Horse Riding
Masai Mara and Delorain, Riding Safari
Country of Origin:
Schedule:
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You will be collected from your Nairobi Hotel or directly from the airport and transferred to Wilson Airport for a 10.30 charter or 10am schedule flight to Siana Springs. It is a beautiful flight passing over the fertile Kikuyu Highlands before reaching the Great Rift Valley. We fly across the volcano studded floor of the Rift before reaching the Loita Hills and Siana Springs Air strip. You will be met by your guide and there will be an hour’s drive to camp. We reach our camp in a grove of acacia trees by a small stream at the southern edge of the Loita Plains at Olare Lamun (the rhino salt lick) in time for lunch. There will be an evening ride. Overnight Olare Lamun
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A full day to explore this remote area with abundant game. Drives, rides and walks may be taken from camp. Overnight Olare Lamun.
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Our first moving day and we break camp in good time as it is the longest ride of the trip covering nearly 50kms. We ride across rolling open plains and the game generally becomes more plentiful as we approach the Mara ecosystem. We should see herds of zebra, topi, giraffe, wildebeest, gazelle and there is a good chance of seeing elephant and buffalo as well. We reach our camp on the edge of the Masai Game Reserve on the Olare Orok lugga late afternoon. From camp we are likely to hear lion and hyena at night and the abundance of game is apparent everywhere. Overnight Olare Orok.
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Two full days of morning and evening rides from camp with the option of driving into the game park for some good photographic opportunities. From the landrovers we can get much closer to lion, elephant and buffalo than we are able to do from the horses. Overnight Olare Orok.
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Another moving day. We head west across the Mara plains and reach the Mara River on the Park boundary. We hopefully ford the river (unless in complete flood) at one of the famous wildebeest crossings and then head south west across the Mara Triangle where we have our picnic lunch before ascending the Soit Olololol Escarpment to reach our camp in a forest glade overlooking the whole Mara ecosystem. Overnight Soit Olololol.
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We ride South West along the top of the escarpment enjoying glorious views to the east on excellent going for the horses. We hopefully see the beautiful Mrs Ross’ and Schalows Turaco as well as much plains game. We descend the escarpment on foot along a rocky cattle track and have a picnic lunch under some acacias at the foot of the escarpment. After lunch we ride back through the Mara Triangle at the foot of the escarpment before ascending on a game trail. Many bachelor buffalo herds are a feature of the afternoon. Overnight Soit Olololol.
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We descend the escarpment again and ride across to the same wildebeest crossing on the river. We head in a North Western direction and after lunch, we find our final campsite set up on the banks of the Mara River. Close by there are some hippo pools and their grunting at night is a special feature of this camp. Overnight Mara River.
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Leaving camp after breakfast with a picnic lunch we drive to Deloraine via the impressive tea growing area of Kericho. We arrive in time for tea and an evening walk around the beautiful garden. Overnight Deloraine.
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An early morning ride before breakfast is optional. Also day trips to either Lake Nakuru or Bogoria famous for their flamingos can be arranged with a picnic lunch. Overnight Deloraine.
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Transfer to Nairobi.
| Rates | Group | Valid From | Valid Until | Rate | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per person | 2 | 1 Jan 2012 | 20 Dec 2012 | US$ | 7700 |
Local Safari Rate List:
Local Rates
Locations Visited:
Resident Link:
Laikipia Ranch Ride
Country of Origin:
Schedule:
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Arrive Lewa either by charter or 3 1/2 hr drive from Nairobi. The Lewa Conservancy is a World famous Nature Conservancy on 40,000 acres of pristine country on the Northern slopes of Mount Kenya. It is home to the big five and a host of other species such as Grevy's Zebra, Somali Ostrich, Reticulated Giraffe and other rare species. We will have lunch in Camp and an evening ride. Overnight Private Camp Lewa Downs. A full day exploring the ranch looking for game on Horseback (morning ride), game drive / walk before lunch in camp and evening ride. This is a spectacular area of Kenya with beautiful views to the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kenya in the south and the rugged mountains of the Mathews Range, Bodich and even Marsabit on the way to the Ethiopian border. Overnight Private Camp Lewa Downs
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Our first moving day. We ride across Lewa to the west crossing the Ngare Ndare River and onto Borana Ranch, another cattle ranch turned conservation area. We might meet a variety of game including black rhino and elephant and will see a host of other species including the reticulated giraffe. We reach camp in a grove of euphorbia trees after a picnic lunch on the Ngare Ndare River. Overnight Private Camp Borana.
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Our next move takes us with a picnic lunch (in our saddle bags) to the west again. We cross from Borana onto Ole Naishi ranch and climb the first ridge of the spectacular Loldaiga Hills. These form a northern extension of the Mt Kenya Massive and consist of large rocky Kopje's interspersed with Cedar forest. We cross Ole Naishi onto Loldaiga Hills a 55,000-acre ranch owned by Robert Wells and probably one of the most beautiful farms in Africa. A full day exploring Borana by horseback and vehicle. Borana is a step up from Lewa being on top of an escarpment, we will have climbed the day before and the scenery is still spectacular but different from Lewa. All the species of Lewa are present and a great variety of game is to be seen. Borana is home to our hosts Nicky and Michael Dyer, who own and run Borana Lodge. Overnight Private Camp Borana.
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Our next move takes us with a picnic lunch (in our saddle bags) to the west again. We cross from Borana onto Ole Naishi ranch and climb the first ridge of the spectacular Loldaiga Hills. These form a northern extension of the Mt Kenya Massive and consist of large rocky Kopje's interspersed with Cedar forest. We cross Ole Naishi onto Loldaiga Hills a 55,000-acre ranch owned by Robert Wells and probably one of the most beautiful farms in Africa. We reach camp at the head of a beautiful valley surrounded by cedar forest where we stay again for 2 nights. Overnight in Camp Loldaiga Hills.
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Some spectacular rides and a picnic lunch by land rover to the northern areas of the ranch will fill today's programme amply. At one point we shall be on the western edge of the Loldaiga Hills with spectacular views of the Laikipia Plateau below, which we will be crossing over the next four days. Overnight Private Camp Loldaiga Hills.
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We leave Loldaiga Hills and today cross four ranches on our way to El Karama home of the Grant Family. We drop down a hidden valley on elephant and buffalo tracks with little dams before crossing Enasoit ranch and then onto the specialist cattle ranch of Mogwooni, home of the Kenyan family. This is one of the few days we see some cattle fencing and we will have a picnic lunch here on the banks of the Nanyuki River. After lunch we cross onto El Karama ranch 13,000 acres of pristine game country and find our camp on the banks of the Ewaso Ngiro River. Overnight Private Camp El Karama Ranch.
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A full day exploring this ranch by horse and vehicle and a good chance of a game walk along the river, before lunch. There is a host of game including Grevy's Zebra, the rare endemic Jackson's Hartebeest, elephant, giraffe and hippo in the river. Overnight Private Camp El Karama Ranch.
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A long day's ride to Sosian. We cross the Ewaso Narok River and traverse Segera ranch to the Northwest. Our route takes us up the spectacular Sugoroi river valley before crossing rather monotonous black cotton plains, covered in whistling thorn (acacia Drepanolobium) which is home to the Patas monkey, a chestnut coloured long limbed primate which is widespread but rare among the northern savannahs of Africa. We reach the Mutara River and follow this pretty valley down before crossing onto Sosian ranch for a late lunch at the edge of the lovely Suguta Swamp. A short ride after lunch brings us to Sosian Ranch House where we exchange our tents for the comfort of the lodge. Overnight Sosian.
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A full day riding, driving and enjoying this re-habilitated cattle ranch which boasts a wide variety of game including, Jackson's hartebeest, Grevy's Zebra, Elephant, Hippo, Buffalo, Lion, Giraffe and all the other species. From certain points we can look back at the Loldaiga Hills over which we passed and Mt Kenya now appears a good distance away. Overnight Sosian.
