The Maasai people are a large pastoral community living along the Great Rift Valley of Kenya and Tanzania. While their exact origins are unknown, Maasai are strongly independent people who still value tradition and ritual as an integral part of their day to day live. They regard themselves not just as residents of the area but that they are as much a part of the life of the land as the land is part of their lives. Traditionally, the Maasai rarely hunt and living alongside wildlife in harmony is an important part of their beliefs. Lions and Wildebeest play an important a role in their cultural beliefs as their own herds of cattle.

This unique co-existence of man and wildlife makes this Maasai land one of the world’s most unique wilderness regions. At the heart of the

Maasai Mara Game Reserve,

it’s widely considered to be Africa’s greatest wildlife reserve. The Mara comprises 200 sq miles of open plains, riverine forest, and woodlands. Contiguous with the plains of the Serengeti (Serengeti National Park), Maasai Mara is home to a breathtaking array of life. The vast grassland plains are scattered with herds of Zebra, Giraffe, Gazelle, and Topi. The Acacia forests abound with Birdlife and Monkeys, Elephants and Buffalo.

The Mara and Talek rivers are ever brimming with Hippos and Crocodiles. Each year the Mara plays host to the world’s greatest natural spectacle, the Great Wildebeest Migration from Serengeti National Park, starting from July to October, the promise of rain and fresh life giving grass in the north brings more than 1.3 million Wildebeest together into a single massive herd. They pour across the border into the Mara, making a spectacular entrance in a rising and falling column of life that stretches from horizon to horizon.

At the Mara River they mass together on the banks before finally plunging forward through the raging waters, creating passion as they fight against swift currents and waiting crocodiles. The wildebeest bring new life to the Mara, not just through their cycle of regeneration of the grasslands, but for the predators that follow the herds. Maasai Mara has been called the Kingdom of Lions and these regal and powerful hunters dominate these grasslands. Cheetahs are also a common sight in the Mara, as are Hyena and smaller predators such as Jackals.

Maasai Mara is an awesome natural wonder, a place where Maasai warriors share the plains with hunting lions, a place of mighty herds and timeless cycles of life, death, and regeneration. Mara is probably the best serviced of all Kenyan Parks and Reserves with a wide range of Accommodation for any budget. The Reserve is a popular attraction, the reserve is ideal for game drives, and some lodges and camps offer good accommodation walks and balloon safaris.

Is a ‘designer’ lodge located 7km north of Samburu National Reserve, in Kenya’s wild northern part which is surrounded by 95,000 hectares of private wildlife conservancy, and perched on top of a spectacular viewpoint, its four houses and large swimming pool overlook several waterholes where the famous Samburu elephant, leopard, reticulated giraffe, Oryx, and Grevy’s zebra gather to drink.

The vastness and purity of this African landscape, combined with the untouched local culture, make your safari to Samburu a unique experience. The traditions and semi-nomadic heritage of the local Samburu people are an important part of the experience led by professional Samburu guides; guests to Saruni enjoy a new dimension of this rightfully popular region: the feeling of individuality, of having an incredibly large area totally to their own, and a high level of comfort and tailor-made service. Saruni Samburu has its own private airstrip near the Kalama Wildlife Conservancy headquarters, but it is also easily served by the other airstrips of the area where scheduled flights land.

ACCOMMODATION

Samburu Saruni Camp consists of 4 open-faced houses (accommodating 12 guests or more if triples needed) all of which have their own seating areas, multiple verandahs and private dining areas (2 of the houses are large family villas with two separate en-suite bedrooms and dressing rooms).

Saruni Family House

Saruni Samburu also offers a large swimming pool with dramatic views over Samburu, an area for massage and beauty treatments called Samburu Wellbeing Space, and several other are unique areas to use as hide-ways or view point to the waterholes that attract elephant, reticulated giraffe, zebra, Oryx and all the species that make Samburu Saruni so special.

WILDLIFE

Elephant, reticulated giraffe, grevy’s zebra, Oryx, leopards, ostrich’s, greater and lesser kudu, gerenuk, hyenas among other species.

ACTIVITIES

In addition to game drives to Samburu National reserve, Buffalo Springs National Reserve and West Gate Conservancy, activities will include night and morning game drive in Kalama Conservancy, rock climbing, professionally-led game walks, bush dinners, and star gazing.

The traditions and semi-nomadic heritage of the local Samburu people are also an important part of the experience. Led by professional Samburu guides, guests enjoy a new dimension of this rightfully popular region: the feeling of exclusivity, of having an incredibly large area to yourself, and a high level of comfort and tailor-made service.

