To my fellow Yale Alumni, If I had to distill the essence of what I valued most about my experience at Yale, I d say that it was learning to perceive and appreciate the interconnectedness of the world. History, literature, science, culture, the environment my understanding of each was made richer by exposure to the others and the encouragement I got to look for the threads tying them together. I ve observed that a lot of my most absorbing work and experience since school has been distinguished by the collision and synthesis of these elements and by sharing in those discoveries with friends. In that spirit, I decided to try to construct a way for other people to share in a particularly special place and endeavor that I ve been lucky enough to be engaged in for the last 10 years. Working together with the Yale Educational Travel office, the new association of alumni interested in environmental issues called Yale Blue Green, and an organization I helped build called Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, I ve put together a special travel opportunity that will be offered exclusively to the Yale alumni community. The Maasai Wilderness Conservation Safari is our effort to fuse together the romance of the classic African safari experience, the substance and sophistication we all loved at Yale and an authentic encounter with people of a remarkable traditional culture something altogether different and more satisfying than the typical tourist experience. I think we all know how hard it is to experience travel in the deep sense of the word anymore so much about tourism has denuded it of anything that stays with us or even leaves us with the feeling that we left home in a meaningful way. The trip detailed for you here is specifically conceived to re-engage with what travel can do for us on a spiritual and emotional level. You ll be immersed in conversations, encounters with people and first hand exposure to real-world issues and challenges - all in one of the most incredible living classrooms on the planet, Kenya s Chyulu Hills, better known as Hemingway s Green Hills of Africa, at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Far from a passive experience of looking at animals (and other tourist vans) from a vehicle in a National Park, this trip will take you to the vast, pristine wilderness of the Maasai tribal lands. You ll be hosted by the Kuku Maasai community in their own gorgeous eco-lodge and guided on an extraordinary tour of the landscape, wildlife and community by the staff of the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust; they will illuminate the diverse Maasai lands for you on ecological and social levels as well as reveal it as a case study for some of the great challenges of our era. I ve been lucky enough to travel all over the world and this is one of the very few places I ve never tired of returning to again and again. It is endlessly awe-inspiring and intellectually provocative. I could write about it all day about why this trip is so special and on how many levels making it impacted my own life, but I ll leave off by simply saying You re invited. I look forward to hearing your personal stories when you return, experiences I m sure will have touched as you deeply as they have touched me. We ve provided a wealth of information that I ve curated for you to read about this experience and my good friend Kate Doty at Geographic Expeditions (truly the greatest travel planning company on the planet) has produced a brilliant itinerary in which you can rely on every element for quality and safety. I hope you make the journey. Sincerely, Edward Norton 91
Warriors & Wildlife: An Africa Experience Custom designed for Yale University Alumni in Consultation with Edward Norton 91 June 4 14, 2013
Trip at a Glance Day Activity Hotel, Location; Meals * 1 Depart USA En route 2 Arrive Nairobi, where you re met upon arrival and taken to your hotel The Emakoko, Nairobi; D 3 4-7 8 9 & 10 11 Fly to the Chyulu Hills Game-viewing transfer to camp Tracker-led walk in Chyulu Hills Chyulu Hills morning and afternoon games drives Field visits with the MWCT, Maasai bush walks and visiting with Maasai family and community Fly to the Masai Mara Game-viewing transfer to camp Afternoon game drive Masai Mara Game Reserve morning and afternoon game drives Optional hot air balloon safari Morning game drive or bush walk Fly to Nairobi s Wilson Airport Private visit to Daphne Sheldrick elephant orphanage Transfer to hotel for day-use room and dinner before evening flights home Campi ya Kanzi, Chyulu Hills; B, L, D Campi ya Kanzi, Chyulu Hills; B, L, D Rekero Camp, Masai Mara; B, L, D Rekero Camp, Masai Mara; B, L, D The Emakoko, Nairobi; B, L, D 12 Return to USA En route * B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner or similar accommodation Page 1
