Madison Noble is one of Africa Adventure Consultants’ Safari Concierges, helping to ensure you are ready for your trip. She recently visited Kenya on safari and shared stories with us from her time on safari in the private Loisaba Conservancy. She returns to the blog today to recount some of her favorite experiences from the second part of her Kenya safari last spring. Welcome back, Madison!
I had a wonderful time exploring the Loisaba Conservancy on game drives and horseback and even spending a night in an open-air star bed. However, my time in Kenya was far from over. After my time in Loisaba, I enjoyed three properties in different locations throughout Kenya. Hemingways is a family run set of properties in key locations in Kenya – Nairobi, Naboisho Conservancy and Watamu. Whichever you choose, you can’t go wrong. The service is upscale and warm, and their properties are well-appointed and comfortable.
After a handful of days on safari, I flew back to Nairobi and spent time at Hemingways Nairobi which offers a beautiful and tranquil ambiance, with views over the Ngong Hills in the quiet, upscale suburb of Karen. From here, you’re able to easily access some of Nairobi’s top touring highlights like Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, the Karen Blixen Museum and the Giraffe Centre. Many travelers only spend a night or two in Nairobi to bookend their safari experience; however, the city has so much to offer. Read about some of our favorite Nairobi experiences and then let your Journey Specialist know which ones you’d like to incorporate into your next Kenya trip.
After a short charter flight from Nairobi, I landed at Ol Seki Airstrip in the Naboisho Conservancy, which shares an unfenced border with the famed Masai Mara National Reserve. Upon arrival, I was greeted by my guide Rafi, who would take me exploring through the conservancy over the coming days. Ol Seki Hemingways Mara is a tented camp set atop an outcrop that overlooks a verdant valley. The camp was a perfect place to come back to at the end of the day – homey and warm, with a lovely pool shaded by trees. My private deck also offered relaxing armchair safari moments like listening to the nearby birds chirping with a view of the sunset over the valley.
The conservancy is rich with game: lions, hyena, elephants, wildebeest and leopards. On each game drive, we never went long without seeing something interesting. I was especially captivated by a young lion cub who seemed to pose just for me from his place resting in the shade. The camp also offers guided walks, community visits with the nearby Maasai community and hot air balloon safaris.
While Kenya is widely known for its incredible safari experiences, the country also boasts pristine white sand beaches and turquoise waters. Ending my trip on the beach was the perfect way to relax after my days observing wildlife on safari. Set between a barrier reef in the Indian Ocean and the curving Mida Creek, Watamu is a laid-back Kenyan beach town.
Hemingways Watamu is set right on the Indian Ocean, with rooms overlooking the tide as it ebbs and flows throughout the day. Watamu has no shortage of choices for travelers. You can spend your days relaxing by the pool or on the beach or, for the more adventurous, enjoy snorkeling, scuba diving, dolphin watching, kitesurfing, windsurfing, stand up paddleboarding, canoe and creek rides and whale watching. Or, spend a full day aboard their charter boat to go deep sea fishing. The hotel bar has mounted fish from fishermen who have caught prize game – including a one-ton sail fish. There are also non-water activities on offer, such as golfing and a visit to the nearby Gede Ruins. A highlight of my stay was setting out on a sunset dhow cruise on Mida Creek, a quick-current, wide creek just inland from the ocean. All in all, Watamu was a wonderful place to relax and end my time traveling throughout Kenya!
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Photos courtesy AAC Safari Concierge Madison Noble and Hemingways Watamu