rotary safari

At a Glance
Contact Us
Reservation

Rotarian Action Group Endangered Species and Lake Chelan Rotary, have formed a joint venture with Kosen Safari’s (Rotarian owned Kenyan safari company) and Rhino Mercy (Rotarian founded US conservation NGO operating in the Greater Kruger National Park of South Africa).  This Rotary partnership provides a unique African safari designed by Rotarians for Rotarians.  This African safari adventure combines the traditional safari experience with visits to local Rotary clubs and Rotary projects.  Rotarians Hillary Kosen and Tom Tochterman believe experiencing the good works of Rotary in the context of the African bush will benefit Rotarian effectiveness in addressing and meeting the values of Rotary and living the Four Way Test.  This program and itinerary will:

  • demonstrate that saving endangered species can advance economic and community development by providing jobs and services in the discipline of conservation,
  • demonstrate that effective delivery of basic education and literacy can be enhanced by introducing relevant environmental curriculum at the primary school level in communities most affected by human/wildlife conflict, and
  • demonstrate that by discouraging wildlife crime and providing alternatives to affected communities that peace and conflict resolution can be advanced in the absence of the false economy provided by poaching and overharvesting.

Join us in Africa for a wilderness experience that will change your life while making you more committed to “Service Above Self” than you thought possible.  The itinerary that follows may not be exact but provides an excellent outline of what to expect.  You will also find biographical information for Rotarians Hillary Kosen and Tom Tochterman.

Safari Leadership

Dr. Tom L. Tochterman

Rotarian Tom L. Tochterman:  Since 2009 Tom Tochterman has traveled frequently to the Republic of South Africa spending most of his time in the bushveld of the Greater Kruger National Park.  His passion for the Savannah landscape began after his first photo safari.  While on safari he experienced an ‘ah ha’ moment in the presence of a pride of lions and was so amazed at how the experience affected him he began to ask himself why.  The moment was so powerful it inspired him to go back to school and study the phenomenon of environmental ‘ah ha’ moments.  He began an academic journey leading to a PhD; researching the influence of cognitive dissonance on the consumption of natural resources and ecosystem degradation.   Dr. Tom was awarded his doctorate in 2016.

Dr. Tom is founder and President of Rhino Mercy, a US non-profit 501c3 tax exempt organization whose mission is to 1) aid in the fight against wildlife crime and specifically the poaching of rhino in South Africa, 2) support youth environmental education programs and scientific research, 3) support the development of technology for use in conservation, and 4) encourage voluntourism in support of conservation initiatives.  Tom co-authored the Balule Rhino Conservation Plan for Balule Nature Reserve and the co-founded the internationally recognized all female anti-poaching unit named The Black Mamba APU; the unit was awarded the United Nations Champion of the Earth award in 2016 and has been the subject of numerous documentaries and journal articles.  For more information about the work of Rhino Mercy please visit www.RhinoMercy.org

Further, Dr. Tom and his South African partner Mr. Craig Spencer, Director of Transfrontier Africa NPC, operate a research camp located in the Balule Nature Reserve, Greater Kruger Park National Park where university students conduct field work for environmental research projects and social science research.  The camp is also used to accommodate volunteers that help with various conservation projects throughout the reserve.

Dr. Tom uses luxury lodges and their guides on Balule Nature Reserve to provide a world class sub-Sahara safari experience.  Combined with opportunities to engage in real world subjects of anti-poaching, environmental research, and with local Rotarians, this African immersion is an excellent start to a comprehensive Rotarian field trip into the worlds most wild and pristine places.

Kosen was born and raised in a small village in Narok Kenya, as a young boy growing up in the savannahs of Southern Kenya, his eventful childhood was one spent in the splendors and the dramas of the untamed Africa where wildlife ruled supreme. His travel experience has evolved out of his deep love and passion for the African wildlife and wild places.

Kosen’s father was a Safari guide for over 25 years and was among the pioneers of the modern-day safaris. As a young boy and throughout his teenage years he accompanied his father on many safaris expeditions, from those early days the savannahs of East Africa and their majestic wildlife stole his young heart and planted it deep in the wilds of Africa. Those childhood memories go with him on every safari he takes to Africa. Kosen is therefore very fortunate to have travelled extensively in East Africa and experienced firsthand the beauty of the land and her people.

