L A B RO O SAFA R I G UI D E D BY JA M E S RO BE RT S O N
TAN Z AN IA 2 0 th - 2 7 th MAY 2 0 1 8
I T I N E R A R Y
O V E R V I E W
S I R I N G I T - N A M I R I P L A I N S - M W I B A L O D G E - S A S A K WA L O D G E
ARUSHA - EASTERN SERENGETI - SOUTHERN SERENGETI - GRUMETI
20th May 2018: ARUSHA - SIRINGIT
On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport you will be met and transferred to Siringit Lodge for one night. James will be here to meet you.
21st & 22nd May 2018: EASTERN SERENGETI - NAMIRI PLAINS
After breakfast you will �ly by private charter west across the Great Rift valley and into the Eastern Serengeti. You will be based at Namiri Plains for two nights.
23rd & 24th May 2018: SOUTHERN SERENGETI - MWIBA LODGE
After breakfast you will be transferred down to the very southern limit of the Serengeti to Mwiba Lodge, you will be based here for two nights.
2 5 t h & 2 6 t h M a y 2 0 1 8 : G R U M E T I - S A S A K WA L O D G E
Your �inal destination is Grumeti in the extreme west of the Serengeti ecosystem and you will spend two nights at Sasakwa Lodge.
2 7 t h M a y 2 0 1 8 : T R A V E L D AY
Today you will �ly back to Kilimanjaro and connect to your �light home.
T A N Z A N I A
A l a n d o f t r u l y i c o n i c n a m e s , Ta n z a n i a i s s t e e p e d i n r o m a n c e ; S e r e n g e t i , K i l i m a n j a r o a n d Z a n z i b a r. The African experience on a truly grand scale.
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country of exceptional geographic diversity, from the lofty heights of Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest free standing mountain in the world, to the rolling plains of the Serengeti and the tropical beach paradise of Zanzibar, the spice island.
Two of Africa’s most celebrated wilderness areas – the Ngorogoro Crater and the Serengeti – are located within Northern Tanzania and boast some of the largest concentration of game on the continent. The latter acts as a stage for one of the world’s natural wonders as close to 2,000,000 wildebeest, zebra and gazelle migrate through the Serengeti ecosystem annually. Also located here are the famous soda lakes of the Great Rift Valley, notably Lake Natron and Lake Manyara, which attract a multitude of �lamingoes every year. The lesser known areas of the Selous, Katavi, Ruaha and Mahale �launt an abundance of animals in the wildest possible settings. These areas exude an aura of untrammelled wilderness, conserved by limited accessibility and truly belong to the animals.
Mahale is situated on the sandy shores of Lake Tanganyike, the second deepest lake in the world and offers an exceptional opportunity to trek with wild chimpanzees in a Robinson Crusoe setting.
Tanzania is also home to some of the earliest known human development, it was at Olduavi Gorge that the Leakey family made revelatory anthropological discoveries and at Gombe Stream that Jane Goodall began to unlock the secrets of our cousins and our evolution.
The population of Tanzania is about 37 million, united by a shared experience of nationhood and a common language. Culturally rich, the Tanzanians are famed for their warmth, dignity and hospitality, from the Maasai in the north to the distinctly middle-eastern inspired Swahili culture of coastal Zanzibar.
“For the serious wildlife enthusiast, Tanzania should feature high on their list. The great Serengti migration, walking safaris in the Selous Game Reserve and the best chimpanzee sightings in Africa.”
Uganda Kenya Lake Victoria Rwanda Burundi
TANZANIA
Zanzibar
“ Q u i t e s i m p l y, i n c o m p a r a b l e ”
SIRING IT
Siringit is the Maasai word for ‘endless plains’ or ‘the place where the land runs forever’ Nestled between the peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru, both of which are clearly visible from the property on a clear day, Siringit Kilimanjaro Golf and Safari Retreat is not far from Kilimanjaro Airport and therefore ideally located for your �irst or last night of safari. Siringit is a luxury 6 bedroom villa for exclusive use located on Kilimanjaro Golf Retreat. The spacious and elegant property, overlooking the greens, is meant to give friends or families that unique experience that can only be rivaled by the most secluded and high end tented camps.
The spacious and exquisitely decorated bedrooms, each with its own private ensuite bathroom, have been designed to meet the requirements of the most discerning of visitors. All rooms can be con�igured as either doubles, twins or even triples and include a tastefully decorated sitting area. 5 of the rooms have luxurious soaking tubs and all have walk-in ‘rain’ showers. As you would expect in a property of this standard,
‘his’ and ‘her’ wash-hand-basins, comfortable bathrobes, hairdryers and in-room safes are all included as part of the accommodation. The gorgeous living room, the �ine dining area, the breakfast room, the outside terraces, the lush gardens and the heated in�inity pool all combine to guarantee a highly enjoyable stay in Arusha. The estate is also home to a wide variety of wildlife and birdlife which can be enjoyed during leisurely walks from the villa. More adventurous guests can either take advantage of Siringit’s ‘mountain bikes’ to fully explore the estate and discover the beautiful landscapes that lie beyond the Golf course or even opt to do so on horse-back.
