10 Days - Best of Kenya ~ Wildlife Extravaganza

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.

With only 10% of Amboseli National Park utilized by most safari vehicles, combined with Elewana Tortilis Camp’s unique location on the western edge of the park (most lodges are outside of the eastern gate of the park), guests can enjoy an almost private Amboseli. We also have private gamedriving within our own 30,000 acre Kitirua Conservancy, which is the western part of the Amboseli ecosystem.

Elewana Tortilis Camp boasts an elite fleet of custom-designed safari vehicles, and highly-qualified guides with intimate knowledge of their "backyards".

Game drives are included in Game Package.

Elewana Tortilis Camp’s walking guides are Masai from the local community, who have been walking over these plains since childhood.

Take the time to leave the car behind and enjoy the small things – tracks, dung beetles, micro-ecosystems. The guides are happy to share their knowledge of the terrain, traditional uses of wild herbs and barks, and the Masai way of life.

Guided walks are included in Game Package.

“Sundowners” are a safari tradition – after a day of safari; stop, watch the spectacular sunset; traditionally with a gin and tonic in hand!

Sundowners are included in Game Package.

Enjoy the cool waters in the heat of the day!

Within the lush green gardens, the pool is shaded by palms and acacia Tortilis, and a haven for tropical birds. The swimming pool has bar service and board games.

Safari is also a holiday and a rest – a break from today’s frenetic lifestyle.

Tortilis Camp offers:
Massages – a wonderful way to ease the stress out of tired shoulders and backs.
Manicure and pedicure – compliment those tanned limbs!

Spa treatments are at an additional cost.

In the heart of Masai country, Elewana Tortilis Camp offers visits to local Masai homesteads. The Masai live in semi-permanent huts known as Manyattas and it is the role of the wife to construct the hut from cattle dung and grass. The families will show you round their home for a fee (payable separately, ask reception for details), and will want to take the opportunity to sell their traditional handicrafts – bargain hard!

Start early on a game drive from Ol Pejeta Bush Camp and catch the early birds and wildlife before finishing up with a bush breakfast in a surprise location. An idyllic way to begin the day.

Only available in a select few wildlife areas across the continent, a night game drive is a wonderful way to see the nocturnal animals of the conservancy. With the help of a spotlight and an expert Ol Pejeta Bush Camp guide, you stand the chance of spotting some of Kenya’s more unusual critters — aardvark, zorilla, bat-eared foxes and leopard to name but a few. Wrap up warm and let loose that intrepid explorer inside you. Please note that it gets very cold on night game drives, so we recommend wearing extra layers for comfort.

Today, only 2 northern white rhino remain in the world and both are found at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in a 700acre enclosure protected by 24hour armed security. Take the opportunity to visit the enclosure, learn from the keepers about the efforts being taken to preserve the last of this highly endangered species, as well as see Grevy’s zebra and Jackson’s hartebeest in a private and intimate setting.

Morning visit: 08h30 or afternoon visit: 16h00 – duration 45 minutes. Maximum 6 people per visit and physical interaction with the rhinos is relatively restricted. (At an additional cost)

Visit the conservancy’s blood hound dog kennels and learn about the training that transforms these canines into anti-poaching patrollers. After your tour, you can play a game of human-canine hide and seek, trying to evade the dogs and finding a spot to hide within the Morani Information Centre. A great way to interact, get a bit of exercise for you and the hounds as well as assist in their training.

Morning visit only: 08h30, maximum group size 6, minimum age 12years. Closed-toe shoes recommended. In case the dogs are deployed we will refund money or try to reschedule the activity. (At an additional cost)

Several lions on the conservancy have been fitted with radio collars, and you can learn how to track them with the researchers with a special tracking device. When you locate a pride, you will learn how to identify the individuals by notches on their ears, whisker patterns, and other distinguishing marks. All data is passed to the Ol Pejeta Ecological Monitoring team in order to further understand these magnificent predators. Guests remain in the vehicle at all times.

Morning activity: 06h30 and afternoon visit: 15h30 – duration approx. 2hours, maximum 6 people. (At an additional cost)

The chance to ride amongst the endangered species including the northern white rhinos is a once in a lifetime experience. This predator-free area is wonderful to explore on horseback, with the chance to also encounter various other endangered species such as the southern white rhinos, Grevy’s zebra or Jackson’s hartebeest.

Morning visit: 8.30 am or 11 am; Afternoon visit: 3 pm or 4.30 pm — duration 1 hour. Riding hats and tack are provided. Riders must wear suitable footwear, long trousers and sleeves. Maximum of six riders in a group. The rides will only be open to experienced riders and some proof of riding ability will be required at point of booking; clients judged to be of insufficient riding ability will not be permitted to undertake this activity.

