Mount Kenya – Empakaai Cultural Safari

Kenya’s hidden gem: Meru National Park

Mount Kenya region

Welcome to one of the largest and most beautiful National Parks of Kenya. Meru National Park is a vast and varied ecosystem, situated to the east of Mount Kenya. It does not often get included into the trip itineraries, whilst it is definitely worth a long and thorough exploration. Meru National Park is a perfect destination for a curious wildlife enthusiast with passion for calm landscapes, long game drives, the story of Lioness Elsa of Born Free, encounters with Big Five and watching beautiful birds.

Meru National Park was one of the two areas where Joy and George Adamson raised the lioness Elsa. The grave of Elsa is located on the National Park’s territory: at the Park’s southern end, off the northern bank of Ura River.
This is a birdwatcher’s paradise with over 400 bird species recorded.
Established as a National Park in 1966 and governed by Kenya Wildlife Service.
Home of African bush elephant, hippo, Grevy’s zebra, leopard, cheetah, eastern black rhino, southern white rhino and many others.

Waterways, home to many wild inhabitants, define many game drive routes here

Grasslands and doum palms of Meru National Park

Roads are comfortable even for a full day game drive

Waterbuck, zebra, lesser kudu, hartebeest share generous grasslands

There are two roads to Meru National Park from Nairobi:

Via Nyeri and Nanyuki. This travel option is perfect for those who wish to visit Aberdare area, Mount Kenya and game reserves nearby (we recommend Ol Pejeta game reserve), and Samburu National Park. You will experience a drive with increasing altitudes, stunning scenery and many encounters with developing rural Kenya.
Via Embu to Meru. A busier road with local traffic, more suitable for experienced drivers familiar with the area.

Ikweta Safari Camp

We recommend Ikweta Safari Camp: the home of affordable safari luxury, just 2 km away from the Murera Gate of Meru National Park. Their tents are large, beautifully decorated with local crafts and well equipped with carefully maintained facilities. At Ikweta Safari Camp you will also find an excellent swimming pool, well supplied restaurant and a great setting for a romantic dinner under the star studded sky.

Relaxed, cosy and private
All comforts in your tent
Reading, chatting or just observing and listening to nature?
Nature is always nearby, even when you take a nap

Planning your trip to Meru National Park

Empakaai Cultural Safari team is always here to help you plan and organise your trip to Meru National Park, or create a tailor made trip including this exciting hidden gem of Kenyan wildlife.

Treat your body, mind and senses with wild nature of Meru National Park… and a stunning sunset!

Visit our Instagram @empakaai_cultural_safari for more impressions from Meru National Park. Write to us: empakaai.cultural.safari@gmail.com

Book your trip to Africa early with 20% discount

Not yet decided where to go and what to see in Africa this year? Here are some of our favorite places to help you out. And if you confirm your trip before May 1st 2015, for any departure date in 2015, we will give you a 20% discount per person on the trip price.

You choose your timing, places you want to see and you let us know what is important for you during your trip. The specialists of Empakaai Cultural Safari team will make a proposed itinerary and a price offer. We will include a 20% discount per person if you confirm your trip with Empakaai Cultural Safari before May 1st 2015.

Now just have a look at some beautiful places in East Africa that truly deserve to be on your must-see list for this year:

Maasai Mara National Park

Why go there: To get as far away from the hectic artificial world as possible. To be overwhelmed by the endless nature around you. To experience your best and closest encounters with the Big Five, and many others.

Lake Baringo

Because only here you can try to learn the names of the many tribes that live on the shores of Lake Baringo. Experience a gamedrive “Lake Baringo style”: you relax on a terrace with a cup of coffee or tea (or a glass of wine or beer), while animals and birds come close to you (beware of crocodiles!). Wake up at night because of a noisy hippo grazing right next to your tent.

Lake Nakuru

We love it here because rhino’s in the National Park are used to safari vehicles being around, so if you are careful, you can come really close to admire them. Because flamingo’s are back. Because some of our favorite lodges are close by (and they are affordable by guests with any level of budget).

Mount Kenya

Why we think you’ll love it here: pleasant cool climate and fresh mountain air, an endless choice of activities, a fascinating wildlife and you are still very close to Nairobi and to Nanyuki.

Samburu National Reserve

This place is an absolute must because local Samburu community runs really good camps next to the Samburu National Reserve, and they do not overcharge you for their perfect catering and simple chalets with all conveniences. Wildlife experience in this area is priceless (read more here and here).

Zanzibar

Why visit (or return to) Zanzibar: Place with an interesting past, excellent levels of service and some of the most loved diving and snorkelling locations in the world. Zanzibar is often offered as a final destination on the trip. And it is absolutely a wonderful place to rest after an exciting safari – read more here, here and here.

And these are just very few of the fascinating places in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Empakaai Cultural Safari will help you to plan your own unique trip – the choice is yours about the places you want to see (on our routes or nearby), how long you want to stay where, when you want to visit.

Contact us on info@empakaaiculturalsafari.com before May 1st 2015 to book your trip with 20% discount. Let the Empakaai Cultural Safari team take you on a well organized and exciting safari this year!

First impressions Mount Kenya, Samburu and Maasai trip

In the last days of the year 2014, we finished a beautiful trip following our Mount Kenya, Samburu and Maasai itinerary. This time we took a slightly different route and went to see Kericho as well. All logistics with transportation, hotels and excursions went really well and our guests went back home fully satisfied and inspired!

This trip was an amazing, diverse and refreshing experience for everyone. You can really see and feel Kenya through the places we visited: her beauty, her challenges, her pain and her pride. It is an ideal route for someone who wants a short retreat from a hectic life and wants to stay truly inside Africa for a brief while.

Here are just some reasons why this trip might be an excellent choice just for you:

1. Short driving distances. On most days we could afford long relaxed afternoons, or extended times for breakfast with no hurry to start hitting the road. Even going back to bed after watching the sunrise was possible!

2. Different landscape every day. No endless desert, village or bush views day after day. How about green hills, followed by pineapple fields, then brown and green valleys dotted by rocks… and next day, soft mountain silhouettes carrying blue waters in their curves?

3. Good mix of bush, mountain forest and water wildlife. Take a good reference book with you, because the variety of animals, birds and plants is simply overwhelming. Kenya’s wildlife is so incredibly diverse, it will feel like you’ve seen wildlife of five countries instead of one.

4. All useful conveniences are nearby. Should you, in the midst of your relaxed time in the wild, suddenly start craving for a cup of good cappuccino, a pizza or a glossy magazine, you will be able to satisfy yourself within a day. Besides Nairobi, you will find that Nakuru, Nanyuki and Narok have nice and well run supermarkets, shops and restaurants.

Here are just some first impressions from the places we visited.

Day 1: Mount Kenya

Approaching Mau Mau caves during the walk in Mount Kenya forest — Approaching Mau Mau caves during the walk in the forest surrounding Mount Kenya

Day 2: Samburu National Reserve

We met this beautiful family of elephants during the evening drive, and then again during the morning drive in Samburu National Reserve — We met this beautiful family of elephants during the evening game drive, and then again next morning, during the morning game drive in the Samburu National Reserve

Day 3: Thomson Falls

It was very easy to relax and unwind while watching the Thomson Falls — It was very easy to relax and unwind while watching the fascinating waters of the Thomson Falls

Day 3: Lake Nakuru

We reached Lake Nakuru late in the afternoon and saw many of its residents catching the last rays of sun for the day. Wait until we show photos of a white rhino we were lucky to see!

Day 4: Lake Baringo

Rarely can you come as close to wildlife as when visiting Lake Baringo. A truly fascinating place.

Day 5: Kericho

Kericho is all about tea, with its green tea fields extending till the horizon, smells, hotel names, souvenirs, you name it – it will have something to do with tea!

Day 6 and Day 7: Maasai Mara National Park

Maasai Mara is simply overwhelming. We had many exciting encounters there! — Maasai Mara is simply overwhelming. It felt like there was nothing else on the planet Earth, but this fascinating space, where elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest and lions are at home.

Day 8: Lake Naivasha

Lake Naivasha is nice to admire from a distance, and there are also places to hike very near (something to remember for a next trip!) — Lake Naivasha is nice to admire from a distance, and there are also places to hike very near the lake that give stunning views (something to remember for a next trip!)

Day 9: Nairobi and goodbyes

Nairobi was very hectic that afternoon with its heavy traffic, but we could catch a glimpse of a city center. — Nairobi was very hectic that afternoon with its heavy traffic, but we could catch a vibe of a city center before departing to the airport.

We will be adding photos, travel diaries and stories about the highlights of this trip, as we are digesting the impressions in our heads and sorting out the photo materials!

Contact us on info@empakaaiculturalsafari.com with any questions about the Mount Kenya, Samburu and Maasai trip and for any booking enquiries.

Trip departure on 13 December 2014 – join us!

Join the trip starting 13 December 2014!

On Saturday 13th December 2014, we are departing from Nairobi at 9am to start our Mount Kenya, Samburu and Maasai trip.

We are inviting travellers to join us on this small group safari, run by the Empakaai Cultural Safari crew.

This awesome view of Lake Nakuru is like a magic forest, with trees standing in the blue water and tender pink flamingoes under the trees. Fantastic!

Have you ever dreamed of standing at the foothills of the magnificent Mount Kenya?

Feeling one with nature while admiring one the Great Rift Valley Lakes, dotted by tender pink flamingos?

Getting a dose of excitement watching a wild rhino at a close distance (or a rhino family)?

Hitting the road early in the morning, watching sunrise, sunset and a magic sky of Africa every day (at least for 8 days)?

Go with us on this intensive and exciting journey (see the full trip description here). We will return to Nairobi on Sunday 21st December 2014.

The price of this trip is USD 1800, to be paid in cash in Nairobi prior to trip departure.
The trip price includes: All accommodation, all park fees, meals as indicated below, transport and fuel, all excursions.
Accommodation: budget hotels / lodges.
Camping in tents is possible, this needs to be agreed with us in advance, so that we can provide a tent for you. Please contact us for a revised price.
Max travellers on the trip: 6
Transportation: own safari vehicle
Crew: trip leader, driver, cook
Meals: 6 out of 8 trip days are Full Board based (breakfast, lunch and dinner prepared by the cook). 2 out of 8 trip days will be Half Pension based (breakfast and lunch will be provided, we choose not to cook dinner on these days because there is a good restaurant in our hotels). We will discuss your food preferences with you on the first day of the trip.

Please contact the Empakaai Cultural Safari team at info@empakaaiculturalsafari.com with any questions or queries. We will be happy to answer all your questions and help you to book your trip.