TA LWA R SAFA R I G UI D E D BY PAO LO PAR AZ Z I
1 7 th
-
K E N YA 2 4 th SEP TEMBER 2 0 2 0
I T I N E R A R Y
O V E R V I E W
ARIJIJU - MARA PLAINS
BORANA - MAASAI MARA
1 7 t h S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 0 : A R R I VA L I N T O N A I R O B I
On arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Nairobi you will be met on the tarmac by your guides and after immigrating you will transfer into your two helicopters to �ly north to Borana Ranch. You will need to arrive in Nairobi before mid-afternoon.
17th - 19th SEPTEMBER: BORANA RANCH, LAIKIPIA
You will have three nights at Arijiju, an exquisite private home, which will be yours exclusively and located on Borana Ranch at the foot of Mt. Kenya. You will use the helicopters to explore Kenya’s wild north and Mt. Kenya itself.
20th - 23rd SEPTEMBER 2020: MARA PLAINS, MAASAI MARA
On the morning of 20th September 2020 you will �ly, again by chopper, down the length of the Great Rift Valley and into the Maasai Mara. We will use the choppers to �ly over the Great Wildebeest Migration which should be spectacular at this time of year. You will have four nights exclusively at Mara Plains, the Mara’s most luxurious camp.
2 4 t h S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 0 : T R A V E L D AY
You will �ly from the Mara to Nairobi by �ixed wing, landing at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in order to transfer directly onto your �light home.
R E G I O N S
TA L WA R S A FA R I I T I N E R A R Y S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 0 This fabulous 7 night safari takes in two of Kenya’s very best wildlife areas and highlights not only it’s extraordinary abundance but also it’s diversity.
You will begin with three days on Borana Ranch, at the foot of Mt. Kenya in Laikipia. Our northern arid specialists, Reticulated giraffe and Grevy’s zebra can be seen here as well as both Black and White rhino and plentiful plains game. You will stay at Arijiju, a stunning private home with outstanding service and beautiful rooms.
Lake Turkana Lake Logipi
D AY 1 - 3
BORANA ARIJIJU
D AY 4 - 7
MAASAI MARA MARA PLAINS
Lake Baringo
Ewaso Nyiro River
Samburu
Lake Bogoria
Lake Victoria
Equator
Mt. Kenya
Lake Nakuru Masai Mara
You will arrive at Arijiju by helicopter and will use these machines to fully explore Kenya’s arid north. We will take you to palm lined rivers, enormous sand dunes, lurid springs, �lamingo-fringed lakes, rocky pinnacles, ancient rock art sites and to the Jade Sea - on the Ethiopian border a raw and remote lake surrounded by volcanoes.
Shaba
Lake Naivasha Nairobi Tana River
Lake Magadi Amboseli
Ts a v o Watamu
Mombasa
Lamu
You will also �ly south, down the Great Rift Valley to the Maasai Mara, which, in September hosts the Great Migration, one of the most impressive wildlife spectacles on the planet. The Mara will be teeming with game, and predators will be out in force. You’ll stay at Mara Plains which is superbly located in it’s own private conservancy on the edge of the Mara Reserve. Camp will be yours exclusively. At the end of the trip we �ly you direct to JKIA You will be privately guided throughout by Paolo Parazzi and Rob Janisch.
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
B O R A N A
B o r a n a i s n o t j u s t a g a m e r e s e r v e , b u t a l s o a w o r k i n g c a t t l e r a n c h o n t h e e d g e o f t h e S a m a n g u a V a l l e y, with panoramic views of Mount Kenya.
Borana lies at the foot of Mount Kenya, just 26 kilometres from the equator and 6,500 feet above sea level. It is located within the vast area of the Ewaso ecosystem on the Laikipia Plateau, with a view of the peaks and the glaciers of Mount Kenya to the south, and a panorama of mountains and desert to the north. This location provides an idyllic setting for any African experience. This area is home to more than 50 indigenous tree families, and more than 300 bird species. Laikipia is an area of exceptional beauty. It enjoys some of Kenya’s most proli�ic wildlife, as well as the highest populations of endangered species in Kenya.
