Tembea Kenya Mkenya

2 DAYS DAWIDA EXPRESS

DAY 1

Depart Mombasa in the morning driving along Mombasa – Nairobi Highway, where you will enter Tsavo East through Bachuma gate. Tsavo East is the biggest wildlife sanctuary in Kenya noted for its vast herds of red elephant (the red hue coming from the red soils of Tsavo) and a variety of games including Lions, Giraffes, Buffaloes, Zebra and waterbuck. With the Yatta plateau (the spine of a prehistoric lava flow) as a backdrop, game drive enroute while sighting for animals to arrive at the lodge in time for lunch. After a short siesta proceed for an afternoon game drive with a possible chance of visiting the Mudanda rock: - this is a 11/2km rock outcrop towering over a natural dam which is a nice view point to sight for animals coming to drink. It is believed that the ‘Dawida’ hunters of days gone by used to skin and dry their kill here there was a wide space for drying and high enough to notice any approaching danger. Game drive until late in the evening before returning to the lodge.

Dinner and Overnight at Sagala/Tsavo Park Hotel/Voi Safari Lodge/Tsavo Lodge

DAY 2

Before breakfast you have one more chance to go sighting for those animals that have proved elusive so far on your previous game drives. Drive leisurely back to Mombasa after breakfast with a brief stopover at Voi market for those who want to do a little fruit shopping before proceeding to your drop off point/hotel in the afternoon.

2 DAYS LAKE ELEMENTAITA

Day 1

You will be picked up from your hotel/pick up point and drive along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway as you embark on this adventure into the stunning region of the rift valley. Just past Limuru you will get your first glimpse of the wonder and magnificence of the rift valley where you will enjoy visiting Hell’s Gate National Park near Naivasha town. This park is one of only two lowland parks in Kenya and is home to the rare lammergeyer( these are birds of prey which feed on bone marrow). Common animals are Zebras, Thompson’s gazelles, baboons and a wide variety of birds though you may encounter the occasional cheetah, leopard or ostrich. Of interest also are the volcanic rock columns such as the Fischer’s Tower or the Central Tower and the lower Ol Njorowa gorge. From here proceed on to Lake Elemntaita lodge to arrive there in time for lunch. Lake Elementaita is one of the soda lakes with an abundance of algae, insect larvae, crustaceans and fish which makes it a paradise for many species of water bird especially the flamingoes. In the afternoon you will get a chance to check out the activities at the lodge. The activities include a walk to the lake shore, horse riding, visit to an ostrich farm, a visit to a Maasai village or a short visit of the Kariandusi Prehistoric site where excavations of numerous obsidian and lava tools made by early man can be seen. Also here is a museum with displays of a brief history of early human life (the periods between 1.4 million and 200,000 years ago) and the diatomite mines.

Dinner and Overnight at Lake Elementaita lodge.

Day 2

Depart from the lodge after breakfast and drive leisurely back to Nairobi past the numerous marketing points along the highway with a possible brief stop to shop for fruits and vegetables enroute. In Nairobi you will be dropped off at point of pick up/hotel.

2 DAYS FLAMINGO SAFARI

Day 1

Depart from Nairobi and drive along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway as you embark on your adventure into the stunning region of the rift valley. You will get your first glimpse of the wonder and magnificence of the rift valley when you make a brief stop at the Kijabe view point. On your descent into the Rift Valley, you will be able to view a memorial chapel built during the World War 2 and be graced with the spectacular views of the Longonot mountain (a dormant volcano) in the horizon. Just before Nakuru town you will enjoy visiting the Hyrax Hill Prehistoric site to view the excavated settlements dating as far back as 3000 years ago, the scant remains of the stone walled hill fort near the top of Hyrax Hill itself and several burial pits of this period. Proceed from here and arrive at Bontana Hotel in time for lunch. In the afternoon you get a chance to visit Lake Nakuru National Park where you will be able to sight for baboons, leopards, lions, ostrich, rhinos at the sanctuary, Rothschild giraffes, and the millions of birds blanketing the lake.

Dinner and Overnight at Bontana Hotel/Lake Nakuru Lodge/Sarova Lion Hill.

