Wildebeest Migration & the Essence of Kenya

“And the bush hath friends to meet him, and their kindly voices greet him. In the murmur of the breezes and the river on its bars,
And he sees a vision splendid of the sunlit plains extended,
And at night the wondrous glory of the everlasting stars.”

Banjo Patterson


Nairobi, Samburu & Maasai Mara
House of Waine, Nairobi –Sasaab Lodge, Samburu - Olonana, Maasai Mara Reserve – Homeward Bound 

“…The experience went way past just seeing the animals and the sites, it triggers memories impossible to capture in words. It’s like being a member of a secret club that only the very special people can get into. 

It would not have been that way if it hadn’t been for your extraordinary knowledge, boundless caring and immeasurable energy that ensured every detail was perfect.”
Roger, Melanie and Avery Rowe, New York. 

A great deal of thought has gone in to designing this safari to give you an amazing holiday and educational experience that members of all ages in the family will be able to enjoy together. 

The quality of the wildlife and the cultural experiences that you will enjoy in East Africa at this time of the year are unrivalled anywhere else in the world. We take many families on safari and we know that this will be the most fabulous holiday for you all. It will guarantee wonderful memories that you will carry throughout your life.

Your Bespoke Safari

Day 01 House of Waine, Karen

We’ll be there to meet you as you pass through customs and we’ll drive you the short distance by safari Landcruiser to your hotel for you to relax, freshen up and decide on what you’d like to do for the rest of your day.

Your hotel, the House of Waine, sits snugly in a district known as Karen, after the famous Out of Africa author of the same name. She had her coffee farm nearby and in fact, if you fancy, there is a little museum there which is worth having a wander around.

The hotel is a boutique hotel with just eleven rooms. All rooms have televisions with local and satellite channels, direct dial telephones, complimentary mini bar (please note that this does not include alcoholic beverages), mini safe, tea and coffee making facilities with fresh milk and freshly ground coffee delivered daily, complimentary pastries daily. It has a decent swimming pool, so if you want to relax your day away that is possible or if you want to be more active, there are a variety of museums and galleries that you may visit. The best safaris are those played by ear.

Meals on own.

Day 02, 03& 04 Sasaab Lodge, Samburu 

After breakfast this morning, transferred to Wilson Airport for the scheduled flight (0915/1030hrs) up to the northern bush airstrip to Samburu Game Reserve.

Sasaab is perched above the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River, capturing panoramic views across the culturally rich Samburu land, Laikipia plateau and Mathews Range. Located in northern Kenya, north of the equator, it has a wild beauty of its own. The descent from the lush slopes of Mount Kenya, into the semi-arid desert of Kenya's "NFD" - the Northern Frontier District, is breathtaking. 

The lodge is on Samburu community land and part of Ngutuk-Ongiron Group Ranch. Built using locally sourced materials and with an exciting Moroccan influence the Carr-Hartley signature of attention to detail and elegance is the trademark of Sasaab. The lodge accommodates up to 18 guests in nine individually located rooms with magnificent views of the river and the true African wilderness, each over 100 square meters and with their own plunge pool and privacy. The uniquely designed tents are ideal for game viewing and bird-watching as well as relaxing. 

The novel "souk" style mess provides a warm and friendly atmosphere. Meals are prepared with the finest fresh ingredients and served in the privacy of various different areas of the "souk" or can be al fresco under the stars!

Activities are complemented by our knowledgeable and colourful Samburu guides, whether on camel walks, game drives, educational cultural visits or bush walks. Back at the lodge you may choose to relax by the main swimming pool, enjoy beauty treatments in the privacy of your own tent or find a corner of your own to unwind. To end your day, there can be nowhere better to enjoy sundowners, either from a rocky kopje a short walk away or the elevated terrace at the lodge.

The wildlife of Samburu is particular to the Northern Frontier District with its arid landscape, and you will find many dry country species including the Gerenuk, Oryx, Grevy's Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe and the Somali ostrich as well as elephants, lions, leopard, cheetah and numerous others. The Buffalo Springs and Samburu National Game Reserves and the extensive ranch and communal lands of the Samburu Heartland, support some of Africa's most impressive wildlife and dramatic scenery. Northern specialty species like the Reticulated Giraffe and the Grevy's zebra roam the acacia grassland where lions, leopards, cheetah and wild dogs hunt their prey. 

