Arrival in Nairobi
On arrival transfer to your conveniently located hotel only five minutes away from the international airport. You have the rest of the day to relax by the pool or head to the national park for a heartwarming visit to an acclaimed orphaned elephant sanctuary (optional). Or for a dose of local culture, you could visit Nairobi’s rural outskirts for insight into one of our favourite grassroots projects aiming to offer employment to grandmothers (typically the female figureheads in Kenyan families). Overnight at Eka Hotel.
Things to do:
Meet orphaned elephants at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Go Granny Go! Meet Nairobi’s entrepreneurial grandmas
Visit endangered Rothschild’s giraffes
Nairobi and Laikipia
Transfer to Nairobi’s Wilson airport and fly to Laikipia. A 4x4 safari vehicle will pick you up from the airstrip as you catch your first glimpses of the East African landscape. Recover from the trip at the infinity pool with views of the acacia forested Mugie Conservancy that seeps into the far horizon, your home for the next three nights. Enjoy drinks by the crackling fire or overlooking the busy waterhole but there’s time for an afternoon game drive if you’re itching to explore. Overnight at Mugie House.
Things to do:
Mugie House: stay on a luxury Kenyan ranch
Hilltop views and wildlife galore at Loisaba Tented Camp
Porini Rhino Camp: stay in a tented camp surrounded by rhinos
Laikipia
Explore the 50,000-acre private conservancy, a wilderness playground that at times feels like yours alone. Expansive savannahs, olive forests and scrub bush shelter captivating game such as Grevy’s zebra, Jackson’s hartebeest and reticulated giraffe as well as sought-after big cats. Expert wildlife guides are specialists in tracking lions by using cutting-edge technology to monitor their movement, just one of the many conservation projects the conservancy is known for. You can also learn about Mugie’s working cattle ranch and its harmonious relationship with the environment. Overnight at Mugie House.
Things to do:
Mugie House: stay on a luxury Kenyan ranch
Track lions at Mugie Conservancy
Farming, community and conservation work at Mugie House
Laikipia
After enjoying traditional safaris, today you may like to do something a little different. Enjoy a walking safari or spend time with Mugie’s anti-poaching unit whose members work with (adorable) bloodhounds to clamp down on illegal hunting – an eye-opening experience. In contrast you have the option to enjoy the nine-hole golf course, complete with friendly caddies and some excellent bird spotting, or why not opt for a picnic by the dam accompanied by a jug of Pimms. Overnight at Mugie House.
Things to do:
Mugie House: stay on a luxury Kenyan ranch
Kenya’s ultimate walking safari at Governors’ Mugie House
Visit the Mugie anti-poaching unit
Tee-off at Mugie’s golf course
Laikipia and Lamu
Transfer to the airstrip and fly back to Nairobi for your connecting flight to Lamu. Upon landing, it’s a walk to the dock and a 15-minute boat ride to your hotel. Now’s the time to disconnect from the modern world and tune into the swirl of Swahili, Arabic and Portuguese cultures. There are no televisions or phones in your ocean-facing rooms, a deliberate move from your hotel. At 6pm, make sure you head down to the bar on the water’s edge for sundowners – an in-the-know ritual among locals, expats and celebrities alike. Overnight at Peponi.
Things to do:
Peponi: an unpretentious escape for those in the know
The Majlis: passion fruit mojitos and a laidback mindset
Lamu
Relax by the pool or take a walk along the 12-kilometre unspoilt beach framed by sand dunes. If you’re feeling energetic you could enquire about bird watching, snorkelling and fishing activities all orchestrated by the hotel. In the evening, candle-lit dinners are set up in various nooks of the property serving up mouthwatering dishes such as Swahili prawn biryani and Risotto al Nero di Seppia as well as the freshest sushi. Overnight at Peponi.
Things to do:
Peponi: an unpretentious escape for those in the know
Lamu
Today we suggest immersing yourself in Shela village and its tangle of narrow sandy lanes. Whilst you might notice the presence of expat-owned chic water facing villas, the rest is unapologetically local. Seafood restaurants are void of white tablecloths – just pull up a wooden chair and watch fishermen hack up your fish right before it’s fired up on the grill. Your hotel offers a hand-drawn map detailing all the artisan shops, mosques and leafy wellness centres where you can meditate back to revitalization. Overnight at Peponi.
Things to do:
Peponi: an unpretentious escape for those in the know
Lamu
We suggest you carve out some time to visit UNESCO-credited Lamu Town, around a 20-minute boat ride away which can be arranged by your hotel. As you step onto the dock, you’re immediately hit with rare authenticity; a cacophony of donkeys braying and busy workshops mixed in with the reverberating call to prayer. Your guides have worked with your hotel for years and are old hats in all things Lamu. They're the ones who can spot the difference between the original carved Swahili doors and the recarved renditions, and are also the best people to shed insight into the rich Islamic culture. Overnight at Peponi.
Things to do:
Peponi: an unpretentious escape for those in the know
Lamu
Today we suggest keeping it local and enjoy a blissful last day. Book in a yoga session, lounge by the pool or simply wander down to the beach for different perspectives where fishermen fix their dhows, children race down the sand after school and camels do the morning rounds collecting any rubbish. Chase this with a sunset dhow ride, the perfect way to cap off any Lamu holiday. Overnight at Peponi.
Things to do:
Peponi: an unpretentious escape for those in the know
Lamu and Departure
Bid adieu to island life and a boat transfer will take you back to Lamu airport in good time for your flight to Nairobi international airport and your onward flight.
