Our clients who have recently traveled to Kenya have all been extremely pleased with the quality of the game-viewing there, and the cultural experience is without rival. The Classic Rift Valley itinerary offers good value for a private safari with a dedicated driver-guide in a 4-wheel drive Land Rover through-out. Comparable group trips are invariably run on a very tight schedule and many of them spend much too much time in transit, with a minimum of time allocated for actual game-viewing. Some of the packaged itineraries you may see, have lots of big names such as Mt. Kenya Safari Lodge, Treetops etc. but preciously little time actually looking at wildlife, which is after all the purpose of a safari.

Origins Safaris (formerly EAOS) is one of East Africa's premier nature tour operators. The company, which was founded in the 1960's, is still family operated by Steve Turner, his father Don Turner (co-author of the Birds of East Africa) and his wife and other family members.

The Origins guides are amongst Kenya's few KPSGA SILVER CERTIFIED professional guides. In our opinion, this is the ideal introductory safari for the first time visitor to East Africa. It is perfect – you will see approximately 35 big mammal species, 350 bird species, 3 distinct tribal groups, and much more.

The wildebeest migration (depending upon local rainfall patterns) usually arrives in the Masai Mara (from the Serengeti) sometime in July every year. However, the Mara is anything but 'empty' outside of the "migration season". All the animals that can be seen during the migration, can be seen all year round. And they can be seen in big numbers. The big prides of lions do not migrate with the wildebeests, only the bachelors without a home range do. Most leopards and cheetahs are territorial too and do not migrate either. Many animals are actually moving out of the Mara during the migration, because the big herds of wildebeests compete with them for food. According to an article by Stelfox (Herbivores in Kenya, Journal of Wildlife Management), this is how the wildebeest migration affects other species:

As can be seen, for almost all species the numbers are actually higher in June (or for that matter any other month before July). Only wildebeests and zebras migrate in really big numbers. The migration is unpredictable; this year (2005) the wildebeest have actually moved back across the border into Tanzania, after some local veld fires in Tanzania.

So even if you travel to Kenya outside of the 'migration' time (July through October) you will still see a lot of wildlife. For what to expect at that time of the year, please see the guide’s report below.

Here is what we would suggest as an ideal combination of camps and areas; for longer trips one may consider adding on Amboseli or a couple or so additional days in the Maasai Mara.

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PROPOSED ITINERARY: KENYA RIFT VALLEY SAFARI

Please note: camps subject to availability at time of booking

Day 1: NAIROBI
Arrive Nairobi ex evening flight from Europe – you will be met for transfer to the Norfolk Hotel for overnight on bed & breakfast basis. Standard room.

The Norfolk Hotel, a 'Leading Hotel of the World', is a landmark in Nairobi. No other hotel in Kenya has as rich a history as the Norfolk, one of the world's most romantic hotels. It has a traditional safari atmosphere, swimming pool, the fabulous Ibis Grill, the Lord Delamere Restaurant, and an open-air bar especially popular on Friday nights. All rooms are air-conditioned with en-suite facilities (private bathroom with shower, mini-bar, television and radio, direct dial telephone). The cottages on the ground floor have a separate lounge and seating area with writing desk and a patio facing the garden courtyard. Although the Norfolk can accommodate approximately 200 guests, a sense of intimacy has been retained.

Day 2 & 3: LAKE NAKURU, RIFT VALLEY
Drive Nakuru – 2 o/n Lake Nakuru Lodge

Lake Nakuru Lodge
Located in the south eastern area of Lake Nakuru National Park & Rhino Sanctuary, the lodge is comfortable but not luxurious with accommodation for 120 people in family rooms, cottages or suites. Excellent views out over the lake, a refreshing swimming pool, and evening entertainment with a choice of bars and spacious dining area make this a comfortable hide-out inside the park itself and the perfect base to explore this beautiful park all day long.

Lake Nakuru National Park
The Great Rift Valley, the world's largest fault, is 900 meters, 30 kilometres wide and some 2,500 kilometres long.

