RECS003: 8 Days Nakuru, Kakamega, Kisii, Maasai Mara


This itinerary exposes you to one of the least visited tourist circuits in Kenya – The Western Kenya circuit. Pass through the rift valley, to the equatorial rain forest of Kakamega, then on to Kisii before finishing in Maasai Mara. Here you get a chance to visit the Luhya community, and then the Kisii. Home-stay can be organized in the Luhya community. Slightly longer distances between Nakuru and Kakamega (4.5-5hrs) and between Kisii and Maasai Mara (4.5-5hrs).

DAY 1: NAIROBI – LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK
Depart from Nairobi and drive westwards towards Lake Nakuru National Park. We make a brief stop over at the Rift Valley view point where you enjoy the stunning views of the Valley floor with its numerous volcanoes main among them being Mt Longonot and Mt. Suswa. We descend in the valley floor and drive to Lake Nakuru, one of the soda lakes of the East African Rift valley. This lake is famous for the Flamingoes and a host of other birds    that inhabit the wooded shoreline. . We arrive in time for lunch and after lunch we leave for an evening game drive where we get chances of seeing zebra, buffalo, gazelle impala, water buck, hyena, leopard among others. This park is a Rhino sanctuary and both the black and white Rhino are present here. Dinner and over night at Campsite

DAY 2: LAKE NAKURU – KAKAMEGA FOREST
Depart early headed for western Kenya. Today we are headed to Kakamega National Reserve. This is the only true equatorial forest in Kenya. It forms part of the rain forest that once covered the African Continent from east to west. It is one of the unique sites reputed for its ornithological richness. This park is home to a variety of animal species including several species of primates and many indigenous plant species. The flora and fauna found here are unique to this reserve and are not to be found anywhere in Kenya. Dinner and over night at Community Campsite

DAY 3: KAKAMEGA
Morning walk in the Kakamega Forest Reserve. Accompanied by our local guide we explore the depths of the rich rain forest and learn more about the ecology of this eco-system. In the late evening we visit a local village to discover the way of life of the Luhya sub tribe of the Bantu Language group. This people are famous for the Bull fighting Competition. With chance we may attend a Bull fight. Dinner and over night at Community Campsite

DAY 4: KAKAMEGA – KISII
Depart from Kakamega early enough and head for the agriculturally rich town of Kisii. This is a small town surrounded by banana and sugar cane plantations. Point of interest here is the visit of a small village called Tabaka, the home of soap stone carvers. Dinner and over night at Community Campsite

DAY 5: KISII
Day long visit of Tabaka village where we visit one of the carvers’ workshops and maybe get a chance to buy some of the products directly from the local people. A visit of a local homestead will crown our village visit to discover the way of life of the Kisii sub group of the Bantu language group. Dinner and over night at Community Campsite

DAY 6: KISII – MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE
Depart after breakfast and head for the Maasai Mara National reserve.

Masai Mara, now the seventh wonder of the modern world, is a country of breathtaking vistas, vast rolling plains and rounded hills, acacia woodlands, dense thickets of scrub. The whole bisected by the Mara River and its tributaries margined with luxuriant riverine forests. Its vast plains teem with endless herds of game together with the associated predators. It is perhaps the only region left in Africa where the visitor may see animals in the same super-abundance as existed a century ago.  Here, you find the largest population of lions in Kenya, seen in their natural setting and the impressive herds of elephants. Other animals include buffaloes, hartebeest, wildebeest, topi, eland, impala, gazelles, black rhino (very rare), giraffe, zebra, waterbuck, hippopotamus, crocodile, leopard, cheetah, hyena, jackals, among others. Bird species include eagles, vultures, marabou, ostrich, touracos, guinea fowls, bastards, cranes, and many more.

Perhaps the most intriguing phenomenon in Maasai Mara is the Wildebeest migration that occurs between the months of July and September. Every July, millions of wildebeests and zebra move from Serengeti to Maasai Mara on their annual migration, attracting an entourage of cheetahs, lions and other predators. The reserve was established in 1961 and covers a surface area of 1,812sq km. Night in tents

DAY 7: MASAI MARA

Full day exploring different parts of the reserve as we watch the animals feed and groom each other. Dinner and over night at Campsite

DAY 8: MASAI MARA - NAIROBI
We do an early morning game drive then come back to the camp for breakfast and later depart for Nairobi.