We are met at the airport by our guide, who will give us a briefing on the day ahead. We then transfer for 3hrs along the Trans African Highway into the Chyulu Hills. Sights along the way will be a kaleidoscope of colourfully dressed people and bustle of life before the open country which, seasonally can be lush with trees and local crops, and is a vast beautiful landscape. With clear skies we can even see the snowy peak of Kilimanjaro in the distance. We arrive at our lodge in Kikobo just in time for our first sundower as we watch the sun set over the Chyulu Hills. Tomorrow we start our 3-day trek through these hills.
Drive time 3hrs (145km)

After breakfast we leave the town and enter the rural Chyulu Hills National Park. This 60km long park of gentle volcanic rolling hills (up to 2188m) and tree filled glades is teeming with wildlife. We start our walking here with an armed ranger. Starting at the Kisula Caves we explore about 2km of this almost 20km long cave complex, one of the largest in the world. The underground network of lava tubes is fascinating. We then transfer up the road to our lunch spot and walk from here on one of the numerous animal trails which crisscross the open undulating landscape. We walk up to the ridge at 1900m to arrive at our wild camp. Our eyes will feast on the views of Kilimanjaro and the Amboseli plains from this vantage point. We have dinner as the sun sets over glorious Africa.
Drive time 2hrs (70km)

Early this morning we might be lucky enough to see the sunrise over the Tsavo plains to the east throwing a pinkish golden light on Kilimanjaro…it's a special moment. After breakfast we set off from camp on our walk today. We see hills covered in dense forest and pass over grassland terrain. Our Maasai guide will show us the plants and herbs which are used in traditional medicine. We then pass into the Ilkisongo Maasai lands, an uninhabitated area the Maasai use for their livestock. Wildlife such as giraffe, zebra and antelope share the grasslands with the cattle herds. We arrive at our campsite where the cheerful crew will be waiting with some tea and snacks. Our dinner setting again has views of the Maasai plains and Kilimanjaro to the north west.

We enjoy another sunrise with a cup of tea as our crew prepares breakfast. We continue our walk down from the hills to the Maasai plains. Today is our final walk through the Maasai lands, where zebra herds mingle with the cattle and we can see giraffe between the trees. We arrive at the seasonal Lake Arpakai. If water is present then we might see some hippo wallowing, and with caution we eat our lunch here watching the birds and hippos. From here we transfer in our vehicle to the border town of Loitokitok (also known as Oloitokitok). There is an agreement with Tanzania/Kenya that citizens of these countries can travel within 10km of each country, making the town of Loitokitok an important meeting point with a bustling market. It is also the entrance for many people who are going to climb Kilimanjaro - the start of the path for one of the routes is just over the border. We check into our cosy guesthouse for some home comforts after our 3 days walking.
Drive time 3 hrs (70km)

A short transfer takes us to the start of our walk today along the Nalemoru River. We walk on narrow footpaths along the riverbank into a deep gorge, getting closer and closer to the border with Tanzania. Our guide points out the acacia trees, rubber trees, wild olive groves and diverse tropical vegetation. At lunchtime we can enjoy a BBQ close to a waterfall (although in the dry season there might be little/no water). On our return we pass the Outward Bound School, which was used in colonial times as a starting point for the Kilimanjaro ascent.

If time allows we will have an optional visit to the Teule home for street children. Set up around 20yrs ago, the organisation assists homeless children from Nairobi and has set up a school in Loitokitok which also takes in pupils from the local area. The focus is on education and improving futures. There is a farm for fresh fruit and vegetables, honey bees and solar panels. We have a tour of the projects and meet some of the smiling children.

In the late afternoon we drive the 1 hour to Amboseli National Park for the beginning of our next adventure.
Drive time 1 hr (40km)

Elephants, a safari vehicle and the mighty snow-capped Kilimanjaro in the background - the picture postcard of classic Africa - this is Amboseli National Park. The area is hot and dry with an average of 350-400mm of rainfall per year. When the rains come, marshlands and soda lakes are formed, but for the rest of the year it is mainly a dusty plain. This is where origins of the name 'Amboseli' or 'salty dust' in the local Maasai language comes from. However, it is not all dust! There are the green acacia trees and long grasses which turn a golden brown in the dry season. This small park, at under 400 km sq, is famous as one of the best places in Africa to see large, free-roaming herds of elephants - and this we shall see during our game drive today. The Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo, elephant) are also present in Amboseli, so we will be on the look-out and it is likely that we shall see at least some of these. We may also see giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, impala, gazelle as well as wild dog, jackal and hyena. Our guides have a very good eye for spotting wildlife, and will be able to share all manner of facts and stories about everything that we see and the land that they live in.

