Most international flights arrive in the early evening in which case you will be transferred straight from the airport to our Nairobi hotel (we give an option on a range of hand-picked places each chosen for the unique African flavour and the quality of the accommodation).

We start our Kenyan adventure with a city tour of Nairobi. Don’t however, expect to see the classic tourist sites on this tour, because this is a city tour with a difference. Sadly, Nairobi has a huge ‘street kids’ population (children who live on the streets and survive on their wits). Nashulai are working with various groups to improve the opportunities of such children and our city tour is led by former street kids. As they show you around the city they grew up in, they will give you the story of their lives, how they ended up on the streets and how they survived. As well as seeing the city through their eyes they will take you to eat in a local restaurant. This is a very personalised experience with one guide to every two guests. In the afternoon we give you the option of either visiting the giraffe centre as well as doing some urban bird-watching. Or you can visit the superb Nairobi National Park. With a backdrop of city centre tower blocks this is a national park unlike any other in Kenya. Surprisingly under visited and much wilder than you might expect, this is a very good place to see black rhinos. Lion are also fairly common and there’s plenty of plains game.

Arrive at Nashulai Maasai Conservancy (4hrs in good traffic) and check into your luxury safari tent. After a three-course lunch set out on a safari within the Nashulai Maasai Conservancy in one of our customised safari vehicles to enjoy a wild chunk of East African wilderness virtually to yourself (only guests of Nashulai Maasai Safaris are allowed within the conservancy). The landscapes within the conservancy are very varied and a complete contrast to those of the nearby national reserve. Here, large, grassy plains are interspersed with areas of dense bush and throughout there are rivers, streams and pools of water which act as natural wildlife magnets. The wildlife populations in the conservancy are impressive, and you are certain to see large numbers of giraffe, zebra, baboons, impala, warthog, wildebeest and many more antelope and gazelle. Buffalo are commonly sighted as are hyenas and elephant. Of the cats there’s a resident pride of lions and cheetah are increasingly common.

As the day draws to a close stop for a sundowner drink at a viewpoint inside the conservancy. Return to camp for a three course dinner.

After a filling breakfast you will set out to explore the Nashulai East Conservancy.

This area has very varied terrain that includes richly fertile river valleys lined by yellow bark acacia with excellent riverside bird-watching. There are also numerous hills covered in light woodland, which are a real favourite of elephant and buffalo. In fact, Nashulai East sits squarely on an elephant corridor and is one of the best of the Mara area conservancies in which to see these giant creatures. Herds of elephant thirty or more strong are common in this area. In the furthest corner of Nashulai East is the ‘secret plain’ a vast, open grassland with large numbers of grazers, including, in about January to March lots of wildebeest who come here to give birth. This abundance of prey means that the lion pride living here are commonly seen.

Depending on what time you are scheduled to leave Nashulai for your next destination we can also include either a short bush walk, during which your guide will explain how the Maasai use the different plants for traditional medical practises and you’ll get to track the wildlife on foot. Or, we can take you to meet some our conservancy rangers and learn about the work of a conservancy and what their day to day role involves.

Today is dedicated completely to the Masai Mara National Reserve, a five minutes’ drive away from camp.  After a big breakfast you will set out in one of our customised safari vehicles with an expert guide who has intimate knowledge of the Masai Mara National Reserve.

Our expert guide will reveal the wonder of the Mara grasslands to you. The Masai Mara is famous for its big cats. You would be very unlucky to not see at least one group of lions. Leopard and cheetah are both commonly seen as well. The other cats (caracals, servals and wild cats are present but very shy). You will also almost certainly see elephants often in sizeable herds. There are huge quantities of different antelope and gazelle (grants and Thompson gazelle, impala, and topi) and warthogs, zebra, giraffe, hyena, baboons and ostrich are everywhere. While the rivers are populated by crocodiles and hippos. Wildebeest are present year round but between July and early-October the population swells enormously as the million strong herds of migrating wildebeest  arrive in the reserve from Tanzania’s Serengeti National park. Seeing such huge numbers of large mammals gathered together is a moment you’ll never forget.

For lunch you can either have a picnic lunch within the reserve and spend the entire day out on safari. Or, you can return to camp for a three-course lunch followed by a rest and then either head back into the reserve for a late afternoon safari or you can do one of our cultural and conservation activities such as a short walking safari within the Nashulai Maasai Conservancy, or meet some of our rangers or visit a Maasai community among other options.

In the evening return to camp where you can enjoy a drink by the fire before a three-course dinner.

On day six we set out into one of the least known corners of Kenya. Rising up east of the Masai Mara and Nashulai, low scrubby hills (often, wrongly, called the Loita Hills). Slowly, slowly through ever changing landscapes the hills rise higher and the landscape turns greener and thicker until, eventually, you are in the Loita Hills proper and the so-called Forest of the Lost Child. Thick rainforest coats mountain slopes and huddles along river valleys while in other areas small villages and lone houses are surrounded by little terraced hillside fields of crops. This is the most traditional remaining corner of Kenyan Maasai lands and is unknown to most Kenyans never mind foreign visitors. The drive from Nashulai to our simple tented camp in the forest takes about four hours without stops. But, such as the beauty of the landscape on the way and the number of times that guests wish to stop and take it all in that the journey often ends up taking much longer.

On arrival at our camp though you’ll have a late lunch before setting out with our local guides, who are all expert birders and know the footpaths through the forest better than anyone, on a two hour hike (level of difficulty of the hike can be adjusted depending on requirements of the group). Bring binoculars in order to benefit from the spectacular bird-watching and to get closer views of the beautiful black and white colobus monkeys swinging through the trees.

Return to camp in the evening for dinner.

Today will likely be remembered as one of the highlights of your Kenyan adventure. A full-day will be spent hiking through the forests, up to lofty summits and through traditional Maasai villages where the welcome is warm and outside visitors rare. Our expert local guides will point out colobus monkey, hornbills, and turacos among a wealth of other bird and animal life. We will also walk to a waterhole deep in the forest where rust-red forest buffalo (a different species to the buffalo seen in the savannah plains), bushbuck, forest pigs and even elephant congregate for a drink. As well as wildlife, the walk takes in tiny farming villages where you will stop to talk to the local Maasai and maybe be invited inside their compounds to drink tea, and we will climb up to viewpoints to peer down towards Tanzania and the Rift Valley. A picnic lunch will be eaten in the forest or at one of the viewpoints. The exact length and difficulty of the walk can be tailored according to the ability and wishes of the group.

Heading back to our tented camp we will visit the small and very colourful local market town which brings in Maasai from across the region and even from nearby northern Tanzania.

There will be some time to relax and enjoy this wonderfully peaceful setting before sundowner drinks and dinner.

