big five tours and safaris

7/31/2019 Big Five Tours and Safaris

1/19

V

w w w . b i g fi v ea fri c a . c o m

Celeb ating40Yeas of Safai Stadom!

Big FiveTOURS & SAFARIS LTD.


2/19

3

Jambo!

Didyouknow?Mostlionsdrinkw

aterdailyifavailable,butcan

gofourorvedayswithoutit.

2

Karibu Kenya: Safaris to Africa

Welcome to Big Five Tours & Safaris!

We are a leading Tour Operator based in Nairobi operating in EastAfrica for nearly 40 years. We have consistently delivered the Safari Experi-ence to our array of clients, distinguishing ourselves as a leader in the tour-ism sector of East Africa and beyond.

Big Five Tours & Safaris is composed of a team of experienced Kenya

Tourism Professionals. We have a network of reliable service industryproviders in accommodation, transport & guide services covering Kenya,Tanzania and other parts of Africa. We are members of prestigious tradeassociations, such as American Society for Travel Agents (ASTA), Kenya

Association of Tour Operators (KATO) and also the United States Tour Op-erators Association (USTOA). We are recognized by Kenya Tourist Board(KTB).

As you may be aware, Kenya is an amazingly diverse country withrich history, colourful traditions and natural wonders such as the annual

wildebeest migration between Serengeti and Masai Mara. It has been welldescribed as the home to the original Safari besides being the cradle tomankind. It is our belief that Kenya remains an exotic, friendly & magi-cal destination that appeals to the sense of adventure that many travellersseek. Big Five Tours & Safaris hopes to share our experience and knowledgeof Kenya with you

We provide safaris of your choice and we also cater for special meals onrequest.

We have attached further information for your perusal.For more information, visit our website www.bigveafrica.com

Jacky PamarMr. Jacky ParmarManaging Director


3/19

5

When you think about safaris you rst think of Kenya, the home of the African safari. Kenyais an amazing land, rich in wildlife and culture. We have game parks lled with an incredible vari-ety of animals ranging from more than a million and a half wildebeest that visit the Maasai Maraduring the annual migration to the hippos of Samburu and the red elephants of Tsavo.From Amboseli National Park, you can enjoy the impressive and majestic views of Africas highestpeak, Mount Kilimanjaro. Be it part of a wildlife holiday or just a beach getaway, the spectacularbeaches of the Kenyan Coast are equal to none. Friendly people, easy access and something foreveryone makes Kenya the perfect holiday destination.

The perfect holiday destination!Kenya. . .

Why travel with Big Five Tours?

Our team is made up of experiencedtour professionals who are solely dedicated toyour well-being and satisfaction. They ensurethat all logistics of your itinerary are handledawlessly, as well as provide you complete as-sistance in the event of an unforeseen event oremergency. They also assure the quality of ourproduct by securing the best vehicles, guides,hotels and other requirements.When you contact Big Five Tours & Safaris,you receive a professional tour consultationwith a dedicated safari specialist, who haspersonally experienced your itinerary. Theirexpert advice and timely response are hall-marks of our distinguished company. Our staffis committed to enriching lives and expandingunderstanding by planning safaris that deliver

style, substance, comfort and value.

Our Vehicles

Our Vehicles are custom-made to en-sure that all your safari needs and comfortsare met. All our safari vehicles are tted with:cooler box , 2 sets of binoculars, books on Ani-mals, Birds & Trees of Kenya, Soft cushion oneach seat, Road Map of Kenya, Disposal DustMasks, Tissue Box, Air Freshener, Toilet Roll,First Aid Kit, Bean Bags for Photographs andStool for elderly and handicapped People

Dedication to responsible tourism

For years, Big Five Safaris has sup-ported initiatives that are of benet to theenvironment, helped protect the environmentand aided the communities in which we work.Our mission statements make the promotion ofecotourism and environmentally aware policiesmandatory in every aspect of our business.

In our ofces

Our ofces have adopted a number ofpolicies to reuse, recycle and conserve wher-ever possible. These include:1) Paper conservation efforts such as two sidedprinting2) Changes to energy- efcient lighting

3) Powering off computers during lunches andwhen leaving for the day4) Using recycled paper where possible (in-cluding our pricelist)5) Providing more information by email andinternet, reducing printed documents

In our planning

We have designed a number of itineraries thatreduce the dependency on vehicles. Also, wenow have a variety of activities that allow cul-tural interaction with proceeds helping variouslocal charities.

4


4/19

Lake Bogoria National Park

Altitude 3200 Ft Area: 107 Sq Kms. Distance from Nairobi: 260 Kms

Some 30 km (20 miles) south of LakeBaringo, as the ruddy ducks ies, is Lake Bo-

goria National Park. This small equatorial lakehas geysers and hot springs. Theyre relativelyfew vantage points from which you can see itbut its topaz and green waters are strikinglybeautiful.

The Maasai know Lake Bogoria asMbatibat. Along Lake Bogorias western shoreis a bed of hot springs and blowholes, which in-frequently erupt two and a half to three meters(8 to 10 ft) into the air, and constantly emit apungent sulfur smell. These geothermal phe-nomena are intriguing but also dangerouslyhot.ACCOMMODATION: Island Camp

Mount Kenya National Park

Altitude 2500 - 4000 Ft

Area: 715 Sq Kms. Distance from Nairobi: 280 Kms.

Mt. Kenya is an imposing extinct vol-cano dominating the landscape of the KenyanHighlands, East of the Rift. Mt. Kenya liesabout 140 km North, North-East of Nairobiwith its Northern anks across the Equator.The mountain has two main peaks: Batian(5200m) and Nelion ( 5188m). The mountainsslopes are cloaked in forest, bamboo, scrub andmoorland giving way on the high central peaksto rock, ice and snow. Mt. Kenya is an impor-tant water catchment area, supplying the Tanaand Northern Ewaso Ngiro systems.

The park includes a variety of habitatsranging from higher forest, bamboo, alpinemoorlands, glaciers, tarns and glacial mo-raines. The park, which is also an InternationalBiosphere Reserve, covers 715 sq/km, includesthe Mountain and consists of all the groundabove 3200m with two small salients extend-ing lower down to 2450m along the Sirimonand Naro Moru tracks. Surrounding the parkis Mount Kenya Forest Reserve with an area ofapproximately 2095 sq/km.

MAJOR ATTRACTIONSMountain climbing, hiking, Pristine wil-derness, lakes, tarns, glaciers and peaks ofgreat beauty, geological variety, forest, min-eral springs, rare and endangered species of

animals, High altitude adapted plains game,Unique mountain and alpine vegetation with 11species of endemic plants.

ACTIVITIESMountain climbing, game viewing.

WILDLIFEReptiles: Alpine Meadow Lizard; Green Mam-ba; lizards and skinks; Montane Viper.

ACCOMMODATION: Mountain Lodge, Fair-mont Mt. Kenya Safari Club, Ol Pejeta Ranch &Sweetwaters Tented Camp plus much more.

Didyouknow?Notw

ozebrashavethesamepattern.

7

Parks & Game Reserves

Maasai Mara National Reserve

Altitude 5000 FtArea: 1,510 Sq. Kms. Distance from Nairobi: 275 Kms.

The Maasai Mara Game Reserve is oftencalled simply The Mara which is the Maa

word meaning Mottled, a reference to thepatchy landscape. Both spellings Maasai andMaasai are acceptable although the latter ismore usual when referring to the people.

