WILDLIFE
Kenya has set aside some of the best game viewing areas in the world. About two dozen National Parks, Game Reserves add Private Game Sanctuaries fall within Kenya's borders, making it the most popular safari destination in Africa, for the richest in natural beauty and wildlife. Even the long and short rains in April to June and November to December respectively, do not hamper game viewing to any great extent (indeed, one would still require summer wear for the hot and sunny days)
Nairobi National Park (9117 sq km), located only 7 kilometres from the Nairobi’s Central Business District is the only protected area, in the world, with a variety of animals and birds close to a capital city. The park has a diversity of environments of open grass plains with scattered acacia bush, highland dry forest and a riverine forest. The park has a rich birdlife with 400 species recorded, some migrants and other endemic. The Park is also rhino sanctuary. All the Big Five animals, with the exception of elephant, can be found here. Wildlife species in the park include buffalo, baboon, black rhino, zebra, cheetah, coke's hartebeest, gazelle, hippo, leopard, lion, eland, impala, giraffe, ostrich, vulture, waterbuck and wildebeest.
Maasai Mara Game Reserve, one of the ‘7 Wonders of the New World’, is the Kenyan portion of Serengeti Plains where the migration of enormous herds of over a million wildebeest and half a million zebra occurs annually. In search of grass and water, the herds move from the Serengeti in Tanzania, arriving in Maasai Mara around mid-July. The return to the South begins in the middle of October. Predators follow, including lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, vultures and the deadly Nile crocodile laying in wait during river crossings.
Lake Baringo (168 sq kms ) situated at an altitude of 1100 meters and surrounded by mountains rising to almost 300 meters above the ambient ground level. At the lake’s northern end lies a dormant volcano, Karosi (1449 meters). The water of Lake Baringo is fresh unlike most other Great Rift Valley lakes (Bogoria, Elementeita, Nakuru and Magadi) which are "soda lakes." Although it is not known where the water flows out of Lake Baringo, it is reasoned that it must do so as otherwise the water would be subject to a continual evaporation and become a soda lake. It is home to hippos, crocodiles and an abundance of fish and birds (but it does not have flamingoes, as these feed on the algae specific to soda lakes). Despite this, it is most famous as an ornithologist's paradise, with 500 bird species, many of which are extremely rare or otherwise only seen in this area.
Aberdares are a volcanic range forming the eastern wall of the rift valley. Soils are red and of volcanic origin and rich in organic matter. There are two main peaks separated by a long saddle of alpine moorland. The topography is diverse with deep ravines that cut through the forested slopes and there are many clear streams and waterfalls. The Aberdares are an important water catchment area. The unusual vegetation, rugged terrain, streams and waterfalls combine to create an area of great scenic beauty in the National Park. Forest animals including elephant, buffalo, rhino, leopard, small wild cats and antelopes are found here. The bird life is prolific.
Mount Kenya National Park, Africa's snow-capped second highest mountain is one of the continent's most popular destinations for mountaineers and trekkers. Its two highest peaks, Batian (5,199 m) and Nelion (5,188 m.) require considerable technical climbing skills. However, the third highest peak, Point Lenana (4,985 m.), can be reached by hikers who are in reasonably good condition. The climb can be made in three days, the descent in one or two, and the views from the top are as spectacular as you would expect.
Samburu Game Reserve is the hot and arid home to the Samburu tribe, pastoral relatives of the Masai. The landscape is rugged and dramatic while the game is unique. Crocodile and hippo share the river with large herds of elephant. Buffalo, lion, leopard, cheetah and plains game may also be seen but a special feature of this Reserve are the various species of game unique to these northern parks - Beisa oryx, the long necked gerenuk, Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe and the blue shanked Somali ostrich. The Samburu ecosystem includes the adjacent Buffalo Springs and Shaba Game Reserves
Laikipia is the gateway to Kenya’s wild Northern frontier country. Wild and sparsely populated, much of it is covered by large privately owned ranches and local communities with high plains and low forested valleys and featuring guest houses, home-stays and private camps. On most ranches cattle share the land with free ranging wildlife. The result is an area of beautiful wilderness, where protected game roams freely and safely. This area has become a sanctuary for elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, wild dog and a wealth of plains game, including many endemic Northern species.
