East Africa Escape

Born from one family’s passion for Kenya and its wilderness, the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is today the most successful orphan-elephant rescue and rehabilitation program in the world and one of the pioneering conservation organisations for wildlife and habitat protection in East Africa.

Spend a few hours in the company of young orphan elephants and learn about incredible rescue efforts and the world famous rehabilitation programme. You may also find yourself adopting one of the herd.

Karen Blixen Museum is a national museum in Kenya situated about 19 kilometres from Nairobi City centre. It was built in 1912, and was home to the iconic Danish author of ‘Out of Africa’ (won an Oscar Award)-Karen Blixen. This famous author, artist and poet lived here while setting up her coffee farm at the foot of the Ngong Hills.

In case you missed out, Out of Africa is a book which Karen Blixen wrote about her stay in Kenya and of her beloved farm, and was later made into a great movie. It shows her struggles she underwent to keep her estate and how her understanding and love grew for the culture and the people around her.

During your stay at Hemingways Nairobi Hotel, take some few hours of your time and visit Karen Blixen Museum. This will give you a chance to travel back in time where you can re-live your memories of Out of Africa. If you are a lover of history, then this is the place for you.

You can pick up a copy of the famous film at the museum shop or browse for handicrafts, posters and postcards, books and other Kenyan souvenirs.

A short drive from Hemingways Hotel, Nairobi National Park offers either an immediate safari experience on landing in Kenya or a final last look prior to departing home. It is the oldest national park in Kenya, established in 1946, and is the only national park in the world located within a capital city.

With wide-open grass plains and the backdrop of the city, scattered acacia bushes play host to a wide variety of wildlife including the endangered black rhinos, lions, leopards, buffalos, cheetahs, hyenas and giraffes among others. Visitors can enjoy Nairobi National Park game drives to view all these wild animals. For the bird lovers, the park also has over 400 bird species for your watching.

Some of the other fun activities to engage in the park include camping, picnics and hiking. The park also has various facilities for corporate events, team building sessions, weddings and video and film production.

Other attractions to explore within and around Nairobi National Park include the Nairobi Safari Walk, the Ivory Burning Site Monument and David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

Whether you’re visiting Nairobi for work or leisure, a game of golf at the nearby Karen Country Club is not to be missed for golf enthusiasts. Guests at Hemingways Nairobi enjoy preferential rates at this golf club. This golf club was opened in the 1930’s, a large part of the 18-hole course was built on the former coffee estate of the Danish pioneer Karen Blixen. Indeed the shade trees from her coffee plantation still dominate parts of the course, eighty years after they were planted.

The course is superbly maintained with greens built to PGA standards and has played host to the Kenya Open in recent years. Karen’s golf course is as pretty as a picture, its flourishing wildlife (both flora and fauna) encouraged by an active policy of nature and wetlands conservation and promotion. Everywhere there is colour and beauty.

The Giraffe Centre is a non-profitable organization whose main objective is to provide conservation education for school children and the youth of Kenya.

Visit the feeding platform to get up close and personal with a giraffe and take a stroll through the nature sanctuary for a tranquil getaway with serene views and sounds of nature.

At Sanctuary Olonana, game viewing starts from the camp. A pod of hippos lives permanently in the river just below camp and many other species come to drink there. Sanctuary's experienced guides take you to all the hidden spots and our customised open safari vehicles offer all-round views, allowing for excellent photography opportunities. The Mara's rich eco-system includes acacia-studded savannah, riparian forest and woodland which attract more than 300 bird species and a stunning variety of animal life all year round.

Get an insight into the vibrant and still traditional way of life of the Maasai. Learn about the medicinal plants that grow here, the importance of cattle and the stages of life through which all Maasai pass, from young boy or girl to respected elder. Accompanied by an experienced Maasai guide you are invited to visit the village which is built along traditional lines; complete with cattle enclosure, outer palisade and mud and cow dung huts. Meet the elders, their wives and families and learn about the social structure of the homestead, the role of women in their society and many more aspects of their daily life. Interaction and discussion is encouraged, so whether the ladies are building a hut, the warriors are dancing or making fire with stones and sticks, guests are free to join in.

