The Southern Kenya Tour
- Tour Duration: 5 days (4 nights, 5 days)
- Total Distance: Approximately 1268 kilometers
- Elevation Gain / Loss:1795 meters / 5889 feet
Package cost: $1500 (Inclusive of meals, accommodation, and gas and park entry fees.) Excludes tips, drinks and donations).
DAY 1
Westlands, Nairobi
Short briefing and tour toolbox at Africa Motorcycle Tours main office.
Ongata Rongai
We’ll head to Rongai via Uhuru Highway. Raving the motorcycle up the steep slopes and climbs at moderate speeds will jog your adventure personality and make you ready for endless fun. The town is known for its unique public transportation system, characterized by the pimped mini-buses.
Lake Magadi
From Rongai, we will ride south to Lake Magadi, one of the salty Lakes in Kenya. It is the Southernmost Kenyan Rift Valley Lake, lying in a catchment of faulted volcanic rocks, north of Tanzania’s Lake Natron. During the dry season, it is 80% covered by soda and is well known for its wading birds. The lake is enclosed by the Aberdares, Loita Hills and Mau Escarpment, it contains the most concentrated brine in the Kenyan Lake system. At times this salty lake turns bright pink due to algae bloom. In the heat of summer the temperatures reach 40 degrees and the area is desert like desolate.
The road to Magadi gives you the opportunity to glimpse inside the lives of one of the more famed Kenyan tribes, the Maasai. Peppered along the route are Maasai Villages, not tourist mimicry but real people living real lives. The journey to Magadi is a chance to see Kenyan people still living the way their forefathers did. Life appears to have remained the same for centuries. Traditionally dressed villagers tend cows and babies, or in a nod to modern times wait at the roadside for boda bodas to bring cartons of water. We will check out the flamingos, which are mostly present at the lake.
Lake Magadi hot springs
After the first and interaction with the flamingos, the famous Magadi hot springs will be our next stop. Lake Magadi hot springs are one of the natural hot springs in Kenya. They are entirely natural, but unlike the swimming pool at Olkaria Naivasha, the temperatures are quite similar to that of a normal pool. At points the springs are little more than a hole in the ground full of extremely hot water. A dip in these springs is always best at the coolest time of the day. Just like the Maasai village, there are a group of local Maasai ladies who visit the springs to sells their crafts, a nice token to bring some money and buy some of their handiwork. Due to the extreme temperatures, you’ll have to carry lots of water to keep you hydrated. You will have the opportunity to enjoy a birth in the hot springs, which the locals believe that it has healing powers, and can rid anyone of all skin diseases.
Maasai Village
After the hot springs, we will head back to Maasai village, referred by the locals as “Manyattas”. This is one of the African community with a special culture, worthy visiting It is arguably the most iconic cultures in East and Central Africa. Their nomadic lifestyle is arguably the least touched with the western civilization, since they still retain most of their traditions, the likes of their attire style.
Lesiolo Hills Hotel
After interacting with the Maasai people and their culture at the village, we we will head back to Lesiolo hills, where we will spent the night.
Day 2
Namanga
Afterwards, we will proceed to Namanga, through Isinya and Kajiado towns, a town located east of Lake Natron on the Kenya Tanzania boarder. The town is surrounded by hills on both sides. Mount Kilimanjaro can be viewed from Namanga town which makes it a scenic place by tourists who lodge in Namanga on their way to either Tanzania or Amboseli. The nearby Ol Doinyo Orok Mountain, also known as Namanga Hills is located northwest of Namanga town. After amazing views, we will head to Namanga River Hotel and restaurant and get something to eat, before proceeding to Oloitoktok. The hotel has a variety of dishes that you are free to select from, depending on your taste.
Lake Amboseli
Lake Amboseli is a lake in southern Kenya near the border with Tanzania, and a part of Amboseli national park. Most of the lake is inside Amboseli National Park, although the southwestern end is outside park boundaries. The lake is usually bone dry, except after extended rains, whose waters fill it. We will ride along the park, which will give you an opportunity to spot some animals.
Oloitoktok (Kibo Slopes Garden)
From Amboseli, we will head to Oloitoktok a small but growing town in southeastern Kenya, at the border with Tanzania, where we will spend the night at Kibo Slopes Hotel.
DAY 3
After having breakfast together as we go through the day’s activities with the view of Mount Kilimanjaro in the background, our next destination will be Taveta. You will sip your cup of tea, while looking at the peak of the highest mountain on the African continent.