The Ol Pejeta Conservancy – a 90,000-acre private wildlife conservancy – is situated on the equator, between the foot hills of the Aberdares and the magnificent snow-capped Mount Kenya. Ol Pejeta runs an integrated wildlife/livestock operation that aims to maximize the productivity of the land. Ol Pejeta Conservancy is synonymous with Sweetwaters Game Sanctuary, which is an inner area of 24, 000 acres. The Conservancy boasts an astounding variety of animals, including the “Big Five” (the endangered black and white rhino, leopard, elephant, buffalo and lion), Grevy’s zebra, Jackson’s hartebeest, cheetah and chimpanzee. The combination of amazing wildlife and stunning views across the open plains of Ol Pejeta guarantees an unforgettable safari experience. A game drive in the Conservancy includes a visit to the 200-acre Chimpanzee sanctuary/orphanage, one of Jane Goodall Institute Sanctuaries maintained in East Africa.
Meru National Park is wild and beautiful. Straddling the equator and bisected by 13 rivers and numerous mountain-fed streams, it has diverse scenery from woodlands at 3,000 feet to wide open plains with wandering riverbanks dotted with doum palms. Game to view includes lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino, cheetah, leopard and some of the rarer antelopes; Lesser Kudu, duiker and Dik Dik. The rivers abound with hippo and crocodile. Over 300 species of birds have been recorded including the Peter's Finfoot, the Pel's Fishing Owl, kingfishers, rollers, bee-eaters, starlings and numerous weavers.
Tsavo National Park is renowned for the man-eating lions of the 1800’s Kenya-Uganda ‘lunatic express’ railway line fame. It is a vast expanse of savanna bush and semi desert scrub, acacia woodlands; rocky ridges and outcrops, belts of riverine vegetation; palm thickets. There are volcanic lava flows and ash cones. At Mzima Springs, water that has filtered underground gushes from below a lava ridge into a series of clear pools where you find fish, hippos and crocodiles. Apart from the massive elephant population there are giraffe, buffalo, lion, serval, hyena, leopard cheetah and caracal. Lesser common animals found are fringed-eared oryx, the gerenuk and lesser kudu. The landscape is dominated, especially off the hills by the giant baobab, a tree which is reputed to live a 1000 years. Tsavo is divided by the Nairobi-Mombasa highway into Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks.
GEOGRAPHY
Kenya, whose topography is a study of contrasts, has most of the world's major climatic conditions. Though predominantly tropical, it also has desert, semi-arid, temperate to alpine, and also including arctic. Features range from deserts and arid lands to mountains, white sandy coastlines to fresh and salty water lakes, savannah grasslands to fertile agricultural plantations, and extinct volcanoes to coral reefs. The eastern half slopes gently toward sea level while to the west, a series of hills and plateaus alternate upward to the Great Rift Valley. The Rift Valley cuts through Kenya from north to south, creating breathtaking landscapes including escarpments, deep valleys as well as fresh and saltwater lakes. On the western side of the Rift Valley the land again gently slopes towards Lake Victoria. Kenya has twenty mountains, six of which rise to over 3,000 meters, including Africa’s second highest, snow-capped Mount Kenya at an altitude of 5,199 m. Many of Kenya's rivers and small lakes dry up during the dry season. Being at the equator, the sun shines almost throughout the year and one can almost set their clock by the daily sunrise (06.30 am) and sunset (6.30 pm).
GAME VIEWING ACTIVITIES
Whilst on safari in Kenya, activities are made and varied. Primarily, clients drive or fly from one park to another. When driving, they may visit local villages to interact with the people of different cultures. In the game parks, the norm is to be driven out in search for game in their natural habitats.
Some Lodges have salt licks and watering holes where animals and birds come quite close allowing for easy game viewing from the precincts of the lodge. In some areas, escorted game viewing is allowed by foot, with armed guards. Other areas offer horse-back game viewing and camel walks/rides. Game viewing by boat is popular in areas where there are rivers and lakes. Where available, night game drives are unique for nocturnal animals and birds. The African skies are amazing for breathtaking sunrises and sunsets – and at night, the moon dazzles while the stars twinkle with a heavenly aura. There are over 1,000 different bird species in Kenya, some endemic and others migrants from Europe en route to Southern Africa. Prime birding locations can be found in some of the national parks.
THE COAST
Kenya has a 1,420km coastline, including some islands, off the Indian Ocean western shore. The northern coast is characterized by mangroves and tidal flats. Tracts of mangroves are again found at the southern end. Between, there is a 390kms continental coastline of white sand beach and coralline - ideal for beach resorts and three marine parks (Kisite, Watamu and Malindi) - for which Kenya is acclaimed. Tidal fluctuation is semi-diurnal (two highs and two lows during each 24-hour period), with average high tide at 2.96 m and the average low tide 0.71 m.
