BA B K A SAFA R I D E SI GN E D BY JA M E S RO BE RT S O N
K E N YA 2 3 rd D ECEMBER 2 0 1 9 3 rd JAN UARY 2 0 2 0
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I T I N E R A R Y
O V E R V I E W
E M A K O K O - S H O M P O L E W I L D E R N E S S - TA N G U L I A - L A I K I P I A W I L D E R N E S S - E M A K O K O N A I R O B I - S O U T H E R N R I F T VA L L E Y - M A S A I M A R A - L A I K P I A - N A I R O B I
23rd DECEMBER 2019 - NAIROBI
On arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport you will be met by your guides and transferred to the Emakoko on the edge of Nairobi National Park for one night.
2 4 t h - 2 6 t h D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 9 - S O U T H E R N R I F T VA L L E Y
After breakfast and a gentle game drive through Nairobi NP we will �ly you by private charter west into the Great Rift Valley. You will have three nights at Shompole Wilderness Camp.
27th - 30th DECEMBER 2019 - MAASAI MARA
Next we �ly you west into perhaps the best known area in the World for Big Game: the Maasai Mara. You will have four nights at Tangulia Camp on the Mara River.
3 1 s t D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 9 - 2 n d JA N UA RY 2 0 2 0 - L A I K I P I A
For your last three days we head north to Laikipia where you will spend three nights at Laikipia Wilderness Camp.
3 rd JA N UA RY 2 0 2 0 - NA I RO B I
On your last day you will return to Nairobi and be based back at the Emakoko for the remainder of the day before your �light home.
R E G I O N S
B A B K A FA M I LY S A FA R I I T I N E R A R Y This fabulous 12 day safari showcases Kenya’s most drammatic scenery and wildlife-rich areas; the Southern Rift, Maasai Mara and Laikipia.
D AY 1
NAIROBI E M A KO KO
D AY 2 - 4
Lake Turkana
SOUTHERN RIFT VA L L E Y
Lake Logipi
SHOMPOLE WILDERNESS D AY 5 - 8
MAASAI MARA TA N G U L I A D AY 9 - 1 1
LAIKIPIA
LAIKIPIA WILDERNESS D AY 1 2
NAIROBI E M A KO KO
You begin with a night on arrival in Nairobi National Park which is close to both airports and has superb plains game, both black and white rhino, and big cats.
Lake Baringo
Ewaso Nyiro River
Samburu
Shaba
Lake Bogoria
Lake Victoria
After this we head west to the Maasai Mara which has incredible wildlife year round. Abundant herbivores graze the savannah and are followed by all the big cats; lion, leopard and cheetah. Good elephant here too.
Equator
Mt. Kenya
Lake Nakuru Masai Mara
We will then �ly you into the Great Rift Valley over the �lamingo fringed Lake Magadi to Shompole where you will have time with the Maasai people of this area. Great walking here and fun kayaking and tubing the Southern Ewaso Nyiro River.
Lake Naivasha Nairobi Tana River
Lake Magadi Amboseli
Ts a v o Watamu
Mombasa
Lamu
We then head north to Laikipia, where you will see the arid specialists that thrive in this landscape. There is a chance of African wild dog here and also good elephant. Superb walking too. On your last day we will bring you back to Nairobi, you will have the opportunity to visit the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage. There’ll be time to shop but also just to relax back at the Emakoko before your �light home.
K E N YA
‘ S A FA R I ’ i s t h e S w a h i l i w o r d f o r ‘ a j o u r n e y ’ a n d K e n y a e v o k e s n o s t a l g i a f o r t h e e a r l i e s t o r i g i n s
of the African safari. Romance and adventure are plentiful in the classic stories told in ‘Out of Africa’ a n d ‘ B o r n F r e e ’, i l l u s t r a t i n g K e n y a ’ s s c e n e r y, w i l d l i f e a n d p e o p l e , w h i c h h a v e e n d u r i n g a p p e a l .
Kenya is a sovereign state achieving political independence from the British in 1963. Since, anxious times have been de�ied, mainly due to its dynamic people who are amongst the most colourful in East Africa. Friendly and hospitable, the Kenyan people rely heavily on tourism.