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A last ride followed by lunch by the pool at Sosian and our transfer back to Nairobi in time for the International return flights. Note: Laikipia is a unique wildlife area and contains an enormous diversity of wildlife from the Big Five downward. It is famous as the last reserve of the Jacksons Hartebeest and is home of several rare species such as the Reticulated Giraffe, Beisa Oryx, Grevy's Zebra, Gerenuk and Somali Ostrich amongst others. In recent years the various landowners have tended away from exclusive cattle ranching to embrace more tolerance of game and even large predators such as lion and hyena are more abundant now than they would have been 25 years ago.
Local Safari Rate List:
| Resident Rates | Group | Valid From | Valid Until | Rate | Groups | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per person | 2 | 1 Jan 2012 | 31 Dec 2012 | Ksh | 48000 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Extra night | 1 | 1 Jan 2012 | 31 Dec 2012 | Ksh | 9500 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 3 Jan 2012 | 31 Mar 2012 | Ksh | 80750 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 3 Jan 2012 | 4 Apr 2012 | Ksh | 60000 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 1 Jan 2012 | 15 Dec 2012 | Ksh | 81000 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Extra night | 1 | 3 Jan 2012 | 4 Apr 2012 | Ksh | 15000 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Extra night | 1 | 1 Jan 2012 | 15 Dec 2012 | Ksh | 20700 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 4 Jan 2012 | 4 Apr 2012 | Ksh | 61800 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Extra night | 1 | 4 Jan 2012 | 4 Apr 2012 | Ksh | 15000 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 6 Jan 2012 | 31 Mar 2012 | Ksh | 91800 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Extra night | 1 | 6 Jan 2012 | 31 Mar 2012 | Ksh | 32400 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 6 Jan 2012 | 31 Mar 2012 | Ksh | 56250 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Extra night | 1 | 6 Jan 2012 | 31 Mar 2012 | Ksh | 9900 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 6 Jan 2012 | 31 Mar 2012 | Ksh | 80100 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Extra night | 1 | 6 Jan 2012 | 31 Mar 2012 | Ksh | 26550 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 3 Jan 2012 | 4 Apr 2012 | Ksh | 65000 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Extra night | 1 | 3 Jan 2012 | 4 Apr 2012 | Ksh | 15000 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 2 Jan 2012 | 31 Dec 2012 | Ksh | 44115 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 3 Jan 2012 | 15 Apr 2012 | Ksh | 49400 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 1 Jun 2012 | 30 Jun 2012 | Ksh | 48100 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 1 Jul 2012 | 31 Oct 2012 | Ksh | 63130 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 1 Nov 2012 | 15 Dec 2012 | Ksh | 48100 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 3 Jan 2012 | 15 Apr 2012 | Ksh | 54250 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 1 Jun 2012 | 30 Jun 2012 | Ksh | 53000 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 1 Jul 2012 | 31 Oct 2012 | Ksh | 68000 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 1 Nov 2012 | 15 Dec 2012 | Ksh | 53000 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 3 Jan 2012 | 15 Apr 2012 | Ksh | 54250 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 1 Jun 2012 | 30 Jun 2012 | Ksh | 53000 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 1 Jul 2012 | 31 Oct 2012 | Ksh | 68000 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 1 Nov 2012 | 15 Dec 2012 | Ksh | 53000 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 3 Jan 2012 | 15 Apr 2012 | Ksh | 47700 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 1 Jun 2012 | 30 Jun 2012 | Ksh | 47100 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 1 Jul 2012 | 31 Oct 2012 | Ksh | 61450 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 1 Nov 2012 | 15 Dec 2012 | Ksh | 47100 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 6 Jan 2012 | 31 Mar 2012 | Ksh | 76050 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Extra night | 1 | 6 Jan 2012 | 31 Mar 2012 | Ksh | 22050 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Single room supplement | 2 | 6 Jan 2012 | 31 Mar 2012 | Ksh | 13050 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 3 Jan 2012 | 4 Apr 2012 | Ksh | 56000 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Extra