Upon arriving in Nairobi you will be met by your guides at the airport and driven in private transport to the group hotel where you will have an opportunity for a rest and to freshen up before we head out for some exploring and some lunch. Our first stop will be to visit the famous Giraffe Manor where we can experience the resident herd of Rothschild giraffe going about their business whilst also keeping in close contact with the people who come to visit and stay at the manor. Seeing a cheeky giraffe poke its head and elongated neck through a window at people enjoying lunch is a sight to behold! The Giraffe Manor is surrounded by 140 acres of indigenous forest just outside Kenya's capital, Nairobi. As well as the giraffe, the property is also home to many species of birds, large families of warthogs and the elusive Bush Buck. Tonight we will enjoy a welcome dinner and celebrate being in Kenya and actually doing what you have dreamed of for so long...

Meals:  D

This morning we head to Gatunda Village (approx. 4-5 hours drive). In the afternoon we will visit our project area for a full briefing about what to expect over the next few days.

Meals:  B,L,D

The final location of your project will be advised during the planning stages of your expedition. There are many villages that are in need and we select different villages for every different school. For the following two days we will assist the staff and students from the school on a variety of jobs which will make the school a better place to work and learn. The materials would have been purchased locally and transported to the school ready for our arrival. To improve efficiencies and to ensure the project is completed on time the group will be split into work groups, each tackling a different aspect of the project. Along with our expert guides there will be a professional carpenter on-site who will be coordinating the project and who will act like a foreman. The tasks will include, sanding and preparing internal and external wooden surfaces for painting, repair or replacement, repairing broken wooden floor boards and wall panels, repairing and also building new classroom desks and chairs, and other minor class room repairs. It will involve manual labor and you should be prepared for up to eight hours work per day. The work will be hard at times but rewarding, constructive and fascinating. There could be some heavy carrying at times although no ladders, power tools or access to the roof will be allowed. Accommodation: Camping at school grounds

Meals:  B,L,D

This morning bid farewell to the plains and our new friends at Ol Pejeta and commence our six day trek to the summit of Kenya's highest mountain. We head to Chogoria Village where in the afternoon we will ascend the steep and rutted track to the Bandas (cottages) in woodland near the Chogoria Gate (3,017 m) ( 9051 ft) of the Mt Kenya National Park where we stay for the night. Our gear will be transported by Land Rovers while we gain acclimatisation with our first walk at altitude. Today is a good opportunity to acclimatise, as we will be staying at an altitude of around 3,000 m (9000 ft). We will relax and organize our gear for the trek ahead. There will also be opportunities to view some of the native wildlife that live in this forest belt. The flora and fauna surrounding the Bandas is prolific. Accommodation: camping

Meals:  B,L,D

The day starts slowly with a gentle game walk in the surrounding forest. Elephant, Buffalo, Antelope & Colobus Monkey all live here as do Augur Buzzard & Verreaux's Eagle. After a late breakfast we will trek to Lake Ellis (3,500 m) (10,500 ft). Gradually the forest drops away as we enter a high moorland zone. Lake Ellis is a peaceful spot with good views of the main peaks - still two days trekking away. Accommodation: camping

Meals:  B,L,D

The walk to Mintos Hut is spectacular. Overlooking the Gorges Vallley, rising into the Afro-Alpine zone, winding through mazes of house-sized rocks, it offers one photo op after another. The campsites are as gorgeous as the walk. Mintos Tarn is a deep blue alpine lake surrounded by giant groundsel and lobelia, framed by peaks and pinnacles. Accommodation: camping

Meals:  B,L,D

The trek now enters the Alpine Zone - after quite a boggy start to the trek the walking surface soon turns to scree. We climb several steep slopes to the Tooth (4,700 m) (14,100 ft), from where it is a gentle contour to Simba Tarn at 4,560 m (13,680 ft), which we should reach in time for a late lunch. Accommodation: camping

Meals:  B,L,D

After a hot drink we commence at 5:00 am for the steep ascent (2 hours) of Point Lenana (4,985 m) (14,955 ft) in time for sunrise. Although the climb is straightforward, the final section is hard work at this altitude. From the summit it is often possible to see Mt Kilimanjaro 320 km (200 mi) away as well as the nearby climbing peaks of Mt Kenya; Nelion and Batian which should be bathed in golden sunlight at this time of the morning. We descend back to Simba Tarn for a well-earned cooked breakfast, and continue our descent via the Sirimon Route to Old Moses Camp. The walk today is long and exhausting and will challenge even the fittest of walkers. However the thrill of standing on the roof of Kenya will surely make the effort worth while. Accommodation: camping

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast we head through the Sirimon Valley and down through the lush forest belt to the Park Gate where our transport will be waiting to take us on our next stage of our African Odyssey, to go see the incredible game and wildlife which makes Africa so unique. We plan to arrive at our campsite by mid afternoon where we can then head out on our first game safari drive in the glowing light of a Kenyan sunset. Accommodation: camping

Meals:  B,L,D

Today we spend the day game viewing in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy Area. All members of the "Big five game" (lion, buffalo, elephant, leopard and rhinoceros) can be found on the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Both black and white rhino thrive here. Other rare animals that can be found on Ol Pejeta include the endangered African wild dog, oryx, Jackson’s hartebeest, Grevy’s zebra, serval, cheetah and bat-eared fox. The more common African wildlife can be found too, including giraffes, monkeys, baboons, hippos, impala, eland, Grant's gazelle, dik-dik, plains zebra, silver backed jackal, hyena. There are also over 300 bird species on the Conservancy. All animals are free to move in and out of the Conservancy by way of specially constructed "game corridors" that only restrict the movement of rhinos. Knee-high posts in the ground, situated very close together, present no challenge for elephant, antelope and carnivores, who are easily able to jump or step over. Rhinos, however, are unable to do this, and as a result are restricted from moving into areas where they are in danger of poachers. The wilderness areas of Africa are populated by large numbers of wild and potentially dangerous animals. The trip aims to view these animals in their natural habitat, uncontrolled by fences. Your experienced guides will make every effort to ensure the safety of the group at all times. Please be aware that all safari travel, including vehicle safaris in the proximity of wild animals is never entirely without risk. By travelling into wild areas in search of wild animals, all participants accept that they are choosing an adventure that includes an element of risk and this is an inherent aspect of the enjoyment of this style of travel. Accommodation: camping

Meals:  B,L,D

An early morning game drive offers the best wildlife viewing before breaking camp. We exit the reserve by private vehicle on our way back to Nairobi, arriving in the afternoon. Time permitting, we will learn about an inspiring program which has been educating disadvantaged children from a suburb of Nairobi for more than 15 years. Karen Street Children's Trust has been very successful in sponsoring children so they can attend various boarding schools where they can receive a secondary education. We will meet a representative who will discuss the challenges many Kenyan children are faced with and the difference and importance an education can make. Tonight you will be transferred to the airport for your flight home.

Meals:  B,L