After breakfast we will visit a small swamp that has been restored from a previously degraded state to become a rich bird habitat. After time spent birdwatching we return to camp and visit some of the community projects that are part funded by our stay in Loita. These include an award-winning school and a very successful beading and jewellery project. After lunch we will return to Nashulai Maasai Conservancy. It’s also possible to return to Nashulai straight after breakfast and do an afternoon Nashulai or Masai Mara safari if this is preferred. In the evening enjoy a traditional Kenyan barbeque (called a nyama choma) in the company of Maasai elders from the Nashulai community who will entertain you with stories of the traditional Maasai world they grew up in.

Drive to Lake Naivasha (3hrs) in the Rift Valley. This huge freshwater lake is known for its superb birdlife and large population of hippos. On arrival at our accommodation (which is on a farm) we will settle in, have lunch surrounded by colourful tropical birds and zebra and then go for an afternoon cycle or hike through Hells Gate National Park, which has large numbers of gazelle, antelope, zebra, giraffe and baboon.

Day trip to either Lake Elementia or Lake Nakuru to see flocks of flamingos (and, in Nakuru, the chance to see rhinos). Flamingos are fickle creatures and we select our days birdwatching location at the last moment depending on where the most flamingos are congregated at that time. We are the only safari company to offer this flexibility. The Lake Naivasha area is the centre of Kenya’s huge cut flower industry and many of the bouquets of flowers sold in Europe are filled with flowers grown in and around Lake Naivasha. After returning from the bird-watching safari we will visit a working flower farm that has a reputation for its eco-friendly policies (which is rare in the cut flower industry).

After a leisurely breakfast in the garden we enter a very different side of Kenya on our two hour drive to Nyahururu. Here the climate is much cooler, rain is frequent and instead of rolling savannah grasslands the countryside here consists of small farms, tightly terraced hillsides and patches of forest. The area is densely populated with numerous farming villages and a handful of bustling little agricultural market towns. We pause in Nyahururu to visit the spectacular 74m high Thomsons Falls and to have lunch in the grounds of a colonial-era hotel and restaurant. After lunch we drive onwards for a further 3hrs through ever hotter, drier countryside to arrive at the small Maasai village of Il Polei, at the western end of the vast Laikipia plateau. Il Polei is so small and out of the way that even the majority of people living in the nearest proper town (Nanyuki) have rarely heard of the place and so our arrival here is normally met with considerable interest by the local community. A successful Maasai women’s development project is active in the village and after settling in we will visit some of the womens projects and take a short walk around the village. Please note that this is a very remote area that receives very few visitors. Accommodation is in very simple huts with no running water or mains electricity. But it’s clean, there’s a communal bathroom and the women running the place will make a big fuss over you! It’s a great place to get a feel for a Kenya far removed from safari tourism.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This morning we will be up early for a truly unique experience (and one not offered by any other safari company) as we spend two or three hours walking with a 200-strong troop of habituated baboons who live in the hills surrounding Il Polei. Being just metres (sometimes centimetres!) away from these large primates is a thrilling experience. A group of scientists have been studying these baboons for many years and they are now so habituated to people that they take no notice of humans whatsoever and will carry on their day to day life as if you weren’t there. You will be walking with a scientist who is a part of this study programme and they will be able to answer all your questions about the baboons complex social life. As a wildlife experience this is up there with gorilla and chimpanzee trekking, but the good thing about this is that are hardly ever any other tourists here. We do not advise this activity to children under the age of 12.

In the afternoon we make the short and highly scenic drive to our beautiful, low-key tented camp on the high savannah plains a short way north of Mount Kenya. Depending on our time of arrival we will enjoy a short nature walk in the vicinity of the camp before sundowners and a delicious dinner.

Today is devoted to the Unesco World Heritage Listed Ngare Ndare forest. A vital wildlife corridor between Mount Kenya and the nearby national reserves and conservancies, Ngare Ndare is one of the most beautiful forests in Kenya. In-between the giant 300 year old trees weave rivers and streams and there are at least six natural pools and waterfalls all of startling turquoise colour. As well as beauty, there’s much wildlife interest here too with at least 200 bird species (key species including the Narina trogon and hartlaub’s turaco) recorded and a large number of mammals including elephant, leopard, buffalo, bushbuck and colobus monkey. The forest is also known for its canopy walkway, which is a unique 450m long walkway suspended high up in the trees and from which you can get unusual views of the forest wildlife and birds. The day will be spent on forest and bird-watching walks, swimming in the natural pools and, of course, enjoying the canopy walkway.

In the evening we will return to camp for sundowners and dinner.

Today our adventure comes to an end and we return to Nairobi. But, not before one final – very moving – experience. Setting off after breakfast for the return drive to Nairobi we stop at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy for a one on one meeting with the northern white rhino. With only two remaining females, this is the rarest largest mammal on the planet. Getting to meet them is both inspiring and intensely sad. Afterwards, we will drive back to Nairobi (4-5hrs) for the flight home (or overnight in Nairobi hotel if on a morning flight home).

The tour starts in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia and one of Africa’s megacities. Addis, which is famed for its eternally spring-like climate, is one of the continent’s more interesting capitals and the day will be spent learning about Ethiopia’s long and incredible history – which stretches back three thousand years to the legendary Queen of Sheba, and beyond even that to the earliest days of Homo sapiens –  at the National Museum and Ethnological museum. We will also visit St George Cathedral, the second holiest church in the country, pause for a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony and visit the new Unity Park, which is a favourite relaxation spot with Addis locals. A traditional Ethiopian dinner finishes the day.

After a lazy breakfast we return to the airport for the short flight to Lalibela. A major pilgrimage site for Ethiopia’s large Orthodox Christian community and certainly one of the undisputed wonders of the world, the eleven rock hewn monolithic churches of Lalibela were cut out of the rock in the 12^th Century by King Lalibela and a team of angels (and there may have been a little help from a few thousand slaves…) after the king had a heavenly vision in his sleep that instructed him to build a ‘New Jerusalem.’  Loaded in legend and rich in atmosphere, Lalibela is far more than a mere historical site. Instead it’s a living breathing religious centre that draws in thousands of white-robed pilgrims on holy days and large numbers every Sunday. The incense, the chanting, the white robes and dark tunnels, the ceremony and the architecture make this a glimpse into medieval Christianity in its most raw and powerful form. We will visit the first of the churches in the afternoon and watch the sunset over the most beautiful of them all, Bet Giygois (St George).

If you timed your arrival into Ethiopia correctly (we will help you do this) then this morning you will see Lalibela at its absolute best: during a Sunday morning service or a major Christian festival. On either of these days hundreds or even thousands of pilgrims wrapped in white shawls pour into the churches of Lalibela at dawn for a religious spectacle you’ll never forget. Our expert local guide will reveal the secrets of the services and the legends of each church. In the afternoon we will head out of town to visit some of the other remote rock hewn churches in the mountainous surrounding countryside, including Yemrehana Krestos, which predates Lalibela by a century. Behind  the church, which is built into a cave, are hundreds of ancient mummified bodies of what are thought to be pilgrims or monks.