The Menengai Crater

Menengai Crater is located in the Great Rift Valley-Kenya in East-Africa, Menengai Crater is an extinct volcano with striking views of Lake Nakuru and Lake Bogoria. The crater itself is one of the largest calderas of the world and the largest in Kenya; it is an extinct volcano of the Central Rift Valley (it has been volcanically active until relatively recently as fresh lava flow could be observed in 1991). The crater, covers an area of 90 sq. km, is 12 km in diameter and 485 m deep, standing on the rim of the crater the view extends a panorama of the northern Rift Valley and the many mounts such as the Aberdares Ranges, Mau hills, the Elgeyo-Marakwet escarpment, the Matthews range, and the Cherengani. These are one of the most splendid and most excellent scenery in Kenya. It is a legend that the Menengai Crater is home to many demons and ghosts and so the crater is referred to by the kikuyu of central Kenya as Kirima Kia Ngoma, “the mountain of devils”. The Awesome sounds and sights of Menengai Crater is most frightening which makes the crater most mysterious.

These unexplained mysteries could have been contributed to the legend by the many folklore and songs on the topic have not enlightened the communities living around the mysterious Menengai Crater At the summit of the crater which is easily accessible by car, there is a signpost dressed by Rotary Club of Nakuru showing the directions and distances to several towns in the that including Mt. Kilimanjaro, Cape Town, London, Cairo and Mecca.

As expected, from the rim of the crater, the view extending a panorama of the northern Rift Valley and a dozen hills that offers the finest hill scenery in Kenya. The site offers excellent hiking opportunity, scenic site, hot springs, geysers, mud pots among others. Since the 19th C, it has been the scene for battles between different Maasai clans for the pastures at Naivasha and the Rift slopes.
Hobbies & Activities :
Hiking opportunity; Natural area; Scenic site or route; Volcanoes, hot springs, geysers, mud pots

ACCOMMODATION

Maili Saba

Maili Saba Camp is a sanctuary of tranquility away on the edge of the magnificent, dormant Menengai Crater.  At Maili Saba there is a, relaxing site, secure environment to suit every guest’s need and comfort ability in the camp. Maili Saba is the ideal place. Whether you visit on your way to the Northern/Western frontier or you go for a weekend out; you will leave refreshed and inspired by nature.

Location: Maili Saba Camp is situated just 20 minutes from Nakuru National Park.

Cuisine:
At the lodge you will experience gourmet food style. The lodge also has a fully stocked bar.

Activities and General Facilities Maili Saba Camp

• Swimming pool
• Constant power supply
• Guided nature walks
• 20 minutes drive to the gate of Lake Nakuru National Park
• Nature walks down the Menengai Crater, ballooning safaris and game drives can be organized from the camp
• Uninterrupted view of the magnificent Menengai Crater from the bandas

Kichwa Tembo, Meaning ‘Head of the Elephant’ in Kiswahili is a delightful, luxurious tented camp in the north-western corner of the richest game park in Kenya. Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp is located in the Oloololo Escarpment and the Sabaringo River. The camp lies deep in a monkey-rich forest on the exclusive western side of the Masai Mara National Reserve, far removed from the package tourism of the eastern Mara
ACCOMMODATION- CAMP FACILITIES
Kichwa Tembo is an oasis of styled tents shaded by dense forest canopy. Each luxurious tent has a private deck with a comprehensive view of the greatest grassland system on earth. Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp has 40 canvas safari tents, each with a private outdoor deck. There is an en suite bathroom with shower, Stone floors, and soft lighting. Each tent stands at least eight meters away from the next ensuring absolute seclusion. Kichwa Tembo’s main living area and all the tents overlook endless, game-filled plains and are shaded by dense forest canopy. In the background, the Oloololo Escarpment stretches into the distance. The main lodge has a curio shop and a reception. The courtyard is candlelit in the evening and you may relax in the bar/lounge area. Our palm-fringed swimming pool overlooks the plains of the Mara. Lawns surround the tree-shaded waters. At night, “Askaris” (Maasai warrior security guards) accompany you to and from your tent. The airy main restaurant is covered with Maasai thatch grass and overlooks the Mara plains. Dinner may be served alfresco style outdoors, weather-permitting. Private meals are also arranged on request

