SA R A F
F I NA L 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
2
K E N YA 2 3 rd - 2 9 th 2 0 1 8
J U LY
I T I N E R A R Y
O V E R V I E W
M A R A E X P E D I T I O N - E L S A’ S K O P J E - T H E E M A K O K O - H O G H O U S E
M A S A I M A R A N A T I O N A L R E S E R V E - M E R U N A T I O N A L PA R K - N A I R O B I
2 3 rd - 2 5 t h J u ly 2 0 1 8 : M A ASA I M A R A R E S E RV E
You will arrive in Nairobi very early in the morning and we will transfer you to our home Hog House for a shower, and breakfast. After breakfast you will �ly by privately chartered aircraft west, across the Great Rift Valley to the Maasai Mara. You will be met at the airstrip and your safari starts now as you game drive slowly to camp. You will be based at the beautiful Mara Expedition camp on the Djagatiek River for three nights. During your stay in the Mara you may decide to take a balloon �light or a helicopter safari over the migration.
2 6 t h - 2 8 t h J u l y 2 0 1 8 : M E R U N A T I O N A L PA R K
After breakfast we will �ly you, again by private charter, this time over the Equator and pst Mt. Kenya to Meru National Park. You will stay at Meru’s most stunning lodge - Elsa’s Kopje for three nights.
2 9 t h J u l y 2 0 1 8 : H O G H O U S E a n d T R A V E L D AY
Today we will �ly you back to Nairobi again by private charter. You will be based back at our home, Hog House for the remainder of the day. In the afternoon we will take you to the Sheldrick Elephant orphanage. After supper we will transfer you down to the international airport for your �light home.
R E G I O N S
S A R A F S A FA R I F I N A L I T I N E R A R Y 2 This fabulous week long safari takes you to two of Kenya’s most wildlife-rich areas - the Maasai Mara and Meru National Park. Visiting two contrasting national parks will enable you to see a greater diversity of wildlife - not only the abundant plains game of the savannahs but also the hardy animals of the arid north.
D AY 1 - 3
MASAI MARA
MARA EXPEDITION
Lake Turkana
D AY 4 - 6
Lake Logipi
MERU N A T I O N A L PA R K E L S A’ S K O P J E D AY 7
NAIROBI
HOG HOUSE
When you land we will collect you and quickly bring you home for a shower and breakfast before we �ly you to the Maasai Mara which in July hosts the wildebeest migration. This will be in full swing and you will be located right in the middle of all the action.
Lake Baringo
Ewaso Nyiro River
Samburu
Lake Bogoria
Lake Victoria
Equator
Mt. Kenya
Lake Nakuru Masai Mara
Predators will be out in force making the most of the abundance of prey and you will also have superb elephant sightings too. You will stay at the luxurious Mara Expedition camp for three nights. You’ll have options to take a balloon safari or a chopper �light over the migration which will be absolutely breathtaking.
Shaba
Lake Naivasha Nairobi Tana River
Lake Magadi Amboseli
Ts a v o Watamu
Mombasa
Lamu
We then take you north to Meru National Park which will be a superb contrast to the Mara but still full of wildlife - but with some different species that you will not have seen in the Mara. You’ll be based at Elsa’s Kopje for three nights.
You will the return to Nairobi on your last day and we will bring you back to Hog House which is close to local craft markets. You will visit the Sheldrick elephant orphanage. You will be privately guided throughout your safari.
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.”
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
M A R A
E X P E D I T I O N
This is a place where lions own the night and hippos stake claim to vast territories,
where we submit to the supreme power of wild Africa and take our lead from Mother Nature… Lying just inside the north-central border of the acclaimed Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Mara Expedition draws the �irst time traveller and the safari connoisseur alike. Known as “the Greatest Show on Earth”, Mara Expedition offers unrivalled access to the routes of the Great Migration, exhibiting the awe-inspiring movement of 200,000 zebra, 18,000 eland, 500,000 Thompson’s gazelle and over a million wildebeest, up close.
Resting just off the Ntiakatek River, the 5 entirely exclusive suites are caught up in the branches of a cluster of trees, each raised on wooden decking with three open sides and ensuite bathrooms complete with showers. The private verandas may display the serene sight of a herd of wildebeest grazing in the plains below, whilst the uncluttered design is complemented by red velvet throw cushions, natural wooden accents and white linen. Decadent cuisine may be savoured by candlelight in the elegant dining room after the wild appeal of a day in the bush. Providing the ultimate draw card, there is no better way to end the day than around a roaring camp�ire reliving the day’s stories with drink in hand.
The �lexible nature of Mara Expedition makes each stay unique and personal; unwind in the lavish lounge areas, visit a local Maasai village for a taste of African culture or witness the riverine forests, grasslands and rolling hills by hot air balloon.