The Maasai are a proud semi-nomadiccattle-rearing people with a fascinating cultureand are divided into a number of sub-tribes,some of which share the Mara region. Muchof the wildlife can be divided into mammals,birds and reptiles. Many of the mammals canbe divided into carnivores, primates and un-gulates (hooved animals). Carnivores includethe cheetah, genet, hyena, jackal, leopard,lion, mongoose, serval and wild dog. Primatesinclude the baboon, bush baby and monkey.Odd-toed ungulates include the rhino andzebra. Even-toed ungulates include the buf-falo, giraffe, hippo, warthog and antelope(bushbuck, Dik-dik, duiker, eland, gazelle,hartebeest, impala, klipspringer, kudu, oribi,

reedbuck, roan antelope, topi, waterbuck andwildebeest). The famoua Big Five are theBuffalo, Elephant, Leopard, Lion and Rhinoc-eros. The Big Nine extends this to includeCheetah, Zebra, Giraffe and Hippo.

An impressive feature is the annualmigration of wildebeests, zebras and gazellesfrom the plains of the Serengeti that cross theTanzanian border and rivers to reach the Marasgrasslands from late June, tracked by predators:lion, leopard, cheetah, and hyena, and circled byvultures as their journey unfolds. Their dramaticriver crossings are a reality for tourists visiting inearly July-September.

ACCOMMODATION: Fairmont Mara SafariClub, Mara Serena lodge, Sarova Mara camp,Governors camp, Keekorok lodge, Mara In-trepids, Mara Simba lodge plus much more.

Lake Nakuru National Park

Altitude 4000 - 5770 FtArea: 188 Sq Kms. Distance from Nairobi: 160 Kms.

Lake Nakuru is a very shallow, stronglyalkaline lake 62 square km in extent. It is set in apicturesque landscape of surrounding woodlandand grassland. The landscape includes areas ofmarsh and grasslands alternating with rockycliffs and outcrops, stretches of acacia woodlandand rocky hillsides covered with a Euphorbia for-est on the eastern perimeter.

Lake Nakuru itself boasts the mostspectacular of all of Africas bird sights. Enor-mous ocks of pastel pink amingoes, as wellas other bird species. Here you have wonderfulopportunities for color photography as massesof pink bodies glide above the reection ofblue water. Many species including reedbuck,bushbuck, wart hog, baboon, leopard and theRothschild giraffe call this home. It has also

been designated a rhino sanctuary.

ACCOMMODATION: Lion Hill Lodge, LakeNakuru Lodge, Flamingo hill Camp, MbwehaCamp plus much more.

6


5/19

duces mirages. Swamps and springs, fed byunderground rivers from Kilimanjaros melt-ing snows, form permanent watering placesfor wildlife throughout times of drought.The lake bed is subject to sporadic oods andnoxious salts in the gravel bed are dissolved toserve as a deadly poison for what is left of thelocal woods; very few of the ne acacias, once afeature of this region remain.

The snows of Kilimanjaro, white andcrystalline, form a majestic backdrop to one ofKenyas most spectacular displays of wildlife- lion, elephant, leopard, rhino, cheetah, buf-falo and hosts of plains game, creating Kenyasmost sought after photographers paradise. Butthe Parks popularity is also causing seriousconcern. The combination of wildlife, tourist

vehicles and Masaai cattle are destroying thedelicate but precious grassland. Park rules nowinsist that vehicles stick to roads and tracks.

The Parks best game runs are aroundswamps and there is a ne lookout on Observa-tion Hill which offers views over the whole ofthe Park and beyond.

ACCOMMODATION: Amboseli Serena, Am-boseli Sopa, Oltukai Lodge, Porini Camp, Tor-tilis camp plus much more.

Aberdare National Park

Altitude 2500 - 4000 Ft Area: 715 Sq Kms. Distance from Nairobi: 280 Kms.

The Aberdares are an isolated volcanicrange that forms the eastern wall of the riftvalley, running roughly 100km north southbetween Nairobi and Thomsons Falls. Soils arered and of volcanic origin, but rich in organicmatter. There are two main peaks, Ol DonyoLesatima (3,999m) and Kinangop (3,906m)separated by a long saddle of alpine moorlandat over 3,000m. The topography is diversewith deep ravines that cut through the forestedeastern and western slopes and there are manyclear streams and waterfalls. The Aberdaresare an important water catchment area provid-ing water to the Tana and Athi rivers and partof Central Rift and Northern drainage basins.

The unusual vegetation, rugged terrain,streams and waterfalls combine to create anarea of great scenic beauty in the NationalPark. The park is surrounded by a predomi-nantly indigenous forest, whose managementis under an MoU between KWS and the ForestDepartment

ACCOMMODATION: The Ark Lodge, Aberd-are Country Club, Tree-tops Lodge plus muchmore.

Lake Baringo National Park

Altitude 3180 Ft Area: 130 Sq Kms. Distance from Nairobi: 315 Kms.

Lake Baringo is good stopover siteto break a long safari across the Rift Valley.Lake Baringo National Park has now becomeKenyans popular weekend destination. Thebrown slightly saline lake is a home for hippos,crocodiles, and over 400 species of birds. LakeBaringo has an average depth of only 8 meters(25 ft), and its three islands (Ol Kokwa, TeddyBear, and Gibraltar) are breeding grounds forthe statuesque, and one and a half meter (5 ft)Goliath heron, the largest of the heron species.The shores are a mixture of sand marsh, whichprovide some cover and shade for the residenthippos.

ACCOMMODATION: Lake Baringo CountryClub & Island Camp

Newlybornhipposweigh

from55to120pounds

9

Samburu National Reserve


Samburu is a journey of about 220miles north of Nairobi in Kenyas arid, north-ern scrub lands. This tiny park is only 64square miles but in its boundaries is the bestgame viewing the North Country has to offer. ASamburu native is fond of saying the animalsin the north are more beautiful and whiletheres certainly some regional pride in thisstatement, theres also quite a lot of truth. Youwill see species here you wont see anywhereelse and yes, they are uniformly beautiful.

Reticulated giraffe, boldly markedblocks separated by the nest of lines, delicate-ly browse through acacia branches.

Grevys zebra, ne lined patterns thatseem to merge to gray from a distance, is eas-ily distinguished from its Burchell (common)zebra cousin besides the ner patterning theGrevy is larger with more of a domesticatedhorse conformation; front and back ends seemmore in balance. Grevys also seem to have abit more self possession, less of the Burchellsspookiness, and maybe that comes from thehigher self esteem good looks bring about.

Samburu National Reserve can be en-tered via the Ngare Mare and Buffalo Springsgates. Once inside the reserve, there are twomountains visible: Koitogor and Ololokwe.Samburu National Reserve is very peace-

ful and attracts animals because of the UasoNyiro river (meaning brown water and pro-nounced U-aa-so-Nyee-ro) that runs throughit and the mixture of acacia, riverine forest,thorn trees and grassland vegetation. The UasoNyiro ows from the Kenyan highlands andempties into the famous Lorian Swamp. Thenatural serenity that is evident here is due toits distance from industry and the inaccessibil-ity of the reserve for many years.

One of our favorite animals is the gerenuk,the gracefully long- necked giraffe antelope, whosperfectly capable of stretching full height on hishind legs to snatch an acacia morsel.

That strikingly marked huge antelope, Beisaoryx and elephant, lives here as well.

ACCOMMODATION: Samburu Serena Lodge,Samburu Simba Lodge, Samburu Sopa Lodge,Samburu Game Lodge, Samburu Intrepids,Elephant Bedroom Camp, Samburu Larsenscamp plus much more.