The morning is spent finishing off our exploration of the Lalibela churches. After lunch we drive for around an hour up onto a high plateau – so typical of highland Ethiopia– to begin our  community trekking adventure. Meandering along the knife edge of an escarpment, past small fields of wheat and barley, patches of eucalyptus woodland and traditional villages, the walking is flat and easy (if you do get tired then you can also ride one of the mules), but every turn of the trail reveals stupendous views down from the escarpment to the lowlands a thousand vertical metres below. After just two hours we will come to our first night stop: a simple stone lodge set right on the edge of the escarpment and with stunning evening views. Our community hosts will provide tea and a snack on arrival before a more substantial dinner later on, which we can eat while watching the rock hyrax play on the cliffs just in front.

This community trekking project fits perfectly with the Nashulai Journeys ethos. The project aims to bring tourism money directly to otherwise remote, subsistence farming communities with few other forms of income generation. Each community that is a part of this project has built a lodge for guests and the money earnt by our stay goes toward a community fund which the the community as a whole decides how to spend. It’s a great example of sustainable, neccassary,  tourism that Nashulai Journeys wishes to encourage.

Do note though that although the rooms have proper beds there’s no electricity or running water. Our baggage on this trek is carried by mules, including water and other necessities.

Today we walk for around 5-6hrs (around 15km) through a gentle  farming landscape. Although long, the walking is flat and easy. We will pass numerous small, traditional villages  and be constantly amazed by the views off the edge of the escarpment. There’s plenty of time to stop, rest and chat with local people. At about the halfway point we will stop for lunch at another lodge before continuing on for another couple of hours to a community lodge with a view that’s arguably even better than yesterdays. Curious gelada monkeys, the males with blood red chests and great shaggy coats, are commonly seen playing on the cliff face around the lodge.

Another  full-day of trekking awaits. This time we walk for six hours (around 18km) as we stride over the plateau to take in the views from the other side of the escarpment. Again, the walking is through a mixed landscape of village, fields, small market towns and woodland patches, and again we will stop halfway for lunch at another welcoming  community lodge. If you thought the views on our last two night stops were good then just wait until you lay eyes on the view from our final nights lodge!

We must start early from our host’ lodge for a short two- hour hike down off the escarpment to the main road where our vehicles will be waiting to take us to the airport in Lalibela from where we fly back to Addis and then on to Nairobi, Kenya for the next stage in our adventure. The night will be spent in a comfortable Nairobi hotel where you can wash away the dust from your Ethiopian trek.

It’s a spectacular drive (3hrs) from Nairobi to the Nashulai Maasai Conservancy through the Great Rift Valley. After leaving the city behind we drive through green fertile farming country before you drop down into the Great Rift Valley to drive past ancient, extinct volcanoes and across lightly inhabited savannah grasslands where you will likely see your first zebra, impala and other antelope.  On arrival at the Nashulai Maasai Conservancy check into your luxury safari tent and meet your welcoming Maasai hosts. After a three-course lunch set out on a safari within the Nashulai Maasai Conservancy in one of our customised safari vehicles to enjoy a wild chunk of East African wilderness virtually to yourself (only guests of Nashulai Maasai Safaris are allowed within the conservancy).

The landscapes within the conservancy are very varied: large, grassy plains are interspersed with areas of dense bush and throughout there are rivers, streams and pools of water which act as natural wildlife magnets. The wildlife populations in this Maasai run conservancy are impressive. You are certain to see large numbers of giraffe, zebra, baboons, impala, warthog, wildebeest and many more antelope and gazelle. Buffalo are commonly sighted as are hyenas and elephants.  Of the cats there’s a  resident pride of  sixteen lions and cheetah are increasingly common.

As the day draws to a close  stop for a sundowner drink, elegantly provided by your Maasai hosts, at a viewpoint inside the conservancy. Return to camp for dinner as the sun sets across the Great Rift Valley, before heading to bed in your luxury safari tent and falling asleep to the sound of the wild.

You may well wake in the early morning to giraffes pacing through the camp, or an elephant passing nearby. After a delicious breakfast which you can eat while watching exotic birds flitting between trees, you will set out to explore  Nashulai East Conservancy.

This area has very varied terrain that includes richly fertile river valleys lined by  yellow bark acacia with excellent riverside bird-watching.  The hills rising up all around are covered in light woodland, which are a real favourite of elephants and buffalo. In fact, Nashulai East sits squarely on an ancient elephant migration corridor and is one of the best of  the Mara area conservancies in which to see these giant creatures. Herds of elephant thirty or more strong are common here. In the farthest corner of Nashulai East is the ‘secret plain’ – known to the local Maasai but not to most others, since this is not a tourism area open to all, this vast, open grassland has large numbers of grazers, including, in about January to March, lots of wildebeest who come here to give birth. This abundance of prey means that the lion pride living here is commonly seen.

There’s also the option of a short bush walk, during which your Maasai guide will explain how the Maasai use the different plants for traditional medical practices and you’ll get to track the wildlife on foot.

Or, we can take you to meet our knowledgeable and thoroughly trained conservancy rangers to learn about the work of a conservancy. Or, perhaps you’d rather visit one of our Nashulai Journeys supported communit project such as the Women’s Empowerment Centre, the elephant dung soap project or one of our childrens projects.

In the evening we return to camp for a fireside drink and tasty dinner.

Today is dedicated completely to the Masai Mara National Reserve, only a five minutes’ drive away from camp.  After breakfast you will set out in one of our customised safari vehicles with an expert, certified Maasai guide who has intimate knowledge of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Your Maasai guide will reveal the wonder of the Mara grasslands to you. The Masai Mara is famous for its big cats. You would be very unlucky not to see at least one group of lions. Leopard and cheetah are both commonly seen as well. The other cats (caracals, servals and wild cats) are present but very shy. You will also almost certainly see elephants often in sizeable herds. There are huge quantities of different antelope and gazelle (grants and Thompson gazelle, impala, and topi) and warthogs, zebra, giraffe, hyena, baboons and ostrich are everywhere, while the rivers are populated by crocodiles and hippos. Wildebeest are present year round but between July and early October the population swells enormously as the million strong herds of migrating wildebeest arrive in the reserve on their trek north to better grassland from Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park. Seeing such huge numbers of large mammals gathered together, or watching them plunge into the Mara River to reach the other side, striving to avoid the waiting  crocodiles, is a moment you’ll never forget.

For lunch on day two you can either have a picnic lunch within the reserve and spend the entire day out on safari. Or, you can return to camp for lunch followed by a rest before heading back into the reserve for a late afternoon safari (Or, if you want a break from the animals, you can do one of our cultural and conservation activities such as a short walking safari within the Nashulai Maasai Conservancy, or meet some of our rangers or visit a Maasai community among other options.

In the evening return to camp where you can enjoy a drink around the fire before or after dinner.

