D ERO S S I SAFA R I D ESI GN E D BY JA M E S RO BE RT S O N
1 5 th
K E N YA - 2 8 t h J U LY 2 0 1 9
R E G I O N S
D E R O S S I S A FA R I I T I N E R A R Y This fabulous two week safari takes in four of Kenya’s very best wildlife areas and showcases not only the extraordinary abundance of game here but also it’s diverse habitats, breathtaking scenery and fascinating tribal cultures.
D AY 1
NAIROBI
HOG HOUSE
D AY 2 - 4
L E WA H O U S E
Lake Logipi
D AY 5 & 6
THE ARID NORTH SARARA TREE CAMP D AY 7 - 9
AMBOSELI TORTILIS
D AY 1 0 - 1 3
MAASAI MARA TA N G U L I A D AY 1 4
T R A V E L D AY / NAIROBI HOG HOUSE
You begink, after a night at our home in Nairobi, by �lying north over the Equator to Lewa Downs. Here you have all the big 5, with really superb rhino viewing and also northern species like Grevy’s zebra and Reticulated giraffe.
Lake Turkana
LAIKIPIA
Lake Baringo
Ewaso Nyiro River
Samburu
Shaba
Lake Bogoria
Lake Victoria
Equator
Mt. Kenya
Lake Nakuru Masai Mara
You then head across to Sarara located in a horseshoe of the Mathew’s Ranges where along with great leopard viewing you will have a chance to learn about the Samburu tribe as they bring their stock into the “singing wells” each day.
Lake Naivasha Nairobi Tana River
Lake Magadi Amboseli
Ts a v o Watamu
Mombasa
Lamu
Then we take you to the vivid green swamps of Amboseli at the foot of Africa’s highest mountain - Kilimanjaro. Here the elephant viewing is superb with great lion and cheetah too. You’ll be able to spend time with the Maasai tribe here too.
Finally to the Maasai Mara, our jewel in the crown, which in July hosts the Great Migration. You will stay at Tangulia camp which is ideally located on the Mara River and with easy access into both parts of the Mara Reserve for the very best game viewing. Predators should be out in force too. Finally we bring you back home for your last day, and suggest a visit to the Sheldrick elephant orphanage. We are close to shops and craft centres too.
I T I N E R A R Y
O V E R V I E W
NAIROBI - LAIKPIA - THE ARID NORTH - AMBOSELI - MAASAI MARA - NAIROBI
1 5 t h J U LY 2 0 1 9 : N A I R O B I
On arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport you will be met and transferred to our home, Hog House, located in the Giraffe Sanctuary. You will be here for one night.
1 6 t h - 1 8 t h J U LY 2 0 1 9 : L A I K I P I A
After breakfast you will be transferred to Wilson Airport from where you will �ly by scheduled aircraft north past Mt.Kenya to Lewa Downs. You will have three nights at Lewa House.
1 9 t h & 2 0 t h J U LY 2 0 1 9 : T H E A R I D N O R T H
Today you will �ly by private charter across Samburu into the Mathew’s Ranges and will spend two nights at Sarara Tree Camp.
2 1 s t - 2 3 r d J U LY 2 0 1 9 : A M B O S E L I
After breakfast you will �ly, again by private charter, south towards the Tanzanian border. You will spend three nights at Tortilis Camp in Amboseli National Park.
2 4 t h - 2 7 t h J U LY 2 0 1 9 : M A A S A I M A R A
You will �ly, again by private charter north west, over the Great Rift Valley and into perhaps the best known area in the world for Big Game: The Maasai Mara. You will have four nights at Tangulia Camp.
2 8 t h J U LY 2 0 1 9 : N A I R O B I / T R A V E L D AY
On your last day you will return to Nairobi by scheduled aircraft and we welciome you back to our home, Hog House for the remainder of the day before transferring you to the international airport for 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
H O G
H O U S E
Hidden in the 130 acre Giraffe Sanctuary in Langata, Hog House is a private home with incredible views across to the Ngong Hills. Serene and peaceful you would hardly believe you are in one of Africa’s largest capital cities.