Day 2

After breakfast it is Kwaheri to Nakuru and a drive back to Nairobi with a short detour to visit the Menengai crater (it is an extinct volcano). Menengai crater offers excellent views of Nakuru and is also the site of some famous clan wars (a grim local legend has it that the little plumes of steam from the bottom are souls of the defeated Maasai warriors thrown into the crater after a territorial battle between factions making their way to heaven)! Drop off at your point of pick up/hotel.

2 DAYS KILIMANJARO DELIGHT

Day 1

Depart from Nairobi and head for Amboseli National Park with a brief stop at Namanga town (on the Kenya-Tanzania border) for a bit of sight seeing to arrive in time for lunch. This park is set at the foot of Africa’s highest mountain Mt. Kilimanjaro and boasts of a diversity of habitats; swamps and springs (fed by underground from Kilimanjaro’s melting snows), a dried-up lake bed, acacia woodland and delicate grassland. Game drive in the afternoon sighting for elephants, leopard, cheetah, buffaloes, tree climbing lions and numerous antelopes with a possible chance to visit observation hill.

Dinner and Overnight at Kibo Safari Camp

Day 2

Wake up to an early morning game drive with the cloud cover breaking to reveal the dazzling spectacle of the snow-capped Kilimanjaro in the background. Start sighting for the abundant wildlife and bird life found in this park. After breakfast depart from the park and drive leisurely back to Nairobi to be dropped off at your hotel.

3 DAYS GIKUYU NA MUMBI SAFARI

This is a safari that will highlight the roots of famous “Nyumba ya Mumbi” or now known as the Kikuyu tribe.

DAY 1

You will be picked up from Nairobi and drive past the numerous market points and rolling hills of central Kenya on your way to Mt Kenya (home of the ‘Atherere’ people) to arrive in time for lunch at Savage wilderness camp. After lunch proceed to Nanyuki for a visit of the Ol Pajeta Conservancy. Apart from seeing giraffes, antelopes, the big five (elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino) and visiting a Chimpanzee sanctuary, you will get a thrill of a lifetime when you pose for a photo with a real life tame rhino called ‘Moran’!!! On that very exciting note you will head for Naro Moru to arrive in time for dinner.

Dinner at Naro Moru River Lodge/Mt Kenya Hostel and Camp site(HB)

DAY 2

After breakfast you will check out of the lodge and leaving the jagged peaks of Mt Kenya drive leisurely through the intensively cultivated farmlands of central Kenya into the mountain ranges of Aberdare for check in at the Outspan Hotel. In the grounds of Outspan Hotel is a cottage where the founder of the Scout movement (Lord Baden-Powell) spent his final years. In the afternoon you will enjoy a wildlife drive in the salient (the dense rainforest in the Aberdare National Park) to sample the game and birdlife such as leopard, elephant, buffalo, lion, the rare elusive bongo antelope and the giant kingfisher.

3 DAYS TAITA ADVENTURE

DAY 1

Depart Mombasa in the morning and drive along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway into the land of the Taita (Dawida/Davida) people. Enter Tsavo East national park via bachuma gate and start sighting for the buffalo, elephants, ostrich, zebra and numerous antelopes arriving at the lodge in time for lunch at Voi Safari Lodge. Tsavo boasts of over 60 species of mammals and a variety of birdlife. It is in this park that the famous Man-Eaters of Tsavo roamed in days gone by. With the panoramic views of the Yatta plateau proceed on an afternoon game drive with a possible chance of visiting Mudanda rock, Aruba Dam, and Kanderi Swamp these being drinking points for the wildlife around.

Dinner and Overnight at Voi Safari Lodge/Tsavo Lodge/Lionhill.

DAY 2

Early morning game drive and return for breakfast to the lodge. Proceed to Tsavo West National Park which is divided from Tsavo East by the Nairobi-Mombasa highway. On entering Tsavo West National Park, you will enjoy sighting for the wildlife and birdlife on your way for check in time for lunch. In the afternoon with the precipitous magnificence of the Ngulia escarpment looming ahead you will enjoy game sighting for elephant, buffalo, warthog, rhino, lion, with a visit to Mzima springs (replenished with two hundred and twenty million litres of crystal-clear water every day from an underground massif known as Chyulu Hills) which is the main source of Mombasa’s water supply. Since the water is crystal clear, there is an observation platform and an underwater glass tank which provides a special vantage point to view this remarkable oasis.