“ Ta s t e f u l l y a n d p r o f e s s i o n a l l y decorated to feel like
a s t y l i s h c o u n t r y e s t a t e .”
S E R E N G ET I
SO UTH+EAST
Here in the south of the Serengeti, wildebeest congregate to give birth to their young. The predator action d u r i n g t h i s s e a s o n i s i n e v i t a b l y s p e c t a c u l a r, w i t h a n a b u n d a n c e o f c h e e t a h , h y e n a a n d w i l d d o g t o b e s e e n .
The landscape, originally formed by volcanic activity, has been sculpted further by climatic elements and in the south-east rise the great volcanic craters of the Ngorongoro highlands. On the periphery protrudes the Mountain of God, known to the local Maasai as Ol doinyo Lengai, an impressive active volcano (last erupting in 2009) and Tanzania’s third highest peak.
The South-central region of the Serengeti, between Seronera and Ndutu, is epic from January to May. It is here that the wildebeest movement comes into being and where this annual circumambulation ultimately ends. It is the place of conception following frenzied bouts of territorial conquests and mating and on these same short grass plains some 8 months later, the place of replenishment - a brief population explosion that calves around 8,000 ungulates daily, before their quest begins again.
The Serengeti offers arguably the most scintillating game drives in Africa, even when the migration is quiet, great herds of elephant, buffalo, eland, topi, kongoni, impala, giraffe and gazelle tempt opportunistic lion prides, prowling cheetah, hyena, jackal and the more calculating solitary leopard. This liberating golden expanse stretches eastwards into the Loliondo concession transforming into belts of thick acacia woodland, rich riverine forest, granite kopjes and wooded hills, framed dramatically by the distant Gol Mountains.
Although safari activities, especially walks, remain excellent in this area, the focus shifts slightly towards cultural interaction and the 6 vibrant Maasai communities that inhabit the area, offering a chance for visitors to spend time with their Maasai counterparts and glimpse at how life is lived in Africa. Within the context of splendid sunsets and awe-inspiring landscapes, the Serengeti presents an explicit illustration of the instinctual cycle of life; where the spectacle of predator versus prey dominates. Lake Vict oria
S ER ENGET I N. P Ngor o Ngor o
Lake Manyara N.P Lake Tang anyika
Kiliman jaro N.P Arusha Taran g ire N.P
Mahale Mount ains Kat avi N.P
Zanz i bar
Ruah a N.P
Selous G .R
Lake Nyasa
NA M IRI
PLAI NS
Fo r 2 0 ye a r s , t h e g ra s s l a n d s o f t h e E a s te r n S e re n g e t i we re c l o s e d to to u r i s t s to a l l ow t h e c h e e t a h p o p u l a t i o n t o r e p l e n i s h i t s e l f . To d a y, t h i s i s b i g - c a t t e r r i t o r y and undoubtedly offers East Africa’s best cheetah viewing opportunities. Namiri Plains is a relatively new property set in the remote eastern corner of the Serengeti where the southern short grass meets the acacia woodland. The Ngare Nanyuki underground river creates pockets of permanent water that support year-round game concentrations like big cats and accompanying carnivores. The plains are dotted with dramatic rocky outcrops and the sunrises over the magni�icent Barafu Kopjes to the east of the camp, never fail to impress. Namiri Plains camp was created for real safari enthusiasts wanting a high level of comfort in secluded surroundings and a deeper more intense wildlife experience. Tucked away in a corner of fever trees, this small and exclusive camp has terri�ic views over the endless sweeping plains that surround it. The standard of comfort you enjoy at Namiri Plains is nothing short of luxurious. The 8 traditional safari tents offer crisp linen, spacious verandas ensuite bathrooms
and super soaking bucket showers, snug beds and a well-stocked bar. All one could wish for.
You can expect the kind of cooking that when enjoyed under a glittering canopy of African stars, will remain with you forever. Explore the Namiri plains on daily game drives and enjoy alfresco breakfast picnics on top of Soil Le Motonyi rock or sundowners on top of a kopje.
“Expansive views, serious comfort,
exceptional privacy and U N R I VA L L E D s i g h t i n g s .”
M WIBA
Mwiba, a secluded, sophisticated haven set among massive stone boulders, ancient coral trees and acacias, while overlooking a rocky gorge, set in harmony with this idyllic natural backdrop.
Mwiba River Lodge is the latest luxury lodge to take Tanzania by storm and this amazing property not only has a stunning riverside location, but also boasts 51,000 acres of wildlife reserve which is completely private and just for you. The game here is excellent all year round due to 33 freshwater springs which are situated on the property. Every room and mess area is designed to maximize beautiful views.
