Kenya - Featured Trips

Do you find your wildlife safari experience more important than how many golden taps your accommodation has? Then this is your Kenya wildlife safari. This trip offers an exceptional and exclusive wildlife experience with high quality guiding. All game drives are conducted in customised 4x4 safari vehicles taking a maximum of only 6 passengers. All driver/guides are wildlife experts and certified by the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association. The exclusive bush camps are located in private wildlife conservancies away from the tourist minibuses in both Amboseli and Masai Mara, but at a fraction of the safari lodge prices!

The advantage of being located in a private conservancy is not having to share the wealth of wildlife with 100's of other tourists. In addition, walking safaris with Maasai guides and night drives are allowed in these areas. At the same time, the conservancies are conveniently located with easy access to the Amboseli National Park and Maasai Mara Reserve.

You will need a sense of adventure! You stay in real bush camps on small camp sites with just 6 dome tents with solar lighting. You will need to be prepared to sleep on comfortable mattresses with sleeping bags on the floor. Each tent has a private bathroom, located straight behind, but not part of the tent with flush toilet, basin, and safari shower. The bush camps are surrounded by thorn tree bushes, chain-link and/or post fences for added security.

Amboseli National Park is located at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain, and within easy reach from Nairobi (approx 240 km south-east of Nairobi / 4 hrs drive). Kilimanjaro's snow-capped peak rising above the clouds dominates every aspect of Amboseli. In the years gone by, this is where famous writers, such as Ernest Hemingway and Robert Ruark created their stories of big game hunting in the wilds of Africa.

The Amboseli was established as a national park in 1974. It covers about 390 square kilometers supporting a wide range of mammals (with more than 50 of the larger species) and 400+ recorded bird species. The park encompasses dry lake beds, savannah woodland and extensive swamps constantly fed by springs from the mountain. The water and seasonal lakes attract a wide variety of bird and animal life, in particular herds of elephant. Amboseli is one of the best parks in Africa to observe family groups of elephants and large bull elephants at close quarters.

The Selenkay Conservancy boundary is 15 km north of Amboseli National Park within the Amboseli ecosystem. It is an important dispersal area and rangeland for wildlife migrating out of the park. In May 1997, the local Maasai community decided to set aside the area as a reserve for wildlife, so that its habitat could be protected and wildlife conserved. This is when the local community entered into a partnership agreement with Porini Safari Camps and Gamewatchers Safaris.

Selenkay Conservancy is well off the beaten track and has not been visited by tourists until fairly recently. It lies in the heart of Maasailand and the animals are truly wild and not fully habituated to vehicles as yet. The number of tourist visitors staying within the 6,000 ha large Selenkay Conservancy is limited, so as to retain the wild and unspoilt nature of the area and to minimise the impact on the environment. The following animals can be spotted within the conservancy: elephant, lion, leopard, cheetah, striped hyena, jackal, bat-eared fox, caracal, African wild cat, serval cat, genet cat, honey badger, mongoose, zorilla, porcupine, Thompson's & Grant's gazelles, grey bush duiker, gerenuk, impala, oryx, lesser kudu, eland, zebra, wildebeest, waterbuck, giraffe, warthog, yellow baboon, and vervet monkey. Birdlife is prolific and the conservancy is particularly good for birds of prey.

The Maasai Mara National Reserve is considered by many as Kenya's top wildlife safari area. The Maasai Mara is about 1700 square kilometer large, but adjoins the Tanzania's Serengeti forming one large ecosystem. The Serengeti/Mara ecosystem is particularly well-known for its annual Wildebeest migration, when 1,000s of zebras and wildebeest move across its plains following the rains in search for fresh grazing areas. From June to September the migration can be encountered in the Mara, the most northern part of the Serengeti ecosystem. The open rolling savannah grassland of the Mara is however the home to a wide range of wildlife year round, including elephant, rhino, lion, cheetah, leopard, hyena, jackal, buffalo, eland, topi, impala, gazelle, warthog and zebra.

The exclusive wildlife conservancy of Ol Kinyei is one of the most beautiful areas in the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. It is pristine wilderness area with open savannah plains, riverine forest, springs, streams and rivers, rolling hills, and spectacular views across the Mara. Ol Kinyei also belongs to a Maasai community, who have recently set aside the conservancy as a sanctuary for wildlife.