Dinner and Overnight at Tsavo Inn/Hunters Lodge/Bandas.

DAY 3

After breakfast you check out of the lodge and head back to Mombasa to be dropped off at your respective hotel.

4 DAYS NAKURU/BARINGO

DAY 1

Pick up from your hotel in the morning and drive along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway with a short stop at one of the numerous view points to catch your first glimpse of the stunning escarpments of the Rift Valley. On reaching Nakuru you will detour to visit the Menengai crater (it is an extinct volcano). Menengai crater offers excellent views of Nakuru and is also the site of some famous clan wars (a grim local legend has it that the little plumes of stem from the bottom are souls of the defeated Maasai warriors thrown into the crater after a territorial battle between factions making their way to heaven)! From here proceed to Lodge/Hotel for lunch. In the afternoon enjoy visiting Lake Nakuru Park and sighting for buffaloes, baboons, giraffes, rhinos, leopards and the numerous birds by the lake.Dinner and Overnight at Lake Nakuru Lodge/Bontana Hotel/Midland Hotel DAY 2 :Leave Nakuru after breakfast and drive past the spectacular ridges and escarpments of the Tugen Hills plus huge termite nests to visit Lake Bogoria National Reserve. Here you will enjoy seeing the exceedingly hot springs and geysers plus sighting for the wildlife (including the rare greater Kudu) coming to drink at the lake. Proceed to Lake Baringo arriving there in time for lunch. In the afternoon you can enjoy a boat-ride to visit the picturesque islands to see fish eagles feeding or a cultural visit to the pokot, Tugen or Njemps villages close to the lake.Dinner and Overnight at Roberts Camp/Lake Baringo Club/Soi Safari Lodge DAY 3:Drive along the Eldoret-Marigat road past the stunning views of tree covered ridges and valleys of this region where you will have a chance to visit one of the high altitude training camps in Iten. At the camp you will enjoy seeing some of the activities our athletes go through in preparation for major athletic events and get a chance to meet and jog alongside (optional) such famous runners as Moses Tanui, Paul Tergat, Felix Limo, Martin Lel to name a few. You will visit Sirikwa hotel in Eldoret town where you will partake a mouth watering lunch before driving leisurely back to Lake Baringo to arrive in time for dinner.Dinner and Overnight at Roberts Camp/Lake Baringo Club/Soi Safari Lodge DAY 4:After breakfast you will bid this beautiful land with striking scenery goodbye and drive leisurely back to Nairobi to be dropped at your hotel/point of pick up. 5 DAYS CATCHMEGA MAYOO SAFARI DAY 1:You will be pick up by a Travel Africa representative and head for the beautiful landscapes of the rift valley towards Lake Nakuru national park. Along the way you will have a brief stopover at the Kijabe viewpoint where you will behold the stunning views of the escarpments of the Great Rift Valley (considered one of the wonders of the world) and halfway down you will see a memorial chapel built during the World War 2. Proceed on with the dramatic and spectacular views of the Longonot mountain (a dormant volcano) in the background into Nakuru to arrive at your Lodge/Hotel in time for lunch. After a short siesta it is time to go sighting for the marvels and wonder of this beautiful lake park. Get to witness the stunning bird spectacle as million of flamingos’ blanket the lake. Apart from the prolific birdlife, this park is home to the Rothschild giraffe, has a designated rhino sanctuary and is most likely place to chance a glimpse of a leopard.Dinner and Overnight at Lake Nakuru lodge /Bontana hotel DAY 2:Depart after your breakfast and drive along the Nakuru-Kisumu highway enjoying the numerous market points as along this route arriving in Kisumu in time for lunch. In the afternoon you will have a chance to either visit the Hippo point, the Impala and Bird sanctuary or a ferry ride to the nearby Mfangano Island. A visit to the Kisumu museum will arm you with information on the Luo people and their culture. This is the land of the famous “Nyatiti” a traditional musical instrument.Dinner and overnight at Sunset Hotel/Imperial Hotel DAY 3:Depart Kisumu after breakfast and proceed to Catchmega (Kakamega) enjoying the beauty of so many market places along this route. A brief stopover at Mbale market will allow you visit the Maragoli cultural centre arriving in time for lunch at your hotel. While you are here you will enjoy a visit to the legendary weeping stone