SAFARI TO THE NORTH OF KENYA
ITINERARY
Day 1: Suguta Valley
An early morning collection from your lodge we head north to the deserts of Turkana, through the Suguta Valley, over soda lakes and the Suguta sand dunes to the South Horr Valley.
Arrive at Koros in time for lunch. Settle into camp before heading out on the quadbikes to a sundowner location.
Day 2: Lake Turkana and the Chalbi desert
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 Karole 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. Return to Koros for the night.
Day 3: Mathews and Ndotos
Fly down south through the Mathews and Ndotos.
End of Safari
SUGUTA VALLEY
The flight up to the north starts with flying over the plains of Laikipia, a crucial area for the conservation of wildlife. Private and communal landowners have worked together to protect over 7,000 elephants. Spot wildlife from above as you cruise over these open plains.
The first stop is the Silale Crater, a vast caldera carpeted by grasses and shrubs, located at the southern tip of the Suguta Valley. Here we stop for a picnic breakfast before flying into the Suguta Valley.
Fly through the Hoodoo and Painted Valleys. Geologists have long been fascinated with this part of the Great Rift Valley. They have studied ancient sediments and fossil remains, and pieced together the history of a lake that rose and fell multiple times over the past 18,000 years.
Next we fly over the extensive and empty Suguta sand dunes, which add to the incredible diversity of the landscape. Spectacular and constantly changing with strong winds, they lend themselves to a perfect helicopter landing pad. Touch down to jump down the sand dunes.
LAKE LOGIPI
Continuing on fly over Lake Logipi a seasonal saline lake, often full of flamingo. The lake lies at the southern end of Lake Turkana. Stretching 6 kilometers wide by 3 kilometers long, and very shallow.
LAKE TURKANA & NABUYATOM CRATER
Finally reach 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 or at one of the shore beaches. 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.
KOROS CAMP
What started as a simple family base, has evolved into a unique 6 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.
After lunch set off on the quad bikes through dried up river beds to a sundowner location. You might even be lucky enough to spot an elephant or other smaller plains game on your journey.
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 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.
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.