B H AS I N SA FA R I G UI DE D BY JA M E S RO BE RT S O N
4 th
K E N YA - 1 1 th MAY 2 0 1 9
I T I N E R A R Y
O V E R V I E W
HOG HOUSE - NABOISHO - GALDESSA
N A I R O B I - M A A S A I M A R A - T S AVO E A S T
4 t h M AY 2 0 1 9 : N A I R O B I
On arrival you will be met and transferred to our home, Hog House, set within the peaceful Giraffe Sanctuary. You will be here for one night
5th - 7th May 2019: MAASAI MARA
After breakfast you will �ly by private charter west across the Great Rift Valley to the Maasai Mara. Here you will be based at Naboisho Camp for three nights.
8 t h - 1 0 t h M a y 2 0 1 9 : T S AVO E A S T
After breakfast you will �ly south east landing at Lugard’s airstrip and game drive to camp. You will be based at Galdessa for three nights.
1 1 t h M a y 2 0 1 9 : T R A V E L D AY
After a late breakfast you will �ly by private charter back to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport where you will connect onto your international �light
R E G I O N S
B H A S I N S A FA R I I T I N E R A R Y M AY 2 0 1 9 This short safari takes in two of Kenya’s very best wildlife areas: Tsavo East and the Maasai Mara. This combination will showcase both our predators and our large elephants - the Supertuskers of Tsavo.
D AY 1
NAIROBI
HOG HOUSE
D AY 2 - 4
Lake Turkana
MAASAI MARA NABOISHO
We begin in the Mara which is fabulous for its abundance of wildlife at all times of year. We have chosen Naboisho Camp as it is within a conservancy and therefore, after the long rains, will have shorter grass than the Reserve itself. This attracts herbivores and predators alike. We will have three nights here.
Lake Logipi
D AY 5 - 8
T S AVO E A S T GALDESSA
Lake Baringo
Ewaso Nyiro River
Samburu
Shaba
Lake Bogoria
Lake Victoria
Equator
Mt. Kenya
Lake Nakuru Masai Mara
Lake Naivasha Nairobi Tana River
Lake Magadi Amboseli
Ts a v o Watamu
Mombasa
Lamu
Next we head to Tsavo where we will stay on the banks of the Galana River at Galdessa, a new and stunning camp with fabulous views. It is owned by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust which rescues orphaned elephants and rehabilitates them into wild herds. We will also spend time with the Tsavo Trust whose focus is those giants carrying over 100lbs ivory per side - the Supertuskers.
We �ly you back from Tsavo via Amboseli to drop the Guptas, landing at JKIA in time for you to catch your international �light.
James will lead your safari and Paolo will be guiding alongside him so that there are always two safari vehicles to be used at any time.
K E N YA
‘ S A FA R I ’ i s t h e S w a h i l i w o r d f o r ‘ a j o u r n e y ’ a n d K e n y a e v o k e s n o s t a l g i a f o r t h e e a r l i e s t o r i g i n s
of the African safari. Romance and adventure are plentiful in the classic stories told in ‘Out of Africa’ a n d ‘ B o r n F r e e ’, i l l u s t r a t i n g K e n y a ’ s s c e n e r y, w i l d l i f e a n d p e o p l e , w h i c h h a v e e n d u r i n g a p p e a l .
Kenya is a sovereign state achieving political independence from the British in 1963. Since, anxious times have been de�ied, mainly due to its dynamic people who are amongst the most colourful in East Africa. Friendly and hospitable, the Kenyan people rely heavily on tourism.
Located on the east coast of Africa, the Equator bisects the country resulting in a tropical climate, although diverse geography provokes wide variations in temperature, rainfall and humidity. In relation to size, the assorted landscape is unparalleled and the multitude of national parks and reserves all have their own unique attractions. Marine reserves boast coral reef gardens with palm fringed beaches and turquoise oceans, while the savannah grasslands exhibit quintessential depictions of imagined Africa, harsh trackless expanses, solitary �lat - topped acacias and incredible concentrations of plains game.
