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Days Kenya Cultural Safari
Day 1: Nairobi
Meet on arrival at the airport and transfer to GBM Lang'ata
Learning Centre, nestled in the quiet Lang'ata neighbourhood
approximately 25 minutes from the city centre. The Center is
located on a 5 acres property and has a fully furnished
5-bedroomed house and 10 traditionally constructed cottages.The
grounds are beautifully covered with gardens and a total of 18
different species of trees. Several species of birds can be
identified. Guests will refresh and settle in then will gather
for a briefing on the culture safari and a series of
talks/information on GBM, communities, politics, and economics
of Kenya. Dinner and overnight at the Center.
Day 2: Sightseeing in Nairobi
After breakfast, the group will set out on a sightseeing
excursion starting with the nearby Giraffe Centre for a short
history of the Centre and a talk on wildlife conservation, then
come the exciting moment of feeding the endangered Rothschild
Giraffe. The group will then visit the Karen Blixen Museum
situated at the foot of the Ngong hills, the original home of
Karen Blixen of the Out of Africa fame. Lunch will be at GBM
Langata Learning Center followed by an afternoon trip around the
city of Nairobi and its suburbs, with the opportunity of meeting
other organizations that are agents of development to learn how
they participate in various community development activities.
Back at the Learning Center, guests will watch a film A Quiet
revolution" that shows good practices on our environment. Dinner
and overnight.
Day 3: Nairobi/Muranga
Depart Nairobi after breakfast and take a relaxed drive through
Kikuyu countryside arriving at the host village in Muranga
around mid-day. After introduction and lunch, guests will be
taken to their host families to settle down and be acquainted
with each other. The homes are in close proximity and each host
family welcomes at least three guests including a GBM staff
member to assist with translation where necessary. On the first
evening guests and their host families gather in one place to
sing and eat together.
Day 4: Activities with the community
After breakfast in the respective homes, guests, accompanied by
some members of the host community gather at a central place for
a talk about the history, culture, and present-day status of the
community, and the involvement of the Green Belt Movement. Then
activities of the day begin, which will include preparing of
seedbeds, establishing tree nurseries, and planting of trees on
a public land.
Other activities will include food security where guests are
introduced to indigenous food crops thriving in the area and
will participate in such activities as planting, harvesting and
even cooking some of these foods.
In relation to civic education & advocacy, the community will
share an experience or guests attend part of an ongoing seminar.
Dinner and overnight in homes.
Day 5: A visit to Aberdare Forest
To understand the extent and dangers of deforestation, guests,
in the company of members of the host community will travel to
Aberdare Forest, a tropical forest that covers a vast section of
the Aberdare Ranges and which have been destroyed through
haphazard harvesting of trees for timber and wood fuel. Guests
will walk around to enjoy the rich and diverse fauna and flora,
before joining members of this community in a tree planting
campaign. This is usually a big event involving even the local
administration.
Guests drive back to their village home in Muranga for a
farewell dinner during which community members are encouraged to
display their handicrafts for sale or exhibition.
Day 6: Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga
After breakfast, guests gather together to bid farewell to their
"families" and community members, before departing for the
nearby Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga, an Agikuyu cultural heritage
site. This is a mythical place of origin for Kikuyu community,
therefore, honored and maintained as a sacred site. A detailed
history of this cultural heritage site which begins with a very
interesting creation story will be told by Aramati (elders) who
are the caretakers of the site. Guests will undertake a ten
minute walk from the site to Gathambara, the waterhole of the
first Agikuyu family - Gikuyu, Mumbi and their children. This
hole never dries up and continues to provide clean water for the
local community. Back at Mukurwe Wa Nyagathanga, guests will be
entertained with several traditional songs as they participate
in a food festival of well-cooked Kikuyu indigenous foods.
Late afternoon drive back to Nairobi. Dinner and overnight at
GBM Langata Learning Center.
Day 7: Nairobi/Amboseli
Depart Nairobi in the morning for Amboseli National Park
arriving Amboseli Serena Lodge in time for lunch. The park is
famous for its big game and great scenic beauty whose entire
landscape is dominated by Mt Kilimanjaro. Afternoon game drive.
Dinner and overnight at Amboseli Serena Lodge.
Day 8: Amboseli
Early morning pre-breakfast game drive at 6.30am, when you have
the best chance to see the majestic Mt. Kilimanjaro. Return to
the lodge for late breakfast. The rest of the morning is at
leisure. You can opt to take a swim or visit a local Maasai
village. Afternoon game drive. All meals and overnight at
Amboseli Serena Lodge.
Day 9: Lake Nakuru
Depart Amboseli after breakfast and drive via Nairobi and onward
to the floor of the Rift Valley making a stop to marvel at the
incredible site of the escarpment as you enjoy a picnic lunch.
Arrive Lake Nakuru National Park in time for an afternoon game
drive. Besides the flamingos that the lake is famous for, there
are approx 400 other species of birds visiting the lake. Also,
many species of game can be found in the park including the
introduced Rothschild's giraffe, waterbuck, reedbuck, lion,
buffalo, leopard, baboon and many species of plains game. Lake
Nakuru National Park was designated as Kenya's first rhino
sanctuary and has both black and white rhino. Dinner and
overnight at Lake Nakuru Lodge.
Day 10: Lake Nakuru/Naivasha
Early morning game drive in Nakuru Park then return to the lodge
for late breakfast. Depart shortly after for Lake Naivasha
arriving Elsamere Conservation Centre in time for lunch. The
Centre is the home home of the late Joy and George Adamson who
both became famous for their conservation work. It is named
after Elsa, the lioness whose life is recounted in Joy's book
'Born Free'. After lunch, guests will be invited to watch a
video, "The Joy Adamson Story" and visit the museum and shop at
the centre. Dinner and overnight at the Centre.
Day 11: Naivasha/Maasai Land
Depart Elsamere after breakfast and drive further on the floor
of the Rift Valley to Maasai land arriving Narok in time for
lunch at your hotel. Afternoon visit of Maasai Education
Community Centre where the group will receive a talk on MED and
a lecture on the Maasai culture, followed by a visit to a local
Maasai village. There will be perfomances by the villagers and
guests and villagers will interact freely. Return to Narok
Chambai Hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 12: Maasai community project
Depart after breakfast and drive to one of the schools supported
by MED where the group will undertake in part construction of a
classroom (or other identified need). Necessary materials will
have been prepared in advance. Enjoy lunch at the school while
interacting with teachers/students. If time allows, a few guests
will teach 1 or 2 English lessons and there may be a football or
volleyball match with the students. Return to Narok Chambai
Hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 13: Maasai Mara
Depart Narok after breakfast and proceed to Maasai Mara Game
Reserve. Game drive en route to Mara Sopa Lodge for lunch. Take
a swim after lunch or just enjoy the scenery of the game reserve
before embarking on your afternoon game drive commencing approx
4.00pm. Dinner and overnight at Mara Sopa Lodge.
Day 14: Maasai Mara
Full day in Maasai Mara, Kenya's most popular game sanctuary
where you will have the best opportunity of spotting the Big
Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino and elephant). Morning and
afternoon game drives with an optional hot air balloon safari at
dawn. All meals and overnight at Mara Sopa Lodge.
Day 15: Nairobi
Depart Maasai Mara in the morning and drive back to Nairobi
arriving Langata Centre for lunch. Afternoon at leisure/freshen
up and park. Farewell dinner at The Carnivore Restaurant then
transfer to the airport for onward flight back home. End of our
services.
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