Transfer Option:

DAY 1 ~ On arrival in Nairobi you will be met at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and transferred to our small home and farm near the Ngong Hills.  Alternatively we will meet you at your hotel at about 8 am.  Over a cup of Kenyan tea or coffee your professional guide, Gordon Church, will give you a briefing on your safari. We then drive for approximately 5 hours out through the fertile Kikuyu highlands to the edge of the Great Rift Valley, into which we descend 2,000 feet. The panorama of grassland studded with volcanic mountains is home to an animal kingdom unrivalled anywhere else in Africa. Our route takes us up over the Mau Escarpment and through the Masai trading town of Narok. We fork south onto rough roads, reaching our private camp at the foothills of the Loita Mountain Range in time for a late lunch. Camp is established beneath giant yellow-fever acacia trees and is a popular roost for olive baboons and vervet monkeys. The afternoon is spent settling-in, followed by a short ride to familiarise ourselves with the horses.

Meal Plan : Lunch and dinner in camp.
Overnight : Private Mobile Tented Camp ~ Barkitabu, Masailand.

DAY 2 ~ The morning and afternoon is spent on horseback exploring the beautiful Loita Hills and the surrounding countryside. We ride through acacia thickets and open plains in search of Burchell’s zebra, East African eland, warthog, Cape buffalo, Grant’s & Thomson’s gazelle and Masai giraffe. There is a variety of birdlife to enjoy, including the African Scops owl, superb starling, secretary bird and the white-backed vulture.

Meal Plan : All meals in camp.
Overnight : Private Mobile Tented Camp ~ Barkitabu, Masailand.

DAY 3 ~ Our first full day in the saddle takes us across the Loita Plains, past Kaitapini Hill and down onto the Shangalara lugga (dry river bed) for a picnic lunch. We enter the Olare Lamun valley and find our camp situated near a spring used by the Masai to water their cattle, a favourite haunt for both lion and leopard. Herds of impala, white-bearded wildebeest, Coke’s hartebeest and topi inhabit the neighbouring scrubland.

Meal Plan : Breakfast and dinner in camp. Picnic lunch in the bush.
Overnight : Private Mobile Tented Camp ~ Olare Lamun, Masailand.

DAY 4 ~ After an early breakfast we saddle up and trek across the open savanna, interspersed with acacia, wait-a-bit brush and leleshwa (wild sage) woodland. We ride along the base of Oloiburmut Hill, before returning to camp for lunch. This area is home to a number of Masai manyattas (villages).  Throughout the safari we have several opportunities to learn about, and, most importantly, enjoy the company of the Masai - a tribe of semi-nomadic people to whom the land belongs. Those who are interested may visit a small and remote primary school for the Masai children and in the late afternoon we visit a nearby manyatta of the local Masai “chief”. His constant company is a highlight of the stay here - a great friend of Gordon’s, he loves to serenade guests with stories of Masai tradition and lore.

Meal Plan : All meals in camp.
Overnight : Private Mobile Tented Camp ~ Olare Lamun, Ol Kinyei Conservancy.

DAY 5 ~ A pre-dawn wake-up call prepares us for a long ride over vast rolling plains skirting the southern end of the Bardamat Hills.  We canter across the Koiyaki Plains to a picnic site on a small escarpment overlooking the Masai Mara Game Reserve. Now riding within the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem, the increase in the abundance of wildlife is immediately apparent. We reach camp located in a glade of riverine forest on the Olare Orok river. A large campfire and extra vigilant syces (grooms) keep watch at night to make sure that nocturnal predators remain at a safe distance!

Meal Plan : Breakfast and dinner in camp. Picnic lunch in the bush.
Overnight : Private Mobile Tented Camp ~ Olare Orok, Masai Mara North Conservancy.

DAY 6 ~ A day of rest for the horses, we set off in our customised 4x4 safari vehicles to photograph the wildlife at close quarters. We can expect to see spotted hyena, cheetah and elephant. An afternoon walk with the Masai morran (warriors) is also an option.

Meal Plan : All meals in camp.
Overnight : Private Mobile Tented Camp ~ Olare Orok, Masai Mara North Conservancy.

