Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens Conservation Safari Kenya

Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Conservation Safari
Kenya
Saturday, August 2nd ~ Sunday, August 17th, 2014
Led by David Jenike
Guided by Samantha and Johann du Toit
Why?
This safari has been carefully thought through to give you a feel of the best Kenya has to offer. It has been put together
by a group of folks with almost a century of combined experience living, working or traveling in Africa.
The journey starts in the quiet suburbs of Langata, well out of the chaos of Nairobi. After a day to relax by the pool at
Macushla house, or tour the main sites of the city, you start your safari with a private charter flight to Northern Kenya.
Ol Malo, a cattle and wildlife ranch and home to our long-time family friends, the Francombes, is in Laikipia. At Ol Malo
you will have Ol Malo house to yourselves, and the freedom to walk, ride, swim and drive. You will learn about the
Samburu tribe, and visit the inspiring community and education projects they are involved in.
From Ol Malo, you will fly to the world famous Maasai Mara to witness one of the seven natural wonders of the world,
the wildebeest migration. Naibor camp is in the heart of the reserve and surrounded by the open savanna plains that
have inspired so many to come to Africa.
Leaving the Mara, you will fly down into the Great Rift Valley to the heart of Maasai land and to Sampu camp. This is
where you will spend time getting to learn about the successes and challenges of one of the most innovative
community conservation projects in Africa. The CZBG have chosen to support this project over many years now and
this time offers you the chance to get an intimate look at the ecosystem through the eyes of the Maasai pastoralists
and the researchers who work alongside them.
At all times you will be in the capable hands of the David Jenike, who has travelled to Kenya extensively over the past
20 years. Your local hosts are myself, Samantha, and my husband Johann du Toit. I was born and raised in Kenya and
coordinate the conservation and research work in the South Rift, thanks to the support of the CZBG. Johann is a third
generation Kenyan who is a professional safari guide. You will also be accompanied by our toddler Seyia, an
experienced safari hand already!
Itinerary
Sunday 3rd You arrive into Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, in the evening, where you will be met and
taken to Macushla House. This is about a 10 km journey.
Monday 4th You will spend the day in Nairobi. Possible activities include visiting the Daphne Sheldrick elephant
orphanage and the giraffe centre.
Tuesday 5th After breakfast you will be taken to a small airport where you will fly by private charter to Ol Malo, in
Northern Kenya.
Wednesday 6th & Thursday 7th You will choose how to spend your days from a variety of activities at Ol Malo Lodge,
including walking, horse riding and camel riding.
Friday 8th After breakfast you will be collected by private charter and flown directly to the Maasai Mara. A short game
drive from the bush airstrip and you will be in Naibor Camp in the heart of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Saturday 9th, Sunday 10th & Monday 11th You will spend your days mainly on game drives whilst at Naibor Camp,
witnessing one of the world’s natural wildlife spectacles.
Tuesday 12th Once again you will fly by private charter to Magadi. Here you will be collected and you will take a drive
past the Soda Ash factory, over Lake Magadi to Sampu Camp in the Olkiramatian conservancy, the heart of the South
Rift Maasai land.
Wednesday 13th, Thursday 14th & Friday 15th You will spend your days getting involved with and learning about the
community-based conservation projects which the CZBG are so intimately involved with.
Saturday 16th You will be driven across the floor of the Great Rift Valley back to Nairobi. You will have a day room at
Macushla House with an early supper provided before your transfer to the airport.
Safari Map
1
Macushla House
Nairobi
2
Ol Malo House
Laikipia
2
3
3
1
4
Naibor Camp
Maasai Mara
4
Sampu Camp
South Rift
Macushla
Macushla House is located in the suburb of Karen, around ten kilometers to the southwest of Nairobi city centre.
Situated just around the corner from the Giraffe Manor and with just 6 rooms, this is a very intimate high quality
home stay.
Some of the extra activities that you can do for the day you are at Macushla include:
• Visiting the Giraffe centre
• Visit the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant orphanage
• Visiting the Karen Blixen museum
Your stay at Macushla is on a half-board basis. Thus lunches are not provided, giving you the flexibility to enjoy
lunch out in Nairobi if you so choose. Drinks are also not included in the cost.