The monsoon south-east wind (Kusi) blows from mid March to sometime in November and is cooler than the north-east wind (Kaskazi) which blows the rest of the time. The seas are warmer and calmer during the Kaskazi months.
For diving, the reefs along the Kenya coast are extremely diverse and all standards of diving can be found. Large schools of Baracuda, shoals of yellow and blue lined Snappers, red snappers, trigger fish and the greatest possibility of seeing Pelagic fish. Moray eels and Lobsters also frequent.
For deep-sea fishing, is from July to mid April. The main billfish (sailfish and marlin) season runs from November to mid/late March but sailfish and black Marlin often come inshore in numbers in August. There are no fewer than six varieties of billfish and the possibilities of a grand slam are very real. Apart from billfish there are huge sharks (mako, tiger, hammerhead to name but a few), exciting tuna, large wahoo, narrow-barred mackerel, barracuda, world-record size giant trevally plus many others including broadbill swordfish. The Kenya coast is a popular nesting area and migration route for turtles while dolphins are regular sightings. Offshore, whales and sharks (including giant whale sharks) have their migration routes. Other activities available at the coast include swimming, wind and kite surfing, kayaking, floating restaurants, scuba diving and cruise trip, sailing on traditional dhows.
Mombasa, Kenya’s second largest city is not like Nairobi at all. The hustle-bustle, cell phones, and expensive suits of Nairobi are replaced by a laid-back attitude, where locals dressed in traditional Islamic garb move as slowly as possible in the blistering heat. The Arabic influence is quite evident in the dress, architecture, and food of Mombasa. When you’re not in the water or soaking up the sun, take a stroll into Old Town to get a taste of Swahili culture and street food, then visit the historic Fort Jesus.
Malindi conjures up visions of a great historic town that has journeyed through ages. The culture, economy and general setup of any given place changes with time, and Malindi has journeyed through these eras with much pomp and flair from the time of the early Chinese and Arab traders to the Portuguese sailors and later on to European settlers who alongside other investors have transformed Malindi into a reputable destination of tourism importance. Yet there is still much warmth and hospitality of the people of Kenya experience here in Malindi.
Lamu Island is a place like no other, a peaceful tropical island where life is lived at its own relaxed rhythm, but a place whose history is as mysterious and fascinating as the winding streets of its medieval stone town. The island itself is a beautiful place of rolling dunes and endless beaches, where tiny villages nestle among coconut and mango plantations and lateen sailed dhows ply the waters. But Lamu’s real attraction is its Old town. Lamu’s narrow streets remain unchanged, and in the markets and squares around the fort life moves at the same pace as it always has. There are no vehicles on this island, and the donkey and the dhow remain the dominant form of transport. The people of Lamu are great believers in tradition and custom, and this is a strong society built on a respect for the past. For the traveller, Lamu is a hypnotically exotic experience, made even more enjoyable by the relaxed and welcoming attitudes of the locals. To visit Lamu is to enter another world, and the visitor finds themselves becoming a part of this world. Life slows down, and long days are spent strolling along the waterfront, exploring the town or relaxing on the beaches.
CLIMATE
The Coast is always hot with average daytime temperatures of 27-31 degrees centigrade whilst the daytime temperature in Nairobi is 20-26 degrees centigrade. July to August marks the Kenya winter. January to February is dry. March to May is wet. June to September is dry. October to mid-December is wet.
The rainy seasons in Kenya are April to June and October to early December. The coast is hot and humid all year round but tempered by strong onshore breezes, the lowlands are hot and dry and the highlands (including Nairobi) are more temperate and cool at night.
Situated at a high altitude of (1700m), Nairobi has a moderate climate. The summer months are sunny and warm without blistering temperatures, while winters are mild to cool, with very chilly evenings. Rainfall is also moderate, the wettest part of the year being late summer to autumn (March to April & late October to November), when cloudy, drizzly days are common.
NATURAL HERITAGE
Across Kenya, there are four UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Lake Turkana National Parks, Mount Kenya National Park/Natural Forest, Lamu Old Town & Sacred Miji Kenda Kaya forests), three RAMSAR sites (Lake Nakuru, Lake Elementaita and Lake Naivasha), twenty-two Museums and over a hundred Sites and Monuments. As the custodian of Kenya’s natural and cultural heritage, National Museums of Kenya collects, preserves and presents the past and present for today and posterity.
