8th September: Nairobi to Borana

On arrival at Jomo Kenyatta Airport you will be met by a representative from Tradewinds and escorted through immigration & customs and out to your East African Air Charters private aircraft to fly straight up to the Borana Conservancy.

8th to 11th September: Charlie Dyer’s House

On arrival at the Borana airstrip you will be met by a driver/guide and taken on a short game drive through the conservancy and across to Charlie’s house. Here you will have time to settle into your rooms before enjoying a delicious lunch.

Charlie’s house on Borana celebrates the surroundings by being perfectly situated on a gentle slope that descends to the glorious Ngare Ndare river, less than a kilometre away. The view is northward onto the lower Samburu country and the hills that will fill our horizon on our bike ride in a few days. The Ngare Ndare river below camp is a great stretch for a walk and an exploration of the waterfalls at Blackwells make for an excellent dip. Game drives are a possibility, as are bike rides and walks. Guides will be available to schedule each day as adventure-filled as you may choose. Charlie’s is one of those rare places on earth where one can build the perfect ratio of fun/adventure : relaxation.

You will spend the next three days enjoying this spectacular conservancy and Ngare Ndare, and the many activities they have to offer.

11th to 13th September: Bike Safari, Borana to Tumaren

From Charlie’s we will be setting out in a southwesterly direction on our bikes. We will be losing altitude, descending the rocky slopes of the Mukogodo Forest to the flat lands that define the Samburu country. Past enormous spires of ancient granite we will ride stopping from time to time for a rest, a recharge and a drink. Two camps will be set up along the way, one in the Mukogodo Forest and one on the edge of the Lower Ewaso wilderness, an area that Karisia uses for many of its camel safaris. The camps will be set before beautiful views that, like Charlie’s, look toward the grand and wild north country. Showers and sundowners will be especially enticing after each day of peddling, and a healthy but hearty lunch and dinner will also taste so much better. From our last camp in the Lower Ewaso wilderness, we will now be heading back north up the escarpment to Ewaso town and onward to Tumaren Camp.

13th September: Tumaren Camp

Set on the edge of a wide plain this beautiful camp looks west towards granitic inselbergs that define our local landscape. Each tent is furnished uniquely and all the tents offer sweeping verandas from which most of our plains game can be spotted. The grasslands are rich with wildlife and you can spend hours watching animals wander by or photographing the huge variety of birds coming to the bird bath.

Tumaren is rich in wildlife and our Samburu and Masai guides provide a great perspective on not only the game but also the local cultures of Northern Kenya. Our guides will plan the days according to your desires, wildlife and the local calendar. Your days can include guided walks, biking, camel rides, visits to the camel creche, game drives, birdwatching, picnics, tracking, visiting a local manyatta or market (if the day is right), visiting a school and rock climbing.

14th September: Laikipia to Tsavo

This morning after a leisurely breakfast, you will be taken across to the airstrip to meet your East African Air Charters flight departing to Tsavo at 10h00, where a driver will be waiting to collect you and transfer you across to Galdessa.

14th to 17th September: Galdessa Camp

The first thing you might notice from the air when you are approaching the airstrip in Tsavo is the grand size of this park. These are big expanses and very wild country.

Fringed with doum palms and overlooking the Yatta Plateau, Galdessa offers a luxurious yet wild experience for travellers seeking to immerse themselves in a hidden and untouched corner of Tsavo East National Park. Enjoying a position on the Galana river, wildlife sightings are frequent, whether you enjoy a game drive or stay at the camp watching hippos, elephants and more as they come to cool off in the river. Galdessa has just five tents and is exclusive to your group for the next three nights.

The Sheldrick Trust that runs Galdessa Camp as well as the Elephant Orphanages at Voi, Nairobi, Ithumba, Kibwezi is a not for profit organization that has done more to relieve elephant suffering in Kenya than any other conservation operation on earth. The trust was begun by Dame Daphne Sheldrick who pioneered not just the physical methods of raising an elephant but also the emotional investments that these social animals require to survive. All the orphan elephants within the Sheldrick Trust’s care underwent severe trauma when they became separated from their mothers and herds. Many experienced violence and cruelty that is hard to imagine. To see the beaming happiness of these same animals as they wallow in their ponds, interact with their keepers, or roll in the mud is genuinely reaffirming and brings tears to many a visitors eye. To hear directly from the keepers their latest elephant stories and to understand how these young animals are learning to fend for themselves in Tsavo, gives a far deeper understanding of their beautiful and complex intelligence.

16th September: Nairobi to Tsavo East/ Tsavo East to Nairobi

Today, two additional guests will fly down from Wilson Airport, Nairobi with East African Air Charters, and two of the group will depart with the same aircraft to fly back to Nairobi. On arrival at Wilson Airport, these guests will be met by a driver from Airports & Beyond, who will be at their disposal for the rest of the afternoon until transferring them across to Jomo Kenyatta Airport for their international departure.

17th September: Tsavo East to Kiwayu

This morning, after breakfast, you will be driven across to the airstrip to meet your Yellow Wings Air Services private charter departing at 10h00 to fly directly up to the north of the Kenya coast, to Kiwayu.

17th to 22nd September: Mike’s Camp, Kiwayu

Mike’s Camp is located on Kiwayu Island, one of the many unspoilt islands of the Lamu Archipelago on the Kenyan coast. You are essentially offered your own private island, with soft, white sand and turquoise waters on one side, a serene creek system on the other. Situated in the Kiuaga Marine National Reserve you will be immersed in an untouched paradise of natural beauty.

There’s a huge amount to do at Mike’s Camp for those who like to stay active, including snorkelling, kayaking, sailing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kite surfing, scuba diving, body boarding and sand yachting. As well as sundowners on the Dhow and fishing excursions. (Please note that some activities are payable at the Camp).

22nd to 24th September: Manda Bay, Lamu

This morning you will be collected by a speed boat from Manda Bay, and taken on a beautiful boat transfer down the coast towards Lamu.

Manda Bay is a small privately owned boutique lodge located on the northern tip of Manda Island in the Lamu archipelago on Kenya’s coast. An unspoilt, secluded location where you can switch off from the rest of the world, take your shoes off and enjoy simplistic beauty in palm thatched cottages and open living spaces. The only access to Manda Bay is by speedboat so guests can enjoy this private island all to themselves. Manda Bay combines the ultimate bush and beach experience with miles of soft white sand on a private beach and Coconut palms mixed with Doum palms, Acacia Tortilis and a variety of wildlife.

Manda Bay offers similar activities as Mike’s Camp. Deep-sea fishing is also available, as well as game drives inland and visits to Lamu for those interested. (Please note that some activities are payable at the Camp).

24th September: Nairobi/ Depart

After lunch this afternoon, the Manda boat will transfer you across to Lamu airport for your 15h35 Safarilink scheduled flight to Wilson Airport, Nairobi, landing at 17h30. Here you will be met by your Airport & Beyond drivers who will be at your disposal before dropping you off at JKIA for your evening departure to London. 

CONTACT NUMBERS:

Kerry +254 721 836792

Kennedy +254 722 738228