PEOPLE • COMMUNITIES • WILDLIFE
KENYA
ELEPHANT SAFARI
12 DAYS
KENYA
Your Host, Founder Askari Project
Fully Escorted by a RAW Africa Tour Leader & Tour Host Bradd Johnston
Bradd Johnston
US$5295
Per person Twin Share
RAW Africa Ecotours and the Askari Project are proud to join forces to bring you an extraordinary elephant adventure to Kenya. RAW Africa fosters responsible tourism that benefit local people and wildlife; your tour will be led by qualified, local wildlife professionals. The Askari Project was established to raise funds and provide support for elephant conservation in the Greater Tsavo ecosystem, Kenya. This funding helps to support the operations of the Tsavo Trust, who work on the frontline of elephant protection in southern Kenya.. With over a decade of experience working closely with elephants, Bradd is knowledgeable on the complexities of elephant conservation and looks forward to providing tour participants with a unique insight into the current conservation efforts for the African elephant. Come with RAW Africa and the Askari Project to one of the most spectacular and unforgettable parts of the world and help support elephant conservation at the same time. For further Information or bookings please email: team@rawafricaecotours.com.au
Key B: Breakfast L: Lunch D: Dinner Day 1: Arrive Nairobi, Kenya D
On arrival, you are greeted at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, by a RAW Africa staff member and taken to your hotel. You will have time to relax before our 8.00 p.m. get‐together to chat about our fantastic adventure.
Day 2: Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Day 3: Ngarendare Forest
Day 4: Il Ngwesi Community
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Weave your way through Kenya’s central highlands to Nanyuki. Travel to Ol Pejeta Conservancy. There will be chances to see elephant, rhino and possibly lion! Visit the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary, meet Barak the black rhino and walk beside the Hippo river. Maybe catch a glimpse of the last surviving northern white rhino. Today will be a day of game drives that you will never forget. Spend the night in Ol Pejeta.
After an early morning game drive, make your way to the beautiful Ngarendare Community Forest, one of the few remaining cedar forests in Kenya. Walk through the tree tops and see some of Kenya’s most spectacular bird life on the forest canopy walk. After an afternoon game drive through Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and on to the stunning Il Ngwesi Lodge. Finish the day with a sundowner overlooking the Ngarendare river.
Il Ngwesi means “People of Wildlife”. The Lodge is owned and operated by the Maasai community. Spend time with your Maasai hosts and experience the special relationship the community has with the elephants who share their home. Roam the forest on foot on an early morning game walk, spend the afternoon relaxing by the pool and possibly enjoying a massage, before visiting the Maasai cultural Manyatta (village) and an evening game drive.
NW
Sudan
Uganda
Ethiopia
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SW
Kenya
South Turkana National Reserve
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Naniunyak Wildlife Conservation Trust
Ill Ngwesi Nanyuki
Lake Victoria
Rahole National Reserve
Nairobi
✈ Tsavo
Tanzania
TOUR DATE: 20-31 August 2016
TRIP DETAILS Inclusions
All transfers, transport, activities, accommodation and meals as per itinerary. Il Ngwesi stay includes unlimited wine and beer. All tips/gratuities except for RAW Africa staff. In country mobile phones & wi-fi modems if required. Accommodation (Twin Share). 2 nights guest house, 3 nights luxury eco lodge, 6 nights luxury safari tents.
Meals
All itinerary meals included. Group Size Maximum 10.
Days 5: Lewa Conservancy
Day 6: Il Ngwesi to Nairobi
Day 7: Elephant Orphanage
Day 8: Amboseli National Park
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Wake in your open air room overlooking the spectacular valley and water holes where elephant, antelope and monkeys regularly come to drink. Spend the day on game drives in Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in search of the endangered black rhino. Lewa is also famous for its cheetah, buffalo and the rare Grevy’s zebra.
Wind your way through Il Ngwesi to Nanyuki stopping on your way at BeadWORKS Kenya, to stock up on beautifully locally produced beaded products. Make a gradual slow descent to Nairobi, where we will spend the night before departing for Amboseli and Tsavo National Parks.
After a relaxing sleep in, spend the morning at the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage. The orphanage is dedicated to the rescue, hand rearing and release of elephants from all over Kenya. The orphanage is also home to orphan rhino and various antelope species. After lunch, make your way to Amboseli National Park south east of Nairobi.
Today we spend a full day exploring Amboseli National Park located at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro. This iconic park is famous for it’s elephants who have been closely studied here for over 30 years and have provided a lot of the information we know about wild elephants today. The elephants congregate in and around the central swamp and provide fantastic photography opportunities with Mount Kilimanjaro towering in the background.
