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Kicheche Walking Wilderness
Kicheche Walking Wilderness
Kicheche Walking Wilderness
Kicheche Walking Wilderness
Kicheche Walking Wilderness

Kicheche Walking Wilderness


1°21’41.5"S 35°16’37.0"E

Kicheche Walking Wilderness: Our full report

In 2016, Kicheche expanded its highly regarded tented camps to include fly-camping in the Maasai Mara ecosystem.

The fly camp is set up in the western part of the Naboisho Conservancy to accommodate you on a two-day Walking Wilderness safari between Kicheche Valley Camp and Kicheche Bush Camp, or vice versa.

On Day 1, you start the Walking Wilderness experience with an after-lunch briefing at Kicheche Valley and set off on foot at about 2pm. Camp staff will have driven west earlier in the day with your main luggage, to set up the fly camp. You carry a light day packfor personal items such as snacks, sun cream, binoculars, camera and batteries. Kicheche can provide an empty day pack and will also provide drinking water bottles. Don’t forget to take a good hat, and wear decent shoes – either sturdy trainers or light walking boots.

You’ll walk westwards through the beautiful valleys of the Naboisho Conservancy until around 5-6pm when you reach the fly camp, giving you time to relax, get your bearings and have a shower, and have a well-earned sundowner by the fire. En route you will stop frequently through the course of the afternoon to examine the flora and smaller fauna, with your expert Maasai guide and host explaining the intricacies of the Mara ecosystem.

The fly camp itself is set up in various locations on the western side of the Naboisho Conservancy. The dome tents comfortably sleep two people, and are furnished with camp beds and bed rolls, camp chairs and an outside wash stand. The staff will have set up a simple, private bush shower, using tepid (sun-warmed) water and a long-drop western-style toilet. They also pack a lightweight mess shelter which they can put up quickly in the event of rain.

The next morning, Day 2, you’ll be woken at dawn with a tea or coffee and then a light breakfast before continuing the journey on foot in the cool of the morning. This second part of the walk involves around 4–5 hours of walking, depending on how often you stop to admire the view or pore of some fascinating aspect of the bush. As you enter the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, which neighbours Naboisho to the west, your guide will stop frequently to talk about the ecosystem’s plants and animals all around you.

Using their experience and bush craft, the team will ensure as far as possible that you don’t have any close encounters with elephants, buffalos or lions, but you may see them in the distance, and you are likely to get reasonably close to many of the region’s unthreatening browsers and grazers, from giraffe to dik-dik, as well as a host of bird and insect life.

Continuing along an escarpment, you then walk down the Seketa Valley, reaching Kicheche Bush Camp in time for lunch.

You can also do the trip in reverse, from Kicheche Bush Camp to Kicheche Valley.


Our view

Although Expert Africa has not yet had the pleasure of the Walking Wilderness fly-camping experience, we have been impressed by feedback already received from travellers who have opted for this adventure.

Richard Trillo

Richard Trillo

Country manager: Kenya

Geographics

Location
Maasai Mara Conservancies, Kenya
Ideal length of stay
Usually 1 night
Directions
Kicheche Walking Wilderness Fly Camp is a half-day bush walk west of Kicheche Valley Camp and a half-day bush walk east of Kicheche Bush Camp.
Accessible by
Fly-and-Transfer

Food & drink

Usual board basis
Full Board & Activities
Food quality
This fly camp has a cook and camp assitant on duty, who will have made the camp ready for you in advance of your arrival, and they will prepare your dinner and breakfast on an open fire.
The food at all the Kicheche camps is widely recognised as very high quality. Although we haven't yet sampled meals at Kicheche Walking Wilderness Fly Camp we would expect it to be prepared with as much flair and attention as at their main tented camps.
Dining style
Group Meals
Dining locations
Outdoor Dining
Further dining info, including room service
Although dinner is usually eaten under the stars, and breakfast as the sun's rays are firing over the horizon, the fly camp does have a flexible 'mess tent shelter' in case of rain.
Drinks included
Drinks are always included and you will be asked to make your choice from the main camps' house selection before you set off. The fly camp staff will take them out ahead of your arrival and ensure that cold drinks are served cold, even out in the bush.

Special interests

Birdwatching
This two-day walking experience traverses the Naboisho and Olare Motorogi conservancies, and includes the Seketa Valley. Diverse birdlife can be seen across this landscape and, being on foot, you’ll enjoy intimate observations of the bush.
See ideas for Birdwatching
Walking safaris
If you’re seeking total immersion in the bush, this fly-camping experience includes diverse scenery and wildlife, and superb guiding. Stop wherever you like to experience the sights and smells of the bush, and fall asleep to its sounds.
See ideas for Walking safaris

Children

Attitude towards children
Under 12s are not usually permitted to fly-camp with Kicheche.
Property’s age restrictions
Restrictions will vary with the experience and age composition of children and teens in the party.
Generally recommended for children
This is a relatively adventurous wilderness experience suitable for teenagers but not likely to be appropriate or recommended for under-12s.

Our travellers’ wildlife sightings from Kicheche Fly Camp

Since mid-2018, many of our travellers who stayed at Kicheche Walking Wilderness have kindly recorded their wildlife sightings and shared them with us. The results are below. Click an animal to see more, and here to see more on our methodology.

Eland

100% success

Giraffe

100% success

Spotted Hyena

100% success

Wildebeest

100% success

Zebra

100% success

Buffalo

75% success

Elephant

50% success

Aardvark

0% success

Black Rhino

0% success

Cheetah

0% success

Hippo

0% success

Leopard

0% success

Lion

0% success

Pangolin

0% success

Striped Hyena

0% success

Wild dog

0% success

Communications

Power supply notes
Be sure to charge your batteries fully before setting off.
Communications
Some mobile signal may be available, but can't be guaranteed. Camp staff have two-way radios.
TV & radio
None
Water supply
Transported in
Water supply notes
Drinking and washing water are brought by vehicle from the main camp.

Health & safety

Medical care
Your guide and camp staff will have basic first-aid kits.
Dangerous animals
High Risk
Security measures
The walk is accompanied by an armed ranger. An askari will be on duty all night to watch out for any large visitors. Staff have radios and mobiles to call for assistance if necessary and a vehicle will be stationed near the fly camp.
Fire safety
Camp staff will ensure the camp fire is properly secure and fully extinguished before breaking camp.

Activities

  • Birdwatching

    Birdwatching

  • Fly-camping

    Fly-camping

  • Guided walking safari

    Guided walking safari

  • Hot air ballooning

    Hot air ballooning

Extras

Disabled access
Not Possible
Laundry facilities
Not available while fly-camping, only in Kicheche's main tented camps.
Money
You won't be spending any money out in the wilds.

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