Almost 99% of tourists to Kenya believe that the only way to do a Safari is by getting into a 4 wheel drive Land Rover and cruising through the wild. Walking safaris have not gotten the same amount of media attention, thus the lack of knowledge by the masses. They, however, remain as thrilling and worthwhile as game drives, if not more. Walking safaris occur mainly in game and forest reserves and eco-lodges. Some of the places that offer this magical experience include The El Karama Eco Lodge, Karisia Walking Safaris and Sosian Camp, Naboisho camp, among others. Below are the 3 types of walking safaris you should plan for when in Kenya.
Bush Peeking
This is the least intensive of the three types of walking safaris. Here, you get to have a peek of the bushes surrounding you as the name suggests. Ideally, walking safaris cover an average of 15 kilometres per trip. However, not everyone is able to participate due to various reasons. Bush peeking, therefore, covers anything between 1 and 10 kilometres with much of the remaining time spent in the camp. In this type of safari, the lodges are mostly luxurious and may have amenities such as bars and swimming pools.
Half a Day Tours
The second type of walking safari takes half a day each day to just walk in the natural surrounding and learn a few things about it. You will often start the day at 6 a.m. in order to beat the hot midday Kenyan sun. You will have English-speaking tour guides who are often local to the environment and will thus have a lot of information about the plants and vegetables. Half a day tours will often take place between two camps, which you will get to stay in alternate days.
Mobile Camping
This is the most intense yet most abounding of the three walking safaris. The best part is that you get to sleep in different spots every night as long as your tour stands. Do not worry about your luggage because camels or cars using shorter routes will transport them. By the time you finish your daily trip, you will find everything ready and set. You will learn much more about the animals, get to see breathtaking picture-perfect scenery and get to engage with more locals as you go.
Walking safaris are incredible because you get to learn things that you wouldn’t during a game drive. You also get to come close to the animals and most importantly, you get to interact with the locals and enjoy fresh local foods. This makes your trip to Kenya full circle.
