Mobile Safari Laikipia to Western Kenya 10 Nights

Mobile Safari Laikipia to Western Kenya 10 Nights

This is a private guided safari led by Steve Carey or another highly experienced guide. The safari is by road in a custom-made Toyota Landcruiser focusing on unusual and unique areas with incredible birdlife, unusual animals and cultures, forests and landscapes, with a mixture of walking and driving. Day 1: On arrival in Nairobi you will be met and transferred to the capital s domestic airport, Wilson. The scheduled flight from Wilson airport to Nanyuki takes 1 hour and at Nanyuki you will be greeted by a representative and driven 1 ¼ hours through this little town and into beautiful Laikipia to Laikipia Wilderness. This is a stunning drive with lovely views of Mt. Kenya and various mountain ranges in the area, with plenty of game to be seen en route. Laikipia Wilderness is a new bush camp run by Steve and Annabelle Carey. Steve is a Zimbabwean guide and keen ornithologist and he and Annabelle have been running safaris in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Kenya for over 15 years. The tented camp sleeps 10 guests in spacious tents with en suite bathrooms and the camp overlooks a pretty valley above the Ewaso Narok river in an area rich in wildlife and birds. Steve and Annabelle s speciality is home style hospitality and real adventure in the bush where they live with their three children. Game-drives, night-drives, walking, tracking wild dogs and lions, fishing, swimming in the river, picnics and fly-camping are all available at Laikipia Wilderness. This area is very wild and varied in terrain with open plains, thick forest, riverine valleys and vast rock formations, wonderful for climbing and viewing the enormous area. Birdlife is spectacular and there are a lot of north Kenyan specials here. Laikipia Wilderness is also home to big herds of elephants, zebra, buffalo, various antelopes (some of which are endangered) giraffe, hippo, lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dogs and hyenas. Each day is a true adventure and activities are planned to suit each group staying at the camp.

Day 4: This morning you will leave Laikipia Wilderness by road for Lake Baringo, a fascinating drive through remote northern Laikipia, descending over the Rift valley escarpment, often encountering some local tribes whose culture is still remarkably intact. Lake Baringo is less spectacular scenically than its neighbour Lake Bogoria but famous for the huge variety of birdlife to be found in an around its shores. One of Africa s top birding destinations, 470 species of birds have been found in the area, many of them specific to the Rift Valley and Northern Kenya. A boat trip around some of the cliff-faces on the lake is a highlight and a great way to spend an afternoon with a cooler box of cold drinks at hand to enjoy sunset on Lake Baringo. 2 nights Robert s Camp in a cottage with hot showers, comfortable beds and home cooked meals with day trip to Lake Bogoria Day 5: Just an hour s drive away Lake Bogoria is famous for the huge flocks of Lesser Flamingos which migrate there every year, and for the hot springs which surround the lake. Up to a million flamingos have been recorded at peak times, hundreds of thousands are commonly sighted. Greater Flamingo are also present as well as Black-necked Grebe, Steppe Eagles, Fish Eagles and other raptors. Hyena and leopard are often heard at night, and as well as being one of the ornithological wonders of the world, Lake Bogoria is scenically breathtaking, flanked by mountains yet virtually free of other tourists. We spend the afternoon exploring the area before returning to Baringo for a second night at Robert s Camp by the lake.

Pokot Lady Lake Bogoria and Flamingos Day 6: Leaving early in the morning, we have a stunning 5 hour drive to Mt. Elgon National Park, passing through the Great Rift Valley with a picnic lunch en route. Mt Elgon is Kenya s second highest mountain, an ancient eroded volcano whose most famous feature is the abundance of lava tube caves around the mountain which are frequented by elephants and other animals digging for mineral salts. The scenery of Mt. Elgon National Park is very dramatic; cliffs, caves, waterfalls, gorges, mesas, calderas, hot springs and mountains and vast indigenous forests. One of the caves penetrates 200 m into the side of Mt. Elgon and it is here that elephants often frequent at night. Elgon is home to forest birds and unusual mammals such as Bongo, Giant Forest Hog and African Golden Cat. This is a stunning park and we have a full day and a morning here to explore by vehicle and on foot, camping for 2 nights in bandas, trekking around the mountain and caves and exploring the waterfalls and other features of the area. 2 nights camping Mt. Elgon National Park

Mt Elgon Caves and Waterfall made famous by the elephants who visit the salt licks in the caves at night

Day 8: This morning we depart Mt.Elgon and head for Kakamega Forest Reserve, one of the most important birding and primate areas in Kenya and the only remnant piece of Congo forest eco-system in Kenya. 350 species of forest tree, 300 species of birds, many of which are unique to this eco-system. Flying squirrels, forest duikers, potto and many types of monkey are all found in Kakamega. We spend 3 nights staying in the very comfortable Rondo Retreat, a homely guest-house which lies in a beautiful glade in the middle of the forest in spectacular gardens surrounded by vast trees and the sound of bird calls. Walking is very much the focus here, trails through the forest are very rewarding. 3 nights in cottages in Kakamega Forest Reserve Day 11: We leave Kakamega early for the town of Kisumu on Lake Victoria from where the daily scheduled flight leaves for Nairobi or for Kakamega airstrip for a private charter.