Photo Credits: 1 – Elisabeth Events, 2 – Fan Shen, 3 – Fan Shen

PART III: Safari in Masai Mara National Reserve

The part you’ve all been waiting for!  Going on safari has been something I have always wanted to do… something about being out in vast open fields and spotting animals in their natural habitat is so exhilarating to me.  Kenya and bordering country Tanzania are top choices for travelers heading out on safari, especially during the Great Migration, where nearly 2 million wildebeest, zebras, and gazelle migrate between Kenya and Tanzania.  True safari enthusiast visit during July-August (exact timing of migration varies).  When I visited in March, it was calving season, which meant lots of pregnant animals and babies.

Within Kenya, there are several different national parks and game reserves, and a good safari guide will help you select the one(s) best suited to what you hope to see.  The most popular are Masai Mara, Amboseli, Samburu, Tsavo East, and Tsavo West:

• Masai Mara: the most popular due to the breadth of wildlife here; it can also become quite crowded with tourists during the high season; this is the place to go see the Great Migration since it borders the Serengeti Desert of Tanzania
• Amboseli: small, but still very popular due to stunning views of Mt. Kilimanjaro… imagine seeing animals on safari AND having the gorgeous mountain in the background!  Known for having lots of elephant herds
• Samburu: known for having more unusual and difficult-to-find animals, such as oryx, gerenuk, Reticulated giraffe and grevy’s Zebra
• Tsavo East: one of Kenya’s largest and oldest parks; known for having more “wild” animals since it is less inundated with tourists; great views of Mudanda Rock and Yatta Plateau
• Tsavo West: attracts large concentration of game; more popular than the eastern section of Tsavo due to better road systems and rock climbing options

Here is an additional reference guide with more details on each park.  Enough background info… here’s a glimpse of what Kenyan safaris have to offer!

Breathtaking… [Photo Credit: Fan Shen]

[Photo credit: Megan Bordi]

How adorable are those cubs?? [Photo Credit: Fan Shen]

The elusive cheetah – the only one of the Big Five I didn’t get to see [Photo Credit: Fan Shen]

[Photo Credit: Fan Shen]

[Photo Credit: Fan Shen]

[Photo Credit: Megan Bordi]

Cape Buffalo – I just saw a video where 7 lions attacked one of these and he survived!
[Photo Credit: Megan Bordi]

I LOVE lions… so magestic – we were literally ~10 feet away from him!

Landing strip for AirKenya [Photo Credit: Megan Bordi]

Maasai people, indigenous to the Masai Mara [Photo Credit: Fan Shen]

Note: All photos above were taken on safari with DK Grand Safari.  The Executive Director, Daniel, is extremely knowledgeable and such pleasure to work with!  He was a safari director with Micato, a top luxury safari outfitter… and launched his own company last year.  I encourage anyone considering a safari to reach out to him, as he offers the expertise and service of any of the international tour companies (e.g. Micato), but at a much more reasonable price… and you’ll be supporting a local Kenyan entrepreneur instead of an international corporate entity.

Looking through all my safari photos makes me want to go back immediately!  Next time, I want to go back to Masai Mara during the Great Migration, and also make a trip up to Tsavo to see the more “wild” animals… and of course, I’d like to go back with my animal-lover husband who was disappointed that he couldn’t join us last time… and perhaps, stay at one of the luxury tented camps we visited (Sarova Mara Game Camp).  At US$500-800+/night, these are tents designed and carefully appointed beyond your imagination (and these aren’t even the MOST luxurious tented camps out there ):

Until next time…

Photo Credits: 1 – Elisabeth Events, 2 – Fan Shen, 3 – Fan Shen

PART II: NAIROBI

Nairobi is Kenya’s capital and largest city, and one of Africa’s political and financial centers.  Before this trip, to be honest, I knew very little about the differences between various African countries… and learned that Kenya is one of the more stable and developed countries in Africa.

The bulk of my time in Nairobi was spent working on the consulting project for DK Grand Safaris, but my team was lucky in that working in the hospitality industry meant that visiting hotels and popular tourist attractions was part of our “job”!  This is why I looove the hospitality industry.   Outside of the office, we spent one day visiting the Giraffe Center and The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (aka Elephant Orphanage).  It was so much fun!