Today Kosen is the President and Founder of Kosen Safaris-Africa a family owned company which specializes in Exclusive / Tailor-Made safaris to East Africa with offices in the USA, Kenya and Rwanda and presence in Tanzania and Uganda. All our offices are run by highly qualified personnel who are chosen for their absolute dedication to understanding those wonders that make East Africa unique. For ten years we have been customizing great safari itineraries for clients from all over the world to enjoy safaris to some of the best wildlife reserves and parks in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda with the emphasis on the more personalized and smaller safari camps and lodges.

Hillary Kosen

Our Proudest claim in all our safaris programs is that ‘We have been there” and we never count on luck to giving our guests a safari experience like no other. We pride ourselves in our attention to detail and we always go out of our way to offer the best service possible. We don’t just aim to meet our clients’ expectations; we strive to exceed them by providing quality products, value for money and a more personal service, we constantly work to deliver the exceptional.

At Kosen Safaris we passionately believe that travel should respect the natural environment and benefit the local communities. In furtherance to this goal we are actively supporting projects that directly benefit those local communities that we travel to, today Kosen Safaris and Chelan Rotary club is sponsoring 26 girls and 5 boys at Nkoilale primary school as part of our community and social responsibility. We believe strongly that education is the key to a brighter and a more productive future. We are committed to educating more girls, we know firsthand that an educated girl is a change maker: An educated girl will: Stay healthy, Save Money, build a business, empower her community, lift her country and change the world!

Our solar lights project has helped to bring free solar electricity to families living in rural Africa where basic infrastructures are none-existent. This project is helping uplift and enriches the lives of the indigenous communities while building a stronger foundation for the future generation and protecting the environment- one solar panel at time!

At the core of our mission is the belief that protecting Africa’s wildlife and wild landscapes is the key to the future prosperity of Africa and her people, we have made it our goal to help ensure that Africa’s wild resources endure.

Day 1 – Johannesburg, SA

Arrive in Johannesburg South Africa at Africa’s most modern International Airport, OR Tambo International.  Rotarian Tom Tochterman will be waiting as you enter the main passenger terminal after clearing passport control, customs, and baggage claim.

We will check into one of the airport hotels (Southern Sun Hotel, City Lodge Hotel or Hotel Intercontinental).  After a short rest meet in lobby for local wine, group introductions, and discussion of itinerary.

  • Arrive at OR Tambo International Airport (ORT), Johannesburg South Africa
  • Meet and greet at airport with host, Rotarian Tom Tochterman
  • Check into airport hotel

Day 2 -The Three Rondavels

Depart the Johannesburg for the wild African Savannah with rest stops including The Three Rondavels, with a view that rivals the Grand Canyon.

Arrive at the main gate of the Balule Nature Reserve, Olifants West entrance.  This is the official beginning of  your adventure and Big Five apex predator safari experience!  We will trek across the reserve to find your luxury accommodations.

  • Drive to Balule Nature Reserve, in the Greater Kruger National Park (approximately 6 hour drive with rest/scenic stops)
  • Arrive at Ezulwini Game Lodge
  • Evening Safari (arrival time permitting, game drives begin at 1630hrs)

Balule Nature Reserve

Balule Nature Reserve shares an unfenced border with the renowned Kruger National Park providing an unforgettable safari experience.

Ezulwini Game Lodge

Ezulwini (Zulu for paradise) offers lodges of outstanding quality.  Experience superb service and traditional cuisine in exceptional, panoramic, African settings.  Indigenous African fauna and flora enhance your visit to this timeless continent. 

Lodge has its own unique character and charm, and will provide you with an authentic, atmosphere-filled, African adventure.  Relaxation comes easily when surrounded by the restful allure of nature in our ecologically orientedlodges.  

After your departure, the hospitality experience will provide you with enduring memories.

Day 3 – Photo Safari

The photo safari on Day 3 begins at sunrise!  Don’t worry coffee, tea, and rusks will be waiting for you!

After the morning game drive and breakfast we will venture off the reserve to a primary school in a local village where an education officer teaches the relevance of good environmental stewardship; the Bush Babies Environmental Education Project is endorsed by Rotary Action Group Endangered Species.

We will return to the reserve in time for an evening safari!  The nocturnal animals are some of the most understated beauties of the bush!

Bush Babies

The Bushbaby (Galago moholi) symbolises and defines our Environmental Education Program, where learners are the ‘Babies’ of the community learning about the ‘Bush’. With the support of local communities, tribal authorities and participating schools the Bush Babies Program is now at 10 schools within the communities boarding the western boundary of Kruger National Park. Currently, reaching 870 children aged between 12-15 years old, we aim to create an environmentally literate community.

The Bush Babies Program is interlinked into the curriculum of the local schools, bring knowledge to life whilst raising awareness about their surrounding environment, providing a better understanding of conservation and leading to sustainable use of resources and ultimately installing an ethical ethos in our future generations.

The schools are visited on a weekly basis, by our Black Mamba Environmental Education Officer and a different aspect based on the theme of the day is discussed to familiarize the learners with their natural environment and emphasizing the importance of protecting it for future generations. Black Mamba Rangers make regular visits to the schools and teach the learners about poaching and how they are working to protect these species and how its affect’s them personally as well as the environment. The Bush Babies youth education program aims ultimately to create a greater sense of environmental patriotism toward the natural heritage of indigenous peoples.

Day 4 – Photo Safari

If we are lucky you will see all of these animals on your morning Safari.  After the morning safari and relaxing day at the lodge we will spend the evening doing a Rotary make-up at the Rotary Club of Hoedspruit, South Africa.

Waterbuck

Hoedspruit Rotary

Hoedspruit is a town in the North East corner of South Africa adjacent to the world famous Kruger Park.  Once a sleepy railway halt, it is now a town of approaching 4000 people and is the epicenter of the ecotourism and game conservation industries in South Africa.  It hosts tens of thousands of tourist each year, and has a thriving mango, avocado and citrus growing farming community. The tourism, farming and associated support industries have made Hoedspruit one of the fastest growing commercial and residential communities in South Africa today.  

The Rotary Club of Hoedspruit (Hoedspruit Rotary) was formed in 2015 and its members’ efforts have already established it as a significant entity in the community through the projects and other activities undertaken by them.  In 2016 over R 100,000 was raised and distributed by Hoedspruit Rotary for the benefit of anti-poaching and community upliftment programs.

Day 5 – Hoedspruit Endangered Species

After resting up from another morning safari, we will go off reserve to visit the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Center (HESC) where many species live under the care and custody of well trained animal keepers.

HESC is not a zoo rather a sanctuary for rescued animals many of which are intended to be reintroduced into the wild. A once in a lifetime experience up close and personal to some of the most exotic sub Saharan animals.

Day 6 – Safari & Sigagule Children’s Center

After a morning game drive and breakfast back at the lodge, we will visit the Sigagule Children’s Center in the village of Acornhoek then return to the lodge for lunch, some rest and relaxation, and the evening game drive.

Sigagule Children’s Center sponsor, the Rotary Club of Hoedspruit South Africa.

‘Sigagule Smiles’ created with cupcakes!  A rare after school treat brings out their best behavior!

After school arts and crafts…enriching young minds!

The Sigagule Children’s Center in Acornhoek South Africa is a facility located in an area plagued by extreme poverty and immediately adjacent to the Kruger National Park.  South African Medical Expeditions (SAME, https://www.sameonline.org/ ) currently provides critically needed support for the communities most vulnerable orphans and children at risk of disease and death.  Between game drives on the reserve you will visit the center and have an opportunity to witness the good works of local Rotarians in partnership with the staff at Sigagule Children’s Center.  The center provides:

  • Over 2100 meals per month to Orphans and Vulnerable Children.
  • Monthly food parcels to 33 OVC homes containing nearly 100 children.
  • Monthly fees, transportation, and day care support to nine toddlers.
  • Assistance to two day care centers serving up to 140 pre-school children.
  • Free weekly pediatric medical clinics serving nearly 800 patients.
  • Daily school vitamins to schools and creches totaling over 1000 children.
  • Parasite treatment to over 1000 children every six months.
  • Weekly TB/HIV treatment and support clinics to HIV+ patients.
  • Community center with supplementary after school education, food, activities, and support of Orphans and Vulnerable Children.
  • Private high school education tuition, transportation and other expenses for two Orphan and Vulnerable Children students who have been supported and nurtured by SAME for over seven years each.
  • Daily food, clothing, blankets, and supplies for over 100 Orphan and Vulnerable Children homes containing nearly 200 children.Ongoing training for Health Care Workers and Home Based Caregivers within the communities.
  • HIV testing, HIV/Aids prevention, counseling, and treatment for all the children in their care.
  • Free weekly transportation to government run HIV clinics.
  • Transportation and hospital fees for desperately ill people.
  • Maintenance and restoration of homes where orphans live, including building kitchens and fences for safety.
  • Two growing community gardens providing vegetables to Orphan and Vulnerable Children homes.
  • Support from visiting USA volunteers to Orphan and Vulnerable Children homes and projects.
  • Provision and installation of malaria nets and malaria education in all Orphan and Vulnerable Children homes served by SAME.

Day 7 – Safari & the Black Mamba’s

Founded in 2013 by Transfrontier Africa NPC and Rhino Mercy, to protect the Olifants West Region of Balule Nature Reserve. Within the first year of operation the Black Mambas were invited to expand into other regions and now protect all boundaries of the 52,000ha Balule Nature Reserve, part of the Greater Kruger National Park.  The Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit became an immediate success.

Their teams work to the concept of the “Broken Window” philosophy, striving to make the area of influence the most undesirable, most difficult and least profitable place to poach any species. With a passion for wildlife and rhino conservation, these women are the voice in the community through their conservation work.

The objectives of the Black Mamba project are not only the protection of rhinos through boots on the ground but also through being a role model in their communities. These 32 young women and 1 man want their communities to understand that the benefits are greater through rhino conservation rather than poaching, addressing the social and moral decay that is a product of the rhino poaching within their communities. They are concerned for their children’s sake as the false economy has brought loose morals and narcotics into their communities.

Day 8 – Safari & Return to Johannesburg

There is no better way to remember your time in the Kruger National Park than during a sundowner.  The African sunset with all that it conceals and brings to life will forever change how you view the world and how it must be protected and enjoyed. As you have experienced the sun setting on the African landscape hold dearly the sights, sounds, and smells; the smooth and the rough; the life, death, and birth; the weak and the strong. Remember that it takes all of it to make such a wild and beautiful landscape.

As you return to urban life and your work life routine, it is our sincerest wish that your time in Africa will inspire you with a renewed outlook of those around you, the places you work and play, and a new appreciation for the importance of ‘pro-environmental choice making’.  We hope that you too had that ‘ah-ha’ moment during your visit and you are moved to return to this spiritual place…the African bush.

Day 9 – dep. Johannesburg arr. Nairobi

Upon your arrival at Jomo Kenyatta international Airport in Nairobi Kenya Rotarian Hillary Kosen will pick you up and take you to your luxury city hotel.

Kosen is a member of the Lake Chelan Rotary, a native Kenyan and an experienced safari guide.  There will be meeting to discuss your upcoming visit to the Massai Mara and the Rotary projects you will see.

Kenya is the home of the Safari. The lure of Kenya has always been the same, the sheer variety of landscape, wildlife, human cultures and experience. For over a hundred years Kenya has attracted adventurers and romantics from all over the globe. This magical land has been the setting of some of history’s greatest adventure stories. This is the home of Out of Africa, a place where setting out on an adventure into the wilderness became an age-old tradition.

The spirit of the Safari lives on today. The romance of sundown drinks and of evenings around a campfire with the distant roar of a lion in the African night is found in Kenya.

Offering the perfect fusion of European luxury and Kenyan hospitality, Villa Rosa Kempinski is a unique destination where guests can spend time relaxing or working.

In addition to the 200 rooms and suites distributed throughout its ten floors, you will also find exquisite dining opportunities here. Our dining selection includes Cafe Villa Rosa, K Lounge our lobby lounge; Balcony Bar, Chinese Restaurant 88; Italian Restaurant LUCCA; and our Levant -style lounge and restaurant Tambourin.

Day 10 – Elephants & Giraffe

Today we visit the David & Daphne Sheldrick Elephant rescue center and the Giraffe education center.  Both of these locations are within Nairobi.  In addition, we will visit the jewelry center and in the evening have a social with the Milimani Rotary Club.  Milimani is involved with our Rotary projects in Kenya.

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is focused on the protection of elephants, rhinos and other wildlife at a field level, over the last 40 years we have aided countless African animals, from elephants to antelopes and always with the following in our minds – animals have a right to be free, to roam wild, and to be safe in their surroundings.

We have a responsibility to afford them that right and challenge those that would seek to take it away or harm them.  We are proud of what we have achieved, and we are grateful to those that believe in us and support us, making our lifesaving work possible.

There is much more to do, however in seeing what we have achieved and the difference we make every day, we know our experience and integrated field projects work for wildlife and, matched with your continued support, we can and we will achieve so much more in the years ahead.

The Africa Fund for Endangered Wildlife (A.F.E.W.) Kenya was founded in 1979 by the late Jock Leslie-Melville, a Kenyan citizen of British descent, and his American-born wife, Betty Leslie-Melville. They began the Giraffe Centre after discovering the sad plight of the Rothschild Giraffe. A subspecies of the giraffe found only in the grasslands of East Africa

This is the only sanctuary in the world within a capital city that enables you to come into very close contact with the world’s tallest yet endangered animal, the giraffe. We are situated in a quiet natural environment, whose biodiversity makes us home to a herd of Rothschild Giraffe, some Warthogs and over a hundred and fifty species of birds. We inspire children, youth and communities to interact with nature and conserve the environment for posterity.

Day 11 – What can a Rotary Global Grant do?

Today will be your first exposure to what a Rotary Global Grant can do and the Brighter Futures Project.  We drive two hours South West of Nairobi to Kisiriri Primary school where Rotary is helping to provide clean water, new latrine construction and  improved sanitation, classrooms renovations a school library and school desks.  In the future the plan is to continue the classroom renovations, help the school enter the digital age and provide additiona teacher training.

You will also have an opportunity to visit with primary school students and staff.

Kisiriri primary school is in the Mau forest, it is located 7,800 feet above sea level.  This is the school that Rotarian Hillary Kosen and your guide attended many years ago,  sadly, very little has changed since then.  There is no electricity and and until recently there was no clean water and the toilets the children used were in very poor condition.

Eighteen months ago, Lake Chelan Rotary began to look for partners that would be interested in submitting a Global Grant request to The Rotary Foundation.  With the help of Rotary Clubs in Australia, Canada, Kenya and the USA and a number of non-Rotarians, sufficient funds have been raised and a Rotary Global Grant has been approved.

The Global Grant has allowed  us to renovate a number of classrooms and provide the school with two rain water harvesting systems, 34 new toilets and 100 new school desks.  One of the rain water harvesting systems will be used to sell water to the local community to raise funds for the maintenance of the new facilities and additional school improvements.

Day 12 – Brighter Futures Project

Today we visit the village of Nkoilale to learn more about the Rotary Brighter Futures Project.  The Brighter Futures Project enables twenty four students to board at the school and provides them with school uniforms and personal necessities.  The project has also installed solar lighting into 73 local homes that has helped improve the lives of local Maasai tribe.

When we are finished at the school we will proceed to Siana Springs Camp where we will stay the night

Each of the 27 students supported by Brighter Futures at Nkoilale primary school have a sponsor.  Some are supported by Lake Chelan Rotary but many are supported by individuals, most of whom are not Rotarians. Students are provided with housing, food, school uniforms.  Four students have graduated from Nkoilale primary and are now attending secondary (high) school.  Unfortunately, secondary school education is not paid for by the government in Kenya.  Most of the girls who are part of the Brighter Futures Project have decided they want an education rather than be married at a very young age.  Before becoming a part of the project, parental consent is required (this is not always easy), and they must be accepted into the school by the school administration.

Through the combined efforts of Lake Chelan and Wenatchee Sunrise Rotary clubs solar lights have been installed in 73 rural homes around Nkoilale.  Everything needed is sourced and preassembling so that they are easy to install.  Each kit includes household light switches and USB charging connections.  You to can help by installing a light kit during your visit.

Self-sufficiency is a fundamental objective of the Brighter Futures Project.  A sewing room now exists in Nkoilale,  the objective is to develop a small business to tailor school uniforms, dresses and boys’ shirts.  Shelving, tables, two treadle sewing machines and a serger have been purchased and the sewing room is now producing school uniforms for students at local schools.

Storybook Libaries

Storybook libraries is a part of the Brighter Futures Project.  It presently supports two schools, Kisiriri Primary School and the Landmark Junior Academy.  Each of these schools have their unique challenges, but they each have one thing in common – students eager to learn.
Kisiriri Primary School, has a serious lack of lack of books in particular storybooks. The school library is in a locked closet in one of the classrooms.  The “library” has very few books and those that are there are old workbooks and a few old magazines.  There are no storybooks for the students to read.  The objective of Storybook Libraries is to change that.
With the help and cooperations of Rotary Clubs, schools and Chapter2Chapter
Therefore, when I arrived back home I asked for donations from friends, teachers, and family. I attended school district surplus sales and I even found a coupon online and attended the bi-annual Scholastic Books warehouse sale (buy one, get one free). I explored every avenue that I thought would help me build libraries for these three schools.
I am happy to report that on July 27th I successfully shipped two boxes (about 250 books) to Kisiriri Primary School and one box (about 125 books) to Landmark Junior Academy. I picked these two schools because I spoke specifically with each school’s administration on their desire to have a school library.  The first installment of books will arrive in mid-November.
It is my intent to recruit and solicited donated books and ship every 3 – 4 months until each of the schools has 1,000-1,500 books in their school libraries. I am also planning on contacting Nkoilale Primary School through our Rotary contact to see if they wish to start building a library also.
Each library will eventually support children ages 6 – 14. Kenyan children are taught Swahili and English and all lessons are in English. I am accepting any type of book that can support a variety of reading levels, from early learning beginning readers through chapter books for the more advanced readers. The goal is to provide an avenue for these students to thrive through imagination and personal growth.

Siana Springs Camp

SIANA SPRINGS/SIANA CONSERVANCY

The 29,000-acre Siana Conservancy was established in 2010 when land was set aside by Siana Group Ranch. The priority for the conservancy is wildlife protection. Therefore, the conservancy is not considered fully operational to the scale of its neighbors, but scouts and rangers regularly monitor the area. Siana Conservancy represents another ecologically-valuable buffer zone that extends the protection and conservation efforts of the eastern zone of Masai Mara. Guests who stay in the conservancy see many of the same large and small species. Giraffes, buffalos, elephants, gazelles, zebras, hartebeests, topis, elands, dik-diks and other foragers and grazers roam the savannah plains that provide adequate pasture and water sources. As such, the presence of these prey animals attracts and supports lions, hyenas, cheetahs, leopards and other carnivores, including African wild dogs that are occasionally observed in the conservancy. Wildebeests are considered both resident and migratory in the conservancy. The resident wildebeests are found in the Loita Hills, and African Mecca guests who stay in the conservancy during January and February may witness the birth of new calves. The land that has been set aside for Siana also serves as part of the path used by hordes of wildebeests and zebras as part of the Great Migration from July to October. The conservancy also hosts several research projects. Mara Predator Hub monitors and studies lions, African wild dogs and cheetahs, and Elephant Voices tracks pachyderm movements in the conservancy. The accommodations that are part of Siana are Leleshwa Camp, Mara Bushtops and Siana Springs Tented Camp; though, more safari lodgings are expected to join in as the conservancy matures. Its mission is to have a maximum of 10-member accommodations that will house a ceiling of 230 beds – around 115 double rooms (1 room per over 250 acres).

 

SIANA SPRINGS CAMP

Siana Springs in the local Maasai language means “the plentiful springs”.

It is truly an area of abundance in flora, fauna and cultural attributes. It epitomizes the best in diversity in all aspects as the species richness and natural history making the Camp an ideal eco-lodge from where you can partake to the world’s greatest wildlife spectacle – the wildebeest migration. There are also other mammalian species, enthralling bird species and the distinctive Maasai Mara ecosystem. The Camp has a rich history dating back to 1920, when the first Game Warden selected its current site for his Camp. The Camp is now located on a Wildlife Conservancy whose ownership was bequeathed to the local community in the late 1970s.

Day 13 – Visit Masai Village & Solar Lighting Project

Most rural homes in Kenya do not have electric light and have to rely on the light for the fire they use for cooking once the sun goes down.  This limits activity in the evenings.  Children or unable to do do homework, mothers are unable to continue with the bead work that provides a source of income and the fumes from the fire fills the home with smoke that contributes to health problems.  The addition of a simple soar light system can solve multiple problems.
Through the combined efforts of Lake Chelan and Wenatchee Sunrise Rotary clubs and a number of interested friends of the Brighter Futures Project, solar lights have been installed in 73 rural homes in and around Nkoilale.
The overall cost of installing solar lights in a home has now been reduced from $450 to $180 per home.  This has been possible by sourcing everything in Narok and by preassembling kits including household light switches and USB charging connections.
The hope is that 20 additional systems will be installed in the next few months.  If anyone is interested in becoming a part of this project, we would like to hear from you.

Day 14 – Masai Mara Game Reserve

MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE

Today you will awake to the exotic birdcalls in a magical new world with the aroma of Kenyan coffee brewing. We will meet at breakfast for a safari briefing afterwards we will start driving toward the world famous Masai Mara National Reserve. We will arrive at camp with enough time to settle in before lunch with a little time to relax before we head out on our first game drive.

The Keekorok Lodge/Camp is positioned to blend unobtrusively into the surrounding vegetation and has an authentic safari feel of days gone by. There is no better way to experience Africa than by spending a few nights under canvas and there is no better way to photograph than by camping in the heart of the migration! Sitting close to the campfire at night, you will enjoy the starry African night and once safely escorted to your room by your Masai Warrior, you will be lulled asleep to the sound of grazing Hippo and roaring lion.

Masai Mara National Reserve

Masai Mara National Reserve is one of the most popular tourism destinations in Kenya- Africa. The reserve is located in the Great Rift Valley in primarily open grassland. The Masai Mara is regarded as the jewel of Kenya’s wildlife viewing areas. The annual wildebeest’s migration alone involves over 1.5 million animals arriving in July and departing in November. There have been some 95 species of mammals, amphibians and reptiles and over 400 birds species recorded on the reserve.

Nowhere in Africa is wildlife more abundant, and it is for this reason a visitor hardly misses to see the big five (buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion, and rhino).

The Mara is known as one of the finest wildlife destinations in the World. There is an excellent chance of seeing the Big Five

Climatic conditions – Altitude 5,300 feet (1,600 metres). Rainy season from November through May, with peak rainfall in December-January and April-May. Dry season from June-November. Often sunny mornings with cloud build-up in the afternoons – during the rains this develops into thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening. Max temperatures up to 30°C and min temperatures around 20°C.

Wildlife – The Mara is known as one of the finest wildlife destinations in the World. There is an excellent chance of seeing the Big 5, cheetah, serval, hyena, bat-eared foxes, black-backed and side-striped jackals, hippo, crocodile, baboons, warthog, topi, eland, Thompson’s gazelle, Grant’s gazelle, impala, waterbuck, oribi, reed-buck, zebra.

During the migration (July to November) huge numbers of wildebeest move in.

Keekorok Lodge

This may be the oldest lodge in the Mara, but thanks to a recent makeover the 101 rooms are modern, bright and tastefully decorated with tribal arts and crafts. As well as being in the middle of the Mara, you also have manicured gardens and a wooden boardwalk that leads to a gazebo overlooking a hippo pool. The entire place feels like an expensive country club, though it’s not exactly intimate. Check its website for last-minute fly-in packages that include full board and game drives.   by lonelyplanet

Located in the Masai Mara nature reserve, Keekorok Lodge offers traditional-style accommodation with a private patio. The property has an outdoor pool with a terrace and views of nature.
The spacious rooms have a ceiling fan, mosquito net, hypoallergenic bedding and a balcony with views of the garden, the pool or the reservation.
The Lodge houses the Hippo Bar, which serves traditional dishes and overlooks the lake, and The Elephant Deck Restaurant, where you can enjoy a typical savannah dinner.
The property has a 24-hour reception and a children’s playground. Guests can go on safaris through the Keekorok nature reserve.
The property organizes a shuttle service to the Keekorok airfield upon request.

Over 700 square miles of lush, sun-drenched plains encircle Keekorok Lodge, the first property in the Masai Mara Game Reserve in southwest Kenya. The lodge was opened in 1962 and is ideally situated in the direct path of the spectacular animal migration that occurs every year from July to October. Guests can experience unparalleled safari adventures, and morning and evening game drives are a must for anyone visiting the reserve.

As your plane lands at the Keekorok airstrip, you will find yourself in the heart of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. You will be picked up in your own 4×4 Land Cruiser at the airstrip and, after passing a family of elephants or a herd of zebras on the short drive to the lodge, Keekorok Lodge will welcome you with open arms.  by sunafricahotels

Day 15 – Masai Mara Game Reserve

MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE

After an early morning cup of fresh coffee or tea you will head out for the magical plains.  Breakfast will be packed into a basket and carried with you, ready to be served anytime during the morning, whilst enjoying your morning game viewing safari. Your driver and guide will constantly be reading the herd and other wildlife movements and sharing with you the possibilities of sightings ahead, there will be ample time to observe wildlife going about their daily routines. Ample photographic opportunities abound all around you and our seasoned driver/guides will orchestrate the best approach possible to ensure that you are placed as safely to the sighting as possible, whilst always taking light, wind and shadows into consideration and aiming to remain a passive by stander rather than an intruder on any sighting.

Dinner at the Lodge/Camp can be outside under a canopy of Southern Hemisphere stars with pre-dinner cocktails and nibbles around the campfire to chat and discuss the days’ sightings.

Day 16 – Return to Nairobi

You spend this last morning in the Mara admiring the unspoiled Africa as you prepare to return to the Nairobi. We bid farewell to the camp staff and the friends we met here in Masai Mara. We head back to Nairobi arriving in the afternoon. Spend the remainder of the afternoon at leisure Later this evening you are transferred to the Airport for your flight home.

What is it Going to Cost?

The Price

The for this unique adventure is  $7,975 price per person based on double occupancy.

A single supplement of $975 will apply for people traveling alone.  Requests for single accommodations will be honored on a first come first served basis.

The cost of this safari is based on a minimum of 6 participants. If there are less than 6 participants prices will be higher.

Trip and cancellation insurance is highly recommended.

Payment Terms

  • A 30% Non-refundable deposit is required on the total cost of the trip.  This is due at the time of registration to secure your spot. Most travel insurance companies will allow you to purchase insurance to cover your deposit and then increase the amount as you make payments
  • Final payment/Balance is due 90 days

 Included:

  • All accommodations
  • All meals B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner
  • Village visit in Masai Mara
  • All airport transfers on arrival/departure days
  • Safari transportation using custom built Safari vehicles

What’s Not Included:

  • Visas
  • Travel and medical Insurance
  • Personal purchases (such as curios, spirit liquors, telephone calls, internet, laundry…)
  • Gratuities for the main driver/guides, camp/lodge staff and porters
  • Pre- and post-safari tours
  • Meals or accommodation before or after the safari
  • International flights to, from and within Africa

Method of Payment

  • Please mail checks to: Diceros Consulting LLC, PO Box 381, Chelan WA 98816, USA
  • Credit Card payments can be made by special arrangement.  Please use the Contact Button to request payment details
  • Payments can be made using a bank transfer