We will be riding on a dirt road, which may pause a challenge. However, the bikes are made to endure such terrain, hence nothing to worry about. Some of the hardships on the road include steep climbs, sharp stones, sand patches, sharp corners and crossing livestock.
Lake Chala.
We will take a detour to Lake Chala, one lake shared by Kenya and Tanzania. The boundary is believed to divide the lake into approximately two halves. It is a crater lake in a caldera at the border between Tanzania and Kenya. Lake Chala was measured at a depth of 95 meters, which makes it deeper than famous Lake Victoria. Filled and drained by underground waters, the lake ranges in color from deep blue to turquoise and green. The lake is believed to have formed approximately 250,000 years ago. The lake is east of Mount Kilimanjaro, 8 kilometers north of Taveta, Kenya
Tsavo west National Park
From Taveta, we will ride back to Taveta, where we will have our lunch at Market view Hotel, relax a little bit, before proceeding to Voi. From Taveta all the way to Voi is a smooth tarmac road, passing through Tsavo West national Park.
Riding here is always amazing. The smooth road, and the evening views of the sunset in the unending horizons are breath taking. You’ll have a the opportunity to see animals like giraffes, gazelles, zebras, elephants and wild beasts in Tsavo west national park, as they would have started leaving their hiding places to enjoy the cool evening in the open.
We will head straight to Afrika lodges where we will spend the night. You will need a warm birth after the long ride, before treating yourself with a nice meal and a clean place to lay down. The food here is great, combining both local and foreign tastes. So whatever you like, you are catered for!
DAY 4
After ensuring our bikes, and gears are okay, we will head to Samburu via Nairobi Mombasa highway. You are advised to stock enough water and snacks because the stretch does not have evenly distributed hotels and restaurants, where we can have lunch. We will therefore depend on our packed dry foods and fluids as we ride along.
Kinango
Kinango is a small center in Kinango Constituency in Kwale County. It is one of the busy hubs in Kwale County, acting as a very important transportation node. Traffic, especially tourists from Voi to Shimba hills pass through here, pushing for its growth over time.
We will afterwards ride to Ndavaya, through Shimba hills. We will ride along designated trails traversing Shimba hills, because, just like other parks in Kenya, motorcycles are not allowed within the main reserve. Among the challenges you should expect along the trails include sandy patches, steep climbs and sharp rocks. However, during the rainy season, you have to expect pools of water along the way, which you will be forced to drive through. That’s the interesting part of the adventure, so you should come prepared to have fun.
Afterwards, we will ride to Shimoni, where we will spent the night.
Day 5
Bora Bora wildlife Park
As usual, after breakfast is when we hit the road and continue with our adventure. Being the last day, we will spent most of the time riding along the coastline. From the hotel, we will continue with Lungalunga Ramisi road to Makongeni. We will leave the main road, and take an unpaved road that will take us closer to the beach. The road will allow you passage through the coastal villages and experience their way of life by view. We will proceed riding to BoraBora Wildlife Park, where we will make our first stop. It is situated along Diani Beach Road and only one kilometer away from the beach, you will have a nice comfortable walk around on facilities with a chance to get up close and personal with some of Kenya’s most famous native animals. If you can, carry some money with you to support the Maasai community who showcase their tradition way of life at the park, including their high jump dances and their hand crafted artifacts.
From BoraBora wildlife, we will continue riding north to conservation for colobus headquarters, where will be able to see a variety of species. The famous Angolan black and white colobus is present here. It has been listed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In support of the organization’s conservation’s efforts, there are different support and donation packages in place, which you may be interested in taking part.
Kongo river and Diani Beaches
From there, we will go get something to eat as early lunch, before proceeding. The Coast dishes Hotel in Diani will be the location. They have great food, both local and foreign, which you’ll need to try on your last day of the adventure. Afterwards, will ride to Kongo River along Diani beaches, one of the most beautiful beaches in Africa. It is one of the main rivers feeding its water into the Indian Ocean, the Kongo River. It is one of the kind in the south Coast, with its origins rooted in Shimba Hills. The estuary is beautiful, providing an excellent sandy beach good for relaxation.
From Diani, we will hop on our bikes again and head to Mombasa, a distance of about 50 kilometers. We will cross over to the Island via a ferry.
From the ferry, we will ride to Pembe za Ndovu, one of the unique features of the city of Mombasa where we will take a group photo as a unique way of completing the tour.
NOTE: The hotel reservations are subject to change based on availability.
Tour coast: $1500 (Inclusive of meals, accommodation, and gas and park entry fees.) Excludes tips, drinks and donations).