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ITINERARY
for Mr H and Miss J
Safari and wedding in Kenya
February 2007
On arrival you will be met and driven to The Norfolk
Hotel.
Loisaba Lodge, Laikipia,
In the morning around 0800 you will be collected from the
hotel and driven to the Government office where you get
your special licence. In the afternoon you will be driven
to Wilson Airport where you are flown by private charter
at 14h00, which will take you to Loisaba.
Here you stay
in the lodge. Loisaba is a working cattle ranch where game
grazes with the cattle tended by local Maasai. The luxury
lodge is converted from an old colonial home and sits on
the edge of a high escarpment with far reaching views across
the plains to Mount Kenya. There are several en-suite cottages
each with its own verandah and a large homestead where
huge leather sofas and open fires welcome you to relax.
A pool, tennis court and spa add to the elegance. Your
days are spent as you wish. Walking, game viewing, riding,
relaxing at the spa, playing tennis, visiting the working
ranch, trekking with camels and visiting the local communities.
You certainly will not get bored! You stay here on a fully
inclusive basis.
Loisaba Private Campsite
The Land Rover will be handed over to you and will be ready
to go with food and fuel. After a briefing on the route,
vehicle and equipment you will be asked to sign a safety
affirmation that states that you have read and understand
the contents of the trip book. Secluded on the plains behind
the main lodge and about 1/2 hours drive away from the
lodge is the truly wonderful private campsite set in large
trees and raised on a sand island. The camp is not far
from a water hole but you must be aware that you are surrounded
by truly wild game, so the two wildlife rangers who will
camp near by are a very welcome sight. There is an ample
supply of water and the rangers will also provide you with
plenty of fire wood. The area is full of large herds of
game, but if doing your own drives be aware that it is
VERY easy to get lost so use the GPS. You must not leave
the campsite on foot unescorted. Here you will be camping
in a pre booked and paid for campsite Allow a 1 hour drive.
The campsites in Kenya generally have no facilities at
all, so you must be totally self sufficient. The camps are
very remote and you will be there on your own with no other
people around. You must also be prepared to have game in
the camp with you as there are no fences to keep them out,
just an area to camp in. The loo is a shovel, loo roll and
box of matches and there is no water except what you take
with you!
Soysambu Private Campsite, Lake Nakuru
You drive to the gate at Mugie Rhino Reserve where a guide
will meet you to escort you across the reserve. You will
need to pay US$30 at the ranch for the honour of driving
through the reserve. Drive south to Nakuru National Park
and enter through the less used and less commercial Lanet
Gate. The park although not that wild is well worth a stay.
The game is excellent and the lake full of wonderful flamingos.
Soysambu Campsite is what I would term a 5 star camp. A huge
flat lawn gives a grass covered space with large large yellow
barked acacia trees giving shade. It is remote from the road
and has a good sweet water tap. It is a very relaxed and
safe place to camp. Here you will be camping in a pre booked
and paid for campsite. Allow a 5 hour drive. There are some
nice shops on the outside of town on the by-pass Nairobi
road where you can shop in with out hassle.
Soysambu Private Campsite
Spend the day relaxing and game viewing. If you stay quiet
the game will visit you, watch for black Rhino who live here.
Bongo Private Campsite near Treetops, Aberdares
Drive north and then south west via Nyahururu and Thompsons
Falls. The rather run down lodge serves good home made
soup and the falls are worth a view, banks and fuel are
all here. You can also do your food shopping here. Take
the Nyeri road and enter The Aberdares from the Treetop
Gate. The National Park is quite extraordinary and unlike
almost anywhere else in Africa. Tropical forests and high
heath plateau's are there to explore but the maps are not
accurate and some roads do not exist. Huge herds of elephant
and buffalo can be hard to see but the flowers and flora
is wonderful and unusual game can be spotted.
Aberdare National Park is situated to the south west of
Mt Kenya within the well-watered and fertile Central Highlands
region. It is the highest park in Africa and its predominant
habitats are the Kinangop Plateau in the west, a 40 mile
stretch of moorland, peaks and forests, and the Salient in
the east, an area of thick rainforest. Aberdare National
Park has a fantastic range of flora and fauna as well as
the most beautiful scenery with its only peer in this respect
being Mt Kenya itself. Its terrain is criss-crossed by mountain
streams with pretty waterfalls and babbling water simply
teeming with trout.