Borana is adjacent to the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. Its unique geographical location makes the 32,000 acre ranch a haven for a wide diversity of wildlife: buffalo, eland, Jackson’s hartebeest and herds of Grant’s gazelle, impala and plains zebra. Reticulated giraffe are commonly seen nibbling the acacias, while the cooler forests shelter bush buck, colobus and elephant. Olive baboons, vervet monkeys and the endangered patas monkey are also resident. Predators are also found here, but
not in large numbers.
The black rhino has roamed the earth for 5 million years, yet it is now facing the greatest threat in its history – from poaching. 2013 saw the largest decline both nationally and globally of rhino due to poaching. In response to this crisis that same year, Borana Conservancy introduced 21 black rhino to its rolling hills from Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and Lake Nakuru National Park. Within the grounds, anti-poaching teams and more than 100 highly trained rangers fend off commercial poachers and help maintain animal populations. The Borana Conservancy is a non-pro�it conservation organisation dedicated to the sustainable conservation of critical habitat and wildlife.
“A s t h i s i s a p r i v a t e r a n c h with plentiful game,
it offers some of the
b e s t w a l k i n g i n K e n y a .”
A R I J I J U
Arijiju is an anomaly - a beautiful, private home on 32,000 acres in the game-rich, Kenyan Highlands with rare, truly wild luxuries.
Located on the vastness of the Laikipia plateau looking out over the plains towards Mount Kenya, Arijiju is a private sanctuary that offers world-class wildlife, adventure and wellness facilities in surroundings of exceptional beauty and serenity. Arijiju lies low on the land. The building behaves as though it has always been on that warm Kenyan hillside with living grassed roofs that move with the air and connect it into the earth and forest. Partly sculpted into the rock-bed, its subtle entrance opens into a fragrant, greened space with generous Swahili curves and an air of monastic calm. Walls of stone built on stone create vaulted walkways that lure you into cool shade and lead you along earth paths towards a simply luxurious gym, spa and hammam, dappled suntraps and Lamu daybeds.
The retreat consists of 5 bedroom suites, ideal for up to 10 guests. The main residence contains 3 double bedroom suites and 2 additional guest cottage suites linked to
to the main house, providing separate but linked accommodation. The main shared spaces include a main living room/dining room, bar lounge, library, media/cinema room and roof terraces that all open out into a central courtyard.
Tennis and squash courts, fully equipped gym, 20 metre lap pool, running tracks, hamman and spa are all part of Arijiju’s extensive wellness facilities that take advantage of its ideal, high-altitude training location at over 6,000 feet.
“The climate,
c l e a n a i r, a n d o r g a n i c food make incredible foundations for a trip that will
t r u l y R E S T O R E y o u .”
M T.
K E N YA
BY
HEL I CO P T E R
This early morning helicopter excursion takes you over the peaks and majestic wilderness of Mt. Kenya, s t o p p i n g f o r a p i c n i c b r e a k f a s t o n t h e s h o r e s o f a r e m o t e a l p i n e l a k e w i t h e x t r a o r d i n a r y m o n t a n e s c e n e r y, with a chance to �ish for rainbow trout. This really is one of the most privileged ways to feel the diversity and grandness of Kenya’s highest mountain. The focus is on landscapes and wildlife, and are tailored to your interests. In the hands of these highly experienced and exceptional pilot-guides, our heli-trips promise to be an unforgettable experience.