DAY 7 ~ We ride in a northerly direction through a spectacular secret valley, gently winding our way along the southern bank of the Mara River, looking out for the crocodiles and large pods of hippo that frequent this area. The riverine forest is home to a variety of tropical birds including the rare Ross's turaco. The concentration of game, especially during the wildebeest migration (July to October) is breathtaking. We arrive in camp in the middle of the afternoon.

Meal Plan : Breakfast and dinner in camp. Picnic lunch in the bush.
Overnight : Private Mobile Tented Camp ~ Kiboko Bend, Mara River, Masai Mara North Conservancy.

DAY 8 ~ We explore the Masai Mara by horse or vehicle to photograph wildlife including lion, leopard, silver-backed jackal, impala and waterbuck. If water levels permit we may cross the Mara River on horseback and ride underneath the spectacular Siria Escarpment - a msmall wilderness area rarely visted. 

Meal Plan : All meals in camp. 
Overnight : Private Mobile Tented Camp ~ Kiboko Bend, Mara River, Masai Mara North Conservancy.

DAY 9 ~ After saying “goodbye” to the horses and camp staff, we return by aircraft to Nairobi.  Day rooms are booked so that one may shower and relax before international flights home. For those interested in shopping, a trip to find East African gemstones, bronze sculptures, Africana jewellery and other curios can be arranged.

Meal Plan : Breakfast in camp. SAFARI ENDS

                Subject to change

All these personal effects should be packed into a duffle bag or soft bag. Clothing should be in safari khaki / neutral colours.

Specialized traditional mobile safaris under canvas with the inclusion of small luxury lodges. Our private camps are pitched in the most beautiful areas. We prepare delicious food, fix the best cocktails and provide large and comfortably furnished tents. Steaming showers under the stars, big towels, warm duvets and hot water bottles, are just a few of the features in camp. Our friendly and skilled camp crew takes care of everything.

This trip includes some wine with dinner and can accommodate special dietary requests.

Over twenty-five Somali-Arab crossbred horses, the majority of which have been bred and raised at home.  They are familiar with being amongst big game, have great endurance and are very evenly tempered.  Each young horse spends nearly a year on safari acclimatising with the wilderness environment before being ridden by a guest. We ride English, using French cavalry trekking saddles. They are extremely comfortable.

Tack:		English using handmade pigskin, french trekking saddles
Horses:		Anglo Arab or Somali Crossbred
Pace:		Moderate with long trots and canters, 3-8 hrs | Walk | Trot | Canter | Gallop |
Level:		(3 to 3 out of 5)    Intermediate+
Age:		Min 8	Max 80
Weight:		Max 215
Riders:		Min 6 riders	Max 12 riders

Over twenty-five Somali-Arab crossbred horses, the majority of which have been bred and raised at home.  They are familiar with being amongst big game, have great endurance and are very evenly tempered.  Each young horse spends nearly a year on safari acclimatising with the wilderness environment before being ridden by a guest. We ride English, using French cavalry trekking saddles. They are extremely comfortable.

Passports
Passport valid for three months from date of entry required by all nationals referred to in the chart with at least one blank page.

Visas
Required by all nationals referred to in the chart above except the following:
(a) all holders of a re-entry pass to Kenya.
(b) 1. Nationals of Cyprus.
Visa Note
(a) All nationals referred to in the chart above may obtain a visa on entry in Kenya. (b) Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses). (c) Multiple-entry visas may only be issued to nationals of the United Kingdom.
Types of Visa and Cost
Single-entry: £35. Multiple-entry: £70. Transit: £15. On arrival: US$50.
Note: If the application is referred to Immigration in Nairobi, an additional £7 will be payable.
Validity
Single-entry: up to three months from date of issue; Multiple-entry: one year from date of issue. Renewals (up to six months) or extensions can be made at Immigration in Nyayo House, Uhuru Highway, Nairobi or at Kisumu and Mombasa. The period of stay in Kenya can be given at the port of entry (maximum three months).
Applications to:
Consulate (or consular section at embassy or high commission); see Contact Addresses.
Working Days Required
Three (applying in person) or one week from date of receipt (postal applications). If the visa has to be referred to Nairobi, it will take up to six weeks or, in some cases, longer.