorable wildlife experiences in the world!

Once our evening safari ends, we'll freshen up at the lodge before sitting down for our farewell dinner. With too many mind-blowing memories to count, we'll discuss our trip and share one last joyous evening together!

This morning we'll say goodbye to the Masai Mara and drive back to Nairobi, which will take us approximately 5 hours. Upon arrival back in the capital, we'll go straight to the airport in order to drop off guests with late afternoon or evening flights. Here is where our amazing tour comes to an end. (Please make sure your departing flight is at 4:00pm or later on this day.)

If you wish to spend an extra night or two in Nairobi, we can also arrange that for you and transportation to the airport will be included as well.