To the east of the Nashulai Maasai Conservancy the land starts to rise up and changes dramatically. This is the astonishingly beautiful Loita Hills. Far removed from the world of safari tourism, this stunning region of acacia woodlands, wide open plains, rich green farmland and cool, drizzly plateaus, is the last remaining corner of traditional Maasai culture in Kenya. As you drive east the hills slowly become mountains and soar two kilometres into the sky and it’s here that the Naimina Enkiyio forest – or Forest of the Lost Child – can be found. One of the most unique environments in Kenya, this wild region of dense rainforest pocked with thinly vegetated mountain summits gained its evocative name through a legend about a young Maasai girl who got lost in the forest whilst walking with her livestock. Despite an extensive hunt neither she, nor the livestock, were ever seen again.

Very few Kenyan’s, let alone foreign visitors, are aware of the existence of these hills and forests, and a visit to the Loita Hills and the Forest of the Lost Child is a true adventure into one of the most magical corners of East Africa.

On arrival at our camp, which is tucked into a forested glade a short way outside of a fascinating Maasai market village, we will have a big lunch before setting out with our superb local guides on a short (2-3hrs) bush walk where a whole new menagerie of creatures await.

Although the environment here is very different to that of the Maasai Mara, these hills and forests are a vital part of the greater Mara-Serengeti ecosystem and a key wildlife migration corridor between the Rift Valley and the Mara. The forests teem with buffalo and elephants, and leopard are also common. But, really you come here for what you can’t easily see in the Mara. These forests, which rise like sky islands, off the floor of the Rift Valley are full of animals more commonly associated with the jungles of Uganda and Central Africa. Beautiful colobus monkeys are everywhere and the birdlife is astounding. Even non-birders are amazed by the hornbills, with a wing beat that sounds like a passing helicopter, or the turacos (several species here) which look like a cross between a turkey and a parrot.

As well as being an oasis for wildlife, these forests are culturally and religiously significant for the Maasai. The forests contain many sacred glades and are a source of herbs and plants used for traditional medication. The cultural importance has meant that the Maasai have strict social rules in place about  exploiting the forest and this has allowed it to remain protected from deforestation and development.

Nashulai Maasai Conservancy and Nashulai Journeys have been working closely with the local community in this area and we are the only conservancy and safari company offering safaris in this region.

Full day forest hike looking for colobus monkey, hornbills, and turacos among many other colurful creatures. The walk takes in farming villages, dense forests, and viewpoints looking toward Tanzania and the Rift Valley. Walk difficulty and duration can be tailored to the ability of your group. Most times we take a packed lunch with us and spend two or three hours lazily walking through patches of forest, over bulging hills and passing through small, traditional Maasai villages where our presence always causes great excitement. We then stop for lunch beside a lake that attracts plentiful bird life before heading into deeper forest to reach various escarpments and view points. At all times the abundance of wildlife is astonishing and our guides – who are skilled bird watchers and experts on the medicinal uses of the plants – will reveal all the secrets of the forest to you.

In the late afternoon we return to our camp for a fireside dinner.

Early morning visit to either a small community managed and protected bird-watching swamp, or the Maasai women’s beading (jewellery) project close to our camp, before we set off on a  six hour drive to Lake Naivasha, in the heart of the Rift Valley, and our beautiful lodge, which is situated on a working flower farm and has abundant wildlife all around. You may even see zebra and giraffe from the terrace of your room! If time allows we will explore the lodge grounds and do some bird-watching before dark. One of the freshwater lakes of the Rift Valley, Naivasha is a birding paradise, famed for its superb bird life  (approximately 400 species) and for the abundant hippos living within the lake waters.

After a wonderful early breakfast in the bautiful grounds of our lodge we set out on a half-day trip to either Lake Elementia or Lake Nakuru to see the huge flocks of flamingos (and, in Nakuru, the chance to see rhinos). Flamingos are fickle creatures and we select our day’s birdwatching location at the last moment, depending on where the most flamingos are congregated at that time. We are the only safari company to offer this flexibility. We will have a lakeside picnic lunch and by mid-afternoon we set off back to Nairobi (2-4 hrs depending on which lake we spent the morning exploring, and the traffic heading  into Nairobi).

Your safari ends in Nairobi and you will either be dropped at the airport (we can arrange for you to rest and shower at a nearby hotel beforehand) or taken to your hotel of choice.

Most international flights arrive in the early evening in which case you will be transferred straight from the airport to our Nairobi hotel (we give an option on a range of hand-picked places each chosen for the unique African flavour and the quality of the accommodation).

We start our Kenyan adventure with a city tour of Nairobi. Don’t however, expect to see the classic tourist sites on this tour, because this is a city tour with a difference. Sadly, Nairobi has a huge ‘street kids’ population (children who live on the streets and survive on their wits). Nashulai are working with various groups to improve the opportunities of such children and our city tour is led by former street kids. As they show you around the city they grew up in, they will give you the story of their lives, how they ended up on the streets and how they survived. As well as seeing the city through their eyes they will take you to eat in a local restaurant. This is a very personalised experience with one guide to every two guests. In the afternoon we give you the option of either visiting the giraffe centre as well as doing some urban bird-watching. Or you can visit the superb Nairobi National Park. With a backdrop of city centre tower blocks this is a national park unlike any other in Kenya. Surprisingly under visited and much wilder than you might expect, this is a very good place to see black rhinos. Lion are also fairly common and there’s plenty of plains game.

We leave  Nairobi after breakfast and drive north for around four hours to the Laikipia area at the foot of Mt Kenya, Africa’s second highest mountain. Home of the Kikuyu people, this part of Kenya has always been the agricultural and political powerhouse of the country. The cool highland climate is ideal for crop growing and cattle ranching. Today though, many of those cattle ranches have been given over to wildlife conservation and a network of forward thinking conservancies covers the area. We will arrive at the acclaimed Ol Pejeta Conservancy just after lunch and later in the afternoon we head out for a bush walk with an Ol Pejeta ranger. Old Africa hands will tell you that being able to see, smell, touch and hear the landscape is by far the best way of experiencing the East African bush and walking through the Ol Pejeta grasslands, at the foot of Mt Kenya, learning about game trails and spoor identification as well as the importance of all the little guys in the eco-system is certain to leave you convinced. To complete the African bush immersion, we have a campfire dinner and then fall asleep in small dome tents listening to the cackle of hyenas and roar of lions.

Today is an action packed wildlife and conservation day, that starts at dawn when we join Ol Pejeta rangers to track radio collared lions and learn about lion behaviour and conservation. You will be an important part of the team for the morning helping to identify lions through their whisker spots and ear tears and feeding that information back to the monitoring department. After a late breakfast we head out for a one-on-one meeting with the northern white rhino. With only two remaining females, this is the rarest largest mammal on the planet. Getting to meet them is both inspiring and, with the knowledge that this sub-species is destined for extinction, intensely sad. After lunch and a siesta, we go to the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary. Chimpanzees are not native to Kenya and all the chimps here have been rescued from the bush meat and exotic pet trade. They are kept in a huge outdoor enclosure and you will get to meet their keepers and learn about their care and conservation. Please note, are very suseptiable to many human illnesses and anyone displaying signs of a cold, fever or flu will not be allowed to meet the chimpanzees.