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Day 9: Amboseli to Tsavo National Park BLD
After departing Amboseli we excitedly head towards Tsavo East National Park which is home to some of the last Great Tuskers of Africa. Tsavo has the largest population of elephants in Kenya. The elephants have a distinctive red colouring due to soil found in the region. We will arrive in time for a late lunch and dine with representatives from The Tsavo Trust. Here you will gain firsthand information from staff who work tirelessly to protect the elephants of Tsavo before proceeding on an afternoon game drive.
Day 10: Tsavo National Park
Day 11: Tsavo National Park
Day 12: Return to Nairobi
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As the sun rises we will set off with our conservation partner The Tsavo Trust in search of some of the iconic elephants who inhabit the local area in which we will be based. There are as few as 20-30 Great Tuskers left on the entire African continent and this tour provides the potential opportunity of encountering one of these amazing bulls as well numerous other species that calls Tsavo home.
Today we continue our search for Tsavo’s elephants and between morning and afternoon game drives we will learn more about the conservation activities of The Tsavo Trust and the programs they are developing with local communities outside the park to ensure a future for elephants & other wildlife.
After a last early morning game drive, make a gradual return to Nairobi. Upon arrival in Nairobi RAW Africa will drop you at Jomo Kenyatta Airport or at a central Nairobi location for those going onto other adventures. Please ensure that you book departing flights after 7pm.
Askari Project and Tsavo Trust- Working together to save Africa’s elephants. Askari is the Swahili word for soldier. It is a term often given to a young bull elephant found in the company of more experienced bulls. The askari’s serve as security for the older bulls and alert them to any possible threats. The Askari Project was created to be another “soldier” to the older bulls, to offer further protection from the increasing danger of poaching. Tsavo Trust is based in the Greater Tsavo ecosystem and works in conjunction with the Kenyan Wildlife Service (KWS) to protect Tsavo’s elephants, which include some of the last Great Tuskers of Africa. The Conservation Levy from this tour will support the work of the Askari Project and the Tsavo Trust.
State of the Elephant.
Human desire for elephant ivory dates back thousands of years. It is primarily used decoratively. Our obsession with ivory has led to it being referred to as White gold and has resulted in millions of elephants being killed for their tusks. In 2008-2009 elephants once again were under large scale attack for their tusks. With basic weapons being replaced with high level fire arms and sophisticated poaching networks. It is estimated that over 100,000 elephants have been killed in the last 3 years! that’s one elephant every 15 minutes!
How you can help.
While the situation may seem dire, there is always hope. Elephants populations, when left alone, recover quickly. Increasingly new global laws are making it more difficult to sell ivory on the black market. On the ground, well trained anti-poaching units and surveillance teams are protecting elephant herds from the poaching threat. By supporting organisations such as the Askari project and Tsavo Trust through conservation tours such as this, you are funding vital operations that will ensure the survival of the elephant into the future.
Where your conservation money will go.
Not only does this tour provide the opportunity for tour participants to get a unique insight into elephant conservation but by working directly with our local partners funding from this tour actually goes directly into elephant conservation efforts in Tsavo This funding ensures the aerial reconnaissance work and ground units of The Tsavo Trust who work in conjunction with the Kenyan Wildlife Service (KWS) can continue, ensuring that the iconic elephants of this region will remain a part of the magnificent African landscape. www.theaskariproject.org www.tsavotrust.org
RAW Africa Ecotours specialises in financially sustainable community and conservation based ecotourism. For all tour bookings and enquiries please contact RAW Africa Ecotours, Australia.
team@rawafricaecotours.com.au
General information and conditions.
This itinerary is a guide only, as circumstances beyond the control of the operators will sometimes necessitate changes or modifications to the scheduled program. All travellers must have a valid passport for international travel with at least 6 months validity from the date of return. It is the responsibility of the trailer to ensure that they have all valid entry visas, including multi- entry, as required. These are available at some border crossings, please contact RAW Africa Ecotours for ore information. Tours do not include return flights from point of origin; internal international/domestic flights; travel insurance; alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, snacks and food outside the itinerary; additional activities beyond the scheduled itinerary; laundry; transport between locations other than those stated on the itinerary. Prices are a guide only, RAW Africa Ecotours reserves the right to adjust these at any time without notice. Unless otherwise stated, prices are inclusive of taxes and charges that apply as at 20th April 2014, but they do not include any fees for optional items which are payable directly to 3rd parties. Prices are in Australian dollars and may incur additional costs and international transfer fees if payment is made outside Australia. Please read RAW Africa Ecotours’ Bookings, Terms and Conditions carefully as they incorporate the basis upon which bookings are accepted by RAW Africa Ecotours. ABN 21 158 486 992 Copy write: B.Squires. Photos: BJ.Clow, B.Squires, P.Hines, B.Johnston.