Located on the east coast of Africa, the Equator bisects the country resulting in a tropical climate, although diverse geography provokes wide variations in temperature, rainfall and humidity. In relation to size, the assorted landscape is unparalleled and the multitude of national parks and reserves all have their own unique attractions. Marine reserves boast coral reef gardens with palm fringed beaches and turquoise oceans, while the savannah grasslands exhibit quintessential depictions of imagined Africa, harsh trackless expanses, solitary �lat - topped acacias and incredible concentrations of plains game.
Kenya remains one of the best places in Africa to see great wildlife – lions, elephants, leopards and of course the annual ‘wildebeest migration’ streaming into the Masai Mara from Tanzania. The East African Rift Valley runs through the country from top to bottom and provides stunning landscapes of giant volcanoes, hot springs and �lamingo sprinkled lakes.
Dominated by Lake Turkana, the ancient source of the Nile, the Rift Valley lakes are some of the most picturesque in Africa. The formation of the Rift created Mt Kenya, the second highest peak in Africa, some three millions years ago. “The spiritual home of safari, Kenya is where it all began. From the big cats of the Mara to the elephants of Amboseli, combined with traditional tribes, real tented camps and an unparalleled physical diversity, Kenya has it all. ”
Uganda
KENYA Lake Victoria Rwanda Burundi
Tanzania
Zanzibar
“A c o n t i n e n t i n o n e c o u n t r y ” Sandor Carter
T H E
E M A K O K O
Uniquely positioned on the edge of the Nairobi National Park, this elegant lodge is a spectacular way to start or end your safari.
The Emakoko is a family-owned and run
offers a wealth of treasures all locally
Nairobi National Park. It is located a short
Take a game drive in one of the most unique
lodge, artfully built into the side of a valley
on the Mbagathi River which borders the 45 minute ride from both airports in Nairobi city.
5 rooms are located on the same level as the
airy main dining and lounge areas and a
further 5 rooms are at the top of the lodge, perched on the cliff overlooking the valley and with the most spectacular views. All
are ensuite and beautifully furnished with
contemporary African �lair in rich chocolate browns, creamy beiges and crisp white linens.
Deep, comfortable chairs nestle
around your own stone �ireplace.
Whether you are enjoying an Emakoko
cocktail in the viewing area or simply a
coffee by the pool overlooking the river, relaxation
is
assured.
The
Emakoko
crafted in Kenya.
game parks in the world, Nairobi National Park, or visit the community that borders it.
An excursion in the environs of Nairobi to visit the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, the giraffe centre or the local shops may be more appealing.
“The park is home
to lion, leopard & rhino, all of which range
within spitting distance of camp, while hippo
and impala are known to frequent the
l o d g e ’ s g r o u n d s .”
EAST E R N R I F T VA L L E Y L A K E S
T h e K e n y a n R i f t Va l l e y i s a s e c t i o n o f t h e 6 , 0 0 0 k i l o m e t r e G r e a t R i f t Va l l e y, a g e o l o g i c a l w o n d e r o f t h e w o r l d . T h e K e n y a n s e c t i o n c o m p r i s e s o f 8 l a k e s o f w h i c h 3 a r e f r e s h w a t e r, a n d t h e r e m a i n i n g 5 a r e a l k a l i n e . The lake series begins in the north on the Ethiopian border, where the Rift Valley is deepest, with the largest lake, Turkana, widely known as the Jade Sea due to the remarkable greenish-blue colour of its fresh waters. Still north of Nairobi are lakes Logipi, Baringo, Bogoria, Nakuru, Elementeita and Naivasha, surrounded by a rugged, barren countryside contributing to the haunting nature of this spectacular scenery.
