Route Details

SkySafari Kenya : 10 Day

Day 1

Nairobi

There’s no other capital quite like Nairobi…

a city where giraffe and zebra roam right in the city limits. The hubbub can seem overwhelming, but we’ll ease your arrival, fast-tracking you from airport to Hemingways, an enclave of sophisticated calm. This five-star all-suite retreat sits at the foot of the Ngong Hills, in extensive bird-flittered gardens; it’s the perfect spot for sinking into holiday mode, enjoying a delicious dinner, toasting the start of your SkySafari with a cocktail or two.

Hemingways, Nairobi

  • Tranquil retreat, perfectly placed on the edge of the city  
  • Elegant plantation-style rooms with far-reaching views
  • Dedicated butlers, to ensure everything is just as you like it
  • Relaxing gardens, pool and spa
  • Exquisite dining options, including the classy Hemingways Bar 

Day 2

Nairobi and Amboseli National Park

Rise and shine: it’s your first morning in Africa.

Your butler will know how you like your tea and, after breakfast, we’ll drive you right onto the runway for your SkySafari flight, direct to Amboseli National Park.

In no time you’ll be kicking back at Elewana Tortilis Camp, eating lunch in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro: unlike most Amboseli lodges, which are in the middle of the park, Gold Eco-rated Tortilis is set away from the rest, on the pristine southwest border, with the best mountain views and full access to both Amboseli and an exclusive private conservancy. Tortilis has been key in developing community-owned conservancies, where land outside national parks is secured for wildlife preservation. It’s beneficial for animals and local people, and for you too – encounters with big game here tend to be higher quality, more frequent, more electrifying.

Also, few other travellers explore this area – when you head out on your afternoon game drive, you’re unlikely to see anyone else, just prolific wildlife: from huge herds of habituated elephant (Tortilis’ guides know all the elephant families and their histories) to cape buffalo and hyena, giraffe and zebra, and over 600 species of birds.

Discuss the late-afternoon’s action over a delicious dinner back at camp, before a night in your luxe tent, sleeping soundly in the bush.

Elewana Tortilis Camp

  • The finest views of Kilimanjaro, away from the crowds
  • Best-of-both location in an exclusive conservancy, on the edge of Amboseli National Park
  • Jaw-dropping wildlife encounters, including huge elephant herds
  • Game walks, bush breakfasts and off-road game drives
  • Luxurious camp with a Gold Eco-rating and community-conservation focus

Day 3

Amboseli National Park

Be prepared: your alarm will ring rudely early.

But it’s worth the 5am wake-up to get out for that morning game drive when the plains are a-stir, the animals most active, the big cats returning from a night on the hunt. These are also the golden hours for photographers, as dawn light rose-tints the savannah and Kilimanjaro is most likely to be free of cloud. After a wild start, enjoy a lavish bush breakfast, served out amid the acacia trees.

There’s time to relax back at camp – with a swim, a massage, a good book in the sun – before a buffet lunch. Then prepare for your most intimate encounter with the bush: local guides, who know almost every blade grass, will lead you on a walking safari; you’ll follow animal tracks, taste bush herbs, revel in the tiny details, perhaps encounter something larger… It’s a fresh, thrilling perspective.

As the day draws to a close, raise a classic African Sundowner. Nothing says safari like an ice-cool G&T, sipped as the sun disappears, before a private dinner under the stars.

Day 4

Amboseli National Park and Loisaba Conservancy, Laikipia

Breakfast will never be the same again, now you’ve eaten it with Kilimanjaro looming beyond the coffee cups.

Take it all in, before venturing out in the camp’s custom-designed 4WDs for one last game drive – one last chance to see Amboseli’s big cats, big herds, big drama. Then we’ll whisk you to the airstrip for a seamless and spectacular flight to Loisaba Conservancy on the Laikipia Plateau. With the second-highest density of wildlife in the country and a groundbreaking attitude to conservation, this is one of the most exciting destinations in Kenya.

You’ll be met like a VIP and plunged right into the action: the transfer from airstrip to Loisaba Tented Camp doubles as a game drive. Laikipia is one of only a few places in Africa where wildlife numbers are on the increase, and a huge array of animals – from the Big Five to endangered Grevy’s zebra – might be spotted.