More and more popular are the visits organised by our guides to a variety of local schools during school term. These visits are free but we would recommend a donation to the school of anything upward of $15 per person.

Your balloon is inflated against the first rays of sunrise and once aloft floats gently over the plains and the plethora of game. The balloon lands around one hour after taking off with breakfast being prepared nearby. The smells of bacon, sausages and eggs drift on the breeze as you begin breakfast with platefuls of exotic Kenyan fruits and homemade pastries and, of course, glasses of bubbly to toast your flight.

Journeying into the heart of Africa’s most untouched and remote wilderness areas, Singita’s twice-daily game drives present the opportunity for intimate connections with nature and discovering the raw beauty of the continent’s most magnificent creatures up close.

Each tailormade exploration with your personal Field Guide celebrates the freedom to spend unfiltered time in wide-open spaces and while no two Singita game drives are ever the same, you are bound to be enchanted by vivid encounters with Africa’s most iconic wildlife – which flourish and thrive through the tireless efforts of Singita’s non-profit conservation Funds & Trusts.

From rolling grasslands where giraffe and elephant meander in peace to riverine woodlands where shy creatures suddenly appear from lush foliage; and from rocky outcrops favoured by big cats to hidden valleys where large herds of antelope roam and graze, each game drive traverses landscapes that are as rich in scenery as they are in wildlife.

As the warmth of the African sun slowly starts to light up the treetops and grasslands, our early morning game drives are filled with an energy that’s simultaneously exciting and soothing. Never knowing what’s around the next corner, the sense of adventure for what lies ahead for the rest of the day welcomes a continuous unfolding of magic as the bush wakes up to reveal its secrets.

And when the sun dips on the horizon, bringing the day to a close with a brightly painted sky, idyllic sundowner stops in exclusive settings encapsulate the romance of safaris deep into the bush. Accompanied by a cool evening breeze and the beauty of the clear night sky above, the tranquil journey back to the lodge often reveals the elusive magic of nocturnal Africa, making for a fitting finale.

Warmth & wisdom

Imparting a wealth of knowledge and intuitively responding to each guest and group’s interests, Singita’s expert Field Guides and Trackers exude an unlimited passion for Africa’s wildlife and wilderness. Their in-depth knowledge of the area – and the inherent role of every plant, insect, bird, mammal, predator and season in its unique ecology – makes every encounter and sighting all the more meaningful, and elevates each connection with nature.

Key Species You Are Likely to See

During your stay at Singita, you are likely to spot a great variety of wildlife, including cheetah, bearded wildebeest, Bat Eared fox, Maasai giraffe, lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and the rare Colobus monkey.

When Is the Peak Time to See the Wildebeest Migration?

There is no real beginning or end to the wildebeest’s constant search for food and water. The only beginning is when calves are born – almost 400,000 wildebeest calves are born during a 6-week period usually between late January and mid-March. The migration path varies from year to year depending on weather and other environmental factors.

What Time of Year Can We See the Wildebeest Migration and in Which Area?

It's difficult to predict exactly where the migrating wildebeest will be in a given month because movements depend so much on weather patterns. Generally over the year the animals move from the wet southern and eastern plains of the Serengeti from November to March through the western and central region to the dryer north of the Serengeti National Park, both north and south of the Mara River, from the end of May through October.

Perhaps Africa’s greatest beauty is its people and, as part of Singita’s deep commitment to community development, guests are invited to visit the nearby
communities.

The Grumeti Fund Community Outreach Program works with residents of the 21 villages bordering Singita Grumeti to realise their development goals.

We partner with these communities to address issues of education, natural resource management, enterprise development and water management. We encourage guests to visit these communities to experience the success of these projects firsthand.