From one primate to another. After a leisurely breakfast we drive 2hrs to the small Maasai village of Il Polei, at the western end of the vast Laikipia plateau. Il Polei is so small and out of the way that even the majority of people living in the nearest proper town (Nanyuki) have rarely heard of the place. But yet, Il Polei is the base for one of the most heart in the mouth, exciting wildlife experiences in Kenya. Scientists have been studying a 200 strong group of baboons in the hills around here for so long that they are now completely habituated to humans. We will spend two or three hours walking with these baboons and a scientist who will be happy to answer any of your questions regarding baboons complex social lives. The baboons are so habituated to people that they carry on with their day to day life as if we weren’t there. Being just metres (sometimes centimetres!) away from these large primates is a thrilling experience that we think is  this is up there with gorilla and chimpanzee trekking.

We will be hosted for the night by a Maasai womens development group, but be aware that the accommodation here is in very simple huts with no running water or mains electricity. But it’s clean, there’s a communal bathroom and the women running the place will make a big fuss over you! It’s a great place to get a feel for a Kenya far removed from safari tourism.

After breakfast and a quick visit to see some of the womens projects we drive 2hrs to the the Unesco World Heritage Listed Ngare Ndare forest. A vital wildlife corridor between Mount Kenya and the nearby national reserves and conservancies, Ngare Ndare is one of the most beautiful forests in Kenya. In-between the giant 300 year old trees weave rivers and streams and there are at least six natural pools and waterfalls all of startling turquoise colour. As well as beauty, there’s much wildlife interest here too with at least 200 bird species (key species including the Narina trogon and hartlaub’s turaco) recorded and a large number of mammals including elephant, leopard, buffalo, bushbuck and colobus monkey. The forest is also known for its canopy walkway, which is a unique 450m long walkway suspended high up in the trees and from which you can get unusual views of the forest wildlife and birds. The day will be spent on forest and bird-watching walks, swimming in the natural pools and, of course, enjoying the canopy walkway.

In the evening we will return to camp for sundowners and dinner.

Meru National Park is the unsung treasure of Kenya’s protected areas. This large and startlingly attractive park, washed through with rivers, dotted in doum palms and with areas of dense bush and woodland interspersed with wet savannah plains and strange rock formations, was once one of the most popular national parks. After falling out of the limelight in the 1980’s the park is now slowly being rediscovered, and what a park it is. There’s actually a greater range of wildlife species here than in the Masai Mara, including enormous herds of buffalo, plenty of rhino (who mainly live in a huge, high security fenced area), loads of elephant, a healthy lion population (including descendants of Elsa the lion of Born Free fame) and a good chance of seeing leopard. It’s also superb birding country with over 300 species recorded including several northern Kenya specials such as the Somali ostrich.

It’s a three hour drive to the park and so we leave after breakfast in order to reach camp in time for lunch and a rest before heading out on an evening safari with a stop for a sundowner.

We set out early for a long safari in search of all of Meru’s key species. Although the park is becoming more popular we still have a better than average chance of having the place pretty much to ourselves. The actual itinerary for the day is a little flexible, but normally we spend several hours out in the morning on safari before returning to camp for lunch and a rest and then heading out again in the late afternoon. We will though ensure a visit to the rhino sanctuary which is like a park within a park and is home to large numbers of black rhino and southern white rhino.

We will set out after a last Meru breakfast and meander back through the park in safari style. there’s then a two hour drive  gently downhill  off the central plateau and into the notably hotter and drier country of northern Kenya to arrive at the magnificent double reserve of Samburu and Buffalo Springs. Situated alongside the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River, the only reliably flowing water for a vast swathe of parched northern Kenya, the red earth, thorn bush woodlands and towering termite mounds, along with riverside splashes of green, constitute one of the most interesting and exciting safari regions in East Africa.  Most of the wildlife you see here will be completely different to that of the more visited parks of southern Kenya. For example, the ostrich here have blue instead of pink legs and the zebra (grevy’s) come with double the number of stripes, and just wait until you see how beautiful the giraffe (reticulated) are. There are also creatures unique to the north such as the half-antelope, half-giraffe, gerenuk or the elegant beisa oryx. Samburu and Buffalo Springs have reliable sightings of lion, but above all else this is the place to commune with elephants. The river acts as a magnet drawing in elephants from all across the vast wilderness of northern Kenya and its common to see large numbers of elephant playing together in and around the river.  After we’ve settled into our accommodation and had lunch we set off on a thrilling late afternoon safari.

We set out on an early morning safari ranging right through both Samburu and Buffalo Springs parks, which are markedly different from one and other. When it starts to get too hot we return to our camp to rest and have lunch. In the afternoon we do another safari or a walking safari just outside the vicinity of the park.

Dominating all views over Samburu and Buffalo Springs, and indeed dominating all views across a huge swathe of northern Kenya, Mt Ololokwe (around 2000m) is a huge table-top mountain that is considered sacred to the Samburu peoples (close cousins of the Maasai) who live within its shadow. The mountain is also something of a holy spot for Ruppell’s vultures who crowd along the steep rock sides of the mountain. The climb to the summit is long (most people take around 6hrs return) and tough, but the view from the summit over what feels like half of northern Kenya is incredible. We take the climb slowly, at the pace of the slowest and will have breakfast and lunch on the mountain. Returning to camp most people simply coillapse into the nearest chair and rest until dinner. If you don’t think you can manage the hike then we offer the option of a full day safari in the neighbouring Shaba National Reserve, which is far less visited than Samburu or Buffalo Springs and has a special wild beauty.

Much of northern Kenya is a vast desert of scrub acacia woodland, black rock and blown sand. But, in places giant mountain peaks heave up off the hot plains. Their height means that they generate their own local weather patterns with rain fall being common on the higher slopes. This in turn generates dense tropical forests and gives birth to mountain streams and lakes. Known as ‘sky islands’ they are like high altitude oases in the desert and attract a wide and diverse range of animals and birds. Perhaps the most impressive of all of these sky islands is the Matthew’s Mountain range to the north of the Samburu eco-system. The forest here is part of an important migration corridor for northern and central Kenya’s large elephant population and there are also big herds of resident buffalo as well as bushbuck, leopards and many others alongside spectacular avian life. We drive for half-a-day to our bush-chic camp deep in the heart of the forest. Set beside a river that attracts large numbers of elephant, it’s arguably the most remote safari camp in all of East Africa and a wonderful places to escape the 21^st Century. You will be hosted by members of the local Samburu (close cousins of the Maasai) community and the nature of the terrain here means that all exploration is done on foot. On the way to the camp we will stop at the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, which is a highly successful community-run project that rescues orphaned young elephants and black rhino, nurses them back to strength and then rehabilitates them to the wild. You will get to chat some of the project staff and see the elephants getting a milky lunch. After arriving at our camp in the Matthew’s we will do a short afternoon bush walk and learn about the Samburu peoples before dinner is served on a wooden deck overlooking the river and forest.