Ol Malo
Ol Malo is a privately-owned game ranch on the banks of the Uaso Nyiro River in Kenya's wild and beautiful Northern
Frontier District. 5000 acres of spectacular bush country overlooked by Mount Kenya and teeming with the elusive
Greater Kudu antelope from which the ranch and lodge takes its name. In this majestic setting - on a rock escarpment
on the edge of the Laikipia Plateau, bordering the tribal heartlands of the nomadic Samburu people – the Francombe
family and their Samburu neighbours have created a home for themselves and a dream destination for the privileged
few who seek a glimpse into the true heart of Africa.
There is no typical day at Ol Malo. Instead you can choose from a wide variety of activities, all hosted by the
Francombe family and the Samburu people they work with. Activities include game drives, guided walks, bush
sundowners, horse or camel riding on the plains, tubing in tyres down the rapids or fishing for catfish and barbel. All
these activities are included in the cost of the trip, as are all house drinks, which include soft drinks and selected beers,
wines and spirits.
For more information please visit http://www.olmalo.com.
Naibor
Naibor Camp is a luxury tented camp, a striking combination of contemporary style and comfort, in the heart of Kenya’s
world famous Maasai Mara National Reserve. The camp is hidden in a grove of riverine woodland on the banks of the
Talek River and consists of sweeping pale canvas tents, king sized beds made from local fig-wood, wide sofas furnished
with bolster cushions, and wool rugs - a luxurious base from which to explore the Mara. Since Naibor is in the heart of
the Maasai Mara National Reserve, guests are able to enjoy fabulous wildlife viewing throughout the year. Naibor is
also strategically placed for the wildebeest migration, being close to all the major wildebeest crossing sites over the
Mara River. Naibor also has its own resident pod of hippos who rest during the day in the river in front of the mess tent.
The main activity during your time at Naibor will be game drives, specifically to witness the wildebeest migration if we
are lucky. A typical day would start with an early morning drive, followed by relaxing at the camp during the heat of the
day and topped off by an evening drive and then drinks around the campfire before dinner. House drinks, which
include all soft drinks and selected beers, wines and spirits are included in the price.
For more information visit http://www.naibor.com.
Sampu
The southern end of Great Rift Valley in Kenya is what we call the ‘South Rift’, home to the community-based
conservation efforts that the CZBG are so closely involved with. Your time here will be spent learning about these
projects and the people behind them. It will be a unique opportunity to get an intimate look at the success and
challenges facing front-line conservation.
There is deliberately no set schedule for the days you will spend here, allowing you the flexibility to follow the story of
the lions, the cattle, the Maasai people, the baboons or the researchers as appropriate.
You will be staying a Sampu Camp, a community owned facility nestled on the edge of the Rift Valley wall, within the
Olkiramatian Community Conservancy, which is to reopen with a brand new look and with new partner investors in
December 2012. All activities and house drinks are included in the price.
Other information
Internal Flights:
All your long distance journeys will be done in small private charter airplanes with Boskovic Air Charters. It is
important to note that the maximum weight allowance for these internal flights is strictly 15kg (33Lbs), in soft bags.
For more information visit http://www.boskovicaircharters.com.
Gifts:
If you would like to bring gifts for donating (things like footballs, volleyballs, pens , pads and coloring pens) we suggest
that we would have time to purchase appropriate items here in Nairobi when you arrive. It will be much easier for you
to carry cash, and once you get here we can help you buy them here. This also keeps your luggage weight down.
Photography:
We recommend you bring a camera with at least 12 mega pixels. If you are interested in bringing more lenses we
recommend a wide angle (18-35mm), 70-200mm. Feel free to bring a more powerful lens, however we do not
recommend a fixed lens over 300mm, as this will not give you as much flexibility.
(We have a Canon 7D, 18-35mm lens, 70-200mm lens and a 2x converter).
Binoculars:
8x42 or 10x42 (recommended) are the best. The really small binoculars do not really help when we are looking for
wildlife in the distance.
Computers:
Computers are welcome and a good way to see your photos easily. There will be power at all the places we are
staying. Voltage is 240 volts, and mostly the English 3 pin style (bring adapters as needed).
Included / Excluded:
Unless otherwise stated all transport and activities are included and all accommodation is full board and includes
house drinks.
Contacts:
Johann du Toit: Johann@maasaimara.com +254 722480028
Samantha du Toit: samantharuss@gmail.com. +254 722 583734
Safari Photos