Family Safari - Your Family Adventure in Kenya

Safari Information

Family Safari - Your Family Adventure in Kenya

Samburu | Masai Mara

Valid from 3rd January-19th December 2023

A 6 nights / 7 days family journey of fun and adventure through two of Kenya’s most loved wildernesses.

This life-enriching family journey perfectly combines fun and adventure, luxury and relaxation, wildlife and culture, for parents and children alike.

Encounter Africa’s storybook wildlife up close, from the giant crocodiles and hippos of the Mara River and large prides of lion on the plains, to the enormous herds of Samburu elephant and the Samburu Five – rare species only found in Samburu. Discover the Maasai and Samburu tribes, learning first-hand about their ancient customs and local knowledge in Saruni’s unique Warriors Academy - our interactive learning programme designed specifically for families

with children. Explore the teeming open plains and private forested valleys around Saruni Mara and the unending, rugged vistas of Saruni Samburu– an unrivalled family experience.

We have listed 2 x child’s prices.

For domestic airlines - a ‘child’ is considered up to 11 yrs old, with 12 yrs old and above considered an ‘adult’.

For Saruni accommodation - a ‘child’ is considered up to 16 yrs old.

Included:

All-inclusive accommodation (full-board accommodation including soft drinks, beers, house wines and select non-luxury spirits), a family villa (subject to availability), one complimentary Back & Neck massage (30 min.) per room per stay at our Wellbeing Space, limited laundry service, shared day & night game drives in 4x4 vehicles, guided bush walks, bush meals, sundowner & picnic excursions, half a day of Warriors Academy (upon request in advance), local cultural visits transfers, all internal flights and return airstrip transfers, airport assistance, temporary Flying Doctors cover, daily conservation fees, VAT & taxes.

Excluded:

Exclusive use of vehicle, premium drinks (champagne, luxury spirits and special wines), additional Wellbeing Space treatments, any payable extra activities, entry fees to local cultural visits, childcare, transport & entry fees to Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in Samburu (bookable in advance), transport & entry fees to the Masai Mara National Reserve in the Mara, gratuities to staff & guides, own private guides & drivers, any payable extra services, anything of a personal nature, international flights & visa fees, late departure fees, and all statutory increases beyond our control.

Saruni Samburu:

Saruni Samburu’s six luxury villas are open and spacious, heralding spectacular views over Kenya’s Northern Frontier District and Mount Kenya in the distance. The warm and welcoming hospitality makes for an intimate and exceptional experience. The lodge is revered for its innovative, eco-chic architecture and interesting design and décor, as well as its Italian-inspired cuisine. Guests can enjoy the vast panoramas from the dining and lounge area, the infinity pool and the Samburu Wellbeing Space. Saruni Samburu is the only lodge in Kalama Conservancy, which borders Samburu National Reserve, with 200,000 acres of unspoiled wilderness to explore and enjoy exclusively. You are guided from start to finish by Samburu warriors who are passionate about their land and their culture, learning first-hand about their fascinating customs and traditions and gaining ancient, local knowledge about the land and the animals – a truly authentic experience.

Activities and amenities: day and night game drives, photographic hide, bush meals, guided walks, birdwatching, Samburu Wellbeing Space treatments (payable extra), picnics, two swimming pools, helicopter excursions (payable extra), Samburu cultural visits (payable extra), Saruni Shop, Reteti Elephant Sanctuary (bookable in advance & payable extra).

Saruni Mara & Saruni Wild

Saruni Mara has one family villa, one private villa and five elegant cottages, and is the only small boutique lodge in the Mara, making it very intimate and exclusive. The beautifully decorated themed rooms have a luxurious and classic safari feel. The lodge is tucked away in a secluded valley in the private Mara North Conservancy, a prime and private game viewing area, which borders the Masai Mara National Reserve – the most renowned wildlife park in Africa. Enjoy the Italian-inspired cuisine and being immersed in nature from your private verandah, the Maasai Wellbeing Space and the open lounge and dining area. Maasai warriors will guide you throughout your stay, sharing their ancient wisdom and local knowledge of the area and the animals, their way of life and their secret corners of the most loved wildlife reserve in Kenya. Saruni Wild is a tented camp elegantly and comfortably furnished with all the necessary luxuries of a wild yet classic safari. The camp is located in the heart of the Masai Mara plains, on the border between Lemek Conservancy and Mara North Conservancy. Surrounded by tens of thousands acres of pristine, untouched wilderness, the camp has the most classic Masai Mara setting. The wildlife thrive right next to its tents. Enjoy endless views, fire-lit meals under the vast African sky, guided game drives led by Maasai warriors. Activities and amenities: day and night game drives, bush meals, guided walks, birdwatching, Maasai Wellbeing Space treatments (payable extra), picnics, library, balloon safaris (payable extra), Saruni Shop.

