Kenya Wildlife Safari

TYPE OF TRAVEL/DISTANCE: East Africa is a welcoming escape for travelers of all levels of experience. Travel between destinations is provided in four-wheel drive vans where everyone has a window seat. For the safari sections, we’ll open the roofs of these vehicles for excellent wildlife viewing and photography. No previous experience is necessary.

WEATHER: In the area where most safaris take place, it can get very hot during midday and cools dramatically at night (50º-95ºF). Mid-March through April is a period of short rains, and November and December see more persistent rains, though rain is possible year-round.

YOUR GROUP: The group size ranges from 5 to 12 participants, plus one Wilderness Inquiry staff and several local guides. Each group consists of people of various ages, backgrounds and abilities, including people with disabilities.

SINGLE TRAVELERS: If you are traveling alone, you will feel at home with a welcoming group. If you would like to have your own room throughout the trip, you may purchase a single supplement for an additional fee. Please email or call us if you would like this option.

ACCOMMODATIONS: Throughout the trip, you will be staying in wonderful safari lodges and tented camps, small hotels, and guest houses. Most rooms are double occupancy with two beds. Participants will be paired by gender or requests to room together.

MEALS: All meals are prepared for you. You’ll enjoy typical Kenyan and British cuisine, including beef, chicken, fish, and lots of fruit, and vegetarian options will be accommodated. Bottled water is readily available. Count on hearty breakfasts, picnic trail lunches, and lively dinners. While we’ll enjoy happy hours together, the purchase of alcoholic beverages is not included in the trip fees.

EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING: You will need to provide your personal gear as outlined in the packing list. If you are new to outdoor activities, you do not need to spend a lot of money.

MEDICATIONS: Please list all of your medications on your registration form. Consider bringing two sets of your medications: one set that can be kept with you, and another set that will be kept by your trip leaders. If you need assistance taking your medications, please explain on your registration form. Wilderness Inquiry will bring a collection of over-the-counter medications (ibuprofen, Advil, anti-nausea, etc.). 

CELL PHONES AND OTHER DEVICES: You are welcome to bring cell phones and other devices like cameras, but they are your responsibility to take care of. You may have inconsistent cell service, so we encourage you to unplug! Wilderness Inquiry is not responsible for any lost or broken electronic devices. 

SAFETY & EMERGENCIES WHILE ON TRAIL: All Wilderness Inquiry guides possess experience in administering First Aid, CPR, and Water Safety, carry fully-stocked first aid kits, GPS communication devices, and are trained on how to respond to emergencies while on trail. If a loved one is participating in a Wilderness Inquiry experience and you need to contact them due to an emergency, please call the Wilderness Inquiry main phone line at (612) 676-9400. We will work to get in contact with trip leaders as soon as possible.

COVID POLICY: We continue to monitor and update our COVID-19 policies. Wilderness Inquiry strongly encourages everyone to be fully up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccination and take other necessary steps for the health and wellness of all. We ask you to self-screen for any signs of illness before your trip’s departure. Please contact Wilderness Inquiry if you are exhibiting signs of illness. We will also continue to follow all guidance and requirements of locations that we travel, keeping in mind some international destinations do require vaccinations and/or negative COVID tests. We will update this policy as new information and guidance become available.

GROUP EXPECTATIONS: To facilitate a safe and inclusive environment where we can all come together as our true selves, feel supported, and enjoy the outdoors in community, we have developed community agreements that align with Wilderness Inquiry’s core values and brand promise. We ask that you review these before your adventure so you can help Wilderness Inquiry create an inclusive environment for all.

COMMUNITY AGREEMENTS AS WE ADVENTURE TOGETHER

☐ We are safety conscious so everyone can have fun!

☐ We seek to understand each other and celebrate our differences.

☐ We are curious, open-minded, and communicate respectfully.

☐ We are open to trying new things and pushing outside of our comfort zone.

☐ We support each other and collectively contribute to group tasks.

About Kenya

Kenya lies on the equator, and borders the Indian Ocean, Tanzania, and Uganda, among other countries. Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, lies next to a national park. Kenya’s climate is warm and humid along its coastline on the Indian Ocean and in the wildlife-rich savanna grasslands that stretch inland towards the capital of Nairobi. Nairobi’s climate cools as you move towards Mount Kenya, which has three permanently snow-capped peaks. The warm and humid tropical climate reappears further inland towards Lake Victoria, before giving way to temperate forested and hilly areas in the western region.

Lake Victoria, the world’s second largest freshwater lake (after Lake Superior in the U.S. and Canada) and the world’s largest tropical lake, lies in the southwest part of Kenya and is shared with Uganda and Tanzania.

Mount Kenya, an imposing extinct volcano, dominates the landscape of the Kenyan Highlands east of the Rift. Mount Kenya lies about 140 kilometers north-northeast of Nairobi with its northern flanks across the equator. The mountain has three main peaks – Batian (5200 meters), Nelion (5188 meters), and Point Lenana (4985 meters). The mountain slopes are cloaked in forest, bamboo, scrub, and moorland that give way to rock, ice, and snow as you ascend in altitude.

Designated as both a Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997, Mount Kenya covers 715 square kilometers. This reserve includes the peaks consisting of all the ground above 3200 meters with two small salients extending down to 2450 meters along the Sirimon and Naro Moru tracks. Surrounding the park is Mount Kenya National Reserve with an area of approximately 2095 square kilometers (517,000 acres).

The tourism sector has exhibited steady growth in most years since independence and by the late 1980s had become the country’s principal source of foreign exchange. Tourists, the largest number from Germany and the United Kingdom, are attracted mainly to the coastal beaches and the game reserves, notably, the expansive Tsavo National Park (20,808 square kilometers, or 5.14 million acres) in the southeast. Tourism has seen a substantial revival over the past several years and is the major contributor to the pick-up in the country’s economic growth. Tourism now ranks as Kenya’s largest foreign exchange earning sector, followed by flowers, tea, and coffee.

Kenya’s population is quite diverse. About 50 million people live in Kenya, coming from 42 different peoples and cultures, including, Swahili on the coast, pastoralist communities in the north, and many different communities in the central and western regions. The Maasai culture is well known, despite being a minor percentage of the Kenyan population.