African Safari Diaries: A family Cheetah Safari over the Easter holidays

Chloe and her family visited Kenya over the Easter Holidays and opted for our most popular itinerary, the Cheetah Safari. This traditional seven-night safari visits Samburu, home to unique wildlife, followed by the Rift Valley Lakes. The final destination is the Masai Mara, where vast numbers of plains game and spectacular big cats abide. She has shared her experience and some lovely photos with us.

Was this your first time visiting Kenya? What made you decide to visit?

It was our first time to Kenya. We needed a safari holiday in Africa to fit in with the Easter holidays as Kerry is a teacher. After a lot of research we found that the Cheetah Safari had the best itinerary. 

How did you choose your itinerary?

We especially liked that we would be visiting different areas around Kenya so would make the most out of the trip by seeing more of the country. We wanted to see scenery as well as the incredible animals. The package of having our own guide, accommodation and travel included meant we would be able to relax and enjoy the trip fully. 

Where did you stay whilst on your trip and what was your favourite property and place?

We stayed in the Aberdare Country Club which was a nice welcome to Kenya with beautiful views. Then we moved on to Samburu, to Ashnil Samburu camp, which was our favourite. This was also our favourite National reserve where we would drive just a few metres from our accommodation and there would be animals. The accommodation was incredible, with dream like tents where you could watch giraffes and any other animals walking past from your bed.

Serena Mountain Lodge was an experience! Up in the mountains where you could feel the change in climate. The lodge was built from wood and you had a panoramic view of the watering hole. The staff gave us a list of animals we might want to see and would wake us up if any came near the area. We also had a free walking tour which was excellent. 

Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge was very exciting. The rooms were huge, modern and clean and also had air-conditioning. We had a guide walk us back to our rooms at night because of the hippos which came close to the accommodation. 

Ashnil Mara Camp in the Masai Mara was nice accommodation, we had a bush dinner, that we paid extra for, which was amazing. We had a dinner under the stars with hyenas making excited noises and waiting to have our scraps! The Masai Mara is huge and good to see so many animals even if you had to drive long distances. The food in all places was great and service from all the staff was attentive and personal. 

What were your highlights from your trip?

The whole trip was incredible. There are too many highlights to mention but four things that stick out are 

– Driving around a corner and seeing hundreds of zebra in a river (collection of zebra is called a dazzle)

– A Leopard climb down from a tree and then catch a snack 

– Sunsets

– The food! 

Do you have any advice or tips for anyone thinking of going on a safari?

A Safari holiday is a MUST! Be prepared for travelling long distances, although when you are on a safari you will be engrossed by everything around you, three hours will seem like 10 minutes. Pack lots of layers because the climate changes. Snacks are a good idea for long journeys but make sure you listen to the guides and keep them away from monkeys! 

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If after reading about Chloe’s experience you would like to book a similar itinerary, you can read more about our Cheetah Safari here.

We would love to work with you to plan the safari holiday of a lifetime. For more information on how our safari experts can help you, call Somak Holidays today on 020 8423 3000.

Please note all photos featured are credited to Chloe Salter.