Sample itinerary

Day 1 – Saruni Samburu

• Arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, where a Saruni vehicle will transfer you to Wilson Airport for your flight to Samburu.
• Depart Nairobi in the morning*, arriving at Samburu an hour later, where your Saruni Samburu guide will meet you and transfer you to the lodge, or take you on a game drive.
• Afternoon game drive on Kalama Conservancy exploring over 200,000 acres of pristine wilderness in total privacy and sundowners with a breathtaking view.

Day 2 – Saruni Samburu

• Early morning game drive into Samburu National Reserve to seek out the ‘Samburu Special Five’: the reticulated giraffe, the Grevy zebra, the beisa oryx, the Somali ostrich and the gerenuk, all rare species that occur only in this part of the country, and look for its well known larger wildlife including elephants, lion and leopard. Enjoy a picnic lunch before heading back to the lodge to relax for the afternoon.
• Enjoy a complimentary half hour Back & Neck massage upon arriving back at the lodge at the Samburu Wellbeing Space.

Day 3 – Saruni Samburu

• Continue to explore the wonders of Samburu with a morning game drive into the National Reserve discovering the delights of life along the Ewaso Nyiro: crocodiles, birdlife, bathing elephants and much more.
• Enroll in our Warrior’s Academy for the Experience original Samburu villages - learn how to use bows, arrows and spears, and how to bead traditional artifacts whilst listening to tribal stories and songs.
• Evening game drive in Kalama Conservancy, the 200,000-acre private wildlife conservancy in which Saruni Samburu is located, ending with abush dinner under the stars in the middle of the wilderness, and a night drive back to the lodge. The Samburu warriors dancing, candles and fire under the vast African skies, make this a truly magical experience, and one of the highlights of your stay.

Day 4 – Saruni Mara / Saruni Wild

• Depart Samburu on your flight in the morning* and arrive in the Masai Mara an hour and a half later.
• Game drive with a picnic lunch to enjoy under an acacia tree or by the river next to a pod of Or head to Saruni Mara or Saruni Wild for some rest and an exclusive game drive later in the afternoon in Mara North Conservancy – over 30,000 acres of plentiful, protected land bordering the Masai Mara National Reserve. Enjoy a completely different and less-explored corner of the Mara ecosystem in total privacy, brimming with wildlife.

Day 5 – Saruni Mara / Saruni Wild

• Early morning game drive to look for the big cats and other predators of the Mara, returning to the camp or lodge for lunch and treatments at the Maasai Wellbeing Space.
• In the afternoon, a game drive will take you to a special area where the largest tower of giraffe can be seen, followed by dinner at the lodge or camp and an optional night game drive.

Day 6 – Saruni Mara / Saruni Wild

• Walk through the valleys and plains surrounding Saruni Mara, accompanied by a vehicle, or a game drive up to the top of Kilileoni, the highest mountain in the Serengeti-Masai Mara ecosystem - led by your skillful and knowledgeable Maasai
• Enroll in our Warrior’s Academy for the Encounter Africa’s storybook wildlife up close and refine your bush skills, as you study the giant crocodiles and hippos of the Mara River. Discover the ancient wisdom of the Maasai learning first-hand about their customs and local knowledge of the animals and landscape and traditional plants used for medicine.
• Weather permitting, experience a bush dinner in the middle of nature under the vast African sky, with Maasai warriors singing and dancing around the fire.

Day 7 – Departure

• Visit the rhino sanctuary on the way to the airstrip and once again admire the hippos and the crocodiles of the Mara River.
• The flight back to Nairobi leaves the Mara at 11:00 AM and arrives in Nairobi at 12:20 PM.
• Transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport with Saruni driver and vehicle. Depending on the time of your international flight, stop at the Talisman or Carnivore restaurant for dinner.

Note:

• The Saruni Sales and Reservations team can modify and tailor this itinerary to suit your personal preference. Baggage allowance on internal flights is 15kg per person, preferably in small, soft bags without wheels. Seats on the schedule flights are subject to availability at confirmation. Rates with children or single occupancy are available upon request.
• *Flight times and durations may vary depending on airline and routing, and are subject to change.