P R A MO D BHAS I N A ND F R I E N D S SAFA R I I T I N E R A RY
5
5 th
K E N YA - 1 1 th MAY 2 0 1 8
R E G I O N S
P R A M O D B H A S I N A N D F R I E N D S S A FA R I I T I N E R A R Y M AY 2 0 1 8 This 7 day safari combines two of Kenya’s greatest wildlife areas: the Masai Mara and Tsavo East.
D AY 1
NAIROBI
HOG HOUSE
D AY 2 - 4
Lake Turkana
MASAI MARA MARA PLAINS CAMP
Lake Logipi
D AY 5 - 7
T S AVO E A S T
KER & DOWNEY LIGHTWEIGHT CAMP
Depending on your arrival time we will either begin with a night in Nairobi at our home, Hog House, which lies within the Giraffe Sanctuary in the quiet suburb of Langata. Or - transfer you directly onto your private charter and �ly you straight to the mara.
Lake Baringo
Samburu
Shaba
Lake Bogoria
Lake Victoria
Equator
Mt. Kenya
Lake Nakuru Masai Mara
We then �ly you southwest across the Great Rift Valley to perhaps the best known area in the World for Big Game - the Masai Mara. The abundance of wildlife here, year round is extraordinary. We have selected Mara Plains camp which is ideally located in it’s own private conservancy but with access also the the main Mara Reserve.
Ewaso Nyiro River
Lake Naivasha Nairobi Tana River
Lake Magadi Amboseli
Ts a v o Watamu
Mombasa
Lamu
Next we �ly you southeast to Tsavo East, our largest National Park and where we hope to show you some of the largest elephants on the planet - the Supertuskers. These giants carry over 100lbs ivory per side and we are heavily involved in protecting them. Tsavo is home to plentiful game of all kinds. We will be camping in our very own private camp set up in a stunning grove of shady Doum Palms on the banks of the Galana River. You’ll be here for three nights again this camps is yours exclusively.
You will be guided by James Robertson, chairman of Ker and Downey, Africa’s oldest safari company.
I T I N E R A R Y
O V E R V I E W
HOG HOUSE - MARA PLAINS - KER & DOWNEY LIGHTWEIGHT CAMP NAIROBI
-
MAASAI MARA
-
T S AVO E A S T
5 t h M AY 2 0 1 8 : N A I R O B I
Depending on your �lights you will either spend your �irst night in Nairobi, at our home Hog House or you will transfer directly onto your private charter to the Maasai Mara.
6 t h - 8 t h M AY 2 0 1 8 : M A A S A I M A R A
6fter breakfast you will �ly by private charter southwest, over the Great Rift Valley and on into the Masai Mara. You will be based at Mara Plains Camp for four or three nights on an exclusive basis.
9 t h - 1 1 t h M AY 2 0 1 8 : T S A V O E A S T
We will �ly you southeast into Tsavo East and you will have three nights in your own private camp set up on the banks of the Galana River. Late in the afternoon on 11th May 2018 we will �ly you directly back 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.”
PR IVAT E
CHA RT ER
F L I G H T S
A t h r i l l i n g w a y t o a p p r e c i a t e t h e d i v e r s i t y o f E a s t A f r i c a i s f r o m t h e a i r.
Flying is the perfect way to optimize your safari time, without being limited by distances and time. All our private charter �lights are operated by trusted companies that we work with all the time. Experienced pilots, passionate about Kenya – its history, geography, people and wildlife – make every effort to ensure �lights are enjoyable and part of the safari experience. The pilots we use are some of the best bush pilots in the world. The geography of this country is dominated by the Great Rift Valley, it’s lakes and volcanoes and seeing this all from above really helps to gain a greater understanding of Kenya’s varied environments. We use Cessna aircraft almost exclusively. Its proven track record as a single engine aircraft, great performance on bush strips and robust design, make Cessna aircrafts the most suitable planes for Kenya and East Africa. It is capable of taking off from nearly all bush airstrips, made possible by the large wheels, very ef�icient wing and powerful engine. Cessna Caravan (C208) - 12 pax. We use the caravan 208 the most . The caravan is the best-selling, most-�lown airplane ever, due to its proven reliability, �light characteristics and reputation as the safest
general aviation aircraft ever built.
‘Baby’ Caravan (C208) - 6 pax. Extremely comfortable, with great visibility out of the large windows. It is versatile in all weather conditions with a turbine engine. Cessna 182 (C108) - 2 pax. Single-engine light aircraft. Its high wing position allows excellent visibility and it is comfortable, reliable and versatile.
Cessna 182 (206) - 6 pax. Single-engined aircraft, popular as bush planes for its powerful, rugged construction and large cabin. Cessna (F406) - 12 pax. Twin turboprop aircraft ideal for short �lights.
Beechcraft Super King Air - 9 pax. For those looking for luxury in the air, a spacious and well appointed twin engine aircraft.
Flying between destinations is a highlight of any safari. As you �ly over the ever changing landscape and ecotones, you get an incredible birds eye view of this incredible country.
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
M A R A
P L A I N S
Nestled in the trees on the edge of the Ntiakatek stream in the 35,000 acre private Olare-Motorogi Conservancy (previously known as Olare Orok), Mara Plains is a small, luxury tented camp which prides itself on offering personal, high-level service. Just north of the legendary Masai Mara National Reserve, in the quiet wilderness of the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, there are 7 tents hidden within a copse of riverine trees. To get to them, you follow a wooden walkway that leads straight between an acacia tree's branches, which curve upward like a candelabra. Acacia trees, �lat-topped and seemingly frozen in motion, are a symbol of East Africa, and this particular tree was a deciding factor when National Geographic Explorers-in-Residence Dereck and Beverly Joubert and their partners at Great Plains Conservation set out to build a lodge here. The tree is a natural gateway to an exceptional safari experience.