night | 1 | 3 Jan 2012 | 4 Apr 2012 | Ksh | 15000 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 6 Jan 2012 | 31 Mar 2012 | Ksh | 47250 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 3 Jan 2012 | 30 Jun 2012 | Ksh | 54900 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Extra night | 1 | 3 Jan 2012 | 30 Jun 2012 | Ksh | 13500 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 1 Jul 2012 | 15 Oct 2012 | Ksh | 79500 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Extra night | 1 | 1 Jul 2012 | 15 Oct 2012 | Ksh | 25500 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 3 Jan 2012 | 30 Jun 2012 | Ksh | 46900 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Extra night | 1 | 3 Jan 2012 | 30 Jun 2012 | Ksh | 9900 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 1 Jul 2012 | 15 Oct 2012 | Ksh | 57500 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Extra night | 1 | 1 Jul 2012 | 15 Oct 2012 | Ksh | 13500 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 3 Jan 2012 | 31 Mar 2012 | Ksh | 61675 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Extra night | 1 | 3 Jan 2012 | 31 Mar 2012 | Ksh | 17000 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 3 Jan 2012 | 31 Mar 2012 | Ksh | 59200 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Extra night | 1 | 3 Jan 2012 | 31 Mar 2012 | Ksh | 14000 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 3 Jan 2012 | 31 Mar 2012 | Ksh | 54000 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Extra night | 1 | 3 Jan 2012 | 31 Mar 2012 | Ksh | 17000 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Extra night | 1 | 3 Jan 2012 | 31 Mar 2012 | Ksh | 14250 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Per person sharing | 2 | 3 Jan 2012 | 31 Mar 2012 | Ksh | 45500 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Extra night | 1 | 3 Jan 2012 | 31 Mar 2012 | Ksh | 10000 | Kenya Residents | ||
| Single room supplement | 1 | 3 Jan 2012 | 31 Mar 2012 | Ksh | 2000 | Kenya Residents |
Locations Visited:
Aloe Blossom Ride
Country of Origin:
Schedule:
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On arrival in Nairobi you will be met by Safaris Unlimited at the International airport and transferred to our small home and farm near the Ngong Hills. Alternatively we will meet you at your hotel at about 9.00am. While drinking Kenyan tea or coffee your professional guide, Gordon or Tony Church, will give you a briefing on your safari. We then drive for approximately 5 hours out through the fertile Kikuyu highlands to the edge of the Great Rift Valley, into which we descend 2,000 feet. The panorama of grassland studded with volcanic mountains is home to an animal kingdom unrivaled anywhere else in Africa. Our route takes us up over the Mau Escarpment and through the Masai trading town of Narok. We fork south onto rough roads, reaching our private camp at the foothills of the Loita Mountain Range in time for a late lunch. Camp is established beneath giant yellow-fever acacia trees and is a popular roost for olive baboons and vervet monkeys. The afternoon is spent settling-in, followed by a short ride to familiarise ourselves with the horses. (As an optional extra you may like to fly to the Mara on a scheduled charter). Meal Plan : Lunch and dinner in camp. Overnight : Private Mobile Tented Camp ~ Barkitabu, Masailand.
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The morning and afternoon will be spent on horseback exploring the beautiful Loita Hills and the surrounding countryside. We ride through acacia thickets and open plains in search of Burchell's zebra, East African eland, warthog, Cape buffalo, Grant's & Thomson's gazelle and Masai giraffe. There is a variety of birdlife to enjoy, including the African Scops owl, superb starling, secretary bird and the white-backed vulture. Meal Plan : All meals in camp. Overnight : Private Mobile Tented Camp ~ Barkitabu, Masailand
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Our first full day in the saddle takes us across the Loita Plains, past Kaitapini Hill and down onto the Shangalara lugga (dry river bed) for a picnic lunch. We enter Olare Lamun valley and find our camp situated near a spring used by the Masai to water their cattle, and which is a favourite haunt for both lion and leopard. Herds of impala, white-bearded wildebeest, Coke's hartebeest and topi inhabit the neighbouring scrubland. Meal Plan : Breakfast and dinner in camp. Picnic lunch in the bush. Overnight : Private Mobile Tented Camp ~ Olare Lamun, Masailand.