Amboseli National Park


At the foot of Africas highest moun-tain, 5895m Kilimanjaro, is one of Kenyasmost popular parks. The snow capped peakof Mount Kilimanjaro rising above a saucer ofclouds dominates every aspect of Amboseli.Gazetted as a national park in 1974 it coversonly 392 sq kms but despite its small size andits fragile ecosystem it supports a wide rangeof mammals (well over 50 of the larger species)

and birds (over 400 species). Years ago, Am-boseli was the locale around which such fa-mous writers as Ernest Hemingway and RobertRuark spun their stories of big game huntingin the wilds of Africa. It is also the home of theMaasai people, those tall, proud nomads whoselegendary prowess in battle and single handedacts of bravery in ghts with wild animals hasspread across the globe.

The Maasai have learned to live in com-plete harmony with their environment and thewildlife which surrounds them. A part of Am-boseli National Park is composed of a dried-uplake bed which in the shimmering heat pro-

Giraffes tounguesare 18 incheslong!

Didyouknow?

8


6/19

Lake Naivasha is one of Kenyas mostbeautiful small Rift Valley Lakes. It is sur-rounded by feathery papyrus, marshy lagoonsand grassy shores where distorted ocks ofgraceful amingoes and pink backed pelicansettle on the water.

From Lake Naivasha, one can take aboat to the Crescent Island, a private gamesanctuary where you can walk around the is-land and view at close range, zebra, waterbuck,giraffe and several species of antelope. Hipposare seen and heard during boat ride. Bird lifearound the lake is also abundant. Optional ac-tivities include a visit to the Hells gate Nationalpark

ACCOMMODATION: Lake Naivasha Sopa

Lodge, Lake Naivasha Simba Lodge, Chui Lodge,Rift Valley Golf & Country club plus much more.

Meru National Park


Meru is a savanna national park 35kmeast of Maua town in the north-eastern low-lands below the Nyambeni hills. Meru is partof a complex of protected areas along the Tanariver that includes the adjacent Bisanadi andMwingi National Reserves (to the east andsouth respectively), Kora National Park andRahole National Reserve. The wetter north-western sector is hilly with rich volcanic soils.

The land attens towards the East,

where grey alluvial volcanic soils appear.The area is crossed by numerous permanentstreams, draining from the Nyambenes andowing in parallel between tounges of lava,south-east towards the Tana River. As wellas the many streams that cross it, the parkis bounded by three large rivers: the Tana tothe South, the Ura to the South West and theRojeweru to the East. There are several promi-nent inselbergs of basement rock, notablyMughwango and Leopard rock.

Nairobi National Park


The 117 km2 Nairobi National Park isunique by being the only protected area in theworld with a variety of animals and birds closeto a capital city. As expected, the park is a prin-cipal attraction for visitors to Nairobi.

The park also serves many residents andcitizens living in the city The park has a diver-sity of environments with characteristic faunaand ora. Open grass plains with scatteredacacia bush are predominant. The western

side has a highland dry forest and a perma-nent river with a riverine forest in the south. Inaddi- tion, there are stretches of broken bushcountry and deep, rocky valleys and gorgeswith scrub and long grass. Man-made damshave also added a further habitat, favourableto certain species of birds and other aquaticbiota(life forms). The dams also attract waterdependent herbivores during the dry season.

The park has a rich, diverse birdlife with400 species recorded. However, all speciesare not always present as some are seasonal.Northern migrants pass through the park pri-marily during late March through April.

Nairobi National Park is one of the mostsuccessful of Kenyas rhino sanctuaries; it isalready generating a stock for reintroduction inthe species former range and other upcomingsanctuaries. Due to this success, it is one of thefew parks where a visitor can be certain of see-ing a black rhino in its natural habitat.

To the south of the park is the Athi-Ka-piti Plains and Kitengela Migration and disper-sal area. These are vital areas for herbivoresdispersal during the rains and concentrate inthe park in the dry season.

ACCOMMODATION: Nairobi Serena Hotel,Ole Sereni Hotel, Sankara Hotel, Fairmont theNorfolk Hotel, Sarova Stanley Hotel, Inter-continental Hotel, Jacaranda Hotel plus muchmore.

11

Tsavo West National Park


Tsavo West National Park covers 9000km2, approximately 30% of Kenyas area un-der parks, and contains a diversity of habitats,wildlife and a mountainous scenic landscape.The park is a vast expanse of savanna stretch-ing from the Athi river, North of the Momba-sa-Nairobi road and south to the Tanzanianborder. The North-Eastern boundary alongthe Athi adjoins Tsavo East National Park, butTsavo West has a more varied topography anda more diverse array of habitats than its neigh-

bour.

The parks habitats include open plainsalternating with Savannah bush and semidesert scrub, acacia woodlands, rocky ridgesand outcrops and more extensive ranges andisolated hills, belts of riverine vegetation, palmthickets and on the Chyulu hills, mountainforest. There are numerous rocky outcrops andridges and part of the park towards the ChyuluHills is of recent volcanic origin with lava owsand ash cones including the Shet- ani lavaow, an example of a recent volacano. In thefar south-western corner on the Kenya Tanza-nia border is Lake Jipe, part of which is in thepark. This very attractive lake is fed by run-off from Mt. Kilimanjaro and the North Paremountains.

At Mzima Springs, in the North of thepark, water that has ltered underground from

the Chyulu Hills gushes from below a lavaridge into a series of clear pools.

ACCOMMODATION: Kilaguni Serena Lodge,Ngulia Safari Lodge, Kitani Severin SafariCamp/ Lodge, Finch Hattons Tented Lodge,Voyager Safari Camp plus much more.

Lake Naivasha


ThesavannaElephantisthe

biggestofallelephants.

Didyouknow?

10


7/19

Serengeti National Park

The Serengeti is one of the largest wildlifesanctuaries in the world, and the commitmentto its preservation shown by the governmentof Tanzania is important in a country faced byland shortage and a rising population.

Lake Manyara

The lake is renowned among ornithologists forits birds of prey and the famous tree-climbinglions that inhabit the woodland that nestlesbetween the lake and the Rift Valley.

Ngorongoro

The Ngorongoro Crater is the largest perfectcaldera in the world. This outstanding wonderis only one of the attractions within a vast anddiverse conservation area.

Tarangire

The park derives its name from the TarangireRiver which rises in Tanzanias central high-land and snakes its way through the length ofthis sanctuary.

Selous

The vast majority of Tanzanias elephant herdlive in one remote stretch of safari wilderness-the Selous Game Reserve. Stieglers Gorge isone of the parks most striking features.

Bagamoyo

Bagamoyo was the major slave trading post inEast Africa. Bagamoyo, which means lay downyour heart in Swahili, was probably given thisname because Bagamoyo was the last place

the slaves would stay in Tanzania before beingshipped off to foreign lands.

Arusha

Once quoted as being a gem among parks thisis the closest to Arusha. The oor is covered bylush swamps and riverine forest and is hometo rhino, elephant, buffalo, baboon, warthog,olive baboon and the black and white colobusmonkey.

Mt. Kilimanjaro

The mountain owes its existence to the forma-tion of the Great Rift Valley and is actuallythree volcanic cones that, due to their proxim-ity, became one Shira, Mawenzi and Kiboto-gether they make the highest free standingmountain in the world. It is possible to climbthis wedding cake mountain all year round.

Lionsusuallyspend16to20hoursadaysleepingandresting.

Didyouknow?

13

Kenyan Coast

Mombasa

Kenyas tropical coast boasts over 300miles of beaches lapped by the shallow warmwaters of the Indian Ocean. You can easilycombine a stay at the coast with a safari to seethe amazing wildlife of East africa or just relaxat the coast and enjoy exploring the under-

water marine world of the reefs that lie off itsshores. A selection of good quality hotels onfantastic Indian Ocean beaches offering excel-lent value for money.

