E B E RT S FA M I LY SA FA R I I T I N E R A RY D E SI GN E D BY JA M E S RO BE RT S O N
1 9 th
K E N YA - 3 0 th MARCH 2 0 1 9
I T I N E R A R Y
O V E R V I E W
G I R A F F E M A N O R - R E K E R O C A M P - L E WA W I L D E R N E S S - T O R T I L I S C A M P - H O G H O U S E NAIROBI - MAASAI MARA - LAIKPIA - AMBOSELI - NAIROBI
19th March 2019: NAIROBI
On arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport you will be met and transferred to Nairobi’s most famous hotel: Giraffe Manor. You will be here for one night.
20th - 23rd March 2019: MAASAI MARA
After sharing your breakfast with the Manor’s Rothschild’s giraffe you will be transferred to Wilson Airport where you will ly by private charter west, over the Great Rift Valley and on into perhaps the best known area in the World for Big Game, the Maasai Mara. You will be based at the beautiful Rekero Camp for four nights.
2 4 t h - 2 6 t h M a r c h 2 0 1 9 : L E WA D O W N S
We ly you, again by private charter, north over the Equator into the foothills of Mt. Kenya to Lewa Downs. You will be based at Lewa Wilderness for three nights.
27th - 29th March 2019: AMBOSELI
Your inal destination is Amboseli in the shadows of Kilimanjaro, our continent’s highest mountain. You will be based at Tortilis Camp for three nights.
3 0 t h M a r c h 2 0 1 9 : N A I R O B I / T R AV E L D AY
We will ly you back to Nairobi, again by private charter, and we welcome you to our home, Hog House for the remainder of the day. We recommend a visit to the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage which is close by, as are many shops and craft centres. We will transer you to the airport for your light home.
R E G I O N S
E B E R T S FA M I LY S A FA R I I T I N E R A R Y This fantastic 12 day safari takes in three of Kenya’s top wildlife destinations and highlights the extraordinary diveristy of this country. We have used beautiful small family owned lodges and safari camps and you will be privately guided throughout your safari.
D AY 1
NAIROBI
GIRAFFE MANOR D AY 2 - 5
Lake Turkana
MAASAI MARA REKERO CAMP D AY 6 - 8
LAIKIPIA
L E WA W I L D E R N E S S D AY 9 - 1 1
AMBOSELI TORTILIS D AY 1 2
NAIROBI
HOG HOUSE
We begin with a night at Nairobi’s top hotel Giraffe Manor where at breakfast you will be joined by Rothschild’s giraffe!
Lake Logipi
Lake Baringo
Shaba
Lake Bogoria
Lake Victoria
Equator
Mt. Kenya
Lake Nakuru Masai Mara
We then �ly you west to the Maasai Mara which hosts an abundance of wildlife at all times of year. Rekero Camp is located in the very heart of the best Big Cat viewing and you’ll be here for four nights.
Ewaso Nyiro River
Samburu
Lake Naivasha Nairobi Tana River
Lake Magadi Amboseli
Ts a v o Watamu
Mombasa
Lamu
Then we head north to Lewa Downs which is home to all the big �ive, and is absolutely superb for both Black, and White rhino. Also you’ll see the arid specialists Reticulated giraffe and Grevy’s zebra here. Located within a private conservancy you have the freedom to explore on foot, horseback and at night. Finally we take you south to Amboseli, with Kilimanjaro as a majestic backdrop this has some of the very best elephant viewing on the continent. You will also spend time with and learn about the Maasai tribe with whom we have built a very special rapport over the last 40years in Kitirua K&D’s private concession shared with Tortilis Camp.
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
G I R A F F E
M A N O R
The exclusive boutique hotel, built in the 1930’s, is famous for its magni�icent herd of resident Rothschild’s giraffes and the manor offers personal and unmatched experiences with these endangered mammals. Giraffe Manor is beautifully located on a private 12 acre property on the outskirts of Nairobi. Amidst half a square kilometre, dry upland indigenous forest displaying Olea africana, Albizzia gummefera and Ficus thonningii trees, this is home to over 180 bird species.
Set within a lush garden and shaded by arching trees, the 2-storey stone house is characterised by parquet �looring and a sweeping staircase. The decor tells of a bygone era with its dark wood furnishings, velvet curved chairs, plush cushions and stylish art. The accommodation is comprised of 2 luxury suites, complete with double and twin rooms and a lounge area, and 8 further bedrooms each boasting a �ireplace and beautifully appointed ensuite bathroom with shower and bath. The extensive windows offer views of the Ngong Hills as well as the garden-roaming giraffes, warthog, dik dik and bushbuck.
Dining is sensational. Breakfast is served in the sun room with giraffes comically poking
their heads through the windows, whilst dinner is savoured either alfresco lit by lanterns or, in the wood panelled dining room at the long table.
Activities vary from a visit to the Karen Blixen Museum, once home to the author of “Out of Africa”, to walks along the nature trail in the Giraffe Centre or, for a unique treat, watch the feeding and bathing of baby elephants at the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage. The highlight however of Giraffe Manor is the ability to touch, feed and photograph the giraffes from the comfort of your breakfast table, bedroom window or the front door – a remarkable opportunity.
“English grandeur meets AFRICAN MAJESTY a t G i r a f f e M a n o r.”