Day 05, 06, 07 & 08 Olonana Camp, Maasai Mara

After breakfast an early morning schedule will fly you down to the Maasai Mara where you’ll be met at the Kichwa Tembo Airstrip by your driver/guide and taken on a game drive en route to Olonana. You may be rewarded with sightings of elephant, buffalo, giraffe and a host of other plains’ game.

One really has to visit the Maasai Mara. This reserve is one of Africa’s greatest parks though it suffers a rather unfair reputation for being crowded with mini buses. 

This certainly does not have to be the case and we have selected Olonana Camp for you accordingly for its privacy. Though it is a tented camp, it is certainly not how you would imagine a tent would be. Your room is canvas but a permanent structure, very spacious and has a flush lavatory, solar lights and a good hot shower. 


Olonana is a small luxury camp idyllically nestled in the heart of Kenya’s big game country. The camp features 14 spacious and tastefully appointed tents with en-suite bathrooms and river view verandahs, where guests can relax and watch the resident hippos wallowing. The main cottage’s lounge and dining area offer a ‘home from home’ feel, enhanced by the hosts and resident Safari Guides, and its spacious verandah provides the perfect setting for after dinner star gazing. 

On offer are activities like include game viewing drives, bush walks, visits to the adjacent Maasai cultural village which the camp supports, sundowners and bush meals. In between game viewing, guests have the opportunity to relax and revitalize at our mini-spa which offers an enticing range of treatments from specialized facial treatments to full body massages. We use worldwide recognised Africology and French marine-based Thalgo spa products, which are found in the finest spas throughout the world. 

Olonana received a Silver rating award from Ecotourism Kenya. The camp is at the forefront of eco-tourism in Kenya with solar power, a wetlands which allows for used water to be recycled naturally before returning it to the environment and various projects aimed at improving the daily lives of the community in the area. The tree planting initiative offers guests the opportunity to purchase an indigenous tree which they can plant in a special tree nursery area, leaving a positive mark on a piece of Africa. 

The wildlife is abundant and the swaying grasslands ensure that animals are never out of sight. Elephants browse amongst the large herds of wildebeest and topi, eland and buffalo, Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelle. The plains offer a rich variety of food for the dominant predators: lion; leopard; hyena and cheetah. In the Mara River, hippos submerge to snort and grumble while crocodiles sunbathe, mouths agape, on the riverbanks. 

There are also options for a morning balloon safari [at an extra cost]. 

As the balloon is inflated against the first rays of sunrise your pilot will go through safety procedures. It’s then time to climb aboard. Once aloft, the balloon floats gently over the plains, giving a bird’s eye view of the game below as the sun creeps slowly over the horizon. Spread beneath you is a panorama of Africa – elephants looking improbably small; giraffe browsing amongst the treetops; antelope grazing; a pair of lionesses stalking a herd of wildebeest; an eagle guarding his eerie; and cheetah glancing up as the shadow of the huge balloon crosses their paths.
After around one hour the balloon lands and nearby breakfast is already being prepared. The smells of bacon, sausages and eggs drift on the breeze as you begin breakfast with platefuls of exotic Kenyan fruits and homemade pastries and, of course, glasses of bubbly to toast your flight in a tradition initiated by the Montgolfier brothers. 

Day 09 Maasai Mara – Nairobi and Onwards

After breakfast, you’ll bid Olonana staff farewell and transfer to the airstrip for the scheduled flight back to Nairobi (1100/1215hrs). Upon arrival at Wilson Airport you will be met by an A&K representative and transferred to House of Waine for dayrooms.

Afternoon at leisure with lunch and dinner own arrangements.

Evening transferJomo Kenyatta Airport for your departure flight.

“ I am not an empire builder, I am not a missionary, I am not truly a scientist. I merely want to return to Africa and continue my wanderings”. Joseph Thomson, Explorer, 1896.

 

Planning your safari holiday with Adams & Butler ensures a truly personal and intimate experience - a totally hassle free process from beginning to end.