Feed the giraffes food.. and they will “kiss” you! [Photo Credit: Megan Bordi]

At the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, they rescue orphaned elephants and rhinos whose parents were hunted by poachers for ivory or abandoned after being lost from falling into water wells.  The Trust raises the orphans and rehabilitates them for eventual return to their home in Tsavo National Park.  They allow visitors once per day to educate visitors about their mission while limiting exposure to humans.  THESE BABY ELEPHANTS ARE SOO CUTE!

They come running out to their feeding stations and get fed by their keepers, play with each other in the water and mud… sometimes it’s almost as if they are actually smiling!

Check out this cutie!

Ahhh.. mud bath [Photo Credit: Megan Bordi]

A baby rhino! [Photo Credit: Fan Shen]

After a morning of hanging out with adorable animals, we embarked on a tour of hotels that our client frequently uses for clients.  When travelers or honeymooners decide to go on safari in Kenya, they often have to spend a day in transit in Nairobi.  Here is an overview of some of the top lodging options for your stay:

The Norfolk (a Fairmont property)

[Photo Credit: Fairmont.com]

The Norfolk is the most historic hotel in Nairobi, marked by the faded black and white photographs of previous visitors in its newly renovated hallways.  The lobby evokes a strong colonial feel, with marble floors and white columns… and guests adorned in khaki safari outfits. The courtyard retains a tropical feeling since the hotel still maintains its private tropical garden.  The staff was incredibly friendly, and the suites were gorgeous!  This hotel is a top choice for luxury safari outfitters, with rates around US$280/double.

Nairobi Serena Hotel

[Photo Credit: Serenahotels.com]

Another popular choice for visitors, this hotel caters more towards business professionals.  The lobby is adorned with African decor and lush greens.  The uber-luxurious State Suite, which housed President Obama, is seriously amaaaazing!  The hotel also has a great spa and several top restaurants, and is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World.  Rates begin around US$400/double.

We were only in Nairobi for a couple of days before heading out on safari… which was by far the most exciting part of the trip!  The last and final post of the Kenya series will be full of animal sightings!

Additional resources:

• Lonely Planet – Nairobi

I am introducing a new blog series where I will feature international travels for design inspiration and honeymoon ideas. I will always try to include sample itineraries, recommendations for lodging/restaurants/things to do/places to see, and of course, lots of photos! I have a deep, deep love of travel, and have been extremely lucky to have visited many corners of the world. I believe that travel is closely tied to Elisabeth Events’ mission of celebrating love and philanthropy, as it helps people to broaden their perspectives, gain an appreciation of natural beauty and different cultures, and cultivates a love for ideals greater than ourselves…

For the first in this series, I will feature a recent trip to Kenya, where I did some international development consulting for a locally owned safari company, DK Grand Safaris, ventured on a three-day safari to the Masai Mara National Reserve, and visited the gorgeous and serene island on the eastern coast called Lamu.

Photo Credits: 1 – Elisabeth Events, 2 – Fan Shen, 3 – Fan Shen

MY ITINERARY
Day 1: Depart from JFK Airport, New York
Day 2: Land in Nairobi, Kenya for transit (Lodging: Ain Guesthouse, US$50/double)
Day 3: Nairobi –> Lamu via AirKenya (Lodging: Shella Bahari Guesthouse, US$60/double)
Day 4: Lamu – beach, walk along beach to Old Town
Day 5: Lamu – Dhow sailing trip, beach
Day 6: Lamu –> Nairobi via AirKenya (Lodging: provided by client)
Day 7: Nairobi – working at client’s office
Day 8: Nairobi – Giraffe Center, The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (aka Elephant Orphanage)
Day 9: Nairobi – Hotel tours – The Norfolk (Fairmont), Nairobi Serena Hotel,
Day 10: Depart for Masai Mara National Reserve for safari, afternoon game drive
Day 11: Morning game drives, relaxing/swimming at lodge, afternoon game drive, dinner at lodge (Lodging: Keekorok Lodge)
Day 12: Morning game drive, hotel tour of Sarova Mara Game Lodge, depart for Nairobi
Day 13: Nairobi – shopping, dinner at client’s home (Lodging: provided by client)
Day 14: Return to New York

PART I: LAMU/SHELLA

Lamu is Kenya’s oldest living city and thankfully still lives and breathes its old world charm.  As a UNESCO World Heritage Sight, it is considered the best-preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa, and has a much different feel than the rest of Kenya due to its Muslim culture.  Historically a port and trading city, the food, people, architecture, and traditions reflect influences from Kenya’s neighbors to the east. The Daily Telegraph wrote, “The island’s venerable old town blends Arab and African culture with a sun-baked, siesta-time feel that gives it a wonderfully sedate charm,” and I completely agree!

