Mystical & Rhinos (12 Days)

Take a deep breath… you’re finally on your way to a magical destination! Experience wild animals surviving on the open savanna, marvel at the exotic views of Africa, play with baby elephants, immerse yourself in authentic local culture, take part in a heartwarming humanitarian effort, and much more! You’re about to embark on a real-life African adventure filled with unforgettable moments and lifelong memories!

Day 1 is your arrival day. Karibu Kenya! (Welcome to Kenya!) Kenya has been rated the #1 tourist safari destination in the world for 10 years in a row! Being the land of The Lion King and the Great Migration, it’s no wonder. We will meet you at the airport for a private transfer to your hotel to rest and unwind.  If your flight arrives earlier in the day, we’ll explore some local sites and give you your first taste of Kenya culture. If you arrive in the evening, or are feeling the effects of travel, we’ll head straight to your hotel where you can unwind and rest in preparation for the adventures ahead!

• Elephant Orphanage 
• Nairobi National Park Safari

Your morning will begin with a heartwarming visit to the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage.  Here we will watch the babies eat, frolic, and roll in the mud.  Baby elephants love attention and affection.  There will be a rope that separates us from the orphans, but some will walk along the ropes chewing on branches giving you the chance to give them some affection. 

The elephant orphanage is located within Nairobi National Park, so after our time with the elephants, we will hop in the Land Cruiser and embark on our first safari adventure!  Here you’ll get your first glimpse of animals roaming freely in the wild. Despite the parks proximity to the city, you will still find elephants, rhinos, hippos, and even lions!  In some areas, you can even see the contrasting cityscape in the background, which makes for some thought-provoking photos. In this park they also have the piles of ivory from the five Kenyan “ivory burns”.  These anti-poaching burns tell the world these animals are worth more to them -and us- alive!

**If you chose the Premium Luxury Tour, we are given a specific time and a special access pass to go inside the baby elephant area and interact with them as a private group. You’ll be able to hug them and play with them!

After breakfast we’ll begin our two hour journey to Narok county – the home of the Maasai.  We’ll visit the town of Narok itself and you’ll be able to witness this small yet bustling town in action.  We’ll go visit a couple of local shops and even a local artisan shop. In the evening, we’ll head into a beautiful area to have a home cooked dinner by a Maasai.

• Humanitarian gift
• Entiak for Great-grandmother
• Small hike into “the bush”
• Maasai weapons

After breakfast, we’ll begin our 4 hour journey to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Inside the conservancy, there will be an equator marker offering a fun and unique opportunity to stand on the invisible line that divides the Earth in half between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. 

(Here’s some photos of animals to look out for when we go into Ol Pejeta the following day.)

Ol Pejeta is a special place for multiple reasons, but most importantly, it is home to the last two Northern White Rhino on the planet. Being in their presence is both a humbling and emotional experience. War, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict have taken a massive toll on these magnificent animals. They once roamed in the thousands but now there are only two. Unfortunately, the last male died in 2019, so these two rhinos are females—a mother and her daughter—and are the very last of their species. Science is working hard to try to save this species using sperm from the last two males, but there is no guarantee. Currently, the Northern White Rhino is officially labeled as “extinct.”  

Since this is the rhino day, we’ll also go pay a visit to Baraka, the blind black rhino. He’s small and loves affection. The picture here of me and O.D. is with Baraka. For lunch we’ll head to the lodge for a delicious meal while overlooking a waterhole. It’s anyone’s guess what animals might come for a drink as we relax and watch the sunset. There are benches on the lawn specifically for your viewing pleasure. (Don’t worry—a secure fence separates us from the waterhole, so you can relax comfortably while watching the animals drink and bathe.)

Ol Pejeta is a wildlife sanctuary teeming with diverse animal life, so we’ll spend the afternoon on a safari exploring this incredible park. As we roam the landscape, we’ll have the chance to observe various animals and search for some of the rarer and more endangered species that inhabit the area, including the Grevy’s zebra and the African wild dog.  We’ll also go visit the chimpanzee sanctuary inside the park. Chimpanzees share an astounding 98.8% of their DNA with humans, making them our closest genetic relatives. This sanctuary is dedicated to providing a safe haven for rescued chimpanzees in need of protection. 

After nightfall, we’ll embark on a nighttime safari. The rules of a conservancy differ from those of a national park, making Ol Pejeta one of the few places in Kenya where night safaris are allowed. With a spotlight and an expert Ol Pejeta guide, we’ll search for some of the more elusive animals that come out after sunset, such as aardvarks, zorillas, and bat-eared foxes. It can get cold at night, so be sure to wear layers and a beanie hat.

After an incredible adventure through Kenya, we’ve reached your very last day.  Once in Nairobi, we’ll head over to The Giraffe Center, a sanctuary dedicated to the conservation and breeding of the endangered Rothschild giraffe. You’ll have the chance to feed them from the palm of your hand. Most of their heads will be at eye level, providing fantastic opportunities for selfies and close-up interactions. 

The National Museum of Kenya features many fascinating exhibits such as the Cradle of Humankind, where you’ll find some of history’s oldest humanoid skulls; a comprehensive history of Kenya from pre-colonial times through colonialism to independence; and the Hall of Mammals, which showcases some of the rarest Kenyan animals in the world, including the pangolin. For bird enthusiasts, there’s a section dedicated to the hundreds of bird species found in East Africa, allowing you to appreciate their vibrant colors and diverse sizes up close. Also on display is the body of Sudan, the last male Northern White Rhino.