People often think of the words Safari and Kenya in one phrase, simply because Kenya epitomises the perfect safari. Think of infinite savannah plains, filled with animals – and you have the Masai Mara. Then perhaps north of the equator and one has amazing herds of elephant. In the Laikipia plateau one has views second to none, with the very best walking – whether it is with your private guide for a couple of hours or even on a camel assisted walking safari with the local Samburu tribe, learning about their culture! Perhaps you might even like to sleep out in a treehouse or go horse riding amongst wildlife along the plains?

The point is that Kenya still offers some of the most phenomenal game viewing in Africa, especially with the wildebeest migration – and coupled with wonderful lakes and the Rift valley – this country literally offers it all! Whether you want to have a traditional safari, ending off at the coast where we have some lovely villas or Robinson Crusoe type establishments – or perhaps you want to go walking in the Loita Hills with a private guide for around three or four nights, or you want to trek around Mount Kenya – one of the most beautiful and challenging mountains, or you want to go out with lion or elephant researchers, getting a more indepth feel for the species you are looking at – we can easily arrange this for you!

With staff who come from Kenya and having 22 years experience of arranging the very best safaris to kenya, if you are looking for something different, why dont you give us a call?

There are few places in Africa where one can obtain a truly luxurious safari – but a Luxury Safari in Kenya must rate one of the highest, alongside South Africa, Botswana and even Tanzania these days. The Kenyans really understand an informal style alongside the most fantastic, concentrated wildlife viewing in Africa. There are some wonderful lodges in the Masai Mara, where fabulous wildlife can be seen in close proximity, especially during the phenomenal wildebeest migration. Samburu, which lies north of the equator,  boasts two of the most luxurious lodges in Kenya.

Further south in Magadi, sits the most gorgeous lodge which also has a private house and a two bedroomed house with the most superb views and astounding wildlife. It is a community based project which is fantastic to see how proactive many of the Kenyan lodges are in working hand in hand with the local communities who greatly benefit from their existence.

Laikipia also has its fair share of drop dead gorgeous lodges and houses  set in the dramatic landscape of the Laikipia escarpment. Many of these lodges are informal and homely but with the most tasteful of touches everywhere. This area is particularly good for horse riding. All in all, Kenya remains one of my favourite countries in Africa and a very obvious first choice for most people who want to go on safari!

Luxury Safari Kenya- It is so easy these days to have a luxury safari in Kenya. What the Kenyans have is style, and bucketloads of it! Nothing over the top, just simple and tasteful, ensuring that whatever is done merely complements the amazing scenery and views.

Luxury also comes in many guises. For some, it is taking a family or a group of friends getting together and hiring a private vehicle in the most beautiful, pristine wildlife abundant region in Laikipia or Meru. For others, it is having a helicopter on standby to fly them to Mount Kenya where they can fit in a day’s fly fishing or perhaps doing a low level flight in the Masai Mara during the wildebeest migration.  Again, for some, it will be having Frette linen, the finest of freshly prepared food and good wine, whilst for others, to have an unending supply of hot water for their bucket shower whilst they are on a luxury camping trip will do the trick!

There are truly beautiful houses from Lake Naivasha, t0 Meru, Laikipia and Magadi. There are architectural places of beauty in Samburu and Magadi. It all depends upon your style!

The game is simply wonderful in Kenya, one simply needs to know when the best times are to be there and to maximise it. The mobile or luxury camping is fantastic as one has complete flexibility for the entire day, doing exactly as one wishes and establishing a wonderful rapport with one’s guide. The tents are furnished with oriental carpets, have cupboards to hang clothes and proper en suite bathrooms with tremendous showers and porcelain loos.

On the coast, we have such delights as Kiwayu which is Robinson Crusoe in style, but serving lobster and crab and delicious fish and fine wine! Why not take a dhow for three days between Kiwayu and Lamu? Stay at a new luxury boutique hotel called Red Pepper. Perhaps take a villa?

Kenya safari and beach – Many people think of safaris these days of spending time on safari, seeing amazing wildlife combined with adventure and fun and then finishing off with some relaxing time on the beach. Actually, this is the perfect combination, as safaris tend to go at a fairly frenetic pace, going out on game drives for the full day or several times a day, interspersed with some really interesting bush walks. To this,  add perhaps some time on a horse, mingling amongst the wildlife, or perhaps on a camel and you can gradually see my point!

Kenya and Tanzania offer the perfect mixture of some of the finest wildlife on this planet (and certainly the most concentrated game in Africa), coupled with really heady, exotic islands that go by the names of Lamu, Manda Toto, Kiwayu, Zanzibar, Mnemba, Pemba, Unguja and Mafia. Then, you can easily combine a safari in either country with a stay on the coast of either Kenya or Tanzania.

