Elevate Destinations

Experts in socially responsible luxury travel. We design travel experiences that support conservation and local communities without skimping on comfort.

Dining for Women: Kenya

HIGHLIGHTS:

Day 1: Sunday, January 20

Your journey will begin in Nairobi, the bustling heart of Kenya. Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO), a representative will meet you and bring you to the hotel. After freshening up from your day of travel, the group will gather for a welcome dinner, where you will have the chance to acquaint yourself with your fellow travelers and prepare for the exciting week ahead.

Overnight The Fairview Hotel

Day 2: Monday, January 21

Today will be a day of recreation in Nairobi that will allow you to get a sense for Kenya’s capital. Its name comes from the Maasai phrase “Enkare Nairobi,” meaning "cool water," which refers to the Nairobi River that flows through the city. In addition to its urban core, Nairobi is home to large game reserves known for breeding and housing endangered black rhinos, giraffes, zebras, and lions.

The day will commence with a city tour of the most culturally and historically significant sites in Nairobi. The tour will be followed by a chance to see (and possibly feed!) elephants and giraffes at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. The Trust is the world’s most successful orphan-elephant rescue and rehabilitation program, and a pioneer in the field of conservation in East Africa. In the afternoon, travelers will enjoy lunch and a museum visit (either the Karen Blixen Museum or The National Museum of Nairobi).

Overnight The Fairview Hotel

Day 3: Tuesday, January 22

Today you will visit DFW Grantee Shining Hope for Communities, a grassroots movement that catalyzes large-scale transformation in urban slums.

This organization provides critical services for all, including community advocacy platforms to empower collective action, education and leadership development for women and girls, and access to clean water. SHOFCO firmly believes that women and girls are the key to sustainable development, and therefore seek to invest in girls’ education and long-term female leadership building.

Overnight The Fairview Hotel

Day 4: Wednesday, January 23

Today the group will visit DFW Grantee, RefuSHE (formerly Heshima Kenya), an organization that protects, nurtures, educates, and empowers young refugee women in East Africa.

RefuSHE (formerly Heshima Kenya) uses a unique holistic model that provides shelter, education, case management, counseling, child care, and vocational training to the most vulnerable population in Africa, refugee girls. The organization's founding principle is that every young woman has the right to a space where she can flourish, learn, grow, and ultimately lead.

Overnight The Fairview Hotel

Day 5: Thursday, January 24

Today the group will fly to Kisumu (approximately 1 hr) and drive to Homa Bay, a bay and town on the south shore of Winam Gulf of Lake Victoria, in western Kenya. It lies near Mount Homa and Ruma National Park. Here, you will get a sense of just how diverse Kenya’s landscape is by contrasting this lush, lakeside town to the hustle and bustle of Nairobi. Homa Bay has a slow, tropical, central-African vibe. Not many tourists make it out here – it’s a noticeably friendly place, going about its business without worrying too much about chasing the tourist dollar.

In the afternoon you will check in to the Cold Springs Hotel for a relaxing evening and a good night’s sleep.

Overnight Cold Springs Hotel

Day 6: Friday, January 25

The group will visit DFW grantee the Kenya Self-Help Project today. This organization seeks to improve the social and economic future of Kendu Bay children through school-based programs that promote gender equity and advance education opportunity. KSHP partners with Girls Clubs and primary schools in the area.

To keep girls in school during their menses, KSHP commissions local women’s groups to produce reusable sanitary pads. Partnership with local school committees has also assisted in the construction of gender-sensitive latrines. In 2014, the absence of material resources in schools led KSHP to sponsor an annual BOOKS! drive to provide much needed textbooks. In all, more than 11,500 children benefit directly from KSHP donor-supported programs.

Overnight Cold Springs Hotel

Day 7: Saturday, January 26

Today will entail a visit to Wiser International, a secondary school that, like KSHP, works with girls to transcend poverty, HIV/AIDS, and gender-based violence. Wiser International takes a holistic approach to the boarding school model by providing everything a girl needs to be successful, including clothes, books, safe housing, female role models, and leadership training. If time allows, there will also be home visits where you will have to opportunity for intimate conversations with the students and their families.

Overnight Grabo Country Dream

Day 8: Sunday, January 27

The safari commences! You will wake up early and drive to the Mara (approximately 4 hour drive). Upon arrival you will check in, relax, and then regroup for an afternoon game drive.

From the wide grasslands of the Masai Mara to the majestic wildlife that roams within it, there is no place like Kenya for the classic safari. Nestled in a river glade in the Masai Mara Game Reserve, the area you’ll be staying in is a favorite for elephants coming to drink from the Talek River.

The camp has been designed to combine the old traditional safari style with a modern and fresh feel. Ilkeliani Camp has only 17 tents, and each offers commanding views of the plains and the wildlife action throughout the day. It is a permanent camp designed along eco-friendly principles. Their ethos is to leave a minimal footprint on nature.

Overnight Mara River Camp

Days 9-10: Monday, January 28 and Tuesday, January 29

For the last days of your journey, you will venture into the Masai Mara National Reserve for two full days of game drives in 4x4s. You'll explore this diverse environment and most likely see a multitude of wildlife.

The image of acacia trees on an endless grass plain epitomizes Africa for many visitors. Just a few of the sites you may see include large prides of lions, herds of elephants, giraffes in grasslands, and gazelles and eland, to mention but a few! To witness these majestic animals in their natural habitat is truly the opportunity of a lifetime.

Overnight Mara River Camp

Day 11: Wednesday, January 30

Today you will be transferred for a domestic flight back to Nairobi for international departure or a personalized extension.

 

WHAT'S INCLUDED:

Inclusions:

  • All accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  •  Domestic flights (Kisumu and 1/30 flight back to Nairobi)
  •  Local guide
  •  All meals as listed
  •  All activities as listed
  •  Honorarium/host stipends
  •  Gratuity for guides and drivers
  •  Airport arrival service

Exclusions:

  • International flights
  • Visas
  • Travel and medical insurance
  • Alcoholic drinks
  • Personal expenses and other extras

 

PRICING:

Cost per person in shared accommodation: $4,785*
Single supplement: $650

*International airfare not included.

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS:

If you have any additional questions please feel free to reach out to our travel team: dfwtravel@elevatedestinations.com

To register, please visit the DFW Kenya registration page.