Not your regular curio shop, you will find original treasures that have been gathered from all corners of the African continent. A range of collectable sculptures, home-ware and furnishings will allow you to recreate ‘the safari dream’ within your own home. Artefacts, as well as authentic carvings and jewellery created by local craftsmen are just a few of the treasures you may find to take home as gifts. Amongst beautiful museum quality, fine-art prints and works by some of the most respected artists on the continent, there are many pieces especially designed for Singita. Here too you can find a range of quality branded Singita safari wear.

We offer a worldwide shipping service so you may make your purchases at the lodges with the option to send them straight home.

As one of Africa’s most influential buyers of wine, Singita’s cellars are home to some of the most sought-after private reserves and vintage wines the country has to offer. Whether you are a connoisseur or just enjoy the occasional glass of wine, our experienced sommeliers delight in introducing guests to a vast selection of varietals from all over the world.

Through Singita Premier Wine Direct guests may purchase wines from our cellars: either to be taken home at the end of their trip or conveniently delivered to their door. As an addition to cellar purchases, we have secured allocations of highly limited, sought-after wines, including ‘Icons’, ‘Single Vineyard’ and ‘Limited Release’ wines, directly from leading wineries in South Africa. Stored in temperature-controlled cellars, these wines are unlikely to be available anywhere else.

The Singita wellness philosophy takes personal rejuvenation to a level well beyond any pampering you’ve previously experienced. All of our peaceful lodge spas, where nature provides its own special calm, present the ultimate escape, sure to restore equilibrium and peace to body and mind. Guests staying at Singita Serengeti House are welcome to reserve treatments at the spa at Sasakwa Lodge or arrange for private treatments at the house itself.

Fully equipped gyms are available for guests’ convenience. Each facility provides picturesque views of the plains, allowing you to keep an eye on the action outside while you work out. Guests staying at Singita Serengeti House are welcome to use the gym at Sasakwa Lodge.

Serengeti House boasts a 25 metre swimming pool with spectacular views of the Serengeti plains.

Visitors to Singita Grumeti in Tanzania have the unique opportunity of chartering a hot air balloon for an unforgettable ride over the treetops of the Serengeti. This once-in-a-lifetime experience takes game viewing to new heights and gives photography buffs an amazing new perspective on the world below. You’ll skim above the grasslands and acacia forests, and at other times ascend to 1 000 feet to see the enormity of the reserve. The Singita Balloon Safari is a romantic and evocative way of experiencing the wilderness as you gracefully and silently glide over the plains, observing the wide variety of wildlife below.

The Singita Grumeti Fund anti-poaching team is made up of 120 dedicated scouts. These scouts patrol the 350,000-acre private concession and are based in 12 scout camps and in 12 observation posts (OP) dotted across the reserve. Each OP is manned by two scouts who are constantly surveying the area for any unusual activity. This could be poachers coming through the protected area or vehicles that do not belong to the company or a herd of cattle entering the area or an animal in distress.

The scouts are responsible for quickly identifying any incursions and reporting them to the rest of the anti-poaching team who can then act accordingly. Two scouts are stationed at the OP for one week at a time. They share responsibilities of cooking, cleaning and most importantly making sure that one person is on the look-out at all times.

Guests have the opportunity to visit OP 7, situated atop a hill with an incredible sunset view over the vast grassy plains below.

The experience for Singita guests includes meeting the Singita Grumeti Fund game scouts and seeing how they live and work. At the OP there is an infographic board which your guide can talk you through. It shows the main areas of focus for the Singita Grumeti Fund, as well as specific facts and figures associated with the success of protecting this area. The combination of a morning coffee or late afternoon drinks stop makes it a great location to truly absorb the beauty of the landscape but also take in the scale and importance of the work of the Singita Grumeti Fund anti-poaching unit.

Note: The walk up to OP7 is on a steep dirt path. Good walking shoes are recommended.