Ultimate Kenyan Safari

A privately driven vehicle will provide you with a transfer to & from the airport.

Daily scheduled "air-taxi" flights between Wilson Airport in Nairobi & Ol Donyo Wuas. Flights depart both in the early morning and mid afternoon. 

Join on this exploratory activity on the plains, where you'll bike across the savannahs with an armed guide and enjoy the freedom and exhilaration of adventure. In addition to the tracking and walking associated specifically with wildlife viewing, the Mbirikani Group Ranch features an incredible diversity of habitats. Perhaps the most unique is the high-altitude mist forest, where leopard and rhino lurk, and an incredible amount of biodiversity is present. It is a microcosm, unlike any other area of the ranch. A hike to this area, from the lodge, is very rewarding.

Over 7,000 wild animals find their habitat in and around the Ol Donyo Wuas environs. Not only are the "Big Five" here - rhino, elephant, lion, leopard and buffalo - but also cheetah, Fringe-eared oryx, gerenuk, and giraffe among many others share this diverse landscape. Guests are able to track wildlife by vehicle, foot, or horseback. And night drives are featured for those interested in spotting the more elusive nocturnal species. The real exclusivity of Ol Donyo Wuas is apparent when out exploring the land. The entire area is reserved exclusively for Ol Donyo Wuas guests – no other tourists, no fleets of mini-buses – it’s private, pure and wild. Each day is different, there is no set routine. It’s there for the making – a safari of the guest’s design.

The Chyulu Hills and its diverse ecosystem lend itself perfectly to horseback safaris. From the mist forests, to the open plains, to the dense woodland, a horse navigates the landscape gracefully. To come along for the ride, and experience wildlife on horseback, is an experience not to be missed. Our team of 20 horses – ranging in size, and for different riders – takes you safely through the ranch with excellent prowess. Many people who are familiar with excellent horseback safaris elsewhere in Africa have stated, "This is the best horse riding country in Africa." We take pride in the training and care of our horses and have safaris for all levels. For guests of the lodge, horseback safaris are a full or half-day activity.

Daily flights depart Ol Donyo Wuas at approximately 8:30am and arrive Nairobi at 9:40am The aircraft serving this route is a 10-seater Cessna Caravan.

This morning you'll meet up with your guide and head off to Laikipia. The drive from the urban center of Nairobi, through the fertile highlands, the semi-arid frontier of Kenya is breath-taking and great way to see the countryside. The drive will be about an 4 to 5 hours.

A representative from your lodge will pick you up and transfer you between the lodge and airstrip.

During your stay at Lemartis Camp you are considered a guest of the local community. You may find that you develop a special friendship with one of our staff who invites you to see his homestead and visit with his family. You will be in invited to attend any ongoing ceremonies as well as partake in activities such as the hunter gatherer (Ndorobo) and methods of honey harvesting from local bee hives hung in trees along the river. Should your stay fall on local market day, this is a wonderful visit.

Days can get hot, so most activities are planned for early to mid morning and then again mid afternoon. Lemartis Camp places its emphasis on walking in the bush as the indigenous people do. You will walk with warriors, safe in their care and actually be in the African bush rather than simply observing it from a vehicle. Whilst walking your guides have a breadth of knowledge to share with you; tracks and signs of wildlife, flora and fauna, as well as a vast knowledge of traditional herbal medicine. Every walk comes with its own surprises, and depending on the season there is a varied amount of wildlife in the area.

During your stay at Lemartis Camp you are considered a guest of the local community. You may find that you develop a special friendship with one of our staff who invites you to see his homestead and visit with his family. You will be in invited to attend any ongoing ceremonies as well as partake in activities such as the hunter gatherer (Ndorobo) and methods of honey harvesting from local bee hives hung in trees along the river. Should your stay fall on local market day, this is a wonderful visit.

Activities on site include walking safaris with local warriors and camel safaris. For the very energetic enjoy mountain biking to local markets. For the exceptionally well trained and fit there is high altitude running with the lodge manager, Lemarti. Being a good rift valley Kenyan, Lemarti is a keen runner, tackling fast and long distances at high altitude. Anyone wishing to join, good luck!

Aside from the many activities, enjoy peaceful sunset on top of some beautiful rock outcroppings or under a tree with spectacular views. Here the focus is on nature, on the local tribes and rare glimpse into a more simple life. Enjoy walking, driving or camel safari. Bush breakfast, picnics or dinner under the stars. For those who want to spend the night out, enjoy the Nomadic and Stargazing camps. Nothing at Lemartis Camp is staged in anyway.

When relaxing in camp there is always plenty going on. First and foremost, the area is an ornithological paradise. The river and its abundant trees offer an oasis in the semi-arid landscape, so bird life is exceptional. When in the mess your hosts and staff of the camp are usually paying “Mbao’ (a traditional board game, which is exciting to learn). There are often other spontaneous games and competitions amongst the warriors, anything from spear throwing to games played by the fire that reduce everyone to fits of laughter. Here the focus is interactive as you get to know the local communities, wildlife, fauna and tribes.

A representative from your lodge will pick you up and transfer you between the lodge and airstrip.

Enjoy this short flight departing Loisaba, Laikipia and arriving in Masai Mara, Kenya today. The flight duration is approximately 45 minutes.

A representative from your lodge will pick you up and transfer you between the lodge and airstrip.

Head out in the afternoon on a game drive with others at the lodge. Drives typically head out around 4pm when the game is becoming more active and emerging out from shade as the hot sun decends. See if you can spot a herd of elephants as they approach watering holes and rivers to cool down with a drink and mud bath.