Located close to both Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and Wilson Airport, this unusual family home is an ideal place to begin or end your safari. Its rustic décor and the fact that it is surrounded by wildlife will help to ease you in, and out, of your time here on safari. The straw bale construction uses plantation cedar and fallen African olive and blends with the wooded sanctuary perfectly. The house itself comprises 2 double bedrooms and a triple, all ensuite. There are a further 2 cottages outside in the garden for larger groups. Hog House is only available for exclusive use. The large open plan sitting/dining is cosy with a warm �ireplace and lots of seating for all to congregate. Daytime meals we normally take outside in the shade of the Euclea trees in the garden, and a beautiful horizon pool beckons on hot afternoons. Walking in the sanctuary is the perfect way to loosen up stiff joints from long intercontinental �lights and you have
every chance of seeing Rothschild’s giraffe, warthog, dik dik, bushbuck, suni and Syke’s monkeys. Birds of every colour throng around the bird table and hyrax will doubtless entertain you at night! The Giraffe Centre, Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, Karen Blixen Museum, and many craft centres are all within a stone’s throw of Hog House.
“It is a privilege to stay in this unusual and
beautiful home within the G I R A F F E S A N C T U A R Y,
so close and convenient to all the classic
Nairobi attractions, and yet quietly tucked away in your o w n h a v e n o f s e r e n i t y.”
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 E W A
H O U S E
L o c a t e d a t t h e v e r y h e a r t o f t h e C o n s e r v a n c y, L e w a H o u s e i s s e t o n t o p o f a h i l l w i t h e x t e n s i v e v i e w s over gentle valleys. It faces Mount Kenya to the south, the rugged Mathew’s Range and the sacred mountain of the Samburu, Ol Lolokwe to the north. The exclusive Lewa House is located to the east of the Laikipia district, and central within the 62,000 acre Lewa Wild life Conservancy. This acclaimed Conservation area comprises of semi-arid grassland, ridged escarpments, small kopjes and riverine forests and contains 10% of Kenya’s black rhino population, 15% of its white rhino population as well as the highest concentration of endangered Grevy’s zebra in the world.
4 single room cottages and 3 family cottages, which enjoy double and twin rooms, rest on lush lawns beneath the dappled shade of acacia trees. Each family cottage boasts lavish ensuite bathrooms with Victorian baths and a private viewing deck for outstanding bird spotting. The decor re�lects the wild surrounds with dark wood furniture, stone walls and bright bursts of blue, reminiscent of the cerulean day-time sky. The crystal clear waters of the swimming pool provide a welcome escape from the African heat whilst observing herds of lumbering elephants as they trample their way to the waterhole below. The superb African style cuisine invites indulgences in the culinary delights offered either in an elegantly appointed boma area or alfresco beneath a star scattered ceiling.
Lewa House places heavy emphasis on time spent in the bush and therefore offers wildlife viewing by way of vehicle, walking safaris with expert Maasai guides, or both horse and camelback safari excursions. Each unique experience provides the opportunity to view endemic species including the gerenuk, reticulated giraffe and Somali ostrich, as well as the more fearsome predators such as the ever elusive leopard, high numbers of wild dog, lion and cheetah. At the close of each day, adventures are shared while sipping sundowners with a backdrop of the breathtaking Mt. Kenya, as the setting Kenyan sun stains the sky pure crimson.
“A c e l e b r a t i o n o f s e r e n i t y and African passion,
Lewa House provides an intimate and
e x c l u s i v e s a f a r i g e t a w a y.”
