This 10 day wilderness safari will have all your senses on overdrive, tracking Africa’s big game, intimately exploring the ecology and smaller aspects of an ecosystem. Do away with everyday luxuries; carry only what you need, traverse wilderness shared only by wildlife and occasionally pastoral communities practicing centuries-old traditions.
There are few more exhilarating experiences than being on foot in the presence of animals such as elephants and lions. Being out of a vehicle gives you full connection to your senses and the earth you stand on. You will inevitably feel vulnerable, but this quickly turns into a sense of awe and a greater ability to interpret animal behavior and contextualize. The ultimate goal is to walk as if you belong, to minimize any disturbance and possibly even go undetected, giving you a candid look into an ecosystem behaving entirely naturally.
This wilderness safari is perfect for the individual traveler hoping for a deeply personal experience, or even for a group of friends or colleagues who will relish both the personal and team development opportunity
It is an experience that cannot be summed up in words.
Nairobi
Land Cruiser 4×4 or Mini Bus
Total isolation in a mountainous forest setting
Kitich Camp is a truly remote and private location set in a pristine forest on the upper slopes of the Mathews Mountains (also known as the Lenkiyio Hills). The camp has guarded this vast natural forest for more than 40 years and was originally set up in the 1970s as a private hideaway for his friends by the celebrated hunter and conservationist Miles Burton. The forest covers some 900 square kilometres of Mathews Mountains’ peaks, which soar so high above the lowlands that the BBC described the area as a “biological bonanza” on a “sky island”. This is not game-driving country, so Kitich stands alone. By day, guests explore forest trails and mountain streams on foot with Samburu guides who know this area intimately and will edify you with their descriptions of the hardwood trees, cycads, orchids, birds and butterflies. Enjoy a swim in a clear mountain pool. At night, watch elephant, buffalo, bushbuck and occasionally leopard drink from the floodlit river.
For those in search of an iconic safari experience in Kenya, look no further than the luxurious Elephant Bedroom Camp on the banks of the Ewaso Ng’iro River, a waterway that runs through the heart of the Samburu National Reserve. The camp itself is shaded by doum palms in a green belt of riverine forest, with lovely river views. This elegantly simple camp is reminiscent of a bygone colonial era. Here you’ll feast on delicious cuisine beside the river, while keeping an eye out for passing elephants. Samburu National Reserve is home to more than 900 elephant, large predators (lion, cheetah and leopard), wild dog, rare species such as the Beisa oryx and 450 recorded bird species. Daily game drives are offered in open-sided safari vehicles and guided by accredited safari guides. Bush breakfasts and dinners, picnic lunches and bush walks can be arranged through your guide. Visit local villages, attend a lecture on Samburu culture, and end the day with sundowners on the riverbank.
Feel what the early explorers must have experienced when they first arrived in the vast wilderness of the Masai Mara. Devoid of imposing buildings and large groups, Elephant Pepper Camp opened its canvas tents more than 20 years ago as one of the original camps in the Mara North Conservancy and remain true to their principles: it’s about the wildlife. Without compromising on luxury, you’ll spend evenings around the campfire and long days enveloped in the savanna. Open-sided vehicles are fitted with camera stands and charging sockets to make the morning and evening drives as immersive as possible. Game drives are longer than average. Guided walks bring you closer to the bush to discover animal tracks, flowers and micro-ecosystems. Special walks for kids are also available. Visit the Masai village to get a feel of how the people of the Kenyan bush live. Far removed from the other lodges, this is the true heart of Kenya.
You will be transferred to the airport for your onward journey
