KENYAN SAFARI The Ultimate

| BY HELÉNE RAMACKERS

As far as bucket lists go, Kenya is at the top of many safari aficionados and seasoned travelers’ lists. The fabulous team at Great Plains Conservation had specially designed my itinerary. I was nervously excited to visit for the first time, but I knew I was in for an incredible time.

VIP meet & assist from Tradewinds Aviation Services did a great job processing a late-night arrival at Jomo Kenyatta airport after a direct flight from Cape Town to Nairobi on Kenya Airways. Tradewinds assisted with each step of getting through customs and passport control. Next, I was handed over to the delightful Great Plains driver Joseph, who is also a tour guide. He imparted loads of useful knowledge and alerted me to various interesting buildings and attractions in Nairobi. With an early flight by Safarilink the next morning, I was staying overnight at the vibrant The Social House in the leafy suburb of Lavington, situated to the west of Nairobi city. The rooms are comfortable with quirky color accents, and four different restaurants are on the property.

Joseph collected me for my flight with Safarilink departing from Wilson Airport, the gateway from Nairobi to destinations such as the Maasai Mara, Mombasa, Amboseli, Lamu, Kilimanjaro Diani, Lokichogio and Nanyuki. I flew to Mara Olkiombo, where I spent two nights at Mara Expedition Camp in the Mara North Conservancy. The camp is on private land with easy access to the spectacular Mara North Conservancy. I was collected at the airstrip by guide Frank, who suggested a minigame drive en route to the lodge. We encountered a lone Mara giraffe that found shelter under the shade of a tree, a handsome male lion that took a walk across the plains, some Topis, several Thomson’s gazelle with their newborns, and small herds of Burchell’s zebras.

Mara Expedition Camp opened in the second half of 2021, and the feeling of Africa’s safari era resonates with the atmosphere of yesteryear. Awaiting my arrival were camp managers JP and Dee, bar manager Julius, chef Pemba, and waiter Moses. The welcome was warm, as is the custom at all Great Plains properties. Guests are encouraged to spend time regaling tales of the day sans mobile devices in the communal area. Without realizing it, a few hours can easily be filled with getting to know someone new and relishing the stories they tell over a delicious lunch or dinner. It is a wonderful way to connect with people and disconnect from the incessant technological interruptions that rule our everyday lives. The six spacious canvas tents are beautifully designed and echo safari chic. Each tent contains a large bedroom with a desk and chair, a bathroom with double vanities, a hot and cold shower, and a flush loo.

Game drives featuring abundant wildlife take place in the 70,000-acre Mara North Conservancy. Frank stopped by a cacophony of Rüppell’s griffon vultures, Hooded vultures, Marabou storks, and white-backed vultures that fought over the remains of a zebra. Other sightings included a banded mongoose, a Martial eagle, a baby eland, a blue-headed tree agama, five different leopards, and the most glorious lion sightings.

Leaving for Mara Plains Camp in the 32,000acre Olare Motorogi Conservancy, ranger Duncan collected me for the 15-minute intercamp transfer for one night at Great Plains Conservation’s first-ever camp in Kenya. This camp is part of the exclusive Réserve-Collection by Relais & Chateaux, where guests stay in the finest accommodation and dine on high-end plant-based cuisine at each Great Plains Camp. Following a gentle facelift in 2023, Mara Plains Camp now sports stunning wooden Zanzibari doors at guest entrances, as well as the addition of a large, theatrical, interactive kitchen on the left-hand side of the central main dining area. My large, tented suite was positioned at the end of a wooden walkway, and the hippos were having a spirited time below in the Ntiakitiak river. The interiors, designed by Dereck and Beverly Joubert, co-founders of Great Plains, are rem-iniscent of plush colonial living, with wooden accents and the exquisite freestanding copper bath, a signature piece in many Great Plains camps. Camp managers Stella and Douglas, chef John and waiter Sammy ensured that I was well taken care of during my stay

We departed for our game drive after a delectable farm-to-table lunch. Having been a guide for three years, Duncan is in tune with what guests would like to see, and he did not disappoint. Lying in the shade of a tree, two cheetah brothers were having a catnap, and further afield, we stumbled upon a pride of lions at sunset with the most adorable cubs.

My final stay on this epic Kenyan journey was at Mara Nyika Camp, a magnificent camp in the 50,000-acre Naboisho Conservancy. Guests are ensured exclusivity in superiorly large tents under the umbrella-like canopies of acacia trees during their stay. Assistant camp manager Tikani, waiter Mike, butler Memusi, and chef Livingstone all played a part in making my stay unforgettable. My tent was near the central area, where leather couches make you want to linger longer. It might have had something to do with the immediacy of the kitchen and the mouth-wateringly fresh fare whipped up for guest enjoyment. Walking to my suite, I stopped by the on-site boutique, and I was pleased to see that they stock the enticing D&B Explorer Collection, which they have at every camp. Coveting the stunning leopard print scarf for a while now, I can finally buy it! The on-site boutique is the place to shop for guests wanting to be stylish on safari.

