Arrival Day - Arrive Nairobi
There are numerous carriers into Nairobi (Jomo Kenyatta International Airport). We recommend any daytime flight, from London or another European city, which arrives in Nairobi by the early evening. It is best to spend a night in Nairobi on arrival to rest and regroup.
Day 1- Nairobi to Chyulu Hills to Lenkiliriti camp
Transfer from the Nairobi hotel early in the morning to Wilson Regional Airport (Nairobi) to connect with the Safarilink scheduled flight departing at 7:30am to Ol Donyo Wuas (if coming from another safari destination within Kenya, a private charter may be required). On arrival, Patrick, Nicola and Ride Kenya’s guides and hosts will meet guests. We then depart for the first mobile campsite where the horses are ready and waiting. Patrick and Nicola will have selected each horse based on the Guest Information Sheet received prior to the guests’ arrival. After lunch in camp, guests have a chance to settle in and take a bit of a rest before the adventure begins. We depart on our afternoon ride at about 4:00pm. This afternoon’s ride is designed to give guests a feel for the safari, a chance to become acquainted with the horses and to ensure a perfect match between horse and rider. Should a guest not feel happily paired with a horse, then there will be an opportunity to change horses at this time.
This afternoon’s ride meanders through the Lenkiliriti, the local Maasai’s term for the spectacular volcanic landscape. We are likely to encounter klipspringer, baboon, Coke’s hartebeest, Rock hyrax and gerenuk, which reside in and around the volcanoes. Out of the rocky landscape, the ride emerges onto a vast plain. It’s the ideal location to end the day with a sunset drink and the first embrace of Africa. On return to camp, there is time for a hot shower, a cocktail around the fire and a supple three-course dinner.
Day 2 – Macaruru day trip
The first morning in the bush! After a delicious breakfast in camp, guests and the guides will depart on a five to six hour round-trip ride through Macaruru, an area of Chyulu East National Park. This wild and untouched area of Kenya, where the scenery is incredible, offers a most spectacular ride. With luck, guests will come across signs of the elusive Black Rhino, the last wild population in Kenya. We will use our best tracking skills in hopes of catching a sighting of this stunning species.
Throughout the ride, it is possible to see eland, kudu, giraffe, Coke’s hartebeest and Mountain reedbuck (a rare antelope that prefers the dense foliage of the hills).
We stop for a rest and a hosted picnic lunch under the shade of a sprawling acacia tree. It’s a lovely spot for a cool drink and some sustenance, before continuing with the ride back to the Lenkiliriti camp. After a refreshing shower, guests can join a night drive in search of the nocturnal wildlife of the area, such as hyena, Bat-eared fox, serval cat, porcupine, and more.
Day 3 – Lenkiliriti camp to Crater camp
After a filling breakfast, we depart through the acacia forest toward Chyulu East National Park. The ride weaves through seemingly endless stands of whistling thorn acacia before our ascent into the Chyulu Hills. As we make our way, there are ample opportunities to canter, gallop and jump.
Deep in the forest, it is likely to encounter exceptionally large, resident, bull elephants browsing on the acacia. Zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, oryx, gazelle, cheetah and even lion, are likely in this area as well. Over the course of the day, the ride ascends about 2,000 feet high above the plains with stunning views stretching for up to 90 miles on a clear day. After a picnic lunch, we continue our descent to camp,
nestled into a forest next to a large volcanic crater. Its position, overlooking the archetypal East African plains humbles even the most seasoned safari connoisseur.
After settling into Crater camp, guests can spend the late afternoon climbing the nearby volcanic crater in pursuit of the very rare Verreaux’s eagle, which nests in the rocky outcrops of the crater rim. Should climbing not appeal, then guests can opt to explore the lava tubes surrounding camp. These jagged caves stretch for miles, and have been used as shelter by hunter-gatherers for generations.
After this full day, hot showers, cocktails and a home-cooked meal await.
Day 4 - Mist forest day trip
Ascending another 2,000 feet into the Chyulu Hills, to over 7,000 feet above sea level, a noticeable change in climate and temperature occurs. Commanding views of the vast wildernesses of Tsavo East, Mt. Kilimanjaro and Amboseli National Parks dominate today’s landscape. Due to the altitude of the area, clouds often sit on the top of the Chyulu Hills. This consistent moisture has created micro-ecosystems, where miniature jungles dot the summits. This ride is a four-hour one-way ride, ending in one of the largest mist forests in the Chyulus. The terrain consists of steep slopes and valleys and it may be necessary to lead horses on occasion.
On arrival at the grand mist forest, the horses depart for the return to Crater camp. Guests and guides enjoy a picnic with incredible views. Then, we enter the mist forest on foot, in pursuit of the buffalo, leopard, Syke’s monkey and Giant forest hog. After our tracking and exploring, we return to Crater camp by vehicle, where there’s time for a relaxing sundowner and closure to another day of adventure.
Day 5- Crater camp to Plains camp
Our descent out of the high forests of the Chyulus, takes us through sprawling acacia forest and onto a vast sandy lugga. Years of wind erosion have exposed ancient soils, where archeologists have discovered stone tools made by some of the first hominids to walk the Earth. Here, stone chips and simple stone tools known as hand axes have been collected and studied by scientists. In this area, we will also keep our eyes out for signs of lion. Although, it is highly likely that the lions will be fast asleep deep inside the shady lava flow, their tracks in the sand will give us a sense of the previous night’s activity and could possibly lead us to a sighting. These tracks will also give us a plan for the evening, when we will return with a vehicle and spotlight in hopes of locating the lions as they set out to hunt.
After about a five-hour ride, we arrive at our next campsite, set on the plains with views of grand granite outcroppings, called kopjes. What could be a better place to enjoy the evening’s sunset! We climb on top of the kopjes, with a stunning view of Mt. Kilimanjaro, and take in this absolutely exquisite location.
Day 6- Kopjes day trip
We rise early for our last day in the wilderness, and set out to explore the area behind the landmark kopjes where a dry riverbed awaits. Our dawn ride ensures comfortable temperatures, early morning wildlife and a sunrise over the Chyulu Hills with the sun highlighting Mt. Kilimanjaro’s summit.
On arrival at the dry riverbed, we are often welcomed by large herds of elephant, which dig for water. It’s a chance to canter along the river’s banks, through soft sand. We are likely to encounter some local Maasai herdsmen there as well. They, like the elephant, survive in this area by digging into the dry riverbed for water. After a five-hour ride we return to the kopjes for well-deserved lunch, followed by a last game drive, bush walk, or both.
Day 7- Depart Chyulu Hills
After an early breakfast at Plains camp, it’s time to bid farewell. After a week together, it’s a bittersweet departure, but one with many fond memories. The Safarilink scheduled flight departs at 8:30am for Wilson Regional Airport (Nairobi). On arrival in Nairobi, it is possible to connect with numerous scheduled flights to other regions in Kenya and East Africa or depart on evening international flights to Europe.