Gold Eco-rated Loisaba Tented Camp sits perched on the edge of an escarpment, with unhindered views over rolling river valleys, rich forests and open plains to Mt Kenya. Intimate and elegant in design, the camp is also a hub for cutting-edge conservation. Find out more over drinks and dinner, before retiring to your tent, where floor-to-ceiling windows invite the outside in and the night sky views are unmatched.

Loisaba Tented Camp

  • Set on one of Kenya’s most cutting-edge wildlife conservancies
  • Remarkable animal encounters – from the Big Five to rare wild dog
  • Spacious tents set on the edge of an escarpment
  • Diverse activities, from camel treks to bush walks and mountain biking
  • Spectacular wilderness of rolling hills, river valleys and open plains

Day 5

Loisaba Conservancy, Laikipia

There’s nothing quite like stepping out into the wilderness at dawn

The cool, the colours, the frisson of being at one with the wilderness… A Samburu guide will lead you on an early walk, so you can watch, smell, feel the bush wake up. Take breakfast back at camp, then enjoy some down time, relaxing on the decking or dipping in one of Africa’s most astonishing infinity pools.

After lunch, the choice is yours. Head out on a game drive for more marvellous wildlife-spotting – rarities like patas monkey, reticulated giraffe or wild dog might be seen. Try casting a line in Loisaba’s great rivers. Or pay a visit to the conservancy headquarters to meet the sniffer dogs and the anti-poaching team to find out how they safeguard the wilderness.

End the day the only way: with Sundowners as the sun sinks and dinner under the stars.

Day 6

Loisaba Conservancy, Laikipia

You’ll have no trouble getting out of bed this morning, regardless of the early hour.

You get to choose how your day begins. Another game drive, perhaps? Or how about a bush walk – or run – with your Samburu guide? Or maybe an outing on horse or camel back – an exhilarating way to get unusually close to wild animals. Whatever activity you pick, follow it up with breakfast in the bush and a rejuvenating pamper in the spa.

Linger over lunch on the deck before your final afternoon game drive: Loisaba is an important migration area for Laikipia’s huge elephant population, so excellent sightings are frequent; unusual species such as greater kudu and beisa oryx are found here too.

Tonight, you could choose something rather special. Poised on a rocky kopje, Elewana Loisaba Star Beds – sister property to the Tented Camp – offers the chance to sleep outside in style. Roll your rustic four-poster out onto the verandah, lay back and look up at the endless, unpolluted, star-spangled African sky.

Elewana Loisaba Star Beds 

(optional for 1 night whilst in Loisaba)
  • Set on one of Kenya’s most cutting-edge wildlife conservancies
  • Magical four-poster beds that can be wheeled out for nights under the stars
  • Remarkable animal encounters – from the Big Five to rare wild dog
  • Diverse activities, from camel treks to bush walks and mountain biking
  • Spectacular wilderness of rolling hills, river valleys and open plains

Day 7

Loisaba Conservancy, Laikipia & Masai Mara National Reserve

Loisaba Conservancy, Laikipia & Masai Mara National Reserve.

If you can bear to leave your bed in the bush, tuck into breakfast and scour this astonishing wilderness one last time on your game-drive ride to Loisaba’s airstrip. Then hop aboard your SkySafari flight and prepare to touch down in an African icon: the matchless Masai Mara.

Your ride from the airstrip to Sand River Masai Mara Camp, a secluded spot in the southern area of reserve, is your first game drive: don’t be surprised if you meet most of the Big Five before lunch. Even if you don’t, your afternoon game drive might oblige: these acacia-dotted plains are dense with game. Keep your eyes peeled for lion, leopard and cheetah, hyena, giraffe and elephant, and 500-plus species of bird.

Raising a classic Sundowner in this classic tranche of wilderness is the perfect way to toast the day. Returning to Sand River Masai Mara is the icing on the cake – there are few more elegant places to stay than this camp, which oozes 1920s glamour. The Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards 2020 named it one of the 50 Best Resorts in the World and seventh best in Africa.