The shallow soda lakes of Logipi and Bogoria display the evidence of volcanic activity through the presence of spurting steam and geothermal pools, against the dramatic white shores of crystalised salts. Lake Baringo is the second largest of the Kenyan Rift Valley lakes, fed by 2 rivers, El Molo and Ol Arabel; its freshwaters providing an oasis in the extremely arid surrounds. At the heart of the lake is Ol Kokwe Island, an ideal base from which to explore by boat, as the lake is well stocked with �ish, hippo, crocodile and more than 470 species of bird. Nakuru and freshwater Naivasha are the most visited due to their famous �lamingo populations, a pulsing pink carpet of life feeding on crustaceans and the lake-bed algae. Nakuru has the added attraction of an abounding park which protects populations of the endangered Rothschild giraffe and both
black and white rhino, providing also the best chance of seeing leopard in Kenya. South of Nairobi, lies Lake Magadi, known for its stunning landscapes and exquisite colourations which echo the changes in the light. With many activities offered, including hiking, birding, boating, �ishing, biking, rock climbing and the observation of world class bird and wildlife; the rich natural bounty of these lake regions guarantees an exciting adventure from onset to conclusion. LAKE TURKANA LAKE LOGIPI
LAKE BARINGO LAKE BOGORIA Lake Victoria
LAKE NAKURU
LAKE ELEMENTEITA LAKE NAIVASHA Nairobi LAKE MAGADI
SHO MPO LE
WILDE RN E S S
A small luxury tented camp nestled in the shade of giant �ig trees on the banks of the
E w a s o N y i r o R i v e r i n t h e S h o m p o l e C o n s e r v a n c y o n t h e b o t t o m o f t h e G r e a t R i f t V a l l e y. Located between Lake Magadi and Lake Natron, the conservancy is a large, privately operated concession area in the south of the Great Rift Valley in Kenya. The camp is located in the Shompole group ranch, and is collaboration between the local Maasai community and Shompole Wilderness Ltd, a company owned by established tour operators and safari guides and a Swiss trained hotelier. Your hosts at the camp will be the local Maasai and long-time supporters and residents, Johann du Toit and his family, who have lived and worked in the area for over ten years.
A dry climate, hottest in October and November and most likely to be wet in April and May, the �lora are adapted to semi-arid conditions and include umbrella thorn trees and the colorful toothbrush tree. The main source of water is the Ewaso Nyrio which orignates in the Mau forest to the north and �lows into Lake Natron. There are riverine thickets along the banks of the river. Wildlife include giraffe, buffalo, elephants and desert antelope such as gerenuk and oryx.
Early morning and late afternoon game drives enhance your chances of sighting a big cat and a visit to the Shompole swamps, waterfalls or soda lakes with fabulous �lamingos is a must. The camp is however, very aware of the fragile environment so tracking and walking based activities are high on the agenda. Floating down a river passing huge �ig trees, baboons and monkeys is a highlight as this river is surprisingly, crocodile free.
The 4 luxury tents stand in the shade of a giant �ig tree and are very private with plenty of space between them. Ensuite facilities have bucket showers and lighting in the tent is all solar. The camp has no electricity or internet access and the phone signal is extremely weak. This is a true get away from it all; a refuge from daily life where you can be at one with nature both in mind and body.
“A p h o t o g r a p h e r ’ s p a r a d i s e , an escapist’s UTOPIA,
b e a u t i f u l , w i l d a n d a u t h e n t i c .”
M A S A I
M A R A
P r o b a b l y t h e b e s t k n o w n a r e a i n t h e Wo r l d f o r B i g G a m e -
t h i s e x t r a o r d i n a r y r e s e r v e i s f a b u l o u s f o r w i l d l i f e t h r o u g h o u t t h e y e a r. Almost 450,000 acres of rolling grasslands, make up the Masai Mara Reserve and Conservancies, bordered by mountains to the north and east and the Siria escarpment to the west. The permanent meandering rivers traced by deep forest snake across the savannah. The Mara’s proximity to Lake Victoria, which creates its own weather patterns, ensures that the area receives much higher rainfall than the Serengeti ecosystem.
This crucial fact enables millions of animals, including gazelle, zebra and antelope, to survive through the driest time of year. After the short rains the fresh grass attracts many herbivores, and predators! An hour can pass in nail-biting anticipation as a cheetah conducts a painstaking stalk of her prey, only to lose her meal at the last moment when the wind changes.
Only in the Mara does the whole spectrum of life and death, birth and growth seem to be there for you, right before your eyes. Most documentary wildlife �ilmmakers choose the Mara due to the abundance and easy access to wild animals here.
Watch the peculiar quality of the light, and the shadows of the clouds on the plains, the strange optical illusions of the distant herds silhouetted along the horizon. Light and shadow, rock and grassland, predators and prey, this is quintessential Africa.
