Kenya Safari Tour

Amboseli National Park is a 45-minute flight South of Nairobi. It is famous for the big elephant herds and the stunning views of Mount Kilimanjaro. Tourists long to get a photo of Elephants crossing the Savanna with Mount Kilimanjaro in the background.

Kilimanjaro is referred to as the shy Mountain as it is often cloudy around the mountain. But when the majestic & highest free standing mountain of the world is seen, it is a spectacular sight. The mountain is often hidden in the clouds and the best time of year to see the mountain are between January & March. The dry season between July and October allows visitors to see the mountain occasionally but not every day. Explore the Amboseli NP.

Many Amboseli lodges offer their guests not just the chance to sit back & watch nightly shows of traditional Maasai song. Maasai herders share the savannah with big game: you’ll have opportunities to visit local communities & learn about village life. The traditional ‘jumping dance’ is a highlight on these sensitively-conducted tours.

I had the privilege of meeting a number of Maasai. Thomas was a very special elder in the community who loves his people but also loves the benefit that tourism brings to the Masaai people. Jake Grieves-Cook has been a pioneer in the Conservancy concept in Kenya. He thought ahead when he converted over-grazed pastures into wildlife sanctuaries, and when he partnered with the local Maasia communities in developing safari tourism. This is a concept that has been of great benefit for all involved.

I had the privilege of seeing a number of camps in the Ol Pajeta Conservancy. The rhino sightings are brilliant in this conservancy and well worth adding to a safari circuit. I was lucky to see numerous White & Black Rhinos on a daily basis with many other species. Ol Pejeta conservancy has 2 nothern whites, 30 southern whites & 110 Black Rhinos.

Ol Pejeta also has a sanctuary for the last 2 Northern White Rhino remaining on the planet. Unfortunately, these are 2 females but sperm cells from the last males have been secured. The future of this subspecies now lies in the development of in vitro fertilisation techniques and stem cell technology, costly and complicated procedures that have never before been attempted in rhinos before.

I stayed at the beautiful Elephant Pepper Camp in the Mara North Conservancy and enjoyed great sightings. The camp is an absolute gem in a lovely setting overlooking the Mara. A luxurious camp and great combination with the Sand River Masai Mara Camp that is situated in the Masai Mara Reserve. It’s highly recommended to chose two camps to explore in the Masai Mara region.

I also had the privilege of staying in the Porini Mara Camp and the Porini Lion Camp which was a great combination. Loved the simplicity of the camps. Porini offers a great midrange product that always focuses on the benefits to the local community. The local Masai own the land and work closely together with the Porini portfolio.

Kenya is also home to a long stretch of dazzling Indian Ocean coastline sprinkled with tropical islands. Unfortunately I did not have the time to explore the beaches on this trip but there are many to chose from. Combining them is simple: what better reward for the safari traveller than to enjoy a relaxing Kenya beach holiday after all those long days in the Amboseli, Ol Pajeta (Laikipea) & Masai Mara?

Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast is mostly hot and humid throughout the year with annual daytime temperatures averaging between 27 and 31°C (80 and 88°F). Rain is possible at any time of year but it is wettest and hottest from mid-March to late May and we’d recommend avoiding Kenya’s coast at this time.