ACCOMMODATION: Mombasa Sere na Ho-tel, Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa, Travel-lers Beach Resort, Baobab Beach Resort, plusmuch more.

Malindi

South of Malindi town, both Watamuand Kilifi make ideal setting for a relaxingholiday with easy access to the shops, res-taurants, bars and markets in Malindi. Twobeautifully set reso rts, Wata mu fringes t hewaters of a marine national park with Kilifiset overlooking a creek.

ACCOMMODATION: Hemingways Resort, Tur-tle Bay Resort, Blue Bay Hotel plus much more.

Lamu

A beautiful and enchanting island that of-fers Kenyas most tranquil and romantic setting.

Lamu to the north of Malindi is an oldArabic Trading town and resembles the Zanzi-bar of 200 years ago. There is no better placeto relax and unwind whilst being surroundedby outstanding natural beauty, and the clearestof waters. Ideal after a busy safari!

12

Tanzania & Uganda


8/19

15

Uganda - Overview

It is reputed as Africas friendliestcountry! The moment you land at Entebbesmodern and efcient international airport,with its breathtaking equatorial location on theforested shore of island-strewn Lake Victoria,it is clear that Uganda is no ordinary safaridestination. Then, just 40km away, sprawledacross seven hills, there is the capital Kampala.Uganda is the only safari destination whoserange of forest primates is as impressive as itsselection of plains antelope. And this verdantbiodiversity is further attested to by Ugandasstatus as by far the smallest of the four Africancountries whose bird checklist tops the 1,000mark!

Yet there is more to the country thanwildlife - far more! There is the mighty Nile,punctuated by the spectacular MurchisonFalls, and the setting for some of the worlds

most thrilling commercial white-water rafting.There are the snow-capped peaks of the Rwen-zori, which provide a tantalizing challenge todedicated mountaineers, as well as the VirungaVolcanoes and Mount Elgon, both of whichoffer highly rewarding hiking opportunitiesthrough scintillating highland scenery.

Mountain Gorillas are one of the mostfascinating species of animal to many people.With their soulful eyes, obvious intelligence,and expressive nature; they tap a very funda-mental sense of empathy. The Bwindi Impen-etrable National Park is one of a small handfulof places left on Earth where gorillas can beseen in their natural habitat. The beauty of thetropical rain forest is spectacular. The thrill ofspending time looking in the deep blue eyes

of these gentle and endangered giants is anawesome adventure, exciting experience andunforgettable through your lifetime!

14


9/19

Day 04After breakfast you will drive further to the north. A stop at the Equator gives youa chance to take a photo with one foot in the northern and one foot in the southernhemispheres. Then youre off to the heart of Kenyas Big Game country- Olpejetaranch. This 22,000-acre private ranch encompasses a rich terrain of plains, lowhills and forest. Your afternoon game drive gives you an opportunity to see a va-riety of unusual species, including the reticulated giraffe, Grevys zebra and BeisaOryx. Included is a visit to Jane Goodalls chimpanzee sanctuary.

FULL- BOARD.........SWEETWATERS TENTED CAMPDistance: Samburu - Sweetwaters approx. 240Kms - 04.00Hrs

Day 05You will depart and descend into the Great Rift Valley to one of the worlds mostimportant bird sanctuaries. Lake Nakuru itself boasts the most spectacular of allof Africas bird sights- enormous ocks of pastel pink amingoes, as well as otherbird species. Here you have wonderful opportunities for color photography asmasses of pink bodies glide above the reection of blue water. Lunch is at LionHill Lodge. Your afternoon game drive takes you through the lush green park thatsurrounds the lake. Many species including reedbuck, bushbuck, wart hog, baboon,leopard and the Rothschild giraffe call this home. It has also been designated arhino sanctuary.

FULL- BOARD..............................LION HILL LODGEDistance: Sweetwaters - Nakuru approx....220Kms - 03.30Hrs

Day 06After breakfast you will drive through the spectacular Great Rift Valley and thenvia Narok (the major Masai administrative centre) to one of the stellar events ofyour safari-The Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Kenyas most precious wildlife san c-tuary. This is big game country and long famed as one of Africas greatest concen-trations of game. Plains game are found here in staggering numbers, which in turnsupports a tremendous predator population. Lunch will be at Mara Simba. Duringyour afternoon game drive, you have opportunities to see he rds of impala, wilde-beest, giraffe, elephant, topi, buffalo, wart hog, ostrich, as well as lion, cheetah,hyena, and possibly the elusive leopard.

FULL- BOARD...........................................MARA SIMBA

Distance: Nakuru -Mara approx....340Kms 05.30Hrs

Day 07You will have morning and afternoon game drives with mid morning at leisurewhere you get superb opportunities to engage in som e of Maasaimaras. Optionalactivities including, Game drives, Bird/nature walks with Maasai Morans, Culturaldances or even Maasai (Masai) Village visits. Today you will watch the hipposcavort, en masse, in the Mara River. There are usually over 50 of them, weighingin at over 8,000 pounds each. It is difcult to get a good picture of a hippo, as theyvery seldom come all the way out of the water. The surprising reason f or this is thattheir hide sunburns very easily. Later you will return to the lodge for dinner andovernight. Tonight youll dream of all the wonders of Africa.

FULL- BOARD.................................MARA SIMBA

Day 08Today you will return to Nairobi arriving in time for lunch and later you will betransferred to export for departure.

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.

St. Augustine

17

Sample Itineraries

Kenya Game Safari

Day 01Upon arrival in Nairobi, proceed through Immigration and Customs. After exitingthe Customs & immigrations Hall, Please look out for a Big Five Tours & Safarisdriver/guide holding a Big Five Tours Banner with your name on it. Our Guide willassist you with your luggage and youll proceed towards the central highlands. Nes-tled on the slopes of Mweiga Hill in a 1,300- acre wildlife sanctuary, the Aberdare

Country Club welcomes you for a sumptuous lunch. Here youll store your luggageand take a small overnight bag with you up to the Ark. Youll depart at 1430hrson special buses into the thick woodlands to the Ark at the heart of the AberdareNational Park. Situated in a fairyland forest, you can stay up all night long, if youchoose, game viewing from a variety of observations decks or an undergroundbunker. The Ark is situated beside a oodlit waterhole and natural saltlick, wherea constant parade of wildlife will visit throughout the night. Theres absolutely nolimit to the number of animals youll see. Birds and bushbuck are joined by El-ephant, Buffalo, Rhino, Hyena or maybe Lion that may come to sample the saltlick.

FULL- BOARD.....................................ARK LODGEDistance: Nairobi - Ark approx....200Kms - 03.30Hrs

Day 02After breakfast, drive further north towards the highlands to the Samburu Reserveis located on the banks of the Ewaso Ngiro River and it occupies an area of 165kmsquare. You arrive in time for lunch at your lodge in the Samburu Game Reserve. Thisafternoon youll have a game drive to view unusual species rarely seen outside of thisregion the main attractions of Samburu are the rich culture of the local communities,the beautiful landscape and wildlife. This region is the meeting point of the North andthe South. It is in Samburu you will nd the Northern and Southern dwelling spe -cies mixed. Good examples are the Grevys Zebra which are found to the North of theequator and the common Zebra. Others are the Maasai and the Somali Ostrich. Moreso, Samburu offers some very unique species (Samburu Five) which include the Ger-enuk (giraffe gazelle), Beisa Oryx, Reticulated giraffe, blue necked Somali ostrich, andGrevys Zebra. Dinner and overnight at Samburu Lodge.

