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!

Kenya Safari- Kenya is still overall my favourite East African country. Its the sort of country that when you land at the airstrip, your feet touch the soil, you feel that wave of heat on your skin, you smell that wonderful air, that magical vibrant atmosphere and you can’t help but think – yes, I have arrived. I am home, or words to that effect! Interestingly enough, most people I have spoken to who have absolutely no connection with the country at all, always feel as though they have come ‘home’.  But that’s what this country does to you. Its the warmth of the people, that amazing welcome, those huge smiles.

Add to that the most gloriously romantic tented camps and lodges that you have ever come across, the sort of places where you could simply fall in love with someone all over again, all bedouin styled with persian rugs and sublime views that you simply drink in!

Then you have the wildlife – and oh, what wildlife! Not only does one have an astonishing array of both animals and birdlife and vegetation, but add to that the extraordinary, widely covered wildebeest migration, which traverses from the Masai Mara to the Serengeti in their quest for water.1.5 million wildebeest, 500 000 zebra and a multitude of predators – a sheer wildlife phenomenon!

Add to that the incredibly rich and colourful culture and wide array of tribes, from the nomadic Samburu to the Maasai, the Turkana, the Rendille, The Luos, the Kikuyu and so on. The list is endless and especially for family safaris, one can learn all about them, spend time with them, and find out what is entailed in becoming a warrior. There is nothing contrived here!

For the adventurous, Kenya offers everything – apart from world class wildlife, there is trout and big game fishing, both fly and rod, horse riding, camel trekking, walking and climbing Mount Kenya.

There is a beautiful coastline, where you can take an Arab Dhow and sail to islands or parts of the mainland, or snorkel and dive off a catamaran, or perhaps stay at a wonderful Robinson Crusoe Lodge with no windows or doors and dine on the freshest lobster, crab and fish, with hand made pasta and gorgeous wine or stay at a private villa which is beautifully designed in Moorish architecture. Perhaps stay at a state of the art spa overlooking the Indian Ocean.

Whatever your fancy, Kenya can meet your challenge – and surpass it! This will truly be a holiday of a lifetime!

African Safari- To me, this is the most magical sort of holiday that one can ever hope to have! I am biased, of course, having spent my life in Africa, and now returning there for three months every year for my sanity – but it also demonstrates that, although there are so many wonderful countries and experiences in the world, Africa still offers something unique that no other continent offers. I think its that heady mix of wide, open spaces, the colours, the smells, the rhythmn (both of the continent and its people), the intoxicating blend of an array of culture – which is always fascinating, with the immediacy of the most superb wildlife. How can one better that?

Of course, safaris can be taken in so many ways, whether it is a private tented camp that is set up just for you or a group of friends or family, with a wonderful guide who teaches you about the bush, to beautiful lodges where one looks out over the river watching game on the opposite bank whilst listening to the birdlife in a heronry and the sound of a pod of hippos grunting, as the sun begins to set.

If adventure is your game, then we can throw in a walking safari, a horse riding safari, camel trekking with a local tribe, a canoe safari – all the while absorbing the wonderful sights and sounds that make up Africa!

At African Explorations, we all come from Africa, having been raised in the bush, our senses already heightened. We know where to find the best wildlife at the best times of year – something one can only glean from spending long periods of time on a continent. Let us share our Africa with you…..!

Kenya Safari Lodges are made up of a myriad of different styles – there is literally something for everyone!

From gorgeous villas on Lamu, to Robinson Crusoe retreats on Kiwayu, as one spends one’s day relaxing in a hammock, metres away from the lapping waves on the shores of the Indian Ocean, to authentic, tented camps erected just for you, in the Loita Hills or in the Masai Mara, Tsavo or Samburu. Here you go on safari with your own private guide and vehicle. Your guide brings the bush alive, regaling you with information and stories and is your friend and mentor throughout your safari.

Then there are lightweight fly camps which we use for walking and camel safaris, through the Matthews Mountains or Laikipia as well as tree houses where one can sleep elevated on a platform, safe in the knowledge that one is away from any harm!

Finally,  there are the beautiful, design inspired lodges in Laikipia and Magadi, where the game viewing is superb and each villa has its own ‘cool pool’ where one can cool off – all with the most amazing views across the plains and Tanzania in the distance.

There is even the possibility to take an Arab Dhow and go sailing along the coastline!

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!

Safari to Kenya -  these safaris are renowned throughout the world and certainly throughout Africa, as being some of the finest safaris imaginable!

The country offers such great diversity and history. Alongside Tanzania, it offers the wildebeest migration, when  1.5 million wildebeest and 500 000 zebra all migrate in search of water and grazing. This is one of Africa’s greatest spectactles and takes place in the Masai Mara. North of the equator, we have Samburu and Meru, which are magnificent parks and offer unique species indigenous to a drier, more desert like landscape. Meru, apart from being very beautiful, was also made famous by Joy Adamson’s  film biography of her and George Adamson’s life in Born Free. Then Samburu is renowned for its elephant population and Dr Iain Douglas-Hamilton has his reasearch station, Save The Elephants where for a donation, one can visit.  Laikipia is another amazing region which used to be a number of farms before they stripped the fences, allowing the wildlife to roam freely.

Here one can track wild dog and lion, go camping (flycamping as we call it), ride horses and camels and stay in wonderful farmhouses and homesteads, spending time with Kenyans and learning about their day to day life.

Wildlife is only part of one’s experience. The culture most definitely is the other half and Kenya offers so many wonderful tribes, from the Samburu, to the Maasai, the Pokot, the Turkana amongst its most colourful. Learn about their ways, how they become warriors and live alongside wildlife. Lake Turkana is a must for those who have been on safari so many times before. Known as the Jade Sea, different tribes and their way of life can be observed in this stark and uniquely beautiful region.Then you can also climb Mount Kenya which is gorgeous and can be done slowly over a week.  The coast is fabulous too and offers so many varieties from beautiful lodges, to sumptuous villas, to cutting edge spas and Robinson Crusoe retreats.

Stay in a tented camp, a lodge, a tree house, a private villa, a mobile camp erected just for you and your party with your own private guide or just a bedroll with mosquito netting covering you.  The choices are endless and with our team of experts we can certainly guide you to making the right ones!

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!