Itinerary Day 1 Tuesday, June 4 DEPART USA Depart your home city today on your flight to Nairobi, Kenya. En route Day 2 Wednesday, June 5 ARRIVE NAIROBI, KENYA On arrival to Nairobi s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you are met by a Geographic Expeditions representative who will assist you with arrival procedures, visa processing (if obtaining on arrival), customs, immigration, and baggage claim. You meet your guide in the arrivals hall for the drive by private vehicle to The Emakoko for your first overnight in Africa. The drive to The Emakoko takes approximately 20 30 minutes. The concept for The Emakoko was born 2 years ago. Anthony & Emma Childs who have lived in Kenya all their lives felt that the safari experience for most guests was tainted by their arrivals and departures from Nairobi, Kenya s capital city. Transfers from the airport to Nairobi hotels can take anything from one to three hours due to terrible traffic. It made no sense that every visitor into the country was driving around a very unique game park in order to get to their destination. For many Nairobians, Nairobi National park is a fantastic refuge from the hustle and bustle of Kenya s capital Nairobi. Over the years the Nairobi National Park, although not a particularly large park compared to many in Kenya, has become home to a huge number of wildlife species. A natural wildlife habitat next to a capital city is unique and it seemed obvious that using the park would be a special way to start a journey in Kenya. The Emakoko http://www.emakoko.com/ Days 3-7 Thursday, June 6 Monday, June 10 FLY TO THE CHYULU HILLS This morning you depart Emakoko Lodge for a game drive through Nairobi National Park en route to the airport. On arrival at the airport you board a private light aircraft charter flight bound for the Chyulu Hills airstrip. Campi ya Kanzi s experienced team meets you at the airstrip and drives you to your lodge. As you move across picturesque grassland toward the volcanic Chyulu Hills and your camp, you re likely to spot giraffe or zebra, while impressive Mount Kilimanjaro rises in the distance. As soon as you arrive at Campi ya Kanzi, you ll get the feeling that a special stay is in store. Luxury tented cottages with thatched roofs sit atop wooden platforms. They re adorned with locally made furniture and Page 2
décor, offer electricity and en-suite bathrooms with hot and cold running water, and feature a veranda with wonderful vistas. Adding a unique flair to your African experience are the Italian-born owners and hosts, Luca Belpietro and Antonella Bonomi, who infuse your stay with their passion for Italian gastronomy. But Campi ya Kanzi is more than an exotic retreat; it s an ecotourism venture, based on a conservation philosophy that involves the Maasai tribe and preserves their way of life while protecting the local environment and wildlife. Owned and operated by the Maasai community, this lodge enables tourism and ancient ways of life to thrive side by side. Campi ya Kanzi is also partnered with the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust (MWCT), a local organization working to create sustainable economic benefit for the Maasai community through ground breaking conservation programs and wise management of the community's natural resources. MWCT employs nearly 100 community rangers and predator monitors and is engaged in a comprehensive program, under formalized partnership with Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), to prevent illegal activity, reduce human/wildlife conflict and monitor impacts on biodiversity. MWCT is one of the largest employers of community rangers and wildlife monitors in the ecosystem after KWS. In addition to programs focused on protecting wildlife biodiversity, MWCT is at the cutting edge of the newly integrated conservation and economic development agendas, pursuing forest carbon credit revenue, watershed valuation, and collateralization and land conservancy leases. There will be specially arranged visits to Chyulu Conservation and Research Center (CCRC), just a half an hour from Campi ya Kanzi, where we will engage in discussion about how these issues relate to the global challenge of environmental sustainability in the face of developmental pressure. Each morning at Campi ya Kanzi you are softly awakened with the aroma of coffee or tea and a gentle wakeup call. A breakfast of cereals, breads, exotic fruits, eggs, and bacon gives your body a jump start. Meals are served from the terrace of Tembo house (the dining area and heart of the camp), where you can admire the animals that graze in the camp s surroundings and enjoy a marvelous view over the land to Kilimanjaro. Elephant, lesser kudu, gerenuk, impala, Grant s gazelle, zebra, giraffe, oryx, hartebeest, buffalo, lion, and cheetah, among others, may be seen. You will visit neighboring Tsavo National Park to indulge in further wildlife riches. Tsavo East, one of the last great wilderness landscapes on Earth, offers a vast arena of parched scrub and heat-shimmering bush, which is washed by the azure waters of the Galana River, guarded by the Yatta Plateau and patrolled by some of the largest elephant herds in the world. Page 3
