Offbeat Safaris
Itineraries       Rates

8 Day Riding Safari with 2 nights Deloraine

Day 1 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 Day 2 A full day to explore this remote area with abundant game. Drives, rides and walks may be taken from camp. Overnight Olare Lamun. Day 3 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. Day 4 & 5 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 Day 6 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 Day 7 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 Day 8 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. Day 9 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. Day 10 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. Day 11 Transfer by private charter to Nairobi. Leaving after lunch

Laikipia/Northern Ride

Day 1
You will be collected in Nairobi, either from Jomo Kenyatta Airport or your Hotel
At approximately 10.30am and drive to Deloraine. Arriving in time for lunch and an afternoon at leisure. Walking, riding, tennis and croquet available.
Dinner and overnight Deloraine.

Day 2
A full day at Deloraine with the option of a trip to Lake Nakuru or Lake Bogoria, famous for flamingoes.
Dinner and overnight Deloraine

Day 3
Drive from Deloraine, via Nakuru, Thompson Falls and Rumuruti to Ol Maisor, the Evans Family Ranch. Camp is set up on the Euaso Narok River and we will have lunch there before an evening ride on the ranch. Overnight Ol Maisor.

Day 4
A long ride north east across Ol Maisor, Sosian and Kisima Ranches arriving at Nick and Heather Day's Il Pinguin ranch in time for lunch and a refreshing swim at their charming home. An hours ride after lunch will bring us to the Loisaba Ranch where camp will be set up in a grove of fever trees. Overnight Loisaba.

Day 5
A full days riding and driving on Loisaba and the adjacent Kirimon plains. Loisaba is another cattle turned game ranch in stunning countryside where the game has increased dramatically in the last few years.
Lunch in camp. Overnight Loisaba.

Day 6
Another long move south east over Loisaba and onto Mpala Farm. Today we will carry a picnic lunch in our saddle bags. We follow the Ewaso Ngiro river and find camp set up on its banks. Overnight Mpala.

Day 7
A full day of walks, game drives and riding on this lovely ranch, owned by George Small but bequeathed to the Smithsonian Institute as a game reserve in perpetuity. We will probably climb the lovely Mukenya Mountain situated in the middle of the ranch.
Overnight Mpala.

Day 8
We move south again in a big loop away from the river before returning to it again to find camp set up on its banks on El Karama ranch, home of the Grant family. Overnight El Karama.

Day 9
A full day of game drives, walks and riding on this game filled ranch.
Lunch in Camp. Overnight El Karama

Day 10
Today we will head east crossing Ol Jogi, Mogwooni and Enasoit Ranches and reach the Loldaiga Hills. We will camp on Loldaiga Hills Ranch the home of the Wells family.
We are now in the foothills of Mount Kenya and these beautiful cedar covered hills have some of the most stunning views in Kenya. Overnight Loldaiga Hills.

Day 11
A full day exploring this beautiful ranch, with the options of walking, driving and riding.
Lunch in camp. Overnight Loldaiga Hills.

Day 12
We head east again crossing Kamwaki Farm and descend out of the Loldaigas before entering
Borana Ranch, the home of Michael and Nicky Dyer. This is a working cattle and game ranch. Overnight Borana.

Day 13
A full day of game drives and riding, with the option of visiting the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. Overnight Borana.

Day 14
Return to Nairobi

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 hyaena are more abundant now than they would have been 25 years ago.

Set Departures 2008

$7200 for 10 day Safaris including two flights.

Tailormade Rates 2008

Each of 6 +     $720  per person per day
Each of 5        $780  per person per day
Each of 4        $810  per person per day
Each of 3        $900  per person per day
Each of 2        $990  per person per day

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