Classic Kenya
Upon arrival at Nanyuki or Kamok Airstrip via Wilson Airport, you will be met by a Sanctuary Retreats representative and transferred to your camp located in Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Nestled amongst fever trees in the shadow of Mount Kenya, Sanctuary Tambarare boasts 10 luxurious tents from which guests can enjoy views of the 90,000 acres of unspoilt terrain in the award-winning Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
The rest of your afternoon is at leisure to explore the camp grounds and its surrounding. Should you wish, you may take part in an afternoon game drive to catch a first glimpse of the wonders that await you during your stay here. Once back at camp, freshen up before you sit down for dinner where you will enjoy sumptuous meals prepared by our talented chef.
Meals included: LD
After a hearty breakfast in camp, head out into the bush or opt to meet the Conservancy’s K9 Anti-Poaching Unit*. Spend your morning interacting with the rangers and learn about what it takes to look after this specially trained canine team. After a tour of the facilities, try your luck at outsmarting and outrunning this elite squad. Not only will this be a great opportunity to stretch your legs, you will also be actively involved in the dogs’ training. Return to camp for lunch and rest before heading back out in the afternoon. Explore the plains on foot in presence of an experienced ranger*. This interpretive walk will get you up close with the sights, smells and sounds of the African bush. You will learn about game trails, identifying spoors as well as the smaller mammals of Ol Pejeta.
As the sun sets, enjoy drinks prepared by a member of the team while you are still out in the Conservancy. Sip on your cocktail to the sounds of the bush as the fiery colours of a classic African sunset fill the sky. Finally, enjoy a well deserved dinner before retiring to your tent for the rest of the night.
* Additional cost applies and subject to availability at the time of booking
Meals included: BLD
Kick off your day with a morning run*. Join the park’s rangers in their daily morning exercise routine, and on this 5km journey soak in your surroundings as the savanna slowly wakes up with the warmth of the sun. For other guests, wake up to the smell of hot coffee and enjoy a cup on your private veranda. If you are lucky, you might be greeted by a herd of elephants roaming through the grassy plains in front of your tent. Aboard one of our specially customised 4x4, explore Ol Pejeta Conservancy alongside our local guides. Their knowledge and passion to educate create an enriching experience. While out on one of our daily game drives, you can expect to meet the Big Five, cheetahs, hippos, jackals, hyenas and Ol Pejeta’s 130 resident black rhinos. At lunch, your guide will bring you to a secluded area of the conservancy for you to enjoy a specially prepared picnic surrounded by wildlife and jaw dropping landscapes.
In the afternoon, return to camp, freshen up and relax for the rest of the day is at leisure. For guests interested to head back out, why not join the Conservancy’s team of trackers* as you locate lions and collect vital information needed to study this apex predator.
Come nightfall, while most guests head in to sleep, we recommend embarking on a thrilling night game drive*. The plains come alive at night, with nocturnal animals such as aardvark, white-tailed mongoose, zorilla (striped polecat), bat-eared fox and perhaps even lions and leopard. This night-time adventure is very special as it’s not possible in most of Kenya’s national parks and reserves.
* Additional cost applies and subject to availability at the time of booking
Meals included: BLD
Get up close and personal with the last two northern white rhino, mother-daughter duo Najin and Fatu, and listen to their incredible story narrated by their caretakers.
Return to camp to freshen up before lunch. You may wish to enjoy the rest of your day at leisure. However, we recommend meeting the local community in the villages surrounding the camp*. See firsthand the work the Conservancy undertakes in healthcare services, sustainable energy and community enterprise initiatives.
Once back in camp, end your day with cocktails around the campfire recalling the day’s activities before sitting down to a gourmet dinner prepared by your chef.
* Additional cost applies and subject to availability at the time of booking
Meals included: BLD
Awaken early this morning to a warm cup of tea or coffee served on the veranda of your tent, and should time allow it head out for a last game drive in the grassy plains of the Laikipia plateau. You will be met by a member of our team who will transfer you to the airstrip for your onward journey to the Masai Mara.
Upon landing, a member of our team will greet you and drive you to the camp.
Sanctuary Olonana is an exceptional luxury safari lodge set on a private stretch of the Mara River in the heart of Kenya’s most famous game reserve, the Masai Mara. Featuring 14 glass-sided suites, Sanctuary Olonana is inspired by the Masai Mara’s breathtaking natural wonders, an abundance of wildlife, and a dramatic river that runs right past its forest setting. Offering game drives, cultural visits, bush dinners, sundowners, scenic flights and balloon rides, Olonana makes for a wonderful African safari.
After your welcome drinks, you will be ushered to your suites by a Maasai warrior, all while being serenaded by the sweet melody of his flute accompanied by the sounds of the bush. The rest of your day is at leisure for you to unwind, relax and enjoy the panoramic views of the Mara River from your pavilion.
Meals included: BLD
There is no better way to spend your first morning in the Masai Mara than exploring the bush on one of our customised 4x4 vehicles accompanied by your expert guide. Let him take you to all the hidden spots and listen to him talk about the Mara’s rich eco-system. From acacia-studded savannah, riparian forest and woodland which attract more than 300 bird species to a stunning variety of animal life all year round, you are in for a treat. If travelling between July and August don’t miss the chance of witnessing the Great Migration.
Back at the camp enjoy a cooling shower with mesmerising views before sitting down for lunch. In the afternoon we recommend heading out to meet local communities. Whether you wish to visit a school to see how Sanctuary Retreats’ philanthropy projects impact the daily lives of the local community, or meet the members of a local Maasai tribe, our guides will happily assist.
Upon your return, freshen up and treat yourself to an in-room spa experience with our team member professionally trained in facial and body massages.
Finally, end your day sipping on cocktails around the campfire recalling the day’s events, and head in for an early night to best enjoy the next day.
Meals included: BLD
In the early hours of the day, you will be driven out to the Masai Mara in the morning’s darkness. After the captain’s safety brief, board the hot air balloon* as it inflates above your head. Take off, and rise in the air while the surrounding white noise slowly dissipates leaving you with the occasional roar of the flames keeping the balloon afloat. Once high enough, look down and watch the landscape of the Masai Mara light up to the fiery sunrise that spreads under your feet. Drift through the air for an hour before landing back on firm ground to the smell of a freshly cooked breakfast for you to enjoy in the bush before returning to camp to spend the rest of your morning at leisure.
After lunch in camp, head out for an afternoon game drive to soak in your last few moments in the Mara. Top it all off by enjoying cocktails in the bush with an African sunset as a backdrop.
Upon return to camp, soak in your bath. Relax and unwind to the flowing white noise of the Mara river below. Sit down to a last sumptuous dinner accompanied by stunning views of the bush and the African night sky.
* Additional cost applies and subject to availability at the time of booking
Meals included: BLD
Enjoy a leisurely morning relaxing at camp or venture out early on one last morning game drive before transferring to the airstrip for your light aircraft flight to Nairobi to connect with your onward flight.