Kenya Family Safari

Welcome to Kenya! You will be met upon arrival at Nairobi International Airport and be transferred to Giraffe Manor, in the suburb of Karen, for overnight.

On day 2 enjoy breakfast at your lodge (with the giraffes!) then head out for an exceptional wildlife experience at an elephant and rhino orphanage and the next door sanctuary for endangered giraffes. The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is the most unique elephant & rhino relocation program in the world. Based in Nairobi, The Sheldrick Trust opens its doors to the public to view the orphans between 11 am to 12 pm. You will also visit The Giraffe Center, home to the endangered Rothschild’s Giraffe. The center gives visitors a chance to interact with the giraffes. Both the Sheldrick Trust and Giraffe center allow visitors to get up close and personal with these incredible creatures, an absolute must for anyone passing through Nairobi. You will return to Giraffe Manor for lunch and then you may choose to simply relax or visit the Kazuri Beading Factory for some shopping! Each bead is shaped by hand, by one of the 350 local women employed by Kazuri. The beads are then polished and kiln fired, painted and fired again before being strung into a necklace or earrings.

Rise early for the short drive to Wilson Airport for the light aircraft flight to Lewa Reserve, where a guide and vehicle from your private use camp, Lewa House, will meet you at the airstrip. Situated near the base of Mt. Kenya – Africa’s second tallest mountain – Lewa Wilderness is one of Kenya’s oldest and most private safari ventures. The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy now boasts 62,000 acres of conserved land and the richness of wildlife here is astounding with over 70 different animal species and 350 bird species. By staying at Lewa Wilderness, guests are automatically supporting the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and all of the conservation and community development efforts. Lewa Wildlife Conservancy provides a safe haven for a wide variety of wildlife, and is particularly famous for its rhino and Grevy zebra programs.

The advantage of being located in the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy is that guests are surrounded by rich game viewing opportunities without the crowds. There is a very good chance of seeing all of the “Big Five” and Lewa is one of the only game parks where visitors are almost guaranteed to see the endangered black and white rhinos. With the backdrop of snow-capped Mount Kenya and the diversity of scenery from open plains, rolling hills, valleys, escarpments and rivers, Lewa is a magical place to game drive.

You don’t have to be an expert but go for a horse-ride if you want to imagine life as a zebra out on the plains. Our horses have been trained to allow inexperienced riders to get on the hoof. An experienced guide will lead the ride and deepen the experience of your encounters. Being on horseback means that wildlife doesn’t recognize you as human and you’ll travel through the plains as if wearing an invisibility cloak! (Please note that camel & horseback rides for children under 8 years old are at the guide’s discretion.)

Today bid your Lewa guide farewell as you return to the airstrip and meet the flight to the Masai Mara, where you will be met by your guide from Angama Mara and be transferred to your lodge for lunch before the afternoon game drive. No other place on earth compares with the multitudes of wild animals found in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, part of the vast Serengeti eco-system spanning Kenya and Tanzania. Head out at sunrise with a picnic breakfast and be back for lunch; head out after breakfast with a picnic lunch; or a favourite, pack two picnics and spend the whole day exploring the Mara.

During the months of July through October, the Great Migration of about 1.5 million wildebeest and several hundred thousand zebra make the Maasai Mara their home. Here herds of zebra, wildebeest, and topi mingle on the short grass plains keeping an eye out for numerous predators, including lion, cheetah, leopard, and hyena. Maasai giraffe and impala graze in the woodlands and hippos and crocodiles bask along the shores of the Talek and Mara Rivers. The Masai Mara is also home to one of the great fighting tribes of Africa, the Maasai whose culture is both fascinating and truly unique.

Many guests choose to discover the Great Rift Valley on foot. Leaving Angama Mara and heading South along on the edge of the Oloololo Escarpment, Maasai Naturalist offer guided walks through lovely forests and open areas in-between. The birding up here, high above the Maasai Mara, is especially rewarding. Guests learn the ancient ways of the Maasai people from the Naturalists: local legends, fables, traditions, customs, the medicinal use of plants, and are often treated to singing and dancing along the way. All the while, lovely views of the Mara 300m below offer glimpses of great herds of buffalo, or a solitary elephant melting into the forest. Walking safaris at Angama Mara are tailor-made for every guest, and every fitness-level is taken into consideration. Depending on the time of day, and the length of walk, they can include picnic baskets, blankets, or even a lift back to the lodge. From a gentle 2-hour stroll to a full day’s walk, guests can choose exactly how they would like to discover Africa on foot.

On day 10, sadly it’s time to depart. After breakfast, enjoy a game drive on route to the airstrip for your flight back to Nairobi. You will be met on arrival at Wilson Airport and transferred to The Emakoko in time for lunch. In the afternoon, enjoy a game drive in the park, returning to your lodge for a early dinner and this evening you will be transferred to the Nairobi International airport for your departing flights home.