Iconic in shape and size, Mount Kenya is situated in the heart of Kenya, on the equator - its highest peak ‘Batian’ stands at 17,057 feet. The snowy peaks can be seen on clear days from as far as Mount Kilimanjaro some 300 kilometers away. The vast and desolate nature of Mount Kenya with its towering summit, sheer cliffs and glaciers become apparent as we circle above the peaks of Batian and Nelion. The jagged peaks are the remnants of the tubes that once carried huge volumes of lava to the surface and travelling by helicopter, you will land at one of the many spectacular lakes and tarns that dot the upper slopes. Lake Michelson is one of our favourite spots that few have ever been lucky enough to visit. Almost inaccessible by foot, and well off the beaten track, the lake is located in a deep crater which falls away to a spectacular valley.
We land on the shore for a picnic breakfast, surrounded by beautiful views and unique mountain �lora. Spend the next few hours �ly-�ishing for rainbow trout from the lakeshore.
The mountain has a great diversity of geographical features, vegetation zones and climate bands - these become apparent as we descend 9,842 feet from the peaks to the foothills in just 35 kilometers. There is no better way to appreciate this contrast than by helicopter. To experience the mountain at its best, visits are scheduled in the early morning, so you will be on the mountain by 07:30 a.m.
“Soar over Kenya’s 3 million year
old mountain...
A N D T H E N L A N D O N I T.”
H E L I C O P T E R
S A F A R I S
The possibilities are endless...wilderness, wildlife and
nomadic tribal communities of the untouched north of Kenya.
MAGADO CRATER Magado is an incredible volcanic crater in which salt deposits at the base are used by local Meru and Boran tribes people. This is a wild spot where we plan to explore and picnic on one of the days.
We could spend a day and go north to Lake Turkana – the Jade Sea – far up towards the Ethiopian border – and a place where very very few people ever go…. LAKE TURKANA This lake formerly known as Lake Rudolf, is the largest of Kenya’s Rift Valley lakes, with its far northern end crossing into Ethiopia. It is the world's largest permanent desert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake. Blue-green algae give the water a greenish tint and when you see it you will understand why it is also known as the “Jade Sea”. It is surrounded by volcanoes at its southern end, and Central Island is still active.
SUGUTA VALLEY We may �ly north over the eastern edge of the Great Rift Valley and into the Suguta Valley where the river is lined with doum and barassus palms. The river snakes its way in slow meanders but is trapped by the walls of the Great Rift. Its headwaters lie south of Lake Turkana in a land dominated by sand dunes.
LOGIPI Just south of Lake Turkana and separated from it by a volcanic barrier, lies Logipi – a shallow lake which is home to many thousands of �lamingos and other water birds. This part of Kenya is incredibly remote, very few people have ever seen this lake. The helicopter allows unbeatable views of the birdlife. We do hope to maximize your safari by using the helicopter – certainly it will give you the very best view, enable us to spot game from the air, and appreciate the enormous diversity of this country – from snow capped mountains, to dusty deserts, plains covered with game and lush river valleys.
K E N YA’ S
A RID
NO RT H
S a m b u r u , B u f f a l o S p r i n g s , M e r u a n d S h a b a a r e a l l w i l d l i f e r e s e r ve s w h i c h l i e i n a va s t a r e a o f o p e n , t h o r n b u s h c o u n t r y a n d d e s e r t t h a t s t r e t c h e s n o r t h f r o m M t . Ke n ya t o S u d a n a n d E t h i o p i a . I t i s t h e s t a r k c o n t r a s t between emptiness, wilderness and rising mountains that makes this area such a spectacular destination. The lifeblood of the North is the Ewaso Nyiro River and the crystal clear springs that empty into it. Its banks shaded by graceful doum palms, poplars and Acacia elatior trees, the Ewaso Nyiro attracts more and more wildlife as the dry season lengthens from June to October, although it is beautiful at any time of year.
Here you will �ind animals like the Grevy zebra, Beisa oryx, the Somali ostrich, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk and the tiny dik-dik; all species of northern Kenya which have adapted to the harsh arid conditions of the Northern Frontier District. With luck you will also �ind the 'big cats' staking out the favourite drinking places of their prey along the lovely palm-fringed banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River. Wherever you look mountains rise out of the plains in the blue distance, the conical ash cones of the Nyambenis to the south, Lolokwe and the rugged Mathews Range in the east and to the north the granite towers of Bodich, Kamanga and Tumtu that impose above the Ewaso Nyiro.