A full day will be spent exploring the forests of the Matthew’s Mountains. The exact schedule for the day though will depend on the wishes and hiking ability of your group. In general, though we do a five hour hike (excluding pauses) through the forest during which we visit various secluded waterfalls and naturally formed swimming holes (bring your swimming things) as well as climb up to viewpoints. Your Samburu guides will go to great pains to explain the relevance of the forest to their community and – with their superb guiding ability – they will reveal the natural wonders of the forest to you. There’s a good chance of on-foot encounters with elephant and other animals. All our Samburu guides also have an in-depth knowledge of the forest birdlife.

After breakfast we leave the Matthew’s Mountains behind and return back down towards the Samburu area for a short and scenic flight back to Nairobi. Depending on our arrival time and the time of your flight back home or to an onward destination then we will either transfer you directly to the international airport or take you to a hotel to rest and refresh before an evening transfer to the airport. We can also organise a short afternoon excursion in Nairobi for those with sufficient.

Most international flights into Nairobi from Europe or North America arrive into the Kenyan capital late in the evening. You will be met at the airport and transfered to our comfortable, hand-picked choice of hotel (hotels available in various categories depending on our requirements). If you do arrive in Nairobi earlier in the day then we can organise some urban birding in one of Nairobi’s city centre parks (extra charge).

The Kenyan capital, Nairobi, is a huge, modern city and the economic and cultural capital of all of East Africa. Most international safari visitors do little more than pause here for the night before moving onto quieter countryside. But yet, from crowned eagles to groups of marabou storks sifting through the city’s rubbish bins, this is an unexpectedly good urban birding location. We will give you a choice of birding locations for the day including:

• Nairobi Arboretum – This is within the city and was originally established as a place to experiment with new, fast-growing tree species that could meet the demand for firewood and construction materials so easing pressure on Kenya’s native forests. It’s very well maintained with good paths throughout, beautiful landscaped gardens and some very good urban biding.
• Nairobi City Park – A 60 hectare landscaped park and botanical garden right in the heart of the city, which has unexpectedly good birding.
• Oloolua Forest – In the up-market Karen area of Nairobi, this forest contains a 5km long walking trail, which leads to a waterfall and a viewing platform that was used by scientists to study nesting crowned eagles.
• Karura Forest – At over 1000 hectares, this is one of the largest urban forests in the world. Over 600 different species of wildlife have been found here and over fifty bird species can be recorded in a day, including long crested eagles. Some of these birds can be seen while having something to eat or drink at the excellent park cafe.

It’s also possible to visit the superb Nairobi National Park, where typical East African savannah birds can be seen (as well as rhinos, lions and giraffe among others) with a backdrop of city skyscrapers.

Due to the often difficult Nairobi traffic conditions we don’t recommend visiting more than two of the above sites in a day.

Typical birds seen in and around Nairobi include: variable sunbirds, African harrier hawk, cinnamon-chested bee-eater, African black ducks, marabou storks, red-eyed doves and various different weaver birds.

It’s a little over a four hour drive (excluding stops) from Nairobi  to the Nashulai Maasai Conservancy. On the way we leave the cool, green highlands around Nairobi and descend sharply down into the Rift Valley and then onward, past ancient volcanic cones into classic East African savannah landscapes. On arrival at the Nashulai Maasai Conservancy you will check into your luxury safari tent and enjoy a three-course lunch. Afterwards we set out on a birding safari within the western sector of the Nashulai Maasai Conservancy, which is home to over 300 different bird species. The landscapes within the conservancy are very varied. Large, grassy plains are interspersed with areas of dense bush and, throughout, there are rivers, streams and pools which act as natural bird magnets. Key bird species include: bush pipits, white-headed buffalo weavers, pygmy falcons, booted eagles, wooly necked storks, lappet-faced vultures, various flycatchers and at least six species of starling.

As the day draws to a close stop for a sundowner drink at a viewpoint inside the conservancy. Return to camp for a three course dinner.

After a filling breakfast you will set out to explore the Nashulai East Conservancy.

Differnt to the part of the conservancy you explored the night before, there are richly fertile river valleys lined by yellow bark acacia which makes for excellent riverside bird-watching. There are also ranges of hills covered in light woodland, which are a real favourite of woodland birds – as well as elephant and buffalo. Herds of elephant thirty or more strong are common in this area. In the furthest corner of Nashulai East is the ‘secret plain’ a vast, open grassland with large numbers of grazers, including, between January and March lots of wildebeest who come here to give birth. It’s also a likely place to see secretary birds as well as a number of different vulture and raptor species.

Depending upon your preferences, in the afternoon we can also include either a short bush walk, during which your guide will explain how the Maasai use the different plants for traditional medical practises, and you’ll be able to look for some of those small, shy birds that are otherwise next to impossible to spot from a  vehicle. Or, we can take you to meet some our conservancy rangers so you can learn about the work of a conservancy and what the rangers day to day role involves.

Today is dedicated completely to the world famous Masai Mara National Reserve, a five minutes’ drive away from camp.  After a big breakfast you will set out in one of our customised safari vehicles with an expert local birding guide who will reveal the wonder of the Mara grasslands – and its extraordinary avian residents – to you. Key species that might be seen include: ostrich, Kori bustard, Grey crowned crane, goliath heron, marabou stork, hamerkop, sacred ibis, lappet faced vulture, martial eagle, bateleur eagle, crested guinea-fowl and many more. In fact, over 470 species have been recorded within the reserve.

Of course, there’s more than just birds living on this savannah. The Masai Mara is famous for its big cats. You would be very unlucky to not see at least one group of lions. Leopard and cheetah are both commonly seen as well. You will also almost certainly see elephants often in sizeable herds. There are huge quantities of different antelope and gazelle (grants and Thompson gazelle, impala, and topi) and warthogs, zebra, giraffe, hyena, and baboons are everywhere. While the rivers are populated by crocodiles and hippos. Wildebeest are present year round but between July and early-October the population swells enormously as the million strong herds of migrating wildebeest  arrive in the reserve from Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park.

For lunch on day two you can either have a picnic lunch within the reserve and spend the entire day out on safari. Or, you can return to camp for a three-course lunch followed by a rest and then either head back into the reserve for a late afternoon safari, or you can do one of our cultural and conservation activities such as a short walking safari within the Nashulai Maasai Conservancy, or meet some of our rangers or visit a Maasai community among other options.

In the evening return to camp where you can enjoy a drink by the fire before a three-course dinner.