K E N YA’ S
A RID
NO RT H
S a m b u r u , B u f f a l o S p r i n g s , M e r u a n d S h a b a a r e a l l w i l d l i f e r e s e r ve s w h i c h l i e i n a va s t a r e a o f o p e n , t h o r n b u s h c o u n t r y a n d d e s e r t t h a t s t r e t c h e s n o r t h f r o m M t . Ke n ya t o S u d a n a n d E t h i o p i a . I t i s t h e s t a r k c o n t r a s t between emptiness, wilderness and rising mountains that makes this area such a spectacular destination. The lifeblood of the North is the Ewaso Nyiro River and the crystal clear springs that empty into it. Its banks shaded by graceful doum palms, poplars and Acacia elatior trees, the Ewaso Nyiro attracts more and more wildlife as the dry season lengthens from June to October, although it is beautiful at any time of year.
Here you will �ind animals like the Grevy zebra, Beisa oryx, the Somali ostrich, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk and the tiny dik-dik; all species of northern Kenya which have adapted to the harsh arid conditions of the Northern Frontier District. With luck you will also �ind the 'big cats' staking out the favourite drinking places of their prey along the lovely palm-fringed banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River. Wherever you look mountains rise out of the plains in the blue distance, the conical ash cones of the Nyambenis to the south, Lolokwe and the rugged Mathews Range in the east and to the north the granite towers of Bodich, Kamanga and Tumtu that impose above the Ewaso Nyiro.
Samburu, Pokot, Turkana, Rendille, Gabbra – these are the tribes of the north. All are proud and tough. The Samburu are related to the Masai although they live just north of the equator where the foothills of Mount Kenya merge into the northern desert and slightly south of Lake Turkana in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. The purported
bene�its of modern life are often undesirable to the Samburu. They remain much more traditional in life and attitude than their Maasai cousins. The Turkana, like the Samburu and Maasai, still maintain their undiluted traditional way of life. They are distinguished as being great survivors, living in harsh and inhospitable terrain. As with all other pastoralist tribes in Kenya, livestock, especially cattle, are at the core of Turkana culture, they live a nomadic life, always moving from one place to another depending on the availability of pasture and water for their animals. Lake Turkana
K E N YA’ S ARID NORTH Ewaso Nyiro River Equator
Lake Victoria Masai Mara
Mt. Kenya N.P Nairobi Amboseli N.P
Tana River Ts a v o N.P
S A R A R A
T R E E
C A M P
T h e S a r a r a T r e e h o u s e s e n c o m p a s s t h e s a m e a t m o s p h e r e a n d v i b r a n c y t h a t S a r a r a h a s b e c o m e r e n o w n e d f o r. N e s t l e d i n t o a f o r e s t g l a d e w i t h i n a n h o u r s w a l k o f S a r a r a , t h e t r e e h o u s e s e m e r g e o u t o f t h e f o r e s t c a n o p y. The Sarara Treehouses are the perfect blend of traditional safari camp and modern day adventure. Offering all of the modern day luxuries alongside the charm and atmosphere of an old explorer camp.
Suspended up into the forest canopy, the 8 ensuite tents and a family unit have spanning views over the conservancy and beyond. Elephants browse beneath you in what has become a safe sanctuary for wildlife.
A main mess area and swimming pool overlooks a Sarara camp style waterhole, whilst commanding incredible views of Mount Uarges, 1 of 7 sacred mountains to the Samburu. This off the grid, solar powered masterpiece is entirely eco friendly, with every precaution and expense taken to preserve the natural habitat surrounding it.
There is no shortage of things to do here, from magni�icent forest hikes, walking with warriors, cultural interactions, game drives, scenic �lights, rock pool swimming (time of year dependant) bush meals to �ly camping and horse riding. The Reteti Elephant Sanctuary takes in orphaned and abandoned elephant calves with an aim to release them back into the wild herds adjoining the Sanctuary. Visiting the sanctuary is a life changing experience.
Elephant, buffalo, leopard, bushbuck and a wide array of other life roams beneath you on the forest �loor, offering incredible wildlife experiences from the comfort of your beautifully appointed tree tent.
