14-day Kenya and beach: The Big Five and The Beach – Diamond

‘Jambo!’ As you walk out of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, your personal Africa Safari Trips guide greets you with a big smile on his face. ‘Karibu Kenya – welcome to Kenya!’

Our Africa Safari Trips guide takes you straight from the airport to your hotel, which gives you the first impressions of the vibrant city of Nairobi. You take in the skyscrapers, the traffic with the motortaxis and colourful matatu’s (local public transport), and the hussle and bussle of people living their every day life…

Ask your guide anything that comes to mind, because he knows all about Kenyan life and culture. But not only that; he also gladly tells you everything about the beautiful national parks you are about to visit. So ask whatever you want – he will do his utmost best to answer all your questions…!

At a three to four hour drive from Nairobi you will find yourself in what we call heaven on earth for rhino fans. With a population of 140 black rhinos the Ol’ Pejeta Conservancy is the largest sanctuary for these massive animals in East and Central Africa.

Black rhinos are critically endangered since 1993. Back then, there were only an estimated 2300 left worldwide. These days their number is up to over 5000 again. In Ol’ Pejeta, their number grew steadily from 20 in 1995 to a population of 140 today. Besides, it’s also home to the last two remaining northern white rhinos in the world and 39 southern white rhinos.

To top it off Ol’ Pejeta also hosts a sanctuary for abused chimps, and in the park itself you can spot the Big Five and many more animals.

With beautiful landscapes and hundreds of animals, Samburu National Reserve guarantees the sort of game viewing you otherwise would only experience watching National Geographic. At a five hour drive from Ol’ Pejeta, it has a semi-dry desert and savannah landscape which causes the wildlife to be easy to spot…!

This park is 165 square kilometers big and, with over nine hundred elephants roaming around in large families, this is a spectacular park to visit. Follow the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River for the best game viewing. It is is the only source of water for many animals, especially during dry seasons. Four of the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo) roam around, as well as rarer species, such as wild dogs, Grevy zebras, gerenuks and Beisa oryxes. Crocs and hippos populate the river to cool down, or to hunt for prey on the riverbank.

In this full day in Samburu you get the chance to really search for the Big Five, and of course observe the elephants. During the day it can be hot, and game viewing is best done in the morning and afternoon. In between you can take a rest at your hotel, or visit the beautiful Samburu people.

This is a traditionally nomadic tribe related to the Maasai. They live in secluded bomas: little villages with a circular wooden fence. Their huts have rounded roofs made out of cowdung, since they are pastoralists with mostly herds of cows, sheep or goats. Especially the Samburu women wear complicated and colourful necklaces and headwear, that they make themselves out of small beads.

As a break in between safaris, it’s possible to visit one of their bomas to get familiar with the traditional life of Samburu people. You will see their houses, learn about their way of life, how their necklaces are made and what the secret messages are inside.

Today you will visit Solio Game Reserve, a privately owned sanctuary dedicated to rhino conservation. The reserve is located in the valley between the high slopes of Mount Kenya and the peaks of the Aberdare Mountains just north of Nairobi, providing a home for 200 rhinos.

The Solio Game Reserve (or Solio Ranch) used to be a working cattle ranch but in 1973, part of it was turned into a wildlife sanctuary. Rhinos and other wildlife were brought back to the area. Nowadays it’s a 49,000 acre ranch with 19,000 acres of wildlife sanctuary for the black and white rhinos.The rhinos live here in harmony with other wildlife like buffalos, zebras, giraffes, elands, oryxes, impalas, waterbucks, Thompson’s gazelles and warthogs. Here, it is not uncommon to see up to 40 rhinos at a time!

The mesmerizing Lake Naivasha lies in the Kenyan Rift Valley at 1,884 meters above sea level and is the highest lake within the Great Rift Valley. Today you drive in four to five hours from Masai Mara National Reserve to this 139 square kilometres large freshwater lake.

Between 1937 and 1950, Lake Naivasha was a landing place for Imperial Airways planes. They flew from Durban to Dublin at a time when this took several days of flying. Nowadays the lake forms a popular day trip for Nairobi residents due to its proximity to the capital.

Nestled in between swamps, forests and rock formations, Lake Naivasha is the perfect place for an amazing boat safari in between groups of hippos and flamingos! On the shores, you might see zebras, wildebeests and giraffes. After that, you experience walking amongst them as you take a guided walking safari on Crescent Island (the ‘hidden gem of Naivasha’) in the middle of the lake. It is a truly atmospheric place, where you might find some familiar settings as it was the primary filming location for the 1985 romantic drama Out of Africa.

Today you make the beautiful four hour drive from Lake Naivasha through Kenya’s Rift Valley to the Masai Mara National Reserve. Be ready for a  jawdropping sensation when you arrive on the amazingly beautiful savannah plains of the Masai Mara…!

After lunch you will get your first impression of these plains with its abundance of wildlife. The Masai Mara borders Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park and together they are home to Africa’s best known natural wonder: the annual great migration. Over 2,5 million animals roam the plains of Serengeti and the Masai Mara together, following the rains in search of green pastures.

The Reserve is named Masai Mara in honor of the Masai people. The Masai (also spelled Maasai) have lived in this region since they migrated from the Nile Basin centuries ago. Mara means spotted in the Maa language and refers to a landscape marked by many short bushy trees scattered all over the outstretched savannah.

The Masai Mara is known for its abundance of wildlife, and today you have a full day to try and see it all! The National Reserve is home to more than 95 animal species and over 400 species of birds. From mid September to mid October the great migration arrives here. This means that huge herds of wildebeests, zebras, gazelles, antelopes and impalas can be seen trying to cross the Mara River.

In other months you can spot the famous Big Five in the Masai Mara, as well as cheetahs, servals, hyenas, bat-eared foxes, black-backed or side-striped jackals, hippos, crocodiles, baboons, warthogs, topis, elands, waterbucks, oribis, reed-bucks and many, many more… A perfect way to end your safari adventure!

Diani Beach lies 20 kilometers south of Mombasa and is a one our flight from Nairobi. Today you leave the Masai Mara early in the morning, for a six hour drive to Nairobi. From there you fly straight to the 15 kilometers long stretch of beach called Diani. Lined with coconut trees and white powder sand, with amazing sunsets, beautiful resorts, high-class restaurants, water sport centers and even wildlife, Diani Beach basically has it all.

Diani has a stunning aquatic life to offer for those who like to explore the Indian Ocean. Ranging from humpback whales (September) to whale sharks (January to March) and dolphins (all year round), to seahorses, nudibranches and ghostpipe fish – your safari just continues under water.

Use your days to go scuba diving, snorkeling, kite surfing, windsurfing, boat rides or jet skiing, or of course just to relax on the beach. It’s also possible to do a day tour to the nearby city of Mombasa – stroll through old town and experience this vibrant city with its Arabic influences.

As all good things come to an end, today is the day you fly back home. Enjoy your last hours on the beautiful Diani Beaches before you head to Mombasa for your flight back home.

Lovers of old cities can use this last day to first pay a visit to the city center of Mombasa (at 20 kilometers from Diani). This city is definitely worth your while with its famous Old Town, ocean view, abundant markets and several historic sites. After that our driver will take you straight to the airport, and you will surely have some amazing memories and pictures to take with you…!