With incomparable predator activity aided by the high density of prey during the migration period, sightings of leopard, hyena and cheetah are at their peak. Night drives offer a rare nocturnal perspective whilst day safaris offer the opportunity to view over 470 bird species, herds of elephant, buffalo and giraffe or the sight of a lion strutting right past the vehicle.
“There’s an air of yesteryear in Mara Expedition Camp’s
design, which draws stylistic reference from the old,
authentic expedition camps o f t h e c o l o n i a l e r a .”
M ERU
Of all the parks, Meru has the widest variety of landscapes and habitats – forest, swamp savannah divided by many streams and rivers all rising in the foothills of Mount Kenya a n d t h e N y a m b e n i H i l l s , e n d i n g i n t h e m i g h t y Ta n a R i v e r f o r m i n g a n a t u r a l b o u n d a r y t o t h e s o u t h . Meru, famous for its association with the
zebra,
allowing us to enjoy warm days and
famous for its birdlife, including riverine
�ilm “Born Free”, lies Northeast of Nairobi
and 11.3 kilometres north of the equator, pleasant nights.
Meru is vast with arid, open plains dotted with Doum palms and Baobab trees and
reticulated
giraffe,
Grant’s gazelle, leopard, lion, cheetah, rhino and the rare, elusive greater kudu. Meru is
and forest species as well as the arid dry country species.
lush vegetation along 13 rivers, like green ribbons, bisecting the Park.
Lake Turkana
Exploring Meru Park is very rewarding
because of the diversity of the habitat.
From thickly wooded springs and stream beds to open marshland and rocky Kopjes and of course, the great Tana river. All this in the shadow of Mount Kenya far to the
west makes photography and game viewing exciting and fun. Here we will see a more
diverse range of species than in any other park or reserve. Regular sightings include Beisa oryx, gerenuk, elephant,
Grevy’s
lesser kudu,
Buffalo Springs Lake Victoria Masai Mara
Mt. Kenya N.P
Shaba
MERU
Nairobi Amboseli N.P
Ts a v o N.P
E L S A ’ S
K O P J E
G e o r g e a n d J o y A d a m s o n n a m e d E l s a ’ s K o p j e a f t e r E l s a t h e l i o n e s s m a d e f a m o u s i n t h e � i l m ‘ B o r n F r e e ’.
Elsa was released into the wild in Meru and the Mughwango Hill is the site of George Adamson’s original camp. Unashamedly romantic and beautifully styled, Elsa’s Kopje is sculpted into Mughwango Hill, above the site of George Adamson’s camp where he raised and released orphan lions, long before conservation became fashionable. Meru lies Northeast of Nairobi and 15 kilometres north of the equator, allowing us to enjoy warm days and pleasant nights. Of all the parks, Meru has the widest variety of landscapes and habitats – forest, swamp savannah divided by many streams and rivers all rising in the foothills of Mt. Kenya and the Nyambeni Hills, ending in the mighty Tana River forming a natural boundary to the South. All of the 9 thatch cottages are crafted around the rocks, with a large bedroom, open sitting room, veranda and spacious bathroom, each with breathtaking views. Paved paths, lit by lamps at night, lead from each cottage to the comfortable open bar, lounge and dining room. There is a sense
of space, style and pure relaxation.
The
ultimate ‘pool with a view’ looks out across the plains, perfect for chilling out
after a game drive or guided walk in the bush.
At Elsa’s we have the opportunity to
experience the bush on foot and go on night game drives to �ind the elusive nocturnal animals. Other attractions breakfasts
include
bush
and sundowners and visits to
the Tharaka tribal village on the southern boundary of the Park.
"The park offers
a t h r i v i n g r h i n o s a n c t u a r y, a n d i s FA M O U S
for large elephant herds,
h i p p o , l i o n , a n d b i r d l i f 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
O L I V E R
N I C K L I N
Born and brought up in Kenya, Oliver spent much of his childhood on the east African coast and exploring the bush. With a surfer for a father and a safari guide for an uncle,
Oliver developed a passion for water sports and a parallel love of the African wilderness.
An unconventional student with a love of physical and mental challenges, on leaving school Oliver
set up a kite-sur�ing business in Watamu with a friend. They ran the business successfully for
three years, teaching kite-sur�ing, organizing tailor-made trips for clients and guiding kite-sur�ing safaris along the coastline. During this period, he travelled extensively around East Africa - climbing
Mount Kenya, �ishing on remote lakes and camping in diverse landscapes. He also broadened his experience with trips to South East Asia, South Africa and Europe - sur�ing in Indonesia and Vietnam and travelling by train around Europe.