Elephants are the largest living land animals on Earth today. When pregnant, an elephant's gestation period is 22 months, the longest of any land animal. At birth, an elephant calf typically weighs 105 kilograms (230 lb)!! They typically live for 50 to 70 years, but the oldest recorded elephant lived for 82 years. The smallest elephants, about the size of a calf or a large pig, were a prehistoric species that lived on the island of Crete. Aristotle once said the elephant was "the beast which passeth all others in wit and mind." The word "elephant" has its origins in the Greek ?λ?φας, meaning "ivory" or "elephant". Today African elephants are the largest of their species. Healthy adult elephants have no natural predators, although lions may take calves or weak individuals. They are, however, threatened by human intrusion and poaching.

Today as you set on the early morning game drive with your expert guide from your lodge. The Masai Mara Park will offer you a diverse range of animals. The park is home to the Big Five (Lion, Rhino, Elephant, Buffalo and Leopard) and numerous other antelopes including Thomson's and Grant's Gazelles, Impalas, Topics, Hartebeest, Zebra and Masai Giraffe. It's also home to over 450 species of birdlife among these are vultures, marabou storks, secretary birds, hornbills, crowned cranes, ostriches, long-crested eagles and African pygmy-falcons.

Sign up for optional activities (not included in tour price); guided nature walk, hot air balloon ride, cultural tours and more. You can also arrange to volunteer for the day at Mara West and pay any associated fees directly on-site. Volunteer activities range from individual to community projects.

This afternoon's game viewing will be exciting as you are searching for game with your guide and others from the lodge. Today keep your eyes open for giraffe.

The giraffe is the tallest living terrestrial animal in the world. Its specific name refers to its camel-like face and patches of color on a light background, which bear a vague resemblance to a leopard's spots. The giraffe is also noted for its extremely long neck and legs and prominent horns. It stands 5–6 m (16–20 ft) tall and has an average weight of 1,200 kg (2,600 lb) for males and 830 kg (1,800 lb) for females. The giraffe's scattered range extends from Chad in the north to South Africa in the south and from Niger in the west to Somalia in the east. Giraffes usually inhabit savannas, grasslands, and open woodlands. They prefer areas with plenty of acacia trees, which are important food sources, and can browse at heights that most other herbivores cannot reach. While adults are nearly invulnerable to predation, lions, leopards, spotted hyenas and wild dogs prey on baby calves. Giraffes commonly gather together to eat or socialize for a few hours and then roam off to graze separately. Males establish social hierarchies through "neckings", which are combat bouts where the neck is used as a weapon and they butt their necks against each other. Dominant males gain mating access to females, who bear the sole responsibility for raising the young.

Early this morning you will meet up with others at the lodge for your game drive. Drives are typically done in the morning at 6:30am for a few hours. See if you can spot the ellusive leopard.

The smallest of the four "big cats" the leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its range of distribution has decreased radically because of hunting and loss of habitat. It is now chiefly found in sub-Saharan Africa. Because of its declining range and population, it is listed as a "Near Threatened" species. Compared to other members of the Felidae family, the leopard has relatively short legs and a long body with a large skull. It is similar in appearance to the jaguar, but is smaller and more slightly built. The species' success in the wild is in part due to its opportunistic hunting behavior, its adaptability to habitats, its ability to run at speeds approaching 58 kilometres per hour (36 mph), its unequaled ability to climb trees even when carrying a heavy carcass, and its notorious ability for stealth. The leopard consumes virtually any animal that it can hunt down and catch. These stealthy animals are one of the prize sightings you may see in Masai Mara.

Your expert guide will meet you, and other guests, at your lodge for an afternoon game viewing drive in and around Masai Mara. See if you can spot lions in the park today. Lions live for 10-14 years in the wild. They typically inhabit savanna and grassland, although they may take to bush and forest. Lions are unusually social compared to other cats. A pride of lions consists of related females and offspring and a small number of adult males. Groups of female lions typically hunt together. Highly distinctive, the male lion is easily recognised by its mane, and its face is one of the most widely recognised animal symbols in human culture.

The lion (Panthera leo) is one of the four big cats, 3 of which are found in Africa - lion, lepard, cheetah. With some males exceeding 250 kg (550 lb) in weight, lions are the second-largest living cat after the tiger. Until about 10,000 years ago, the lion was the most widespread large land mammal after humans. They were found in most of Africa, across Eurasia from western Europe to India, and in the Americas from the Yukon to Peru. However the lion is a vulnerable species, having seen a possibly irreversible population decline of thirty to fifty percent over the past two decades in its African range. Outside of designated reserves and national parks, you will rarely if ever see a lion. Although the cause of the decline is not fully understood, habitat loss and conflicts with humans are currently the greatest causes of concern. Reserves have helped to boost the lion population and help to bring back their numbers.

A representative from your lodge will pick you up and transfer you between the lodge and airstrip.

This short domestic flight departs from Masai Mara and arrives at Wilson Airport in Nairoba, Kenya today. The flight duration is approximately 45 minutes.

Stop by Palacina's Moonflower Restaurant and Lounge for a three-course a'la carte meal. Take advantage of the free wireless internet connection and lounge before catching your flight tonight. Consistently rated among the top dining establishments in Nairobi, The Moonflower embodies the finest of Kenyan cuisine & hospitality. The subtle fusion of Mediterranean & Swahili cultures is evident in the contemporary menu featuring the very best of Kenyan produce. The Moonflower is a 50-seat a' la Carte restaurant featuring a live Jazz band as well as background Jazz music. You will receive a transfer to the airport after dinner.