Community and Conservation in Kenya
Over 11 unforgettable days in Kenya, experience the deep connection between local communities, the landscapes they inhabit and the wildlife that roams beside them. In Kenya’s remote north, learn about Samburu culture. Then join rangers in monitoring endangered rhinos across the Borana Conservancy. Your adventure ends in the Mara Conservancies on a safari with a Maasai guide, exploring the bush to spot wildlife and learning how native plants anchor sacred rituals.
Trip highlights
- Learn about wildlife conservation in Kenya's conservancies
- Join Samburu women in a beading session
- Visit Africa’s first community-owned, elephant sanctuary
- Track rhinos with those who protect them
- Walk through the bush with Maasai naturalists
- Spot the Big Five and rarer species on private game drives
Our bespoke trips include
We design one-of-a-kind journeys incorporating luxury in all its forms. Our bespoke trips include:
- Luxury accommodation throughout
- Privately guided tours
- Private transfers
- Meticulously selected experiences
- Expertise and support from your Jacada Concierge
Itinerary in detail
Every Jacada trip is tailored to your personal preferences and interests. Below you’ll find a sample itinerary to inspire your own custom-designed journey.
Days 1–2
Touchdown in Nairobi
Nairobi offers a wonderful introduction to your adventure through Kenya. This capital city is the only one of its kind to have a national park within its limits.
Beyond wildlife, explore the city’s diverse heritage on a guided tour through its artisanal markets. Or experience the craft of Kenyan coffee with a visit to the family-owned, Karunguru Coffee Estate.
Before your safari begins, rest and recharge at the elegant boutique hotel Hemingways Nairobi, situated on the city’s peaceful outskirts.
Days 2–5
Stay in a community-owned reserve
In Kenya’s far north, within Samburu County, the Namunyak Conservancy stretches over 850,000 acres surrounded by the Mathews Mountain Range. This land is deeply connected to those who protect it – the Samburu community, who own and manage the conservancy.
Deep within Namunyak, Sarara Camp invites you to learn about the Samburu way of life and their relationship with the wild. Experiences are community-led, with guides explaining culture and tradition. Join a bush walk to discover how ancestral wisdom is used to navigate vast remote areas. Then sit with Samburu women as they recount the meaning behind their intricate and brightly coloured beadwork.
On private game drives, search for the wildlife that share this ecosystem: Kenya’s second-largest herd of elephants, reticulated giraffes – the world’s tallest land mammal – wild dogs and rare Grévy’s zebras.
Into the heartland of the Samburu
A walk in the wild
All about elephants
The art of Samburu beadwork
The singing wells
Discover the bush through the eyes of the Samburu
Explore the Namunyak Conservancy with those who know it best: the Samburu. As you follow elephant trails through giant cycads or climb Mount Ol Lolokwe, witness how your guide reads the bush with remarkable ease. These guided hikes also draw you closer to the wild’s finer details, offering the ultimate sensory experience.
Visit the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary
Run by the Samburu, the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary is Africa’s first community-owned sanctuary for orphaned and abandoned elephants. During your visit, meet the keepers – including the first female Samburu keepers – and see the young elephants in their care. Observe bottle feeds and playful mud baths. Then hear how compassion and community come together to prepare them for their return to the wild.
Bead with Samburu women
Samburu beadwork is an age-old tradition shared between mother and daughter. Each bead holds meaning. Every colour and pattern tells a story – of history, identity and pride. Join a circle of Samburu women during a beading session. Learn about the cultural importance behind their intricate jewellery as you create your own piece.
Observe sacred tradition
The singing wells of the Samburu is a ritual of harmony and teamwork, stretching back generations. During the dry season, warriors unearth drinking water for their livestock by digging deep wells into dry riverbeds. You’ll be invited to observe, listening to the chants of those working together. These melodies are understood only by their herds. Recognising the familiar tune, this is how they find their way to the water.
Days 5–8
At the heart of the Borana Conservancy
Located at the foot of Mount Kenya, the Borana Conservancy sits within the biodiverse, Laikipia-Ewaso ecosystem.
