11-Day Kenya on Your Terms

Tucked beneath tall, yellow-barked acacia trees in the heart of Ol Pejeta’s wilderness area are the Safari Cottages, established in 2012 by a family whose combined experience in the wildlife industry exceeds 65 years. Enjoy the silence, the space, the uninterrupted views, your personal chef (or you can self-cater), great accommodation and plenty of game. Ol Pejeta Conservancy covers 36,400 hectares of bush straddling the equator between Mount Kenya and the Aberdare mountains. This is East Africa’s largest black rhino sanctuary, and you'll also see elephant, cheetah, lion, leopard and some rarer northern species – Grevy’s zebra, Jackson's hartebeest, Beisa oryx and reticulated giraffe. Visit the rescued chimps at Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary and the Endangered Species Boma, home to the world's last remaining northern white rhinos. Or spend a morning at the charming local school. Accommodation: Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages

Surrounded by the open grassy plains of the Mara, scattered acacia thickets and tumbling blue waterways, Topi House is all about location. Its exact spot is actually a piece of private land, sandwiched between the Olare Orok Conservancy and the Mara Reserve, for the best of both game-viewing worlds. The house has 3 bedrooms, a full complement of staff and a variety of excellent, and child-friendly, activities. So what are you waiting for? Enjoy the safari of a lifetime. A safari at Topi is 100% on your terms and your private guide will help you to design your own itinerary. Options include game drives in the Mara and surrounding conservancies and walking and night drives (with a little advance notice). The launchpad for balloon safaris is only a short drive away, as are several Masai villages if you would like to arrange a visit. There’s an also an excellent children’s program on offer for the younger ones. Accommodation: Topi House

From Topi House you will be transferred to Waterlovers Beach Resort. Desperate for some tropical sunshine, long hot beaches, water activities and the chance to explore a mind-blowing marine reserve? Throw in good accommodation, great food and super-courteous staff (and a turtle-shaped pool), and Waterlovers Beach Resort fulfils all your criteria. The lodge lies 35km south of Mombasa on Diani Beach, a stretch of unbelievably white sand and water of every shade of blue. All the adjectives used to describe a tropical beach holiday are completely appropriate here. Pure paradise. If you are looking for something to do, take a sail on a dhow to the coral reef to snorkel, go deep-sea fishing, ride a camel on the beach, try kite surfing, windsurfing or diving, play golf or take an excursion to the nearby Kisite Marine National Park, noted for its stunning coral gardens and more than 250 species of marine life. Treat yourself to a massage, lounge around the pool or doze off in a hammock.