Kenya
Culture safari ITINERARY
Day 1: Nairobi
Meet on arrival at the airport and transfer .Dinner and
overnight at the Nairobi hotel.
Day 2: Sightseeing In Nairobi
After breakfast, the group will set out on a sightseeing
excursion starting with the Giraffe Centre for a short
history of the Centre and a talk on wildlife conservation,
then come the exciting moment of feeding the endangered
Rothschild Giraffe. The group will then visit the Karen
Blixen Museum situated at the foot of the Ngong hills,
the original home of Karen Blixen of the Out of Africa
fame. Lunch followed by an afternoon trip around the city
of Nairobi and its suburbs, with the opportunity of meeting
other organizations that are agents of development to
learn how they participate in various community development
activities. Dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Nairobi/Muranga
Depart Nairobi after breakfast and take a relaxed drive
through Kikuyu countryside arriving at the host village
in Muranga around mid-day. After introduction and lunch,
guests will be taken to their host families to settle
down and be acquainted with each other. The homes are
in close proximity and each host family welcomes at least
three guests including a a staff member to assist with
translation where necessary. On the first evening guests
and their host families gather in one place to sing and
eat together.
Day 4: Activities with the community
After breakfast in the respective homes, guests, accompanied
by some members of the host community gather at a central
place for a talk about the history, culture, and present-day
status of the community, and the involvement of the Green
Belt Movement. Then activities of the day begin, which
will include preparing of seedbeds, establishing tree
nurseries, and planting of trees on a public land.
Other activities will include food security where guests
are introduced to indigenous food crops thriving in the
area and will participate in such activities as planting,
harvesting and even cooking some of these foods.
In relation to civic education & advocacy, the community
will share an experience or guests attend part of an ongoing
seminar. Dinner and overnight in homes.
Day 5: A visit to Aberdare Forest
To understand the extent and dangers of deforestation,
guests, in the company of members of the host community
will travel to Aberdare Forest, a tropical forest that
covers a vast section of the Aberdare Ranges and which
have been destroyed through haphazard harvesting of trees
for timber and wood fuel. Guests will walk around to enjoy
the rich and diverse fauna and flora, before joining members
of this community in a tree planting campaign. This is
usually a big event involving even the local administration.
Guests drive back to their village home in Muranga for
a farewell dinner during which community members are encouraged
to display their handicrafts for sale or exhibition.
Day
6: Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga
After breakfast, guests gather together to bid farewell
to their "families" and community members, before
departing for the nearby Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga, an Agikuyu
cultural heritage site. This is a mythical place of origin
for Kikuyu community, therefore, honored and maintained
as a sacred site. A detailed history of this cultural
heritage site which begins with a very interesting creation
story will be told by Aramati (elders) who are the caretakers
of the site. Guests will undertake a ten minute walk from
the site to Gathambara, the waterhole of the first Agikuyu
family - Gikuyu, Mumbi and their children. This hole never
dries up and continues to provide clean water for the
local community. Back at Mukurwe Wa Nyagathanga, guests
will be entertained with several traditional songs as
they participate in a food festival of well-cooked Kikuyu
indigenous foods.Late afternoon drive back to Nairobi.
Dinner and overnight Nairobi
Day 7: Nairobi/Amboseli
Depart Nairobi in the morning for Amboseli National Park
arriving Amboseli Serena Lodge in time for lunch. The
park is famous for its big game and great scenic beauty
whose entire landscape is dominated by Mt Kilimanjaro.
Afternoon game drive. Dinner and overnight at Amboseli
Serena Lodge.
Day 8: Amboseli
Early morning pre-breakfast game drive at 6.30am, when
you have the best chance to see the majestic Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Return to the lodge for late breakfast. The rest of the
morning is at leisure. You can opt to take a swim or visit
a local Maasai village. Afternoon game drive. All meals
and overnight at Amboseli Serena Lodge.
Day
9: Lake Nakuru
Depart Amboseli after breakfast and drive via Nairobi
and onward to the floor of the Rift Valley making a stop
to marvel at the incredible site of the escarpment as
you enjoy a picnic lunch. Arrive Lake Nakuru National
Park in time for an afternoon game drive. Besides the
flamingos that the lake is famous for, there are approx
400 other species of birds visiting the lake. Also, many
species of game can be found in the park including the
introduced Rothschild's giraffe, waterbuck, reedbuck,
lion, buffalo, leopard, baboon and many species of plains
game. Lake Nakuru National Park was designated as Kenya's
first rhino sanctuary and has both black and white rhino.
Dinner and overnight at Lake Nakuru Lodge.
Day 10: Lake Nakuru/Naivasha
Early morning game drive in Nakuru Park then return to
the lodge for late breakfast. Depart shortly after for
Lake Naivasha arriving Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge in time
for lunch. Afternoon boat excursion to Crescent Island
where you will take a guided walking safari - one of the
few places in the world where one can walk freely amidst
wild animals.
Option: Afternoon visit to Elsamere Conservation Centre,
home to the late Joy and George Adamson who both became
famous for their conservation work. It is named after
Elsa, the lioness whose life is recounted in Joy's book
'Born Free'. After lunch, guests will be invited to watch
a video, "The Joy Adamson Story" and visit the
museum and shop at the centre. Return to Lake Naivasha
Sopa Lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 11: Maasai Mara
Depart Naivasha after breakfast and drive further along
the floor of the Rift Valley to Maasai Mara arriving Mara
Sopa Lodge in time for lunch. Take a swim after lunch
or just enjoy the scenery of the game reserve before embarking
on your first game drive in the park commencing at 4.00pm
and lasting approx 2½ hrs. Dinner and overnight
at the Mara Sopa Lodge.
Day 12: Maasai Mara
Full day in Maasai Mara, Kenya's most popular game sanctuary
where you will have the best opportunity of spotting the
Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino and elephant).
Go out with picnic lunch boxes and spend the day in the
park, with an optional visit to a local Maasai village.
All meals and overnight at Mara Sopa Lodge.
{Hot air balloon is an option at Maasai Mara @ US$385}
Day 13: Back to Nairobi/Out
Depart Maasai Mara in the morning and drive back to Nairobi
arrive Nairobi hotel for lunch. Afternoon at leisure/freshen
up and park. Farewell dinner at The Carnivore Restaurant
then transfer to the airport for onward flight back home.
End of our services.
Prices:
High season: Jan - March; July to Dec: US$2028 per
person sharing
Low season: April - June: US$1829 per person sharing
Single room supplement will apply.
Included:
- Airport transfers
- All land transportation in custom safari minibuses with
pop-up roofs ideal for game viewing and sightseeing
- Services of well trained English speaking driver/guides
- All meals during homestays
- Fullboard accommodation in the lodges/hotel as mentioned
- All park entry fees
Not included:
- International air transportation to/from Nairobi
- Expenses of personal nature such as visas, travel/baggage
insurance, laundry, beverages, tips etc.
Important: Part of your safari price will go to each of
the community projects that you visit and participate
in, helping to further advance the host community.