On day six we set out into one of the least known corners of Kenya. The Loita Hills and forest. As we head east the landscape changes. The hills rise higher and the landscape turns greener and thicker until, eventually, you are in the Loita Hills proper and the so-called Forest of the Lost Child. Thick rainforest coats mountain slopes and huddles along river valleys while in other areas small villages and lone houses are surrounded by little terraced hillside fields of crops. This is the most traditional remaining corner of Kenyan Maasai lands and is unknown to most Kenyans let alone foreign birders. The drive from Nashulai to our simple tented camp in the forest takes about four hours without stops. But, such as the beauty and diversity of the landscape on the way – and the varied opportunities for birding – that many guests stop again and again to take it all in.

On arrival at our camp you’ll have a late lunch before setting out with our local guides, who are all expert birders and know the footpaths through the forest better than anyone, on a two hour hike (level of difficulty of the hike can be adjusted depending on requirements of the group). The bird life in this cool, forested environment is radically different to that found down in the hotter, drier grasslands. Key species include: Hartlaub’s turaco, schalow’s turaco, Bare-faced go-away-bird, Robin chats, silvery-cheeked hornbills, Southern ground-hornbill, Narina trogan and crowned eagles.

Today will likely be remembered as one of the highlights of your Kenyan adventure. A full-day will be spent hiking  and birding in dense forests, on the edge of lofty summits and within traditional Maasai villages where the welcome is warm and outside visitors rare. Our expert local guides will point out colobus monkey, hornbills, and turacos among a wealth of other bird and animal life. We will also walk to a waterhole deep in the forest where various water birds, as well as forest buffalo (a different species to the buffalo seen in the savannah plains), bushbuck, forest pigs and even elephant congregate for a drink. As well as wildlife, the walk takes in tiny farming villages where you will stop to talk to the local Maasai and maybe get invited inside their compounds to drink tea. For those with an abundence of energy we can even climb up to viewpoints in order to peer down towards Tanzania and the Rift Valley. A picnic lunch will be eaten in the forest or at one of the viewpoints. The exact length and difficulty of the walk can be tailored according to the ability and wishes of the group.

Heading back to our tented camp we will visit the small and very colourful local market town which brings in Maasai from across the region.

Back in camp there will be some time to relax and enjoy this wonderfully peaceful setting before sundowner drinks and dinner.

Packing up early we drive to Lake Naivasha (7hrs) in the Rift Valley. This huge freshwater lake is known for its superb birdlife and large population of hippos. On arrival at our accommodation (which is on a farm) we will settle in, have lunch surrounded by colourful tropical birds and zebra and then head down to the shores of Lake Naivasha to look for water birds. Key species include: Fulvous whistling duck, northern shoveler, Eurasian thick-knee, African swamphen, striped crake, avocet, African jacana, black stork, goliath heron, pelicans, osprey and African fish eagle and giant kingfisher among 400 odd species.

Day trip to either Lake Elementia or Lake Nakuru to see flocks of flamingos (and, in Nakuru, the chance to see rhinos). Flamingos are fickle creatures and we select our days birdwatching location at the last moment depending on where the most flamingos are congregated at that time. We are the only safari company to offer this flexibility. As well as flamingos, both lakes have a huge number of other water birds while the scrub and grassland surrounding the lakes provides a home to many more bird species. The Lake Naivasha area is the centre of Kenya’s huge cut flower industry. Many of the bouquets of flowers sold in Europe are filled with flowers grown in and around Lake Naivasha. After returning from the bird-watching safari we will visit a working flower farm that has a reputation for its eco-friendly policies (which is rare in the cut flower industry).

In the morning we will continue our bird watching safari at one of a number of destinations depending on what species we still hope to catch sight of. As well as the option of continuing our birding on either Lake Naivasha or Elementia we can also explore – on foot – the dry land savannahs of the nearby Hells Gate National Park or the thickly forested volcanic cone of Mt Longonot, both of which offer radically different birding possibilities. After a picnic lunch we return to Nairobi to drop you at either the international airport or your hotel of choice.

If you need to arrive back in Nairobi earlier in the day then this final day of your birding safari can be modified to accommodate your needs.

Most international flights arrive in the early evening in which case you will be transferred straight from the airport to our Nairobi hotel (we give an option on a range of hand-picked places each chosen for the unique African flavour and the quality of the accommodation).

We start our Kenyan adventure with a city tour of Nairobi. Don’t however, expect to see the classic tourist sites on this tour, because this is a city tour with a difference. Sadly, Nairobi has a huge ‘street kids’ population (children who live on the streets and survive on their wits). Nashulai are working with various groups to improve the opportunities of such children and our city tour is led by former street kids and as they show you around the city they grew up in they will give you the story of their lives, how they ended up on the streets and how they survived. As well as seeing the city through their eyes they will take you to eat in a local restaurant. This is a very personalised experience with one guide to every two guests. In the afternoon we give you the option of either visiting the giraffe centre and doing some urban bird-watching. Or you can visit the superb Nairobi National Park. With a backdrop of city centre tower blocks this is a national park unlike any other in Kenya. Surprisingly under visited and much wilder than you might expect, this is a very good place to see black rhinos. Lion are also fairly common and there’s plenty of plains game.

Drive to Lake Naivasha (3hrs) in the Rift Valley. This huge freshwater lake is known for its superb birdlife and large population of hippos. On arrival at our accommodation (which is on a farm) we will settle in, have lunch surrounded by colourful tropical birds and zebra and then go for an afternoon cycle or hike through Hells Gate National Park, which has large numbers of gazelle, antelope, zebra, giraffe and baboon.

Day trip to either Lake Elementia or Lake Nakuru to see flocks of flamingos (and, in Nakuru, the chance to see rhinos). Flamingos are fickle creatures and we select our days birdwatching location at the last moment depending on where the most flamingos are congregated at that time. We are the only safari company to offer this flexibility. The Lake Naivasha area is the centre of  Kenya’s huge cut flower industry and many of the bouquets of flowers sold in Europe are filled with flowers grown in and around Lake Naivasha. After returning from the bird-watching safari we will visit a working flower farm that has a reputation for its eco-friendly policies (which is rare in the cut flower industry).

Drive to Nashulai Maasai Conservancy (3hrs) and check into your luxury safari tent. After a three-course lunch set out on a safari within the Nashulai Maasai Conservancy in one of our customised safari vehicles to enjoy a wild chunk of East African wilderness virtually to yourself (only guests of Nashulai Maasai Safaris are allowed within the conservancy). The landscapes within the conservancy are very varied and a complete contrast to those of the nearby national reserve. Here, large, grassy plains are interspersed with areas of dense bush and throughout there are rivers, streams and pools of water which act as natural wildlife magnets. The wildlife populations in the conservancy are impressive, and you are certain to see large numbers of giraffe, zebra, baboons, impala, warthog, wildebeest and many more antelope and gazelle. Buffalo are commonly sighted as are hyenas and elephant. Of the cats there’s a resident pride of lions and cheetah are increasingly common.