Visible from 90,000 miles in space, the Great Rift is a gigantic fault stretching from Mozambique in Southeastern Africa to the Jordan Valley in the North. Estimated to have widened by only one foot every 2,000 years, this massive chasm bisecting Kenya is 20 million years in the making. Volcanic activity occurring simultaneously with this rifting resulted in major changes to the Earth's landscape-lava flows, some 10,000 feet thick, blanketed the Earth's surface; groups of volcanoes, such as the Crater Highlands in Tanzania, were formed; and huge escarpments, including Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya and Mount Elgon, rose singularly and dramatically from the Rift Valley floor. In Kenya it is home to lakes such as Magadi, Nakuru, Elmenteita and Bogoria that have no outflows and therefore accumulate mineral salts brought from the highland areas which form an alkaline soup rich in algae. It is this "soup" that attracts millions of Lesser and Greater Flamingoes. Other lakes, such as Naivasha and Baringo, with out flowing rivers and resulting fresh water have their own diverse birdlife. Lake Nakuru National Park, described by Roger Tory Peterson as the greatest ornithological spectacle in the world. Certainly, the thousands of pink flamingos and fishing fleets of white pelicans are testament to his claim. Although birds are a major attraction over 400 species have been recorded here the acacia woodland surrounding the lake are amongst the finest examples of acacia forests in the region.

Day 4, 5 & 6: SAMBURU
Drive Samburu – 3 o/n Samburu Intrepids Camp (or similar)

Samburu Intrepids is renowned as a pioneer of luxury camping in one of the world's last truly great wilderness areas. Situated on the banks of the Uaso Nyiro River in the arid heart of Samburu National Reserve, Samburu Intrepids looks out over riverbanks where herds of elephant, buffalo and zebra come daily to drink - together with the rarer 'northern species' of reticulated giraffe, Beisa oryx and long-necked gerenuk antelope. Samburu Intrepids will show you this dramatic wilderness from a world of fascinating perspectives: through stirring early morning game drives, walking safaris with skilled Samburu guides, sedate camel rides, and raft trips when the river is high. Our acclaimed Adventurers' Club offers a uniquely educational safari for children of all ages, under the expert guidance of Kenya's most famous Samburu guide, Tom Lesarge.

Accommodation

• 27 luxurious tents overlooking the riverbanks
• Large four-poster beds and classic safari furniture
• Modern en suite bathrooms with showers
• Secluded verandahs with all-day bar service

Facilities

• Breezy thatched dining areas overlooking the river
• Lounge and bar with nightly talks and slide shows
• Freeform 'oasis' swimming pool and sunbathing garden
• Small conference room with television/VCR facilities
• Boutique with souvenirs and safari essentials
• Reliable telephone, e-mail, fax and postal services
• Professional flex body therapy for half- or one-hour

Activities

• Twice-daily game drives with resident guides
• Camel and walking safaris outside the reserve
• Seasonal rafting trips on the Uaso Nyiro River
• Bush breakfasts, sundowners and starlit dinners
• Tours of Samburu villages and 'bush secrets'
• Traditional dances by local warriors and maidens
• Lectures and slide shows on culture and wildlife

Samburu Game Reserve
The Samburu Game Reserve is located in Kenya's Northern Frontier District. Unique to this harsh, but picturesque, region are Grevy's Zebra, Somali Ostrich, Beisa Oryx, Gerenuk, Yellow Baboon, Guenther's Dik-dik and Reticulated Giraffe. This is the land of the Samburu pastoral people distinguished by the women's layering of beads in choker fashion around their necks, and men's colorful adornments and high-jumping dance Arid, rugged and savagely beautiful, the area is protected as the Samburu National Reserve and the Buffalo Springs National Reserve, together covering an area of about 300 square kilometers. With less than 300mm of rain a year the wildlife depends for its very existence on the Uaso Nyiro river, whose headwaters rise in the Aberdare Mountains, 300 kms away. The region is noted for several wildlife species not found in other Kenya parks south of the equator, the most striking of which include the reticulated giraffe, Grey's zebra, gerenuk and Beisa oryx. Bird life is particularly abundant in this region with more than 400 species being recorded. Lion, cheetah and leopard are also fund here, and elephant are plentiful. Samburu is also home to the colourful Samburu people, cousins to the Masai. They share much in common with the Maasai including their language, Maa, their dress and most particularly, their love of cattle.