Kenya still offers the greatest diversity in terms of safari, with anything from walking and climbing Mount Kenya, to exploring the Masai Mara (renowned for the wildebeest migration), Samburu, Meru, Tsavo, Amboseli and other regions like Laikipia. Walking safaris are tremendous too and we send you off on privately guided walking safaris with some of Kenya’s finest guides! In terms of the more traditional game viewing safaris, you can stay at owner managed tented camps and lodges, to tree houses, to design inspired lodges and everything in between! There are some gorgeous private houses to occupy which is the perfect thing for a big birthday or a celebration with family and friends! A private mobile will take you into far flung regions with a camp that is set up just for you!Then, you can either horse ride or go on a camel assisted walk into the Matthews Mountains.

Prince William and his bride to be, Kate Middleton became engaged in Kenya, staying at Lewa Safari Camp which is simply heavenly – see one of our latest blogs on Lewa.

Then, on the coast, you can either travel from one island to another by Arab dhow, or stay at a Robinson Crusoe inspired lodge in Kiwayu, or take a villa in Lamu. There are also some exquisite, boutique hotels dotted on the Kenyan coast, from Lamu to Diani and there is also the latest spa as mentioned in Tatler as one of the top 10 worldwide spas, located on the Kenyan coast. There is something for everyone! Whether it is for the avid wildlife enthusiast, to the family searching for a once in a lifetime family holiday, to a romantic couple on their honeymoon! Coming from Kenya, we certainly can inspire you!

Madagascar Kenya Honeymoon – This is a really amazing combination. Start off by having a truly  fantastic safari in Kenya, I would suggest a gorgeous, romantic Bedouin styled camp, either in the Masai Mara or Samburu – although I would probably recommend both, as the areas are so incredibly different. The one park is north of the equator and is semi-desert, arid landscape with unique, indigenous species whilst the other is south of the equator with entirely different terrain and landscapes.  Whilst in the Mara, go hot air ballooning or take a low level flight across the plains, culminating in landing for champagne at sunset! Just how romantic is that! Alternately, start off with a real favourite of mine, Shompole Lodge, where each villa is on three levels – the first is your bedroom which is entirely open fronted with the most amazing views, and deck with dining chairs and table and a large Arab daybed, then the next level is the largest bathroom you have ever seen, again completely open fronted (yet completely private) and lastly, on the third floor is your very own, private, cool pool where you can relax in privacy. Have a look at the December issue of Tatler, on sale now, where there is a piece on Shompole and ourselves! (We are also in November’s Tatler with a fabulous large piece on Bhutan – if you’ve missed it, then click on to our India blog page where it has been loaded!)

Then fly off to Madagascar, where you can either stay at the gorgeous Relais et Chateaux Anjajavy, or another of my favourite places around Nosy Be, situated on a private island. Have the most stunning  food, fantastic massages and spa treatments, five different beaches to yourself and some wonderful lemurs and sifakas. Perhaps take a kayak through the mangoves where the birdlife is spectacular! Otherwise there is amazing fishing and snorkelling and diving.

Lemurs in Madagascar! Speak to one of our experts, we’d love to arrange your very special honeymoon for you!

African Safari in Kenya – An African Safari in Kenya is one of the most rewarding safaris one can ever embark upon! Think of wide, open plains, filled with cheetah, elephant, lion, bat eared foxes, zebras, giraffe and a myriad of gorgeous birdlife. Days spent traversing the plains in an open 4 x 4 vehicle, with your guide bringing the entire terrain to life, teaching you everything from identifying the bones left from carnivores, to identifying plants and trees and the homeopathic properties that come from them, to the night sky and astronomy – where there is no light pollution!

Then return to your gorgeous tented camp at night, where the hurricane lamps have all been lit, and the smells of a wonderful meal prepared for you,  using the freshest ingredients waft through the air. Perhaps you might have a hot bucket shower which is so romantic as you bathe beneath the stars at night, or – if staying at one of our luxury lodges, then you can wallow in a bath, overlooking a river, the sound of hippos happily grunting. This is Africa and this is Kenya, the country that delivers dreams! Witness the wildebeest migration, one of Africa’s greatest spectacles, in the Masai Mara, spend time learning about the Nomadic tribes, walk with scientists, learning about their projects. Spend time riding on horse back or walking with camels, the smell of the plants still fresh with the morning dew. Overnight in a tree house. All of these are possible, and our specialists come from Kenya, so who better to assist you with your next safari? We look forward to it!

Kenyan safaris – probably the finest safari for a first time traveller to Africa!

Dream of travelling to Africa and you probably think of infinite savannah plains, with cheetah and lion crossing paths, and Meryl Streep and Robert Redford in Out of Africa. And you wouldn’t be far wrong. Except of course, that this is your holiday that we are talking about! Kenya still does deliver the most awe inspiring safaris that are hard to beat. No other country in Africa can offer the diversity of wildlife, culture and general interest – from horse riding amongst the wildebeest migration, to walking with the Samburu tribe with camels, learning about their culture and reading the signs of the wild left by creatures before you, to fly fishing on a lake, to walking around Mount Kenya, with the mountain covered in heather. This country is simply staggering and still offers the very best safaris imaginable – all away from the crowds!  The beaches are heavenly too – explore them on foot, staying at beautiful boutique hotels or chic Robinson Crusoesque retreats, or even by Arab Dhow, the traditional boats which ply their trade on the Indian Ocean. And, we have not even spoken about Lake Turkana, where three day visits can be arranged by light aircraft, discovering the Turkana tribe who visit the Jade sea with their camels – one of the most amazing sights to witness! Spend time amongst the wildlife with researchers, learning all about these species in depth, how to identify them, the troubles facing them on a daily basis, and conservation as a whole. Become enriched with greater knowledge and fascination of the world we live in!