CAMP ATTRACTIONS

The unfenced Masai Mara covers 1 500km² and, together with the neighboring Serengeti (combined, they form one ecosystem), it is the home to the greatest concentration of large mammals on earth. The great migration of over two million wildebeest and other grazing ungulates every year is the Mara’s foremost attraction and one of the greatest spectacles in the animal kingdom.
Each year, far south in the vast Serengeti, the wildebeest raise their heads, sniff the air, and as if of one accord, start the long trek to the Kenyan border. An endless thunder of wildebeest and zebra enter the Mara around mid of July, drawn by the sweet palatable grass.
WLDLIFE
Elephants, Side-striped Jackal, Spotted and stripped Hyena, Leopard, Lion, Wild Dog or Hunting Dog, Buffalo, Eland , Gerenuk, Grant’s gazelle, Hartebeest, Impala among other animals
ACTIVITIES
Safaris in Kenya are purely in comfort styles, both in wildlife and accommodation. Enjoying this remarkable area it can be done in several extraordinary activities that are sure to leave a special imprint on your heart demanding for a return back. This makes an adventure out of your stay.
Extraordinary additional activities on offer including:
• Explore the wilderness in the accompanied by an experienced and conversant guide who knows more better about the flora and fauna in the area.
• Have a bird’s eye view of the Masai Mara in an incredible hot air ballooning experience (optional with an extra fee)
• Take a walk on the wild side with a specialist guide, exploring the wilderness and her fascinating inhabitants, great and small with a walking safari
• Seeking a truly intimate safari experience safari offering you a personalized game experience of Kenya’s wildlife is just for you! See Kenya’s wildlife by night with a thrilling night game drive too.
• Experience and learn about the local community with an authentic Maasai village visit, guided by an English speaking Maasai
• Dine in the bush with either a private breakfast and / dinner served in memorable settings amidst Kenya’s wildlife
• Be enthralled by the incredible beauty of the Maasai as tall warrior men dance in traditional dress chanting melodies that will remain with you long after
• Game drives and bush walks with resident guides and naturalists reveal the wonders of the Mara – as do bush breakfasts

Saruni Samburu Camo is a ‘designer’ lodge located 7km north of Samburu National Reserve, and abour 350 km away from Nairobi, it is located in the  Kenya’s wild northern part which is surrounded by 95,000 hectares of private wildlife conservancy, and perched on top of a spectacular viewpoint, its four houses and large swimming pool overlook several waterholes where the famous Samburu elephant, leopard, reticulated giraffe, Oryx, and Grevy’s zebra gather to drink.

The vastness and purity of this African landscape, combined with the untouched local culture, make your safari to Samburu a unique experience. The traditions and semi-nomadic heritage of the local Samburu people are an important part of the experience led by professional Samburu guides; guests to Saruni enjoy a new dimension of this rightfully popular region: the feeling of individuality, of having an incredibly large area totally to their own, and a high level of comfort and tailor-made service. Saruni Samburu has its own private airstrip near the Kalama Wildlife Conservancy headquarters, but it is also easily served by the other airstrips of the area where scheduled flights land.

ACCOMMODATION

Samburu Saruni Camp consists of 4 open-faced houses (accommodating 12 guests or more if triples needed) all of which have their own seating areas, multiple verandahs and private dining areas (2 of the houses are large family villas with two separate en-suite bedrooms and dressing rooms).Saruni Samburu also offers a large swimming pool with dramatic views over Samburu, an area for massage and beauty treatments called Samburu Wellbeing Space, and several other are unique areas to use as hide-ways or view point to the waterholes that attract elephant, reticulated giraffe, zebra, Oryx and all the species that make Samburu Saruni so special.

WILDLIFE

Elephant, reticulated giraffe, grevy’s zebra, Oryx, leopards, ostrich’s, greater and lesser kudu, gerenuk, hyenas among other species.

ACTIVITIES

In addition to game drives to Samburu National reserve, Buffalo Springs National Reserve and West Gate Conservancy, activities will include night and morning game drive in Kalama Conservancy, rock climbing, professionally-led game walks, bush dinners, and star gazing.

The traditions and semi-nomadic heritage of the local Samburu people are also an important part of the experience. Led by professional Samburu guides, guests enjoy a new dimension of this rightfully popular region: the feeling of exclusivity, of having an incredibly large area to yourself, and a high level of comfort and tailor-made service.

