Project Kenya

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Nairobi

Arrive in Nairobi at anytime.Following your arrival in Nairobi, you make your way to the hotel. A pre-departure group meeting with your tour leader is scheduled for the early evening.The name Nairobi is derived from the Masai word for cool waters, which they gave to a water hole known as Ewaso Nyirobi. The sprawling, cosmopolitan city of Nairobi combines the first-world glamour of reflecting-glass skyscraper buildings with abject third-world poverty. It originated in 1899 from a handful of shacks that marked the end of the railhead during the building of the Uganda railway. Just before the early 1900’s, an outbreak of plague necessitated the whole town be burnt and rebuilt. In 1905 Nairobi replaced Mombasa as the capital of the British East African protectorate. The city was at that stage the second largest in Kenya, after Mombasa. Due to big game hunting bringing tourists from Europe, the city expanded dramatically through this time. A large number of British nationals decided to settle in the area, prompting more growth and this angered both the Masai and Kikuyu people, as they were losing hunting ground due to the expansion of the city limits. The friction increased and, eventually led to the Mau Mau uprising which saw Jomo Kenyatta, the future president jailed. Kenya was granted independence from Britain in 1963, with Nairobi as the capital.Apart from being Kenya’s capital and the main centre of government and commerce, Nairobi is the most significant city in East Africa and an important player on the pan-African stage. It is the diplomatic base for many counties in Africa, with its broad spectrum of international embassies and headquarters for the United Nations, multi-national companies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and press correspondents. It’s also the gateway for the safari business.

Day 2 Masai Mara (B,L,D)

Today we travel to Kenya’s most sought-after safari destination. After setting up camp on the banks of the Talek River, we will have time to enjoy an evening game drive in the spectacular Masai Mara National Reserve with its vast plains, distinctive flat-topped acacia tress and excellent chances of seeing the "Big 5" - lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino.

Days 3,4 Masai Mara (2B, 2L, 2D)

We spend the next two days in search of unforgettable wildlife encounters. The Masai Mara boasts the highest concentration of wild animals in the country. Home to the famous wildebeest migration, it is known for its plentiful game and abundance of predators. Kenya’s finest game-viewing area, the Masai Mara area covers not only the Masai Mara National Reserve, but also extensive game dispersal areas on the adjacent land. The Masai Mara is effectively a continuation of the Serengeti National park in Tanzania. The park is named after the Masai tribes, the traditional inhabitants of this area for 200 years. The park itself is situated in the Great Rift Valley.The Mara is the Maa word meaning mottled - a reference to the patchy landscape. The Masai Mara National Reserve is bisected by the Mara river. The area is perhaps best known for the annual migration of wildebeest and other herd mammals that cross the Mara river in search of greener pasture in September and October. Thousands of wildebeest die in the crossing due to crocodile attacks. The Great Migration is one of the most impressive natural events worldwide, involving an immensity of herbivores: some 1,300,000 wildebeest, 360,000 Thomson's gazelle, and 191,000 zebra.The history of the Mara is one of displacement and depletion of wild life. In the early 1900’s, the first European hunting safaris took place in an area that the Masai people had abandoned, due to smallpox outbreaks. At the same time the cattle of the Masai people where badly infected by Rinderpest and because of this, the area was free of human inhabitants, and rife for the European hunters to exploit. They did this to such an extent that by the early 1960’s they had managed to deplete the lion population to just nine. It was at this point that the Masai Mara sanctuary was created and it became a major tourist attraction. It was and still is administered by the Masai District Council based in the town of Narok.

Day 5 Lake Naivasha (B,L,D)

Lake Naivasha is found in the heart of the rift valley and in the shadow of the extinct volcano – Mount Longonot. Giant acacia trees are home to a magnificent diversity of bird species and monkeys. Optional activities include game walks, mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing and hippo safaris.

Days 6, 7 Lake Nakuru (2B,2L,2D)

Enjoy game drives along the shores of Lake Nakuru, a shallow soda lake renowned for its huge concentration of flamingoes. We spend our time viewing large herds of buffalo, zebra, giraffe and other plains-game. This area is also well known for frequent rhino and leopard sightings. Lake Nakuru, means dust or dusty place in the Masai language. It is situated in Central Kenya, and is one of the Rift Valley’s soda lakes. The lake is famous for the large flocks of flamingoes that are attracted to the lakes abundance of algae. Not only does the lake sport abundance of bird life, but it boasts the reintroduction of black and white rhinos. An area of 188 km around the lake has been fenced off as a sanctuary to protect the Rothschild giraffe (in 1977 the giraffes were re-located from western Kenya) and the re-introduced black rhino. The park now has more than 25 rhinos, one of the largest concentrations in the country, so the chances of spotting these survivors are good. Also, keep your eyes open for predators like lion and leopard.

Day 8 Limuru (B,L,D)

Today we travel to Limuru surrounded by rolling hills blanketed by vast coffee and tea plantations. We spend the afternoon at leisure and in the evening we receive an orientation about our community volunteer program.

Days 9-13 Community Volunteer Project (5B,5L,5D)

For the next 5 days we have the opportunity to make a difference and experience life in the outskirts of Nairobi, where lives have been dramatically impacted by poverty, unemployment and HIV/AIDS. Volunteers get involved by helping at a local medical clinic and working hand in hand with doctors and nurses, helping in orphanages, as well as assisting with home-based care and feeding programs. There are over a million orphans in Kenya mainly due to AIDS, from which only 5% get any kind of support. There is a huge need for assistance in orphanages and children's homes. We will visit an orphanage in Limuru, home to children that come from different backgrounds and that have been affected by HIV/AIDS, abuse, poverty or illness. These children are in desperate need of love and attention. Many of them are developmentally delayed and need extra attention in order to promote their development. The orphanage offers opportunities for us to become involved in daily activities including helping with teaching and organizing activities to promote the well being of the children. We may also be needed to do practical work, such as painting or building, in order to improve the orphanage and making it a better home for the children. No experience necessary.

Trip Details

Accommodation	Hotel (2 nts), participation camping (6 nts), cottages (5 nts).
Departure	Departs monthly (except May)
DepEnd	Sun - Sat
Group Size	Max 14
Included Highlights	- 5-day Volunteer Project- Masai Mara Game Reserve- Great Rift Valley- Lake Nakuru- Lake Naivasha
Meals Included	13 breakfasts, 12 lunches, 12 dinners.
StartFinish	ex Nairobi
Transport	Safari Vehicle.
Brochure Intro	Your great African adventure begins with amazing game viewing in the Masai Mara and spectacular views while travelling through the Great Rift Valley to Lakes Naivasha and Nakuru. Make a difference by spending five days volunteering with children in an orphanage and assisting doctors in a local medical clinic.

When can I go?

Start Date	Finish Date	Places Available
2008-10-05	2008-10-18	7+
2008-10-26	2008-11-08	7+
2008-11-16	2008-11-29	7+
2008-12-07	2008-12-20	7+
2009-01-04	2009-01-17	7+
2009-01-25	2009-02-07	7+
2009-02-15	2009-02-28	7+
2009-03-08	2009-03-21	7+
2009-03-29	2009-04-11	7+
2009-04-19	2009-05-02	7+

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