relax,rejuvenate and enjoy your Trip to Kenya
Kenya lion safari
- COUNTRY:
- Kenya
- LOCATION:
- Masai Mara
- DEPARTURES:
- This trip can be arranged at any time to suit your requirements, excluding 16Apr-31May & 01Nov-30Nov 2011
- PRICE:
- From US $6,020 (EU €4,372) - US $6,780 (EU €4,924) (9 days). Children (8-11 years) receive a 50% discount if sharing with adult and a 25% discount if in own room. Price based on minimum of 2 adults.
- MORE INFO:
- Price includes full board accommodation, transfers, guided walks, game drives, park & conservancy fees, internal flights, 5 days with lion expert. 5% of the safari cost is donated directly to the Ewaso Lion Project
Photo Gallery: Kenya lion safari
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Kenya lion safari
This unique 9 day safari will provide you with an authentic and close-up insight into lion research in some of Kenya’s most stunning areas. Spend 6 days with lion expert Shivani Bhalla in the Shaba and Samburu areas and then the last 3 days at Porini Lion Camp in the famous Maasai Mara in an exclusive conservancy with several resident prides of lion. You will have the opportunity to be involved in this crucial research and 5% of the total safari cost will be donated to the Ewaso lions project
Your time will typically include early morning and evening game drives when the lions are most active, participating in monitoring and recording and can also include the following:
- Participate in Ewaso Lions tree project and Wildlife Cinema in West Gate. This involves visiting schools and also manyattas (Samburu homesteads) at night to show them wildlife films
- Carnivore ‘call-ins’ at night playing a recorded carnivore call and using speakers to call in carnivores as a method to estimate their density.
- Engage with the community and complete questionnaires on conflict and perceptions of predators.
- Track radio-collared lions
- Go on patrol with the Ewaso Lions scouts and help record data on predators and identify spoor tracks.
- Help record data in the core Conservation Area
- Investigate any conflict in the area, e.g. donkey killed by lion, etc
Day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Depart from Wilson Airport for your scheduled flight to Shaba. The Joys Camp 4x4 and guide will meet you at the airstrip and transfer you to the lodge. Settle into your tent and then meet lion expert Shivani Bhalla, over lunch, where she’ll brief you on the lions in the area, the research and opportunities to participate over the next few days. This luxury camp is built on the site of Joy Adamson’s tented home in Shaba National Reserve, made famous by Elsa the lioness. Afternoon game drive with Shivani to learn about the lions of the area and participate in recording data and identifying the lions. Overnight Joys Camp |
| Day 2: | After breakfast spend the day with morning and afternoon game drives in the with Shivani in the camps 4x4. Shaba is a perfect location for discerning guests interested in an authentic wildlife experience, away from the crowds. Joy Adamson produced the film 'Born Free' after a lifetime with lions right here at Shaba. Lunch, dinner and overnight will be at Joy's Camp. |
| Day 3: | Depart after breakfast and transfer from Shaba National Reserve to Archers Post where a vehicle from Sasaab Lodge will be waiting to transfer you through the Samburu Reserve to the lodge which is in the West Gate Conservancy. Settle into your spacious rooms overlooking the river. Sasaab is located above the banks of the Uaso Nyiro River, in the arid heart of Samburu land, a tranquil setting that offers views towards the Laikipia plateau and Mount Kenya. After lunch, relax in your room and then take an afternoon game drive to track the resident ‘community lions’. Overnight Sasaab Camp. |
| Day 4: | Full day with guided bush walks, lion tracking and visits to the local community to monitor lion predation of livestock and other such issues. Overnight Sasaab Camp. |
| Day 5: | Spend the day in the Samburu Reserve with a picnic lunch tracking lions and viewing the numerous wildlife drawn to the river, many of which are unique to this part of Kenya including the endangered Grevy’s Zebra. Overnight Sasaab camp. |
| Day 6: | After breakfast transfer to the airstrip for a flight to the Maasai Mara. You will be met at the airstrip by the Porini Lion Camp guide and 4x4 and take a game drive to Porini Lion Camp, located in the Olare Orok Conservancy, famous for its numerous lion prides. Afternoon game drives in 4x4 vehicles within the game rich Mara ecosystem followed by a sundowner before dinner and overnight at Porini Lion Camp. |
| Day 7: | Full day in the Mara with a picnic lunch. Overnight Porini Lion Camp. |
| Day 8: | After an early breakfast, go on a morning walk in the Conservancy escorted by Maasai warriors and a guide, returning to camp later in the morning. In the afternoon you will go on a game drive to explore more of the Olare Orok Conservancy on the lookout not only for the Lion but also elephants, buffalo, giraffe, other big cats. Enjoy a night game drive after dinner to in search of the nocturnal animals including Lion and the elusive leopards which are resident in the expansive Olare Orok Conservancy. Overnight Porini Lion Camp |
| Day 9: | One last early morning game drive or guided bush walk, before returning to the camp for breakfast. Check out for transfer to the Ol Kiombo airstrip where you will board a scheduled flight departing at 11 a.m. to arrive at Wilson Airport in Nairobi, at around 12.05 pm. There are connections to Mombasa, Lamu or Zanzibar where you may opt for a few days of relaxation at the beach. |
How this holiday makes a difference
Lion conservation recently became an issue of international concern when statistics revealed that lion numbers in Africa have plummeted to between 16,000 and 45,000. The lion population has declined by 30%-50% in just over the past two decades, a reduction largely due to habitat loss and conflict with humans. The lions in the Samburu / Buffalo Springs / Shaba ecosystem of Kenya are in an extremely vulnerable situation as they live in or adjacent to areas inhabited by nomadic people. Lions and their predatory behaviour have caused great resentment among the increasing rural pastoralist populations, and this has led to increased persecution of lions – lions continue to be shot, poisoned and speared.