The accommodation at Mara Nyika Camp were vast – the tent houses three rooms – a lounge, a bedroom, and a bathroom. Staying here was the perfect way to conclude a trip of a life-time, but not before I ventured out onto the Naboisho Conservancy. I was fortunate to have had Lenkuma as my guide for the duration of my stay. The area is undoubtedly lion territory, with three prides of varying ages. My favorite sighting was that of three lionesses with three small cubs, whose playful antics had fellow guests clamoring for their cameras. Another highlight was finding a pride of 13 lions, with the younger ones attempting to climb a tree. All too soon, it was time to leave, but not with-out promising to return one day as I have left a piece of my heart in Kenya.

How To Book with Karell Travel

Run by spouses Norman and Cathy Pieters, and son Craig, Karell Travel is renowned in the travel industry for its commitment and personal attention to orchestrating customized trips to Southern and East Africa.

Karell Travel kindly sponsored my international flights between Cape Town International Airport and Nairobi International Airport on Kenya Airways.

To book a trip, email land@karell.com or call them toll-free at +1 800 434 1323.

6-13% TargetNetIRR

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Interview with FarmTogether Founder ARTEM MILINCHUK

In this issue, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Artem Milinchuk, Founder and Head of Strategy of farmland investment manager, FarmTogether. FarmTogether is making a name for itself in the world of real estate–the company is bringing exclusive access to some of the most extraordinary farmland opportunities across the U.S. while providing investors with a historically strong, uncorrelated asset.

In this interview, Artem delves deeper into what makes this investment so attractive, why investors previously have not had access to this lucrative asset, and the opportunity he saw with FarmTogether.

How does farmland differ from traditional real estate? What sets this asset apart?

Farmland is a subset of real estate that has historically provided investors with many of the same perks as more common real estate options, like reliable cash flow, land appreciation, and diversification benefits.

What differentiates farmland from real estate is its risk-return profile. Farmland has delivered historically higher returns than stocks, bonds, and even real estate, and with much less volatility.

Since 1992, the NCREIF Farmland Index has delivered average annual returns of 10.71%––outperforming real estate (8.39%), stocks (9.58%), and REITs (9.43%). These returns are even more impressive from a risk perspective––farmland's annual volatility was 6.64%, compared to the S&P 500’s volatility of 17.80%, and real estate’s volatility of 7.62%.

This performance can be attributed to the inherent demand for food and the finite supply of farmland. People will always need to eat.

How does farmland differ from other agricultural investments, such as commodities?

While farmland investments do provide some exposure to the commodities market, the two investments are fundamentally different, not only in terms of the underlying assets but also in terms of overall risk and return profiles.

Farmland investing involves ownership of the actual land, which is then rented or leased to an operator to generate income. This actually helps to hedge against this price volatility in commodity markets through fixedlease agreements or other management structures.

In contrast, investing in commodities typically involves ETFs that track the price movements of crops, like corn or wheat, and other commodities.

How has farmland performed amidst the heightened market volatility we’re seeing today?

Throughout the last three years farmland has continued to demonstrate its resiliency. While stocks and bonds ended 2022 with negative dou-bledigit returns, farmland posted a positive annual return of nearly 10%. The data speaks for itself.

What

was the opportunity you saw with FarmTogether?

When I was first introduced to farmland nearly a decade ago, I was impressed with its remarkable risk/return/diversification profile and strong long-term fundamentals. I quickly found, however, that the asset was widely underutilized and, more importantly, widely unheard of.

Only around 14% of the dollar value of all U.S. farmland is financially backed by investors located in a U.S. market that is nearing $3 trillion in value.

This was a massive missed opportunity, and the idea for FarmTogether was born.

How does FarmTogether work?

We’re providing investors with unparalleled access to farmland via multiple products: our Bespoke Offerings, which start at $3m, our Sustainable Farmland Fund, which requires a single allocation of at least $100k, and our crowdfunding platform for a lower minimum of $15k. We also support 1031 exchanges. This accessibility is groundbreaking, and we’re proud of it.

Investors can browse and invest in various opportunities across the U.S. via our digital platform. We pride ourselves on our rigorous due diligence process; less than 1% of all deals that enter our pipeline are eventually offered on our platform.

Tell us about your agricultural holdings. Where are these deals located and what crops do you invest in?

Our firm is currently approaching $200M in assets under management across more than 40 farms, 8 states, and 14 crop varieties.

We specialize in both permanent and row crops in prime growing regions across the U.S., focusing on properties in California, the Pacific Northwest, and the Midwest.

When do I collect a return on my investment?

FarmTogether typically targets net IRRs of 6-13% with target net cash yields ranging from 2-9%, both net of fees.

Farmland produces returns through income via rental payments and sales from farming operations and land appreciation. Appreciation will be realized upon the sale of the property. Lease payouts are typically made on a quarterly, semi-annual, or annual basis.

How do I qualify for each product?

Our platform is open to both accredited and institutional investors.

Anything else you can share with us?

The continued demand we’re seeing for farmland investments, coupled with the growth FarmTogether continues to witness, is strong validation for our mission to increase accessibility to this asset class.