Day 7, 8 & 9: MASAI MARA
Fly to Mara. 3 o/n Mara Intrepids Club (or similar).

MARA INTREPIDS CLUB
Sheltered in an indigenous forest bordering the Talek river, its location for game viewing is second to none. This luxury tented lodge has been designed as a 'fly-in' camp with its own paved airstrip. Flying time from Nairobi is only 35 minutes. Access by road is via tracks only passable with 4WD vehicles, ensuring almost total exclusivity from the melee of minibus tours. The Mara Intrepids Club offers you a very special window on the wilderness. The club's focus on ‘comfort with style’ recreates the romance and charm of the old safari experience. Set under the shade of trees along the banks of the river, the 30 tents are arranged in small clusters of twos, threes and fours making a number of mini-camps within the Club grounds. They are arguably the best the Mara has to offer: spacious, comfortable, handsomely furnished with custom milled African mahogany furniture, oversized four poster beds, ensuite bathrooms with showers, running hot and cold water, flush toilets and electricity. Bottled spring water, umbrellas, flashlights and hot water bottles are also provided. Early morning tea and coffee is served in your tents by unobtrusive stewards.

Game drives start early at 6.30 a.m in rugged 4WD game viewing vehicles. Usually there are opportunities to go out three times a day. Some of the game drives take place on the other side of the river which is reached by a suspension footbridge. You can opt to forego the mid-morning drive and instead relax on a sunbed around the small sparkling swimming pool.

Alternatively, you can browse in the wildlife library or shop at the well-stocked gift boutique. The Club's resident naturalist is on hand to explain the various species you will encounter. You can even join him for walking safaris conducted outside the reserve followed by a bush breakfast or a sundowner cocktail. Sipping your favourite drink in ht evening from the elevated wood decked bar, overhanging the river, you might chance to see the nocturnal genet, bush baby and almost always a baited leopard. At the other end of the camp is an elevated viewing deck where sunset views over the plains are unforgettable during the annual wildebeest migration. Full English breakfast and buffet luncheons re served from gleaming chafing dishes under the dappled shade of tress and to the sound of chattering monkeys. A more formal candlelight dinner is served under the vaulted thatched roof of the camphor decked dinning room.

The Maasai Mara Game Reserve
It is the Africa of your imagination - endless reaches of acacia-dotted grasslands studded with hazy hills. Everything is big in the Mara Reserve, from the herds of zebra and wildebeest, which originate in the Serengeti, to the many prides of lion that rest and laze in the shade. Your driver points out the sights that his trained eyes see long before you do. Suddenly your vehicle stops to allow a huge, ivory-tusked elephant to lumber across the road in front of you. One of the laws of the land in East Africa's parks is that animals, not people, have the right of way at all times; it is their world, we are the guests.

During the annual migration (July through October,) millions of animals make a hazardous trek across the Serengeti to seek out fertile grasslands. The migration is a story of life and death. Thousands of new calves are born along the way, while countless others fall prey to lions, leopards and hyenas. It is a fascinating struggle for survival that repeats itself every year. The Masai Mara is home to over 80 species of mammals, including the big five (elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard and rhino) and over 300 species of birds. It is a vast area, covering over 1500 square kilometres. In Mara, the language of the Masai, the word Mara means spotted: referring to the verdant landscape of rolling hills pierced by a mosaic of bushes and small forests. It is here that you can really get the feel of the wide open spaces set against the deep blue African sky. The Mara is the ancestral home of the ancient warrior people - the Maasai. Fiercely proud and self-reliant, they are traditionally pastoral nomads, who have clung to their ancient way of ancient way of life, living in harmony with their environment and the wildlife, together with their cattle, with whom they share a strong, almost mystical bond.

Day 10: DEPARTURE
Fly to Nairobi. Dayroom at the Panari Airport Hotel. Evening departure back to Europe/USA.