Samburu, Pokot, Turkana, Rendille, Gabbra – these are the tribes of the north. All are proud and tough. The Samburu are related to the Masai although they live just north of the equator where the foothills of Mount Kenya merge into the northern desert and slightly south of Lake Turkana in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. The purported
bene�its of modern life are often undesirable to the Samburu. They remain much more traditional in life and attitude than their Maasai cousins. The Turkana, like the Samburu and Maasai, still maintain their undiluted traditional way of life. They are distinguished as being great survivors, living in harsh and inhospitable terrain. As with all other pastoralist tribes in Kenya, livestock, especially cattle, are at the core of Turkana culture, they live a nomadic life, always moving from one place to another depending on the availability of pasture and water for their animals. Lake Turkana
K E N YA’ S ARID NORTH Ewaso Nyiro River Equator
Lake Victoria Masai Mara
Mt. Kenya N.P Nairobi Amboseli N.P
Tana River Ts a v o N.P
L A KE
T URKA NA
I n t h e n o r t h e r n m o s t p a r t o f t h e K e n y a n G r e a t R i f t Va l l e y i s L a k e T u r k a n a . It is widely known as the Jade Sea due to the remarkable greenish-blue colour of its waters, an ethereal mirage immerging from the sweltering arid desert surrounds. Lake Turkana is the largest alkaline desert lake in the world, 300 kilometres long and 50 kilometres wide with the main tributary, the River Omo, entering from the north and contributing more than 90% of the total water in�lux.
The lake lies at the heart of the Sibiloi National Park, established originally to protect some of the world’s most important paleontological and archaeological sites. Turkana has one of the longest living histories and is regarded by many as the birthplace of humanity; the humanoid fossils unearthed by the Leakey family in the 1960’s are around 2.5 million years old. Lake Turkana offers a cultural glimpse at colourful tribes unaffected by the 21st century, utterly reliant on the lake as the only permanent water source in the area. Sibiloi National Park has excellent game-viewing, a refuge for a number of dry country species including gerenuk, oryx, lesser kudu, Grant’s gazelle and Grevy’s zebra. Along the shorelines an abundance of topi and Burchell’s zebra entice the resident predators, including lion, cheetah, side-striped jackal, spotted hyena and the rare striped hyena. Three South Island from
volcanic islands in Lake Turkana – Island, Central Island and North – provide incredible vantage points which to experience the rich
lacustrine wildlife supported by the lake itself. Central Island, with its stunning scenery and three crater lakes, is a breeding ground for the world’s biggest population of Nile crocodiles. There is proli�ic birdlife and at certain times of the year, well over 300 species can be observed as African and Palaearctic migrants break their northward journeys. Scenic beyond belief, surrounded by cliffs, gentle beaches, desert and volcanic rock outcrops, Lake Turkana is certainly one of East Africa’s best kept secrets. LAKE TURKANA
Buffalo Springs N.P Lake Victoria Masai Mara
Shaba N.P Mt. Kenya N.P
Nairobi Amboseli N.P
Ts a v o N.P
THE
G REAT
RIFT
VAL L E Y
T h e G r e a t R i f t V a l l e y, a l a n d s c a p e i n t u r m o i l , t o r n a p a r t b y t h e t w i s t i n g a n d b u c k l i n g o f t h e E a r t h ’ s c r u s t . I t i s a l s o a l a n d s c a p e o f h u g e u n p r e d i c t a b l e c h a n g e , t h a t f o r c e s a n i m a l s d a y b y d a y, s e a s o n b y s e a s o n t o gamble with their lives, but for those that win, this is one of the most fertile landscapes on Earth. The Great Rift Valley was the name given by British explorer John Walter Gregory, to the continuous geographic trench, approximately 6,000 kilometres in length, running from northern Syria to central Mozambique in South East Africa. The East African Rift Vally has two branches – the Eastern branch which runs through Kenya and Northern Tanzania, and the Western branch through DR Congo, and Western Tanzania. The Western Rift is edged by some of the highest mountains in Africa including t h e V i r u n g a M o u n t a i n s i n Rwa n d a , a n d a l s o includes the Great Lakes. These are some of the deepest lakes in the world and all of the African Great Lakes were formed as the result of the rift.
