Classic Kenya Safari

Touch down in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, which serves as your gateway to safari adventure. Kenya is classic safari country featuring vast national parks and reserves brimming with the iconic wildlife most associated with an African safari. These include the fabled Big Five — lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos and Cape Buffalo — along with countless other species, from zebras and wildebeests to cheetahs and giraffes. It’s also home to the pastoral Maasai people who live in harmony with the land.

Fly to the Maasai Mara Game Reserve and your private tented camp — set up exclusively for you and your fellow A&K guests and taken down right after you leave — occupying a secluded location in the heart of the wilderness. Inspired by the classic safari camps of a bygone era, the A&K Exclusive Tented Camp, Maasai Mara, moves with the wildlife, for exceptional game viewing. Heavy-duty safari tents feature open-sided front verandas, tables and camp chairs, charging outlets and private en suite facilities. The camp’s cooks and waiters ensure the service matches that of the finest permanent properties and A&K’s private safari guides and purpose-built game-viewing vehicles put the wildlife of the Maasai Mara front and center. The entire experience elegantly recaptures the boundless adventure of the golden safari age. This afternoon, set out on a game drive that introduces you to the Maasai Mara. The action never seems to stop, and the chain of command begins with the Mara’s lion population, the largest in the country. The delicate ecosystem of the Mara is the focus of a major conservation effort to preserve one of Africa’s last true game strongholds.

On morning and afternoon game drives, observe crocodiles basking in the sun, hippos wallowing in muddy water, elephants rustling along the forest edge and graceful giraffes snatching leaves from high branches. Enjoy the option, today or tomorrow, to lift off on a hot air balloon ride (at an additional cost), gliding over the plains and taking in the game-rich landscapes from a low-level aerial perspective. After today’s activities, return to camp, where a chef demonstrates how to cook the local dish ugali (a porridge similar to polenta). Then learn hands-on how to scoop up beans, cooked greens and condiments with the ugali and sample your concoction.

Set out on morning and afternoon game drives. Stop at a Maasai village and visit a local school on the edge of the Mara (when in session) to see a LifeStraw Water Filter that purifies water for teachers and students — like the ones funded by each departure of this journey — a project supported by A&K Philanthropy. Later, sip a refreshing cocktail before dinner.

Fly from the Maasai Mara, via Nairobi, to Ol Pejeta Conservancy — a private reserve encompassing 90,000 acres of unspoiled African landscape where the Big Five roam — and arrive at your stunning tented camp in time for lunch. Nestled among fever trees in the shadow of Mount Kenya, Tambarare Camp in Laikipia looks out across a grassy plateau. Roll out in safari vehicles on an afternoon game drive, stopping to visit a Chimpanzee Sanctuary. Observe rescued and orphaned chimpanzees up close while learning about protection and rehabilitation efforts.

Ol Pejeta has a worldwide reputation for its rhinoceros-conservation and translocation initiatives. During your morning game drive, don’t miss the opportunity to get up close and personal with the last two northern white rhinos on earth, Najin and Fatu, visiting their heavily guarded enclosure and learning their incredible story. Very comfortable around humans, the pair (and the southern white females with which they share their private enclosure) are known to approach vehicles for some unforgettable encounters. Then head out on a late afternoon game drive in this biodiverse home to black rhinos, reticulated giraffes and Grévy’s zebras. Stop to visit and Interact with the dogs of an anti-poaching unit and test their skills as you hide and let them sniff you out.

This morning, set out on an exhilarating game drive, sighting members of the Big Five and perhaps even Jackson’s hartebeest and African wild dogs. Return to camp with some free time available to relax or opt for a guided nature walk. Tonight, gather for a farewell dinner under African stars, sharing stories of your weeklong adventure.

Fly to Nairobi, where you relax in a reserved dayroom before transferring to the airport for your departing flight.