Three years ago, Oliver decided that it was time for a change and a challenge, and shifted his
career from the beach to the bush. He studied Business in South Africa and completed an EcoTraining course in Borana, Kenya. Since then, he has worked on several safaris, guiding for
Ker and Downey Safaris, The Luxury Safari Company and Africa Born. When Oliver is not guiding he also works as a lodge manager in Northern Kenya and the Mara working closely with the Maasai and Samburu tribes. More recently Oliver spent 3 months in Rwanda Managing Sabyinyo
Silver Back Lodge where he was able to immerse himself in the inspiring Rwandan history and learn all about the incredible Mountain Gorillas of the Volcanos National Park. Invigorated and
inspired, he is passionate about conserving Kenya’s wildlife and habitats on land and in the ocean - and about sharing that very special world with others.
Oliver is a professional, informative and entertaining guide with an infectious love of wilderness and exploration.
M A R I A
D O D D S
Maria is a third-generation Kenyan who grew up on her family ranch in Laikipia. She is an exceptional botanist and especially good with young children who all fall in love with her easy going fun loving nature.
Maria lives a diverse and dynamic life, and loves being on safari and in the bush. She has worked
in the Kenyan tourism industry for many years, having been a naturalist, hostess, manager and guide at a number of well known Kenyan tourism establishments. In more recent years Maria has
had regular work as a �irst or second guide or hostess / nanny with James Robertson, Chairman of Ker and Downey Safaris.
Being on safari enables Maria to indulge in her passion, botany, and in particular succulents. She
is well known in the succulent community in Kenya and is currently the Chairperson of the Kenya
Aloe Network. This involves much hard work in promoting sustainable use of indigenous aloes, and working to ensure their protection. Using extracts from her own extensive aloe collection she
produces soaps and lotions for boutique hotels and lodges. She also teaches rural communities and women’s groups in parts of Kenya and Ethiopia the art of soap making, and sustainable utili-
zation and protection of aloes. She has had two species named after her – Aloe doddsiorum and Angolluma doddsiae, and also recently brought Aloe tartarensis to scienti�ic recognition.
Maria is a Silver Level guide accredited by the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association, and having spent most of her life in the bush, has become an excellent safari guide, with a broad knowledge of mammals, birds, botany and culture. She has a quick wit and an easy charm, and is
very comfortable guiding guests of all ages on safari, and she strives to make every safari a fascinating, fun and informative experience.
K E N YA
WILD LIFE
T RU ST
Fo u n d e d by a g ro u p o f Ke r & D ow n ey g u i d e s , Ke nya W i l d l i fe Tr u s t
is here to protect the country’s predators through a network of high-impact conservation initiatives In 2007, a small group of private guides decided to form a Trust, as a way to raise funds through their safaris for grassroots conservation projects around Kenya. The result of that pioneering and entrepreneurial spirit is Kenya Wildlife Trust.
Our long-term partnership with Ker & Downey re�lects the fact that the best private guides have conservation in their DNA. What we offer to both guides and visitors is a trustworthy pair of hands, focused on putting the right boots on the ground rather than into big of�ices. Remaining close to a range of safari partners, we are uniquely positioned to connect visitors from abroad to effective, grassroots conservation. Over the years, our team has developed a curated portfolio of high-impact conservation initiatives, with a strong focus on big cats. Since 2013, our two �lagship projects - the Mara Cheetah Project and Mara Lion Project - have been monitoring big cats with the long-term aim of stabilising the populations of both cheetah and lion. During your safari, you will spend time with both of our project teams at the Tony Lapham Predator Hub in the heart of the Masai Mara, learning about their focus, methods and �indings.
By raising funds through safaris, we can award grants to those projects (and people) achieving meaningful results across the three ‘pillars’ of Predator Conservation, Community Development and Conservation Education. Undertaking robust monitoring and evaluation of all our grants, we are the donor’s eyes and ears on the ground, ensuring every penny ends up where it should. Our team understands the importance of balancing scienti�ic research with community engagement, as well as the value of investing in people who live near wildlife. After all, conservation is really about people. “By donating to Kenya Wildlife Trust through their UK charity, I know and trust that my money is going straight to the cause.” Donor to The Friends of Kenya Wildlife Trust
Thanks to a sma ll number of donors who c o ver our c ore c osts, 100 % o f e v e r y d o n a t i o n g o e s d i r e ct l y t o o u r p r o g ra ms .
Moreo ver, for e ver y £1
we spend on c ore c osts, w e ra is e a t l e a s t £ 4 .
F R O M 2 0 0 7 T O 2 0 1 7 - C E L E B R AT I N G
1 0 Y E A R S O F C O N S E R VA T I O N I M PA C T.
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 . . .”
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