Day 1 - Arrive in Nairobi

Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and after clearing customs & immigration, collect your luggage and meet your guardian angel at the Arrivals Hall who will transfer you to Karen Blixen Cottages, your home for the night.

Nairobi is the largest city between Cairo and Johannesburg. Though just south of the equator, it enjoys a spring-like climate. It is a modern city, yet its main avenues blaze with color from tropical bushes and vines. Less than 100 years ago, there was a river in an empty wilderness where Nairobi now stands. Nairobi has a wealth of international restaurants with worldwide cuisine available including Ethiopian, French, Italian, and Chinese. Several restaurants also offer local, Swahili favorites. Shopping in Nairobi varies from African clothing and craft shops to bazaar stalls and open-air markets where souvenir hunters find bargains ranging from woodcarvings to Persian carpets. There is also a thriving gemstone and tailormade jewelry industry in Nairobi offering rare and unusual local and regional stones.

Overnight: Karen Blixen Cottages
Meal Plan:

Day 2 - Ol Pejeta Conservancy

After breakfast, meet your driver guide at the reception and transfer to Wilson Airport for your flight to Kamok airstrip. On arrival, you are met by a Sanctuary Tambarare guide and transferred to the camp. You have time to settle in and have lunch before embarking on an afternoon game drive on this wildlife-rich conservancy.

Tucked in a grove of fever trees looking out across the Ol Pejeta Conservancy at the foot of Mt Kenya is Sanctuary Tambarare. Lion, leopard, wild dog, and Grevy’s zebra roam free in the 90,000-acre wildlife conservancy known for its rhino and chimpanzee conservation efforts. Decorated in blue, white, and tan, each of the ten spacious rooms enjoys fabulous views of the plains through floor-to-ceiling windows and from a private veranda. Colourful, comfy seats in the main area are the perfect place to relax after a day spent exploring the conservancy on a game drive, tracking lions, riding horses, cycling, or getting up close to the last two northern white rhinos left in the world. In the evening, gather around the campfire at the boma to share the day’s adventures with your favourite drink at hand.

Overnight: Sanctuary Tambarare
Meal Plan: B,L,D

Day 3 - Ol Pejeta Conservancy

After breakfast, set out on a morning ride with Najin and Fatu, the last two northern white rhinos in the world, in their Endangered Species Enclosure. The predator-free enclosure is also home to other species including the southern white rhino, Grevy's zebra, Jackson hartebeest, and other plains game. Being on horseback lets you get a little closer to the animals whilst hearing about the astounding efforts that the conservancy is going to in order to save this species from extinction.

Afterward, explore Ol Pejeta's open savannah and ride alongside a myriad of wildlife, from dazzles of zebras to towering giraffes.

Overnight: Sanctuary Tambarare
Meal Plan: B,L,D

Day 4 - Masai Mara National Reserve

Enjoy breakfast, bid the Tambarare staff farewell, and transfer to Kamok airstrip for your flight south to the Masai Mara. Upon arrival at the airstrip, your guides will meet and drive you to your first camp, set up on the banks of the Mara River adjacent to a teeming hippo pool. Lunch will be served and you will have a little time to relax before meeting your horses and setting off on your first gentle evening ride (about 2 hours).

Overnight: Mara River Hippo Camp
Meal Plan: B,L,D

Day 5 - Masai Mara National Reserve

Begin the day with an early morning ride, crossing the Mara River for the first time, and returning to camp for a light breakfast. After breakfast a game drive will be on offer, driving provides better photographic opportunities than from a horse and exploring more of this Northern part of the Mara which has much to offer. Return in time for lunch and a siesta before setting off on an afternoon ride. You have the option to set off in the vehicles once more for a sundowner and a short night game drive before supper.

Overnight: Mara River Hippo Camp
Meal Plan: B,L,D

Day 6 - Masai Mara National Reserve

Depart camp after breakfast at about 9 am, heading south towards the park boundary where you meet the river again at one of the famous wildebeest crossings. Cross the river and head southwest across the Mara Triangle, where you will enjoy a picnic lunch at around 12:30. After lunch and a siesta set off at about 16:00 and ascend the Soit Olololol Escarpment. Arrive at camp at about 17:30 on the edge of the escarpment and spend the night overlooking the whole Mara ecosystem.

Overnight: Escarpment Soit Olololo Camp
Meal Plan: B,L,D

Day 7 - Masai Mara National Reserve

Descend the escarpment after breakfast at about 9 am and ride across to the same wildebeest crossing on the river. Head in a westerly direction and descend into the enchanting Olare Orok Valley with a picnic lunch and siesta from about 12:30-15:30 on the way. Reaching camp in time at about 17:00 in time for tea, there should also be time to do an evening game drive and sundowners, before supper under the stars.

Overnight: Olare Orok Camp
Meal Plan: B,L,D

Day 8 - Masai Mara National Reserve

Today, you have a full day of exploring this glorious area on horseback, car, and possibly on foot. You will have excellent photo opportunities, getting close to buffalo, elephant, lion, and maybe cheetah or leopard.

Overnight: Olare Orok Camp
Meal Plan: B,L,D

Day 9 - Masai Mara National Reserve

Today is the longest ride of the trip covering nearly 50kms. Setting off at 7.00 am, enjoy a picnic breakfast stopping from about 10-11 am. Continue riding until 13:30, where you break again for lunch and a siesta after reaching Ol Kinyei Conservancy. At 16:00 head to the last camp, arriving at Olare Lamun (the rhino salt lick) nestled in a grove of acacia trees by a small stream at the southern edge of the Loita Plains.

Overnight: Olare Lamun Camp
Meal Plan: B,L,D

Day 10 - Masai Mara National Reserve

After an early wake up set off for a morning ride before returning to camp for a light breakfast. Then set out for a game drive and beautiful walk up the nearby hill called Oloiburmut, returning to camp for lunch and a siesta. At around 4 pm drive or ride to visit the local Masai Village.

Overnight: Olare Lamun Camp
Meal Plan: B,L,D

Day 11 - Nairobi - depart

Enjoy one last morning ride before saying goodbye to the horses. After a final breakfast, you will drive to the airstrip and fly back to Nairobi around 11 am, landing in Wilson at 12noon. You will be met by our guardian angel who will take you to a hotel where a day room has been reserved (there's time to do last-minute shopping) before transferring you to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in time for your evening flight home, or your onward destination.

Meal Plan: B