In Kenya, the valley is at it’s most dramatic to the north of Nairobi, the ancient volcanoes of Longonot and Suswa are easy to see from the road. Most lakes in northern Kenya are shallow and poorly drained and therefore have become alkaline. Their waters are rich in blue - green algae which
David Attenborough
feed insect larvae, small crustaceans and massive �locks of �lamingos. The Kenya Lake system is also a key location on a route followed by huge numbers of birds in their annual migration from breeding grounds in the north, to wintering places in Africa. The lands around the lakes include large populations of Black rhino (Lake Nakuru), Rothschild's giraffe, Greater kudu, lion, cheetah and wild dogs. Lake Turkana
GREAT RIFT VALLEY Shaba N.P Buffalo Springs N.P Lake Victoria Masai Mara
Mt. Kenya N.P Nairobi
Amboseli N.P
Ts a v o N.P
M A S A I
M A R A
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. Almost 450,000 acres of rolling grasslands make up the Maasai Mara and its surrounding conervancies, 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. An estimated one and a half million wildebeest make the annual migration up from the southern Serengeti plains into Kenya and remain here from late June into October. You will be staying in one of the quitest parts of the Mara, a conservancy. Even during migration season you can be away from the crowds. 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.
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
M A R A
P L A I N S
Nestled in the trees on the edge of the Ntiakatek stream in the 35,000 acre private Olare-Motorogi Conservancy (previously known as Olare Orok), Mara Plains is a small, luxury tented camp which prides itself on offering personal, high-level service. Just north of the legendary Masai Mara National Reserve, in the quiet wilderness of the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, there are 7 tents hidden within a copse of riverine trees. To get to them, you follow a wooden walkway that leads straight between an acacia tree's branches, which curve upward like a candelabra. Acacia trees, �lat-topped and seemingly frozen in motion, are a symbol of East Africa, and this particular tree was a deciding factor when National Geographic Explorers-in-Residence Dereck and Beverly Joubert and their partners at Great Plains Conservation set out to build a lodge here. The tree is a natural gateway to an exceptional safari experience.
Mara Plains Camp is at once elegant and unassuming. The elevated tents and the main camp area are crafted of rough-hewn wooden �loors and billowing canvas and �illed with an exquisite collection of furnishings and decor that recall the colonial in�luences of bygone centuries, as well as Kenya’s Swahili and Maasai roots. Whether you come for the thundering wildebeest, the rainbow-colored birds, or to experience
the culture of the Maasai person �irsthand, Mara Plains Camp is the perfect setting for immersing yourself in the mystique and the beauty of the East African savanna.
The guiding at Mara Plains is amongst the best in Kenya - to a Gold Grade standard. The game viewing in the OOC is spectacular with resident lion, cheetah and leopard populations. Enjoy walking with a Maasai warrior at twilight, followed by a sundowner (a cocktail) under an acacia tree, as well as night drives in the very high, open-sided vehicles. Mara Plains provides unprecedented entrance to the remarkable ecosystem of the Maasai Mara.
“If a camp’s success lies in its details, then Mara Plains
i s t r u l y b l e s s e d .”
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.
