New! ETG 2008 Green Safari
New in 2008, Kenya’s premier safari operator Express Travel Group is launching a new "Green Safari".
The greatest eco-challenge facing Kenya today is finding the perfect balance between utilization and conservation of natural cultural resources to ensure sustainability. Kenya’s tourism is dependent on natural and cultural resources both of which can either be degraded or lost altogether if not properly utilized. This itinerary takes all this into careful consideration. By fostering exceptional relationships with some of the countries most respected eco-friendly operators, this itinerary combines the best of the classic safari experience with enlightening environmental and community programs.
Note: In this itinerary you will see properties and their “rating”. These ratings come from Ecotourism Kenya, a private sector driven association mandated to guide the industry towards sustainability. To address the challenges of sustainable use of natural and cultural resources, Ecotourism Kenya has developed various tools for industry use; including an eco-rating scheme. The eco-rating scheme evaluates the performance of lodges/camps/hotels against an agreed suite of criteria and awards a label based on level of achievement. The scheme has three levels namely; Bronze, Silver and Gold.
Day 1: You feel it the moment you land in Nairobi – the unique magic of the Land of Safari. On the road from the airport, you’ll find yourself marveling at the sweeping plains, the sparkling flowers, the statuesque Maasai herdsmen following their cattle. You’re 5,500 feet up in the African highlands, breathing in some of the purest air on earth. It’s clear that the magic is going to last. Overnight at the Nairobi Serena, a member of EcoTourism Kenya.
Day 2: After breakfast, board your flight to Campi Ya Kanzi, located between Amboseli and Tsavo National Parks. This property has earned the esteemed Gold Rating by Ecotourism Kenya. Campi ya Kanzi was created by Luca Belpietro and Antonella Bonomi, who made it their home. Forty-five people from the local Maasai community help them with the cooking, housekeeping, guiding and maintenance.
Day 3: Spend today on game drives, walks and learning about the local Maasai community. Enjoy your afternoon in your tented cottage, which has a wide veranda to provide superb views of either Mt. Kilimanjaro, the Tsavo Hills, and the Chyulu Hills. Campi ya Kanzi is a special retreat far removed from the hectic pace of the modern world. Cell phones - luckily! - do not work here.
Day 4: After breakfast, enjoy a flight on a bush plane, over the green hills and the vast plains of Kenya to Loisaba Wilderness area located on the Laikipia plateau in Northern Kenya. The property is untamed bush and also a working cattle farm; it conducts important wildlife research and - crucially - works closely with the community who have defended this land for generations. See Africa as it was before fences were invented. Here there are no game park rules, no caged animals and none of the constraints of western life. Like the wildlife we nurture, you can do whatever you want, whenever you want. Spend your first night in the famed “Star Bed”. This property is Bronze eco-rated.
Day 5: Spend today relaxing by the pool or out viewing game. One exciting activity is the Wildlife Blind. Inconspicuously nestled in an outcrop of rocks in the valley below the lodge overlooking a rich natural spring, the lookout provides a rare opportunity to spend time with animals and in particular some unusual nocturnal species, at very close quarters. The lookout can be visited for a few hours during both day and night.
Day 6: After breakfast, fly south to the Maasai Mara National Reserve and overnight at Bronze-rated Rekero Tented Camp. Amidst the teeming mass of wildlife in the Masai Mara area, Rekero's tented camp is inside the Masai Mara Game reserve, very close to the confluence of the Mara and Talek rivers. This mobile camp is ideally situated for the annual migration, which is the movement of over one million wildebeest and two hundred thousand zebra from the Serengeti through the Masai Mara in Kenya.
The Camp is set up seasonally (June - October, December - March) and caters for a maximum of only fourteen guests.
Days 7 and 8: Spend your days in the Maasai Mara, taking game drives and drawing in all the natural beauty around you. Wildlife viewing and bird watching can be done on foot with experienced Il Dorobo and Masai guides, or in custom-built four-wheel drive vehicles which allow intimate yet unobtrusive access to the animals. Visits to one of the local guide’s village can also be arranged. Also be sure to enjoy picnics in the bush and sun downers. For a truly memorable experience, trips on a hot air balloon can also be arranged (extra cost).
Day 9: You safari ends as you fly back to Nairobi. You will have a dayroom for your comfort and depart PM.
2008 Pricing:
- January 1st – March 31st, June 1st – June 30th and November 1st – December 23rd: US $6,222 per person
- July 1st – October 31st 2008: US $6,397 per person
Inclusions:
- Bed and Breakfast in Nairobi
- full-board on safari
- park/conservancy entrance fees
- shared transport in the lodges/camps
- domestic flights as shown
- meet and greet services and prevailing taxes
Exclusions:
- International air
- visas
- laundry and drinks (some lodges to include, except champagne)
- gratuities
- personal insurance for luggage/accident/illness
- extra activities offered at lodges or en route (hot air balloon safaris, fishing on Lake Victoria, etc.)
- telecommunication costs, etc.)
For booking inquiries, please contact Express Travel Group’s North American office at Sarah@FazendinPortfolio.com or 1.303.895.9583.
ETG recommends booking all safaris at least three months in advance. The high season (July – September, also the months of the Great Wildebeest Migration) tend to book up very quickly, so plan on booking six to twelve months out during that time.