Lake Turkana
Lake Victoria
MASAI MARA
Mt. Kenya N.P
Nairobi Amboseli
Serengeti N.P Ts a v o N.P
T A N G U L I A
M A R A
S i t u a t e d o n p r i v a t e l a n d o n t h e w e s t e r n b o u n d a r y o f t h e M a r a R e s e r v e , Ta n g u l i a a l l o w s f o r e a s y a c c e s s i n t o b o t h t h e T r i a n g l e a n d R e s e r v e p r o p e r. B o t h a r e a s h a v e a r i c h b i o d i v e r s i t y a n d o f f e r p r i m e w i l d l i f e viewing and, during the migration ready access to the main crossings.
This small and intimate camp is solely
open-fronted
owned”.
River. The camp has expansive views south
Maasai owned and aims to demonstrate that Community Conservation can be “home
It is a great alternative to the
traditional cattle-owning way of life of the
Maasai people and recognises the potential on their doorstep.
building,
overlooking
Olotulo Murt Salt Lick, frequented by wildlife, and which leads down to the Mara and eastward across the Mara.
With over twenty-�ive years of guiding visitors to the Mara the team at Tangulia are
more than quali�ied to give their guests a truly authentic insight into the Maasai Mara
and have a deep knowledge of the fauna and �lora here.
Game drives in the Mara Reserve or Triangle
are the main attraction but Tangulia also
offers uided walks on the slopes of the escarpment outside the Reserve.
TANGULIA MARA is a traditional safari
camp built on a rocky hill. The mess – living
room and dining area – is a thatched and
the
“A c a s u a l l y c o m f o r t a b l e
tented camp, combining EXCEPTIONAL wildlife with a contemporary e x p e r i e n c e .”
L A I K I P I A
I n t h e c e n t r a l h i g h l a n d s o f K e n y a , s t r e t c h i n g f r o m M o u n t K e n y a i n t h e e a s t t o t h e R i f t Va l l e y i n t h e w e s t is a 2.149 million acre area of semi-arid grassland and bush savannah known as the Laikipia Plateau.
This region serves as a portal to Kenya’s remote and wild, Northern Frontier and is a patchwork of cattle ranches and tribal lands that have been amalgamated under the umbrella of eco-tourism.
The Laikipia Wildlife Forum promotes this collaboration and is an incredible example of successful conservation whereby ranchers and pastoralists encourage the practical co-existance of people, livestock and wildlife. The desire to truly understand all the inhabitants of this natural environment is illustrated in the large number of research and community conservation projects within the area. Straddling the Equator at altitudes of between 5,000 and 8,000 feet, this secluded part of Africa is incredibly scenic, comprising of magni�icent escarpments which descend into open grasslands, basalt hills, lonely kopjes and riverine forest, fed by rivers sourced on the slopes of Mount Kenya. This diversity attracts considerable animal numbers and is home to the highest number of endangered species in East Africa. Half the population of black rhino, Kenya’s second largest elephant population, the fastest growing wild dog population on the
continent and the globally threatened Grevy’s zebra have all found their home in Laikipia. This is a unique and fascinating wildlife experience when adding the animals that occur solely in central and northern Kenya, such as the reticulated giraffe, Jackson’s hartebeest, gerenuk and Somali ostrich. With such an array of plains game come the predators and Laikipia is home to signi�icant numbers of lion, cheetah and the ever elusive leopard.
Lake Turkana
LAIKIPIA Lake Victoria
Mt. Kenya N.P
Masai Mara
Nairobi Amboseli N.P
Kilimanjaro N.P
Ts a v o N.P
L A I K P I A
W I L D E R N E S S
L a i k p i a , m i l e s a n d m i l e s o f u n f e n c e d w i l d e r n e s s , b e a u t i f u l s c e n e r y,
wildlife that is on the increase and in greater numbers than anywhere else in Kenya except the Mara. Laikpia has a perfect climate, wonderful people still very close to their traditions and proud, and the freedom to explore this haven any way you can imagine. A small and personal bush camp with just 5 tents catering for 10 guests, ensuite open air bathrooms with hot and cold running water. The camp has beautiful views of Mt Kenya and the wilderness and blends sympathetically into this stunning area of true wilderness. The tents are each built on a platform with a private veranda and behind the tent an ensuite bathroom made of natural materials which is partially open to the skies allowing you to shower under the stars.
The large mess tent is the central reception area with dining room, sitting room and library. Outside there is an open veranda on a wooden deck where we gather at night. There is a viewing point with a camp�ire where we often eat under the stars.
