Nairobi Tented Camp

Nairobi: 1 Night

Nairobi Tented Camp is an intimate tented camp in the heart of the Nairobi National Park. Set deep within a riverine forest just a few kilometres from Jomo Kenyatta Airport, Wilson Airport and Nairobi City, this is a true and unique wilderness experience. Visitors can arrive into Kenya and get 'straight under canvas' within half an hour of leaving the busy airport. Nairobi the only city in the world to boast a 12,000 hectare National Park, teaming with wildlife, right on its doorstep.

Each of the 9 double tents are spacious and have an exclusive yet friendly feel. The bathrooms are en-suite with a bucket shower. Hot water is heated over a log fire and brought to your shower when you're ready. Comfortable beds are wrapped in cosy blankets and soft towels are at the ready after you've washed away the red Nairobi dust from the day. Chairs and a table on the veranda are the perfect spot for relaxing and enjoying the sounds of the bush.

Low watt LED lighting in each of the tents runs off rechargeable batteries and solar panels, otherwise guests can enjoy the romance of candles and lanterns - a truly authentic tented camp experience.

There isn't anywhere else in the world like it - a wilderness escape where you can savour the thrill of camping in the heart of thick bushland right on the doorstep of Nairobi.

Porini Amboseli Camp

Amboseli National Park: 2 Nights

Porini Amboseli Safari Camp is located within the exclusive 15,000 acre Selenkay Conservancy, which is 10 miles north of the Amboseli National Park.

Activities include game drives in specially designed open-sided 4x4 Land Rovers, both on the Conservancy and in the Amboseli National Park. Bush walks and night drives can also be enjoyed on the Conservancy. The stunning Mount Kilimanjaro can be viewed on a clear day, making a beautiful backdrop to any photograph.

Guests have the opportunity to see a wide variety of wildlife, including elephant, lion, leopard, cheetah, buffalo, striped hyena, jackal, African wild cat, porcupine, Thompson's and Grant's gazelles, gerenuk, impala, oryx, eland, zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, warthog, and vervet monkeys. Birdlife is prolific, especially birds of prey.

Other activities include walks to the local Maasai village, and for guests staying 3 nights, there is also the opportunity to do a full day bush walk, and camp out under the stars in a 2 man dome tent for a really unique safari experience.

Accommodation is in 10 spacious en-suite tents, including one family tent, set amongst shady acacia tortilis trees. All tents are comfortably furnished and have solar power electric lighting with en-suite bathrooms including hot 'bucket' showers, wash basin and flush toilets. The family tent consists of 2 tents connected together by a private lounge area in between. There are no permanent structures like a bar or restaurant or swimming pool - this is real camping in the African bush, but in comfort!

Meals are taken under the shade of an acacia tree and after dinner guests can sit around the campfire and listen to the sounds of the African night. The camp is staffed almost entirely by members of the local Maasai community.

Porini Rhino Camp

Laikipia Plateau: 2 Nights

Porini Rhino Camp is located in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, a 90,000 acre wildlife conservancy situated between the foot hills of the Aberdares and the magnificent snowcapped Mount Kenya. The camp is hidden in a secluded valley and set amongst shady acacia trees on the banks of a seasonal river. The conservancy boasts an astounding variety of animals including the Big 5 (both black and white rhino, leopard, elephant, buffalo and lion), as well as reticulated giraffe, cheetah, zebra (including the rare and uniquely striped Grevy's zebra), Grant's and Thompson's gazelles, vervet monkeys and impala.

The Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary is incorporated within the Ol Pejeta Conservancy and is the only place in Kenya where this highly endangered and remarkably intelligent species can be seen.

Game drives are taken in the camp's 4x4 safari vehicles with qualified safari guides. Night drives are also offered, to enable guests to see the nocturnal animals. The hide overlooking the waterhole at the camp also offers a unique opportunity to spot game from very close as the wild animals that come for a drink. Guided walks are taken on the open plains escorted by Masai warriors.

The camp is very environmentally-friendly, with solar powered lighting, and no permanent structures like a bar or restaurant or swimming pool. There are 7 spacious guest tents, including one family tent, each comfortably furnished with en-suite bathrooms with flush toilets and hot 'bucket' showers. Each tent has been sited to have beautiful views of the surrounding area. The family tent consists of 2 tents connected together by a private lounge area.

An overnight walking safari (additional cost) can be added to your stay at Porini Rhino Camp. Escorted by Samburu and Masai guides with an intimate knowledge of the wildlife, people and landscapes, this is a memorable experience. Departing early in the morning from camp, you walk between 8 km and 15 km, stopping for refreshments along the way. Pack camels carry your tent and equipment, and you arrive to a fully set up basic mobile camp where you spend the night.

Porini Mara Camp

Masai Mara: 2 Nights

Porini Mara Camp is the only safari camp in the exclusive wildlife conservancy of Ol Kinyei, a beautiful wilderness area located less than 18 km from the Masai Mara Reserve boundary.

Ol Kinyei is home to open savannah plains, riverine forests, springs, streams and rivers, rolling hills and on top of this, it offers spectacular views across the Mara.

The Conservancy belongs to the Masai community who set aside the area as a sanctuary for wildlife. The conservancy is home to a wide variety of the wildlife species for which the Mara is famous, including a large resident pride of lions.

Activities include day and night game drives in the Conservancy itself. Game drives are conducted in open-sided 4x4 Land Rover safari vehicles.

Full day game drives in the Masai Mara National Reserve, complete with a picnic lunch, can also be arranged.

Guests can also go on escorted walks on the Conservancy with Masai guides, and a very popular activity is having a sundowner drink while watching the sunset from one of the many scenic viewing points.

The camp has just 5 spacious guest tents and one family tent. The tents each have an en-suite bathroom, with a flush toilet and a hot 'bucket' shower. Guests staying here can truly enjoy the experience of real camping in the bush, but in comfort!  The family tent consists of 2 tents connected together by a private lounge area.

There are no permanent structures like a bar or restaurant or swimming pool, and the camp is powered by solar lighting.

After dinner guests can sit around the campfire and listen to the sounds of the African night, or watch for shooting stars in the star-clad sky.

Sands at Chale

The Kenyan Coast: 5 Nights

Lying just 4 degrees south of the equator, The Sands at Chale is situated on Chale Island and offers a combination of white beaches, tropical plants, a laid back island flair and true Kenyan hospitality.

Situated 600 meters off the mainland and 10 km south of Diani, and measuring just 1.2 km long and 0.8 km wide, two-thirds of the island is covered by an ancient mangrove forest, which boasts the tallest mangrove trees in East Africa and a mystical inland tidal mangrove lake. A secluded bay, covered with snow-white powder fine coral sand, is protected by a vibrant coral reef. Turtles frequently lay eggs in the sand here, adding to the charm of this magical island.

There is a PADI centre offering daily dives to a selection of dive sites. Shallow coral reefs dropping to depths of 30 meters abound with marine life and the added highlight of frequent Whale shark sightings from November to February make this a diver’s paradise. Other activities include beach snorkelling, boat snorkelling, glass bottom boats, kayaking, game fishing, and catamaran sailing. There are 3 swimming pools, a spa which offers a wide range of treatments to pamper and re-energise you, and a the fitness room as well.

With steps leading straight down to the center of the beach, the main restaurant is ideally situated to give the true island feeling, and friendly staff are at hand to serve Espressos, cold drinks, cocktails and a wide variety of wines and spirits at the bars. the Mkoko Bar is the perfect spot for a sundowner. Located out of the water, and providing uninterrupted views as the sun sets over the mainland, with both tables and hammocks available there is no better place to spend your evening.

The hotel offers 6 categories of accommodation to suit different tastes and budgets.

The Standard Rooms have breezy verandas facing the ocean. The Beach or Lagoon Bandas, with their high, palm thatch roofs, offer views over the beach, or encompassing the lagoon, mangroves and the setting sun over the Shimba Hills in the distance. The Penthouse Suites feature a separate sitting room, a veranda with a stunning 270 degree view of the ocean and an upstairs grotto with a jacuzzi on the roof facing the sunset, giving you the ultimate all round island view. The Overwater Suite is, as the name suggests, located 'over the water'. Finally, the Suite on the Rock is set on a separate islet connected to the main island by a stone bridge.