It is north-east of Laikipia District, and borders Isiolo District. Maralal is a small hillside market town in northern Kenya-in rift valley, lying on the east of Loroghi Plateau within the Samburu District to the west there is the Mkogodo Forest Reserve, a belt of riverine forest along the Ngare Ndare River.
Maralal is the home of a unique small ethnic group known as the Laikipia Maasai. Maralal Game Sanctuary is established near Maralal town, the administrative centre of Samburu District. Nearby is the Maralal Game Sanctuary. Maralal is also home to Kenyatta House, the location where Jomo Kenyatta the first president of Kenya was detained prior to his release.
The town also serves as a base for tourist activities such as
>> Bush walking,
>> Water rafting,
>> Camel riding.
This is a tourist friendly town with many cheap hotels and friendly and welcoming people Samburu people.
Wildlife
On the cedar clad hillside above the town and in the thorn scrub lower down there is much resident game. The sanctuary has big residential populations of impala, eland, buffalo, baboon, warthog, zebra, and the attendant predators – lion, leopard, and hyena.

Seasonally elephant pass through the sanctuary descending from the forested hills which lie to the north.

Accessibility
Is by direct road from Samburu National Reserve to Maralal town
Resident Communities
The Samburu people, who inhabit this beautiful country, are close relatives of the tall, proud nomadic Maasai of Southern Kenya. Their beautifully ornamented morans (warriors) march fearlessly across the plains in memorable sights.

This site is situated near Lake Turkana (East of the Lake) which is located East-Africa in Rift Valley province in Kenya. It lies betweem (36° 13″N), (3° 55″E)
From Nairobi to Koobi Fora is about 746 km by road.

Gabbra people live in this area and in their language; the term Koobi Fora means a place of the commiphora and the source of myrrh, which is a common plant in this hot and arid area.

Research work on the site began in 1968. Hominid fossils from the Plio/Pleistocene of Eastern Africa have been recovered from seven localities of which the most extensive is that of East of Lake Turkana. This Koobi Fora site comprises approximately 700 square miles of fluvial and lacustine sediments representing a broadly continuous sequence of deposition from the Pliocene (5.0 million) to the Early Pleistocene (1.0 million) years old.

Starting June 1968, more than 70 hominid fossils had been recovered. One hominid model; Australopithecus Sensu Lato, has been documented as a chrono species of over a period of 2 million years old. During this period according to researchers, there was little significant morphological change as evident in the element preserved both at Koobi Fora and elsewhere in East Africa.

Earlier 1960’s, most of the evidence for the evolution of man during the early Pleistocene was confined to Southern Africa. The greatest body of evidence for early hominid development has been obtained from the large site in Northern Kenya. Between 1968 and 1972, a total of 87 fossil hominid specimens were recovered. Stone artifacts have also been obtained in the site not forgetting that other animal plant fossils have also been discovered. For example several taxa of giraffines have been yielded.

The first Australopithecus skull was found here by Dr. Richard Leakey a renown paleontologist.

Inside Koobi Fora
The Homo habilis was also found there by Bernard Ngeves. Homo erectus, a 1.6 million years old fossil skull was also discovered here by a research assistant of Dr. Leakey, Mr. Kimeu Kimoya.

Up to 1994, about 200 separate hominid and numerous animal skulls had been found, more than the rest of the world’s fossil sites have produced in 60 years.
There are Bandas for night accommodation.

Located in Kenya East africa-along Magadi road, it’s an hour’s drive, and 70kms away from Nairobi-Kenya, Olorgesailie pre-historic site is world renown as the “factory of stone tools” and the only place in the world with the largest number. The prominence and accumulation of human tools represents actual camping places of early men and evidence that human species had a tropical origin. The site is in a lake basin that existed about 100,000 to 200’000 years ago.

Researchers, Dr. and Mrs. Leakey, started investigations on the site in 1942 where they found important evidence that concerns the habits and activities of early prehistoric peoples of the Acheuleus or “Hand axe” culture.

Olorgesailie has excellently preserved biological and cultural evidence about the evolution of man.
A great variety of birds and some game can be viewed in the sorrouding country

Banda overlooking Mt. Olorgesailie
This was made possible by heavy falls of alkaline volcanic ash from the nearby Mt. Suswa and Mt. Longonot, which might have contributed much to the accumulated ash in the lake basin. There is evidence of humid climate during part of the middle Pleistocene that is given by temporary lakes and swamps that exist in the area today. The sediments left by the lake cover an area of 80 km2.

Things to do/ Attractions
> Museum and site- the museum interprets the pre-historic site. One can then take a walk to see the actual site and the discoveries made here
Bird watching- the site is a bird watcher’s paradise citing the highest number of migratory bird species in Kenya.
> Mountain climbing- Mt. Olorgesailie was named after a renowned Maasai elder who used to meditate and hold meetings with village elders up the mountain. On average it takes 3 hours to ascend and the same to descend best climbed from 5:00 am.
> Camp site- affordable camping facilities available.
> Picnic site
> Baboon camp- congregation of baboons in the evening 1 km from the campsite.