K E R
&
D O W N E Y
“ S o m e t h i n k t h e b e s t l a r g e - s c a l e o p e r a t i o n a f t e r t h e w a r…
was the one launched over a drink or two on the veranda of the Imperial Hotel in Addis Ababa” – Bartle Bull, Safari: A Chronicle of Adventure, 1
Like so many great ventures, Ker & Downey Safaris was born from a chance encounter. Donald Ker and Syd Downey, two big game hunters from Kenya, had been �ighting with the British in Ethiopia shortly before the fall of Addis Ababa in 1941. Syd had just been released by the Italians and was celebrating at a local hotel when he bumped into Donald Ker. With one car and a lot of bravura, the pair made a plan to establish “the best safari company the world has ever known”.
and 70’s, the company continued to grow – extending its reach across southern Africa, east to the jungles of Congo, and north into the deserts of Ethiopia and Sudan. By 1977, when hunting was of�icially banned in Kenya, K&D had transformed itself into the leading provider of customised mobile photographic safaris in Africa.
In 1962, shortly before Kenya’s Independence, Ker & Downey spread its wings to Botswana, with Harry Selby and a couple of other guides offering safaris in this ‘new’, uncharted corner of Africa. Through the 60’s
“Because we’ve been doing
It was not until January 1946 that Syd and Donald, newly discharged from the army, took out their �irst safari. They were hired to run a camp in the Maasai Mara for the production of “The Macomber Affair”, the United Artists blockbuster starring Gregory Peck and Joan Bennett. It was the beginning of a long love affair with Hollywood, which would see “K&D” out�it some of the biggest �ilms ever to come out of Africa.
Today, Ker & Downey is celebrated as the longest-existing safari out�itter in the world, and the standard-bearer for unsurpassed luxury in some of its last great wild places. So successful has the “K&D” name been that it has been brazenly borrowed by a number of copycat companies in Africa and the West. Yet to this day, no one has come close to emulating the luxurious standards, the rich experiences, or the peerless guiding of “The Original Ker & Downey Safaris”.
t h i s f o r 7 0 y e a r s . . .”
R O B
J A N I S C H
African born and bred, Rob began his love affair of 'all things wild' as a young boy a childhood much of which was spent in the African wilderness. To d a y, R o b o f f e r s e x c l u s i v e , s p e c i a l i s t g u i d e d s a f a r i s a c r o s s t h e c o n t i n e n t . Rob obtained two very different degrees at university, one in the Arts and one in Biokinetics. Consequently his studies covered a wide range of subjects from Philosophy, English Literature & History of Art to Human Physiology & Anatomy.
Rob signed up as a guide at the renowned Mala Mala Game Reserve in the late nineties. It was here that he truly found his passion that was to become his vocation for the next 18 years: beating about the bush, introducing guests to the wild wonders of Africa, and developing a deep understanding of the genius of the natural world. More than anything, through blithe days spent in the bush, Rob was able to satisfy his spiritual needs unlike anything else he had encountered.
Over the years, Rob has worked as a guide, tourism consultant, biomimicry specialist, lodge manager & camp owner, and most recently guide trainer in Southern & East Africa. He has also endured more than his fair share of unbeaten paths across the continent (much to his elation!) Through his distinctive specialist safaris, Rob aims to provide a more holistic insight to the natural world. He encourages his guests to re-connect with their true human nature. As Rob says: "Coming from, and being part of the natural world means we should have a much deeper connect with things wild than perhaps we do currently. We can learn a whole lot more from it all than perhaps we are doing at the moment; learnings that could help keep us on this planet for a little longer as a species…"
Rob's fascination with all things living has led him to be inspired by the emerging science of Biomimicry, a subject around which he has become an African �ield specialist and on which he consults & presents to large organizations & institutions across the region. Rob also hosts & facilitates specialist Genius of Nature expeditions in living laboratories around Africa. “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” ~ Albert Einstein
MOBILE: +254 (0)722 589 440 E M A I L : PAO L O @ A F R I C A- B O R N . C O M W W W. PA O L O PA R A Z Z I S A FA R I S . C O M W W W. A F R I C A - B O R N . C O M