Wings Over Kenya: From the Mountains to the Coast

Study Leader - Dino Martins

Dino Martins is an East African artist, naturalist, and writer who is currently conducting research in evolution and ecology at Harvard as a PhD student. A keen all around naturalist, Dino has studied a wide range of species in East Africa including baboons, butterflies, ants, acacia trees, and wildflowers. Dino ...more

Summary

The ‘jewel of East Africa,’ Kenya is a startlingly beautiful land, from the summit of Mount Kenya, crowned with clouds, to the coral reefs and white sand beaches of the coast. Between these extremes is the savannah that is home to parks such as the Maasai Mara and Samburu. Here, lions congregate in large prides, and elephants, buffalos, zebras, and hippo also exist in large numbers. The ultimate attraction is undoubtedly the annual wildebeest migration in July and August. Meet and learn about the nomadic Maasai people, who continue to practice age-old rituals and customs. Chartered flights enable us to cover this vast amount of territory.

Witness a view of Kenya rarely seen by travelers.We developed this unusual itinerary with Harvard’s Dino Martins, a native of Kenya and a popular study leader. Timed to coincide with the annual great migration of wildebeests, this itinerary is designed to showcase the great range of biodiversity that Kenya offers.We travel from the 7,800 foot high slopes of Mount Kenya down to the picturesque white sand beaches of the Indian Ocean, visiting some of Kenya’s most famous wildlife national parks along the way.With the use of scheduled and chartered aircraft, crisscrossing the equator, we turn what could be torturous drives associated with overland travel, into spectacular sightseeing flights.

East Africa’s wildebeest migration may well be the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth. Each year, over two million animals—wildebeest, zebra, gazelle and other species—roam the Serengeti and Maasai Mara ecosystem, following the fresh growth of the grasses that sustain them. Throughout their journey, they in turn become the food supply for lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas. Our visit in the Masai Mara puts us in prime position at the right time, with the greatest chance of seeing the herds. During our many game drives we can expect to encounter a diversity of African game including zebra, buffalo, giraffe, lion, cheetah, and hippo. In between game drives, we learn about the Maasai people with an opportunity to visit a remote village and to meet some of the pastoral people whose lives have changed little for several hundred years.

While in the Samburu National Reserve and the Maasai Mara National Park, we experience the Hemingway-style safari of bygone days by staying in mobile, tented camps, exclusive to our group and far away from other visitors. Our tents are positioned to take advantage of current wildlife concentrations and cause minimal environmental impact.We enjoy delicious meals, al fresco, at a table set with crystal and china and lit by candlelight. After dinner, relax by the campfire, and later, the sounds of Africa will lull us to sleep. Our well-appointed walk-in tents are bug-proof, have real beds, chairs for lounging, and adjacent facilities. No electric generators drown out the sounds of Africa here. The camps are lit with battery and kerosene lanterns. The experience of staying in these private, mobile camps is always a highlight of the program.

Our Kenyan journey concludes in Malindi, at the beautiful Indian Ocean coast, where we stay at the wonderful Hemingways Resort. We visit the Gede Ruins, a village founded during the 13th century and later mysteriously abandoned. Tour the coastal rainforest of Arabuko Sokoke National Park, the largest existing fragment of the tropical forests that once covered much of the East African coast. Snorkel in the Watamu Marine Reserve, which preserves magnificent coral formations and their attendant tropical fish.

We hope you can join us on this special journey. Space is limited to a maximum of 20 travelers, so contact us early to reserve your space.

Itinerary Summary

• Day 1: USA / LONDON
• Day 2: LONDON / NAIROBI
• Day 3: NAIROBI / SAMBURU
• Day 4: SAMBURU
• Day 5: SAMBURU
• Day 6: SAMBURU / MOUNT KENYA REGION
• Day 7: MOUNT KENYA SAFARI CLUB
• Day 8: MOUNT KENYA SAFARI CLUB / MAASAI MARA
• Day 9: MAASAI MARA
• Day 10: MAASAI MARA
• Day 11: MAASAI MARA - MALINDI
• Day 12: MALINDI
• Day 13: MALINDI
• Day 14: MALINDI / NAIROBI / LONDON
• Day 15: LONDON / USA