THE GORILLAS AND NORTHERN KENYA
ITINERARY
Day 1 - 3: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Arrive into Entebbe International Airport where you will meet a charter flight to take you to Kisoro.
Spend three nights in the Bwindi Forest as you trek for the Mountain Gorilla.
Clouds Lodge, 3 nights.
Day 4 - 8 : The North of Kenya
Fly by charter to Kenya clearing customs at Eldoret International Airport, before flying north to the Sedar Airstrip. Arrive at Koros in time for a late lunch. Settle into camp before heading out on the quadbikes to a sundowner location.
Fly to the Chalbi desert, landing at an Oasis - here you await the Sand Grouse collecting water. On to Kargi to visit the Gabra people, and a stop at the Karoli Springs where the Rendille people water their livestock. Fly over Mount Kulal and stop for lunch at South Island where you will meet the fishing boat. Sleep under the stars at the Koros fly camp.
The following morning fly up the eastern shore of the lake to the Turkana Basin Institute, a renowned archaeological site, here discover the many fascinating fossils. Next we land on Central island and at Sibiloi National Park to walk among the petrified forest. Return to Koros Camp for the night.
Final day in the north. Explore Lake Logipi and the Nabuyatom Crater. There are a number of rock art sites to discover.
Sundowners around the fire with the Samburu Tribe.
Koros Camp, 4 nights.
Day 9 - 11: Laikipia
Fly down the Suguta Valley, over crocodile pools, the suguta sand dunes and the hoodoo and painted valleys. Next we reach the Siali Crater where we meet the Pokot tribe. Continue on to the Borana Wildlife Conservancy. Spend time out on safari and tracking rhinos.
One morning fly up to Mount Kenya, fly around the peaks and land at one of the lakes for fly fishing and breakfast.
Arijiju Retreat, 3 nights.
Meet a charter plane to fly to Wilson Airport. A driver will meet you at the airport and take you into the Nairobi National Park, here you will spend some time at the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage with the baby elephants.
The rest of the evening will be spent at Hemingways Hotel, where you have a room and a lovely restaurant for dinner.
Travel to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your flight home.
End of Safari
DAY 1 - 3
BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST
Within the remote Kigezi highlands of south western Uganda, deep in the Virunga mountain range is the primeval forest of Bwindi - a region of tremendous beauty, best known for its endangered Mountain Gorilla.
Mountain Gorillas can only live in dense vegetation. Bwindi alone is home to half the worlds population of Mountain Gorillas. Coming face to face with a Mountain Gorilla is one of Africa’s most exciting wildlife experiences. Gaining an insight into the behaviour and family dynamics of one of the world’s rarest primates is nothing short of captivating. We will trek for two different groups of Gorilla over the three days in Uganda.
The Bwindi Forest overlooks the Virunga Mountains. They are a chain of eight volcanoes running along the borders of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda, seven of which are found in the Virunga National Park and only two are active – Mount Nyamuragira and Mount Nyiragongo.
CLOUDS LODGE
Clouds lodge is where you will stay for three nights. It is located in the southern corner of Bwindi National Park, with the gorilla walking trails starting at the lodge. It is surrounded by rich vegetation and botanical gardens and has eight spacious and cosy cottages overlook the Virunga volcanoes.
Warm and welcoming, each cottage features a bedroom, en-suite bathroom with walk-in showers and their own separate lounges. Comfortable chairs on the outdoor verandas provide the perfect vantage point to admire the unforgettable vistas of the forest below. Blazing fireplaces create a cosy glow as the evening falls.
DAY 4 - 8
CHALBI DESERT
After breakfast set off into the Chalbi desert. Chalbi means bare and salty, believed to be a dried up lake. The hottest and most arid place in Kenya. This desert stretches 100,000 kilometers squared to the Ethiopian boarder.
On the northern edge of the desert lies an area of oases with groves of palm trees that attract sand grouse and other birds looking for food and water. We land here to watch these birds fly in. Next we move to the Karoli Springs. There is a chance to meet the Rendille tribe at the springs as they water their livestock.
KAROLI SPRINGS
Karoli Springs are a lifeline for the Rendille people who roam the Kaisut Desert. The water is slightly sailine, and only livestock can drink here. The Rendille are semi-nomadic camel herders that traditionally live in the deserts of northern Kenya. Strikingly colourful with traditional fabrics, beaded jewellery and immaculate head-dresses, the lives of the Rendille revolve around the natural cycle of the seasons, traveling en-masse with their enormous herds of livestock, following the rain in search of new pasture and water.
LAKE TURKANA & NABUYATOM CRATER
Flying over Mount Kulal, a serious contrast with a forest in this desert area, we reach Lake Turkana, the largest desert lake in the world. One of the most remote and hostile places on Earth, with black volcanic rocks and soaring daytime temperatures, yet so scenically spectacular.
Touch down on the edge of the Nabuyatom Crater. The collapsed volcano of Nabuyatom lies at the southern end of Lake Turkana. It is surrounded by jade waters and is the most iconic feature on the lake’s shore.