As the day draws to a close stop for a sundowner drink at a viewpoint inside the conservancy. Return to camp for a three course dinner.

After a filling breakfast you will set out to explore the Nashulai East Conservancy.

This area has very varied terrain that includes richly fertile river valleys lined by yellow bark acacia with excellent riverside bird-watching. There are also numerous hills covered in light woodland, which are a real favourite of elephant and buffalo. In fact, Nashulai East sits squarely on an elephant corridor and is one of the best of the Mara area conservancies in which to see these giant creatures. Herds of elephant thirty or more strong are common in this area. In the furthest corner of Nashulai East is the ‘secret plain’ a vast, open grassland with large numbers of grazers, including, in about January to March lots of wildebeest who come here to give birth. This abundance of prey means that the lion pride living here are commonly seen.

Depending upon your preferences we can also include either a short bush walk, during which your guide will explain how the Maasai use the different plants for traditional medical practises and you’ll get to track the wildlife on foot. Or, we can take you to meet some our conservancy rangers and learn about the work of a conservancy and what their day to day role involves.

Today is dedicated completely to the Masai Mara National Reserve, a five minutes’ drive away from camp.  After a big breakfast you will set out in one of our customised safari vehicles with an expert guide who has intimate knowledge of the Masai Mara National Reserve.

Our expert guide will reveal the wonder of the Mara grasslands to you. The Masai Mara is famous for its big cats. You would be very unlucky to not see at least one group of lions. Leopard and cheetah are both commonly seen as well. The other cats (caracals, servals and wild cats are present but very shy). You will also almost certainly see elephants often in sizeable herds. There are huge quantities of different antelope and gazelle (grants and Thompson gazelle, impala, and topi) and warthogs, zebra, giraffe, hyena, baboons and ostrich are everywhere. While the rivers are populated by crocodiles and hippos. Wildebeest are present year round but between July and early-October the population swells enormously as the million strong herds of migrating wildebeest  arrive in the reserve from Tanzania’s Serengeti National park. Seeing such huge numbers of large mammals gathered together is a moment you’ll never forget.

For lunch on day two you can either have a picnic lunch within the reserve and spend the entire day out on safari. Or, you can return to camp for a three-course lunch followed by a rest and then either head back into the reserve for a late afternoon safari or you can do one of our cultural and conservation activities such as a short walking safari within the Nashulai Maasai Conservancy, or meet some of our rangers or visit a Maasai community among other options.

In the evening return to camp where you can enjoy a drink by the fire before a three-course dinner.

Drive to Loita forest (4hrs excluding stops). Short 2hr forest walk on arrival.

To the east of the Nashulai Maasai Conservancy the land starts to rise up and changes dramatically. This is the Loita Hills. Far removed from the world of safari tourism, this stunning region of stumpy acacia woodlands, wide open plains, rich green farmland and cool, drizzly plateaus, is the last remaining corner of traditional Maasai culture in Kenya. As you venture further east things begin to change again. Slowly, the hills become mountains and soar two kilometres into the sky and it’s here that the Naimina Enkiyio forest – or Forest of the Lost Child – can be found. One of the most unique environments in Kenya, this wild region of dense rainforest pocked with thinly vegetated mountain summits gained its evocative name through a legend about a young Maasai girl who got lost in the forest whilst walking with her livestock. Despite an extensive hunt neither she, nor the livestock, were ever seen again.

Very few Kenyan’s, let alone foreign visitors, are aware of the existence of these hills and forests, and a visit to the Loita Hills and the Forest of the Lost Child is a true adventure into one of the most magical corners of East Africa.

Although the environment here is very different to that of the Masai Mara, these hills and forests are a vital part of the greater Mara-Serengeti eco-system and a key wildlife migration corridor between the Rift Valley and the Mara. The forests teem with buffalo and elephants, and leopard are also common. But, really you come here for what you can’t easily see in the Mara. These forests, which rise like sky islands, off the floor of the Rift Valley are full of animals more commonly associated with the jungles of Uganda and Central Africa. Beautiful colobus monkeys are everywhere and the birdlife is astounding. Even non-birders are amazed by the hornbills, with a wing beat that sounds like a passing helicopter, or the turacos (several species here) which look like a cross between a turkey and a parrot.

As well as being an oases for wildlife, these forests are culturally and religiously significant for the Maasai. The forests contain many sacred glades and are a source of herbs and plants used for traditional medication. The cultural importance has meant that the Maasai have strict social rules in place on exploiting the forest and this has allowed it to remain protected from deforestation and development. Nashulai Maasai Conservancy has been working closely with local community in this area and we are the only conservancy and safari company offering safaris in this region.

Full day forest hike looking for colobus monkey, hornbills, and turacos. The walk takes in farming villages, dense forests, and viewpoints looking toward Tanzania and the Rift Valley. Walk difficulty can be tailored to ability of group.

Morning visit to either the bird-watching swamp, or the beading (jewellery) project. Return to Nashulai Maasai Conservancy (you can also return to Nashulai first thing in the morning and do an afternoon Nashulai or Masai Mara safari if you prefer). Traditional Kenyan barbeque in evening with Maasai elders.

Morning flight from Masai Mara to Entebbe (Uganda). Transfer to Kibale forest (5hrs depending on traffic around Kampala). Activity in the evening depends on time of arrival, but after the long journey most people are happy to spend time in the lodge grounds bird-watching.

Visit Bigodi wetlands for birdwatching and walking. Forest nature walk in the afternoon. The Bigodi Wetlands are a community conservation project that safeguards the Magombe swamps which fade into the Kibale Forest National Park. The swamp supports a wide variety of sitatunga antelope and red-tailed monkeys among many others. But, it’s the bird life that makes this place truly outstanding. 138 bird species – including the magnificent great blue turaco – have been identified within the wetlands and expert bid guides will ensure you get to tick off more than a few of these. Many people manage 50 species in just a few hours. Not just are the wetlands good news for wildlife but people have benefitted too. This is a community-run and established conservation project and the income raised from the visits has funded the construction of both primary and secondary schools for the nearby communities and pay the school teacher salaries.

Full day chimpanzee habituation experience. Most people visiting the chimpanzees only get to spend one hour with them. On this safari though we have the very special opportunity to spend from dawn until mid/late afternoon with the chimpanzees. This is one of the best wildlife experiences in Africa and will be the highlight of your safari. A chimpanzee encounter is considerably more active than a gorilla one and during this encounter you can expect to do a fair bit of hiking as you will need to keep up with the chimpanzees as they move through the forest in search of a meal. Although we must maintain a distance from the chimpanzees they are under no such obligation and may at times approach you very closely. Children are forbidden from joining a chimpanzee encounter.

Return to Entebbe and fly to Nairobi for flight home (or overnight in Nairobi hotel if on a morning flight home. This hotel night is not included in standard safari rates but we can arrange a suitable hotel for you).