Kenya remains one of the best places in Africa to see great wildlife – lions, elephants, leopards and of course the annual ‘wildebeest migration’ streaming into the Masai Mara from Tanzania. The East African Rift Valley runs through the country from top to bottom and provides stunning landscapes of giant volcanoes, hot springs and �lamingo sprinkled lakes.
Dominated by Lake Turkana, the ancient source of the Nile, the Rift Valley lakes are some of the most picturesque in Africa. The formation of the Rift created Mt Kenya, the second highest peak in Africa, some three millions years ago. “The spiritual home of safari, Kenya is where it all began. From the big cats of the Mara to the elephants of Amboseli, combined with traditional tribes, real tented camps and an unparalleled physical diversity, Kenya has it all. ”
Uganda
KENYA Lake Victoria Rwanda Burundi
Tanzania
Zanzibar
“A c o n t i n e n t i n o n e c o u n t r y ” Sandor Carter
H O G
H O U S E
Hidden in the 130 acre Giraffe Sanctuary in Langata, Hog House is a private home with incredible views across to the Ngong Hills. Serene and peaceful you would hardly believe you are in one of Africa’s largest capital cities.
Located close to both Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and Wilson Airport, this unusual family home is an ideal place to begin or end your safari. Its rustic décor and the fact that it is surrounded by wildlife will help to ease you in, and out, of your time here on safari. The straw bale construction uses plantation cedar and fallen African olive and blends with the wooded sanctuary perfectly. The house itself comprises 2 double bedrooms and a triple, all ensuite. There are a further 2 cottages outside in the garden for larger groups. Hog House is only available for exclusive use. The large open plan sitting/dining is cosy with a warm �ireplace and lots of seating for all to congregate. Daytime meals we normally take outside in the shade of the Euclea trees in the garden, and a beautiful horizon pool beckons on hot afternoons. Walking in the sanctuary is the perfect way to loosen up stiff joints from long intercontinental �lights and you have
every chance of seeing Rothschild’s giraffe, warthog, dik dik, bushbuck, suni and Syke’s monkeys. Birds of every colour throng around the bird table and hyrax will doubtless entertain you at night! The Giraffe Centre, Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, Karen Blixen Museum, and many craft centres are all within a stone’s throw of Hog House.
“It is a privilege to stay in this unusual and
beautiful home within the G I R A F F E S A N C T U A R Y,
so close and convenient to all the classic
Nairobi attractions, and yet quietly tucked away in your o w n h a v e n o f s e r e n i t y.”
M A S A I
M A R A
P r o b a b l y t h e b e s t k n o w n a r e a i n t h e Wo r l d f o r B i g G a m e -
t h i s e x t r a o r d i n a r y r e s e r v e i s f a b u l o u s f o r w i l d l i f e t h r o u g h o u t t h e y e a r. Almost 450,000 acres of rolling grasslands, make up the Masai Mara Reserve and Conservancies, bordered by mountains to the north and east and the Siria escarpment to the west. The permanent meandering rivers traced by deep forest snake across the savannah. The Mara’s proximity to Lake Victoria, which creates its own weather patterns, ensures that the area receives much higher rainfall than the Serengeti ecosystem.
This crucial fact enables millions of animals, including gazelle, zebra and antelope, to survive through the driest time of year. After the short rains the fresh grass attracts many herbivores, and predators! An hour can pass in nail-biting anticipation as a cheetah conducts a painstaking stalk of her prey, only to lose her meal at the last moment when the wind changes.
Only in the Mara does the whole spectrum of life and death, birth and growth seem to be there for you, right before your eyes. Most documentary wildlife �ilmmakers choose the Mara due to the abundance and easy access to wild animals here.
Watch the peculiar quality of the light, and the shadows of the clouds on the plains, the strange optical illusions of the distant herds silhouetted along the horizon. Light and shadow, rock and grassland, predators and prey, this is quintessential Africa.
Lake Turkana
Lake Victoria
MASAI MARA
Mt. Kenya N.P
Nairobi Amboseli
Serengeti N.P Ts a v o N.P
N A B O I S H O
N a b o i s h o C a m p i s f a v o u r a b l y l o c a t e d a t t h e h e a r t o f t h e 4 9 , 4 2 0 a c r e N a b o i s h o C o n s e r v a n c y, which lies to the far east of the internationally acclaimed Masai Mara eco-system.