FISHING ON LAKE TURKANA
At South Island we meet the fishing boat. Spend the day out on the boat as you try to catch the allusive Nile Perch - much sought after by avid anglers. Lunch on south island before flying to the Koros fly camp for a night under the stars.
KOROS CAMP
What started as a simple family base, has evolved into a unique six bed camp for the ultimate private retreat. In a remote and unspoilt spot, Koros Camp is nestled away amongst acacia trees and semi arid scrubland at the northern end of the South Horr valley. An ideal base to explore the shores of Lake Turkana, the Chalbi Desert and the wilds of the north.
Each thatched cottage has an en suite bathroom, with flush loos and luxury bucket showers. The open aired mess tent has ample seating area for everyone to gather round under the fans for lunch and dinner.
At the far end of the camp, a plunge pool invites guests to cool off in the heat of the day. This is your base for the next four nights.
Set off on the quad bikes through dried up river beds to a sun-downer location. You might even be lucky enough to spot an elephant or other smaller plains game on your journey.
LAKE LOGIPI
Lake Logipi a seasonal saline lake, often full of flamingo. The lake lies at the southern end of Lake Turkana. Stretching six kilometers wide by three kilometers long, and is very shallow. In 2020 after some extreme rainfall Lake Turkana spilled into Lake Logipi, otherwise the lakes are completely separated.
SAMBURU TRIBE
Gather around the fire with the Samburu Tribe as fifty warriors and fifty ladies showcase a spectacular traditional dance. Spend some time speaking with the Samburu as you learn about their traditions and lifestyle. For those that are interested are welcomed to visit their manyatta homes.
CENTRAL ISLAND AND SIBILOI NATIONAL PARK
Set off in the helicopters up the eastern side of the lake to Sibiloi National park and central island.
Central Island is a wild volcanic feature in the middle of Lake Turkana. Both a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage site, the five kilometers squared island has three crater lakes with some 14,000 Nile crocodiles, and seasonal flocks of flamingo.
Sibiloi is known as the 'cradle of mankind' because of the striking fossils found here. It is also the largest site for petrified wood, with the remains of great cedar wood forests which covered the lakes shores seven million years ago.
DAY 9 - 11
SUGUTA VALLEY
The Suguta Valley offers some of Kenya's most breathtaking aerial vistas. The journey begins leaving Koros Camp and flying into the top of the Suguta Valley. Here you find Lake Logipi, the most picturesque sight, where flamingos often grace the shores, creating a stunning tableau below the flight path. Next you fly over crocodile pools, watch as they dart into the reeds.
Then encounter the expansive and deserted Suguta Sand dunes, their spectacular, ever-shifting forms providing an ideal helicopter landing site. Continue through the Hoodoo and Painted Valleys before reaching the Silali Crater. It is here where you will meet the Pokot Tribe.
THE POKOT TRIBE
LAIKIPIA
There is no landscape in Kenya, outside of National Parks, more crucial for the future of elephants than Laikipia. 7,000 elephants are protected by private and communal landowners and a network of inspiring conservation organizations.
MOUNT KENYA
Iconic in shape and size, Mount Kenya is situated in the heart of Kenya, on the equator - its highest point ‘Batian’ reaches 5,199 meters. The snowy peaks can be seen on clear days from as far as Mt Kilimanjaro some 300 kilometers away. As you spend time at Arijiju, Mount Kenya will become a daily view, which makes it even more exciting to explore.
We will fly around the peaks of the mountain and land at Lake Alice or Lake Michaelson for a picnic breakfast. Almost inaccessible and well off the beaten track, they offer an exciting morning of fly fishing.
ARIJIJU RETREAT
Arijiju is situated on the Borana Wildlife Conservancy. To the north and east of Arijiju lie snow-capped mountains, dense forests and sprawling deserts, while to the south looms Mount Kenya. Whichever way you face, it is towards adventure.
Arijiju’s architecture borrows from the Kenyan tradition of grouping rooms to house multi-generations, with three suites in the main house and two generous cottages along a stone pathway.
DAY 11
SHELDRICK ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE
The Head Keeper will take you down to the mud bath area to meet and walk among the orphans for about 30 minutes. After this, walk up to the stockade compound to see the orphans returning from the forest, drinking their milk and settling down for the night. Thereafter, guests will walk around for 10 to 15 minutes seeing the orphans and meeting our resident rhinos, Maxwell and little Raha.
HEMINGWAYS DAY ROOM
A luxury five-star boutique hotel in Nairobi. The hotel is beautiful in its symmetry and flooded with natural light, this plantation-style property is airy and spacious. Each of the 80m² suites have a private balcony overlooking the iconic silhouette of the Ngong Hills, a magical view. Whislt at the hotel you may indulge in the spa, relax beside the pool or meander through the gardens.
END OF SAFARI
Tropic Air is based in Kenya, and offers a broad range of professional air services using helicopters and fixed wing aircraft, throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
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