Sand River Masai Mara Camp

  • Right on the route of the Great Migration
  • Lavish 1920s style camp – movie-star glamour in the bush
  • Exquisite tented suites, where wildlife can be spotted right from the veranda
  • Exclusive location, tucked away from other lodges in the Masai Mara
  • An abundance of game year-round

Day 8

Masai Mara National Reserve

Nowhere in Africa is wildlife more abundant than the Masai Mara National Reserve

You’ll know by now the benefits of an early start: after a dawn breakfast, set off with a packed picnic hamper for a full day’s game drive, so you can delve deeper into the reserve. Nowhere in Africa is wildlife more abundant. And while the seasonal migration of two million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle crossing from the Serengeti is one of Mother Nature’s greatest spectacles, the profusion of wildlife in the Mara – from 450 species of bird to the Big Five – makes it one of the best safari spots year round.

The area is culturally fascinating too. Much of the Greater Mara-Serengeti Ecosystem falls under the ownership of Masai communities, and a village visit – to see traditional Maasai homes and rituals, or even (for the kids) to try warrior training – makes for an eye-opening afternoon. There’s also the chance to visit a local school supported by Land & Life Foundation so you can see its work in action.

Of course, you might enjoy your best sightings without going anywhere at all. The Sand River Masai Mara, overlooking its namesake river, sits right on the annual migration route, so the drama may play out just beyond your verandah.

Day 9

Masai Mara National Reserve

This morning’s game drive will seek out big cats and small birds, roaming wildebeest and rare black rhino.

Another day, another wonderful dawn wake-up. This morning’s game drive will seek out big cats and small birds, roaming wildebeest and rare black rhino – the Mara is a stronghold for these increasingly rare creatures. Watch the sun rise over the peaceful plains; tuck into breakfast in the bush.

By now you’ll be at one with the rhythms of the wilderness. You’ll be used to rising early, and then dozing before lunch, eating while watching the comings and goings by the riverbank, then setting out on an afternoon drive. You’ll have seen so much, though there’s always more – and the camp’s expert guides will ensure you don’t miss a thing.

After a Sundowner in the bush, return to base for the most dazzling of endings: a private table, set up in the wilderness, for dinner under the stars.

Day 10

Masai Mara National Park & Nairobi

Enjoy your last few hours, gazing out from camp across the watercourse and riverine forest.

Enjoy your last few hours, gazing out from camp across the watercourse and riverine forest, looking out for breakfasting beasts and birds, before driving back to the airstrip for your final SkySafari flight to Nairobi. Rather than hang around the airport, we’ll deliver you to the tranquility of Hemingways, where you can freshen up in a day room and enjoy that last ice-cold Tusker before flying home.

Route Map

Testimonials

FAQ’s

What is the best time to come on a SkySafari?

There is no best time, each season has its own special features. Travel in the rainy season (April-May and Oct-Nov) and the landscape is beautifully green, the dust has settled and there are fewer visitors on safari. The grass is fertile and tall which makes spotting game more challenging but rewarding. The rain will mainly fall during the night. 

The remainder of the year is called the dry season, when there is less water available so animals tend to congregate around the water sources, making game spotting easier. This season also attracts more visitors on safari. 

Is there Wi-Fi on the SkySafari?

The main areas of all the lodges and camps offer free Wi-Fi. Please bear in mind that the Wi-Fi in East Africa is not lightning fast. 

Are park fees included?

Park fees are not included in our rates but they are a mandatory supplement and will reflect on your invoice separately. 

Is there a minimum or maximum age for travelers on SkySafari?

No there isn’t, we welcome people of all ages. 

Children of all ages are allowed; we do suggest that children of the ages of 5 years and up seem to get the most out of their experience. For families with young children we suggest that you book Exclusive Vehicle Use so that you have the flexibility to enjoy your safari activities at your own pace. 

There is no upper age limit. We do ask you to let us know in advance if your guests are physically challenged or less-abled. 

Kenya safari extensions

Why not stay a little longer?
We know that Africa is apt to get under your skin; you probably won’t want to leave. So we’re happy to help you extend your stay beyond our regular SkySafaris, in whatever way you choose.

More time in the bush

Whether you're after extra time at your final lodge or camp, or fancy extending your time in the bush visiting other areas, we're here to help.

Rest and Relaxation on a beach

After all those early starts on safari, you might fancy a few days simply lazing on the beach. And we know just the spots.