From luxury rail and Cape Town wineries in Part 1 to Victoria Falls and bottle-fed baby elephants in Part 2, this African adventure has already delivered more “pinch-me” moments than I can count. If you missed either installment, you can catch up on my Highlights of Africa journey here. Now, let’s dive into the final week of my trip and see how the magic of Kenya—and a few hard-won travel insights—can shape your safari.
Nairobi National Park, Karen Blixen & Giraffe Encounters
My last newsletter left off after my incredible visit to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. After that, we did our first Kenya game drive in Nairobi National Park. We also had the opportunity to visit the Karen Blixen Museum and enjoy a lovely lunch at the Karen Blixen Coffee Garden.
We visited the Giraffe Center, where you get to feed the giraffes. It felt a little like when I was a kid at the zoo, except we had a fascinating talk about the differences between the Reticulated, Maasai & Nubian giraffes (also known as Rothschild’s giraffe). It’s a great option if you don’t want to spend $2,000/night to stay at Giraffe Manor
Skip the Marathon Drives On Your Highlights of Africa Adventure
The next day is where my opening comment comes into play. We drove from Nairobi to the Maasai Mara—a long and not particularly scenic drive. I would never recommend it to a client. For about $100 you can fly. You can use that extra time to enjoy more highlights of Africa, or if you need to shorten your trip, this would be a no-brainer. The same goes for several days later when we drove back and, after spending a night in Lake Naivasha, spent another entire day driving to Amboseli National Park. Ok, enough of my whining…on to the highlights!
Maasai Mara & Mt. Kilimanjaro
A couple of highlights of our trip to Maasai Mara National Reserve were the sunrise hot-air balloon ride (worth getting up at 4:30 a.m.!) and a visit to a Maasai village. Getting to see the sun rise from the balloon and viewing herds of elephants from above was incredible. Later in the trip, learning about how the Maasai live and seeing their village was fascinating.
In between these two memorable events, we toured 15 different lodges. When you’re ready to plan your trip to the Mara, I can help you pick the lodge that’s perfect for your taste! And even more importantly, I know where I wouldn’t send any of my clients. One of my favorites was Ilkeliani Camp.
Of course, a highlight in Amboseli was seeing the large herds of elephants and being treated to views of Mt. Kilimanjaro all three days we were there. We toured another 15 or so properties, and one of my favorites was Kibo Safari Camp. Imagine waking up to a view of “Kili”! It was incredible.
Highlights of Africa: Lessons Learned & How I Can Help
There are vast differences between the four parks I visited. There were things I loved about each of them. And, I learned so much! I wouldn’t go back to Amboseli in the dry season, though—the dust was, well, DUST! And a lot of it!
Every area of Africa has something unique to offer. When you’re ready to plan your highlights of Africa trip, I can help you make the best decisions based on your vision. I can’t wait to help make a bucket-list dream come true.
Just go here to get started now. I recommend planning at least 6 months in advance, longer if you want to see the Great Migration!
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Three weeks, three countries, and countless unforgettable moments later, Africa has left an indelible mark on my heart—and I hope these posts have sparked ideas for your own adventure. When you’re ready, I’m here to match every dream sighting with the right lodge, route, and insider tips. In the meantime, be sure to sign up for my newsletter below to get more travel tips and stories straight to your inbox.
Keep exploring and stay inspired!