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Safari Travel Destinations |
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To this day, East Africa remains the finest wildlife paradise on earth. Travelling through landscapes of staggering beauty, witnessing the fascinating traditional lifestyles of Africa takes people back to their roots, to childhood dreams of striped horses, spotted cats, and giraffe, creatures impossible to believe until you see them in their natural habitat, in the landscape where our own kind began. Robin Hurt Photographic Safaris supports sustainable ecotourism and to this end we patronize community group ranches that promote conservation in such areas as Il Ngwesi and others, in northern Kenya. Kenya is acclaimed for its political stability; the people are helpful and friendly, and officials, polite and courteous Nairobi: Your First Stop on SafariNairobi is known for the high international standards of its hotels and restaurants. We book most of our clients into the exclusive Giraffe Manor, a Scottish-styled country manor outside of the city, where giraffe may greet you on the lawn, or else nearby Ngong House, the Karen Blixen or the larger Norfolk Hotel in town. Nairobi boasts a variety of shops and markets, and a day spent bargaining for curios, antiques or gemstones can be an entertainment in itself. Other places to visit are Daphne Sheldrick’s elephant orphanage, the Karen Blixen Museum and Kazuri Beads. BEST AREAS TO VISIT:Because of the unique geography of these two countries, it is only in Kenya and, to a limited extent,Tanzania, that one can find the immense variety of scenery, climate and vegetation and the concentrations of plains game, particularly the wildebeest migration. KENYA:THE NORTHERN FRONTIER DISTRICT. THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS.The central highlands near the Equator have the coolest climate. On the Aberdare mountain salient, you can see black-and-white Colobus monkeys leaping from tree to tree in the high forest canopy. It is also good leopard country. The nearby game ranches of the Laikipia Plateau, with their vast grasslands teeming with zebra, eland and other plains game, are exceptional for the stunning vistas and gorges. From here, you can usually see the majestic peaks of Mount Kenya as well as the Great Rift Valley. In various privately-owned sanctuaries on Laikipia one finds the largest remaining populations of wild black rhino. MAASAI MARA.
THE COASTEast Africa has a coast line stretching several hundred miles. Along this are dotted hotels, lodges, and private houses: some remote and exclusive, some situated on beautiful coral beaches, others - ideal for water-sports - situated near creeks or sheltered harbours. A few nights at the coast is a lovely way to end a safari and we have our favourites to recommend, including resorts near the Swahili towns of Lamu and Zanzibar, as well as sail boats for SCUBA diving off the exotic island of Pemba.The finest spot of all, hidden near the mouth of a river in Eastern Kenya, is the Tana Delta Camp. Idyllically situated, sprawled across huge white sand dunes, among centuries-old baobab trees, tall tamarinds and doum palms, this is one of the remotest places to stay in the country. Surrounded by spectacular bird life, you travel to camp by boat, and on some river sections you pass close by pods of hippo and giant Nile crocodiles. This is an ideal honeymoon or anniversary destination. TANZANIA:SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK.
The Serengeti, part of the same ecosystem as the Mara in Kenya, is a vast and beautiful park of some 6,000 sq. miles where, between December and April, great concentrations of plains game are to be found. On the southern boundary of the Serengeti lies the Maswa Game Reserve, one part of which is available exclusively to us. NGORONGORO CRATER, TARANGIRE, MKOMAZI.While moving camp in Tanzania, the Ngorongoro Crater with its spectacular scenery and abundant game makes a convenient night-stop, and your choice of lodges includes the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, sometimes described as “Maasai Versailles” and featuring a claw foot bath tub with a view of the crater in each luxury room.Camps can be set up in Tarangire, which is known for its elephant herds and beautiful baobab trees. A little known and less-developed Reserve is Mkomazi, where friend and conservationist Tony Fitzjohn has special projects, as mentioned in the movie about Fitzjohn and the legendary George Adamson “To Walk with Lions.” BIRDS.East Africa offers an incomparable variety of bird life. An interest in birds can add great pleasure to a safari, and our guides will help you find and identify the species in your bird books; there are several excellent field guides available in Nairobi book shops. FISHING.East Africa offers an enormous variety of sport fishing, ranging from giant Nile perch and tiger fish in Lake Victoria and Lake Turkana, trout in the highland rivers, and sailfish and marlin off the coast. Bass and tilapia also occur in several of the Rift Valley lakes and throwing out a line for catfish in any stream can be fun. HELICOPTERWhile at any camp or lodge location near Mount Kenya, a sortie by helicopter can be arranged, for a close-up aerial view of the magnificent 17,000 ft peaks, followed by a picnic breakfast beside an exquisitely remote and beautiful mountain tarn – and some very exclusive two-mile high fly-fishing. BALLOONDepending on the location of your camp site, when on safari in the Mara a flight in a hot air balloon is available as an optional extra. The balloon normally lifts off at 6.30 am and the flight lasts an hour or so, after which you are served a champagne breakfast on the plains. ALTERNATIVE SAFARIS
For those who have no desire to stay in lodges or permanent tented camps, it is possible to travel less expensively with a more mobile camp. This generally involves smaller, light-weight tents and fewer camp staff, making it necessary for everybody to lend a hand from time to time. With such mobile camps it is possible to strike camp, move it, and set the tents up again the same day – thereby entirely avoiding the lodge stopovers.
African Safari Adventures throughout the East African Bush. |
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the indigenous peoples, living among the spectacular herds of game and sleeping under canvas beneath the vast African sky, stimulates all the senses; the never-to-be-forgotten experiences that provoke moments of profound reflection. As Mick Jagger wrote in our guest book, it “Took me back”.
The parched grandeur of the north features a land of rugged, forested mountains rising sheer from the surrounding semi-arid bush country. The spectacular game reserves of Samburu, Shaba, Marsabit and Meru - as well as the Mathews and Ndotos mountain ranges - are home to elephant as well as to the beautiful reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, gerenuk and oryx. During a safari in the northern frontier district, you will come across nomadic Borana, Rendille, Turkana and Samburu herdsmen. Higher up in the forests you will find the solitary Ndorobo honey-hunters. It is in this northern part of the country that we operate our horse and camel safaris.
West of the Great Rift Valley with its flamingo-fringed lakes, lies Maasai country. Here the green rolling hills and savannahs are covered with huge herds of plains game. In this region of abundant wildlife, species such as lion, leopard and cheetah are more easily seen. The Mara is the dry season grazing ground for the vast wildebeest and zebra herds: the world famous annual wildebeest migration, which moves between the Mara and Serengeti and, depending on the rains, remains in Kenya between July and October. The spectacle of nearly two million animals as far as the eye can see is unsurpassed anywhere in the world.
Should you wish to spend a week or two on horseback, we offer riding safaris, as well as combined horse and camel safaris in the more remote parts of the country. Those who prefer a less adventurous safari may wish to stay in Lodges and permanent Tented Camps around the country. We are always willing to make such arrangements for you, and ensure that you receive something of the very personal attention that we provide on our tented safaris. On these itineraries we can lay on a safari vehicle and guide (to accompany you throughout) or, if preferred, book air charters and arrange for local transport. Prices can be very competitive or hugely expensive – depending on the calibre of lodges to be visited. 