FULL- BOARD................................SAMBURU LODGEDistance: Ark - Samburu approx.250Kms - 04.00Hrs

Day 03Youll set out on morning and afternoon game drives to observe Samburus wild-life. All the big cats-Lions, Cheetah and Leopard are found here. Other mammalsinclude elephant, Buffalo, Grants gazelle, Kirks Dik-dik, Impala, Waterbuck,warthogs, and on the river banks are hippos and Nile Croco diles. Bird enthusiastswill be rewarded with a wealth of species attracted to the palm tree-lined perma-nent waters of the river. Over 350 species of birds have been recorded in Samburu.These include Somali Ostrich, Kingsher, Sunbird, Bee-eater, Marabou Stork,Tawny Eagle, Bateleur, Vultures. Game birds include the Helmeted and VulturineGuinea fowls. Photographers will appreciate the dramatic backdrop of OlolokweMountain.. Later return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

FULL- BOARD..............................SAMBURU LODGE

16


10/19

Day 06You will have morning and afternoon game drives with mid morning at leisurewhere you get superb opportunities to engage in so me of Maasai maras Optionalactivities including, Game drives, Bird/nature walks with Maasai Morans, Culturaldances or even Maasai (Maasai) Village visits. Today you will watch the hipposcavort, en masse, in the Mara River. There are usually over 50 of them, weighingin at over 8,000 pounds each. It is difcult to get a good picture of a hippo, as theyvery seldom come all the way out of the water. The Surprising reason f or this isthat their hide sunburns very easily. Later you will return to the lodge for dinnerand overnight.

FULL- BOARD...........................MARA SERENA LODGE

Day 07Your schedule for today includes a morning & afternoon game drive. Travelingacross the savannah, youll rendezvous with the Mara residents herds of buffalo,wildebeest, hartebeest, impala, and gazelle. The Maasai Mara is the northern-mostextremity of the great Serengeti ecosystem. Here, black rhino browse among densethorn bushes and herds of giraffe and elephant roam the woodlands. Large num-bers of hippos gather to feed and swim in the Mara River. Boasting Kenyas largestpredator population, the reserve is renowned of lion prides up to 20 Lions. Tonightyoull dream of all the wonders of Africa.


Day 08You will y via Nairobi to Amboseli close to the Tanzan ian border. Amboseli liesin the shadow of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Surely this is the most spectacular backdrop forphotography in any wildlife sanctuary in Africa. Here youll stay at Tortilis Camp.Your game runs enroute to the Lodge will introduce you to large n umbers of plainsgame- wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala and gazelle. Afternoon game drive inAmboseli National Park.

FULL- BOARD ......................................TORTILIS CAMPFlight: Maasai Mara - Nairobi - Approximately - 01.00 Hrs

Flight: Nairobi - Amboseli - Approximately - 00.45Mins

Day 09Early morning and late afternoon game drives. You may nd the parks elephantherds cooling off in the swamp waters, or the tall Maasai giraffe peering at youthrough the Treetops. The bird life of Amboseli is rich and varied-more than 420species - 47 of them raptors. Part of the park is composed of a dry lake bed whichproduces mirages in the shimmering heat swamps and springs are fed by theunderground rivers of Kilimanjaro melting snows, which provide permanent waterfor game. In the evening a visual feast....Kilimanjaro at sunset.

FULL- BOARD ......................................TORTILIS CAMP

Day 10Today you will have a morning game drive and after lunch you will y back toNairobi , Day room at the Norfolk Hotel and later on after dinner you will be trans-ferred to the airport for your outbound ight.

A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.

Lao Tzu

19

Sample Itineraries Continued

Bush Safari in Comfort

Day 01Upon arrival in Nairobi, proceed through Immigration and Customs. After exitingthe Customs & immigrations Hall, Please look out for a Big Five Tours & Safarisdriver/guide holding a Big Five Tours Banner with your name on it. Our Guide willassist you with your luggage and youll you will be transferred to the Norfolk Hotel.

BED & BREAKFAST.........................NORFOLK HOTEL

Day 02Depart and descend to Lake Naivasha, here you will have the opportunity toengage in different activities that your lodge has to offer including, Guided bushwalks, boat trips and shing on lake Naivasha , bush breakfast, sun downers plusmuch more. Lunch, Dinner and overnight will be provided at Chui Lodge.

FULL- BOARD......................................CHUI LODGEDistance: Nairobi - L Naivasha approx 110Kms - 02.00Hrs

Day 03After breakfast you will drive further to the north. A stop at the Equator gives youa chance to take a photo with one foot in the northern and one foot in the southernhemispheres. Then youre off to the heart of Kenyas Big Game country- Olpejetaranch. This 22,000-acre private ranch encompasses a rich terrain of plains, low hillsand forest. Your afternoon game drive gives you an opportunity to see a variety of unu-sual species, including the reticulated giraffe, Grevys zebra and Beisa Oryx. Included isa visit to Jane Goodalls chimpanzee sanctuary & a night game drive.

FULL- BOARD.........SWEETWATERS TENTED CAMPDistance: Lake Naivasha - Sweetwaters approx.140Kms - 02.00Hrs

Day 04After breakfast, drive to the fringes of Africas second highest peak, Mount Kenya. Seton the Equator with magnicent views of Mt. Kenya, this luxurious club is the interna-tionally famed country retreat of the late actor, William Holden. Mount Kenya SafariClub Spreads on more than 100 acres of manicured lawns are magnicent gardens,ornamental ponds, and free-roaming peacocks and other exotic birds. Optional Activi-

ties include horse riding, trout shing, as well as an art gallery, health & beauty parlor,boutique, club shops or the William Holden Animal Orphanage.

FULL-BOARD..................................MT.KENYA S. CLUBDistance: Sweetwaters - Mt. Kenya - approx 80kms .01.00Hrs

Day 05Today after breakfast you will y over spectacular Great Rift Valley to one of thestellar events of your safari-The Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Kenyas most pre -cious wildlife sanctuary. This is big game country and long famed as one of Africasgreatest concentrations of game. Plains game are found here in staggering num-bers, which in turn supports a tremendous predator population. Lunch will be atMara Serena. During your afternoon game drive, you have opportunities to seeherds of impala, wildebeest, giraffe, elephant, topi, buffalo, wart hog, ostrich, aswell as lion, cheetah, hyena, and possibly the e lusive leopard.


18


11/19

Day 05You will y from Lewa to the Maasai Mara. Naibor Camp is a luxury tented camp, a striking combination of contem-porary style and comfort in the heart of Kenyas world famous Masai Mara Game Reserve. The camp is hidden in agrove of riverine woodland on the banks of the Talek River and consists of sweeping pale canvas tents, king-sized bedsmade from local g-wood, wide sofas furnished with bolster cushions, and wool rugs - a luxurious base from whichto explore the Mara. Since Naibor is in the heart of the Masai Mara Game Reserve, guests are able to enjoy fabulouswildlife viewing throughout the year. Naibor is also strategically placed for the wildebeest migration, being close to allthe major wildebeest crossing sites over the Mara River. After an evening game drive, you will return to the camp fordinner and overnight.