As part of the Narok South district, the Conservancy comprises of riverine acacia forests, savannah grasslands and rolling hills which welcome one of the highest densities of game in Kenya. 8 canvas tents featuring stone verandas, are set amidst the lush plains dotted with acacia and the forms of various ungulates from eland to buffalo. Each tan structure is spacious and uncluttered, possessing a well-appointed ensuite bathroom complete with safari style bucket shower. The decor is understated yet luxurious, re�lecting the hues of the bush in soft tones of beige, crisp white and the deep russet of the wooden furnishings – the ideal simplistic sanctuary. Dining is enjoyed alfresco with delicious bush�ire cuisine savoured to the sound of bird calls as the night draws closer. The distant roar of a lion or barking zebra and the setting sun provides an unforgettable show.
Traversing the plains by vehicle offers the opportunity for a high number of up close sightings, whilst guided walks provide a more personal and intimate perspective.
Boasting over 100 lion and numerous observations of the sleek form of the leopard, coupled with a reputation for sightings of up to 11 cheetahs in a 2 day period, predator activity provides an unmistakeable highlight in this area.
“Naboisho Camp offers all the magic and inspiring wildlife
viewing which characterises the b e s t t e n t e d s a f a r i e x p e r i e n c e .”
T S A V O
E A S T
Ts a v o i s h o m e t o s o m e o f t h e l a r g e s t e l e p h a n t o n t h e p l a n e t - t h e s e “ s u p e r t u s k e r s ” c a r r y o v e r 100 pounds of ivory each side. There are thought to be about 15 remaining on the African continent. 1 0 o f t h e m l i v e i n Ts a v o . C a t c h i n g a g l i m p s e o f o n e o f t h e g i a n t s i s a p r i v i l e g e . Tsavo East National Park is by far the biggest of Kenya’s parks. At close to 3.4 million acres, it is nine times larger than the Masai Mara National Reserve and consists mostly of dry, �lat thorn bush scrub, occasionally broken by the verdant vegetation of seasonal rivers. Tsavo East is most famous for its huge herds of elephants, more than 10,000 of them bulldoze their way around this vast �lat plain of sandy soil, split by the shallow trough of the Galana River. The �ine ochre soils give the Tsavo elephants a red tinge as they bathe in the dust in this dry arid expanse. Tsavo East has another big draw: you can set off on a game drive across the seemingly empty wilderness and return to camp 3 hours later without having seen a single other vehicle. The Galana, is one of Kenya’s biggest rivers. Its valley – rocky in much of its western course, sandy and doum-palm fringed further east – is one of Tsavo East National Park’s de�ining physical features. The Yatta Plateau is a 300 kilometre ancient lava �low that stretches along the east and north bank of the Athi-Galana. Its geomagnetic qualities are believed to play a role in guiding migratory birds and large numbers of Palearctic migrants can be seen in the area. Lugard Falls are a series of short falls and steep rapids on the Galana River
where relatively harder rock has created a bottleneck in the valley and impedes the river’s progress. Crocodile Point, where the big reptiles can often be seen basking in the sun, is just downstream from here. The immense park encourages complete immersion into its enormous animal kingdom proffering opportunities to see lesser kudu and fringe-eared oryx as well as buffalo, zebra, giraffe, lion, cheetah, leopard and wild dog. Lake Turkana
Laikipia Lake Victoria
Mt. Kenya N.P
Masai Mara
Nairobi Amboseli N.P
Kilimanjaro N.P
TSAVO N.P
G A L D E S S A
M A I N
Galdessa is the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s newest property o f f e r i n g g u e s t s t h e c h a n c e t o e x p l o r e a p r i s t i n e c o r n e r o f Ts a v o , w i t h t h e a b i l i t y t o a c c e s s t h e D S W T ’ s Vo i R e h a b i l i t a t i o n S t o c k a d e s . With a commanding view across the mightly Galana River, Galdessa is ideally and beautifully positioned to catch cooling breezes and observe wildlife crossing.