View from our balcony (dreamy, right? )

Tucked away in the Lamu Archipelago, the easiest way to access the island is by plane, followed by a boat trip across the channel.  Flights from Nairobi cost approximately US$150 for a roundtrip ticket.  Transportation from the airport is often included with lodging, to be sure to inquire.  Once you hit land, expect to do a lot of walking since there is only one car on the entire island… and ~3,000 donkeys!

My travel buddy Megan and I on a speedboat captained by Kiru (airport in the background)

My friend Megan and I opted to stay on Shella, an adjacent island that is a 30-minute walk from Lamu “Old Town” (downtown), since our primary agenda for this trip was beach and relaxation!  We stayed at the Shella Bahari Guesthouse, a sister property of Stopover Guesthouse.  Since mass tourism has yet to hit Lamu, there are very few hotels in Shella and Lamu, but there are many of these small guesthouses, with 5-10 rooms, ranging from US$30-75/night for a double.  These are far from luxury suites (e.g. the bathroom “door” was a curtain), but the view from the balcony was the better than any five-star resort I have ever stayed at!

That’s our balcony, overlooking the sea [Photo credit: Megan Bordi]

Our guesthouse was located next door to Peponi Hotel (US$250-500/double), the only upscale hotel in the area (and also one of the few places that serve alcohol).  It was our favorite place to grab a Tusker, Kenya’s local beer, to watch the sun set over the tranquil seas.

The beaches on Shella were amaaaazing, and at just 2-degrees below the equator, the sun was HOT.  Nearly any time of the day that we went to the beach for a walk or to lay out for a bit, we were practically the only ones out… enhancing the sensation of privacy and tranquility… and making us feel like this entire island was ours.  It would be such a romantic escape for a honeymoon! The only down side was that it was quite windy, so we often woke up with a dusting of the fine sand all over our bodies and belongings.  Travelers should also note that Lamu is subject to extreme rainy seasons (May/June), where the beautiful turquoise waters you see below turn into a brownish/muddy color due to the heavy rains.

Not a soul in sight…

My absolute favorite part of the stay in Lamu was our half-day dhow trip.  Dhows are traditional Arabic sailboats, and a common form of transportation in Lamu.  It’s not just for tourists!  Our day began when our guide, Hassan, picked us up at the guesthouse.  We sailed across the channel for an up-close view of the mangroves, a tour of the private mansions on Manda Island, beach and snorkeling around Manda, and a delicious “home cooked” meal of grilled fish/calamari, tomato/coconut stew, and fresh fruits, all prepared by Hassan.  Before returning home, we stopped by a “floating island” bar for a refreshing drink.  Just thinking about this day makes me want to go back immediately!  If you choose to go on a dhow trip, be sure to shop around, as you will be approached (almost incessantly…) by salesmen and captains offering to take you out.  We paid 2,500 Kenyan shillings total for this four-hour trip, which was about US$15 each!!  A complete steal and must do if you ever find yourself in Lamu.

We’re on a boat!

Dhow in the distance, in front of Manda Island [Photo credit: Megan Bordi]

Other highlights included walking along the pathway connecting Shella to Lamu Old Town… shopping around the narrow streets of Old Town (think Aladdin)… dining at the infamous home of Ali Samosa.  A skilled salesman, definitely every local and nearly every visitor will know (and probably meet) Ali Samosa.  He walks around and greets new visitors personally, and invites you to his home for a home cooked meal prepared by his wife.  The food was abundant and delicious (particularly the curries and of course, samosas), but a bit overpriced… and the setting (literally inside Ali’s home) left us feeling a bit awkward.  Best to go with a group of at least four people to make it more of an adventure!

I’ll leave you with a little taste of home that we encountered on one of our beach walks… Kenyas LOVE Obama!  Can you spot our president in this photo?

Additional Resources:

• TripAdvisor – Lamu
• Lonely Planet – Lamu

Stay tuned for Kenya Part II (Nairobi) and Part III (Safari in Masai Mara)!