PEOPLE
With a population of close to 45 million, Kenya is made up of 42 tribes, with the 'Big Five' being Kikuyu, Luhya, Luo, Kalenjin and Kamba – divided into three linguistic and cultural groups - Bantus, Nilotes and Cushites. Generally, the traditional way of life has Bantus as farmers while different Nilotic tribes are fishermen, farmers and pastoralists. Cushites are on most part nomadic pastoralists. Kenya has a sizeable number of citizens of European and Asian descent, many of whom trace their families to the building of ‘the lunatic express’, Kenya-Uganda railway line in 1890’s and who today are mostly found in business, manufacturing and large scale farming. The Swahili language and culture on the East Africa coast is a fusion of the then resident coastal Bantus with merchant marine Arabs and Persians traders, whose monsoon driven traditional boats (dhows) reached the coast in 6th century. Amongst well known Kenyan personalities include Nobel Peace Prize winner the late Wangari Maathai (environmentalist), the only human to run the marathon in sub-two hours Eliud Kipchoge, world athletic champions Paul Tergat, Catherine Ndereba, Kipchoge Keino, CNN presenter Zain Verjee, former Reuters former Africa Bureau Chief Jeff Koinange and anthropologist the late Dr Richard Leakey and the late photo-journalist Mohammed Amin.
CULTURE
With its unique diverse mix of cultures from the world's 5 continents, both modern and ancient, Kenya is a melting-pot of cultures, peoples and religion; the three main religions of the world (Christianity @ 75%, Islam (about 15%), Hindu (anout3%) and others coexist in peace and harmony here. Kenya is essentially multicultural, multiracial and multi-religious. The people are warm and unforgettably hospitable.
LIFESTYLES
Kenya is timeless – with the modern and the traditional way of life merging into a kaleidoscope of lifestyles unique to the land. The fast-paced urban areas have all the modern facilities – skyscrapers, latest cars, golf clubs, IT technology and traffic jams. The rural areas are more laid back – predominantly agricultural in the highlands and nomadic pastrolism in the dry areas. Kenyan people have maintained many of their traditional cultures, yet absorbed a great deal of positive western and Asiatic lifestyles. In a day you could watch an orchestra playing Mozart in a Nairobi theatre, enjoy a display of vintage vehicles or a youngsters ‘souped-up’ flashy car parade and then join a group of urban Kikuyu joining in a traditional wedding ritual in which a bride is sung out of her house by the grooms family. The next day, you would be escorted for a nature walk by a Maasai warrior clad in the customary red ‘shuka’ or espy a Hindu or Moslem ceremonial procession. You can go lake fishing with a Luo fisherman or join a Borana camel caravanserai for an unforgettable safari. In Kenya it is possible to leave Nairobi, a city with a thriving business heart powered by the latest information technology, and drive in just a few hours to a place where life is lived in accordance to tradition and custom, where warriors armed with spears drive cattle into thorn brush enclosures to protect them from lions at night. Whilst out shopping for souvenirs, visitors to Kenya get the opportunity to acquire and perfect bargaining skills. Kenyan culture is built on the acceptance and absorption of new and varied cultures. The end result is a culture of endless influence and yet one completely uniquely Kenyan in character.
ACCOMMODATION
In the cities and at the coast, you get a good mix of budget, standard, high class and boutique hotels. On safari, there is the option of budget camping, standard/high class lodges with en suite rooms or permanent camps featuring superior and luxury en suite tented rooms. Usually, the tents in the permanent camps have a wooden or concrete base, sometimes raised on stilts, and a bathroom at the back of the tent. The dimensions of the tent and facilities included in it are usually comparable to those in the luxury lodge rooms. Lodges and camps usually have a double bed or 2 twin beds per room, on average accommodating one or two adults (single, twin or double room). 3rd bed children (up to 12 years) are normally accommodated in the rooms/tents and in some cases, 3rd bed adults as well (to make a triple room/tent). In most cases, a triple room/tent is furnished with two beds - double and single beds – or, on request, 3 single beds. An infant (0-2 year olds) is accommodated free in a baby-cot.
On safari, most lodges and camps feature an electrical fence to keep away animals from the compound. Those that do not have such fences (where animals sometimes roam free in the compound) usually do not allow children.
Unlike Europe, America and most of the world where at the coast, there is usually a road between a hotel and the public beach, here in Kenya, the coast hotels are built right on the beach-front, with nothing but the white sandy beach between the hotel and the ocean.
