I was lucky enough to be offered a trip to Kenya with Abercrombie and Kent and that’s certainly not the kind of offer you turn down.
My tour started at Heathrow Terminal 5 with British Airways. The whole airport experience was excellent, check-in was seamless and security was a breeze. As we were flying BA business class (I’ll come back to that) we had access to the business class lounges, of which there are 3 at terminal 5. We opted for the Galleries Club at Gates B. This Lounge has recently been refurbished and has the great addition of a Whispering Angels bar, which I can honestly say is beautiful and feels a million miles away to the usual airport frenzy.
When it came time to board the plane I was super excited, this was my first time flying Business class. The crew were amazingly friendly and I was made to feel very welcome. I explained I hadn’t flew business before and they were really pleased to be able to show me round the new Club Suites the aircraft featured. British Airways Club Suite area business class cabin product that offers enhanced privacy and comfort compared to the older Club World seats. It features a fully flat bed, direct aisle access from every seat, and a closing door for increased privacy.
Upon arrival at Nairobi International, we cleared security and passport control very quickly and we were met by 2 Abercrombie and Kent representatives. As we were a group of 10, we had 2 vehicles to take us to our first hotel, Ole-Sereni. The welcome was very warm and we were offered a cool drink on arrival before checking on to our rooms. We met that night on he rooftop bar that had a marvelous swimming pool and breathtaking views over Nairobi National Park.
Breakfast the next morning was plentiful with a good choice and wonderful views yet again.
We met our guides in reception to head off on our first game drive through Nairobi National Park. The National Park is 117 square kilometres and is the largest of its kind located in an urban area. We spotted ostrich, Rhino, buffalo to name a few along with a huge variety of bird life.
We headed to The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust which is world-renowned for its work rescuing and rehabilitating orphaned baby elephants. We heard about all the amazing work they do and even met some of the baby elephants 😍
We continued the day with a hotel visit to the Hemmingway Eden Hotel. We were showen around the property by the lovely staff who clearly have a real passion for the hotel they look after. The hotel is very peaceful an had a Eco Resort feel to it. We had a beautiful lunch in the onsite restaurant and bar.
Following lunch we were taken to the Giraffe Centre, which was only a couple of minutes away. The giraffe Centre overlooks Giraffe Manor and was founded in 1983 as a sanctuary for the then endangered Rothschild giraffe.
Tonight we stayed at the Hemmingway Nairobi Hotel. The evening meal was mouthwatering and breakfast the next morning as plentiful with a great choice of buffet and al a carte choices.
The rooms were amazing, very classic with all the modern ameniites included. I wouldn’t hesitate to stay here again.
The next morning we drove 5 hours to our next accommodation, The Tambarare Camp, an A&K Sanctuary. Our home for the next 2 nights. This was not a journey I was looking forward too, but I really had nothing to worry about. The journey showed us the many different sides of Kenya, from city to countryside to national parks. We even had a quick photo stop at the equator.
This tented camp was natural luxury. Each of the fixed tented room overlooked either the waterhole or game reserve where the animal roam freely.
During our time here we took part in a range of activities from spending the morning with the dog tracking unit which was created to stop illegal poaching in the area, to a tree planting ceremony, and we even got the amazing opportunity to meet the last 2 remaining northern white Rhino’s in the world! This was such a highlight for me personally. The game drives we had were also very successful with animal viewings on every drive.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this lodge to anyone wanting amazing service and wonderful activities in idyllic surroundings.
Then it was time for us to take an internal flight to the Maasi Mara. Upon arrival we were met by our 2 guides, Nelson and Branson who took us to our last accommodation, Olonana Lodge, an A&K Sanctuary. Wow…. what can I say….this accommodation is breathtaking. From the moment we arrived to be greeted by a Maasi warrior who led us through the tropical gardens into the main lodge area that is right on the banks of the Maasi River, with families of Hippos sleeping just yards away. During our 3 nights here we saw very animal this area has to offer, including the Big 5 in just one day. We were taken to the Tanzanian boarder and gazed across the Serengeti, and even experienced a Hot Air Balloon flight, an absolute bucket list moment. I cannot describe how perfect this stay was. I would highly recommend this lodge to any customer wanting pure luxury, with amazing service and wonderful game viewing. This place will stay in my heart forever.
Our last day came around far to quicky and we took another internal flight back to Nairobi. We had the day exploring Nairobi with a beautiful lunch at the Karen Blixen Coffee Garden and Cottages and we were shown around the head questers of Abercrombie and Kent in Nairobi, a very interesting experience. We headed towards the airport and checked in to a day room at the Crown Plaza Nairobi Airport. This was a very comfortable and well located airport to freshen up before heading to the airport on our overnight flight back to Heathrow. Time for one last drink on the rooftop bar/pool area.
Our flight home with British Airways was in economy class but the comfort, service and attention given to us onboard was faultless- well done BA.
I cannot put in to words how incredible this experience was and I an so grateful I was offered this opportunity by A&K and Holiday Lounge. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
If you are thinking of your own Kenyan adventure and think I can help put together an unforgettable itinerary for you, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Aimee Dear-Senior Travel Consultant-Hinckley