Mara Plains Camp is at once elegant and unassuming. The elevated tents and the main camp area are crafted of rough-hewn wooden �loors and billowing canvas and �illed with an exquisite collection of furnishings and decor that recall the colonial in�luences of bygone centuries, as well as Kenya’s Swahili and Maasai roots. Whether you come for the thundering wildebeest, the rainbow-colored birds, or to experience
the culture of the Maasai person �irsthand, Mara Plains Camp is the perfect setting for immersing yourself in the mystique and the beauty of the East African savanna.
The guiding at Mara Plains is amongst the best in Kenya - to a Gold Grade standard. The game viewing in the OOC is spectacular with resident lion, cheetah and leopard populations. Enjoy walking with a Maasai warrior at twilight, followed by a sundowner (a cocktail) under an acacia tree, as well as night drives in the very high, open-sided vehicles. Mara Plains provides unprecedented entrance to the remarkable ecosystem of the Maasai Mara.
“If a camp’s success lies in its details, then Mara Plains
i s t r u l y b l e s s e d .”
T S A V O
E A S T
Ts a v o i s h o m e t o s o m e o f t h e l a r g e s t e l e p h a n t o n t h e p l a n e t - t h e s e “ s u p e r t u s k e r s ” c a r r y o v e r 100 pounds of ivory each side. There are thought to be about 15 remaining on the African continent. 1 0 o f t h e m l i v e i n Ts a v o . C a t c h i n g a g l i m p s e o f o n e o f t h e g i a n t s i s a p r i v i l e g e . Tsavo East National Park is by far the biggest of Kenya’s parks. At close to 3.4 million acres, it is nine times larger than the Masai Mara National Reserve and consists mostly of dry, �lat thorn bush scrub, occasionally broken by the verdant vegetation of seasonal rivers. Tsavo East is most famous for its huge herds of elephants, more than 10,000 of them bulldoze their way around this vast �lat plain of sandy soil, split by the shallow trough of the Galana River. The �ine ochre soils give the Tsavo elephants a red tinge as they bathe in the dust in this dry arid expanse. Tsavo East has another big draw: you can set off on a game drive across the seemingly empty wilderness and return to camp 3 hours later without having seen a single other vehicle. The Galana, is one of Kenya’s biggest rivers. Its valley – rocky in much of its western course, sandy and doum-palm fringed further east – is one of Tsavo East National Park’s de�ining physical features. The Yatta Plateau is a 300 kilometre ancient lava �low that stretches along the east and north bank of the Athi-Galana. Its geomagnetic qualities are believed to play a role in guiding migratory birds and large numbers of Palearctic migrants can be seen in the area. Lugard Falls are a series of short falls and steep rapids on the Galana River
where relatively harder rock has created a bottleneck in the valley and impedes the river’s progress. Crocodile Point, where the big reptiles can often be seen basking in the sun, is just downstream from here. The immense park encourages complete immersion into its enormous animal kingdom proffering opportunities to see lesser kudu and fringe-eared oryx as well as buffalo, zebra, giraffe, lion, cheetah, leopard and wild dog. Lake Turkana
Laikipia Lake Victoria
Mt. Kenya N.P
Masai Mara
Nairobi Amboseli N.P
Kilimanjaro N.P
TSAVO N.P
L I G H T W E I G H T
M O B I L E
T h e p r i n c i p l e b e h i n d l i g h t w e i g h t c a m p i n g i s � l e x i b i l i t y a n d m o b i l i t y.
This is especially suited to hotter climates where heavy canvas isn’t needed. Our custom-made tents are very comfortable and consist of a bedroom, verandah and changing area with private shower and toilet. Each tent has plenty of room to move around and unpack your belongings. Showers are available anytime and you will �ind them piping hot and wonderfully relaxing. On the other side of the partition is your eco-friendly toilet. In the cool evenings, slip into your duvet -covered bed that has been warmed with hot water bottles. The insect-proof windows are extra large for superb ventilation and exquisite views of the surrounding wilderness.
Our delectable food is well known throughout the industry, and our menus are custom-designed to suit your tastes. Breads, such as our scrumptious cinnamon rolls are baked fresh each day. Fresh fruits and fresh vegetables are delivered as needed throughout the safari. Fine wines, sodas soft drinks, beer, liquor, coffee, tea and mineral water are provided in camp.
Our camps are the most luxurious available in Africa, but what truly distinguishes Ker & Downey is the professionalism and enthusiasm of our camp crew. All of your needs and comforts are attended to, such as laundry, shoe polishing; our tents and beds are made up every day. For lighting we use a combination of gas lamps, rechargeable �luorescent and kerosene lanterns. Cameras and video recorders can be charged in our game driving vehicles. Mobile telephones with full international roaming will work in many areas.
Our vehicles are specially modi�ied Land Cruisers with large roof hatches allowing for fantastic game viewing and photography. They have fridges stocked with cools drinks. Our lightweight camp is set up only for you.
“Live in world of luxury FA R A WAY f r o m t h e d a i l y r u s h y o u h a v e l e f t b e h i n d .”
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