CUISINE
Nairobi has a large number of restaurants offering international cuisine including traditional African and Swahili, Continental, Italian, Japanese, Thai, Chinese, Indian, seafood meals. At the coast, most restaurants offer a seafood bias but with a fair mix of African and Continental. Almost all restaurants offer vegetarians and special diet meals on request. On safari, most lodges offer Continental and Africa menus – usually buffet and set menus. In the cities, the standard meal plan is Bed and Breakfast. On safari, the standard meal plan is Full Board (lunch, dinner and breakfast). At the coast, the standard meal plan is Half Board (dinner and breakfast). Some of the boutique hotels, lodges and camps in the cities, on safari and at the coast, offer Full Board (lunch, dinner and breakfast) haute cuisine and in most cases also include drinks (water, soft drinks, juices, beers, house wine and local brand spirits).
TRANSPORT
The most popular means of road travel for tourists in Kenya is by the custom-made tour vans, driven by professional tour driver/guides. The tour vans usually seat 7 passengers, each with a window seat and are mostly fitted with a roof-hatch for ease of photography whilst on game drives. Majority are Toyota Hiace and Nissan Urvan – and some are 4x4. In a superior 4x4 category, we have Landrovers and Toyota Landcruisers which usually charge a premium compared to the standard tour vans. In the game parks and reserves, a number of lodges and camps offer locally-based 4x4 open-sided vehicles, on a shared basis, for game drives and airstrip transfers.
SAFARI SEASONS
Kenya is a wonderful country to visit any time of the year. Below is a general guideline for budgeting of a safari in the country. Safari pricing seasons include (a) peak: February, July – October (b) High: January, March, June, November – December 22nd (c) Low: April & May (d) Christmas/New Year: December 23rd to January 02nd. Accommodation rates/pricing go by seasons, which are based on anticipated volumes, with High being the average, peak and Chrismas/New Year being premium while in low, some discounts are offered. Some of the up-market Camps and Lodges close in the Low season months (April and May, which is the long rains season) – and a few in November (short rains season) as well. Most of the other services – transport, park fees etc remain the same all year round.
SAFARI QUOTATIONS
Generally, we quote for a safari based on your preferred itinerary and incorporating any practical changes that we may propose, to make it feasible and exciting. The quote will include various safari elements - accommodation, meals, transport, excursions and sightseeing. In the quotation, we may also include entrance fees to the various National Parks and Reserves that you may visit (on average US$ 70-US$90 per person/day) or show these separately for you to pay direct in cash. Transport on safari may be by road, in our customized 4x4 8-seater safari minibus with an experienced driver/guide (or a 4x4 Landcruiser/Landrover at a supplement). Transport may also be by schedule flights which link all the various Parks/Reserves and the cities. If transport is by schedule flights, then game drives in the Parks/Reserves would be in Lodge/Camp based vehicles, with window-seats guaranteed.
On average, during the Low and High Season:
b) A safari by flight for recommended minimum 2 nights to a deluxe Lodge/Camp would cost from US$ 350 per person/night (for a party for 2 persons), with all meals included, schedule flight airfare and game drives in Camp/Lodge vehicle.
c) A safari by flight, for 2 nights, to a boutique luxury lodge/camp would cost from US$ 600 per person/night (for a party for 2 persons), with all meals and selected alcoholic/non-alcoholic drinks included, schedule flight airfare and game drives and some other game activities in Camp/Lodge vehicle.
These rates are just a general guideline and are exclusive of Park/Reserve/Conservation Areas Entrance fees. The final tour cost would depend on a number of other factors, including number of persons, number of days, safari routing, market rates or any special offers for specific accommodation units at the time of booking etc. Tour rates are preminum during the peak season (February, July – October & Christmas/New Year festive period).
Children (2 – 12 years) usually get from 50% discount on accommodation (when sharing room with 2 adults) as well as on some of the other services. Some Lodges/Camps do not allow children under certain ages (particularly small intimate camps in the parks that are unfenced), yet others accommodate children but restrict them on some game activities.
Residents and citizens of East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi) qualify for special ‘Resident Rates’ for accommodation.
AIRPORTS
The country has international Airports in Nairobi (2), Mombasa, Malindi, eldoret, Kisumu and Lokichoggio. Within the major airports are Duty Free complex with a variety of gift shops stocking souvenirs and other wares. The shops accept US Dollars, GB Pound, Euros and Kenya shillings.