Tsavo West, land of lions and lava, is painted on a sprawling canvas of endless skies, emerald hills, liquid lava flows, palm-fringed rivers, teeming wildlife and sparkling oases, where rafts of hippo wallow, snort and blow in the crystal clear waters of Mzima Spring, fed by the cloud forest in the top of the Chyulu Hills, where you'll have to chance to hike and explore among giant 400 year old strangler fig trees. Either a walk or a game drive is a wonderful way to spend the first part of each beautiful day in the hills. Lions, elephants, and plenty of plains game are spread across this vast landscape. Take a game drive to the top of the Chyulu Hills, where you can walk in the rainforest with its incredible variety of trees, flowers, and colorful birds, such as the Hartlaub s turaco. Join a Maasai tracker for a pleasant afternoon walk in the Chyulu Hills. He offers insight into the plants and footprints you see, animal behavior, and Maasai traditions. You get to observe animals large and small from a close but comfortable distance. Before returning to the lodge for dinner, you may sip an evening drink a sundowner in safari-speak atop Longido Hill. The view of Kilimanjaro with golden plains below is unforgettable. Campi ya Kanzi (B,L,D) www.maasai.com/ Days 8-10 Tuesday, June 11 Thursday, June 13 FLY TO THE MASAI MARA This morning you board a light aircraft flight to the Masai Mara. You are met on arrival by camp staff and a private vehicle for a game drive to camp, which quickly turns into game viewing because the plains are alive with wildlife of all kinds. After lunch, you are free to relax, take a game drive, or watch the wildlife pass by from the comfort of your tent. Amidst the teeming mass of wildlife in the Masai Mara area, Rekero is located inside the Masai Mara National Park, very close to the confluence of the Mara and Talek rivers. During the Great Migration, more than one million wildebeest and 200,000 zebra from the Serengeti move through the Masai Mara, and this camp is ideally situated for the annual migration. Rekero Tented Camp is set up seasonally and caters to no more than 14 guests. Gerard and Rainee Beaton, along with their partner Jackson Ole Looseyia, own and host this unique camp. Their team of professional Maasai safari guides and camp crew have worked together for years, providing guests with an in-depth and truly memorable Masai Mara experience. While at Rekero Tented Camp you ll take many spectacular game drives in the national park. You ll also participate in cultural visits to the local Maasai and Il Dorobo communities, with whom the Beatons have a close association. The Beaton family arrived in Africa in 1889 and pioneered Kenya s conservation movement in Page 4
1946. This important tradition of conservation continues today at Rekero Tented Camp, where old-time hospitality coupled with a unique insight into the Mara s wildlife, cultures, and flora and fauna is offered to all who come to visit. Rekero s site, close to the confluence of two important and life-sustaining rivers and ten minutes from the main wildebeest crossings during the migration, allows you prime game viewing at your doorstep. The camp also overlooks large pools populated with hippo and crocodile and offers some of the finest big cat viewing in Africa. Rekero Camp (B,L,D) www.asiliaafrica.com/rekero/ Day 11 Friday, June 14 FLY TO NAIROBI AND DEPART TO USA Today you catch a private light aircraft charter flight from the Mara to Nairobi. You ll have the afternoon to have a private visit of the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage at Nairobi National Park, before returning to Emakoko for dinner and to freshen up and re-pack. Later this evening you ll return to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your late night international flight back to the USA. Emakoko day use room (B,L,D) Day 12 Saturday, June 15 RETURN TO USA Your international flight arrives today in your home city. Flights departing Nairobi in the evening arrive in the USA the next day in the morning or evening depending on your flight connections. Timing is dependent on your confirmed international air schedule. En route Professional Safari Guide: Samson Parashina Samson Parashina is a Maasai warrior, son of a local chief and respected safari guide. Parashina started as a waiter at an ecotourism lodge, but swiftly rose to become the President of the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust (MWCT) a grass-roots community trust preserving the wilderness, wildlife and cultural heritage of the Tsavo-Amboseli ecosystem. He also acts as president and safari guide for Campi ya Kanzi, an eco-lodge named by CNN as one of the top 10 luxury eco lodges in the world which partners with Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust. The Tsavo-Amboseli ecosystem is recognized for its high biodiversity, significant tourism revenues and as a vital watershed providing freshwater to millions of Kenyans. Three national parks - Tsavo, Amboseli and Chyulu Hills - lie within a human-dominated landscape and the overall health of this ecosystem is reliant on the Page 5
