Kenya’s hills and plains

Touch down in Nairobi, where a private driver takes you to Hemingways Nairobi in the leafy suburb of Karen. Settle into your suite overlooking the Ngong Hills and shake off the journey by the pool. If you have time and energy, visit orphaned elephants at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust or meet the giraffes at the Giraffe Centre. Then enjoy an early dinner before tomorrow’s flight into the wild.

A short flight from Wilson Airport brings you to ol Donyo Lodge in the Chyulu Hills. This cinematic landscape of rolling green hills and ancient lava flows sits between Tsavo and Amboseli, with Kilimanjaro rising across the border. ol Donyo is set on Maasai-owned land and full of character, which makes it one of the best safari lodges in Kenya. After your first game drive, retire to your rooftop star bed for a night under the stars.

Choose your own safari adventure. Set out on walking safaris, mountain e-bike rides, or guided hikes across the lava fields. ol Donyo keeps a stable of thoroughbreds, and horseback safaris are its specialty. On game drives, elephants are silhouetted against Mount Kilimanjaro. At midday, watch zebra and super tuskers from the lodge’s hide, or cool off in your private plunge pool.

Fly to the Maasai Mara and the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, where the land is leased from Maasai landowners and visitor numbers are deliberately kept low. Your home for four nights is Mara Plains Camp, where canvas tents sit on raised decks beneath riverine trees along the Ntiakitiak River. Your afternoon game drive sets the tone: open plains, few vehicles, and some of the highest predator densities in Africa.

Set your own rhythm in the Mara. Head out at first light to find lions, cheetahs, and leopards, and stay out for a bush breakfast if the sightings are good. Because you’re in a private conservancy, your guide can go off-road for a closer look, lead walking safaris with Maasai trackers, and take you on night drives to look for nocturnal species. From July to October, the Great Migration may sweep through, bringing river crossings and the predators that follow the herds.

Fly back to Nairobi to connect with your international flight home. If your schedule allows, enjoy a send-off dinner at Cultiva, where heirloom crops become farm-to-table cuisine.