Walking Wild is a walking safari company that operates out of the Lewa Wilderness and takes clients on walks through Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Il’Ngwesi Conservancy, and the local area.
Camels are used to carry the luggage, food, and water and tents are pitched each night as accommodation. This is a mobile safari designed to allow people to get a more intimate and natural experience of the wildlife and environment of this part of Kenya.
Your Hosts
The safari is staffed and run by members of the local Maasai community. By walking with the Maasai, through their native land, the guests can get an appreciation of how these people have co-existed with this wild environment for generations.
Kitonga manages Walking Wild. He is your guide and host for the whole safaris. Kitonga grew up in the Il Ngwesi community and is a passionate, enthusiastic and very characterful person who will make your time in the bush humorous and knowledgeable.
The Experience
One of the main attractions of these safaris is that clients get the comparatively rare opportunity to walk through the natural habitat of some to the finest examples of African wildlife. Lewa Wildlife Conservancy is one of the few places where black and white rhino can still be seen roaming wild along with plentiful elephants, buffalo and big cats. The possibility offered by these safaris of viewing these animals while on foot is one of the most commonly given reasons for why people wish to walk in these conservancy areas.
This kind of holiday is classified as ‘adventure tourism’. The environment is hot and dry; walks are undertaken during the cooler early hours of the day and late in the afternoon but can still be very strenuous for those not used to the heat. The walking takes place in areas that are sometimes only accessible on foot and where large and potentially dangerous wildlife live. It is therefore imperative that when agents or tour operators offer this safari they make their clients fully aware of not just the safaris attractions but also of the physical demands, the style and remote location of the camps providing accommodation and of the environment in which the walks take place.
Walking Wild is staffed and guided by people with a lifetime of experience co-existing with the wildlife of this area. It is their knowledge of the environment, the specific locations where the walks take place and the behaviour of the animals that provides the greatest security for the clients. However, in case of emergencies short wave radios are always carried and either an armed guide or armed ranger always accompanies the clients.
When clients arrive on the first day of a Walking Wild safari, they are given basic guidelines on behaviour when encountering wildlife and what the guide will ask them to do if an encounter with wildlife should become potentially dangerous. Throughout the walk, the guide – Kjitonga will remind guests of these safety precautions. None the less, however well a guide or wildlife expert may know any particular types of wild animal, or even individual animals, and their behaviour pattern there will always be instances when the animal behaves in an unpredictable or uncharacteristic way. It is never possible to be 100% certain of the outcome when encountering wildlife so it is not possible to completely remove the risks from undertaking such safaris, only to reduce these risks to a minimum.
Accommodation
Our tents are dome-shaped, shade netting tents with a PVC floor. Each tent is 3 meters by 3 meters and 3.5 meters high. They are all insect and reptile proof. Each tent has its own flysheet in case of rain. Bedding is a bedroll on a camp bed with sheets and blanket and pillows.
Ablutions: Two long drop type loos each with their own tent. Two bucket showers with a canvas tent each. The water is heated on the fire and filled up each morning and evening for you.
IMPORTANT INFO
SEASON: Walking Wild has two seasons December – March and June – October. No safaris are run in April, May and November due to possible rain.
MALARIA: It is recommended that all clients take malaria medication.
FOOD & DRINK: Full board accommodation including delicious and healthy home-cooked meals, house-wines/spirits, beers & soft drinks. Dining is out under the stars. However, there is a tarpaulin in case of rain. Special dietary requirements can be accommodated with prior notice.
LAUNDRY: There is no laundry service during the safari.
HOW TO GET THERE: There are daily scheduled flights departing from Nairobi (Wilson Airport) to Lewa Downs airstrip. Kitonga will pick you up at the Lewa airstrip and drive a few miles before starting to walk.
CHILDREN POLICY: We have an age limit of 12 years old.
WALKING HOURS: Walking is done in the cool hours of the day from 7:30 – 12:00 usually four to five hours. Rest up during the heat of the day and another walk in the evening exploring the area around camp, sundowners, etc. This is a walking safari supported by camels, however, camels can be ridden when the terrain or route allows.
RESERVATIONS: All reservations are made through Lewa Wilderness – reservations@lewawilderness.com
Contact Lewa Wilderness
Web. www.lewawilderness.com
Email. reservations@lewawilderness.com
Tel. +254 (0) 796 035 177