IMMERSIVE KENYA

Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, you’ll be transferred to our first hotel. Once settled in, you’ll meet our Local Insider and the rest of the group in the lobby, before heading out for an authentic dinner at a local restaurant – the perfect way to start the trip and get to know your fellow travellers for the week ahead.

After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll set off early for a visit to the Giraffe Centre, a conservational non-profit dedicated to the wellbeing of the world’s tallest animal. Hanging out with these gentle giants is the perfect way to start the day, and we’ll follow it up with a Matatu van ride. These souped-up, colourfully decorated vehicles are a symbol of Kenya’s vibrant modern culture. The van will take us to Riuki Cultural Centre, offering a more old-school insight into the life of the Agikuyu tribe, through visiting homesteads, experiencing traditional dance and storytelling, sampling authentic food and wine, as well as a culture talk. After a delicious African barbecue at the centre, the Matatu will take us back to Nairobi and The Bomas of Kenya. There’s no better place to experience traditional Kenyan music and dance, with over 50 daily performances from various ethnic communities. Dinner will be at the lively, multi-venue Nairobi Street Kitchen.

If you struggle to start the day without a good cup of Joe, then we’ve got you covered this morning with a visit to Karunguru Coffee Farm and Factory. This place has produced coffee for almost 100 years, and you’ll get a tour of the site, as well as a tasting session of some of the finest brews in Kenya. Pepped up and ready to go, we’ll transfer to Aberdare National Park, or Nyandarua, a luscious mountain range in the central highlands of Kenya. We’ll stop off at Karatina Market, the largest open air market in East Africa, where you’ll get to talk to the locals about their fresh farm produce. We’ll check into our lodge in Nyeri – a gorgeous little haven in the hills – and have a late lunch onsite. The afternoon is yours to take advantage of the lodge’s wide selection of activities, including horse riding, birdwatching, safari drives and sundowner cocktail sessions. Alternatively, you could spend the whole day chilling by the pool!

After breakfast we’ll have a scenic drive to Lake Nakuru National Park, a sanctuary for giraffes, rhinos, leopards and thousands of pink flamingos, as well gorgeous vistas across the region’s woodlands and bushy grasslands. We’ll stop en route for a visit to the spectacular Nyahururu Waterfalls, before checking in at our latest dreamy country lodge and having lunch. After that we’ll head out on a thrilling afternoon game drive. Keep your eyes peeled for lions, zebra, buffalo and rhino on an expert guided tour of the area. With a bit of luck, you’ll have some incredible wildlife photography to flick through as you settle down for dinner back at the lodge.

This morning we’ll head south, down the Great Rift Valley, to Kenya’s most famous nature reserve, the Masai Mara. We’ll check in at our luxury safari camp, which has spectacular views of the Mara’s open plains, and settle in with lunch at the onsite restaurant. In the afternoon we’ll visit a local school, where you’ll get to meet and talk to local teachers and school children – feel free to bring along some writing or reading materials! Back at the camp you can enjoy a relaxing evening, dinner included, watching night fall across the savannah.

It’s an early start today (5am), as we have some quick tea and snacks before heading to the nearby Maasai Village for a day experiencing authentic tribal life with southern Kenya’s largest ethnic group – a nomadic warrior tribe who to this day remain largely untouched by modern civilisation. You’ll start the day with cow milking, before entering a Manyatta hut to prepare breakfast with a local family, who’ll offer insights into Maasai culture. You’ll tour the village, meet the elders, help take stock of cows and goats and learn about the goat slaughtering process. This is not for the faint hearted, so engage with this sacred tradition as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. You’ll have the chance to select a goat, help light the roasting fire, sample some freshly cooked meat and witness the blood-taking ceremony. We’ll have lunch back at the camp before returning to the village to partake in beadwork activities with the Maasai women and experience thrilling cultural dances with the energetic Maasai warriors. Join in with the evening stock take and help a local family prepare dinner before returning to our camp for the evening.

Today is all about taking in the world-renowned natural wonders of the Masai Mara. This protected area connects Kenya to neighbouring Tanzania, since it’s technically part of the Serengeti ecosystem. Its rolling grasslands, meandering rivers and towering escarpments are something to behold, creating an atmospheric arena for The Big Five, and countless other species, to roam. Today we’ll embark on two game drives – one in the morning, one in the late afternoon – in an attempt to see as many wild animals as we can. If you join us between July and October, you might even get to witness the famous wildebeest migration.

After breakfast at the camp, our morning will be spent heading back to civilisation, with the long drive to Nairobi. Fortunately the route offers amazing views of the Kenyan wilderness, and the journey itself feels like an adventure. Back in the capital we’ll head to Amaica Restaurant for an authentic farewell lunch, before your transfer takes you back to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO).