Kenya’s Timeless Beauty

Fly to remote and wild Meru National Park and stay at Elsa’s Kopje, named after Elsa of “Born Free” fame and set on the rocky outcrop blending perfectly with the surroundings. Meru is little visited and utterly unspoiled. You discover a wilderness that has everything from the jungle, coursing rivers, verdant swamps, tall grasslands, and kopje rock formations (one of which your stunning lodge is built on!). Meru has a wide range of wild animals including lion, leopard, cheetah, eastern black rhinoceros, southern white rhinoceros, the African bush elephant, rare Grevy’s zebra, hippopotamus, and many more.

Over your time in Meru enjoy game drives spotting and photographing the animals and developing a keen eye for the hardest to locate. Wonderful meals, drinks, and relaxation in the incredible setting that is Elsa’s Kopje. Known to be unashamedly romantic and beautifully styled, Elsa’s Kopje is sculptured into the hill above the site of George Adamson’s original camp where he released orphaned lions, one of them being Elsa herself.

The majesty of Africa is all around you on the Laikipia Plateau. You feel inconspicuously small in this wide-open space among the creatures you watch with awe. A place of timeless beauty, Lewa Conservancy is one of the lesser-known wildlife areas in Kenya and the ability to take walking safaris is one of the reasons it is a very special safari destination. On a walking or camel safari, you will enjoy the feeling of the unrestrained adventure and romance of the African wild.

Located on the vast Laikipia plateau, one of Kenya’s biggest stretches of wilderness and Africa’s most successful wildlife conservation area, Laikipia has more endangered species than anywhere else in all of East Africa. Ten percent of the entire endangered black rhino population and fourteen percent of the white rhino population in Kenya live in Lewa because of its unprecedented conservation efforts. You have the chance to see the Big Five during your time at Lewa in addition to many unique animals seldom found elsewhere, including the endangered Grevy’s zebra, blue-legged Solami ostrich, reticulated giraffe, giraffe-necked gerenuk, and the elusive wild dog. There are few things quite as thrilling as tracking lions or leopards with your expert safari guide and seeing elephants drinking at a watering hole or a tower of giraffes meandering by. You can opt to go on a camelback safari, which is another way to have an exciting experience up close and personal. Lewa Conservancy was transformed from a sprawling cattle ranch into a conservation area by conscientious landowners who believed in working closely with the region’s communities. During your time at Lewa, you will gain insight into the conservancy’s efforts and enjoy an abundance of exciting activities.

“The Mara” is known for its great herds of plains game, like black-maned lions, leopards, cheetahs, and elephants, as well as virtually every other kind of animal found in Kenya. Highlights during our time here include phenomenal game viewing, a walk along the banks of The Mara River—where hippos and crocodiles are often seen in great numbers—and exploring the optional activities in The Mara, which include bush dinners and sundowners, visits to a local school and other cultural experiences, and of course the legendary early morning hot air balloon safaris over The Mara, among others. Culturally, the reserve is extraordinary because of the proud and colorful Maasai who inhabit the area who cover themselves with their red cloaks, a sharp contrast to the earth tones all around you. The park is without a doubt one of the greatest safari destinations in Africa and you will have the best seats in the house. There is really no predicting what will happen next while on safari you are on safari nor what mind-blowing stories and photographs you will bring home with you. Maasai Mara—a vast savanna grassland, dotted with acacia trees, with rolling hills and breathtaking panoramas in every direction—is one of the best places in all of Africa to spot the Big Five.

This isn’t an easy one because the genesis of the two itineraries come from the same place: adventure in Africa and the life-changing aspects that come with experiences of this depth. This 10-Day safari affords you the opportunity to spend the first three days of the journey in one place versus Essence of Kenya where you only spend two days before moving to the next destination. Timeless Beauty lets you settle into the rhythm of Africa a little more slowly in a fantastic wildlife park most people miss. All of our Kenyan trips end up in “The Mara” with a chance to witness the greatest immense movement of animals in the world: the Great Wildebeest Migration (July through October).