| 22 September | Attendee arrivals in Nairobi, Kenya (NBO) – Group stays at Tamarind Tree Hotel. There will be a welcome reception at the Tamarind Tree Hotel and Dine-Arounds in members’ homes to kick-off the event. |
| 23 September | After breakfast you will be taken on a full day tour of the city. You will visit specially selected projects and activities highlighting some of Kenya’s core values: conservation, empowerment, entrepreneurship, and education. In the evening the group will reconvene for a delicious traditional Kenyan feast and celebration then return to Tamarind Tree for the night. |
| 24 September | After breakfast you will be driven to the domestic airport to board your private charter flight to the Borana Conservancy. Borana is a privately owned wildlife conservancy on the northern slopes of Mt Kenya. You will have exclusive access to the entire conservancy and the freedom to explore and enjoy it’s magnificent wildlife and various activities. Accommodations in luxury custom-made tents, consisting of a bedroom, verandah and a changing area with a private shower and flushing toilet. Each day and night, guests will indulge in custom-designed menus featuring fresh fruits and vegetables, delivered daily, as well as baked goods, fine wines, soft drinks, beer, liquor, coffee, tea and mineral water provided in camp. |
| 28 September | Enjoy a final morning game drive and a huge farewell brunch, before boarding your flight back to Nairobi. You will have the late afternoon to freshen up in a day room at Tamarind Tree before being transferred to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your return flight home. Some participants will overnight at Tamarind Tree and then continue on one of the pre-arranged extensions. |
Program Highlights
NAIROBI: Nairobi lies at an altitude of 5,889 feet with the outline of the Ngong hills as the eastern manifestation of the edge of the Great Rift Valley. Prior to 1899, the area consisted mainly of swampland, but with the construction of a supply depot for the railway which linked Mombasa with Uganda, the thickly vegetated and previously uninhabited area progressed quickly.
To this day, it is the only city with a national park on it’s doorstep; one of the many reasons why this unique hub has also coined itself the name “Green City in the Sun”. The breathtaking wilderness of the 28,963 acre Nairobi National Park welcomes travellers from all over the world. A mere 7 kilometres in distance from the tall skyscrapers which is home to one of Africa’s largest stock exchanges, busy restaurants mingling European and African nationalities, it protects a diverse ecosystem which welcomes 400 bird species and various wildlife.
There is no shortage of alluring destinations to visit both in and around Nairobi. The suburb of Karen named after the author of ‘Out of Africa”, is home to the Karen Blixen Museum, a giraffe sanctuary and the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage is a must.
Known as the world’s safari capital by a reputation gained from a history of British hunting safaris in the early 1900’s, Nairobi is a vivid amalgamation of two worlds; one wild and untamed and the other bursting with culture and history.
BORANA: Borana lies at the foot of Mount Kenya, just 26 kilometres from the equator and 6,500 feet above sea level. It is located within the vast area of the Ewaso ecosystem on the Laikipia Plateau, with a view of the snow-capped peaks and the glaciers of Mount Kenya to the south, and a panorama of mountains and desert to the north.
This location provides an idyllic setting for any African experience. This area is home to more than 50 indigenous tree families, and more than 300 bird species. Laikipia is an area of exceptional beauty. It enjoys some of Kenya’s most prolific wildlife, as well as the highest populations of endangered species in Kenya.
Borana is adjacent to the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. Its unique geographical location makes the 32,000 acre ranch a haven for a wide diversity of wildlife: buffalo, eland, Jackson’s hartebeest and herds of Grant’s gazelle, impala and plains zebra. Reticulated giraffe are commonly seen nibbling the acacias, while the cooler forests shelter bush buck, colobus and elephant. Olive baboons, vervet monkeys and the endangered patas monkey are also resident. Predators are also found here, but not in large numbers.
The black rhinoceros has roamed the earth for 5 million years, yet it is now facing the greatest threat in its history – from poaching. 2013 saw the largest decline both nationally and globally of rhino due to poaching. In response to this crisis that same year, Borana Conservancy introduced 21 black rhino to its rolling hills from Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and Lake Nakuru National Park. Within the grounds, anti-poaching teams and more than 100 highly trained rangers fend off commercial poachers and help maintain animal populations. The Borana Conservancy is a non-profit conservation organisation dedicated to the sustainable conservation of critical habitat and wildlife.
