Camel Derby will take place from the 17th – 19th August 2012

Kenya's Camel Classic - Maralal Camel Derby The Annual Maralal Camel Derby takes place in the month of August in Maralal, a remote desert outpost in Samburu county.

The quiet town of Maralal, about 348 kms North of Nairobi, is considered the gateway to Kenya’s wild and arid North, and is a mecca for adventurers, nomads and camels.

Maralal Camel Derby will take place from the 17th – 19th August 2012 at Yare Camel Camp in Maralal.

This is real camel country, and the single humped dromedary camel is a vital part of life for many of Northern Kenya’s nomadic people.

Each year, the Camel Derby brings colour and action to the streets of Maralal as the finest Camels in the North gather for the big race.

While most of Kenya’s camel rearing communities do not ride them- using them as pack animals- they are excellent handlers and judges of an animals strength and potential for speed.

Winning the Derby is a great local honour, and each year the title is hotly contested. But this by no means a purely local event.

Maralal is a haven for nomadic cultures, and that includes travellers from all over the globe.

The Town is a popular stopover for travellers looking for adventure in Kenya’s Northern Frontier District - one of Africa’s last great unspoilt wilderness areas.

For anyone visiting the area around this time, attending the Derby is a must. The three day race event is a chance to experience culture, colour, action and adventure first hand.

This is not just a spectator sport - if you are going to attend the derby, why not saddle up and join in? 

The derby this year will include: Camel ride competition for amateurs and experts as well, Tricamalon, 10km fun run, 5 km fun run for the physically challenged and bike races.

Kilima Camp: one of the best safari holidays camp

Kilima Camp

Kilima Camp has a fantastic location overviewing the Masai Mara River and Plains. The intimate eco-lodge is an ideal base to enjoy the real African wildlife experience in comfort and style.

The camp has 12 Standard classic safari tents as well as 2 Deluxe tents which are ideal for honeymooners and families.
The camp manager together with his highly professional team will give you an African experience to remember and can propose several bush activities to make your stay at Kilima Camp even more interesting, enjoyable and rewarding. 
Game viewing is superb all year and the camp is surrounded by wildlife. You will be sure to have memories for a lifetime during our safari game drives and we guarantee you to see amazing wildlife.
Kilima Camp is an intimate eco-lodge with 12 standard tents and 2 Deluxe Tents. Kilima Camp is a friendly safari holidays camp located in the Masai Mara (Maasai Mara) in Kenya. Kilima Camp is an ideal African safari camp and has a perfect location for those who wish to enjoy unforgettable safari holidays in Africa.
Kilima means “mountains or little hill” in Swahili. Kilima Camp is located in Kenya in the Maasai Mara (Maasai Mara) area at 1,800 metres above sea level.
The safari holidays camp is situated on the edge of the Siria escarpment, overlooking the Mara River (1,500 metres) with a phenomenal view, “the Gods’ window”. Hence Kilima Camp has a fantastic location in the Masai Mara (Maasai Mara), bordering the official perimeter of the game reserve.
Surrounded by an abundance of wildlife, Kilima Camp offers a true African adventure in style and comfort, it makes Kilima Camp a perfect safari holidays camp.
Game viewing in the Masai Mara (Maasai Mara), whether by car or on foot, around Kilima Camp is superb all year round. There is no doubt that your safari holidays will be wonderful and unforgettable.
From July to October, Kilima Camp is an ideal safari camp to witness the Great Migration where more than one million wildebeests and zebras cross the Mara River, an event which happens nowhere else in Africa but in the Masai Mara (Maasai Mara). This is a safari holiday of a lifetime!
At Kilima Camp, we do not only strive to offer our guests an unforgettable safari holiday in the African bush in one of the best wildlife areas in the world, but we also want to contribute to the conservation of the Masai Mara Ecosystem as well as to the well-being of the local Masai communities.(Maasai). We are proud to have been rewarded a bronze medal by Ecotourism Kenya.

Problems facing Masai Mara National reserve.

 The completion  of the 87-kilometre Mai Mahiu- Narok road brought some relief, another 96 kilometres to the main gate is in a bad state. Tour drivers said they are forced to divert to people’s farms, a situation which they say have led to conflict between them and the local community.

It is a shame when tourists are blocked by weapon-wielding locals, who are rightfully protesting that tour vehicles are disturbing their livestock and trampling on their pasture,

Vice chairman of the National Tour Drivers and Guides Association Andrew Mungatana and the association’s chief executive Joseph Ole Parpai said the 40-kilometre section of the Narok-Sekenani stretch was almost unmotorable.

