| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 77 | 50 | 2.30 |
| Feb | 80 | 51 | 2.00 |
| Mar | 80 | 53 | 3.60 |
| Apr | 77 | 56 | 9.50 |
| May | 74 | 53 | 7.50 |
| Jun | 72 | 50 | 1.50 |
| Jul | 71 | 48 | 0.70 |
| Aug | 72 | 48 | 0.90 |
| Sep | 77 | 49 | 1.20 |
| Oct | 78 | 52 | 2.40 |
| Nov | 75 | 54 | 5.90 |
| Dec | 75 | 53 | 4.20 |
The Samburu tribesman stood beneath an acacia tree, watching his goats and waiting for us to walk to his bit of shade. I admired his beaded necklace, and through our translator he traded it for my watch.
The night sky cloaks Laikipa Plateau in intense blackness. The only illumination comes from the lanterns at the foot of our tents. Then the stars start to flicker, and Kenya's nocturnal drama begins to unfold. A hyena whoops, eerily close to camp. Low growls and a series of sharp barks resonate from beyond. We listen intently, but don't react. We're bushed. Today's trek across an acacia-studded plain was the longest yet. (Even the camels, loaded with our equipment, seemed relieved when we stopped to set up camp.) But our efforts paid off: the game viewing was exceptional. All around us, herds of Grevy's zebra foraged for tender vegetation and prides of lions scanned the horizon, looking for the weak and the young, even a black rhino rolled in the ruddy dust. The frontier is abundant with wildlife.
It's also remote. Only a few hundred non-indigenous peoples have set foot here in the last 150 years. This becomes apparent in the Chalbi desert, a place to wild we can reach it only by private caravan flight. Surrounded by black lava sand, we hike to an oasis and wait. Soon members of the Gabbra tribe appear with camels, hundreds of them. The Gabbra walk from the Hurri Hills, caravanning endlessly back and forth to get water. It takes them all day to make one trip. And we are here to experience it.
"I'm compelled to break new territory," proclaims Toby Fenwick-Wilson, explaining why he recently walked 350 miles on a solo quest through the deserts of Northern Kenya. Toby's expertise in the bush and its tribal cultures comes from a strong academic background, combined with 15 years of leading safaris.
You are met in Nairobi by an expedition guide and transferred to the historic Norfolk Hotel where you meet with your expedition teammates this evening.
Norfolk HotelFly to Lewa Downs this morning, the gateway to the Laikipia Plateau and the Northern Frontier which boasts one of the greatest wildlife experiences in Kenya. Visit Lewa Conservancy to see the more than 60 rhino that live there, alongside a thriving predator population and a plethora of plains game and then see the region by air on a scenic flight in a Cessna 208 Caravan. Take the 10 to 4 Mountain Bike Challenge on Mount Kenya, a downhill mountain bike ride from 10,000 feet up on the shoulder of Mount Kenya to the 4,000-foot semi-desert of lower Borana
Borana Lodge B L DDrive to the Nandanguru Plain, where your walking guide joins you for a briefing and introduces you to your team of Il Kerrukki tribesmen. Each day, traverse on foot and on camelback through a variety of ecosystems, learning about the regional animals, the flora and fauna and the local Maasai culture.
A&K Mobile Tent B L DArrive in the evening at Tassia in the heart of Il Kerrukki tribal homeland. The area offers treks through unspoiled and uninhabited bush, climbs in the Tassia Lugga or swims in pools under waterfalls.
Tassia Lodge B L DFly on a private Cessna-208 Caravan across Dali-esque mountain ranges and through sand rivers and valleys to Desert Rose for mountain hiking, swimming and overnight.
Desert Rose B L DIn the morning, fly to the Northern Frontier. Volcanoes and lava flows abound, while huge undulating sand dunes dominate the landscape. Skim Lake Logipi, a pink explosion of millions of flamingo, and crest Teleki's Volcano to see the vast jade expanse of Lake Turkana. Land at Kalacha, a small oasis and trading settlement located on the northern edge of the great Chalbi desert, home to the nomadic Gabbra people. Explore the Hurri Hills and the volcano springs at Afkabir.
Kalacha Tented Camp B L DFly back to Nairobi through Nanyuki. Enjoy your afternoon at the Norfolk Hotel before transferring to the airport for overnight flights home.
Norfolk Hotel (dayroom) B