This exclusive destination mixes both traditional and modern design elements, creating an inviting, sophisticated hideaway.
The interiors artfully integrate the natural surroundings with layer upon layer of textured creams paired with suede, tans and accents of chocolate and charcoal. From the linen dressed slope-armed sofas to ornately carved wooden leg tables and cascading lighting, the 8 double suites all give way to a wide-open layout where each room �lows to another.
The bathroom brings the outdoors inside with traditional canvas walls accented with copper �ixtures, large soaking tubs with private outside showers, all with transporting views from hardwood plank decks. The grey slate-lined in�inity-edge pool overlooks 3 springs where you can enjoy the sights and sounds of a constant parade of wildlife. Vast and privately controlled, this exquisite wildlife reserve is vibrantly lush with color-infused botanicals, and a diverse array of wildlife. Game drives, bush walks and cultural excursions to the local tribe’s village are just a few of the magical experiences that begin at Mwiba, where a world of adventure awaits.
“A n y a c t i v i t y. A n y w h e r e . Anytime.
I t ' s y o u r p r i v a t e s a f a r i .”
G R U M E T I
Grumeti Reserve offers an unparalleled eco-safari teeming with magni�icent wildlife encounters
on the western corridor of the Serengeti. If it is solitude you seek then Grumeti Reserve is the place to be! This vast private concession comprises an exclusive trio of luxury lodges positioned ideally on the epic migratory route traversed annually by more than a million wildebeest.
The successes of conservation as well as diverse habitats have ensured that, since its inception in 2003, Singita Grumeti Reserve has a well-established resident game population that inhabit the area throughout the year. The famous Great Migration, since time immemorial, has been the dramatic backbone of this enormous wilderness. The wildebeest follow the rains. Every year they journey many thousands of kilometres. From December through to the end of May they are generally in the Eastern Serengeti. They calve on the short grass plains in February. During June, July and August they move West and North ultimately crossing the border into Kenya where they feed on the lush grass of the Maasai Mara until November when they start to head South again. In addition to the annual wildebeest migration some notable highlights include large breeding herds of buffalo, up to 400 strong, and herds of elephants number up to 450 – cocentrations seldom seen elsewhere in Africa. Large carnivore regulars such as lion, hyena, cheetah and leopard top the predator pile while the smaller carnivores top a total of about 70 mammal species found in the area.
Extra special year round highlights on the Grumeti River include the beautiful black and white colobus monkey. Continuing the special primate theme there is a chance to spot the world’s fasted primate – the rare patas monkey, out in the open woodlands. A herd of roan antelope can be seen as well. For birders special endemic highlights include the grey crested helmet-shrike, Fischer’s Lovebird, rufus-tailed weaver, Karamoja apalis and the grey-breasted spurfowl. They head up an impressive bird list of 400 species on the concession. Lake Victoria
GR UMET I R
Sereng et i N.P Kilimanjaro N.P Ngoro Ngor o
Lake Tang an yika
Taran g ire
Ar usha
Mahale Moun t ains
Kat avi N.P
Z anz i bar
Ruah a N.P
Selous G .R
Lake Nyasa
SASA KWA
Singita Sasakwa is colonial elegance from which one of nature’s greatest spectacles may be observed – both the lodge and its surrounds are beauty to behold.
In the far north located within the Grumeti, Tamzania’s largest private game reserve covering an enormous 350,000 acres, is the magni�icent Singita Sasakwa. This enormous concession is part of the mighty Serengeti, one of the world’s most renowned conservation areas, and every year during the great migration in�inite numbers of zebra, wildebeest and various antelope move through the Grumeti where the perfectly situated Sasakwa Lodge provides some of the best views imaginable of this wildlife marvel. The lodge is comprised of 9 cottages and 1 private retreat with stone walls, high ceilings and grand verandas exuding an ambience of yester-year; charming and stately. Each cottage is set on an escarpment overlooking the open Serengeti plains, and combines the best of old world pleasures and the height of modern convenience, from the welcoming comfort of a four-poster bed to the spacious ensuite bathroom. The living arrangements are completed by a heated plunge pool and personal bar; this lodge ful�ils every desire.
For further mental and physical revitalisation a gym, yoga centre and spa render opportunities for spiritual ful�ilment and pampered relaxation.
Stepping forth from the luxury of the cottages, game drives are enjoyed amidst some of the most unspoilt wilderness in the world. This area has excellent year round game viewing and is ideally placed for the intense viewing of the great migration and its accompanying drama and tragedy. Other activities include horseback safaris, archery, croquet, and aerial excursions over the endless and beautiful plains. Set in this enchanted and unspoilt wilderness, Sasakwa Lodge provides the luxury of an old Edwardian-style manor house.
“The view from the lodge is almost ENDLESS over the majestic
S e r e n g e t i p l a i n s b e l o w.”
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
W W W. K E R D O W N E Y S A FA R I S . C O M