14 Days / 13 Nights Maasai Mara and Foster Elephants Safari Tour

How You Can Help?
The DSWT receives most of its funding from its fostering program, initiated by Angela. For a minimum of $50, you can adopt one of the elephants (or rhinos) presently in the Trust’s care for a yearor more. As a foster parent, you will receive, among other things, a fostering certificate with a profile and photograph of your adopted orphan along with a monthly summary listing highlights of the previous month together with a direct link to the Keepers’ Diary for your elephant. Looking for a unique gift this year, Christmas (or in general)? Look no further. Fostering is a present that can be enjoyed throughout the year.

Proceeds can go directly to David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, charitable entity, where you can also make a direct tax deductible donation.

Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi
Arrival at the Airport in Nairobi: You will be met by our representative with a signboard “Maasai Mara and Foster Elephants” or your name. Thereafter you will be transferred to Our Hotel for overnight stay.

Day 2: Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nairobi Nursery & Giraffe Center
Early morning breakfast, and later you will be met and transferred by our representatives to the Giraffe Center, home of the Rothschild Giraffe conservation sanctuary. We then visit the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nairobi Nursery for a 3 visits – public, private, and foster. Between visits lunch will be at Karen Blixen Coffee Garden or at Talisman Restaurant in Karen area.(The Talisman started as a small old house in Karen originally occupied by the famous wildlife photographer and author Alan Root in their youth). We end the day back at the Boma Hotel for dinner (on your own).

The Giraffe Center: It was started by Jock Leslie-Melville, the Kenyan grandson of a Scottish Earl, when he and his wife Betty captured a baby giraffe to start a program of breeding giraffe in captivity at their home in Langata. Since then the program has had huge success, resulting in the introduction of several breeding pairs of Rothschild Giraffe into Kenyan National Parks. In 1979, Leslie-Melville added an education center to his (then still private) giraffe sanctuary.
Elephant Orphanage / Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: Get up close and personal with orphaned elephants and Maxwell the rhino. This is where Dame Daphne Sheldrick perfected the raising and re-integrating of orphaned elephants into the wild. Here you will see the elephants being fed and playing. In addition, there is a keeper who will give a talk about the elephants, where they came from, how they are getting on, and how some of the previous orphans are progressing.
You have the opportunity to interact with elephants during our 2 private visits.

Day 3: Nairobi to Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya
After breakfast, we depart for the Maasai Mara National Reserve. It is an approximate 5-6 hrs or half day drive with scenic stops along the route to get to our camp.
We have lunch upon arrival followed by an evening game drive. Dinner and overnight will be at the Mara Ashnil or Entim Camp. Mara Entim Camp, Full Board, 3 Nights Due to availability the Entim Camp may not be available by the time of confirmation, will book a camp/lodge of equal quality.

Day 4 & 5: Maasai Mara National Reserve
For the next 2 nights we will call the exclusive Mara Ashnil or Entim Camp our home. These luxury tents are expertly designed and offer an unmatched safari experience. Nestled inside the Maasai Mara National Reserve, this prime location overlooks the Mara River (near the iconic wildebeest river crossing point).
See amazing views of Africa’s wildlife and vast wilderness from the comfort of your luxury tent. Daily you will have options for game viewing. We will take morning and evening game drives OR full day game drives. Morning and evenings provide the best lighting conditions, the temperatures are not extreme, and the animals are most active. You can also start your day with a balloon flight (extra) or visit a Maasai village (extra).

***Our private group will have the option to choose timing for our daily game drives***
Maasai Mara Game Reserve: is an extension of Serengeti National Park and a home to many species of animals including the Great Wildebeest Migration.
Thousands of wildebeest and zebra cross the Mara River traditionally from Jul – October each year as the animals follow the rain. The Maasai Mara stretches 580 sq miles. It hosts over 95 species of mammals and over 570 recorded species of birds. Together with the Serengeti National Park, there is no better place to witness some of the BEST WILDLIFE GAME VIEWING IN THE WORLD! This area is named in honor of the Maasai people (ancestral inhabitants of the area). Their description of the area when looked at from afar is “Mara”, which means “spotted”. The describes the circles of trees, scrub, savanna, and cloud shadows throughout the area.

Day 6: Maasai Mara to Nairobi
Today we depart for Nairobi driving through the Kenyan countryside. En route we shall stop for lunch at Cafe in Narok. When we reach the city we will visit the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nairobi Nursery for another evening foster parent visit. We will enjoy dinner as a group back at the Boma Hotel.
Dinner and Breakfast Included.

Day 7, 8 & 9: Umani Springs / Kibwezi Forest
After breakfast we depart for the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s private camp, Umani Springs in the Kibwezi Forest. We’ll spend 3 nights in this tranquil oasis.
We arrive in time for lunch followed by a visit to the Umani Springs stockade to see the elephants before they retire for the day. Each morning we rise early to visit the elephants before they head out into the bush for the day. We visit again for their afternoon mud bath and another evening feeding. Between visits we will relax back at the lodge. The lodge is private and will be all to ourselves! Enjoy the beautiful and tranquil surroundings and wonderful meals prepared by our private chef. Umani Springs is Self Catering Full Board, 3 nights

Day 10, 11 & 12: Ithumba / Tsavo East National Park
After breakfast we depart for Ithumba Camp in Tsavo East National Park. You will enjoy a game drive as we drive to our next destination. When we arrive at our camp we will settle in and enjoy lunch. If we arrive early enough we may have a chance to see the wild elephants have a mud bath today. We will enjoy 3 nights at Ithumba Camp spending lots of time with the elephants!

Daily we will visit the stockades at sunrise as the elephants enjoy their morning feedings. Once they start out for their day we return to the camp for breakfast. Late morning we drive to the elephants watering hole and watch as they play and enjoy their mud bath. Early evenings, we visit the stockades again to see the elephants having their milk before calling it a night. Between visits we will spend time relaxing at our camp. This is another private, self- catering tented camp. Our private chef will treat us to excellent food and we’ll enjoy sundowners overlooking the vast wilderness surrounding us.

Day 13: Tsavo East National Park to Nairobi
After breakfast we drive back to Nairobi. We will arrive at the Boma Hotel in time for lunch. You will have a choice of restaurants at the hotel and have the afternoon at your leisure. We will enjoy a group farewell dinner at the Tamarind Restaurant in Nairobi. Boma Hotel Nairobi, Bed and Breakfast (only breakfast included), 1 night

Day 14: Depart Nairobi
You will have a day room to use at Boma Hotel to rest and pack before your departure. Meals other than breakfast will be on your own. As your flight time dictates, we will provide transfer to the airport for your international flight back home.

Please Note:
You must have fostered an elephant within the last 12 months to stay at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust private properties and go on private visits to the Nairobi Nursery. Elephants can be fostered for $50 (at your own cost) through the SWT website.

February 8 – 21, 2023 and 2024 open for inquires (8 spaces remaining)
August 20 – September 2, 2022 and 2023 During Wildebeest Migration Season! (8 spaces remaining)
October 12 – 25,2022 and 2023 During Wildebeest Migration Season! (8 spaces remaining)

Included:

• Double Occupancy
• Local Air or Ground Transportation where mentioned
• Transfers to and from Airports
• Experienced, English-Speaking Driver Guide
• All Park Fees
• 24 Hr Emergency Air Evacuation Services
• Private 4×4 Land-Cruiser Safari Vehicle Equipped with Power Outlets and Cooler
• Bottled Water on Game Drives

Excluded:

• International Flights
• Fees for Visas, Passports, Immunizations, and Airport Taxes
• Personal Travel Insurance
• Cost of Hospitalization (if necessary)
• Soft Drinks, Beer, Wine, Spirits
• Laundry
• Phone
• Gratuities (Tips to Driver Guides, Hotel Staff, etc…)
• Additional Optional Activities like hot air Balloon ride over Mara at $450 per head.