Galdessa Main offers 5 spacious tented bedrooms, sleeping up to 10 guests. These tents, surrounded by doum palms with beautiful views over the river, are a combination of twins and doubles. Each unit has an ensuite indoor shower and loo. Each tent has a Balinese style deck overlooking the river where you can relax and unwind. The large and airy thatched mess area offers a combined living and dining room area with commanding views down river and an in�inity pool. Tsavo East National Park is the largest protected area in Kenya; 13.747 square kms of pristine wilderness with a greater biodiversity than any other Park in the world, since it is here that the Northern and Southern forms of fauna meet. David Sheldrick was the founding Warden of this giant National Park from 1949 –1976.
The Southern Area of Tsavo East is renowned for its elephant herds with Tsavo being home to the largest elephant population in Kenya. The open plains of the southern sector of the Park host numerous grazing species, with massive buffalo herds, giraffe, eland, Oryx and zebra, just some of what you are likely to see. This quiet corner is also home to the infamous Tsavo lions and leopards, both plentiful in these parts. The main lifeline for Tsavo East is the picturesque Galana River and Galdessa is situated on its banks, facing the landmark Yatta Plateau, the longest lava �low in the world, which dissects Tsavo East’s southern and northern areas. By staying at Galdessa, you have a wonderful opportunity to spend time with the Voi elephant orphans at the stockades that are located about an hour’s drive from the camp. The routine of the keepers and their charges varies from day to day but roughly goes as follows:
11am mud bath 5pm stockades
T S A V O
T R U S T
Ts a v o T r u s t i s a n a c t i o n o r i e n t a t e d , � i e l d - b a s e d , K e n y a n n o t - f o r - p r o � i t c o n s e r v a t i o n o r g a n i s a t i o n t h a t w o r k s t o g i v e t h e w i l d l i f e a n d p e o p l e o f Ts a v o t h e r i g h t t o a f u t u r e .
Tsavo is the best place in the world to see the super tuskers - bull elephants with enormous ivory. Not only do these huge animals derive from an important “large ivory” gene pool, but they also determine the future of both wildlife and people in the wider Tsavo region. These giants among giants represent a signi�icant economic asset to Tsavo and to Kenya, and the ultimate goal of the Tsavo Trust team is to help ensure the survival, security, ecological integrity and revenue-earning potential of this ecosystem for generations to come.
CEO, Richard Moller, formerly of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, runs the Big Tusker Project, with a particular focus on the area’s famous ‘hundred pounders’ – huge bull elephants, bearing ivory weighing in excess of 45kg (100lbs) per tusk. Richard’s day starts before dawn to ensure a �irst-light take-off, casting its benevolent shadow over Tsavo, �lying alongside Kenya Wildlife Service on their biodiversity protection and research and monitoring missions. Early successes of the project include poachers being apprehended, �irearms recovered, and locating carcasses of elephants dead from natural causes, thereby enabling KWS to recover the ivory before passing poachers gained an easy prize. Where KWS takes a lead role in Wildlife Conservation
in the area, Tsavo Trust provides support through meaningful engagement with communities in the wider Tsavo region, including their Wildlife Conservation Program, Community Conservancy Program, and Animal Welfare Program. By supporting the development of a network of community owned, community managed conservancies, that bene�it local people, using wildlife conservation as the catalyst for increased security and economic stability, it is a game-changer.
Between 2013 - 2017, the Trust played a signi�icant role alongside KWS in reducing elephant poaching by over 50% in the Tsavo Conservation Area. In 2017 alone, 867 hours were �lown by Tsavo Trust, covering 103,777 km. Supported by 4 joint Tsavo Trust/KWS ground teams, this accounted for: 241 tusks recovered (nearly all natural causes of death). Big bull named elephants observed 150 times, cows 73 times. 43 fresh and recent poacher’s camps found, 101 arrests made, several of these were ivory dealers and poachers, others bushmeat, illegal livestock, charcoaling etc. 1,008 snares recovered – 41 for big game, 208 for medium and 759 for small game and 8 responses to assist KWS in armed contacts.
J A M E S
R O B E R T S O N
T h i r t y - � i v e y e a r s a f t e r l e a d i n g h i s � i r s t e x p e d i t i o n , J a m e s i s c h a i r m a n o f t h e b o a r d a t K e r & D o w n e y, and an in�luential leader of the new movement in community-led conservation.
