Kenya Cultural Exchange Itinerary Saturday Day 1 Evening Arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi A member of the Me to We Trips team will be happy to greet you in the arrivals hall. Check in at Karen Blixen Coffee Garden The Karen Blixen Coffee Garden is located in Karen, a peaceful suburb approximately 20 miles from downtown Nairobi. The cottages are located on Karen Blixen s former coffee estate and have been designed with a sense of reliving history in elegant style. All cottages have hi-beam ceilings with fireplaces, stone floors and a veranda overlooking an old growth garden. Amenities include two restaurants, a bar, satellite TV and a pool. *Depending on your arrival time, dinner or bar snacks are available on the premise. Not included. Sunday Day 2 Introductions Meet your Me to We Facilitators and fellow travelers for an overview of the many adventures and unique experiences you can expect throughout your trip. Visit the Kenya Giraffe Centre Created in 1979, the Giraffe Centre is a safe home for many of Kenya s endangered Rothschild giraffes. Guests have the opportunity to observe, feed and even kiss the giraffes. Visit to David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage The David Sheldrick Elephant orphanage offers a safe haven for baby elephants that have lost their mothers. Get an up close look at the babies on a private visit and help feed them their dinner! Learn from their keepers how with love and care, these elephants are able to return to Kenya's National Parks when ready. Welcome Dinner Reflect on the day with new friends over a delicious meal! ** Meal includes 1 complimentary alcoholic welcome drink Monday Day 3 Morning Flight to Bogani Airstrip Please bring all of your luggage and personal effects to the car park, while we transfer you from your accommodation to Wilson airport. Fly via privately chartered planes departing Wilson Airport and arriving at Bogani airstrip, which is adjacent to the Bogani Cottages and Tented Camp. Arrive at Bogani Cottages and Tented Camp Settle in to your new lodgings in Bogani s rustic luxury cottages and tents. Built of indigenous and renewable materials, the tents and cottages are a serene place to relax and reflect after each invigorating day of volunteering. Each accommodation is unique in its design and furnished with African fabrics and art. All bedrooms have oversized beds and are fully ensuite with hot and cold running water.
Lunch, Introduction and Orientation Get acquainted with Bogani, learning some Swahili along the way! Learn about Free The Children s Adopt a Village Program Learn about Free The Children s unique Adopt a Village (AAV) model. Free The Children developed the AAV model that relies on five key pillars to break the cycle of poverty and achieve long-term community development: 1. Quality primary education 2. Health care services 3. Alternative income projects 4. Safe/clean drinking water and sanitation systems 5. Agriculture and food security Visit Enelerai Primary School Go on a guided tour of Free The Children s school in Enelerai, and see the difference between an old and new school. Have an opportunity to volunteer with the students assisting the classroom teacher in their lesson. Fireside Chat with Maasai Warriors Sit under the stars with Maasai warriors Wilson & Jackson to hear firsthand the history of the warrior culture and Maasai traditions. Tuesday Day 4 Community Water Walk Join the Mamas for a special walk through the community. Learn more about how community members organize their homes and live. Fetch water with the Mamas, a task the women perform daily. Lunch with Mamas Have the opportunity to share a meal with and hear the Mamas discuss the changes that have taken place recently regarding gender and culture. Visit Baraka Health Clinic Visit one of FTC s newest projects, Baraka Health Centre. The Health Centre serves over 40,000 community members promoting healthy living and providing preventative, curative and rehabilitative services to the most vulnerable segments of the Kenyan population. These services enable individuals and communities to have power over and enhance their health. Next, learn about the medicinal plants grown in the shamba (garden) including moringa, aloe vera, thyme, spider plant and many more! This shamba supplements the Food Program in FTC schools as well as help to decrease malnutrition in the communities by providing supplements to both pregnant mothers and their children. Fireside Chat on Kenya s Flora and Fauna Pay close attention as your Maasai warriors review some of the animals you may see and what to look for on your upcoming game drive. Wednesday Visit Kisaruni Girls Secondary School Day 5 Go on a guided tour of the newly opened all-girls Secondary School! Meet the 41 girls who just started their high school education. Kisaruni focuses on community, and involves empowering curriculum that provides girls with opportunities to excel. Kisaruni strives to build on cultural values, promote leadership, value diversity, and encourage active learning.