FULL- BOARD.NAIBOR CAMP

Day 06 & 07After breakfast, you will enjoy game drives in these two days that you will be at the Maasai Mara.. Bird/nature walkswith Maasai Morans, Cultural dances or even Maasai (Masai) Village visits. Today you will watch the hippos cavort,en masse, in the Mara River. There are usually over 50 of them, weighing in at over 8,000 pounds each. It is difcultto get a good picture of a hippo, as they very seldom come all the way out of the water. The surprising reason for this isthat their hide sunburns very easily. Later you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

FULL- BOARDNAIBOR CAMP

Day 08After breakfast you will y to Nairobi, be transferred to a day room at the Sankara hotel, where you will have lunch &dinner and later on your departure transfer.

We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulllment.

Hilaire Belloc

21

Signature ItinerariesDay 01Upon arrival in Nairobi, proceed through Immigration and Customs. After exiting the Customs & immigrations Hall,Please look out for a Big Five Tours & Safaris driver/guide holding a Big Five Tours Banner with your name on it. OurGuide will assist you with your luggage and youll be transferred to Sankara hotel. Lunch will be at an Indian restau-rant. In the afternoon, you will visit The Giraffe Centre.

BED & BREAKFASTSANKARA HOTEL

Day 02After breakfast, drive further to the north. A stop at the Equator gives you a chanc e to take a photo with one foot in thenorthern and one foot in the southern hemispheres. Then youre off to the heart of Kenyas Big Game country- Ol -pajeta ranch. This 22,000-acre private ranch encompasses a rich terrain of plains, low hills and forest. Your afternoongame drive gives you an opportunity to see a variety of unusual species, including the reticulated giraffe, Grevys zebraand Beisa Oryx. Included is a visit to Jane Goodalls chimpanzee sanctuary. Dinner and overnight will be at Ol PajetaHouse.

FULL- BOARD.OL PAJETA HOUSE

Day 03You will drive to Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. The conservancy is hom e to about 10 percent of Kenyas black rhinopopulation, and the single largest population of Grevys zebra in the world. Lewa Safari Camp has a stunning locationwithin the Lewa Conservancy, with outstanding g ame viewing , and spectacular views to Mt. Kenya to the south andarid lowlands to the north.Day 04After breakfast you will enjoy morning and afternoon gamedrives. Other activities at Lewa Safari camp include guidedbush walks, sundowners, horse-riding, camel trekk ing, and educational talks on the history and the day-to-day opera-tion of the Conservancy.

FULL- BOARD...LEWA SAFARI CAMP

20


12/19

Day 05Fly from Nanyuki airstrip to Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Kenyas most precious wildlife sanctuary. Once describedas Kenyas Jewel never to be lost, is in a class of its own. The best known wildlife sanctuary in the world, Maasai(Masai) Mara National Reserve, has acquired a high ier status having been named the seventh wonder of the world.This is big game country and long famed as one of Africas greatest concentrations of game. The Masai (Maasai) Maramagic is attributed to its panorama. From the vantage of rounded hills, the large expanses grassy plains teaming withherds of animals resemble a canvas painting. The overwhelming population and the rich species presentation makesMara the best destination for any serious wildlife observer. During your afternoon game drive you will get opportuni-ties to see some of the richest assemblages of wildlife in the world.

Day 06/07Your schedule for the two days includes an early morning and late afternoon game drives. Traveling across the savan -nah, youll rendezvous with the Mara residents- herds of buffalo, wildebeest, hartebeest, impala, and gazelle. Here,black rhino browse among dense tho rn bushes and herds of giraffe and elephant roam the wo odlands. Large numbersof hippos gather to feed and swim in the Mara River. Boasting Kenyas largest predator population, the reserve is re-nowned of lion prides up to 20 lions. Tonight youll dream of all the wonders of Africa.

FULL BOARD OLE SEKI MARA

Day 08Morning ight to Nairobi, a day room will be provided at the Fairmont Norfolk Hotel, Lunch/dinner and departure transfer.

Dont tell me how educated you are , tell me how much you traveled.

Mohammed

23

Signature Itineraries continuedDay 01Upon arrival in Nairobi, proceed through Immigration and Customs. After exiting the Customs & immigrations Hall,Please look out for a Big Five Tours & Safaris driver/guide holding a Big Five Tours Banner with your name on it. OurGuide will assist you with your luggage and youll be transferred to the Fairmont Norfolk hote l. Dinner and Overnightwill be at your hotel.

Day 02After, you will y to Loisaba Lodge. Constructed from stone, local timber and tha tch, the lodge is perched high on theedge of the plateau south towards Mount Kenya. Each large French windows that open onto a private deck cantile-vered off the escarpment. The views are legendary and a waterhole a f ew hundred feet below draws continous wildlife.

FULL- BOARD.LOISABA LODGE

Day 03Morning and afternoon gamedrives and other activities at the Loisaba Lodge.

Day 04You will drive to Mount Kenya. Set on the Equator with mag nicent views of Mt. Kenya, this luxurious club is theinternationally famed country retreat of the late actor, William Holden. Spreading more than 100 acres of manicuredlawns are magnicent gardens, ornamental ponds, and free-roaming peacocks and other exotic birds. Do a little or doa lot here. Optional activities include horse riding, tennis, golf, putting green, croquet, heated swimming pool, troutshing, as well as an art gallery, health & beauty parlor, boutique, club shops and the William Holden Animal Orphan -age.

FULL-BOARD.MT.KENYA S. CLUB

22


13/19

lodges and camps are likely to rely on radio for com-munication. Most game parks are now within cell phonerange & you can purchase local Sim cards at reasonablecosts.

Food & drinks

It is generally recommended to drink only bottled min-eral water which is readily available everywhere. Thereare no restrictions on the sale or consumption of alco-holic drinks in Kenya. A good selection of local beers and

soft drinks are available everywhere, and you will nda range of imported wines, beers and spirits in manyplaces, although these can be expensive. The quality andvalue of food in Kenya is generally very good. We cancater for special meals on request.

Language

The ofcial language of Kenya is Kiswahili. This isspoken and understood by the great majority of thepopulation, many of whom also speak a tribal language.There is a wide usage and understanding of English andvirtually everyone the average tourist is likely to meet inthe course of the safari will be uent.

Tipping & Porterage

Although hotels and lodges include a service charge, it iscustomary to tip porters, waiters, taxi drivers and safaridrivers/ guides.

Luggage

One normal sized suitcase and an overnight bag is theusual baggage allowance on most safaris. On internal

charter ights only 15 Kgs (33 lbs) of baggage is allowed.Remember that safari vehicles and light aircraft havetight limits in the size and weight of luggage carried.Depending on your itinerary, it may be possible to leavesome luggage in your hotel in Nairobi for the duration ofyour safari. Traveling with light & soft baggage is recom-mended.

Currency & exchange

The local unit of currency is the Kenya Shilling whichthese days is freely convertible within Kenya for the U.S.$ and other currencies. There are numerous banks andbureau de change in towns, and most lodge s and hotelswill exchange currency or travellers cheques at reason-able rates.Credit cards are accepted at an increasing number ofestablishments in Kenya but not everywhere. It is not

generally possible to obtain cash on a credit card inKenya, so it is recommended that visitors carry sufcientfunds in the form of travellers cheques.You should take most of your money in travellerscheques from a well known company such as AmericanExpress or Thomas Cook. US Dollars or Pounds Ster-ling are recommended. It is advisable to carry some USdollars cash in small denominations. Well known creditcards such as Visa, MasterCard and American Expressare accepted at many hotels and tourist shops.

SouvenirsWood Carvings are plentiful throughout the continentand range in price from a few dollars to several hundreddollars, especially the now famous Makonde carvings,originating from Tanzania. Spears and shields are thrustat every tourist. Local handicrafts and bead work screenprinted fabrics are common.

