Africa Walking Tour & Wildlife Safari

11 Days Kenya Walking Tour In The Baringo, Bogoria, Naivasha And Masai Mara (Walking Tour 7)

A small group guided walking adventure in Kenya's northern lakes away from mass tourism. Relaxed hikes, hot springs, thousands of flamingoes, unique Njemp's culture, over 400 birds species plus of course wildlife viewing are the hallmark of this hiking tour. As always, Ontdek the leading outfitter of guided walking safaris in Kenya , presents you with unique walking itineraries that are genuine alternatives to the standard wildlife safari packages. We offer you the exact things we look for when designing our personal travels through Kenya: activities in private game reserves and small parks where you can see game without being surrounded by minibuses, interaction with local people and one-off wildlife viewing. We use quality lodge accommodation throughout the tour (no camping), making this a perfect African walking safari for active people of all ages.

This tour has 3 days in the Baringo/Bogoria area and 3 days in the Naivasha area. Masai Mara, the Africa that everyone dreams of, takes the last 3 days of the tour with elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, topis and hippos all calling for our attention. A walk guided by Masai Morans makes this a perfect tour in all senses. We handle all tour logistics leaving you free to enjoy your walking safari.

Day 1: Nairobi

Arrival at the airport at night and reception by Ontdek Kenya. Transfer from the airport to the La Mada or equivalent hotel in Nairobi.

Day 2, 3 & 4: Baringo and Bogoria. O/N Lake Baringo Country Club

After breakfast there is the briefing by the guide about the program. By 8.30 a.m. we leave Nairobi via the Nakuru road to the Great Rift Valley. Our destination is Lake Baringo where we should arrive in time for a late lunch. Based here for the next three days we will have time to take in the beauty of this area with high volcanic escarpments, open savannahs and high temperatures most of the year.

In the late afternoon of day 2, we will go for a guided walk on the high escarpments. The contrasts of the setting sun against the steep volcanic rocks are highlights of this walk.

On day 3 we first visit the Njemps, an ethnic community related to the Masai but their culture is different in that they are fishermen as well as pastoralists. Get the shivers as you see the Njemps on shallow fishing boats in a lake where every few meters there is a crocodile!!! We then take a guided walk in the open savannah.

On day 4 we take a picnic box and drive 50 km to Lake Bogoria which is a salt water lake and a place to see thousands of flamingoes. We will spend some time at the hot springs and then walk towards the Fig Tree campsite. The walk is in open savannah with scattered bushes and we have the chance to see the greater kudu, Thompson's and Grant's gazelles as well as zebras, monkeys and baboons.

Day 5: Transfer to Lake Naivasha. Walk on Crescent Island. O/N Lake Naivasha Country Club

In the afternoon we do a game viewing walk at the privately owned Crescent Island , which is a peninsula on the Eastern shore of Lake Naivasha. There is a lot of easy to see game e.g. giraffes, wildebeests, waterbucks, elands, zebras and impalas. It is also a heaven for birds with +200 species recorded. The walk is gentle and satisfying.

The Lake Naivasha Country Club, our base for three days, opened in 1937 as a staging post for Imperial Airways' flying boat service from Durban to London. The 55-acre property boasts green lawns shaded by mature acacias and spreading fever trees that stretch down to the lake's shore.

Day 6: Hell's Gate National Park. O/N Lake Naivasha Country Club

We wake up for breakfast with the sun giving a wonderful effect over the lake. An early morning here should not be missed by anyone with an eye for birds since the lake boasts a wide variety of water and woodland birds.

After breakfast we do a short transfer to the park gate. Hell's Gate National Park is a unique park where walking is done in the middle of wildlife. Giraffes, zebras, warthogs and many types of gazelles are found here. The first part of this walk is done in typical flat African savannah in a volcanic area with huge rock boundaries. There are camphor and acacia trees all over and this is where to look for the giraffes as they mainly feed on them. A picnic lunch provided by the hotel will be on a view point overlooking the gorge.

The last part of the walk is done in the Hell's Gate Gorge by descending into a steep canyon with running water from geysers and wild vegetation. The climax of the day is in walking in the Side Gorge where the rocks have split to leave only a walking path. We climb back to the rangers post for transfer back to the Lake Naivasha Country Club.

Day 7: Crater Lake. O/N Lake Naivasha Country Club

An early rising will ensure that one gets another magical display of the various birds. After breakfast we do a transfer by bus to the nearby Crater Lake Game Sanctuary. It is a lesser lake in the Rift Valley but a place where nature is at its best.

We do a walk in the sanctuary followed by a circular trek on the top of the crater from where we see the lake from various angles. Pleasant interruptions on the walks will be from giraffes, black and white Colobus monkeys, elands, waterbucks, hartebeests and a range of gazelles, all which are easily found in the sanctuary.

Day 8: To Masai Mara. O/N Mara Simba / Keekorok

We now take a break from walking to put all our attention to watching wildlife. To see the best of Kenyan wildlife Masai Mara is the place to be. Elephants, rhinos, giraffes, buffaloes, gazelles and all the big cats are found here. So, after breakfast we start our journey passing through Narok Town: a colorful Masai town.

Our game viewing does not actually start at the park gate. We will be able to see many animals along the way grazing side by side with the Masai livestock. We reach the lodge, our home for the next three days, in time for lunch.

Day 9 & 10: Masai Mara. O/N Mara Simba / Keekorok

These are our cultural and activity days in Masai Mara. We do a morning game drive through the park and hike to a Masai manyatta (=homestead). Here we will see how the typical Masais live. An afternoon game drive makes the day complete.

On day 9 we do a morning and an afternoon game drive. We break from the driving with an optional walk in a natural area with rolling hills and grasslands, out of the park boundaries.

Day 11: Kiambethu Tea Farm + To Nairobi For Outbound Flight

Leave Masai Mara in the morning for lunch at the Kiambethu Tea Farm. This is an old colonial home established by the early settlers and the pioneers of tea growing in Kenya. There will be a talk on tea: its arrival in Kenya, the growing, processing and up to when you put it into your cup. A short walk in the tea plantation and into a small remaining part of indigenous forest completes the tour.

We arrive at the Aberdare Country Club in time for lunch. In the afternoon we will walk in the Aberdare game sanctuary with opportunities to see warthogs, Thompson and Grant's gazelles, zebrWe have a healthy farm lunch and thereafter transfer to Nairobi for the evening flight out.

Itinerary changes may be made due to local conditions beyond our control.

Price:

Our attractive price based on the size of your party includes all accommodation as per itinerary, all meals from breakfast of day 2 through lunch of day 11, all transport Nairobi-Nairobi and airport transfers, bottled water during the walks, services of guides, the park entrance fees and a Flying Doctors Evacuation cover. The only extras on you are spendings on airfare to Kenya, airport taxes, visa, insurance, drinks at the table, tips and expenditure of personal nature.

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Departures are at the traveler's convenience.

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