Big Kenya Safari – Mid-Range

Fly in to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, where you are met and driven to Loldia House, on the shores of Lake Naivasha. The 2-hour trip offers some fine scenery as it winds through the beautiful Great Rift Valley. It eases you into a great adventure, beginning with a delicious lunch at the farm. Take in the view of the dormant volcano, Mount Longonot.

After your journey, spend the afternoon relaxing at Loldia House. Naivasha is surrounded by forests of acacia, the distinctive yellow-green fever tree. They are home to prolific bird life and the lake is a world-class birding destination. There is other wildlife, too: giraffe, buffalo, monkey, and a large hippo population. Wild animals roam freely on the farm and while you dine on a delicious dinner, you may spot a hippo or two, scuffling and wallowing in the lake, or munching its dinner by the lakeside. And then it is off to bed after a fitting start to your safari.

After breakfast you transfer to the Loldia airstrip for a Governors Aviation plane to the Mara. It is a short flight, allowing views over the fertile landscape. Your first taste of the reserve is a game drive to camp for lunch and a refreshing cool drink.

Your home for the next three nights is the magical Governors’ Camp, once the preserve of Kenya’s colonial governors. Each of the en suite tents has a spectacular view from its deck – some across the plains and others of the meandering Mara River with its abundant waters. If you prefer something more intimate, choose Little Governors’ Camp, which offers 17 en suite tents around a large watering hole. It is a secluded retreat: to reach Little Governors’ requires a boat ride across the river and an escorted walk through the riverine forest.

Enjoy the company of the resident warthog family, which wanders freely through the camp, and occasionally stand back for the elephants which are known to visit at lunch time. For that extra bit of privacy and luxury, you can upgrade to Il Moran Camp. A private hideaway, its 10 tents are tucked into the forest along the banks of the river. Il Moran is a flawless gem, perfect for honeymooners. But wherever you have chosen to lay your hat, take a well-earned siesta in your tent or on your deck. An afternoon game drive offers the chance to explore. Pre-dinner sundowners around the campfire set the scene for a candlelit dinner before you retire to your tent.

Awaken to something extra-special on day four – an optional hot-air balloon safari. You set out while it is still dark for the natural launch site at Little Governors’ Camp. Follow the light of the burners as the crew gets ready for take-off. And then, as the balloon fills and rises, you are transported aloft in the secure basket below.

From your bird’s-eye vantage, you can watch the sun’s rays hit the plains below, wakening the animals of the Mara. It is a sublime and elegant way to see the reserve’s riches, giving plenty of opportunities for photos and video filming. The balloon floats at will, guided by gentle air currents. Keep watch for the majestic giants of the plains – the elephants – and the tall, intriguing giraffes with their impossibly long necks. And enjoy the incredible silence and stillness of flight. You come down to earth, to a freshly cooked champagne breakfast wherever you land, though your head may well still be in the heavens. Then take a game drive back to camp for some quiet reflection before lunch and more game viewing. Tonight there will be great tales to swap over the campfire.

If you opt not to join the ballooning, then you will have a wonderful morning game drive to see the same fantastic sights from eye level.