Kenya with the Safari Collection: 8 Night Special

On the first day of your trip, you’ll touch down at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), receiving a VIP Meet and Greet. From here, you’ll have a shared road transfer to Giraffe Manor. The Manor is situated within 5 hectares of land bordering forest in the suburb of Langata. Featuring lavish lounges, dining areas, and guest rooms, the property provides a luxurious stopover before your time on safari. Couples and honeymooners will stay in Lynn’s Room, a seriously sumptuous option named after one of the Rothschild giraffes, while families will love spending the night in the very well appointed Karen Blixen Suite. And the highlight of any stay here is the opportunity for interactions with the long-necked lovelies, whom you can meet in the grounds and during breakfast, when they poke their necks through the windows for a few tasty treats! Other things to do include visits to the nearby African Fund for Endangered Wildlife’s Giraffe Centre, in addition to on-site boules and croquet.

Board basis and activities:
Game-package accommodation, including all meals, a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, transfers between the manor and JKIA, transportation around the Karen and Langata area (within check-in and check-out times), entrance to the A.F.E.W. Giraffe Centre, boules, croquet, Wi-Fi, dining in Orchid House, and a laundry service. At extra cost, spa services are available.

On Day 2, you’ll have a shared road transfer from Giraffe Manor to Wilson Airport, flying from Wilson to Sasaab’s airstrip (1 hr 30 mins). With Swahili and Moroccan-inspired décor and a lovely riverside location, Sasaab is a fantastic base from which to explore the reserve. Communal spaces include a comfortable lounge and elegant dining area, under a high thatched roof. In the grounds, there’s a spacious swimming pool! The property has just nine rooms, each featuring a generously proportioned open-air bathroom, a pleasant veranda, and a private plunge pool. If you are travelling as a family, you could request the family suite, which benefits from a shared living area. Activities focus on viewing the reserve’s wildlife, on game drives, walks, camel rides, and fly camping. There’s plenty of big game here, not least lion, leopard, and elephant. You can also look out for the ‘Samburu Special Five’ – reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, Beisa oryx, gerenuk, and Somali ostrich. The reserve is home to hundreds of bird species too! Cultural visits are also available, offering opportunities for children to make traditional bows-and-arrows and a toothbrush from a tree known as the ‘toothbrush tree’.

Board basis and activities:
Game-package accommodation, including all meals, a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, bush meals, sundowners, all activities bar fly camping (by prior arrangement only and sometimes involving the exclusive hire of a vehicle at US$406 per day), transfers between the lodge and the local airstrip, cultural visits, and a laundry service. At extra cost, spa treatments are available.

For the final part of your trip, you’ll return via shared road transfer to Sasaab’s airstrip and fly to Keekerok Airport (1 hr 45 mins), before another shared transfer to Sala’s Camp. This camp is situated near the Sand and Keekorok rivers confluence, an area of the Maasai Mara that’s very popular with wildlife! There’s a large mess tent where you can relax and enjoy some fine dining, as well as a fire-pit where everyone gathers to share their safari stories. Guest accommodation consists of seven tents, including a honeymoon tent that also functions as a family unit and incurs an additional cost. All tents benefit from a well-appointed en-suite bathroom and a deck complete with private plunge pool! Sala’s offers expertly guided game drives and, at extra cost, hot air balloon rides. The Maasai Mara is a dream destination for wildlife fans all year round, with residents including all Big Five, numerous smaller predators and herbivores, and ample birdlife. If you visit during the period from July to October, you can look out for the huge herds of the Great Migration, pushing up into the Mara region to find food! The camp’s staff can provide special activities for children too.

Board basis and activities:
Game-package accommodation, including all meals, a selection of alcoholic and soft drinks, bush meals, sundowners, game drives and other camp activities, bush volleyball, nature walks, children’s activities, and a laundry service.