sustainable management of the lands between the protected areas by the local communities that own them. The trust s success has taken its profile global, with actor Edward Norton, the UN s Goodwill Ambassador for Biodiversity, a board member. Parashina, Norton and two other Maasai completed the 2009 New York marathon to raise awareness and funding for the trust. Parashina is an avid reader and taught himself animal behavior, biology, botany and ornithology. His acquired knowledge allowed him to pass the Silver Level exam of the Kenya Professional Safari Guide Association in 2006. In 2012 Parashina was honored by the UN with a Champions of the Earth award. Samson will greet you upon arrival in Nairobi and travel with you for the duration of your journey in Kenya. Warriors and Wildlife: An Africa Experience Through travel we can make a meaningful impact for the communities we visit and create new and unique experiences. Yale Educational Travel and Yale Blue Green have created a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Yale alumni friends and family to connect with African wildlife and Maasai warriors through Warriors and Wildlife: An Africa Experience (June 2013). Yale Educational Travel (YET) provides outstanding travel experiences for alumni by combining fascinating itineraries, talented young faculty, interesting and congenial traveling companions, expert guides and usual opportunities and events. Each year YET offers a wide variety of programs designed to explore the marvels of the world and reconnect alumni to Yale and to each other. Yale Blue Green (YBG) is a community of alumni, students, faculty, staff and affiliates who are engaged in green topics and issues. Our mission is to support the University and its sustainability efforts and to serve as a hub for thought leadership, collaborative action, lifelong learning and inspiration on initiatives including how we live, how we work, and how we contribute to the world. Page 6
Trip Pricing $16,495 per person $775 single supplement (maximum of 2 single trip participants) Included All domestic air transfers by private charter flights Meet & assist at all airports on arrival and departure including porter assistance All ground transportation and transfers by private vehicle Accommodations as specified in this itinerary or similar Meals as specified in this itinerary as B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner Bottled water, soft drinks, tea and coffee at all meals Bottled water and soft drinks on all game drives and sightseeing excursions Local beer, wine and house beverages at safari camps Safari hot air ballooning in the Mara Laundry at Rekero Camp Park, conservation and entrance fees and still camera fees to all sites and for all activities as specified in the itinerary Services of Professional Safari Guide, Samson Parashina Services of local lodge safari guides and private camp vehicles throughout Customary gratuities for all camp guides & staff, drivers, airport representatives, porters, hotel and restaurant staff, etc. Customary gratuities for your Professional Safari Guide Geographic Expeditions Medical/Evacuation Insurance and Assistance Services Temporary membership of Flying Doctors Society Services Not Included International flights to/from Nairobi (GeoEx can make international flight arrangements up on request) International flights to/from Nairobi for Yale Staff member Airport departure taxes Passport and visa fees Excess baggage charges En route hotels, meals, airport transfers, ground arrangements, or other services (GeoEx can make these arrangements if requested) Premium alcoholic beverages at safari camps and all alcoholic beverages in Nairobi Safari hot air ballooning (it s a good idea to reserve ahead; please ask us for details) Personal expenses and incidentals, such as, but not limited to laundry at Campi ya Kanzi and in Nairobi, phone calls, e-mail, and souvenirs Charges incurred as a result of delays beyond Geographic Expeditions control such as delayed or cancelled flights Trip cancellation, travel delay or baggage insurance (Note: this optional coverage is highly recommended and can be purchased through Geographic Expeditions) Currency Exchange Rates GeoEx actively manages currency risks associated with a weakening US dollar. Unlike most other travel companies, we insulate our guests from exchange rate risk by locking in the trip cost at the time of booking. In other words, no currency supplements will be assessed should the dollar decline prior to your departure. Page 7
