Where to Stay
Every captivating tailor-made itinerary needs a perfect base. Our team has handpicked this collection of properties to give you luxury options in styles to suit any adventure.
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Our Team
Steppes Travel is made by the people who work here. Incredible holidays are made possible because of their vast travel experience and the great enthusiasm they bring to their work.
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Our Tour Experts
We carefully select our experts based on their knowledge, companionship and influence, ensuring that you can travel with the most knowledgeable leaders in the field.
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Heroes and Heroines
The people who lead the way when it comes to those things which matter to us: exploration, the environment, women’s empowerment and education.
Amboseli, Chyulu Hills and Tsavo
Often overlooked by travellers less in the know, these three regions sit in a thinly populated part of Kenya down on the border with Tanzania.
The lack of tourists, the wide-open spaces and the dramatic backdrop make for some of Kenya’s most thrilling wildlife encounters. This is no more the case than in Amboseli where, with over 1000 resident elephants in the park against a backdrop of the world’s highest free-standing mountain, the snow-capped Kilimanjaro, it is a photographer’s dream destination.
Amboseli works well when combined with Laikipia or the Masai Mara, to give a great overall impression of Kenya’s wildlife and wild places.
Amboseli
The volcanic dust, which gives the park its name (Empusal is from the Maa word for ash) provides dramatic silhouettes at sunrise and sunset, in a blaze of dusty reds and oranges as the moon rises over Kilimanjaro. The days are no less dramatic as the meltwater from the volcano drains through a network of underground streams, resulting in patches of watery green marshlands and lakes, adding yet more contrasting colours to the arid plains. This vital water source not only draws a scattering of predators to the area, but also allows for some fantastic birding.
Chyulu Hills
To the northeast of Amboseli, Chyulu hills form the youngest volcanic mountain range in Africa, where open plains and rolling hills are dotted with brittle boulders and rocky outcrops. Stay at Campi ya Kanzi, one of Kenya’s best camps and explore the impressive-sounding Leviathan Cave as an alternative to the traditional game drives.
Tsavo East and West
The combined parks of Tsavo East and West account for Kenya’s single largest area of protected wildlife in two strikingly different parks. Tsavo West is the smaller of the two, harbouring the Big 5 and the excellent Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary, whereas Tsavo East has less game, but rewards visitors with its wild, untrammelled atmosphere.
Experiences
Tell us what you love doing and we’ll curate a journey that’s perfect for you.
Kenya
Ithumba Camp
Located in Tsavo East National Park, this simple tented camp is owned and run by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT). The camp is reserved for the trust’s supporters and is located near to the DSWT’s…
Kenya
Ol Donyo Lodge
Ol Donyo Lodge is positioned on the northern edge of the fertile Chyulu Hills, set in an area that isn’t home to any other lodges. Built-in partnership with the local community, the lodge operates within 112,000…
Meet our experts
A passion for travel runs right through every one of our experts - meaning they're always ready with first-hand insight about their specialist countries.
Illona Cross
Illona has visited Kenya numerous times, as well as spending time in the Masai Mara as a safari guide at one of the camps. Having explored much of the country and stayed at a variety of camps and lodges, she always enjoys the diversity of activities on offer, including her personal favourite, horse riding.
Talk with our experts
- 01285 880 980
Chris Johnston
Chris has explored much of Africa over the years, yet holds firm the belief that Kenya offers the best big-game experience in the world. He has walked, driven, mountain-biked, ridden and paddled past some of Africa’s most exciting wildlife whilst on safari in Kenya. And such is the style and comfort of the country’s lodges, all this was whilst within easy reach of an ice-cold G&T.
Talk with our experts
- 01285 880 980
Idea
Kenya
Rhino Conservation and Elephants of Chyulu
This journey focuses on two of Kenya’s most iconic species. In the renowned Borana Conservancy, witness rhino conservation in action and encounter critically endangered eastern black rhinos. In Chyulu Hills and the nearby parks, get close to elephants, amidst a landscape decorated…
Idea
Kenya
Flying Safari to Amboseli, Meru and the Mara
Fly in comfort, on a chartered plane, across Kenya’s wild landscape. Begin with the elephant-dominated grasslands of Amboseli, before flying north to the baobabs of Meru. End in the spectacular Masai Mara, the highlight of any trip to Kenya.
Idea
Kenya
Rhino Conservation and Elephants of Chyulu
This journey focuses on two of Kenya’s most iconic species. In the renowned Borana Conservancy, witness rhino conservation in action and encounter critically endangered eastern black rhinos. In Chyulu Hills and the nearby parks, get close to elephants, amidst a…
Idea
Kenya
Flying Safari to Amboseli, Meru and the Mara
Fly in comfort, on a chartered plane, across Kenya’s wild landscape. Begin with the elephant-dominated grasslands of Amboseli, before flying north to the baobabs of Meru. End in the spectacular Masai Mara, the highlight of any trip to Kenya.
Other highlights to explore
Masai Mara
Picture Africa in your mind’s eye and chances are you will visualise the vast, acacia-dotted plains of the Masai Mara, teeming with…
Laikipia
Boasting more endangered mammals than anywhere else in East Africa, the vast Laikipia plateau extends from the lush foothills of snow-capped Mount…
Samburu and Meru
A dramatic landscape of semi-arid desert, lush springs and sacred mountains, one of the best places in Kenya for good sightings of…
Kenyan Coast
Forget what you know about the Kenya coast. It is beautiful, welcoming and the perfect place to end your safari.
Matthews Range
This remote mountain range in northern Kenya rises up from the flatter lands of Samburu, north of the Ewaso Nyiro River.
Nairobi
Used mainly as a quick stopover, Nairobi is an interesting city with some good places to visit.
Lake Turkana
Known as the “Jade Sea”, this vast lake lies in the very north of Kenya - remote even in a country so…
Why Choose Steppes?
Our knowledge and expertise set us apart. So too our curiosity. It is this that drives us to create a journey that is really bespoke to you, all the while ensuring we travel and operate sustainably.
Are you ready to discover extraordinary once again?
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