Cultural Safari Adventure in Kenya

After a morning introductory briefing, a city tour has been planned to introduce you to Nairobi urban culture. You will visit the National Museums of Kenya and learn about the 40 different ethnic groups in Kenya, in the orthography section. You will also tour the Kenya National Archives and see the Joseph Murumbi Art Gallery and also visit the Godown Art Centre to see the contemporary African art.

After lunch at Utamaduni restaurant, you will spend the afternoon at Bomas of Kenya, to watch the traditional ethnic dancers and later stroll around the grounds to see the traditional homesteads of the over 40 communities in Kenya.

This morning, you will drive north through the lush tea, coffee, and pineapple plantation to Mountain Tree Top Lodge, situated in the foothills of Mount Kenya, the ancestral home of the Agikuyu. The Kikuyu are the Country's largest ethnic group. On the way, before getting there, you will stop at Makutano Junction and see the Thingera Cultural dancers-Ndia of Kirinyaga.

You will be invited to enjoy their traditional cuisine like Mukimo, muthokoi and fermented porridge and Muratina, their traditional brewed liquor. You will also make a brief stop at a sacred site-Mukuru wa Nyagathanga, a cultural Heritage site of the Agikuyu-Tuthu shrine under a fig Tree (Mugumo). You will do the check-in and have lunch at Mt. Lodge.

Today, you will head north through the quaint town of Isiolo. Here in Samburu National Reserve / Shaba National Reserve, you will see wildlife not found in the south of the equator, Somali ostrich, Grevy Zebra, reticulated giraffe, and gerenuk gazelle. You will do the check in and have lunch at Sarova Shaba lodge. An afternoon game drive is planned with a visit to Samburu Cultural village.

Closely related to the Maasai and speak the same language, it seems that when the Maasai migrated to the area from Sudan, some headed east and become the Samburu. You will spend the night along the banks of the beautiful Uaso Nyiro River at the luxurious Sarova Shaba Lodge.

Further exploration of this fascinating reserve awaits you. A morning game drive is planned. In the afternoon, you visit a Turkana Cultural village and the kindergarten run by the villagers to see the children. The Turkana are another of Kenya's more colorful (and warlike) people. Originally, from Karamojong district of North-eastern Uganda, the Turkana live in the virtual desert country.

The Turkana are probably the last affected by the 20th century of all Kenya’s people due to isolation. They are primarily cattle herders, though recently have taken to fishing of the waters of Lake Turkana and weather permitting occasionally grow crops. Unlike the other neighboring tribes, they have discontinued the practice of circumcision. A Samburu National Reserve / Shaba National Reserve has the world’s most spectacular and exciting terrain. An overnight will be at Sarova Shaba lodge.

This morning, you will journey to spectacular Lake Baringo; a stark, wild beauty permeates. On the way, you will stop and visit the Rendille homestead and learn about their culture. They are pastoralists who live in nomadic communities in the rocky Kaisut desert in Kenya's north eastern province. They have strong economic and kinship ties with the Samburu, despite having cultural and linguistic differences. The Ariaal Samburu is a mixture of the two tribes. You will do check in and stay an overnight at Lake Bogoria Lodge.

This afternoon, you will visit the local village and its tribesmen, the Jemps (Il chamus), joining them in paddling their canoes. The world of the Jemps is filled with birds of hundreds of species, brilliant colors, fabulous plumages, so much of the village life that they will eat right from your hand and fly off in a glamorous flash of color.

Today, you will depart for Lake Nakuru. En-route, you will visit a Catholic school in the remote, desolate bush country run by the sisters and learn about the challenges and tribulations of integrating traditional beliefs and modern religion. You will learn that the Tugen and the Pokot people here struggle and strive against all odds and live with hardship but with faith.

The Tugen and Pokot are Kalenjin; a name formulated in the 1950s to describe the group of people previously called the Nandi by the British. The Nandi tag was erroneous as all the Kalenjin were not all Nandis. The Kalenjin are renowned athletes in the World. You will proceed to Lake Nakuru National Park, a jewel home to hundreds of thousands of flamingoes.

Tonight, you will enjoy the colorful spectacle of traditional tribal dances performed by members of a nearby local village. You will participate in the dances and the fun and learn Swahili songs. Your overnight will be at Lake Nakuru Lodge.

This morning, you will drive to Maasai Mara. En-route, you will stop at Hyrax Hill Museum, a pre-historic site discovered by Leakey in 1926 dating back, 10000-2000 Bc. Artifacts discovered here include Sirikwa holes-enclosures of Sirikwa people (12th-15th centuries). Further on near Lake Elemetaita, you will visit Kariandusi. Pre-historic site, the early stone age in East Africa, dating back one million years ago.

You will have picnic lunch on the way, before arriving at your destination with a game drive enroute to the lodge. Your dinner and overnight will be at Mara Sopa Lodge.

Today, you will get a closer look at the Mara on two days of extensive game drives. On the plains with their endless vistas and enormous herds of grazing animals, you will find the predators hidden among the acacia trees; i.e. black-maned lions, hyenas, and cheetah. There are hippos in the rivers and exotic birds everywhere, over 450 species in the Mara alone. If ever you have to take a balloon safari, this is the time and place.

During your stay in the Mara, you will visit a traditional Maasai village. The Maasai has become a symbol of 'tribal' Kenya, with a reputation (often exaggerated) as fierce warriors and a proud demeanor. You will learn their social system, mores, customs and it's place in today's Africa. There warmth and bright smiles are matched by the brilliant colors of the elaborate beads, clothes which they adorn themselves. Their shy but genuine welcome will be a memory to be treasured.

After a morning game drive and breakfast, you will do the check-out and depart to Nairobi. Lunch is on your own to sample different cuisine in the city and later transfer to the airport for your onward flight home. As you bid farewell to Kenya, you know this has been a cultural experience to remember for the rest of your life, a journey that you have been pleased to share with you every step of the way!