Kenya and Zanzibar

Day one – London Heathrow to Nairobi
One night
Depart London Heathrow (Terminal 4) on the 20:00 Kenya Airways overnight flight KQ101 to Nairobi, Kenya.

Day two – Kicheche Bush Camp, Olare Motorogi Conservancy, Maasai Mara
Four nights – full board

Early morning arrival into Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi (06:30). After clearing customs and immigration, you will be met by your representative and transferred across to the smaller Wilson Airport to check in for the scheduled mid-morning light aircraft flight to the famous rolling plains of the Maasai Mara. Arrive onto the plains and transfer through to Kicheche Bush Camp for four nights’ accommodation in two double tents.

Days will be spent at leisure exploring the plains, hosted by the excellent Kicheche guides.

Kicheche Bush Camp is a seasonal tented camp in the traditional style, accommodating a maximum of 14 guests in large, spacious twin/double bedded tents each with en suite bathroom facilities consisting of a bucket shower (a traditional shower hose fed from a tank), a flush loo, and vanity.

The tented camp is set up on the side of a ridge in the southeastern section of the exclusive Olare Motorogi (formerly the Olare Orok) Conservancy (OMC) bordering the edge of the famous Maasai Mara National Reserve. There is no permanent electricity, so lighting is provided by battery power, solar power, candles or hurricane lanterns. Hot water for the bucket showers is available on call. Tents are furnished with proper beds with linen, table and chairs (on the veranda). Meals are generally taken al fresco, although there is a mess tent when the weather is inclement.

Activities include game-viewing drives by custom-built four-wheel-drive vehicles, and nature walks. At additional cost, you can also visit villages or trading centres outside the OMC, or experience a night out fly-camping (walking out from Kicheche Bush Camp in the late afternoon and back to camp the following morning – further details on request). The camp is ideal for those wishing to experience the real African bush away from large, often noisy, lodges.

The Olare Orok Conservancy, the first to be set up in the Mara ecosystem, is funded by a limited number of ‘tourism partners’ in exchange for exclusive game-viewing (there is a very low bed-density ratio within the conservancy). The Motorogi Conservancy, set to the north of the OOC, was part of this initial set-up but did not have any tourism partners – the two are now managed as a single entity. This model has been shown to benefit not only the local land-owners, who receive greater income and better pasture for their livestock, and the tourism partners, but also the wildlife and in particular, the predators.

Game-viewing around the camp is superb and animals often wander through the camp at night (the camp is unfenced). Lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, impala and giraffe are often seen from the verandas of the tents themselves, and zebra and buffalo help keep the lawns short!

Most game-viewing will take place on the plains around camp and within the OOC, but should you wish to visit the reserve itself (not necessary except for river crossings during the migration period when Kicheche include one reserve entry for every three nights spent in camp anyway), any reserve fees will be due in camp at the applicable rate.

Day six – Palacina Hotel, Nairobi
One night – bed and breakfast

The morning will be spent at leisure for game-viewing (you may need to vacate your tent but will be able to use the facilities in camp). After lunch, transfer back to the airstrip and connect with the scheduled mid-afternoon return air transfer to Nairobi. On arrival at Wilson Airport, you will be met and transferred through to the Palacina Hotel overnight.

The Palacina is a boutique hotel set in a residential district of Nairobi. The hotel includes 14 luxury suites, two of which are penthouse suites. The suites are luxuriously furnished with king-size bed, separate living area, small balcony and en-suite facilities including shower and jacuzzi bathtub. Other facilities in each suite include walk-in wardrobe with safe, minibar and flat-screen television. The central areas consist of the main lobby, with reception and lounge area, breakfast room with open farmhouse kitchen and outside terrace. There is also a swimming pool, restaurant, fitness room and business centre with internet facilities.

Day seven – Ras Nungwi Beach Hotel, Zanzibar north coast
Seven nights – half board

An early start with a transfer through to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport where you connect with the Kenya Airways flight KQ6710 at 08:10 to Zanzibar, Tanzania. On arrival (09:50), you will be met by your representative and transferred northwards across the island to Ras Nungwi Beach Hotel, where you spend seven nights in superior double rooms.

Days are yours to spend at leisure on the beach.

Ras Nungwi has one of the best beaches on Zanzibar. The hotel caters for around 70 guests in smaller garden-view standard lodge rooms, sea-facing superior chalets, superior deluxe chalets with sea views and the Ocean Suite. All rooms are comfortably furnished with en suite facilities, air conditioning and fans. Most of the standard accommodation is in a block, although there are some rooms which are chalets without sea views. Superior rooms are in semi-detached chalets and have varying views towards the seas. Superior deluxe rooms are of similar size but much closer to the sea and have iPod docking stations. The Ocean Suite is almost independent, very private and has its own small plunge pool. All buildings are roofed with makuti thatch.

The hotel has a very comprehensive diving school and offers PADI courses. The best diving and snorkelling in Zanzibar is just offshore at the Mnemba Atol and Ras Nungwi’s boats are the usually the first there in the mornings. Other sporting facilities include snorkelling, kayaking, dhow trips, water-skiing, wakeboarding and windsurfing. There is a swimming pool and a convivial bar and lounge area for socialising in the evening. The shop sells most essential items such as sunscreen. Deep-sea fishing can be arranged with sub-contractors.

Day 15 – Nairobi to London
One night
Spend the morning at leisure on the beach (you may need to vacate your rooms but will have use of the hotel facilities until your departure). In the mid-afternoon, you will be met and transferred southwards to Zanzibar Airport where you connect with the scheduled evening Kenya Airways flight to Nairobi. On arrival here, you will have a connection of around four hours for the onward overnight Kenya Airways flight to London.

Day 16 – early arrival at London Heathrow