Like the safari industry itself, James Robertson was born and raised in Kenya, where his appetite for adventure has earned him a reputation as one of the modern pioneers of the global safari business.
James’ dependability for never following the same itinerary twice, and for continually searching out new experiences for his clients, has won him admirers across the industry, as well as an army of repeat guests (including two families who have each travelled with him 26 times!). Among his long-standing Kenyan crew, he’s known as “Ndorobo” after the fabled hunter-gathers of northern Kenya – a tribe renowned for their resourceful bushcraft, and their complete absence of fear for wild animals. Although James’ �irst love and main base is Kenya, he is an “all-Africa guide” and just as likely to be found travelling through the game-rich parks, reserves and conservancies of eastern and southern Africa. In recent years, he has been supporting a number of Maasai and Samburu communities that have turned part of their grazing lands over to conservation – giving guests a chance to see some rarer wildlife species, and to experience an absolutely authentic immersion in two of the world’s oldest tribal cultures. In 2001, James was a founder of The Mara Conservancy, a ground-breaking and widely-admired partnership between conservationists and the county government, which established a new public-private template to protect the critical wildlife dispersal areas north of the Maasai Mara Reserve. He sits on the board of the (removed the MMWCT) Kenya Wildlife Trust , and his unrivalled contacts enable his guests to meet some of the leading conservationists and wildlife researchers in the world.
Having been raised on the edge of Kenya's largest National Park, Tsavo is close to James’ heart. His most recent focus is on protecting the last remaining Great Tuskers of which there are around 10 bulls each carrying in excess of 100lbs of ivory per side. He is working closely with the Tsavo Trust to protect these valuable elephants.
James and Abigail live within a wildlife sanctuary on the outskirts of Nairobi, where they host most of their guests personally. They work together as much as possible out on safari where their shared passions are apparent to anyone travelling with them.
P A O L O
P A R A Z Z I
I n 2 0 1 4 , P a o l o w a s s i g n e d u p a s a p a r t n e r o f A f r i c a ’ s o l d e s t e x i s t i n g s a f a r i c o m p a n y, K e r & D o w n e y.
It was a testament to the level of professionalism that he went straight from a junior guide to partner – bypassing what is usually a long and arduous process of quali�ication and mentoring.
For a young guide in his early 30s, Paolo Parazzi has a surprising number of strings to his bow. A trained accountant, seasoned scuba diver and boat skipper, this third-generation Kenyan is equally at home running safaris in remote and rugged bushland as he is leading long-distance kitesur�ing expeditions, tagging turtles, or free diving with reef sharks. For visitors to Africa who hanker for a balanced blend of ‘beach and bush’, there are few more quali�ied guides.
Paolo grew up in Watamu on Kenya’s north coast, the son of an Ethiopia-born Italian businessman and a Sri Lanka-born English environmentalist. His mother’s strong conservation ethic was imbued in him from an early age, as he accompanied her to dozens of villages promoting sustainable �ishing practices and turtle conservation for her Local Ocean Trust. He also spent much of his youth on safari in the Kenyan bush, staying with family friends who own some of the country’s leading luxury properties – a connection that adds an intimate ‘homecoming feel’ for many of his current guests. In 2011, Paolo co-founded the pioneering guide training school, EcoTraining East Africa, which has put more than 250 guides through professional courses and delivered conservation training at most of Kenya’s major safari properties. His unmatched knowledge of Africa’s east coast has established him as one of the region’s leading ocean-based guides, regularly sought out by professional water sportsmen, marine biologists and game �ishermen. Having travelled and guided throughout East Africa, Paolo is now widely recognised as one of the top wildlife guides of his generation. Together with his business partner, Sam Stogdale, Paolo continues to broaden his wilderness repertoire – leading recent safaris to Rwanda, Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Zambia and Mozambique. In the process, the pair have developed close ties with a number of celebrated conservationists, as well as strong friendships within several traditional Maasai communities – connections that add yet another compelling dimension to their safaris.
TEL: +254 (0)720 911 143
EMAIL: INFO@JAMESROBERTSON.CO.KE S K Y P E : J RS A FA R I S
W W W. K E R D O W N E Y S A FA R I S . C O M