ALL YEAR ROUND (CLOSED APRIL, MAY, NOV)

We offer multiple departure dates - send us a message with your preferred travel period and we’ll find the best option for you

Mobile Canvas Tented Camp

The mobile tented safari camp includes a canvas mess tent for meals and spacious 9ft x 10ft canvas sleeping tents with camp beds, mattresses, sheets & blankets. There is a small veranda to the tent with two directors chairs and a table. There is a solar lamp in each tent, with hurricane lamps outside at night time. There is a short drop loo tent for every tent and hot safari bucket showers are always available in the shower tent. Towels, soap, shampoo, conditioner, drinking water and torches are provided. Hot water in a safari basin is bought to the tent first thing in the morning and after every ride. There is a hot water bottle put into the beds during dinner.

Day 1 Mara River Hippo Camp

You will either be collected from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport or if you have arrived earlier, from your Nairobi hotel, and transferred to Wilson Airport for your 10am flight to Mara North in the Masai Mara. Your guides will meet you and drive you to your first camp, set up on the banks of the Mara River adjacent to a teeming hippo pool. Lunch will be served and you will have a little time to relax before meeting your horses and setting off on your first gentle evening ride (about 2 hours).

Day 2 Mara River Hippo Camp

We begin the day with an early morning ride, crossing the Mara River for the first time, returning to camp for a light breakfast. After breakfast a game drive will be on offer, driving provides better photographic opportunities than from a horse and exploring more of this Northern part of the Mara has much to offer. We will return in time for lunch and a siesta before setting off on an afternoon ride. We will be back in good time to shower and maybe set off in the vehicles once more for a sun downer and a short night game drive before supper.

Day 3 Escarpment Soit Olololo Camp

We leave camp after breakfast at about 9am, heading south towards the park boundary where we meet the river again at one of the famous wildebeest crossings. We cross the river and head southwest across the Mara Triangle, meeting the car with our picnic lunch at around 12:30. After lunch and a siesta we set off at about 16:00 and ascend the Soit Olololol Escarpment. We reach our camp at about 17:30 on the edge of the escarpment and spend the night overlooking the whole Mara ecosystem.

Day 4 Olare Orok Camp

We descend the escarpment after breakfast at about 9am and ride across to the same wildebeest crossing on the river. We head in a westerly direction and descend into the enchanting Olare Orok Valley with a picnic lunch and siesta from about 12:30-15:30 on the way. Reaching our camp in time at about 17:00 in time for tea, there should also be time to do an evening game drive and sundowners, before supper under the stars.

Day 5 Olare Orok Camp

Today, we will have a full day of exploring this glorious area on horseback, car and possibly on foot. You will have excellent photo opportunities, getting close to buffalo, elephant, lion and maybe cheetah or leopard.

Day 6 Olare Lamun Camp

This is our third moving day and the longest ride of the trip covering nearly 50km. Setting off at 7.00am, we have a picnic breakfast stopping at around 10/11am. We continue on until 13:30 where we break again for lunch and a siesta after reaching Ol Kinyei Conservancy. At 16:00 we head to our last camp, arriving at Olare Lamun (the rhino salt lick) nestled in a grove of acacia trees by a small stream at the southern edge of the Loita Plains.

Day 7 Olare Lamun Camp

After an early wake up we will set off for a morning ride before returning to camp for a light breakfast. We will then set out for a game drive and beautiful walk up the nearby hill called Oloiburmut, returning to camp for a lunch and a siesta. At around 4pm we will drive or ride to visit a local Masai Village.

Day 8 Departure Day

Our last morning ride before saying goodbye to the horses and the amazing crew. After breakfast, you will drive to the airstrip and fly back to Nairobi at around 11am, landing at Wilson at 12pm. We will organise for a taxi to pick you up and either take you around Nairobi to do some shopping/visits, or to a hotel day room (included), before taking you on to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in time for your evening flight home, or your onward destination.

9,200 EUR per person

* single supplement - $100 per night (if not willing to share)

Deposit: 20% deposit to confirm the booking

The rest of the sum should be paid 45 days prior to departure.

*Your passport expiry date should be no less than 6 months from the return date

WHAT IS INCLUDED:

• All conservation & park fees

• Internal flights and transfers associated with each safari

• Dayroom in Nairobi on last day if required

• Full board accommodation

• All drinks (except Champagne)

• All riding

• Game drives

• Walking

• Laundry

• Local airstrip transfers

• Amref Flying Doctors Membership (Air Evacuation to

• Nairobi)

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED:

• International lights to and from Nairobi

• Single Supplement (if desired)

• Medical Insurance - Premium package

• Visa

• Personal expenses

• Tips

Level: Intermediate to Advanced

The Rider

In order to enjoy the safari and for the safety of all the riders and horses, guests should be experienced riders, comfortable at all paces (walk, trot, canter, gallop) and able to get out of trouble calmly and at the necessary speed. You should be balanced with an independent seat and fit enough to ride 4 – 7 hours per day. We have a strict maximum weight limit of 210lbs/15 stone/ 95kg, due to the horses in Kenya simply not being verybig and carrying the rider for 40+km per day. On booking, we will require details of your riding experience, plus your age, weight and height, so that we can match you to suitable horses.

Tack

We ride in English General Purpose Wintec saddles and leather saddles.

Some Australian stock saddles are available on request. Seat savers are

available. We mainly use snaffle bridles.

The Ride

English style riding is required for this expedition. We ride in big game country, on open plains interspersed with bush. The short grass plains are ideal for riding (although you must look out for holes) and long canters are taken. We ride for 4 – 7 hours per day with 1 1⁄2 - 2 hours lunch stops, and on our longest moving day we stop for breakfast on route. Walking on foot is sometimes necessary over rough terrain.

Horses

The horses that you are going to ride on this safari are all thoroughbreds and

thoroughbred crosses and have excellent stamina as a result. They are well

schooled and some play polo and event. They are therefore responsive, tough and fit. You will be pleasantly surprised.

Route: The average daily riding is between 25 – 35 km (4 – 6 hours).