In the late afternoon we transfer to Kumpa to check into our accommodation. Here we arrange our belongings for the next day and night as our main bag will transfer to Olkoroi Camp to join us on day 8 after our adventure across to the rural Nguruman escarpment.
Drive time 3-4 hr game drive plus 3hrs drive (130km)

Leaving the main road today we travel along an exciting dirt track to Lake Magadi. This will be a bumpy and dusty ride and can take up to 8 hours, depending on the conditions. We go right into the heart of the Kenya countryside and see genuine rural life. The Matapato Maasai population here can be differentiated by their dress code and beadwork. As we travel west the landscape gets drier and hotter. Arriving at Lake Magadi we stop for some lunch and explore this town built around the soda ash industry. Around the lake we will look for flamingos, zebra and giraffe. Continuing our journey we drive to the Nguruman escarpment in the Western Rift Valley Wall, where we find our simple accommodation for the night. The road ends here before the escarpment. This part of our Kenya adventure is very off the beaten track and feels like a genuine intrepid exploration.
Drive time 6-8hrs (185km)

This unique trip becomes ever more exciting as we are up and walking at the crack of dawn to avoid the heat of the day. The local Maasai guides take us up the escarpment on a well-trodden trail. The Loita Maasai usually walk this route daily with their donkeys to pick up supplies from the Nguruman village. We carry our small rucksack with belongings from last night and the day before with us today for our short morning walk. We should take minimal kit. Maasai porters are available, payable locally, and can be arranged the night before, however the Maasai are pastoralists and not used to carrying heavy loads. Any bag you wish them to carry should be under 10kg. By mid-morning we are at the road head on the escarpment. The views over the East African Rift Valley are truly tremendous. Our vehicle meets us here and we transfer into the heart of the Loita Maasailand. They have a more traditional lifestyle than other Maasai clans and they live on this high 2000m plateau. We stop for lunch in the town of Narosura before venturing south via Olmesuti to Olkorio camp very close to the border.
Drive time 6hrs (130km)

Far away from the regular tourist trail we find ourselves being immersed in the Loiti Maasai culture. The aim of the camp is to be sustainable and of benefit of the local community. This is done through promoting local wildlife and habitat, education and traditional Maasai crafts. They have built a nearby school room and have a tree nursery. We walk with the Maasai Warriors through their stunning homeland landscape of rolling hills and panoramic views over into Tanzania, the Serengeti and Lake Natron. We learn about the culture and visit a traditional Maasai home. We walk into the Forest of the Lost Child following the path of elephants and learn about the different trees and their medicinal uses. Today is very special in this unique and wild African environment.

We leave after breakfast and say a fond farewell to our hosts. Driving through the Morijo basin we head to the famous Masai Mara Game Reserve. We arrive at the Olaimutek Gate and have all afternoon in this vast game reserve. Often described as one of the latest Wonder of the World, this wilderness becomes the Serengeti in neighbouring Tanzania after it crosses the Mara River, and is famous for the wildebeest migration. In our game drive vehicle we look out for elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino - the Big 5. However the park hosts a myriad of wildlife with over 95 species of mammals and 400 species of birds! Luckily we have a full day tomorrow to allow us some decent time to enjoy the park and the incredible African wildlife it is hiding.

Note the different spellings: It is the Maasai people and the Masai Mara Game Reserve.

Drive time 4hrs (130km) plus afternoon game drive

The abundance of wildlife in the Mara is unrivalled in Africa, which is especially true during the wildebeest migration between July and October. The grasslands are filled with wildebeest, zebra and plain antelope hunted by lion, cheetahs and leopard. Outside this period there are less tourists giving us more personable encounters with the superb African wildlife. We can maybe find one of the shy black rhino, or a leopard in the forested areas. There are also plenty of hippos and crocodiles lurking in the Mara and Talek Rivers, the latter looking for a stray small zebra or young antelope for lunch! We will learn from our guides about the ecosystem, from the graceful tall giraffe to the humble dung beetle; the endless grasslands to the solitary acacia trees. Everything has its place in this magical land.

The order of day will depend on the location of the wildlife. We will either go out for a full day with a packed lunch, or we will set off at dawn for a game drive and return to our camp for lunch before heading out in the late afternoon again.

Drive time 4-5 hr game drive

We leave the Masai Mara this morning and head east to one of the Great Rift Valley Lakes - Naivasha. We arrive at our accommodation before lunch and have some time to relax and eat before later in the afternoon going on a 1 hour boat ride on Lake Naivasha. From the boat we can look for zebra, giraffe, waterbucks and other plain game on the shore lines, whilst hundreds of hippos greet us in the waters. There is also an abundance of birdlife and we are likely to see pelicans, heron and possibly an African Fish Eagle with his beedy eye gracefully fishing with his massive talons! This is a beautiful and peaceful finale to our wildlife spotting of Kenya. We drive the short distance back to our lodge to enjoy a sundowner and dinner.
Drive time 4hrs (220km)

We head to Nairobi this morning and should be back into the hustle and bustle after a couple of hours driving. We visit Shangilia Mtoto Wa Africa, a project focusing on the arts, dancing and acrobatics to empower street children and those from poorer areas in Nairobi. It is a very positive experience. After lunch we have free time. We have the vehicle available with the option to visit the Giraffe Centre (entrance payable locally). This was originally established as a breeding centre for the endangered Rothschild's giraffe, but has since developed into the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife, with a main objective to provide conservation education to Kenyan school children and youth. We see the giraffes and may have an opportunity to feed them. The Karen Blixen Museum is the home of the autobiographer of the same name, and was made famous by the classic film 'Out of Africa' in 1985. This is an optional visit and payable locally. Later we transfer to our accommodation for a final celebratory meal after our true African adventure.
Drive time 2 hrs (100km)

Depending on our flight times we may have some time today to explore further or relax. A single timed transfer is included on this day. KE land only services end after breakfast.