Safari Dos & Donts

DosDo wear muted or neutral colors, like Khaki, tan or beige.Do move slowly and uidly in the vehicle minimizingsudden movements.Do encourage your driver to move the vehicle as little as possibleand to drive slowly, respecting the personal space of animals.Do encourage your drive to turn off the engine in the pres-ence of animals and not to rev the engine when starting or toattract the attention of animals.Do refrain from smoking.Do encourage other travelers who are not behaving appropri-ately to change their behavior.Do avoid walking after 6:00 pm in the city. Preferably take a taxi.Do drink mineral water or bottled water.

DontsDont wear bright colored or high contrast clothing.Dont wave arms.Dont throw anything out of the vehicle.Dont speak above a whisper.Dont yell at animals.Dont pound hands on the side of the vehicles or claphands in order to get the attention of or scare the animals.Dont feed the animals.Dont leave any valuables in the vehicle or in your hotel room,keep in the safety deposit at the Hotel / Lodge / Camp.Dont wear expensive jewellery during the day in the city.Dont drink tap water.Dont photograph tribes, if photos are required, seek driversadvice.Dont carry excess baggage only 15 kgs (33 lbs) are allowed inscheduled and charter ights.

Dont sound horn, play radio or cassettes while in the park.

Travel and change of place impar t new vigor to the mind.

Seneca

25

Safari Travel Tips

Best time to travel

Many travelers ask when the best time to travelis; but this is not easily answered because differentreserves have different peak seasons for game viewing,even within the same country, because climate and gameviewing conditions vary from year to year. With thatin mind, wed say generally speaking, the dry monthsof July through October and mid-December throughFebruary are the best game viewing times in East Africa

(Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda), when shorter grassesmake animals easier to nd. An exception to this wouldbe the Serengeti, where the migration o f wildebeest andzebra occurs from November through June, centeredaround different sections of the reserve as the animalsmake their way north to Kenyas Maasai Mara, wherethe migration generally peaks from July through August.Heavy annual rains fall from late-March through May inEast Africa and are good for observing calving, and forfresh green appearance and dust-free conditions. Justafter the rains, June and early December are beautifullygreen and dust free.

Weather

Although Kenya straddles the equator, the cli-mate is mild and pleasant with sunny days and tempera-tures averaging 80 F (27 C) during the day and 55 F (13C) at night. The coastal areas are humid and you havethe annual long rains from March to June and the shortrains in October to November.

Visas

Members of the Commonwealth countries donot require Visas but Nationals of most other countriesdo. Please check before departure with appropriateConsulate in your country. All travellers must carry validpassport (normally the passport should be valid for atleast six months). For any further information, contactthe appropriate Consulate Big Five Tours.

Electricity

The power supply is at the UK/European Standardvoltage of 220/240, and power Sockets are the U.K. Squarepin type. Remember if you want to use U.S. appliances youwill need a voltage converter as well as a plug convetor.Mains Power supply is subject to cuts and voltage uctua-tion. On Safari, most lodges power supply is from genera-tors and these are often turned off during parts of the dayand night to reduce noise and fuel consumption.

Insurance

Big Five Tours and Safaris require that allclients arrange personal travel insurance to cover theirmedical, property and other personal risks for the dura-tion of their safari. Advice on policies or actual cover canbe arranged if required.

Health

Inoculation against Yellow Fever and Cholerais advisable, but not mandatory. According to HealthAuthority, Yellow Fever vaccination is required uponreturn. It is imperative that anti - malarial prophylacticsbe taken before, during and after your visit. Chan ges ofdiet and water often cause mild stomach upsets, so asupply of anti- diarrhea pills is advisable. Do not drinktap water, but it is safe to use the water supplied inasks in your hotel room and bottled mineral water isreadily available. It is recommended to enroll with theFlying Doctors Society through us so that in the unlikelyevent that a medical emergency occurs whilst on safari,you will be own to the nearest medical ce nter.

Clothing & equipment

Clothes for safari should be light, comfortableand not too brightly colored. There is little or no require-ment for anything formal. A light jacket or sweater maybe needed in the evenings at h igher altitudes; comfort-able walking shoes are an essential, as is a hat to keepoff the sun, and sunglasses. Dont forget a swimmingcostume for use at the lodge pools.

Most people bring binoculars and / or camerasand video equipment with plenty of tape or lm. Zoomor telephoto lenses are likely to be useful. Film andDigital camera Chips (memory cards) are available at thelodges.

Most of the hotels and lodges will spray roomsand provide mosquito nets. But do bring your own insectrepellent sprays. A ashlight is always useful.

Nowadays most hotels and lodges offer wi,however televisions will not be available in most places.Bringing a portable music player, laptop or tablet maybe a good idea.

Communication

Big Five Tours and Safaris drivers can communicatewith their base by cell phones; however, more remote

24


14/19

AMBOSELI - ARUSHA

AMBOSELI - KILAGUNI

AMBOSEL - NGORONGORO

L.MANYARA - ARUSHA

ARK - L.NAKURU

ARK - MOUNT KENYA SAFARI CLUB

ARK - SWEETWATERSKILAGUNI - MOMBASA

L.NAKURU - MAASAI MARA

Mt. KENYA SAFARI CLUB - L AKE NAKURU

Mt. KENYA SAFARI CLUB - SAMBURU

NAIROB I - Mt. KENYA SAFARI CLUB

NAIROBI - KILAGUNI

NAIROBI - LAKE .BOGORIA

NAIROBI - MOMBASA

NAIROBI - NAIVASHA

NAIROBI - SALTLICK

NAIROBI - SAMBURU

NAIROBI- SWEETWATERS

NAIROBI-AMBOSELI

NAIROBI-ARK/TREETOPS/MT.LDG

NAIROBI-ARUSHA

NAIROBI-LAKE BARINGO

NAIROBI-L.NAKURU

NAIROBI-MARA(KEEKOROK/SOPA/SIMBA/SAROVA /SIANA/SENTRIM/HIPPO)

NAIROBI-MARA(SERENA/GOVERNORS/M.S.C / KICHWA TEMBO/ OLONANA)

NAIROBI-NAMANGA

NAKURU-SWEETWATERS

ARK - SAMBURU

SAMBURU - SWEETWATERS

AMBOSELI - TSAVO

TSAVO - MOMBASA

NGORONGORO-L.MANYARA

NGORONGORO-SERENGETI

SAMBURU-L.NAKURU

SERENGETI-L.MANYARA

SWEETWATERS - Mt. KENYA SAFARI CLUB

SWEETWATERS-L.NAKURU

250 KM

150 KM

400 KM

140 KM

200 KM

120 KM

120 KM350 KM

340 KM

220 KM

200 KM

280 KM

320 KM

280 KM

550 KM

150 KM

380 KM

350 KM

250 KM

280 KM

200 KM

330 KM

300 KM

200 KM

270 KM

350 KM

180 KM

250 KM

80 KM

250 KM

120 KM

350 KM

100 KM

250 KM

400 KM

300 KM

80 KM

220 KM

04:00 Hrs

02:30 Hrs

05:30 Hrs

02:30 Hrs

3:30 Hrs

03:00 Hrs

02:00 Hrs05:30 Hrs

05:30 Hrs

04:00 Hrs

03:30 Hrs

05:00 Hrs

05:30 Hrs

05:00 Hrs

08:30 Hrs

02:30 Hrs

05:30 Hrs

05:30 Hrs

04:00 Hrs

05:00 Hrs

03:00 Hrs

05:30 Hrs

05:00 Hrs

03:30 Hrs

04:30 Hrs

05:30 Hrs

03:00 Hrs

04:00 Hrs

01:30 Hrs

04:00 Hrs

02:00 Hrs

05:30 Hrs

01:30 Hrs

04:00 Hrs

05:30 Hrs

04:30 Hrs

01:30 Hrs

03:30 Hrs

Road Distance Time

27

LanguageThe ofcial language of Kenya is Kiswahili

This is spoken and understood by the greatmajority of the popula tion, many of whom alsospeak English

