5 Day Tumaren Walking Safari
Day 1: Sinyai Lugga
It is a short dramatic drive from our local airstrip to our camp
on the Sinyai Lugga (a dry river bed). In camp we will be greeted
by our team of cooks, camel guys, and guides. After a refreshing
lunch we will enjoy a rest before a short evening walk and sundowners
on a tall promontory with a commanding view. Greater Kudu inhabit
the hillsides that slope down toward our camp and we will scan
for these elusive animals. Back at camp we will find our welcoming
campfire on the edge of the sandy lugga. After hot showers and
cocktails we will enjoy a sitdown dinner under the stars. Dinner
always includes healthy but delicious and satisfying fare.
Day 2: Nayasura
We will begin our walk climbing the Sinyai Lugga, looking for
game like Kudu, and Klipspringers. The pack camels with our camp
will make a more direct route than us arriving before us to set
up camp before our arrival. We may pass local Masai singing to
their livestock as they call them down to water from wells dug
in the sand. After a couple kilometres in the lugga we will ascend
the western hillside and follow a ridge toward a basin holding
an incredible rock outcrop in its midst that resembles a giant
sand castle. The local Laikipia Masai call these rocks Nayasura
and stone chippings suggest that they have been used as a camp
for millennia.
We too will use the rocks starting with a refreshing lunch and
short rest in our classic roomy safari tents. After lunch we will
head out on a short walk looking for game and getting a feel for
the country. As the sun begins to set we will find ourselves at
the crest of Nayasura with a blanket, drinks and bitings. As we
enjoy our sundowners we will continue to spot game from our vantage
and watch as the baboons come back to roost on the face of the
rock. A short descent will find us back in camp for a delicious
dinner.
Day 3: Nyarara
From Nayasura we will head out early after breakfast so to see
as much game as possible on our walk north towards Nyarara Camp.
Narara means Cheetah in Masai and the camp was given this name
because of a large male that has been seen in the area. Along
our walk we will walk across large plains as well as mixed bush.
Herds of Zebra, Oryx and Grant’s gazelle predominate on
the large plains with smaller numbers of Jackson’s Hartebeest
and Thompson’s Gazelle.
At camp we will arrive in time for lunch. After lunch we will
follow our routine of resting, reading or badminton for the energetic
and later another walk in the evening to a pretty spot for sundowners.
Day 4: Tumaren Larai Camp
Today we will be heading down toward the Ewaso Nyiro River, which
runs along the eastern edge of the Laikipia Plateau and then turns
eastward toward Samburu National Reserve. Along the way we will
be looking for Eland, Steinbuck, Giraffe, Waterbuck, Grevy’s
Zebra as well as all the tough-to-see predators such as Wild Dog,
Hyena, Lion, Leopard or Cheetah. We will also be looking from
high open points for Elephants.
When we arrive at the Ewaso Nyiro we may want to take a quick
swim before lunch. In the afternoon we can visit a local and authentic
Laikipia Masai Manyatta (homestead).
Day 5: Nandopp
From our camp on the Ewaso Nyiro River we will be heading to our
last camp at Nandopp also on the Ewaso Nyiro River. Along our
way we will be passing excellent country for spotting game, as
well as a good chance at meeting some of the local Laikipia Masai
living in the area.
Day 6: Travel
Drive out to our local airstrip or make the drive back to Nanyuki
for the scheduled flight back to Nairobi.
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