Migration, culture & wildlife

Mount Kenya

Day 2-4: Meru National Park After breakfast, you head to Nairobi’s Wilson Airport for your flight to Meru National Park, where you spend three nights at Elsa’s Kopje. This stunning safari lodge is situated atop Mughwango Hill and comprises nine open-fronted cottages with private decks built directly into the rocky crags. The lodge’s award-winning eco design means it blends almost seamlessly into the hill. Its open bar, lounge and dining room provide magnificent views of Mount Kenya and the Meru plains, which stretch below teeming with wildlife. Elsa’s Kopje offers an unusually rich range of activities including fishing and rafting on the Tana River, indulgent treatments at the lodge spa, guided nature walks and night drives. A day trip to the palm-fringed springs and sandy beaches of the Tana River is highly recommended. Eat a picnic lunch in the shade of giant baobabs or sip a cold drink as you fish for catfish, tilapia or barbel. The lodge even offers cultural visits to the local Tharaka community, which is an authentic opportunity to meet local Kenyans and see something of the rural lifestyle. However you choose to spend your days at Elsa’s Kopje one thing is certain: this quiet, peaceful place and its wild beauty will touch your heart.

Masai Mara | Serengeti

Days 8-10: Extraordinary Masai Mara After breakfast, a scenic flight whisks you to the Mara North Conservancy, bordering the Masai Mara National Reserve. Your home for the next two nights is Elephant Pepper Camp, an intimate tented camp set in the shade of mature trees. Authentic and remote, this camp balances comfort, eco-sensitive design and elegant simplicity. Service is superb and the guides are among the best in the Mara area. The camp’s tread-lightly philosophy extends through its semi-permanent canvas structure and high-tech solar-powered lighting to a long and successful partnership with the local Masai community. With only eight en suite guest tents, the atmosphere is intimate and guests come together over sundowners before dinner. Each spacious tent offers plenty of comfort for rest and relaxation, especially the hammock on the private verandah with its endless views over the vast Mara plains. Timeless Raj-campaign furniture, teak dressers, polished antiques and delicate lanterns complete the opulent furnishings. If you visit between July and October, you may witness the Great Migration, which is one of Africa’s bucket list spectacles. Early morning game drives make the most of the abundant wildlife attractions – this is Big 5 country. In migration season, thousands of wildebeest and zebra move north in the Mara from the arid Serengeti plains, searching for fresh grazing. Wherever you find big, healthy herds of plains game, predators are sure to be close by. The migration is a time of high drama, and nothing quite as dramatic as the life-and-death struggles of the Mara River crossings when as the herds brave crocodile infested rivers to reach the abundant savannah plains. Make the most of this incredible game viewing experience with a picnic lunch. In addition to day and night drive, you can explore the Conservancy on guided nature walks and take a cultural tour to the home of one of your Masai guides. The Masai live in semi-permanent manyattas made from cattle dung, mud and grasses. However you choose to spend your days, coming home to owner Stefano Cheli’s traditional Italian cooking is one of the many joys of Elephant Pepper Camp. Cheli’s authentic family recipes, passed down from his mother, inspire his traditional pastas, osso bucco and organic salads. The cuisine, ambience and superb game viewing make this camp the perfect climax for your Kenya safari.