Tour Overview
Welcome to Kenya! Come take a service adventure through the rich landscapes and abundant wildlife of Kenya. Get to know the people whose culture and traditions have existed for centuries, while giving aid and support to help them overcome multiple barriers so they may flourish long after you have returned home. Vast herds of buffalo, wildebeest, antelope, zebra and elephant bring the bush alive with exciting drama of predator and prey. From the hustle and bustle of Nairobi and the clear mountain air of Eldoret, to the flamingo-lined shores of Lake Nakuru and witnessing the incredible community and wildlife of the Maasai Mara in the northern Serengeti, you’ll be inspired by the bountiful spirit of the people and the country.Day by Day Itinerary
Days 1-2-3: Nairobi, KenyaUpon arrival in Nairobi, you will be met and escorted to your impressive accommodations, formerly a British officer’s retreat 50 years ago. Then, visit the Cottolengo Children’s Home and the Nyumbani Orphanage to deliver educational, medical and recreational supplies. Get involved with arts & crafts alongside the children and learn new games to play with them. Feel the silky-soft muzzle of a Rothschild giraffe while hand-feeding them at the AFEW Nature Center.
Nairobi Safari Park Hotel Days 4-5-6: Eldoret
Drive through the rich farm country that segues into mountains and forest as you ascend into the highlands of Mount Elgon, rising to 7,000 feet. Eldoret is an agricultural center where four tribes have been practicing agriculture on the mountain slopes for centuries, and is an important area for the Teso people, who originate from the Karamajong region of Uganda. Unfortunately, it is also home to more than 2,000 street children left to fend for themselves, sometimes violently, due to lack of supervision and family support. You will make a difference in their lives by teaching conflict resolution, leadership skills and peace modules. Experience the culture and natural history of the region while interacting with the children at Eldoret Rescue Center, hiking through a nature reserve with the children of Koinonia Street Children’s Rehabilitation Project, and delivering educational supplies and food to the Huruma Baptist Nursery School in the village of Huruma- the setting of the movie The Constant Gardner. Your hotel is a serene haven.
Breakfast
Sirikwa Hotel Days 7 & 8: Lake Nakuru
Drive through the outer Great Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru National Park and see huge concentrations of flamingos that inhabit the shallow, alkaline lake, along with the Marabou Stork and pelican. Scout the magnificent yellow-barked acacia trees for napping leopards. Look for incredible wildlife, such as the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe, white and black rhino, lion, buffalo, hippo, waterbuck and baboon. Engage in a community service project in the town of Nakuru to enhance the quality of life for disadvantaged residents. Your camp is located on the privately owned Congreve Conservancy with over 350 bird species and plenty of plains wildlife, including eland, warthog, zebra, Grant’s gazelle, impala, waterbuck, dik dik, giraffe and buffalo. Your camp also offers nature walks, bike rides, hiking and day and night wildlife drives.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Mbweha Camp Days 9-10-11: Northern Serengeti- Maasai Mara
On your drive through classic savannah see the Maasai tending their cattle as wildlife grazes nearby. Arrive at Kenya’s most famous wildlife reserve, the Maasai Mara, where you will have three full days to search for incredible wildlife, including lion, cheetah, elephant, leopard, giraffe, zebra, hippo, and over 500 resident bird species including larks, sunbirds and the Lilac-breasted Roller. The endangered black rhino favors the bushland near your camp. Beginning in July, the drama of the annual migration of almost two million wildebeest and thousands of zebra takes place here. Exciting optional activities (some at additional cost) include witnessing dawn over the Serengeti from a hot air balloon, flying to Lake Victoria to fish for giant Nile perch, night wildlife drives or guided bush walks. Visit a Maasai Village and school to experience this nomadic tribe’s way of life and participate in a service project with them, from school renovations to ecological rehabilitation projects, such as planting indigenous trees or soil erosion control. Your luxury tented camp is situated at the base of the Ngama Hills just outside the eastern border of the Mara. Daily entertainment may be found from two vervet monkey troupes at the camp and wildlife hides give you exceptional up-close views. The acacia and fig forest surrounding the camp is paradise for the Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike and African Golden Oriole. Bushbuck, olive baboon, small-spotted genet and marsh mongoose congregate around the free-flowing springs, and the rabbit-like tree hyrax may be seen napping on branches during daylight hours.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Siana Springs Intrepid Camp Days 12 & 13: Maasai Mara- Depart Nairobi
A last chance to capture the sunrise over the Mara before driving back to Nairobi (an optional flight is available at an additional cost). A day room awaits you at the Nairobi Safari Park Hotel. This evening, board your flight home.
Breakfast
Nairobi Safari Park Hotel- Dayroom