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
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
R E K E R 0
T E N T E D
C A M P
R e k e r o Te n t e d C a m p i s f a v o u r a b l y l o c a t e d a l o n g s i d e t h e Ta l e k r i v e r w i t h i n t h e M a s a i M a r a G a m e R e s e r v e . This area is renowned as a prime area for viewing the annual migration, the camp being ideally positioned to witness the incredible abundance of wildebeest and zebra on their journey from the Serengeti. This area of 480,000 acres comprises the
Farm-style dining may be enjoyed alfresco,
Serengeti and Masai Mara eco-system.
will be taking you out on twice daily drives,
Reserve and neighbouring conservation
lands which shape the northern part of the Sheltered by a riverine forest near the convergence of the Mara and Talek rivers,
the 10 luxury tents, consisting of 8 doubles
and 2 family tents, each boast an ensuite bathroom with a shower. Characterised by fresh �lowers, raw wood tables, comfortable
couches and muted earth tones, the decor is natural
and
welcoming
re�lecting
its
outdoor surroundings. The private terrace offers the perfect location to relax and
unwind, with a view of the river and various
bird and animal species where elephant, hippo and leopard roam freely.
The main lodge provides a tented sitting room and gift shop for guests’ enjoyment.
indoors by candlelight or in the form of a bush picnic. All the guides are Maasai and
providing an opportunity to view mammals such as elephant, buffalo and topi, as well as
predators such as lion and cheetah. The true wonder of Rekero however, lies in the viewing of the great migration.
Between
late June and October, the camp lies a mere stone’s
throw
from
one
wildebeest crossing sites.
of
the
“ R e k e r o Te n t e d C a m p provides a doorway into the heart
o f t h e K E N YA N W I L D
and is an unforgettable e x p e r i e n c e .”
main
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
W I L D E R N E S S
Lewa Wilderness rests on the northern foothills of Mount Kenya,
the second tallest mountain in Africa with the Batian peaks standing at 17,057 feet. Lewa Wilderness is one of Kenya’s oldest and most private safari ventures.
Situated on Lewa Downs, the privately owned 62,000 acre Lewa Wildlife Conservancy is located on the Laikipia plateau, a 2 million acre amalgamation of semi-arid grassland, ridged escarpments, basalt hills, small kopjes and riverine forests.
The lodge has 9 exclusive rooms: 6 thatched cottages tucked into the hillside overlooking Lewa’s Eastern Marania Valley, and 3 thatched garden cottages set in the beautiful green lawns. Each cottage is tastefully decorated with antique and handmade furniture, giving rustic charm and the character of a ranch homestead. Canopied beds, patterned cushions, crisp white linen and wooden furnishings, comfort is at the heart of the decor.
Due to the private land ownership and minimal restrictions, a wide variety of activities are available, including camel rides to a nearby animal orphanage. The main lodge offers
a refreshing saltwater pool, tennis courts and an elegant dining area where organic cuisine may be enjoyed indoors or alfresco. Walking safaris with Maasai guides and night and day drives, offer views of endemic wild life such as gerenuk, reticulated giraffe, Lelwel hartebeest, Grevy’s zebra and Somali ostrich. With the highest concentration of rhino in East Africa, notable numbers of lion, cheetah and the reclusive leopard, wildlife sightings are sure to amaze. Or, accompanied by knowledgeable Maasai guides and with a red sun setting in the distance, experience the Kenyan bush on horseback.
“Lewa Wilderness Camp offers a doorway to rare wildlife and a
culturally rich people from the comfort
o f a n A f r i c a n s a n c t u a r y.”
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.
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.”
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
K E R
&
D O W N E Y
“ S o m e t h i n k t h e b e s t l a r g e - s c a l e o p e r a t i o n a f t e r t h e w a r…
was the one launched over a drink or two on the veranda of the Imperial Hotel in Addis Ababa” – Bartle Bull, Safari: A Chronicle of Adventure, 1
Like so many great ventures, Ker & Downey Safaris was born from a chance encounter. Donald Ker and Syd Downey, two big game hunters from Kenya, had been �ighting with the British in Ethiopia shortly before the fall of Addis Ababa in 1941. Syd had just been released by the Italians and was celebrating at a local hotel when he bumped into Donald Ker. With one car and a lot of bravura, the pair made a plan to establish “the best safari company the world has ever known”.
and 70’s, the company continued to grow – extending its reach across southern Africa, east to the jungles of Congo, and north into the deserts of Ethiopia and Sudan. By 1977, when hunting was of�icially banned in Kenya, K&D had transformed itself into the leading provider of customised mobile photographic safaris in Africa.
In 1962, shortly before Kenya’s Independence, Ker & Downey spread its wings to Botswana, with Harry Selby and a couple of other guides offering safaris in this ‘new’, uncharted corner of Africa. Through the 60’s
“Because we’ve been doing
It was not until January 1946 that Syd and Donald, newly discharged from the army, took out their �irst safari. They were hired to run a camp in the Maasai Mara for the production of “The Macomber Affair”, the United Artists blockbuster starring Gregory Peck and Joan Bennett. It was the beginning of a long love affair with Hollywood, which would see “K&D” out�it some of the biggest �ilms ever to come out of Africa.
Today, Ker & Downey is celebrated as the longest-existing safari out�itter in the world, and the standard-bearer for unsurpassed luxury in some of its last great wild places. So successful has the “K&D” name been that it has been brazenly borrowed by a number of copycat companies in Africa and the West. Yet to this day, no one has come close to emulating the luxurious standards, the rich experiences, or the peerless guiding of “The Original Ker & Downey Safaris”.
t h i s f o r 7 0 y e a r s . . .”
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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