Across this landscape – shared with the Lewa Conservancy – wild dogs roam freely, cheetahs sprint across open grassland and lion prides stalk the plains. Game drives here offer sightings of rarer species such as Lelwel hartebeest and African bush elephants. On bush walks, gain a new perspective. Take in the sights, sounds and smells of the wild as you identify plants, insects and more than 400 bird species.
Since dropping fences with the Lewa Conservancy, Borana has helped create one of East Africa’s largest continuous habitats for endangered rhinos. During your stay at Borana Lodge, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about rhino conservation on a specialist safari. Join the rangers who help protect them in monitoring their health and movements across the conservancy.
Where you could stay
Borana Lodge
Make it mine
Rhino conservation
Waitabit Farm
Boots on the ground
Monitor rare rhinos in the wild
Experience conservation in action as you track endangered rhinos on foot alongside seasoned rangers. During this experience, you’ll gain an insight into the ongoing efforts to help preserve these majestic creatures for generations to come. Learn about monitoring techniques, how rhinos are identified and the impact of protecting them.
Learn about sustainable farming practices
The Borana Conservancy is home to one of East Africa’s largest permaculture projects: the Waitabit Farm. This is where both the Borana Lodge and the area’s anti-poaching team source their produce. A tour around the farm offers you the chance to see how vegetables and fruit are grown using sustainable methods. You’ll delve into the cutting-edge operations and systems that fuel your meals.
A day in the life of a ranger
Throughout the Borana Conservancy, dedicated rangers from the anti-poaching unit survey the land and monitor wildlife to help keep them safe. Witness their vital work firsthand as you join them during their deployment. You can also learn more about their daily duties and their intensive training in becoming a ranger.
Days 8–11
An immersive safari in the Mara Conservancies
The final chapter of your Kenyan adventure unfolds in the Mara Conservancies. Bordering the Maasai Mara, these lands belong to the Maasai.
As a guest at Angama Mara, you’re invited to connect with the land and culture. Trace the rhythms of the Mara on foot, guided by Maasai naturalists. At the art studio, hear the stories of Maasai women as they stitch intricate patterns from beads.
With unrivalled access to the Mara Triangle from Angama Mara, game drives offer thrilling wildlife sightings in the presence of fewer crowds. Search for the Big Five alongside impalas, cheetahs and hyenas. Shift your gaze skyward to spot more than 470 bird species: vultures, martial eagles and secretarybirds all soar high across blue skies.
Discover more
The Mara’s canine guardians
On a bush walk
From seed to fork
Train with the canine unit
The canine unit plays a crucial role in helping to improve security and reduce poaching across the Mara Conservancies. In this hands-on experience, participate in training exercises with the team and delve into their critical work protecting the region’s wildlife.
Walk the Oloololo Escarpment with a Maasai guide
Staying at Angama Mara, you’re granted direct access to the Oloololo Escarpment’s wilderness. On a walking safari, follow your Maasai naturalist guide who knows this land like the back of their hand. Hear how native plants are used for medicine and ceremony while searching for the tiny critters hidden within the grassland.
Tour Angama Mara's Shamba
There’s more to the Shamba than meets the eye. Meet the keepers of this one-acre kitchen garden where emphasis is placed on cultivating fresh, seasonal produce. Explore its creative layout inspired by the game Snakes and Ladders while tasting your way through the garden.
During the tour, you’re invited to handpick your own ingredients for a salad. Then gather beneath magnificent moth trees to enjoy your meal with the Maasai Mara unfolding below.
We just returned from our trip to Kenya, and I can’t say enough about how incredible Emily (and Jacada Travel) was in making it all happen. From the very beginning, she asked questions and feedback to craft an itinerary that was not only thoughtful but truly unforgettable. Each one of us got the unique experiences we were looking for as…
Why book with Jacada
Personalised design
We’ll plan your trip around your personal interests, tastes and preferences, providing honest advice based on first-hand knowledge.
Authentic experiences
Our expert guides and brilliant Concierges are hand-picked for their ability to bring your destination to life with care and passion.
Positive Impact
We seek out unforgettable experiences that benefit both local communities and the environment.
