Secluded in 65,000 acres of a wildlife conservation area privately owned by the Lewa Wilderness Trust, the Lewa Safari Camp is the perfect backdrop for a royal proposal. While no expense is spared on the luxury one would expect to attract such esteemed visitors, the emphasis is very much on conservation and regeneration, with approximately a tenth of the black rhino population of Kenya and the largest concentration of Grevy's zebra in the world, the profits generated from tourism are ploughed back into Lewa's core conservation programmes, with the preservation of wildlife and improvement of living standards the major beneficiaries.
With Mount Kenya looking majestically on, the five-star tented accommodation comes with thatched roof, verandah and spacious en-suite, which while very private, are but a short distance to the exquisite gardens and swimming pool, while the log fire in the dining roof is a popular place to relax as the evening chill sets in. While hobnobbing with royalty may be out of the price range of many, there are some outstanding and varied safari packages on offer to suite all budgets. Here are three of some of the best safari tours in East Africa.
The Safari Company
With over 120 years' experience with the team, The Safari Company offer an extensive range of tours throughout the region (including Lewa). The company's strength is their versatility of their offer, both in location and price range. In their own words, they cater to "an exclusive, champagne popping helicopter safari or backpacking through the people's land, a sea of smiling faces", they can guide you to the mountain gorillas in Rwanda or assist you on a camel safari in Kenya's undiscovered Northern Frontier District. As with any reputable safari company, a key emphasis is on preservation and sustainability, and there is an impressive rage of responsible tented camp accommodation on offer, using solar power, solar water heating, and constructed from locally sourced low-impact construction materials.
Mungamunga Safari Lifestyle
The ethos of Mungamunga is summed up by the loose translation of the word - a bush term meaning to vaguely roam aimlessly in search of wildlife, scenic views and fun experiences. With over 40 years' experience of guiding in the bush, with an outstanding specialisation in ornathology, Nic Cahill and his team manage to combine the efficient professionalism demanded of an experienced safari tour with a laid-back and relaxed approach to the trip, providing an excellent social background to this once-in-a-lifetime experience. With no request too much, the attention to detail for personalised itineraries is a particular strength of the Mungamunga team.
Snake Safaris
While snakes are not top of everyone's safari list, Kenya is 'blessed' with 127 varieties and there is plenty to experience with the enterprising snake safari packages put together by Bio-Ken, of which the obvious highlight is the slithery equivalent to the Big Five - the Big 5 Snake Safari, whose exclusive club comprises of the Python, Boomslang, Puff Adder, Cobra and the Mamba. While some of the snakes may be poisonous, the experienced team of guides includes some of East Africa's leading reptile experts and professional snake catchers. While one can understand why Prince William chose Lewa over Bio-Ken for his romantic setting, the snake safari is one more example of the wealth of diversity for tourism in nature in this exceptional corner of the planet.
Paul Bradbury - Author of Hvar: An Insider's Guide to Croatia's Premier Island, and Lebanese Nuns Don't Ski
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