Please call or e-mail for a 2007 cost estimate. For a private departure (private 4-wheel drive vehicle & Silver category guide) the price for a safari such as this one will be approximately $4,500.00 per person to $5,500.00 per person, depending upon the size of the party and the season (high, low or shoulder season rates available).

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SERVICES INCLUDED/NOT INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE:

The above costs fully inclusive of:

• ALL accommodation and meals on safari. (Bed & Breakfast in Nairobi)
• ALL government hotel taxes and service charges
• ALL Land transport in specially built safari vehicles
• ALL National Park / reserve entrance fees & nature/birdwalks
• ALL entries to tribal Manyattas
• ALL internal air transport as specified in itinerary
• ALL porterage and Airport Assistance
• ALL Origins administrative and operational development costs
• Incredibly knowledgeable, KPSGA certified Origin guides
• Temporary Flying Doctor (AMREF), emergency evacuation to Nairobi

Not included: (Unless specifically requested)

• Personal Laundry, beverages and other personal expenses
• Tips to bar staff for personal beverages or room service
• Gratuities to driver / guides
• Visa fees

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GUIDE’S REPORT: MARCH 2006 PRIVATE KENYA SAFARI
LARSENS CAMP (SAMBURU) & MARA EXPLORER CAMP

March 6th: I picked up my vehicle and drove straight to Larsens camp to await the clients arrival.

7th March: I collected my guests at 1030Am, briefed them, and transferred to the camp for lunch, we enjoyed all the meals the whole time there.

PM game drive was such a nice one, a good introduction of the Reserve whereby we saw giraffes, oryx, lioness with 3 cubs (about 2 months old) by the Uaso Nyiro River drinking which ended up being the highlight of the day.

8th March: AM game drive produced more lions in the sun, Grevy Zebras, impalas grant Gazelles and later visited Samburu village. PM game drive was excellent with the elephants crossing the river, not far from the scene was a martial eagle drinking water and later found orange bellied parrots and yellow billed, red, Von Der Deckens and grey hornbills.

9th March: we enjoyed the panoramic views and found a leopard resting on tree branch in the sun and had our picnic breakfast at the view point. On our way back to the camp we photographed the migrating white throated bee eaters with good sunlight, then saw the golden breasted starlings and little bee eaters.

PM game drive was fantastic with more River crossing elephants and a big bull elephant scratching against a doum palm tree. We kept driving and suddenly found 3 cheetahs, mother and 2 cubs hunting where we witnessed a Grant gazelle kill, the feeding behaviour was enjoyed, the whole hunting sequence was photographed and became the highlight of the day. We then followed a big pride of lions in a good light picking all the behaviour near the wire bridge.

10th March: I drove to the Mara after dropping them off at the airstrip.

11th March: AM game drives yielded big pride of lions, cheetah killing Thompson’s Gazelles, Topis, Kongoni, Baboons and big black maned lions and had a good picnic breakfast with nice panoramas. We had lunch at the camp and rested until the time for Pm drive. PM drive.We saw mating lions, more cheetahs and big herds of the plain game ending up with beautiful sunset.

12th March: AM drive, we enjoyed herd of elephants and witnessed a whole sequence of buffalo giving birth, a kilometer down from the herd of buffaloes we saw ostriches with chicks and finally 2 cheetahs hunting but failing to catch a Grant gazelle. On the way back to the Explorer Camp we saw a big male hippo walking towards the woods. PM game run and big herds of plains game and stopped to have a sundowner with bitings and wine, we had a dramatic sunset and the highlight of the Day and winded up our safari, my guests were so impressed about our East African wildlife and the wonderful safari we had. We had a farewell dinner.

13th March: We had breakfast at the camp and exchanged addresses and bid farewell and by 1030A I dropped them off at Al Kiombo airstrip for their Air Kenya flight to Nairobi.

Andrew Karanja

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For further information contact -
Fish Eagle Safaris
11152 Westheimer #150
Houston, TX 77042
Toll-free: 1-800-513-5222
Tel: (713) 467-5222
Fax: (713) 467-3208
E-mail: exafrica@aol.com
E-mail: jduplessis@houston.rr.com
Website: www.fisheaglesafaris.com