of Maragoli or a visit to Kakamega Forest Reserve (a world famous equatorial rainforest) where you will see the primate centre home to the rare red tailed monkey and walk in the tranquility of the massive trees and thick undergrowth. This is where you will experience the “Mayoo” fight (this is the famous bull fighting of the luhya people) blended with an ‘Isikuti dance. If you are lucky you can also experience a circumcision ceremony. Dinner and Overnight at Golf Hotel/Bendera Hotel DAY 4:Proceed to Kericho after taking your breakfast enjoying the views of lush greenery of the farmlands, marketing points along this route, giant anthills (as you approach Kericho) and vast plantations of tea! tea! and more tea in the tea capital of western Kenya arriving in time for lunch at your hotel. In the afternoon you will get a possible chance of getting a guided tour of the tea plantations or guided river walks.Dinner and Overnight at the Tea Hotel/Garden Lodge/Kericho Lodge/Fish Resort DAY 5:After breakfast you will bid ‘Kwaheri’ to Kericho and drive past the rolling farmlands of Molo and Njoro on your way back to Nairobi with a stopover for lunch at Naivasha town. Arrival in Nairobi will be in the late afternoon at your drop off point/Hotel. 7 DAYS MWAMBAO CLASSIC DAY 1:You will be picked up in the morning from Nairobi and driven along the Namanga road on your way to Amboseli National Park. At Namanga town you will get a chance to sample the Maasai wares on sale at this border town before proceeding into the park. This park is renown for its’ dazzling spectacle of the snow-capped Kilimanjaro (at dusk or dawn the cloud cover breaks to reveal the peaks in all their snowy splendour). Game drive enroute to the lodge/camp to arrive in time for lunch. In the afternoon with Kilimanjaro acting as a majestic backdrop, enjoy a game drive sighting for lion, cheetah, elephants, hyena and a host of other plain game ( a possible visit to the observation hill is an added treat).Dinner and Overnight at DAY 2:After breakfast depart and proceed to Tsavo West via the shetani lava flow (a 50sq km expanse of folded black lava) where you can stop to admire natures wonder before continuing with your game drive to arrive at the lodge/camp in time for lunch. In the afternoon game drive sighting for wildlife and a visit to the Mzima springs (a series of clear pools from below a lava ridge and the main source of water for Mombasa town). The water is so clear you can see what is happening in it!Dinner and Overnight at DAY 3:After breakfast set off for Tsavo East (divided from Tsavo West by the Nairobi-Mombasa highway) with a game drive on entering to arrive in time for lunch at lodge/camp. On your game drive in the afternoon, sight for the red elephants, lions, buffaloes, antelopes, hippo with other points of interests being the Mudanda rock (a 11/2km rock outcrop towering over a natural dam at its base), the scenic Lugards falls and the Aruba Dam.Dinner and Overnight at DAY 4 :Depart from Tsavo East and enjoy a leisurely drive to Mombasa arriving at your designated hotel in time for lunch. ‘Mombasa Raha’ it is now time to relax in the cool ocean breezes off the Indian Ocean.Dinner and Overnight at DAY 5 & 6:Your day is spent at leisure.Overnight at DAY 7:After breakfast your bid goodbye to your coastal stay and head back to Nairobi. Optional a drive back to Nairobi or a flight back. TRAILS OF SHIMBA HILLS With the cool morning breeze blowing on your face from the Indian ocean, embark on your drive into the Shimba hills, a land of rolling meadows, farmland and a tropical rainforest. This is the land of the ‘Sengenya’ dance and ‘Kaya Digo’ and ‘Kaya Duruma’ (part of the Mijikenda people). Game drive enroute sighting for buffalo, elephant, giraffe, Columbus monkey, the rare and impressive Sable antelope (Lions and Leopards are often heard but rarely seen) arriving in time for lunch at the Shimba tree lodge. After a short siesta its time for your game drive with a possible chance of visiting the Sheldricks falls coming back in time for dinner. In the evening from the safety and comfort of the three-storeyed tree-top lodge, you will watch as the animals flock to a flood-lit watering hole to drink.Dinner and Overnight at Shimba Lodge After breakfast depart from this hidden paradise and drive back leisurely enjoying passing glimpses of the people of this area to arrive at Golini Resort for a sumptuous and mouth watering lunch. You will be dropped off at you hotel in the late afternoon. OVERNIGHT MWALUGANJE Drive