What To Expect

Day 1: Today your cultural tour begins

• Today we pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to Wilson Airport for the 45-minute flight to Nanyuki, which is a small town in the scenic foothills of Mount Kenya. We then embark on a drive to the camp in eastern Laikipia, which is about a two-hour drive north of Nanyuki. The camp will be your home for the next four nights. Laikipia lies northeast of the Great Rift Valley and is a vast plateau where landowners and conservationists have created a special place for communities and wildlife to coexist. The camp looks westward toward a series of granite kopjes (outcrops of rock), and in the foreground you might see zebra, giraffe and antelope on the open grasslands. The camp features six spacious walk-in traditional safari tents decorated with colourful African furnishings and fabrics, and the home-cooked food is always varied, fresh and tasty. In the evenings we have drinks, or sundowners, overlooking the bush or by the fire and three-course dinners under the stars.

  Duration: 8 hours

  Admission Included: NOT_APPLICABLE

Day 2: Safari walks and amazing wildlife
• Laikipia

  Your amazing safari starts in earnest. Away from roads and vehicles, guests have a unique opportunity to take leisurely walking safaris around the camp and conservancy and take in the wide-open spaces and wildlife that Laikipia is famed for. These might include eland, hartebeest, steenbok, giraffe, Grevy’s zebra and buffalo and lucky visitors may even see spot elephants, lions and wild dogs. You never quite know what you will see and that's the exciting thing about this camp. It has a high density of wildlife that will leave you in awe. Each walking safari is tailor-made to suit guests’ abilities and you walk for as long as you feel comfortable, and you will also be accompanied by camels that carry your heavier cameras, refreshments and day-packs. You will also learn about the local ecosystems and traditions from the Laikipia Samburu and Maasai guides. So what you do each day is entirely up to you and how you feel. You can walk, ride a camel or hop in the 4 wheel drive.

  Duration: 8 hours

  Admission Included: YES

Day 3: Each sunrise brings anticipation and new adventures
• Laikipia

  If you prefer, you can stay at camp and let the wildlife come to you. There are wonderful views across the plains from your tent and a salt lick right beside the camp which attracts the wildlife. Other activities include game-viewing by vehicle along the Ewaso Ng'iro River, which is an excellent spot to watch elephants and other animals come to drink and rock-climbing in the kopjes. And as the area has a very rich traditional culture, there’s the option to visit a local market where all the warriors and women come dressed in their finest adornments. So what you do and when you do it, is all determined by you and your guide. It is the personal service and enthusiasm of the guides and their knowledge of the local area which ensure you will have amazing wildlife viewing opportunities. And every morning the guides will give you the latest in terms of where the wildlife is likely to be found.

  Duration: 8 hours

  Admission Included: YES

Day 4: You never get tired of finding and observing the wildlife
• Laikipia

  By now you have settled into the rhythm of life in the camp and all that it has to offer. Whether you start early or later in the day, where you do a short walk or a long one, is entirely up to you. But you will be enthralled by the sheer number of wildlife sightings that you have. It's the ultimate eco tour. Your low eco footprint is the hallmark of all wildlife safaris and your hosts have been the leaders in this field for many years. And on top of all this, you will capture some amazing moments both in terms of wildlife images and also with the local people. Your presence on this safari supports the local people who provide the guiding services, fantastic meals and who look after all your needs throughout the four days you are at the camp. And long before the terms 'eco friendly' was in vogue, your hosts were educating all about responsible and sustainable travel and wildlife conservation.

  Duration: 8 hours

  Admission Included: YES

Day 5: Today we leave the camp, fly back to Nairobi for the cultural tour experience to begin
• Nairobi

  After breakfast and a hearty goodbye from the camp team, enjoy the last drive in Laikipia back to the airport at Nanyuki, and after your flight arrive at Wilson Airport. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. The hotel will be your base for the next three nights as you head out on three inspiring day trips to meet some remarkable communities in and around Nairobi. On this night, and for the next two nights, you'll enjoy dinner at restaurants the locals love in Nairobi. We always choose somewhere interesting to eat and have lots of fun. The restaurants are chosen for their excellent food and service and we take into consideration what the group likes to eat and whether there are children in the group. So the ambience of the restaurants is always a great consideration. Dining out at restaurants is a great way to relax, discuss and ask questions that come to mind about the various communities and projects we visit and what you have seen over the last few days.

  Duration: 8 hours

  Admission Included: NOT_APPLICABLE

Day 6: Today we meet an amazing group of women
• Ngong Hills

  Today we visit a Women's Empowerment Centre in a developing area in the west of Nairobi, which is one of the projects we support. The center was started by Mary a Kenyan social worker, who developed a program to help struggling mothers by teaching them lifestyle, trade and entrepreneurial skills so they can set up their own businesses. The results have been phenomenal as the mothers are able to transform into independent business owners and community leaders, and crucially support and keep their families together. A cultural tour like no other. You will spend time with Mary to learn about her vision and meet some of the proud and resourceful women. The experience will show you how teaching empowerment and skills can lift people out of poverty. The day is likely to be one of the most emotional and inspiring days you will ever have. And be prepared to join in the singing and dancing which inevitably takes place on such visits.

  Duration: 7 hours

  Admission Included: YES

Day 7: Today you will meet incredible Kikuyu grandmas

• There are many grandmother-headed households in Kenya who care for their grandchildren among other generations of their family in difficult economic circumstances. Today you visit a rural Kikuyu community of delightful and resourceful grandmothers who will show you their pig-farming operation. This is another project that we support, and the initiative aims at improving the livelihoods of the grandmothers by economically empowering them through small-scale farming. Sit down with the grandmothers while they cook traditional meals for their families and you, enjoy some joyful singing and dancing, and listen to them narrate their powerful stories about progress and resilience. You will probably be in awe of how grandmas, in their 70's are embarking on business careers at a time when others would be considering retirement. These grandmas are securing their families future and you will no doubt leave with great respect for them. Another part of the cultural tour which is revealing.

  Duration: 7 hours

  Admission Included: NOT_APPLICABLE

Day 8: Today you are going to become an honorary Maasai