Expedition overview:
Nairobi > Ol Pejeta > Kakamega Rainforest > Diani
Often referred to by anthropologists as “the cradle of humanity”, Kenya provides the opportunity to travel, explore and experience a country with such a climatic variance that it can support a diverse range of wildlife.
Home to the infamous Masai Mara, where the annual Wildebeest and Zebra migration takes place, Kenya offers incredible wildlife-watching opportunities and the Great Rift Valley is where the earliest evidence of man’s ancestors was discovered.
The expedition includes a visit to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, a 90,000 acre private conservancy in the Laikipia District of Kenya, home to the endangered black and white rhino as well as the endangered grevy zebra. Most of the chimpanzees at this sanctuary are orphans, their mother’s having been killed for the bushmeat trade amongst other reasons, whilst others are rescued pets. The aim of the centre is to rehabilitate the chimpanzees into a natural environment and to teach local people about the sanctuary and conservation. Volunteers on previous expeditions worked with local education programmes and supported sanctuary staff, producing educational content to be used in schools and on-site at the sanctuary.
From Coral reefs and white beaches to staggering mountainscapes, Kenya is a varied and mysterious country. A poignant place to consider the lives of other primates; Kenya will not disappoint – our expedition seeks to raise awareness of four primate species, including the chimpanzee, vervet and sykes monkey, yellow baboon and two species of bush baby.
Where does the expedition start and end?
The Kenyan Handshake begins in the bustling capital Nairobi. Here you will receive your initial induction and learn about the issues facing primates such as the black and white colobus monkey – a species threatened by deforestation and severe habitat loss. This subspecies, once found along the entire coast, is now restricted to isolated pockets of forest south of Mombasa and Northern Tanzania. Here, the Handshake has produced content necessary to raise awareness of the problems the colobus faces, removed snares in sacred coral forests and built community links with local sanctuaries and educational initiatives. on the white shores of the Indian Ocean in Diani Beach. Diani will also mark the end of this 28-day expedition, offering you the chance to complete video, web and educational projects and also enjoy the surrounding area.
What is the expedition’s itinerary?
The expedition will follow a similar route to the one described below. Due to the nature of the expedition, the course may be deviated to accommodate new projects or to focus on current issues described to us by primate sanctuaries and organisations in-country.
- Day 1 | Nairobi (Induction)
- Day 2 | Karen Camp (Induction)
- Day 3 | Karen Camp (Induction)
- Day 4 | Travel to Ol Pejeta / Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary
- Day 5 | Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary
- Day 6 | Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary
- Day 7 | Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary
- Day 8 | Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary
- Day 9 | Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary
- Day 10 | Travel to Nairobi
- Day 11 | Travel to Kakamega Rainforest
- Day 12 | KEEP @ Kakamega
- Day 13 | KEEP @ Kakamega
- Day 14 | KEEP @ Kakamega
- Day 15 | KEEP @ Kakamega
- Day 16 | KEEP @ Kakamega
- Day 17 | Travel to Nairobi
- Day 18 | Travel to Bore Community
- Day 19 | Bore Community
- Day 20 | Bore Community
- Day 21 | Bore Community
- Day 22 | Travel to Mombasa
- Day 23 | Colobus Trust, Diani Beach
- Day 24 | Colobus Trust, Diani Beach
- Day 25 | Colobus Trust, Diani Beach
- Day 26 | Colobus Trust, Diani Beach
- Day 27 | Colobus Trust, Diani Beach
- Day 28 | Presentation of work and completion
For more information please view the Kenyan expedition’s PDF overview or contact a member of the Great Primate Handshake team at info@primatehandshake.org