Lunch with Kisaruni Headmistress Carol, Kisaruni headmistress, will join the group for lunch at Bogani to continue the conversation around the unique education which Kisaruni Secondary School provides. School Building (Optional) Roll up your sleeves and grab some tools to work alongside Maasai/Kipsigis community members to assist with building a Free The Children school. Medicine Walk and Maasai Warrior Training Enjoy a leisurely hike as you learn about medicinal herbs from a local Maasai warrior. You will also have the chance to train in the art of Maasai weaponry as you enjoy a cup of chai on the hillside. Thursday Day 6 Embark on an early morning safari game drive! Take a morning drive through the Mara to look for giraffes, lions, elephants, hippos and buffalos. Tour of Tree Nursery Visit some of Free The Children's newest program initiatives. Tour the tree nursery with one of our Community Mobilizers. The tree nursery is reputed to be one of the country s largest, with 80,000 indigenous seedlings produced each year. Kenyan Boys Choir Take in this fantastic group of performers, Nairobi locals, who have performed all over the world including Barack Obama s inauguration and Toronto We Day. Enjoy traditional African song and dance from the open air platform at Bogani. Friday Day 7 Rungu Making Session Visit Set Kabor Men s Group in Emori Joi to try your hand at carving the cultural elder sticks and weapons, carried by all Maasai men, alongside the group members who use this cultural practice as a source of income. Afternoon safari game drive! Experience the Mara in the late afternoon to look for giraffes, lions, elephants, hippos and buffalos. Saturday Day 8 Beading in Sikirar Spend the afternoon beading with the Mamas in the Sikirar community. Learn more about the Me to We Artisans and how their work helps the Alternative Income pillar of the Adopt a village model. Lunch with Me to We Artisans Have the unique opportunity of spending time with the Mamas of Me to We Artisans and ask questions about how this program supports sustainable development. Me to We Shop at Bogani Visit the Duka, which offers beaded handicrafts by local women.
Enjoy Nyama Choma dinner Relax and enjoy a traditional Nyama Choma Kenya s barbecue. Sunday Day 9 Depart from Bogani Cottages Fly back to Wilson airport. Check-in at the Tribe Hotel, Nairobi Experience another face of Kenya. Stay in the old suburb of Gigiri at Tribe hotel, voted one of the hottest hotels in Africa by Condé Nast Traveler. Rest and repack before your departure and enjoy a modern take on eclectic and artistic Africa. Visit to Me to We Artisans Atelier Visit the Atelier to see the bespoke pieces being created by Me to We Artisans not available in the Mara. Travel via Limuru through lush and serene countryside dotted with small towns and tea farms before reaching the Atelier in Rosslyn. Enjoy a High Tea lunch while browsing through the latest jewelry collection, handmade with love in Kenya, fair trade crafts from across the continent, and other special items collected by Roxanne Joyal, founder of Me to We Artisans, during her travels around the world. Feast at the Jiko Restaurant A farewell dinner exclusively for Me to We guests, featuring continental dishes with African flair. Drive to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your Flight Home Kwaherini na safari jemma!
Kenya Cultural Exchange Trip Cost **Please note that the costing below should be used as a guideline only. Since our trips are customizable, our costs are subject to change based on final inclusions/exclusions requested by each specific group. $4,295 CAD per person Bogani Tented Camp (based on double occupancy) $875 CAD per person Single supplement $400 CAD per person Bogani Cottage guarantee (available for groups of 3+) $200 CAD per person Reduction for youth 16 and under *Please note that arrival and departure transfers are included in your trip cost. Pick up time at the airport is no earlier than 2:30pm on your arrival day since check-in at the hotel is at 3pm. Should you decide to extend your stay by arriving earlier or departing later than the scheduled times of your Me to We Volunteer Adventure, airport pick-up and drop offs can be arranged at an additional cost. Cultural Exchange includes: Arrivals assistance Arrival & Departure Transfers 2 night hotel accommodation in Nairobi 6 night accommodation at Bogani Cottages and Tented Camp All meals and drinks while at Bogani (purified water, sodas, beer and wine included) All activities as outlined in the itinerary Entrance fees to sights in Nairobi Meals as indicated in Nairobi Return airfare from Nairobi to the Maasai Mara Two safari game drives Ground transportation throughout the duration of the trip Me to We professional facilitator Flying Doctors Insurance (evacuation in-country) English High Tea shopping excursion Gift from Me to We: t-shirt, water bottle, Rungu and beaded item Dinner and welcome drink at specialty Nairobi restaurant Access to a day room on the final day of the trip Cultural Exchange does not include: International airfare Kenya Entry Visa (to be obtained upon arrival) $50 USD per person, cash Evening Snack in Nairobi upon arrival Optional Activities while at Toriana Alcoholic beverages at specialty Nairobi restaurant (with exclusion of welcome drink) Travel Insurance (ie. Out-of-Country Medical, Trip Cancellation & Interruption Insurance) Gratuities ($5-10 per person per day, recommended)