Each day is made an adventure, from game drives to walking safaris which can be focussed on speci�ic interests such as photography, tracking game on foot, following speci�ic species and watching animal behaviour. Amidst this scenery there are large numbers of elephants in smaller herds than in some parts of the country, a sign of being unstressed. Reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, hippos, buffalo, warthog, lions, hyenas, bat-eared foxes and lots of antelope species are all commonly seen. Of the more exciting and interesting species you may not �ind elsewhere we are lucky to have excellent leopard sightings, striped hyena, aardwolf, aardvark and not least, some of the best wild dog sightings in Africa.
“Laikpia is like nowhere e l s e i n A F R I C A .”
E L E P H A N T
O R P H A N A G E
Daphne Sheldrick was the �irst person in the entire world to successfully hand rear newborn fully
milk dependent African elephant orphans, something that spanned 28 years of trial and error to achieve. Located on the edge of Nairobi National Park, the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is home to some 20+ baby elephants. Ranging in age from a few weeks to several years, a visit here is a must for any animal lover.
To date, the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust has successfully hand-raised over 200 infant elephants, and 17 black rhinos. It has also accomplished its long-term conservation priority by effectively reintegrating over 100 orphans back into the wild herds of Tsavo. These hand-reared elephants are fully established and living free amongst their wild peers in Tsavo, some returning with wild born young to show their erstwhile human family. The older orphans are based within Tsavo East National Park at either of 2 established rehabilitation centres for the gradual process of the re-integration, with others in early infancy are at the Trust’s Nairobi National Park Elephant and Rhino Nursery.
The Trust has trained a team of competent elephant keepers who replace the orphans’ lost elephant family until such time as
the transition to the wild herds has been accomplished, something that can take up to
10 years, since elephant calves duplicate
their human counterparts in terms of development
through
age
progression.
Those that were orphaned too young to recall
their
dependent
elephant
longer,
but
family
all
the
remain
Trust’s
orphans eventually take their rightful place amongst their wild counterparts, including those orphaned on the day they were born.
“The world’s most emotionally h u m a n l a n d m a m m a l .”
Daphne Sheldrick
J A M E S
R O B E R T S O N
T h i r t y - � i v e y e a r s a f t e r l e a d i n g h i s � i r s t e x p e d i t i o n , J a m e s i s c h a i r m a n o f t h e b o a r d a t K e r & D o w n e y, and an in�luential leader of the new movement in community-led conservation.
Like the safari industry itself, James Robertson was born and raised in Kenya, where his appetite for adventure has earned him a reputation as one of the modern pioneers of the global safari business.
James’ dependability for never following the same itinerary twice, and for continually searching out new experiences for his clients, has won him admirers across the industry, as well as an army of repeat guests (including two families who have each travelled with him 26 times!). Among his long-standing Kenyan crew, he’s known as “Ndorobo” after the fabled hunter-gathers of northern Kenya – a tribe renowned for their resourceful bushcraft, and their complete absence of fear for wild animals. Although James’ �irst love and main base is Kenya, he is an “all-Africa guide” and just as likely to be found travelling through the game-rich parks, reserves and conservancies of eastern and southern Africa. In recent years, he has been supporting a number of Maasai and Samburu communities that have turned part of their grazing lands over to conservation – giving guests a chance to see some rarer wildlife species, and to experience an absolutely authentic immersion in two of the world’s oldest tribal cultures. In 2001, James was a founder of The Mara Conservancy, a ground-breaking and widely-admired partnership between conservationists and the county government, which established a new public-private template to protect the critical wildlife dispersal areas north of the Maasai Mara Reserve. He sits on the board of the (removed the MMWCT) Kenya Wildlife Trust , and his unrivalled contacts enable his guests to meet some of the leading conservationists and wildlife researchers in the world.
Having been raised on the edge of Kenya's largest National Park, Tsavo is close to James’ heart. His most recent focus is on protecting the last remaining Great Tuskers of which there are around 10 bulls each carrying in excess of 100lbs of ivory per side. He is working closely with the Tsavo Trust to protect these valuable elephants.
James and Abigail live within a wildlife sanctuary on the outskirts of Nairobi, where they host most of their guests personally. They work together as much as possible out on safari where their shared passions are apparent to anyone travelling with them.
TEL: +254 (0)720 911 143
EMAIL: INFO@JAMESROBERTSON.CO.KE S K Y P E : J RS A FA R I S
W W W. K E R D O W N E Y S A FA R I S . C O M