Safari means journey in Kiswahili, the language of East Africa, and Kenya is the home of safari. Its varied ecosystems and landscapes mean that the biodiversity here is higher than any other country in Africa. It has been the natural home of celebrity safaris, big game hunters and royalty since the 18th century and remains the most spectacular safari destination with unparalleled wildlife viewing.
A complete safari includes at least three of the main ecosystems: the semiarid dramatic landscapes of the north, the tropical woodlands of the Rift Valley and the lush savannahs of the Masai Mara. We recommend booking three nights in each area in order to give your guests the best possible safari.
Kenya has a culture borne of countless sources. From the prehistoric records of early man to the present day, Kenya has been a land of unending change, contrasts, and diversity. The country has at least 40 different ethnic African groups (including the Kikuyu, Luhya, Kalenjin tribes, Luo, Kamba, Kisii, Meru and Embu, Mijikenda, Swahili, Turkana and Masai) who speak a variety of indigenous languages. Waves of migration over the centuries from the north and south of the continent have led to Kenya becoming one of the most diverse African countries culturally and linguistically.
Kenya has a well-established system of guide training and certification. It is important that a safari is guided by competent and experienced guides as it is through their eyes that guests will interpret the wilderness around them! Many of the properties, have in house guides, usually from the local area, that know their part of the wilderness and its inhabitants.
Kenya offers many superb private conservancies and unique boutique safari camps and lodges. Some areas suit low-key tented camps and others large open airy rooms with stunning views.
Founded in 1899 as a rail depot for the Uganda Railway, Nairobi has grown to become one of the most prominent, thriving capital cities on the continent.
The world’s only capital city with a national park, Nairobi is a vibrant combination of modern life, African culture and nature. Skyscrapers, banks, malls, international hotels and businesses are prominent throughout Nairobi. Close to Nairobi National Park, the suburbs of Langata and Karen have maintained the traditional Nairobi charm with tall mature trees and vast gardens.
The original safari capital of Africa, Nairobi offers world class accommodation from intimate boutique hotels in tranquil gardens to 5 star luxury international hotel chains. Whether you are looking to explore the original home of Karen Blixen, feed giraffe by hand, adopt an orphaned baby elephant, taste ‘Nyama Choma’ or pick up artisan pieces at a local market, Nairobi never sleeps and there’s an adventure opportunity around every corner.
The second most popular wildlife area in Kenya, Amboseli National Park covers 392 square kilometres of the 8,000 square kilometres Amboseli basin ecosystem that spreads across the Kenya-Tanzania border.
Derived from a Maa word meaning ‘salty dust’, Amboseli provides one of the best locations to witness some of the largest African elephants.
Amboseli has the best views of Mount Kilimanjaro, the iconic images of elephants with Kilimanjaro in the background have been taken in Amboseli.
Cape buffalo, impala, hyena, lion, cheetah, giraffe, zebra, gazelle and wildebeest as well as over 600 bird species are attracted to the lush green wetlands within Amboseli National Park.
Set in Northern Laikipia in Kenya, East Africa, Loisaba Conservancy stretches over 20 000 hectares of magnificent African landscape. The terrain is traversed by two permanent rivers and abundant springs which make it a perfect habitat to sustain a myriad of wildlife. It is known as a world-class ecotourism destination offering a variety of unique opportunities for visitors looking to immerse themselves in nature. Spot majestic elephants journeying along the elephant migration corridor, stay overnight in a tented camp under the stars, soak up the incredible views and enjoy a thrilling game safari. Other popular activities include camel-trekking, mountain biking, horse-riding, fishing, guided bush walks, and cultural visits to Samburu villages.
The vast open grasslands of the Masai Mara are famous throughout the world as the host of the annual migration, when 1.3 million wildebeest and zebra cross from the Serengeti to the Masai Mara in search of greener pastures from June to October.
With high densities of both resident and transient populations of game including lion, cheetah, leopard, elephant, rhino, giraffe, hyena and over 450 species of bird, the Masai Mara provides unrivaled game viewing throughout the year.
The 1510 square kilometres Masai Mara National Reserve bordering Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park is surrounded by approximately a dozen conservation areas. These conservancies have been established as partnerships between the private sector and local Maasai pastoralist landowners to ensure the conservation of the Great Mara-Serengeti ecosystem and the protection of the wildlife within it.
Cheli & Peacock Safaris were fundamental in founding the 70,000 acre Mara North Conservancy (MNC), one of the largest community and private sector owned conservancies in the world. Regarded as one of Kenya’s most successful conservation models, MNC is an exclusive safari destination in a prime wildlife area, open only to the guests of the 12 member camps within it.
Tanzania is in many ways a natural extension of Kenya. The Serengeti-Masai Mara Ecosystems (supporting the most diverse migration of grazing mammals on earth) stretches over 24,000km² of land with the Serengeti in Tanzania in the south and the Masai Mara in Kenya to the north.
Tanzania includes the spice islands of Zanzibar, Pemba, and Mafia and contains Africa’s highest point—Kilimanjaro, at 5,895 meters (19,340 feet).
- Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa and is just over twice the size of California
- There are over 120 languages are spoken, with English and Swahili being the official languages
- Africa blackwood trees (Mpingo trees) provide the most expensive hardwood in the world
- Home to Mount Kilimanjaro; the highest free-standing mountain in the world
- The largest crab in the world, the coconut crab, can be found in Zanzibar
- More than a quarter of both Kenya and Tanzania is protected through National Parks, nature reserves and protected areas
- Kenya and Tanzania have the greatest numbers of wild large mammals on earth
Tanzania’s oldest and arguably, most famous national park, Serengeti covers over 14,750 square kilometres categorised into four main areas with landscape as diverse as the wildlife that frequents them.
The Serengeti Plains, comprising of vast grassland plains in the south are host to the birthing season of the migratory wildebeest from December to May along with large populations of zebra, gazelle, hartebeest, topi, buffalo and waterbuck. Granite outcrops, known as ‘Kopjes’ dot the landscape providing refuge for animals as well as a vantage point for predators.
Travellers heading for the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater will inevitably pass through the town of Karatu in the green hills of Tanzania’s northern highlands. Presided over by the towering Ol Deani Volcano, this small, colourful town serves as a popular overnight stop for visitors exploring the area’s many game parks.
The town offers a variety of activities including browsing the bustling marketplace, sampling beer at a local brewery, visiting a traditional Iraqw homestead, or taking a guided walk through the Ngorongoro Forest in search of waterfalls and elephants caves. Whether you are looking for cultural tours, hiking and biking opportunities, a chance to enjoy an authentic rural Tanzania experience, or simply a break between safari game drives, this underrated town has plenty to offer.