The Kenya Airport Authority is responsible for the management and security of the country's airports and airstrips. KAA has an information desk at all the arrival terminals. View more information on KAA at www.kenyaairports.co.ke
VISAS
GETTING THERE
Kenya is a regional hub and has connections by a large number of airlines from all over the world, particularly from Europe, Middle East, Asia and other parts of Africa.
Kenya Airways, the national carrier, is a major player in Africa air travel and has won many 'African Airline of the Year' awards. The airline has an extensive national, regional and international network of flights with modern fleet and service that meet global standards. Check is out at www.kenya-airways.com
Kenya Airways, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic fly Nairobi – London direct while KLM flies Nairobi – Amsterdam direct. A number of other European airlines also have direct flights from their hubs with gulf air, Qatar and emirates fly to Nairobi using mid eastern connections like Qatar, Dubai and Doha. In the Asian sub-continent, direct flights are offered to cities such as Mumbai, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Guangzhou.
In addition to flying, you can travel by bus within East Africa with main connections from Nairobi. In the Indian Ocean, ferries leave Mombasa for Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam. Uganda may also be reached by rail. Rail travel between Mombasa and Nairobi is regular, on the timeless 'lunatic express'. There is a border crossing at Moyale into Ethiopia, mainly crossed by trucks (currently the road link is under construction to make it all tarmac from Nairobi). Overland travel to Sudan and Somali is difficult at present.
HEALTH
Travellers should get the latest medical advice on inoculations and malaria prevention at least three weeks prior to departure. A malaria risk exists all year round, including in Nairobi and on the high central plateau but more around Mombasa and the lower coastal areas. You are advised to avoid mosquito and other insect bites by using insect-repellents and by wearing suitable cover-up clothes in the evenings and at night. Most Hotels will spray the rooms at night and close windows and doors to keep out insects and/or provide mosquito-nets to cover the beds at night.
Hotels and lodges supply clean drinking water but as much as possible, please insist on bottled mineral water from a certified source - this is readily available from most hotels and stores. Outside Nairobi and Mombasa, drinking water from the tap is not encouraged. And be cautious of food prepared by unlicensed roadside vendors.
The tropical sunshine here is wonderful for a natural sun-tan. However, you are advised to always use sun-cream to keep away harmful rays, avoid sun-burns and dehydration.
A Certificate of inoculation against Yellow fever is required from travellers, older than one year, originating from yellow fever endemic areas usually Asia, Africa and Latin America (i.e. along the tropics 20 N and 10 S). Visitors from the rest of the world are not affected.
There are very good hospitals in the main towns of Kenya. The main private hospitals in Nairobi with modern facilities are Nairobi Hospital, Aga Khan Hospital, Karen Hospital, Mater Hospital (some of which have branches in bigger towns like Mombasa and Kisumu). The rural areas have small health centres where one can get first aid. It is highly recommended that all visitors carry a comprehensive medical insurance cover to cater for any eventualities. For further details kindly visit the web site http://www.aig.co.ke. We also recommend taking an optional flying doctors service cover for the duration of your safari in East Africa, for emergency evacuation by flight to a local hospital www.amref.org.
LOCAL TRAVEL
From Nairobi, there are schedule flights to a number of towns and national parks and reserves. Private charter flights can also be arranged.
The most popular means of road travel for tourists in Kenya is by the custom-made 7-seater tour vans, driven by professional tour driver/guides. In a superior 4x4 category, we have Landrovers and Toyota Landcruisers which usually charged a premium compared to the standard tour vans. The local population get about by means of matatu, a shared taxi (usually seating 13 and 25 passengers). Regular bus and shuttle service links the cities and main towns as well as into Kampala in Uganda and Arusha and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
Around the cities and major towns, private taxi cabs are available on the streets, at major hotels and around the airports. They are usually marked with a yellow line. Taxis are not metered and it is advisable to negotiate charges beforehand. You can also request for one of the dial-a-cab taxi services from your hotel, which have standard fixed rates for various destinations.
Car rental services are reliably available from Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu for different categories of vehicles – from town running saloons to 4x4 off-roaders. Most car hire companies will require the vehicle to be returned to point of hire and where drop off at another destination is allowed, drop off charges are usually charged. Driving is on the left side of the road and almost all vehicles are right-hand drive.
Day 01 Arrive Nairobi airport and transferred to commence safari. Drive west to the shores of Lake Naivasha, a bird watchers paradise (1½ hours). Afternoon boat ride on the lake. Lunch, dinner, and overnight at a Lodge.
Day 02 After breakfast, drive farther west to Lake Nakuru National Park – a flamingo and rhino sanctuary (01 hour). Morning game drive followed by lunch at a Lodge in the park. An afternoon drive back to Lake Naivasha for dinner and overnight at a Lodge.
Day 03 Breakfast at the Lodge. Morning drive south-west to Maasai Mara Game Reserve – arguably the best game viewing spot in the world (04 hours). Afternoon game drive. Lunch, dinner and overnight at a Lodge/Camp in the Reserve.
Day 04 Morning and afternoon game drives. All meals and overnight at Lodge/Camp in the Reserve.
Day 05 Breakfast at the Camp/Lodge. Morning drive (04 hours) or fly (01 hour) back to Nairobi. Enjoy lunch or dinner at Carnivore Restaurant (or similar). Evening transfer to the airport for departure flight.
KENYA DELUXE SAFARI
Day 01 Arrive Nairobi airport and transfer to a Nairobi hotel for overnight
Day 02 Breakfast at the Hotel. Morning drive north, crossing the equator, to Sweetwaters Game Sanctuary on the slopes of Mount Kenya (03 hours). Afternoon game drive, including a visit to a chimpanzee orphanage. Lunch, dinner and overnight at a Camp/Lodge in the Sanctuary.
Day 03 Dawn game drive prior to breakfast. Morning drive to the nearby legendary Mount Kenya Safari Club. Afternoon at leisure for optional activities available at this plush Club (including golf, horse riding and bird walks). Lunch, dinner and overnight at the Club.
Day 04 After breakfast, transferred to the nearby airstrip for an hour’s schedule flight to Maasai Mara Game Reserve – arguably the best game viewing spot in the world. Afternoon game drive. Lunch, dinner and overnight at a Lodge/Camp in the Reserve.
Day 05 Morning and afternoon game drives. All meals and overnight at Lodge/Camp in the Reserve. Day 06 Breakfast at the Camp/Lodge. Morning fly (01 hour) back to Nairobi. Enjoy lunch or dinner at Carnivore Restaurant (or similar). Evening transfer to the airport for departure flight.
KENYA SOUTH-TO-COAST SAFARI
Day 01 Arrive Nairobi airport and transfer to a Nairobi hotel for overnight.
Day 02 Breakfast at the Hotel. Morning drive (4 hours) or fly (01 hour) to Amboseli National Park, on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. Afternoon game drive. Lunch, dinner and overnight at Lodge/Camp in the park.
Day 03 Morning and afternoon game drives in the park. All meals and overnight at a Lodge/Camp in the Park.
Day 04 Breakfast at the Lodge. Morning drive (2 hours) to Tsavo West National Park – a savannah grassland. Afternoon game drive including a visit to a spring water wonder at Mzima. Lunch, dinner and overnight at a Lodge/Camp in the Reserve.
Day 05 Dawn game drive prior to breakfast at the Lodge. Morning drive (2 hours) to Salt Lick Game Sanctuary. Afternoon game drive. Lunch, dinner and overnight at a Lodge/Camp in the Sanctuary.
Day 06 Dawn game drive prior to breakfast at the Lodge. Morning drive farther south, to the warm equatorial waters and white sandy beach of the Indian Ocean coast. Dropped off at your North coast or South Coast beach hotel in Mombasa for your beach-stay
KENYA HIGHLIGHTS SAFARI
Day 01 Arrive Nairobi airport and transfer to a Nairobi hotel for overnight
Day 02 Breakfast at the Hotel. Morning drive (2 hours) Nyeri for lunch at a Hotel/Club. Afternoon transfer in the shuttle bus to nearby Aberdare National Park – to Treetops or Ark Lodges. Afternoon and evening game viewing from the viewing decks in the Lodge. Dinner and overnight at a Lodge in the park.
Day 03 After breakfast, drive via Nyahururu/Thompson Falls to Lake Nakuru National Park – a flamingo and rhino sanctuary (03 hour). Afternoon game drive in the Park. Lunch, dinner and overnight at a Lodge/Camp in or around the Park.
Day 04 Dawn game drive prior to breakfast at the Lodge. Morning drive to the shores of Lake Naivasha, a bird watchers paradise (1½ hours). Afternoon boat ride on the lake. Lunch, dinner and overnight at a Lodge/Camp.
Day 05 Breakfast at the Lodge. Morning drive to Maasai Mara Game Reserve – arguably the best game viewing spot in the world (04 hours). Afternoon game drive. Lunch, dinner and overnight at a Lodge/Camp in the Reserve.
Day 06 Morning and afternoon game drives. All meals and overnight at Lodge/Camp in the Reserve.
Day 07 Breakfast at the Camp/Lodge. Morning drive (04 hours) or fly (01 hour) back to Nairobi. Enjoy lunch or dinner at Carnivore Restaurant (or similar). Evening transfer to the airport for departure flight.
KENYA CLASSIC SAFARI
Day 01 Arrive Nairobi airport and transfer to a Nairobi hotel for overnight
Day 02 Breakfast at the Hotel. Morning drive (4 hours) or fly (01 hour) to Amboseli National Park, on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. Afternoon game drive. Lunch, dinner and overnight at Lodge in the park.
Day 03 Morning and afternoon game drives in the park. All meals and overnight at a Lodge in the Park.
Day 04 Breakfast at the Lodge. Morning drive (4 hours) or fly (01 hour) to Nairobi. Lunch at a Restaurant. Proceed drive to the shores of Lake Naivasha, a bird watchers paradise (1½ hours). Afternoon boat ride on the lake. Dinner and overnight at a Lodge.
Day 05 After breakfast, drive to Lake Nakuru National Park – a flamingo and rhino sanctuary (01 hour).
Morning game drive followed by lunch at a Lodge in the park. Afternoon drive back to Lake Naivasha for dinner and overnight at a Lodge.
Day 06 Breakfast at the Lodge. Morning drive to Maasai Mara Game Reserve – arguably the best game viewing spot in the world (04 hours). Afternoon game drive. Lunch, dinner and overnight at a Lodge/Camp in the Reserve.
Day 07 Morning and afternoon game drives. All meals and overnight at Lodge/Camp in the Reserve.
Day 08 Breakfast at the Camp/Lodge. Morning drive (04 hours) or fly (01 hour) back to Nairobi. Enjoy lunch or dinner at Carnivore Restaurant (or similar). Evening transfer to the airport for departure flight.
KENYA PANORAMA SAFARI
Day 01 Arrive Nairobi airport and transfer to a Nairobi hotel for overnight
Day 02 Breakfast at the Hotel. Morning drive (2 hours) Nyeri for lunch at a Hotel/Club. Afternoon transfer in shuttle bus to nearby Aberdare National Park – to Treetops or Ark Lodges. Afternoon and evening game viewing from the viewing decks in the Lodge. Dinner and overnight at a Lodge in the park.
Day 03 After breakfast, drive north crossing the equator on the slopes of Mount Kenya en route to the unique semi-arid landscape of Samburu Game Reserve (3 hours). Afternoon game drive. Dinner and overnight at a Lodge/Camp in the Reserve.
Day 04 Morning and afternoon game drives in the Reserve. All meals and overnight at a Lodge/Camp in the Reserve.
Day 05 After breakfast, drive via Nyahururu/Thompson Falls to Lake Nakuru National Park – a flamingo and rhino sanctuary (04 hour). Afternoon game drive in the Park. Lunch, dinner and overnight at a Lodge/Camp in or around the Park.
Day 06 Dawn game drive prior to breakfast at the Lodge. Morning drive to the shores of Lake Naivasha, a bird watchers paradise (1½ hours). Afternoon boat ride on the lake. Lunch, dinner and overnight at a Lodge/Camp.
Day 07 Breakfast at the Lodge. Morning drive to Maasai Mara Game Reserve – arguably the best game viewing spot in the world (04 hours). Afternoon game drive. Lunch, dinner and overnight at a Lodge/Camp in the Reserve.
Day 08 Morning and afternoon game drives. All meals and overnight at Lodge/Camp in the Reserve.
Day 09 Breakfast at the Camp/Lodge. Morning drive (04 hours) or fly (01 hour) back to Nairobi. Enjoy lunch or dinner at Carnivore Restaurant (or similar). Evening transfer to the airport for departure flight.
Musanze Caves - Short Overview
After gorilla tracking in Musanze one may opt to spend a little more time in the area to experience the product of Rwanda's violent volcanic past - the Musanze Caves - a 1.25 mile long cave network offering explorers the opportunity to look into the nation's fascinating geological past.
Details of Musanze Caves - With tours taking approximately two and a half hours, the caves are a perfect add-on, after a day spent interacting with Rwanda's famous mountain gorillas.