Highlights of Kenya
Safari:
A Suggested Iinerary
SAMBURU | MASAI MARA | NAIROBI
3 nights 4 nights 2 nights
A safari itinerary that combines the wild arid beauty of Samburu with the world-renowned Mara, and
at either end, a stay at Giraffe Manor; where you can get up close and personal with the endangered Rothschild Giraffe
DAY 1 – 3 Sasaab Samburu, Northern Kenya
Why?Culture, wildlife,mind-blowing views, relaxation & indulgence
at Kenya’s coolest spa.
Samburuland is a compelling area of Kenya; dry and arid
in a starkly beautiful way, the land is harsh, yet is home to many species of wildlife. It is here we find the Samburu ‘Special
Five’: the Grevy Zebra with its beautiful big ears and closely packed stripes, the gerenuk with its graceful long neck
and strong back legs reaching up into the thorn and competing with the Reticulated Giraffe whose markings are so defined.
Alongside these, the Oryx and blue-necked and -legged Somali Ostrich make up the ‘Special Five’ making game-viewing
in Samburu both diverse and unusual.Sasaab sits on the high riverbanks of the Ewaso Nyiro River; Kenya’s third largest
watercourse. When full, this torrent of water cuts through the earth’s dry crust, and brings the Samburu women down
to the water’s edge with their gifts of blood and milk in thanks of rain, and songs to bring more. This beguiling mix
of culture and wildlife entrances many of Samburu’s visitors.
The
lodge has just nine spacious rooms, each of which has complete privacy and panoramic views from its private plunge pool. The
lodge offers camel walks, birdwatching, river bed walks, game drives, village visits, and, when guests feel they have exerted
themselves enough, a restorative Liz Earle Spa offering treatments made entirely from natural herbal ingredients found in
Kenya.
Day 4 – 7 Sala’s Camp Masai Mara, Southern
Kenya
Why? Visit Kenya’s best known wildlife area & one of the world’s seven
natural wonders.
After some degree of cultural immersion in northern
Kenya, transfer by schedule or charter flight to the world renowned Masai Mara; home to over 1500 species of bird, and once
a year, over 2 million migrating wildebeest. The Mara’s environment contrasts hugely with the dry arid lands of Northern
Kenya. Here we find lush valleys and open grasslands,and we will also enjoy prolific wildlife sightings.Sala’s Camp is situated
in the relatively unvisited southern area of the Mara, very near the border with Tanzania. It is here that the great herds
of wildebeest come snorting and kicking into Kenya in around July each year when they migrate in search of better grazing.
They follow the rain clouds that have passed through Kenya in April and May, and they come with their relatively young calves.
Sala’s Camp looks directly into the ‘northern corridor’; the route taken between Tanzania and Kenya by these
wildebeest; thereby making Sala’s Camp the perfect place to watch the migration unfold. The camp offers a traditional
safari-under-canvas experience. Having started as a mobile safari operation, the true sense of an opulent mobile safari operation
still exists in the camp, and offers a taste of early pioneering days. With just seven tents, Sala’s Camp offers a highly
personalized experience.
Start or
End at Giraffe Manor Langata, Nairobi
Why? Get up close & personal with endangered Rothschild giraffe.
Either at the start or at the end of a safari (or both!), Giraffe Manor offers a peaceful but unique
experience in one of Nairobi’s leafy suburbs. Modelled on a 1930’s Scottish hunting lodge, the Manor is one of
Nairobi’s most iconic historical buildings and has just six ensuite bedrooms, and was built as a family home. The atmosphere
of an exclusive house party pervades, and guests are encouraged to stay a few days. The eleven resident Rothschild giraffe
are a big part of any Giraffe Manor experience: they approach the sunroom for nibbles during breakfast or reach up to the
front rooms to greet their guests in the morning. Giraffe Manor arranges transfers to collect and deliver guests around Nairobi
or at the airport.
When to go: Sala’s Camp is seasonal, so this itinerary works for mid-June – mid-October
& December - mid-March.