Narok and Trans Mara county councils get more than 80 per cent of their revenue from the wild life resort.

The local authorities gain from the reserve by charging gate entries, royalties in the lodges as well as balloon settings and airplane landings. Although Narok County Council announced it had switched to electronic ticketing in a bid to shore up its revenue and seal corruption loopholes.

Tour drivers are asking the government of Kenya to intervene and make sure the road is repaired.

SPECIAL OFFER @ $ 760 Per Person sharing

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THE GREAT WILDEBEEST MIGRATION SPECTACLE AT MAASAI MARA RESERVE.

Day 1: Nairobi - Maasai Mara National Reserve
...
• At 08h30, in the morning, you will be Met and greet by our driver guide at JKIA / Hotel
• Depart for Maasai Mara Reserve with a stopover at the Great Rift Valley View Point.
• Proceed arriving at Mar...a in time for Lunch at the Sentrim Mara Luxury Tented Camp or similar.
• After a short siesta, enjoy an afternoon (15h30 – 18h30) game drives in the reserve in search of the Big five and other plains game animals.
• Dinner and Overnight at the Sentrim Mara Luxury Tented Camp

Day 2: Maasai Mara National Reserve

• Full day game drives in the reserve.drive as far as the crossing zones e.g Hippo pools where the great spectacle of wildebeest is witnessed.
• All meals in the camp.
• Dinner and Overnight Sentrim Mara Luxury Tented Camp or similar

Day 3: Maasai Mara - Nairobi

• At 06h00 – 09h00, enjoy an early morning game drives.
• Return for an appetizing hot buffet breakfast in the camp.
• After a short siesta depart for Nairobi
• Arrive in the afternoon and drop off at your city Hotel or at JKIA airport.

1) Our package for above arrangements includes:
- Accommodation in Sentrim Mara Luxury Tented Camp on full-board basis.
- Transport in a private 4x4 safari Van with a pop-up roof top for game viewing and photography.
- Park entrance fees to Maasai Mara national reserve.
- Game drives in Maasai Mara national reserves
- Government taxes
- Services of professional English speaking Driver-guides .
- Window seat is guaranteed

2) Our Package DOES NOT include:
- International flights
- International departure taxes
- Personal insurance cover
- Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks except mineral water while on safari
- Gratuities, tips, cigarettes, laundry
- Any item of personal nature
- Any other item NOT mentioned above
- Any deviation from above itinerary

Safari Cost:

In case you like this package or any other tailor made package and need more consultation,please don't hesitate to alert the Safari Specialist below.

Safari Package prepared by:www.ettontravel.com

Balloon Safaris over the Maasai Mara, Kenya

Float with us in the early light of dawn above the grazing herds of game in the Maasai Mara. This, Kenya’s best known Game Reserve is world famous for its herds of buffalo, prides of lion and the vast concentrations of wildebeest that migrate from the Serengeti Plains each year. The vast grassland plains are scattered with herds of Zebra, Giraffe, Gazelle, and Topi. With its gentle rolling landscape the Mara is surely the finest place on earth to go ballooning.

A gentle ascent lifts you well above tree-top level and the light soothing breeze allows you to enjoy a panoramic view of wildlife below and offers great and unique photographic opportunities. Apart from the hiss of the burners, the flight above the Masai Mara plains is magically silent.

Kimana Community Wildlife Sanctuary.

Kimana community wildlife sanctuary has set a precedent for being the first community owned and managed wildlife sanctuary in Kenya. The sanctuary lies in the game migration corridor linking the Amboseli and the Tsavo. This makes it one of the best view points since if you visit during migration periods you can have one of the best chance to see the red elephants of Amboseli among other animals.

A range of habitats is found within the Kimana conservancy such as swamp, savannah plains and woodland. This range of habitat provides for diverse wildlife including lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffalo, hippos and many antelopes.

While at the conservancy several activities can be done including: going for nature walks, bird viewing since the area is one of the highly populated areas with birds, you can also go for picnic at the sanctuary accompanied by Kenya wildlife service’s game rangers among other activities.

The cost of entrance into the Kimana community wildlife sanctuary is Two dollars including the vehicles and all its passengers. The money is used to run the conservancy and help educate the nearby community on the importance of conserving nature at its best form. 

Accommodation can be at the nearby Serena lodge in the Amboseli game reserve or at kibo safari camp.

ETT- Kenya Safaris Desk

Etton Travel and Tours