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After an early breakfast we saddle up and trek across the open savanna, interspersed with acacia, wait-a-bit brush and leleshwa (wild sage) woodland. We ride along the base of Oloiburmut Hill, before returning to camp for lunch. This area is home to a number of Masai manyattas (villages). Throughout the safari we have several opportunities to learn about and, most importantly, enjoy the company of the Masai, a tribe of semi-nomadic people to whom the land belongs. Those who are interested may visit a small and remote primary school for the Masai children and in the late afternoon we visit a nearby manyatta of the local Masai "chief". His constant company is a highlight of the stay here - a great friend of Gordon's, he loves to serenade guests with stories of Masai tradition and lore. Meal Plan : All meals in camp. Overnight : Private Mobile Tented Camp ~ Olare Lamun, Masailand.
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A pre-dawn wake-up call prepares us for a long ride over vast rolling plains skirting the southern end of the Bardamat Hills. We canter across the Koiyaki Plains to a picnic site on a small escarpment overlooking the Masai Mara Game Reserve. We are now within the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem and an increase in the abundance of wildlife is immediately apparent. We reach camp located in a glade of riverine forest on the Olare Orok River. A large campfire and extra vigilant syces (grooms) keep watch at night to make sure that nighttime predators remain at a safe distance! Meal Plan : Breakfast and dinner in camp. Picnic lunch in the bush. Overnight : Private Mobile Tented Camp ~ Olare Orok, Masai Mara.
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A day of rest for the horses, we set off in our customised 4x4 safari vehicles to photograph the wildlife at close quarters. One can expect to see spotted hyena, cheetah and elephant. An afternoon walk with the Masai morran (warriors) is also an option. After dinner one may go out by safari vehicle with a spotlight, to search for illusive nocturnal animals. Meal Plan : All meals in camp. Overnight : Private Mobile Tented Camp ~ Olare Orok, Masai Mara.
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We ride in a northerly direction through a spectacular secret valley, gently winding our way along the southern bank of the Mara River, looking out for the crocodiles and large pods of hippo that frequent this area. The riverine forest is home to a variety of tropical birds including the rare Ross's turaco. The concentration of game, especially during the wildebeest migration (July to October) is breathtaking. We arrive in camp in the middle of the afternoon. There may be time for a short game drive or walk after tea. Meal Plan : Breakfast and dinner in camp. Picnic lunch in the bush. Overnight : Private Mobile Tented Camp ~ Kiboko Bend, Mara River, Masai Mara.
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We explore the Masai Mara by horse or vehicle to photograph wildlife including lion, leopard, silver-backed jackal, impala and waterbuck. Another sensational day amongst the game. Meal Plan : All meals in camp. Overnight : Private Mobile Tented Camp ~ Kiboko Bend, Mara River, Masai Mara.
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After saying "goodbye" to the horses and camp staff, we return by vehicle, approximately 6 hours, to the Nairobi Serena hotel, arriving in time for lunch. Day rooms are booked so that one may shower and relax before international flights home. (As an optional extra you may like to fly back to Nairobi on the scheduled charter). For those interested in shopping, a trip to find East African gemstones, bronze sculptures, Africana jewellery and other curios can be arranged. Meal Plan : Breakfast in camp. SAFARI ENDS
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Please note that this is a sample itinerary dependant on wildlife movements and weather conditions, access to water and logistics. The ride may run either east to west or west to east.
Local Safari Rate List:
Local Rates
Locations Visited:
Resident Link: