ITINERARY
DAY 1 – 2
Arrive Jomo Kenyatta International airport, Nairobi off your flight from Rwanda.
Meet your driver in the arrivals hall. Transfer to Karen Gables (approximately 45 minutes). Check-in for two nights to Karen Gables on a bed/breakfast basis.
Important: You will need an East African Visa to enter Kenya. This may be applied for ONLINE before arrival.
INCLUDED
Private transfer to Karen Gables
2 nights at Karen Gables in standard room on a bed and breakfast basis
Full day excursion
EXCLUDED
East African visa (this should be booked online before arrival through the evisa service).
Lunch, dinner, and drinks
Additional activities other than those mentioned
Gratuities, curios, and items of a personal nature
FULL DAY IN NAIROBI
You will have a vehicle and driver at your disposal for the full day from 10h00 to 18h00. This will include a visit to:
Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage (entry fees not included)
Giraffe Centre (entry fees are included in your itinerary price)
Karen Blixen Museum (entry fees not included)
Anything else that there is time for after a discussion with your driver.
You will be picked up at the Karen Gables after breakfast at the time to be advised. You will be dropped off at the Karen Gables after your excursions, around sunset.
Please note that on your full-day excursion, all entry fees other than the Giraffe Centre, are not included and neither are meals and drinks. Your vehicle will have drinking water on board.
DAY 3 – 6
LITTLE GOVERNORS’ CAMP • MAASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE
DAY NOTES
Today you will be picked up at Karen Gables at 08h00 for your transfer to Wilson Airport where you’ll connect to your flight to the Masai Mara, departing at 09h30 and arriving at 10h40
On arrival at Musiara Airstrip, you’ll be met and transferred to Little Governor’s Camp
INCLUDED
Road transfer to Wilson Airport
Scheduled flight from Wilson Airport to Musiara Airstrip
Road transfer from Musiara Airstrip to Little Governor’s Camp
4 nights Little Governor’s Camp full board plus basis, luxury tent including meals, game viewing activities and parks fees
Road transfer to Musiara Airstrip
EXCLUDED
Drinks
Gratuities, curios, and items of a personal nature
EXPERT TIPS
Luggage restrictions: 20kg (44lb) per person including hand luggage; soft bags 30 cm (11.8 inches) wide x 35 cm (13.8 inches) high and 70 cm (27.5 inches) long. Seat in plane transfers follow specific routes, have set arrival & departure times and may include stops en-route. On occasion, times mentioned will vary slightly as a result of unforeseen circumstances
Maasai Mara parks fees
Hot Air balloon flight – in the region of US$450 per person per flight
The adventure begins just before dawn. Departure is from a perfect natural launch site behind Little Governors’ Camp, and flames from the hot air balloon burners light the darkness as the crews inflate their craft. The first pink tongues of sunlight flicker across the skies as the hot air balloon fills, then rises. Suspended in a basket beneath the rainbow-colored canopy, you’re off for a wildlife-viewing adventure with an entirely different perspective. What amazes most first-time balloonists is the absolute stillness: the silence as you float above the plains, the forest, and the rivers of the Masai Mara.
Even if you’ve flown elsewhere, this is a unique experience. The flight lasts an hour or so, drifting wherever the air currents take you, and with ample opportunities for photography and video filming.
After about an hour or so, your balloon safari finishes with a flourish. In the time-honored tradition of balloon flights the world over, toast your return to earth with sparkling wine and enjoy a delicious breakfast that is set up and served at a very special spot. The experience ends with a game drive back to your camp.
DAY 7
DAY NOTES
Today you’ll transfer to the Musiara Airstrip to connect to your scheduled flight to Wilson Airport.
Transfer from Wilson Airport to Jomo Kenyatta Airport for drop off to connect to your flight to Zambia or Botswana.
INCLUDED
Road transfer to Musiara Airstrip
Scheduled flight from Musiara to Wilson Airport
Road transfer to Jomo Kenyatta Airport
EXCLUDED
International flights
Meals and drinks after leaving Little Governor’s Camp
Gratuities, curios and items of a personal nature
CAMPS INCLUDED
PLANNED ACTIVITIES
HOT AIR BALLOON SAFARIS
OPTIONAL AVTIVITY
Governors Camp Collection offers hot air balloon safaris over the river, plains and forests of the Masai Mara.
The adventure begins just before dawn; departure is from a perfect natural launch site behind Little Governors’ Camp and flames from the hot air balloon burners light the darkness as the crews inflate their craft. Suspended in a basket beneath the rainbow-coloured canopy, you’re off for a game-viewing adventure with an entirely different perspective. What amazes most first-time balloonists is the absolute stillness – the silence as you float above the plains, the forest and the rivers of the Masai Mara. Even if you’ve flown elsewhere, this is a unique experience.
The flight lasts an hour or so, drifting wherever the air currents take you. There are plenty of photography and video opportunities. Finally, your balloon safari finishes with a flourish and in the time honoured tradition of balloon flights the world over, you toast your return to earth with a glass of bubbles and a delicious breakfast, cooked wherever you land. The balloon safari ends with some leisurely game viewing on the way back to camp.
OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH SEEDBALLS KENYA:
Much of the unique riverine forest that lines the banks of the Mara River has been lost over the past few decades due to a combination of factors including, tree disease, river bank erosion and increased grazing pressure from herbivores as large as elephants to ones as small as dik diks. Our flight path at Governors’ Balloon Safaris is unique amongst hot-air balloon operators in the Masai Mara, as the prevailing winds tend to take us right along the river’s winding course.
We have partnered with Seedballs Kenya, and are delighted to be able to offer guests the opportunity to throw seedballs containing the seeds of the African wild olive tree from our balloons. By actively selecting suitable sites from the air we can make a difference in helping to give these plants the best chance at reclaiming their native habitat and restoring biodiversity along the river.
We at Governors’ provide the seedballs. A USD5 donation is requested to be made by the guest which we will pass onto Eburru Rafiki; a grass-roots organisation working to actively plant indigenous trees in the Eburru Forest. Their work is important to us since the Mau Forest Complex, to which Eburru belongs, forms part of the water-catchment area which feeds the Mara River. Each envelope of seedballs will be provided to guests in a biodegradable, elephant dung paper envelope; that itself comes from an NGO group supporting women’s crafts whilst offsetting carbon emissions.
CULTURAL VISIT
The Masai people of East Africa are a striking image, synonymous with safari. A proud people with many traditional practices still very much alive in their culture. Visit a local Masai village and learn about who they are in their own words.
MARA-MERU CHEETAH PROJECT
Since the beginning of the 20th Century the cheetah population has fallen dramatically from 100’000 individuals to 7’500 individuals with human activity a major cause.
It is therefore important to understand the cheetah-human interface, which is one of the key works of the Mara-Meru Cheetah Project, led by Dr. Elena Chelyseva.
Our Governors’ Guides play a critical role in the data collection for Dr. Elena and her team, reporting through sightings and behaviour observations of cheetah spotted.
Dr Elena enjoys sharing her expertise on the cheetahs in the area with our guests through talks or by accompanying guests game drives.
Please let us know if you would like to pre-book a talk or a guided game drive with Elena when booking your safari for advice on costs.
GAME DRIVES
Governors’ Camp Collection properties combine superb locations in the Masai Mara with custom designed vehicles and exceptionally highly trained and experienced guides to give our clients un-matched game-viewing and photographic opportunities in the world’s prime wildlife area. We are in the heart of what is widely considered to be the best game viewing area of the Masai Mara.
Our vehicles are custom built 4 wheel drive landrovers. We take you out twice a day on a game drive into the famous Masai Mara Game Reserve and surrounding areas. Our driver-guides are hand-picked and nurtured by us. They undergo a continuous guide training scheme mentored by experts in the field. Having operated in the Masai Mara for 50 years, our driver-guides have an un-paralleled knowledge of the reserve combined with a deep understanding and respect for the sanctity of this wilderness area, its flora and its fauna.
BUSH DINNERS
For a very unique experience, enjoy the excitement of a bush dinner in the wild.
You will arrive at a special secluded location on the banks of the Mara river. A welcoming drink awaits by the warming campfire, followed by a delicious meal prepared by our Bush chefs, served under the stars, with the soft lights of safari lanterns and accompanied by the sounds of the African night and the grunting Mara river hippos.
Bush dinners are a non-inclusive activity, please request costs from our office. You can book these in advance or while staying with us. Bush breakfasts are also available.
WALKING SAFARIS
Leave your vehicle behind and take a walking safari with one of our experienced and qualified naturalists for the true thrill of the bush. Down on the same level as the animals you will experience the untamed beauty of the Mara. Our walking safaris take place in the morning in a private concession area adjacent to the Masai Mara Game Reserve. The scenery here very much differs from the Masai Mara. Picturesque acacia trees characterise the hilly landscape. The walk takes approximately 21⁄2 to 3 hours but can be tailored to any needs.
Ask for a 5.30am wake up call. Depart from your camp by vehicle at 6.00am and a 45 minute drive will
take you to the walking area. Hot beverages and biscuits will be available during which time the guide will brief you. Most walks commence at 7.00am, with the walk will take you through differing habitats from open grassland plains to acacia thickets and riverside forests. You will track game, unsure what waits round the next corner – giraffe, buffalo, hyena, zebra or even lion. You will catch the scents and sounds of the wild Africa.
The walk ends approximately at 9.30 – 10.00am in the Lemek group ranch under the shade of African Olive trees. A classic Governors Camp champagne breakfast is served after which a game drive will take you back to your camp in time for lunch. Your drive back to the camp again is a game drive through the Masai Mara. Afternoon walking safaris are finished with sundowner drinks and canapés.
Participants in a walking safari should be in good health and be reasonably fit and active. There is no path as such and some parts of the walk lead through hilly and rocky areas. Children under 12 years are, for safety reasons, not allowed to participate in walking safaris. Walking safaris can either be booked in advance or in camp subject to availability.
Available at an additional cost.
PHOTOGRAPHIC SAFARIS
Governors’ hosts a wildlife photographer in the Mara who is available to be booked by our guests for accompanied photo safaris and in-depth tutorials on all elements of photography, including editing. Do let us know if you would like to guarantee a full day with them capturing the very best of this incredible wildlife reserve. Please note that guests will need to secure an exclusive use vehicle at a daily rate, on top of the photographer’s daily fee.
Governors’ also has 3 ‘photo safari’ vehicles. Listening to the specific needs and recommendations of the photographers we’ve hosted over the years, we’ve modified three Landrover vehicles to include same level seating throughout, cut-out side panels in the middle row to get those much desired low angle shots, high roofs, fully folding windscreens and wide side panelling to offer the perfect place for resting a beanbag and long lens. The cars are available on an exclusive use basis and can be requested for and reserved while making your Governors’ booking. They are available at all our camps in the Masai Mara.
GET IN TOUCH
