Friends Jackie and Vivian traveled together on an Africa Adventure Consultants safari to Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania. Throughout their trip, they found their guides to be excellent, their accommodations to be wonderful, that everything was put together in just the right order and that their safari was the perfect length.
“There was something to delight us in each of them (accommodations)… As it was, the order was brilliant.” - Vivian
Vivian and Jackie kicked things off with a relaxing two nights in Nairobi at the Karen Blixen Coffee Garden & Cottages, the estate where author Karen Blixen, famous for her memoir Out of Africa, worked from 1917 to 1931. They found that having a little time to ease into their travels to be very relaxing after their long journey and, as Jackie said, “Who doesn’t love the movie Out of Africa!”
From Nairobi, the two friends headed to Rwanda to experience its best-known activity – gorilla trekking. They had a muddy trek that lasted several hours, and they were grateful they had hired porters to help them during the trek. “It was a little challenging in a good way,” Jackie said. They found time with the endangered mountain gorillas to be wonderful and memorable, and enjoyed well-earned foot massages back at the hotel after the hike.
From Rwanda, Jackie and Vivian then headed to Olakira Migration Camp in Tanzania in hopes of seeing the Great Migration. Olakira is a mobile camp, relocating throughout the year to give guests the best chance for seeing the migration. They were in luck and had the chance to enjoy one of nature’s most incredible wonders.
"When I got a close look at the wildebeests, I thought that they were odd looking but as the journey lengthened, their quirky looks grew on me. There were thousands of them in massive herds. It seemed that these animals are very important to the wellbeing of the other animals in small and large ways. Now I think they are beautiful." - Vivian
The friends wanted to see the Serengeti ecosystem on both sides of the border so they then headed to a private conservancy bordering the Masai Mara in Kenya.
"Kicheche Valley Camp at the Naboisho Conservancy in Kenya was my favorite. They had ‘sundowners’ at the end of the evening drives. We were asked the evening prior what cocktail we would like to be served and our guide would pull out a box and make them while we sat out on the Maasai Mara right there in the Jeep with the animals roaming around us. Great touch!" - Vivian
In addition to seeing mountain gorillas and the Great Migration, the wildlife in East Africa continued to impress Jackie and Vivian. One memorable sighting was of Africa’s largest land mammals.
"A large family of elephants walked almost right up to the Jeep and somehow the whole group gracefully veered off to their right to avoid running into the vehicle all in unison. A baby was in their midst and we got a glimpse of it. Such grace and dignity." - Vivian
The duo ended their trip with a stay at the one-of-a-kind Giraffe Manor in Nairobi. The property is best-known for its resident herd of Nubian giraffe that roams the grounds.
"Giraffe Manor, breakfast with the giraffes feeding them treats, having one at our second story window at dawn looking for treats. The Manor house and grounds were beautiful." – Jackie
Vivian and Jackie enjoyed working with AAC to plan their safari, with Vivian noting that “Nell understood our safari dreams.”
“Everything ran so smoothly! We were met promptly at each airport and helped through customs, baggage and security, which otherwise would have been very stressful. Staff at the camps were helpful, pleasant and very concerned with our safety.” – Jackie
If you’d like to plan a customized friends’ safari, contact one of our Journey Specialists to talk through what would make the perfect trip for your group. Subscribe to our newsletter below for more safari inspiration.
Photos courtesy of AAC travelers Vivian C. and Jackie R. and Karen Blixen Coffee Garden & Cottages