“A r e m o t e a n d s p i r i t u a l c a m p i n g e x p e r i e n c e . . .”
A M B O S E L I
Against the magni�icent backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro lies Amboseli, a national park and ecosystem. Meaning the ‘salty earth’ in the language of the Maasai, Amboseli is aptly named after the alkaline volcanic ash that spewed from the now dormant volcano Kilimanjaro. The 1.2 million acre ecosystem lies on Kenya’s boarder with Tanzania and incorporates habitats of dry lake beds, savannah grasslands, woodland and swamps fed by springs emanating from Mount Kilimanjaro.
The area is home to grassland dwellers such as buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, gazelle and warthog, while the resident predators include lion, cheetah and hyena. Amboseli is also a birding hotspot, with over 600 species recorded. The principal attraction at Amboseli however, is the large herds of free roaming elephants made famous by Dr. Joyce Poole who, through the Amboseli Elephant Research Project, put these intelligent giants on the map. Her long running large mammal research project in Africa combines 30 years of uninterrupted study and chronicles Amboseli’s elephant herds, from new born calves to 60 year old matriarchs and old bulls that carry some of the longest tusks in Africa. Contiguous with Amboseli National Park is the Kitirua Wildlife Conservancy, a partnership between a local Maasai community and the private sector.
Designed to protect wildlife, this private and exclusive conservancy enables both day and night drives, walking and an unparalleled opportunity to meet members of the Maasai community in a welcoming and culturally sensitive manner.
This is a quintessential African landscape of elephants and traditional tribes with the snow-capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro rising above the clouds behind. Lake Turkana
Lake Victoria
Mt. Kenya N.P
Masai Mara
Nairobi
AMBOSELI N.P
Kilimanjaro N.P
Ts a v o N.P
T O R T I L I S
C A M P
To r t i l i s C a m p i s o n t h e e d g e o f A m b o s e l i N a t i o n a l P a r k a n d w i t h i n a c o m m u n i t y c o n s e r v a n c y,
surrounded by an Acacia tortilis woodland; the thorny umbrella tree from which the camp takes its name. An exclusive getaway, the camp is framed by the world’s highest freestanding mountain, the snow-capped and majestic Mt Kilimanjaro. Boasting over 300 bird species and over 1000 elephants, many of which are the largest in Africa, this particular mammal population is one of Amboseli’s most elite characteristics.
The 17 spacious tents with ensuite bath rooms and the palatial private house, with a dining area and stone laid �loors, are nestled amongst acacia trees along the side of Llimbarishi Hill. The decor is natural yet lavish, complimented with eclectic carpets and grass lamps. The main lodge offers elegantly thatched dining, bar and lounge areas as well as a sparkling pool. For further relaxation, guests may peruse the shop or indulge in a revitalising massage.
Cuisine is offered in the dining area overlooking the breathtaking surroundings, or in the form of a bush breakfast for
serene enjoyment. Game drives and bush walks, offered by the Maasai guides, within the Reserve and the almost 300,000 acre concession, provide a spectacular opportunity to view a variety of wildlife up close – dikdik, jackal, cheetah, leopard, lion, rhino, zebra and buffalo. However, the true wonder of Tortilis Camp lies in its setting, whether sipping sundowners in the bush surrounded by sounds of the wild, or enjoying an excursion to the Elephant Research centre.
“The natural beauty
and magni�icence of viewing the African elephant up close with
Mt. Kilimanjaro as a
b a c k d r o p i s u n s u r p a s s e d .”
