Kenya: The Food Safari (with Chef Nick Benninger)
October 15-25, 2026 | US$ 6,890
US$ 6,890 per person sharing (international airfare not included)
This unique food safari will take you from the foothills of Mount Kenya, to the lakes of the Great Rift Valley, to the open savannah grasslands of the Maasai Mara, while eating incredible gourmet food prepared by your host — Chef Nick Benninger! Enjoy shopping in the local markets for fresh produce and ingredients, and then let Chef Nick do his ‘magic’ while you’re out photographing the big cats, before returning to camp for Nick’s delicious meal!
October 15,16 (2026): Flight to Nairobi, Kenya
Your international flight takes you to Nairobi, Kenya (arriving October 16). Upon arrival, Chef Nick Benninger will welcome you at the airport, before driving you to the nearby Tamarind Tree Hotel for the night.
October 17: Enjoy Nairobi
After breakfast by the pool, your driver will collect you and take you to the Giraffe Centre where you can hand-feed giraffe from a 10′ high platform. Then visit a unique organic restaurant for a special lunch outside. After lunch, your driver will take you to the Bright Star Primary School where Chef Nick will prepare a delicious meal for 78 awesome school children. Spend some time getting to know them, playing soccer, or teaching math and English. Return to the Tamarind Tree Hotel for dinner and the night.
October 18,19: Laikipia, Mt. Kenya
After breakfast, drive through pineapple farms and coffee farms, gaining altitude as you get closer to the famous Mount Kenya. Continue around the mountain to Laikipia, where you will spend the next two nights at the eco-friendly Amazing Laikipia Tented Camp. Each morning, Chef Nick will taken anyone who is interested to the local market to purchase produce and ingredients for the evening meal. Enjoy morning and afternoon game drives in search of elephant, buffalo, and the famous lions that roam freely throughout the region. This private conservancy premits off-road driving so you can get ‘within purring distance’ of the big cats!
October 20,21: Lake Naivasha
After breakfast overlooking the lake, drive down the escarpment of the Great Rift Valley to shimmering Lake Naivasha for an organic lunch overlooking the plains animals that congregate at the nearby waterhole, and spend the next two nights at the eco-award winning Chui Lodge. Enjoy a boat cruise among the hippos, photograph the African Fish Eagle, take a walking safari in search of giraffe, followed by night game drives in search of those elusive leopards! But best of all, enjoy delicious dinners made with local and fresh produce, prepared just for you by Chef Nick.
October 22,23: Maasai Mara
After a delicious breakfast, transfer to the nearby airstrip for your private charter flight over the Great Rift Valley, past Mount Longonot, to the wide open savannahs of the world-famous Maasai Mara National Reserve, where you will enjoy exciting game drives providing you with the chance to photograph the full range of African wildlife (eg. lions, leopards, elephant, cheetah, giraffe, buffalo, hippos, etc). Spend two nights at the beautifully appointed Tor’s Camp in special Mtoni Tents with en-suite bathrooms, hot showers, and locally-grown organic food. This is an ideal location for Chef Nick to incorporate local ingredients from the local Maasai, into his incredible creative dinners cooked over an open fire.
October 24,25: Nairobi Departure Flight
After one last wildlife drive, board your charter flight (included) back to your Nairobi where you can have lunch at the famous Karen Blixen Restaurant, buy some handmade souvenirs, and enjoy a drink on the Hemingways Hotel verandah. Transfer to the airport for your flight home (arriving home on October 25), with memories of a unique food safari that will last a lifetime!
Included for this safari:
- En-suite accommodations (based on double occupancy) and all meals as per the itinerary.
- Soft drinks, Bottled water and Bar beverages at all 3 safari camps.
- Exclusive transport in 4×4 Landcruisers with ‘pop-up’ roof / open sides, and guaranteed window seat.
- Services of exceptional English-speaking guides, knowledgeable of local region and culture.
- Long-range radio communication (and access to mobile phone) for the duration of the trip.
- Complimentary bottled drinking water.
- Daily safari briefings.
- All park entry fees, conservation fees, airport transfers, and departure taxes.
- Guided safari walks, school/orphanage visits, and cultural excursions as per the itinerary.
- Leadership in ethical, socially responsible practices.
- Two domestic chartered flights as mentioned in the itinerary.
- Complete pre-departure information including packing lists, trip itinerary, and flight details.
Not included:
- International airfare.
- Travel/medical/cancellation insurance.
- Single Supplement (if you would like your own room).
- Lunches and Dinners while in Nairobi
- Passport fees, and Tourist Entry Visa.
- Gratuities for drivers, and room stewards.
- Any optional excursions not mentioned in the itinerary.
- Souvenirs and items of a personal nature.