This research will formulate strategies for the long-term conservation of lions by understanding the issues and threats facing their population, their movements in the wild and the extent of human-lion conflict. There is a huge knowledge gap in this area and it’s her intention to address this.
Joy’s camp’s community development schemes and eco-preservation projects:
- An Environmental Impact Study was carried out prior to the construction of Joys Camp; before the first stone was laid anywhere in the camp, the delicate environment of Shaba was taken into account.
- Joy’s camp also supports the local communities of nomadic Boran; through employment (more than 70% of its staff come from local villages), and various community projects such as providing accessibility to portable water. This ensures the safety of both the community members and their livestock as they avoid the risk of encroaching on the reserve in search of water, and as a result minimizes negative impact on the reserve and its habitat.
- Any timber used by the camp is from renewable sources, or deadwood, to ensure that the only impact of the camp on the reserve is a positive one.
- Joy’s Camp prides itself on using solar energy for both lighting and heating water in all its rooms. Water management systems have been instilled that ensure there is minimal water wastage at the camp, while responsible mechanisms have been implemented for waste disposal – for example, glass is separated and given to the East African Women’s League, which runs a “Glass for Glasses” project (whereby glass waste is exchanged for eyeglasses for the poor).
- In order to support the future of Shaba National Park, Joy’s Camp maintains close communication with the park rangers and warden, and continues to make as little impact on the environment as possible. Joy’s Camp has also been liaising with AWF (African Wildlife Forum), who are drawing up a management plan for the future of Shaba. Sasaab lodge is in the midst of a community conservancy, rich in raw Samburu culture and traditions and has been built with wildlife conservation and preservation of the environment foremost in mind. The lodge has been established in association with the local community who benefit directly and indirectly from your stay at Sasaab. Sasaab Lodge offers invigorating walks through the wilderness, game watching, alfresco dining, a unique cultural experience and opportunities to become involved with the local community.
The local Maasai communities have set aside the Olare Orok Conservancy as reserves for wildlife, and in return receive an income from tourism activities. This is used to fund community projects such as schools and water supplies. Employment opportunities have also been provided for the local Maasai people such as game rangers, trackers, and camp staff.
The Mara eco-system where the Olare Orok Conservancies is located, is under serious threat of being degraded and fragmented as the Mara is being divided into individually owned plots. Tracts of wildlife habitat are being permanently lost with this subdivision of the group ranches. Many small individual landowners are now selling their plots to the highest bidders, who are setting up non-sustainable mass market concrete lodges or becoming involved in intensive farming and fencing off of their small holdings. Snaring of herbivores and poisoning of big cats has increased and wildlife is being driven out.
Previously, the Maasai were entirely dependent upon their livestock and in dry seasons they used unreliable water sources including boreholes with pumping equipment which was no longer properly maintained. As a result there had been degradation of the environment through over-grazing and the community had suffered hardship during the increasingly frequent periods of drought.
As a result of the community receiving direct benefits from wildlife there has been a change in attitude towards the concept of wildlife conservation. The community members have given their positive support to conservation and there is no snaring or harassing of wildlife within the three conservancies. The members see the wildlife as a resource which belongs to them and are enthusiastic about encouraging wildlife to move into their conservancies. They also recognize the vast improvement in vegetation and grass cover within each conservancy which is now a valuable source of controlled grazing for livestock during severe drought periods.
Since the conservancies have been established there has been a big increase in biodiversity. We have resident lions and cheetah in addition to over 20 species of mammals. Birdlife is prolific especially birds of prey. The numbers of tourist visitors are being limited to retain the wild and unspoilt nature of the area and to minimise the impact on the environment.
During their stay guests staying at Porini Lion Camp have various opportunities to learn about the local Maasai people and how the conservancies and camps’ goals are aligned with theirs. Maasai warriors escort guests on a walk in the conservancies where they can learn about how the various indigenous animals and plants are used by the community and how their way of life is intertwined with their surroundings.
5% of the total safari cost will be donated to the Ewaso lions project