Cancellations and Refunds If you must cancel your trip (or any portion thereof), a cancellation charge will apply; refunds depend on the timing of the cancellation. GeoEx cannot refund you for any unused accommodations, services, or features. For more details, please see the terms and conditions (Travelers Information) for this trip, along with the Limitation of Liability agreement in your pre-departure packet. Payment and Cancellation Policy Special payment & cancellations policies apply to all Private Journeys. The following policy overrides any payment & cancellation schedules listed in any general GeoEx materials. Payment Schedule: Deposit at time of Reservation $4,150 of which $1,500 is non-refundable deposit (per person) 125 Days Prior to Departure (January 31, 2013) or upon receipt of invoice Balance Cancellations and refunds: If you cancel your trip, the following cancellation charges apply: Non-refundable cancellation charge $1,500 per person 91 125 days prior to departure $4,150 is non-refundable 90-46 days prior to departure 50% of the trip price is non-refundable 45 days or fewer prior to departure No refund At or after trip departure No refund Trip Details Important Note on the Itinerary While we endeavor to make the itinerary as accurate as possible, it should be considered an approximate schedule of activities rather than a rigid schedule of events. We are constantly looking for ways to improve our trips, and advance reconnaissance may present opportunities for superior routing or activities with minimal advance notice. Trip itineraries are also subject to revision due to weather, road and trail conditions, government restrictions, and other factors beyond our control. Pre-departure Packet After signing up for a trip, you will receive a detailed packet of information on health and safety, travel documents, recommended clothing, background information, and suggested reading specific to your destination. Trip Grade/Comfort Level This trip is graded Easy to Moderate Touring, as all accommodations, tented camps, touring conditions and facilities are good to excellent. You will travel on small light air charters domestically, usually not exceeding 2 hours per flight. All game drives are operated in 4-wheel drive vehicles; you will be driving over uneven surfaces at low speeds. More rigorous activities like walking safaris and horseback riding are optional and can be adjusted to fit your desired activity level. Africa's wild animals are unpredictable and potentially dangerous. Photographic safari activities and staying in any safari camp places visitors in close proximity to wild animals; it is therefore an inherent risk to those persons wishing to undertake these activities. In the safari camps, paths leading to your tent/room and the common areas are often uneven, and sometimes poorly lit, so care must be taken when walking around camps. Please remember that international travel can be arduous and fraught with logistical delays and changes. Together you will endure the significant rigors of rough roads and full schedules, and share the fantastic rewards of discovering remote lands and new friends. Page 8
Warriors & Wildlife: An Africa Experience June 4-14, 2013 You may also reserve space safely and securely online at: www.yaleedtravel.org/kenya13 First/Last name #1 (as it appears on passport) Yale Affiliation Preferred Name Birth date First/Last name #2 (as it appears on passport) Yale Affiliation Preferred Name Birth date Address City State Zip Country Phone (home) (office) E-mail Fax Accommodations: Twin Share (roommate to be assigned) Single Deposit Information: Enclosed is a deposit for $ ($4,150 per person) made payable to GeoEx Charge a $4,150 per person deposit to: Visa MasterCard American Express Card Number Exp. Date Authorized Cardholder Signature Date I/We have read and understand the enclosed Terms & Conditions for this program, and agree to abide by them. Signature Date Signature Date Please complete and return this Reservation Form with your deposit of $4,150 per person (checks made payable to GeoEx) to the following address. Or you may fax your reservation form to 203-432- 0587: Yale Educational Travel P.O. Box 209010 New Haven, CT 06520-9010 Fax: 203-432-0587 Phone: 203-432-1952 Email: edtravel@yale.edu www.yaleedtravel.org
P.O. Box 209010, New Haven, CT 06520-9010 Fax: 203-432-0587 Phone: 203-432-1952 Email: edtravel@yale.edu www.yaleedtravel.org Questions? Please contact YET 203-432-1952, Monday Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (EST) or you can email edtravel@yale.edu Tour Operator Since 1982 we ve taken adventurous travelers to the ends of the earth. Initially pioneering treks and journeys to remote destinations including the Dolpo and Mustang regions of Nepal, the Southern Patagonia Ice Field, the former Soviet Union, and Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, GeoEx s repertoire of stellar trips now spans 70 countries on all seven continents. We re proud that Travel + Leisure readers have consistently voted GeoEx one of the World s Top Ten Tour Operators and that our travel planners regularly make the prestigious Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialists list. We re known for: To the Ends of the Earth Thoreau Center for Sustainability 1008 General Kennedy Ave PO Box 29902 San Francisco, CA 94129-0902 Phone: 415-922-0448 Fax: 415-346-5535 E-mail: info@geoex.com GeoEx.com