Kenya National Parks Expedition

Your overseas adventures exploring Kenya’s marine and wildlife parks begin! The pristine beaches along the coast of the Indian Ocean reveal another, often forgotten, part of Kenya. Transfer to your hotel in Diani where you can relax and begin to enjoy the sun and sand. Get to know your fellow travelers and nature guide over a delicious dinner as you discuss the exciting plans for the week

Amidst your travels on this trip, and as you explore the marine and wildlife ecosystems, local experts will share the challenges Kenya faces in conservation and the efforts being made for solutions.

Along the coast, protecting the coral reefs and the diverse inhabitants of the Indian Ocean is critical. Take time to snorkel in the many protected marine areas and observe the dreamlike world beneath the surface. The four islands around Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park are surrounded by incredible coral gardens with 45 varieties of coral and more than 360 species of fish. Have a fantastic time trying to catch sight of them all! Occasionally, dolphins, sea turtles, and migrating whales have been seen by snorkelers, too!  Experience this fragile treasure and understand the need for preserving and protecting it.

Afterward, your knowledgeable guide will walk with you along the Wasini Island boardwalk to explain the ecosystem, mangroves, and coral arrangements from ideal observation points above the water. The Wasini women maintain this boardwalk as a community venture and continue to work on creating projects that will generate funds for the village.

Head inland for today’s adventure ─ after all, you can’t be in Africa and miss going on a wildlife safari!

Tsavo West National Park, combined with Tsavo East National Park, create the largest national park in Kenya. As you enter this land of rolling hills, rivers, forests, lakes, volcanoes, and caves, game viewing begins! Keep watch for all kinds of wildlife from elephants, lions, cheetahs, and leopards to zebras, giraffes, hippos, and rhinos! Enjoy lunch on a terrace overlooking a watering hole where animals like to gather. Later, as temperatures begin to cool from the heat of the day and wildlife becomes more active, it’s the perfect time for another game drive.

You’ll stop at Mzima Springs during one of the drives to walk in an underwater observation area where you can see fish, hippos, and crocodiles. Nearby, is the Shetani Lava Flow created from volcanoes in the Chyulu Hills only a few hundred years ago. As the park is the last refuge for black rhinos in the wild, you can also visit the well-guarded and protected Rhino Sanctuary. Your experienced guide will bring all these aspects of the park to life for you and search for all the incredible wildlife on each of the game drives.

Enjoy relaxing over a delicious dinner at the lodge tonight and keep watch from the terrace to see what animals are gathering around the waterhole. Get a good night’s sleep under a starry African night as you rise early tomorrow for a sunrise game drive!

Rise early for game viewing before breakfast! It’s the most active time of day to spot lots of action before the deep heat sets in ─ it’s also perfect light for photos! After your game drive, then it’s time for a big, delicious breakfast! Afterward, check out from your lodge and enjoy one more incredible game drive. You then head to the Lumo Community Wildlife Sanctuary for another game drive and to check in for your next lodging for the night.

Tonight you have the rare experience of a night game drive which is usually not permitted within national park boundaries. Nighttime is unique to certain predators such as lions and leopards and other nocturnal animals such as the aardvark! Using a powerful spotlight, keep watch! You never know whose eyes might shine back at you!

Time for another beautiful sunrise game drive followed by a late breakfast! After a hearty meal for the journey back toward Mombasa, another game drive continues as you leave the park. Perhaps you’ll see your favorites one last time, or the elusive ones that haven’t shown up yet!  You’re headed now to the Lumo Wildlife Sanctuary, a community wildlife conservation initiative joining three ranches. You should see lots of wildlife on the game drive ─ elephants, buffalo, giraffes, antelope, and gazelle ─ and keep watch for the big cats!

Then it’s back to the white sand beaches, palm trees, and turquoise waters!

In contrast to the national parks and wildlife of the past days, today you return to warm, clear waters along white sand beaches and snorkeling in another marine park, Watamu Marine National Park. This park is part of a maze of rich tidal habitat and home to sea turtles and an abundance of colorful fish. Take a glass-bottom boat tour where you can snorkel to get up close to the native sea residents or stay dry and admire them from the boat!

Afterward, discover the elephants of Arabuko-Sokoke National Park and explore the ruins of Gede, a Swahili town from the twelfth century. Wander this fascinating site with its resident monkeys and wonder about its inhabitants who mysteriously disappeared.

Visit the Shimoni Caves where slaves were held centuries ago by slave merchants ─ you will see the shackles and chains ─ a dark remembrance to the tragic earlier days of Mombasa’s slave trade.

Then move onto the sea and sail aboard a Dhow Cruise on the Indian Ocean as you watch for dolphins, snorkel, and enjoy a Swahili lunch. Afterward, explore the local Wasini island culture and meet the local residents, getting to know their way of life and sharing stories.

Relax over dinner this evening with your fellow travelers as you reflect upon your unique African adventure of land and sea.

Today, sadly, is your last full day here on the coast of Africa. But there is always still more to explore! 

Even though you are on the ocean, you still haven’t finished with seeing one of Africa’s most beloved residents! Today you’ll take a game drive to explore the coastal forest of Shimba Hills National Park where you will find a preserve rich in diverse species and the home of the greatest concentration of elephants in Kenya. Then take a walk through the forest with a wildlife ranger to irresistible Sheldrick Falls and learn about more the unique plants and animals.

In addition, at the northern border of Shimba Hills lies the 60,000-acre Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary, a migratory route between Shimba Hills and the Tsavo National Park that allows elephants to access their various feeding areas at different times of the year.

See the incredible bull herds and elephant families. Learn about the tremendous community effort to create this sanctuary, reduce human-elephant conflicts, and generate positive outcomes for the residents who donated their land. Discover the fascinating eco-friendly and sustainable projects created to live peacefully with the elephants and generate additional income for the community: The Elephant Dung Paper Project; the Solar Fence Project; the Fire Brickette Project. This is an amazing community where you can also visit a forest area that is sacred to the elders and traditional spiritual leaders.

Relax over dinner this evening with your fellow travelers as you reflect upon your unique African adventure of land and sea.

Time to leave and take with you expanded images of Africa ─ images of inland safari adventures that discover and connect with Africa’s magnificent wildlife ─ and images that reflect the wondrous marine world of Africa’s coast. It’s all part of Africa and will be waiting for your return.