OVERVIEW

This Dream Safari, led by wildlife photographers Yaron Schmid and Amy Montminy, focuses on Kenya’s most magical wildlife opportunities:

• Play with baby elephant orphans at Sheldrick Nursery on World Elephant Day!

• Track rhinos and Northern Kenya’s Special 5 in Lewa Conservancy

• Witness the Great Migration of Wildebeest and Zebras, plus the Big Cat predators who follow them, in Masai Mara!

• Enjoy intimate encounters with big cats and other animals in Mara’s private conservancies!

We’ve carefully curated luxury lodges and camps set in the hearts of the reserves and conservancies to guarantee you the very best and most intimate wildlife experiences. Our guests have been lucky to witness The Great Migration, animals giving birth, intimate encounters with big cats (including hunts, leopards and lions on “honeymoon” and mothers carrying their newborn cubs) not to mention gorgeous sunrises and sunsets!

MAIN SAFARI: August 12-21, 2027

AUG 11/12: ARRIVE NAIROBI
They say if you blow into an elephant’s trunk, s/he’ll remember you forever. On August 12 - WORLD ELEPHANT DAY - you’ll enjoy a very special, private and interactive encounter with the Sheldrick elephant orphans! (Arrive by Noon on August 12 or the night before to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime encounter that’s sure to light up your soul!

AUG 13-16: LEWA CONSERVANCY
Lewa Conservancy is home to one of the highest diversity of mammals in Africa. Track Kenya’s “Big 5” (rhinos, leopards, lions, elephants and buffalo) as well as the “Special 5” unique to the area (Grevy’s zebras, reticulated giraffes, gerenuk, beisa oryx and Somali ostrich). You may also see spotted hyena, hippos, antelope, and over 350 different species of birds. We also love Lewa for its opportunities to get out of the vehicle and encounter wildlife during exciting horseback rides and walking safaris.

AUG 16-19: MASAI MARA NR
Famed for its large population of black-maned Masai lions, African leopards and Tanzanian cheetahs, Masai Mara is known as “The Jewel of Kenya”. Explore Mara’s rolling hills and plains for a chance to spot big cats like The Blackrock and Topi Prides of Lions, “famous” leopards like Luluka, Jilime and Kazuri, plus The Great Migration of Wildebeest, elephants in the sunrise, giraffes in the magic hour, and zebras “fighting” in the dust. We strive to fulfill your every desire to make this the trip of your lifetime!

AUG 19-21: OLARE MOTOROGI CONSERVANCY
Olare Motorogi is an area of extreme beauty with an abundance of leopards, including Tito and her daughter Akira, plus Figlet, Furaha and Faulu — daughters of famous Fig! It provides amazing opportunities to photograph giraffes, topi and other animals in the sunrise, and you may even be lucky to witness a birth!

AUG 22: DEPART OR CONTINUE TO NABOISHO CONSERVANCY

NABOISHO EXTENSION: August 22-24, 2027

AUG 22-24: NABOISHO CONSERVANCY
With its high concentration of wildlife and low density of tourists, visitors to Naboisho enjoy exceptionally intimate wildlife encounters – day and night. The Conservancy is home to an impressive number of big cats — including the largest lion prides in Africa.

SHELDRICK “PRE-EXTENSION”: August 9-12, 2027

NOTE: This extension PRECEDES the Main Safari.

AUG 9: ARRIVE NAIROBI
Arrive Jomo Kenyatta International Airport where you’ll be greeted by your guide and escorted to your hotel for your overnight stay.

AUG 10-12: SHELDRICK ELEPHANT UNIT AT ITHUMBA
Limited to just Six Participants
Celebrate World Elephant Day by enjoying intimate, interactive experiences with the orphaned elephants rescued by Sheldrick Wildlife Trust as they transition back to the wild at Sheldrick’s “Re-Integration Unit” in Tsavo East. Huge herds of wild elephants, including big tuskers, also frequent the unit, and it’s a fabulous opportunity for elephant lovers and wildlife photographers alike to enjoy and photograph these gentle giants from the ground.

Each day at Ithumba offers 3 interactive experiences with the elephants:
1. Arise at 5:30am to witness the elephants' 6am feeding.
2. At 11am, the elephants gather around a large waterhole to drink and have a “mud bath”. Interacting with the orphans as they play in the water will be in experience you'll remember always.
3. At 5pm, watch the elephants get their bedtime milk, play, and go back to their stockades for the night.

In between, you’ll enjoy sumptuous food, prepared lovingly by Sheldrick’s extraordinary chefs, and have the option of game drives around Tsavo East, which is host to a plethora of animals, including wild dogs.

SUPPORTING KENYA’S CONSERVANCIES

Why do we love conservancies like Lewa, Olare Motorogi and Naboisho?
1. They’re GORGEOUS!
2. They’re private, with only a few boutique camps.
3. They have higher concentrations of wildlife than the National Parks.
4. Driving off-road is often permitted, allowing for more intimate sightings/photography.
5. The number of cars at animal sightings are limited to 4 or 5 to protect the animals, so there are no “mob scenes” as you may see in the parks.
6. Exciting night game drives and walking safaris offer a fantastic compliment to your safari!
7. But the most important reason to visit a conservancy is……
It’s a magnificent and powerful way to support Kenya’s people and animals!

Prior to the creation of conservancies, animals outside the protected areas of the parks suffered serious decline due to human-wildlife conflict. Now, since landowners collect income from the conservancy fees and lodges, they no longer think of wildlife as a nuisance or a threat to their livestock, but something valuable that needs to be conserved and protected. As a result, the animals’ populations in these areas are starting to thrive again. And because conservancies also support schools and hospitals, the communities are thriving too!

COST:

COST VARIES PER NUMBER OF GUESTS AND LENGTH OF STAY.
PLEASE CONTACT US FOR INDIVIDUAL PRICING.