Kiswahili - English

General

Jambo - Hello

Habari Yako? - How are you? (Singular)Habari Zenu? - How are you? (Plural)Nzuri - WellAsante -Thank youKaribu - WelcomeTafadhali - PleaseJina lako nani? - What is your name?Jina langu ni - My name is...Hapana - NoNdiyo - YesKwaheri - Goodbye (Singular)Kwaherini - Goodbye (Plural)Jana - YesterdayLeo - TodayKesho - TomorrowSoko - MarketPesa - Money

Animals

Ndege - BirdNyani - Baboon Nyati - BuffaloMamba - CrocodileNdovu - ElephantTwiga - GiraffeMbushi - WilderbeestFisi - HyenaKongoni - HartebeestDuma - LeopardChui - CheetahSimba - LionKifaru - RhinoPunda Milia - ZebraKiboko - HippoSwara - Impala

Nyoka - SnakeTumbili - Monkey

Numbers

Moja - OneMbili - TwoTatu - Three

Nne - FourTano - FiveSita - SixSaba - SevenNane - EightTisa - NineKumi - TenKumi na Moja - ElevenKumi na Mbili - Twelve (etc. till Ninteen)Ishirini -TwentyThelathini - ThirtyArubaini - FourtyHamsini - FiftySitini- SixtySabini - SeventyThemanini - EightyTisaini - NinetyMia Moja - One HundredMia Mbili - Two HundredMia Tano - Five HundredElfu Moja - One Thousand

Laki Moja - Hundred thousandMilioni - One Million

26

Road Safari Mileage


15/19

Such conveyance etc, is subject to thelaws of the country in which the tour takesplace and all claims are subject only to the ju-risdiction of the courts of the country in whichthe cause of action arises.

29Big Fives Tours and Safaris Ltd.reserves the right to employ subcontractors tocarry out all, or part, of the services provided.

Big Fives Tours and Safaris Ltd, and as-sociated companies accept no responsibility forlosses or additional expenses due to delays, orchanges, in train, steamer, motor, air or otherservices, sickness, weather, strikes, civil dis-turbances, war, quarantine or other cause. Allsuch losses or expenses will have to be borneby the passenger.

Responsibility

\

Baggage and personal effects are carried at owners risk and clients are cautioned against the riskof leaving them unattended.

Baggage is restricted to one reasonably sized piece of luggage, plus hand baggage and cameras,when on safari.Baggage and personal effects are at owners risk throughout the safari. Baggage insurance isadvisable. At tree hotels, except Mountain Lodge, only a small overnight case is permitted; otherbaggage is stored at the hotel base camp.Children are not allowed at Tree hotels. (7 years or younger)Hotel and lodge check-out is 10:00am. Optional day room (up to 6:00pm) are available at an ad-ditional cost subject to availability.It is recommended that personal baggage and trip cancellation insurance be purchased prior totravel.In order to secure best available ground services a deposit equivalent to 20% of the tour price isrequired at the time of booking. Additional payments are required prior to the start of the safari,with full payment no less than 21 days prior to the safari.

Half the fun of the travel is the esthetic of lostness.

Ray Bradbury

29

Terms & Conditions

Rates:

All prices are normally net unless other-wise specied & are subject to change only dueto unavoidable circumstances.

Payment:

A deposit of 20% of the quoted priceis required upon booking. The balance mustreach us in Nairobi not less than 21 days priorto the commencement of the tour. In caseswhere the booking are made 21 days before thecommencement of the tour, full payment mustaccompany your requirements.

Alterations to Tours

The Company, in its absolute discre-tion, reserves the right to alter any route orother arrangements; offer substitutes; or tocompletely cancel the whole or any portion ofa tour, should conditions necessitate. The rightis also reserved to decline the acceptance ofany person as a member of a tour should thepres- ence of that person be prejudicial to thegood conduct of the tour or be contrary to theprevailing laws of Kenya.

Cancellation / No Show Fees

(Conditions imposed by Safari Lodges and Hotels)

Certain safari lodges, hotels, railway andother carriers charge cancellation/ no showfees depending upon the length of notice given.These fees and any other expenses will becharged in accordance with the costs incurredby our company.

Refunds:

In the event of the receipt of notice of atotal conciliation 40 or more days prior to the

commencement of a tour, a full refund willbe made. Cancellation fees imposed by lodges,hotels, transportations etc. Any disbursementand administration expenses incurred by us. Ifnotice of the cancellation is received less than4 days prior to the commencement of the tourthe right is served to retain full payment

Cancellation Charges:

Cancellations must be received in writing andcharges are assessed depending on the numberof days prior to the start of the tour that noticeof cancellation is received, as follows:

40-60 days: Full refund less US $ 50.00 perperson administrative fees.15-40 days: 25% of total tour price4-14 days: 35% of total tour priceUnder 4 days: No refund

Liability

Due to the local traveling conditions,such as the unavailability of accommodationand weather, the order of the itinerary maybe altered. Big Five Tours & Safaris Ltd. Re-serves the right to withdraw a safari or any partthereof and to make alterations in the itineraryof any safari.

Big Fives Tours and Safaris Ltd, and as-sociated companies make arrangement for hotel/lodge accommodation, for transport and convey-ance by whatever means, as agents for passen-gers on the conditions that they will not be liablefor any injury, damage, loss, accident, delay orirregularity which may be occasioned by reasonof any defect in any vehicle, or through the actsor defaults of any company or person engaged inconveying the passenger or in carrying out the ar-rangements of the tours, or otherwise in connec-tion therewith, or of any hotel/lodge proprietaryor servant.

28


16/19

Photo Credit: Jay Parmar

Designed By: Erika [email protected] 31

Photo by: Renee Cascia

Experiencethe World of

African Safaris!

Group Tours & Safaris

Senior Citizen Safaris

Incentive Groups

Honeymooners Safaris

Conferences

Golf Safaris

Signature Safaris

Tailor made Safaris

Photography Safaris

Wedding Safaris

We accommodate to all dietary needs ie: kosher, vegan

vegetarian, gluton free, etc.

30


17/19

Big FiveTOURS & SAFARIS LTD.

Notes


18/19

Did you know?

Kenya is ofcially known as the Republic of Kenya and it lies on the equator in the heart of EastAfrica and it is bordered by Tanzania, Uganda, Southern Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia. The coun-try gained its independence from the British in 1963 and was declared a Republic exactly one year

later in 1964.

It has a land area of 580,000 km2 (roughly the size of Texas) and a population of nearly 41 million,representing 42 different peoples and cultures. The country is named after Mount Kenya, a signi-

cant landmark and second among Africas highest mountain peaks.

The most commonly spoken languages are English and Swahili which are spoken throughout thecountry.

Time Zone: +3 hours GMT

Climate: Kenya enjoys a tropical climate. It is hot and humid at the coast, temperate inland andvery dry in the north and northeast parts of the country.

Currency: Kenyan Shillings

Capital City: Nairobi (largest)

Coastal City: Mombasa (2nd Largest)

Main exports: Tea and Coffee

Some highlights: The Great Rift Valley, Mt. Kenya, The Equator, The Great Wildebeest Migration,

Lake Victoria and many more!


19/19

big five tours and safaris

Documents