Wild Frontiers

Day 1: Nairobi - Borana Ranch
On arrival at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta international Airport you will be met by your personal driver and transferred by private vehicle to Wilson Airport for the onward flight to Laikipia. Travelling by light aircraft you then fly across the snow-capped peak of Mount Kenya, en route to the small airstrip at Nanyuki where you will be met by your guide and driven the short distance to Borana Ranch. Named after the native Boran cattle that thrive in these arid grasslands, the ranch sits in the heart of a beautiful conservation area; sandwiched between the iconic slopes Mount Kenya and the mountains and deserts of the north. After a chance to relax and soak up this idyllic setting, this afternoon you venture out for your first sight of Kenya's wildlife, returning in the gathering darkness as the nocturnal creatures of the African bush begin to make their presence felt. (L,D)

Day 2: Borana Ranch
Your first full day at Borana offers the chance for novice and experienced riders to enjoy an early morning riding safari with a local guide. A speciality of Borana, a safari on horseback provides a unique and exhilarating way to explore this spectacular landscape. You will stop to enjoy breakfast in a secluded valley, sheltering under an olive tree and feasting on fresh fruit and bacon and eggs in the cool of an African morning. This afternoon then offers the opportunity to explore further with a guided bushwalk, a chance to experience the true tranquility and majesty of this timeless landscape in the company of a knowledgeable guide. As the day draws to a close these expansive panoramas take on a mesmerising and ethereal quality in the glowing hues of the setting sun, the ideal occasion for a welcome sundowner before dinner. (B,L,D)

Day 3: Borana Ranch
Another day at Borana provides a new catalogue of experiences, with game-drives, horse treks and mountain biking all on offer and included in your stay. For something totally different though, why not take the opportunity to get a firsthand look at a working African ranch. Borana has some 2,000 head of cattle and the ranch manager, Michael Dyer, is more than happy to show guests around his domain. You can learn about the trials of life on a cattle ranch in the African bush - elephants in the vegetable patch, lions in the cattle boma and the ever-present dangers of drought, famine and flood. Another option for today, and one that is guaranteed to get the adrenaline pumping, is a chance to take a romantic flight in a 1920's biplane across the open savannah. You will pay extra for this, but it is a truly unforgettable way of viewing this incredible setting. (B,L,D)

Day 4: Masai Mara
Departing Borana after breakfast this morning, you fly on to the famed landscapes of the Maasai Mara, surely one of Africa's most dramatic and spectacular wildlife areas. On arrival you will be met from the plane by a Maasai guide and taken on to your beautifully appointed camp close to the banks of the Mara River. The Maasai Mara is home to some of the richest concentrations of game anywhere in Africa and your short journey from the airstrip will take you through bush that is just alive with game of every description. After lunch you can enjoy your first game drive with your own private guide, returning to the camp by spotlight. (B,L,D)

Day 5: Masai Mara
Today you will head off into the bush in your own private vehicle, for a full day's game-drive across the park. Taking a picnic lunch and a guide, you can explore the farthest reaches of this incredible and remote wilderness, safe in the knowledge that you will not bump into busloads of other tourists. The camp sits amongst some of the most beautiful landscapes in Kenya, where the only herds you are likely to run into are elephants, gazelle or wildebeest. The Maasai Mara is home to some of the largest populations of big cats on the continent, as well as rhinos, hyenas, crocodiles and more than 470 species of birds. Your guide will know the best spots to search, but whatever the day brings, you will not be disappointed. (B,L,D)

Day 6: Masai Mara
Starting early this morning you have the choice of anothe game-drive or a chance to join an optional hot air balloon flight across the Mara (additional cost applies). There is little that can match the thrill of soaring across the vast African plains, taking in the panoramas and the wildlife from high above the savannah. Late this afternoon you will then undertake a walking safari in the company of Maasai warriors, travelling across the bush to the exclusive location of the Serian tree house. You will spend the night here, enjoying the unmatched magnificence of an African night, with just your Maasai guides and the ever-present calls of the wild for company. (B,L,D)

Day 7: Masai Mara - Kenyan Coast
Returning to camp early this morning there will be a chance to freshen up and enjoy a hearty breakfast, before flying on to Kenya's stunning Swahili coast. Landing at Malindi, at the mouth of the Galana River, you will then drive for some 2 hours, following the beautiful and rugged coastline up to your lodge at the mouth of the Tara River. Wild and untouched, this is a truly magical landscape, where rare wetlands and windswept dunes vie for space alongside miles of deserted, and seemingly endless, beaches. (B,D)

Day 8: Kenyan Coast
Over the next two days you are free to make the most of this stunning lodge and this equally magnificent setting. You can try your hand at river kayaking or creek fishing, sand yachting and river tubing all of which are included in your stay. You can take guided walks and boat trips, simply relax in a hammock by the pool and unwind with sundowners and candlelit dinners. For those looking for more adventure, at a little extra cost you can take a day trip out to the ancient island of Lamu, or perhaps try some water-skiing or wake-boarding on the creek. The choice is entirely yours. (B,L,D)

Day 9: Kenyan Coast
Day at leisure at the lodge. (B,L,D)

Day 10: Kenyan Coast - Nairobi
Transferring back to Malindi this morning, you have a chance to enjoy the town's thriving markets before you head back to Nairobi. Alive with local colour, Malindi is filled with street traders selling everything from fabrics and lamps to fish and antiques. After a chance for some retail therapy you will board another light aircraft back to the Kenyan capital. On arrival, you will be met once more by your personal driver and driven to the elegant comforts of the Norfolk Hotel, for a final evening of Kenyan hospitality. (B)

Day 11: Nairobi
Today you will be transferred back to Nairobi Airport where your journey ends. (B)