Nairobi Serena Hotel

First, you’ll transfer to the Giraffe Centre in the Lang’ata suburb of Nairobi, where the mission is to breed the animals in a safe environment. Created by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife, the non-profit centre was founded in 1979 when there were just 130 of these beautiful animals left in the wild. The Rothschild's is a subspecies of the giraffe that lives in East Africa’s grasslands. It’s amazing to see the giraffes up close. Afterwards, you can go to the information centre to listen to an educational talk about giraffe conservation and the centre’s work. The staff are highly trained experts, so they can answer any questions you have about the animals. Next, drive for 20 mins to Nairobi National Park, arriving at the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage to watch the elephants be fed. The elephants know when it’s time to have their milk and come running down into the feeding area. As the keepers feed them, a guide from the trust will introduce you to the individual elephants and tell you their rescue stories. You’ll get to ask questions while the animals play. The trust was set up over 40 years ago by Daphne Sheldrick in memory of her husband David, who was a famous warden and naturalist in Tsavo East National Park. It has developed into the most successful rescue and rehabilitation programme for elephants in the world, with many of the babies released back into the wild in Tsavo after about three years of rehabilitation. Visiting will give you a chance to get up close to the elephants, learn about the wildlife trust’s work and contribute to the conservation of these incredible animals. From here you’ll transfer for 30-minutes to the Karen Blixen Museum. It is set in the Karen area of Nairobi, which is named after Blixen, on the coffee farm where she once lived. A lot of guests want to visit the museum because they’ve read Out of Africa or seen the movie. Karen put Nairobi and Kenya on the map and was passionate about helping the local community. The museum is a piece of Kenyan history and an amazing tale of how one person survived so many bad things and still had the heart to be kind to those around her. Following the visit, transfer back to your accommodation by private vehicle.

You can visit throughout the day between 9.00am and 4.00pm and hotel transfers will be arranged for you. Most guests spend around an hour at the museum. You’ll also get to walk around the property and beautiful grounds, which have a view of the Ngong Hills. It’s fascinating to see some of the old coffee plantation equipment, Karen’s paintings and the study where she used to write. The museum is a piece of Kenyan history and an amazing tale of how one person survived so many bad things and still had the heart to be kind to those around her. After the visit, you’ll transfer back to your accommodation in Nairobi.

At around 10.00am you’ll transfer by private vehicle to Nairobi National Park, arriving at the centre for the 11.00am feeding. The elephants know when it’s time to have their milk and come running down into the feeding area. As the keepers feed them, a guide from the trust will introduce you to the individual elephants and tell you their rescue stories. You’ll get to ask questions while the animals play. Visiting will give you a chance to get up close to the elephants, learn about the wildlife trust’s work and contribute to the conservation of these incredible animals. As well as helping orphaned elephants and rhinos, the trust works on anti-poaching initiatives, habitat protection and runs mobile vet clinics. Following the visit, return to your hotel.

You will transfer by private vehicle from your hotel to the Fairview Estate, which lies around half an hour from central Nairobi. Fairview has been producing some of the country’s best coffee since 1909 thanks to its location in Kiambu, the heart of the fertile central highlands, which is fed by the Riara River. The tour begins in the 100-acre plantation, set along the river among beautiful gardens with a waterfall nearby. During peak season, up to 400 workers will be busy pruning, harvesting and sorting the coffee beans. An expert guide from the estate will explain the entire coffee-making process and answer any questions you might have. The tour culminates with a coffee tasting session. Afterwards there’s a chance to buy your favourite coffee directly from the Fairview shop. Following the tour, return to your hotel by private transfer.

At around 9.30am, transfer by private vehicle to a Kikuyu village on the outskirts of Nairobi. The visit is led by a guide from the local community who’s also been through one of the programmes. You’ll receive a warm welcome from one of the grandmas, who’ll show you around their homes and small-scale pig farms. Then enjoy a cup of tea and help cook a traditional Kenyan lunch while the women share their inspiring stories with you. There’s often lots of singing and laughter, it’s all about the women's journeys and getting an insight into Kenyan culture. The experience stands out from typical tours because it’s so raw and real, it’s everyday life and you get to visit the grassroots communities that most travellers never see. When you take the Go Granny Go! tour, you directly contribute to funding the project, so you can give back to the local community while you travel. Following the tour, return to your hotel arriving at around 4.00pm.