Explorer Program

After many years of amazing safari experiences with our Field School in East Africa, we realized that we needed to make the opportunity to experience Africa available to non students and people of all ages. Thus began our Explorer Program in spring 2006 and we have now enjoyed years of successful trips providing our explorer groups with the experience of a lifetime. Our safari options are flexible, usually ranging from 14 to 30 days, and allowing you to see the sites that you most want in your itinerary.

It all starts when you arrive in Nairobi where we will pick you up and drive you to the comforts of our compound in Limuru. In mornings at the compound, enjoy a big breakfast, great Kenyan coffee or tea and spend some time getting to know our staff and meeting the local children. Experience real Kenyan life during visits to the local market and top the day off with a visit to the pride of Kenya, the National Museum. Let us take you on an emotional and inspirational visit to the Elephant Orphanage, the Giraffe Center and to Karen Blixen Gardens and home [Out of Africa].

Orphaned elephant gets some special care	African wildlife is unmatched anywhere else
Preparing for a day trip	Explorer from Winnipeg showing her new necklace

Our safari trips include Nakuru National Park, the best site to see rhinos as well as many other kinds of wildlife in the Great Rift Valley. You can also choose one or both of our wilderness safari trips to some of the most amazing landscapes and wildlife scenes in the world. To the north, past Mount Kenya, lies our camp in Samburu, a dry savanna area, home to the Samburan people and to animals unique to the dry habitat.

Moving south, we also have an amazing safari camp in the world renowned Maasai Mara National Reserve where great herds graze the immense grasslands sharing the landscape with the same predators that will hunt them at night. Listen to the wild sounds as we sit around a campfire while Maasai tell stories of their culture, traditions and the challenges of their everyday lives.

Explorer presents a ball to the Maasai school headmaster and teacher	Hippo with baby, Mara River
Lions, Maasai Mara	Samburan Girls

At the end of the inland safaris, you can add a stay with us on the Kenyan coast, an amazing place of Swahili culture, great Baobab trees and magnificent beaches where we enjoy the breeze off the warm Indian Ocean while staying at a beach resort with a beachside bar, spa, pool and gym. Here we can teach you how to SCUBA dive or supervise dive trips for those who are already certified. We can also take you on trips for site seeing and shopping in historic Mombasa, or nearby Diani Beach.

Brian getting ready to take the plunge	Happiness is learning to dive
Dive boat in the Indian Ocean	Happy Divers en route back to Pinewoods!

Please email us for more information. We have an amazing Explorer Safari trip planned in February-March. We look forward to helping you organize your trip of a lifetime.

The following is a description of the 2012 Explorer program:

Explorer Program – The "Best of East Africa" [open to anyone]

Our very popular Explorer Program takes place every year in February/March. It is the trip of a lifetime at a low daily rate. The program for 2012 is outlined below. Sign up early to reserve your place.

Select your arrival time on days we are in Nairobi.

Fees for the Explorer Program

Explorers must make their own arrangements for air travel to Nairobi. Email Brian or Cam before making your final flight arrangements so we can ensure that arrival times in Nairobi are appropriate for us to pick you up at the airport. Arrival days should be scheduled in relation to the above itinerary.

In order to simplify calculations as well as respond to changing currency rates, we are now presenting all prices in Canadian dollars.

We have a basic daily rate for adults on the Explorer trip of $150 CDN per adult per day (special lower rates for children are available.)

To work out your basic cost, just calculate the number of days including arrival and departure day and multiply by $150 CDN. Then add the park/other fees to calculate the cost.

Included in the basic daily rate:

- airport pick up in Nairobi
- all food and accommodation including water, tea, coffee
- all land transportation in East Africa
- game viewing
- camping fees and cultural activities
- security
- staff salaries
- SCUBA equipment and instruction

Not included in the basic daily rate:
- travel insurance
- Kenyan visa (purchased at the airport in Nairobi or beforehand through Kenya High Commission in Canada.)
- immunizations and anti-malarial drugs
- alcohol, sodas
- National Park fees (currently $75 CDN per adult per day while in National parks)
- special event or site entry fees (usually less than $15 CDN per adult)
- Fees for Ol Pejeta Conservancy and Chimpanzee Sanctuary ($126 CDN)

Not included for the coast:
- flight to/from coast if flying (online booking while in Kenya is inexpensive). You can also choose to drive as our vehicles head down to the coast.
- lunches on the coast
- personal dive gear i.e. mask, snorkel and fins
- boat charges of $30 CDN
- any necessary dive manuals
- dive certification cards (approximately $35 CDN)

Payment Schedule: An invoice will be mailed to you on booking.

The basic fees ($150 CDN per day times number of days) plus park/other fees must be paid by certified cheque, bank draft, money order or paid online and should be made payable to Canadian Field Studies Ltd. as follows:

* $500 CDN per person deposit due by October 15 or when booking.
* Remainder as per invoice by December 20 or when booking if after that.

Prices are in Canadian dollars, and based on current park prices and a Canadian dollar at par with US. Our costs in Kenya are in Kenyan shillings and based on US dollars. A small adjustment may be made if park prices change or if the Canadian dollar drops in value from par in relation to the US dollar.

Mail to:

Canadian Field Studies Ltd.,
Attention Brian Hartwick
D-54, Bowen Island, BC,
V0N 1G0
Canada

For more information or if you have any questions, please email us.