south from the Likoni ferry passed the rugged, beautiful country and rolling farmlands of Kwale and proceed along the valley of the Cha Shimba river into the Mwaluganje Elephant sanctuary. On entry drive through forest and bush to arrive in time for lunch at the camp. This sanctuary is a community-based conservation project created along an ancient elephant migration route between the Shimba Hills National Reserve and the Mwaluganje Forest Reserve. In the afternoon you will enjoy sighting for elephants, zebras, antelopes, sykes’ monkey and unusual plants such as the rare cycad forest (a palm-like plant species) on your game drive. In the evening you will enjoy the traditional African evening camp fire and mouth watering meal while listening to the hoot of an owl, a yelp of a jackal, the trumpeting of an elephant and occasionally the cough of a distant leopard.Dinner and Overnight at Travellers Mwaluganje Elephant Camp. After breakfast, bid ‘Kwaheri’ to this land of elephants and drive leisurely back to be dropped at your pick up point/hotel. SHIMONI CAVE ADVENTURE Drive along the Mombasa - Lungalunga road into the heart of Digo land. Begin to feel the excitement of the local life as you pass through the scenic countryside of coconut groves, cashewnut plantation, mango trees, cassava and maize farms to the ancient seaside village called Shimoni which means place of the hole in Swahili. Here you will step back in time as you fall under a magical spell of centuries past. Brace yourself for a short walk from the jetty you will descend down a ladder through a hole in the ground and get a chance to visit a series of huge limestone caves that were once used as slave prisons. The slave traders are said to have literary jam packed their human cargo into these ill ventilated caves pending shipment to overseas markets. These very caves tell a very sad, heart stabbing story just by walking through them (stories of suffocation due to congestion, hunger and ill treatment at the hands of the slave masters). From Shimoni, the Wasini boat will take you to Wasini Island where you will get a chance to visit the ruins of 18th and 19th century houses of slave masters as well as a pillar tomb, the coral gardens and mingle with the local people. You will lunch at the Wasini Island restaurant and laze around afterwards before taking the boat back to the mainland. Drive back to Mombasa and your drop off point/hotel holding your treasure of memories close to you. KOLONGONI DELIGHT Drive along the MBA-MLD highway via Mavuweni into Kolongoni village of Kaloleni town noticing along the route very green lush looking fields with hundreds of thousands of spiky plants growing in straight lines. This plant is called sisal and you might chance seeing workers cutting and loading it into tractor wagons. This is the Rea Vipingo sisal Plantation. Begin to feel the excitement of local life as you pass through the scenic countryside of coconut groves and mango trees. On this tour you will visit a local school and experience the life style of the Jibana, Chonyi and Giriamas’(part of the Mijikenda people). Mijikenda is derived from the word ‘Midzichenda’ meaning nine villages. Walk into a typical day in the life of the local people, observe them pounding maize in their traditional wooden mortar and grinding the same with the circular stone grinding stones for flour, gather vegetables(such as ‘Mpea’ (cassava leaves), ‘Tsatsatsa’ (pumpkin leaves), ‘Mchicha’, ‘Mtsunga’) from their small shamba. Watch how the men scale the palm tree to tap for palm wine (Uchi wa Mnazi), observe others weaving baskets and mats for use in the homestead. The life of the local people is intertwined with the spirit world thus a witchdoctor commands a position of respect and most of the time instills fear in most and so you will get to visit the village witchdoctor and see him/her at work either healing the sick or casting away evil spirits from the afflicted. Walk back to the pulsating beats of ‘Mabumbumbu’ drum, shrills of whistles, shaking of shoulders, swaying of skirts and thumping of feet (it is time to unwind and have a good time for the hardworking villagers). Depart from Kolongoni village and proceed to Haller Park at Bamburi for lunch. This is a reclaimed quarry which supports a forest in which the park is now situated. After lunch you will enjoy a nature walk through this park visiting ‘Mzee’ the tortoise, a tilapia fish farm, a reptile park, view crocodiles, a wildlife sanctuary and meet Owen and family at the hippo pond.