You will arrive in Nairobi today. Our driver is waiting for you at the airport and will drive you to your Nairobi hotel after a warm welcome
Welcome to a place of tranquillity where you can relax and enjoy great moments on the deck with a beautiful view of Mt. Kenya and wildlife at the waterhole below and in the thicket below. A completely "green" home off the grid with an inviting bush lodge setting. For the adventurous: Go on a game drive or horseback ride by prior arrangement or simply relax by the plunge pool and have fresh pizza cooked in our Gaudi-style pizza oven. You will learn how to prepare ugali and chapati.
Utulivu House is located in the Sangare Conservancy. The house has a unique design made of olive wood, is powered by solar and wind energy and the water is collected by rainwater and a borehole. The house is secluded, making it the perfect place for a peaceful vacation.
It has 3 rooms, all with en-suite bathrooms, and the team is at your disposal during your stay.
https://www.instagram.com/utulivusangare/
Today you will roast your own coffee beans from the Mt. Kenya region followed by a sundowner and then you will learn how to cook Kenyan Ugali and Chapati for your dinner. After dinner you can make your own coffee scrub and relax.
Your first long game drive awaits you today. The "Solio Ranch" is one of the most beautiful game parks in Africa that has not been on the tourist map for generations. The park is a fenced, privately owned wildlife reserve focused on rhino conservation. Solio Game Reserve was established in 1970 when the owner of Solio Cattle moved a large portion of the land and dedicated it to conservation. The park plays an important role in the conservation and breeding of black rhinos in Kenya. Breeding has been so successful that rhinos from Solio Game Reserve are released throughout Africa. In addition to the world's largest population of white rhinos and nearly a hundred black rhinos, Solio Reserve is inhabited by various other wildlife including buffalo, zebra, giraffe, oryx, antelope, Thompson's gazelle, impala, waterbuck and warthog. The park also offers some of the best leopard viewing in the country. And lion and cheetah can also be found. An unforgettable game drive is guaranteed.
ALTERNATIVE
After breakfast, drive to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, a beautiful private game reserve that is renowned for its conservation programs and the home of the last northern white rhinos. The conservancy is home to rare species such as Beisa oryx, Rothschild's giraffe and black rhino. On the game drive, Here you can experience a range of African wildlife such as lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants and hippos. Another highlight is seeing the chimpanzees from the Jane Goodall Institute at the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary. From a working cattle ranch in colonial Kenya to a trailblazer of conservation innovation - the story of Ol Pejeta is as enchanting as it is inspirational. Today, Ol Pejeta is the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa, and home to two of the world’s last remaining northern white rhinos. It is the only place in Kenya to see chimpanzees, in a sanctuary established to rehabilitate animals rescued from the black market. It has some of the highest predator densities in Kenya, and still manages a very successful livestock program. Today you can book to see the last northern white rhinos and enjoy game drives to see the amazing wildlife of the conservancy.
You continue in the morning to Northern Laikipia. Twala-Tenebo is located on the semi-arid Laikipia plateau, near Mount Kenya in northern Kenya. There, a cooperative of over 200 women from six different Maasai groups coexist with the diverse wildlife and sustain themselves through aloe farming, beadwork, beekeeping and ecotourism - offering authentic Maasai cultural experiences and affordable eco-manyatta accommodations. Twala’ is a Maasai word for a bell. ‘Tenebo’ means come together. In 2007, the “bell rang” as a symbol of calling the Maasai women to action for their capacity enhancement. They joined hands and established a cultural center together. The center works towards empowering women to work for themselves and preserve the rich cultural and historic heritage of the local Maasai people.
The women of Twala are involved in agro-tourism as they plant Aloe secundiflora, which they do without using any chemical fertilizers so as to avoid soil and water pollution. They also keep bees for honey production. They use the aloe for the production of natural beauty products and sell them to beauty firms. At Twala, all profits go directly to the community and are utilized for the benefit of poverty reduction and sustainable development. 10% of the income earned in the center goes towards supporting girls’ education. The cultural center also empowers women as they get to work and provide for themselves.
Memorable baboon walks alongside troops to show that baboons and wildlife, in general, are a resource worth protecting; walks with the Maasai and their cattle to learn their authentic herding techniques; Landscape tours to learn about the medicinal plants and the importance of trees to the Maasai people. Learn how the people and their domestic animals as well as wildlife coexist in one environment in a sustainable manner.
In the afternoon your will continue toTassia Lodge for the next three nights.
Today you will spend time with the Mukogodo Maasai, who used to be hunter-gatherers and beekeepers. Through assimilation with the neighboring pastoralist tribes, they have now adopted the pastoralist way of life.
The Lekurruki Group Ranch is communal land with a total area of 15,872 hectares. The shareholders of Lekurruki have set aside 60,000 hectares of land for conservation and wildlife is already returning to the area. The people now live on the Andanguru plain, which is better suited to their now sedentary lifestyle. Traditional land use is maintained, but the introduction of tourism means that the Maasai's dependence on livestock farming is reduced. Profits from the lodge are shared amongst the local community and help to support local households, schools, water supply and other activities of the group ranch.
Tassia is a jewel nestled on the crest of a small escarpment, offering endless views of the Lengishu plains and the Nesarge and Lossos hills in the distance. The view also extends to Samburu, Shaba and the sacred Ololokwe mountain. The eight rock and timber built rooms, each with en-suite bathrooms, offer breathtaking views and are equipped with all modern comforts, yet seem to blend seamlessly into the wilderness. The side of the room facing the view is completely open, giving a clear view of the wilderness and wildlife below. The large open lounge, bar and dining area is located above the infinity pool overlooking the elephant watering hole.
Lekurruki is also surrounded by three other community conservancies Ol Donyiro, Leparua and Il Ngwesi, making it an important wildlife corridor. The main wildlife species include elephant, giraffe, lion, Grevy's zebra, common zebra, eland, small and large kudu, leopard, cheetah, wild dog, buffalo, warthog and others as well as a variety of bird species.
Besides game drives, walking safaris are the main activity in this area. With the Maasai plains stretching out in front of the lodge and the Mokogodo forest just minutes away, the area is enticing for any hiker. The forests are full of butterflies, birds and rare plants; walks in the dry riverbeds are challenging and exciting Picnic breakfasts and bush dinners can also be arranged with the lodge.
We will drop you at Loisaba airstrip for your flight to Nairobi. Here a car is waiting for you to transfer you to the international airport.
Eseerian Ewaso
