8 Days Nostalgic Exploration

On arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you will be welcomed by a member of our team, who will transfer you to House of Waine and assist you at check in. The rest of your day will be spent at Leisure. Lunch will be on own arrangement. Dinner and overnight Stay at The House of Waine. Immersed in the leafy surrounds of Kenya’s beautiful Karen Forest is the elegant House of Waine – an upmarket retreat, which offers guests intimacy and superb accommodation. Guests can unwind in one of 11 individually decorated suites —each with a spacious, marble en-suite bathroom, satellite television, a complimentary personal non-alcoholic mini-bar, TV with satellite and local channels, and tea and coffee-making facilities. Appreciate colourful fresh flowers and delicious cookies delivered to your room each day.

House of Waine offers a wonderful selection of menus, served in various locations on the property, which reflect the diversity of flavours found in Nairobi. There are also two bars, which are exclusively for the use of guests and a sparkling heated swimming pool for those quiet hours between sightseeing. Must-see attractions include a visit to Kazuri Beads, the Karen Blixen Museum, Matbronze Art Gallery and Foundry, Giraffe Centre (to hand feed giraffes and for nature walks), the Daphne Sheldrick Wildlife Sanctuary – where you can interact with (and perhaps adopt) elephants and rhinos – and the renowned Nairobi National Park

This morning you will wake up for an early flight to Meru. From Meru, you will transfer to Elsa’s Kopje in the heart of Meru National Park. Located on a rocky kopje – a granite outcropping in an otherwise flat landscape – this lodge offers spectacular views of the surrounding plains, streams and Mount Kenya. It is the only operational lodge within the park boundaries, meaning that in addition to these sweeping views, you will also enjoy near exclusivity when exploring this unique and quiet landscape.

It is the Meru National Park landscapes that fueled the Adamson’s passions, and became home to Elsa and her family. There is no better way to orientate yourself in this landscape than through a guided game drive and a picnic breakfast in the bush. The guides at Elsa’s Kopje live in Meru National Park and know the area intimately. With a fleet of new Toyota Land Cruisers, outfitted with photographic equipment stands and charging sockets, you will experience total comfort as you exclusively explore this seldom-visited bush.

After an activity-packed two days at Elsa’s Kopje, it will be time to move on from this private sanctuary to the rolling plains of the Masai Mara. You will leave Meru on a private charter that will fly via Nanyuki to the Mara. Be sure to look out your window as you touch down temporarily in Nanyuki – this airport is located right at the base of the snow-capped Mount Kenya. From the air, you are sure to receive your most impressive views.

Descending into the Mara, a representative will transfer you to Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp. Elegant and timeless, this lodge is located on a stunning conservancy a kilometer from the Mara park gates. The Cottar family has a deep history with the region that began with a family of professional hunters and adventurers, and transformed into a family of photographic safari enthusiasts. Now in its fourth generation – with a fifth generation growing up on the property – there are few areas to experience the bush with more personality and passion. The family’s understanding of elegance, quality, privacy and luxury has attracted the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, in addition to numerous other high profile guests.

This morning you will pack your belongings and return to the present day from the 1920s as you depart the Mara on a flight to Nairobi. As your flight departs, you will have one final glimpse of the endless plains of the Masai Mara before returning to the rapidly developing Nairobi skyline.