Elephants and buffalos are widespread and there are also
a number of rarer species such as black rhino, the beautiful
and elusive bongo antelope and the extremely rare black leopard.
Bush pigs and giant forest hogs are spotted here too. Birdlife
is varied and prolific.
The park is famous for Treetops, the lodge at which Queen
Elizabeth II was staying in 1952 when she was informed of
her father's death and her accession to the throne.
Sweetwaters Tented Camp, Nanyuki
You drive to Nanyuki (you could stop for a quick lunch at
the Trout Inn, be hungry because portions are huge and very
good, it is just south of Nanyuki and well signed off the
road) and you continue on to Sweetwaters Game Reserve, a
24,000 acre reserve, which straddles the Equator.
It overlooks a floodlit waterhole and boasts a great variety
of game including elephant, lion, cheetah, rhino and over
400 species of birds.
As it is a private reserve, you can enjoy many activities
not permitted in most national parks such as game walks,
night game drives, horse riding and meals in the bush. You
can also visit the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary a short
drive from the camp, where orphaned and wounded chimpanzees
are restored to health with the intention of rehabilitating
them back into the colony. Here, you stay in a roomy tent
set under a thatch roof, with ensuite facilities and a private
verandah, overlooking the waterhole.
Private Campsite, Lewa
Downs
Drive through Lewa to camp on the Il Ngwesi community-owned
land about an hour and a half drive away from the main gate
to Lewa. The region is fascinating and has plenty of game.
You camp near the river. You may well be visited by local
herdsman and it is worth asking them if you can visit their
village. Here you will be camping in a pre booked and paid
for campsite. Please allow a 4 hour drive.
Lewa Downs Wildlife Conservancy is a privately owned wildlife
sanctuary in Northern Kenya and is home to a great variety
of indigenous species. At the very core of their work is
the protection and preservation of a number of rare and endangered
species that naturally dwell on Lewa Downs such as Grevy's
zebra, the lovely sitatunga antelope and the black rhinoceros.
In fact, the wildlife conservancy began as a sanctuary for
black rhino and it is now home to 8% of the national population
of rhinos, around 35 in number. Importantly, several rhinos
have been trans-located from Lewa to other protected areas
where new populations are being established. The ranch is
also home to a group of the more placid white rhino.
Elsa’s Kopje, Meru National Park
You drive to Meru National Park to stay at Elsa’s Kopje.
Situated on top of a large rocky outcrop in the middle
of the rarely visited Meru National Park you have a breathtaking
360 degree view of the surrounding plains and wetlands.
The stone and thatch cottages have been carefully blended
into the kopje, incorporating the rockscape into the open
plan design. Here you will stay in supreme luxury. This
camp has been built in the area where Joy Adamson lived
with her famous lioness. Elsa is buried in Meru National
Park. One of the less well known of Kenya’s parks, it’s
remoteness keeping it off the minibus route, you will find
few other visitors here. You may go for game drives at
day and night and guided bush walks and fishing trips are
also available. The swimming-pool offers a welcome relief
from the heat of the day, but the altitude means pleasant
night temperatures. There is a small spa where you can
be pampered if you wish. Your hosts Ava and Graham run
an exceptional camp and your every need will be taken care
of. Your stay here is inclusive of all meals, activities
and laundry.
Meru National Park lies to the east of Mt Kenya, whose
permanently snow-capped peak provides a dramatic back-drop
to this fascinating park. Meru is one of the most geographically
diverse parks in the country and is less visited than most
of Kenya's parks and reserves. In fact, on a visit to Meru
National Park, you are unlikely to come across another safari
vehicle (except near the lodges), something that immeasurably
enhances any safari experience. It is loved by true safari
aficionados, who do not need the promise of the 'big five'
to lure them to areas teeming with fascinating game.
Elsa’s Kopje - Wedding Day!
At at pre arranged time the District Officer will be flown
into the lodge to officiate at the wedding.
Cottars Safari Camp, Maasai Mara
You will be transferred to the airstrip in time for the Tropic
Air flight at 08h30 to Nanyuki where you will then depart
at 10h00 to The Maasai Mara where you will be met and transferred
to the amazing Cottars 1920 Safari Camp. The Cottar family
have an amazing history of running safaris since 1919.
The 6 super luxury tents all furnished in 1920 style. This
camp is one of the very best Kenya offers.
Fly back to Nairobi on the Air Kenya flight
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