Marsabit Desert Safari

Day 1: Leave for Marsabit in your chartered plane, flying past Mt. Kenya, Africa's second highest peak and then over Kenya's dramatic northern desert. Marsabit is a spectacular mountain oasis half way between Mt. Kenya and the Ethiopian border. The height of this volcano catches passing clouds and has developed the forest canopy where elephants, buffalo, leopards, gazelles, and an astonishing variety of birds and wildlife live. Due to their isolation, many of the animals in Marsabit have developed distinctive characteristics within their species. Overnight at the Marsabit lodge in the game park.

Day 2: Visit the Singing Wells, where local people make "human ladders" to water their cattle from deep in the earth, and witness the astonishing wind effects at the rims of majestic craters overlooking the desert. Spend time in the oasis market where many cultures cross, the rubies and other precious and semiprecious stones of the desert are traded, and beautiful textiles and traditional products are available. At dusk witness the arrival of the daily convoy along with the camel caravans. Spend time in the public square during the local "social hours" of the cool evening.

Days 3 and 4: Go out in the desert on your own camel safari to Ngurrnet, another oasis to the west and geological station site. Experience the fascination of the constantly varied and stunningly colorful desert landscape and encounter the ever-moving encampments of the different people who inhabit the desert. A spectacular night under the stars.

Day 5: A free morning to return to the game park, or spend time at the market or other favorite sites in this remote and unforgettable location, visited by very few tourists. A destination of friendliness and fascination, you leave from the airstrip in the afternoon and return to Nairobi.