M A A S A I
T h e M a a s a i t r i b e s p e o p l e o f s o u t h e r n K e n y a a n d n o r t h e r n Ta n z a n i a
are a Nilotic ethnic group who arrived in this area about 300 years ago from the North. They are among the best known, and most distinctive tribes living in the semi arid lands along and beside the Great Rift Valley and close to many well known national parks and reserves. Their cousins North of the Equator are the Samburu, with whom they share many customs. The Maasai occupy a total land area of 39.5 million acres and number around 1.5million. They are semi-nomadic herding cattle over large areas of communally owned land. Their family encampments are comprised of a circular boma (fence) of Acacia to protect livestock from predators. Inside the boma they build small loafshaped houses made of mud, sticks, grass and cow dung. The women are responsible for building houses, supplying water, collecting �irewood, milking cattle and cooking. The young men or warriors (Moran) enforce security while boys are responsible for herding livestock. The elders are directors and advisors of day-to-day activities and make decisions for the whole community. On the western boundary of National Park lies Kitirua – concession shared between Downey and the local Kisongo
Amboseli a private Ker and clan. We
have nurtured a relationship over 35 years such that we are welcomed into their homes to learn something of their traditional way of life. By the same token we welcome them into camp thereby creating a unique opportunity for guests to interact. K&D sponsors two local schools in the area. The Ngararambuni Nursery school is on the edge of Kitirua Conservancy and caters to children between 4 & 10 years old. It is still set up underneath a large spreading Acacia tortilis and has three dedicated Maasai teachers. We helped to set this little school up in 2003, before this the children would have to walk 7km through an area rich in big game to get to school.
Whilst in Amboseli we encourage as much interaction with local people as possible. Even though we do not share a language it is extraordinary to watch our children play with theirs as the common language of fun transgresses these boundaries. Learning to throw spears and how to use bows and arrows, digging for water, and donning traditional garb are all a part of being with these colourful, friendly, fun and fascinating people.
THE
G REAT
RIFT
VAL L E Y
T h e G r e a t R i f t V a l l e y, a l a n d s c a p e i n t u r m o i l , t o r n a p a r t b y t h e t w i s t i n g a n d b u c k l i n g o f t h e E a r t h ’ s c r u s t . I t i s a l s o a l a n d s c a p e o f h u g e u n p r e d i c t a b l e c h a n g e , t h a t f o r c e s a n i m a l s d a y b y d a y, s e a s o n b y s e a s o n t o gamble with their lives, but for those that win, this is one of the most fertile landscapes on Earth. The Great Rift Valley was the name given by British explorer John Walter Gregory, to the continuous geographic trench, approximately 6,000 kilometres in length, running from northern Syria to central Mozambique in South East Africa. The East African Rift Vally has two branches – the Eastern branch which runs through Kenya and Northern Tanzania, and the Western branch through DR Congo, and Western Tanzania. The Western Rift is edged by some of the highest mountains in Africa including t h e V i r u n g a M o u n t a i n s i n Rwa n d a , a n d a l s o includes the Great Lakes. These are some of the deepest lakes in the world and all of the African Great Lakes were formed as the result of the rift.
In Kenya, the valley is at it’s most dramatic to the north of Nairobi, the ancient volcanoes of Longonot and Suswa are easy to see from the road. Most lakes in northern Kenya are shallow and poorly drained and therefore have become alkaline. Their waters are rich in blue - green algae which
David Attenborough
feed insect larvae, small crustaceans and massive �locks of �lamingos. The Kenya Lake system is also a key location on a route followed by huge numbers of birds in their annual migration from breeding grounds in the north, to wintering places in Africa. The lands around the lakes include large populations of Black rhino (Lake Nakuru), Rothschild's giraffe, Greater kudu, lion, cheetah and wild dogs. Lake Turkana
GREAT RIFT VALLEY Shaba N.P Buffalo Springs N.P Lake Victoria Masai Mara
Mt. Kenya N.P Nairobi
Amboseli N.P
Ts a v o N.P
M A S A I
M A R A
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. Almost 450,000 acres of rolling grasslands make up the Maasai Mara and its surrounding conervancies, 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. An estimated one and a half million wildebeest make the annual migration up from the southern Serengeti plains into Kenya and remain here from late June into October. You will be staying in one of the quitest parts of the Mara, a conservancy. Even during migration season you can be away from the crowds. 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.
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 .”
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
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