Fully incorporated into the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary remains the only place in Kenya where this highly endangered species can be seen. Over 40 chimps rescued from the bush-meat industry live in troops on either side of the Ewaso Nyiro River, in a project that aims to preserve chimpanzees and their habitats through public education. (At an additional cost)

Keep your fitness levels up while on safari by joining the Ol Pejeta Conservancy rangers on their early morning run. They do this daily to keep fit, and we can arrange for our guests to join them and enjoy the chance to have a coffee with them afterwards to learn more about their work to keep the wildlife on the conservancy safe. A fun and rewarding way to start your day!

Available on Wednesday and Friday at 7 am, maximum six people, minimum age 12 years. Suitable running shoes are needed as well as the ability to run a minimum of 5kms without stopping. (At an additional cost)

Are you a cycling enthusiast looking for a unique ride? Then look no further! We offer a weekly 84km ride from Nanyuki to Mpala Research Centre and back, including a stop for lunch at the Big Rock and some non-technical rock climbing.

Departs by car every Sunday from Ol Pejeta to Nanyuki at 9h00 and returns at 17h00. Bikes and helmets are provided. (At an additional cost)

Ol Pejeta operates a unique wildlife-livestock integration model; balancing over 6000 cattle with conservation. During the activity guests will learn about the creation of biodiversity hotspots and either help move one of the conservancy’s predator proof cattle ‘bomas’ or assist in a cattle spray race.

Morning activity: 8 am duration of two hours. Closed shoes recommended. (At an additional cost)

Shared vehicle game drives are available from Rekero in the morning, afternoon or as a full day option. The game drives can be tailored to your particular interest but, for enhanced flexibility, booking a private vehicle is recommended. On the other hand, you can take the day off, sit back and listen to the bush chorus as you read a book or relax in camp enjoying the views from the deck.

For those keen to get in some early morning game viewing or maximise their time watching game, our camp chef can prepare a delicious packed breakfast or lunch. Leave camp with the rising sun and enjoy a packed breakfast or lunch to maximise your game-viewing time.

Balloon safaris are a romantic and iconic way of experiencing the wilderness of East Africa, as you fly silently over the plains teeming with herds of wildlife in the early morning. Typically, a balloon safari begins around 6 am and lasts for around 1 hour. Balloon safaris (additional cost) take off from designated sites and are followed by a champagne breakfast in the bush - a fitting end to a memorable flight in the wild. (At an additional cost)

At Rekero you are just 50 meters away from one of the regular wildebeest migration crossing points, where the herds of zebra and wildebeest cross the Talek River. Families with children of 5 years can stay in our two airy family tents with full en-suite facilities. Families have a personal game-viewing vehicle and highly-skilled guide complete with amazing bush-wise facts, anecdotes and stories that will keep the kids entertained for hours.

Game drives happen twice per day: in the morning and again in the late afternoon. We can also stay out late to spot nocturnal animals and venture off-road. Our vehicles are seven-seaters with open sides or five-seaters with roofs that open so you can stand for a better view. All vehicles are fitted with power points and fridges, so we can comfortably cruise around the bush all day.

A night safari gives guests the opportunity to spot animals that spend the day snoozing. Our vehicles are equipped with special spotlights that give you the thrilling experience of watching predators as they stalk their prey.

There’s nothing like a walking safari for learning about the Mara ecosystem. A passionate and specially trained Asilia guide will lead a walk through the savannah, pausing to explain bird and animal behaviour, and how all the small things work together, from termites to dung beetles. (additional cost)

This is one of the most exciting activities Asilia has to offer and is perfect for those who want an intimate safari experience. Set out on a walking safari in the afternoon and spend a night fly camping in a remote part of the conservancy. We’ll cook dinner over a campfire under the stars and the sounds of the bush will lull you to sleep. We return to the main camp the next morning. (additional cost)

Asilia can organise a trip to a nearby Maasai village, where you can meet our neighbours and learn about Maasai life. We take great care to plan these trips with sensitivity and respect for the local communities. (additional cost)

Our guides are great with kids. Many of them are parents themselves and love taking children on safari. They can teach them bush skills such as how to track animals, while telling Maasai folktales and stories about life in the Mara. We can plan games or visit a local school to meet future pen pals and learn more about Maasai culture.

You won’t regret the early start when you find yourself sailing over the Mara plains as the sun peeks over the horizon. A hot-air balloon ride offers an incredible vantage point. From above, follow the river and glide over a confusion of wildebeest, journey of giraffes or dazzle of zebras. Balloon rides are at an additional cost and are subject to weather conditions. (additional cost)

Naboisho is home to one of Asilia’s specially modified photographic vehicles. The open vehicle allows keen amateurs and professional photographers alike to shoot at eye level with wildlife. It is equipped with all the gear to ensure award-winning shots — from beanbags and camera rests to 360° swivel seats. You can read more about the vehicle here. Please enquire to ensure availability of the vehicle and confirm any additional fees. (additional cost)

Due to the high concentration of wildlife, many research programmes are conducted in the Mara Naboisho Conservancy. Researchers sometimes visit camp and spend an evening with guests sharing their findings and experiences of working in the bush.