The wildlife is second to none, whether one is there at the time of the wildebeest migration in the masai mara or not. The people are wonderful and friendly, the places to stay are sublime, whether in a design inspired lodge with endless views over the plains or a tented camp erected just for you – whatever your desire, this country can certainly offer it!

Kenya safaris – for those seeking more than just a wildlife safari!

This country offers a wealth of experiences – from a traditional African safari, to a week’s walking around Mount Kenya when the heather is all in flower, to a walking safari with a top guide through the Kakamega forest, to a cultural safari, staying at community managed lodges where the funds go directly to the community and one learns all about the Samburu or Masai tribes.  Then you can stay at a farmhouse with a Kenyan family, stay in a tented camp with views across the savannah plains in the Masai Mara, or visit an elephant research centre in Samburu. Marvel at the snow capped peaks of Kilimanjaro from the Chuylu Hills or take a riding safari there or alongside the wildebeest migration in the Mara, which occurs from July through to October.

Have a privact camp set up for you or stay at a gorgeous, Bohemian tented camp or lodge with Aran daybeds and hammocks scattered outside. Take over a private house or villa. Fly up to Lake Turkana for a few days and see the great Jade Sea as it is also referred to. Take  a helicopter and go fishing around Mount Kenya, staying in a log cabin. Then fly to the coast and hire an Arab Dhow and sail between the islands or take a villa in Lamu or stay at a Robinson Crusoe lodge, where you never wear shoes, but just your kikoy and  a bikini and let your hair down!

Whatever is right for you, we have the knowledge and expertise to tailor your safari perfectly – expertly – by Kenyans!

A luxury Kenya safari is something that many people dream of! The world is divided by those who love wildlife and really want to get up close and personal. This means to sleep in a tented camp, listening to the amazing night calls of the whooping hyaena or a lion calling to its mate in the distance, or defending its territory. With the wind blowing gently through the gauze windows, one sleeps so soundly! For other people, this may be seen as a complete nightmare. They may not feel very comfortable sleeping at night, knowing that wildlife is walking around their tent. For them, they may love wildlife, but feel safer viewing it from a distance. They feel comforted by the fact that their lodge or tent is on a wooden deck, several feet from the ground!

I have covered this in a period article when I say that luxury means different things to different people. To some, it means space and not seeing another soul (or tourist!). To have thousands of hectares to simply spend time walking in and absorbing, to traverse through by open vehicle or on horseback.  Others feel it is flying everywhere by private aircraft, not having to wait for anyone or join any queues! Some feel it is having unlimited hot water whilst others, it is to have the champagne or wine of one’s choice at hand, together with superb food. A private guide who accompanies your safari and is at one’s beck and call  is, for some,  a necessity – and undoubtedly, this increases the enjoyment of one’s overall safari.

There are still other people who simply insist upon opulence and decadence. A masseuse must be on hand, rooms or villas with the finest linen, lodges which have that inimitable designer touch.

Whatever your idea of luxury is, Kenya can certainly deliver it!

Luxury Kenya – something which is easily achievable! There are some truly beautiful lodges that have been recently built in Kenya. Top marks go to Ol Donyo Wuas, which is truly beautiful in the most wonderful location, facing Mount Kilimanjaro.

The other place is Ol Lentille located between Laikipia and the Matthews range on the Ol Lentille group ranch. The lodge sits high on a rock boulder filled kopje at 6000 feet. Therefore it is always cool in the mornings and late afternoons but the swimming pool lies in full sun and always a lovely warm area. All funds support educational bursaries for local children and students. The lodges décor is chic safari with a mix of elegant masks, teak, hordes of fireplaces, rare wooden furniture, soft sofas in neutral colours, grasses and hessian matting. The unique design and architecture makes use of the light and was designed with eco-responsible elements in mind as they gather rainwater for the reservoirs. All plants are indigenous. The lodge was built with the dignified purpose of making communities work for themselves. Certainly of all the Lodge projects started in Kenya, Ol Lentille is by far the most luxurious.

Shompole is another of our favourites. With the lodge, a two bedroomed villa and a private villa/house called 360 – situated in Magadi in the Great Rift valley. The game viewing is extraordinary here and the cool, white exteriors and interiors shield one from the harsh midday sun. Each room is built on three levels, starting with a cool pool at the bottom, with views over the plains, then an enormous bathroom with great views and then on top, is your bedroom, completely open fronted, with a large verandah and day bed, where you can flop onto and read, as well as a driftwood dining area on your deck. Romance doesn’t get better than this!