Hidden gems of Kenya
Fourteen nights, flying south
A journey through the wild north, then home to the Mara. You begin with a night at Giraffe Manor, then fly to Samburu for elephants, Lewa for rhino and Loisaba for wide open space, three nights in each. You finish with three nights in the Maasai Mara, where I live. You fly between every stop, so no long drives, and each place has its own specialist to give you inside insights into the location.
Night 1
Giraffe Manor, Nairobi
1 night · Nairobi · Best for: your first night in Kenya
A historic manor house on the edge of Nairobi, in a private sanctuary of Rothschild’s giraffes. They lean in at the windows at breakfast. One night lets you rest after the flight before you fly north.
- Breakfast with the giraffes
- A quiet first evening in the garden
Why I chose it: it is the gentlest start to a trip, and it books out far ahead.
Nights 2 to 4
Elephant Watch Camp, Samburu
3 nights · Samburu National Reserve · Best for: elephants, up close and by name
You fly north from Nairobi on a private charter, low along the Ewaso Nyiro river, to the hot, dry country of Samburu. Elephant Watch Camp is hosted by the Douglas-Hamilton family, and the guides here know the local elephant families individually.
Spend your days with elephant researchers, visit the Save the Elephants research camp to see how the herds are tracked, and look for species of the dry north: reticulated giraffe and Grevy’s zebra.
- Game drives with elephant experts who know the families by name
- A behind-the-scenes visit to the Save the Elephants research camp
- Sundowners on a hill, with Samburu dancers
Nights 5 to 7
Lewa Safari Camp, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy
3 nights · Lewa · Best for: rhino and conservation
A short flight south takes you to Lewa, a protected conservancy that is home to more than 130 black and white rhino, and to the endangered Grevy’s zebra. The camp has eleven tents, a log fire in the sitting room and a pool.
Visit the conservancy headquarters to meet the rhino and zebra scientists, and see how the satellite tracking works. The marshlands are a roost for grey crowned cranes.
- Rhino and Grevy’s zebra with the conservation team
- A bush lunch out in the conservancy
- A guided evening walk, or a quiet afternoon by the pool
- Sundowners over the open plains
Nights 8 to 10
Loisaba Tented Camp, Laikipia
3 nights · Loisaba Conservancy, Laikipia · Best for: space, views and a different way to see wildlife
Loisaba sits on the edge of an escarpment, with views across Laikipia to Mount Kenya. The tents are spacious, with big doors and windows, and the conservancy is huge, so you can spend days without meeting another vehicle.
Go out with the giraffe researchers who work here, and look for wild dog, though they are never guaranteed. You can also leave the vehicle altogether.
- Game drives with the giraffe researchers
- A camel trek through the bush
- Mountain biking and horse riding
- Nights under the stars on a star bed, if you like
Nights 11 to 13
House in the Wild, Maasai Mara
3 nights · Enonkishu Conservancy, Maasai Mara · Best for: ending in the Mara
The last flight takes you to the Mara, where I live. Three nights is long enough to stop rushing and let the conservancy set the pace. Days start with game drives and can go as slowly or as actively as you like.
- E-biking safari
- Horse riding safari
- Bush breakfast and shamba breakfast
- Sundowners at the end of the day
- Spa treatments to finish
Why I chose it: it is where I would send a guest to finish, with more than game drives to fill the days.
Optional upgrade: Wild Hill, also in Enonkishu Conservancy, yours alone for the whole stay. No other guests, just your own team and your own pace. Ask me about it when we plan.
Night 14
Nairobi
1 night · Nairobi · Best for: a calm finish
A last night in Nairobi before your flight home, so one late flight cannot cost you the trip. I choose the hotel with you, based on your flight times.
- Short flight from the Mara to Nairobi
- An easy evening, and a dinner to look back over the trip
Journeys like this start from US$1,500 per person per night.
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