The 6,500 ha large conservancy holds a wide range of animal species for which the Mara is famous, including a large resident pride of lions, as well as several leopards. Cheetahs are frequently spotted and buffalo and elephant are often encountered in large numbers. The wildebeest migration from the Loita plains passes through Ol Kinyei and into the Mara Reserve. As with the Selenkay Conservancy, the number of tourists allowed to stay within the Ol Kinyei Conservancy is limited, allowing an exclusive wilderness experience for about 25 guests only.

Meet & greet at Nairobi airport or city hotel pick up and transfer by minibus to the Selenkay Conservancy in the Amboseli National Park (approx. 4 hrs drive). You will make a stop en-route to buy your choice of drinks for the next 3 days. Arrival at Selenkay Bush Camp for a late lunch.

After a short siesta, you will go out on your first game drive to explore the Selenkay Conservancy. All the big cats have been seen in the conservancy, as well as elephants, giraffes, zebras, and antelopes. Less commonly spotted animals include the long-necked gerenuk gazelle, lesser kudu, and African wildcat. Overnight at Selenkay Bush Camp on FB basis.

After an early breakfast spend the morning on a game drive in the Selenkay Conservancy and a guided nature walk with Maasai guides, after which you will return to camp for lunch. In the afternoon you will visit a nearby Maasai village to learn more about their traditional way of life before enjoying a night game drive with spotlight to seek out the nocturnal animals, as you head back to camp in the dark in time for dinner. Overnight at Selenkay Bush Camp on FB basis.

Early breakfast and drive through the bush into Amboseli National Park itself for a full day game drive. Amboseli offers great views of Kilimanjaro and close-up viewing of elephants, as well as many other animal species. Return to camp later in the afternoon after a picnic lunch. Overnight at Selenkay Bush Camp on FB basis.

After breakfast leave the Selenkay Conservancy and drive back to Nairobi to Wilson Airport. Here you will catch an afternoon flight to the Mara, arriving at around 16.00 hrs. Upon arrival at the Mara airstrip, you will be transferred to the Ol Kinyei Bush Camp for quick check-in before heading out on an evening game drive. The conservancy offers some of the wildlife the Mara is famous for. Return to camp for dinner. Overnight at Ol Kinyei Bush Camp on FB basis.

Wake up at dawn and enjoy an early game drive in the conservancy on the lookout for big cats. Return to camp for a late breakfast followed by an Maasai guided nature walk and then lunch. Later in the afternoon, you will enjoy another game drive in the Ol Kinyei Conservancy with a night drive as you head back to camp to see the nocturnal animals. Overnight at Ol Kinyei Bush Camp on FB basis.

An early breakfast followed by a full day of game viewing in the Maasai Mara Reserve with a picnic lunch. Return to the camp late afternoon for dinner. Overnight at Ol Kinyei Bush Camp on FB basis.

After a final short early morning game drive in the conservancy and breakfast, you will leave camp for a 4 hour drive back to Nairobi for your onwards travel arrangements.

Both Ol Kinyei and Selenkay Conservancies are community owned wildlife areas, helping to conserve Maasai land and at the same time provide employment and income for the local community not only as waiters and cleaners, but also in senior positions, such as head chef, head guides, and wardens. Take-home earnings of individual members are over USD100 per month for the most junior staff, which is significantly higher than the norm in remote rural areas. Community owned land now generates a healthy cash flow for its Maasai community, that increases annually at no direct expense to the community.

£1,080 per person sharing (Dec-Mar and Jul-Oct). Safari not operational during November and Apr-Jun period.

Prices based on min. of 2 people travelling and Peak Season supplements may apply.
Child policy: minimum age of 12 years.

Prices vary slightly according to date of departure, so please contact us for an exact quote. This itinerary is also available with an international flight on British Airways or Kenya Airways. BAOBAB Travel is an ATOL bonded tour operator (ATOL 9168).

Terms and Conditions apply. Price is subject to availability and subject to change due to currency fluctuation.

3 nights Selenkay (Amboseli) Bush Camp on FB basis with mineral water
3 nights Ol Kinyei (Mara) Bush Camp on FB basis with mineral water
Hire of sleeping bags & towel
Transfer by minibus Nairobi-Selenkay-Nairobi
Internal flight from Nairobi-Mara
Transfer by minibus Mara-Nairobi
All game drives (day & night) in 4x4 safari vehicle with experienced driver/guide
Guided bush walks and local village visits
All conservancy and park fees

Drinks other than mineral water
Items of a personal nature
Tips and gratuities
Travel insurance
Visa cost
International flights