Professor Jeffrey Fadiman, MA, Ph.D, Dip
Join group leader and Africa expert Professor Jeff Fadiman. Connect with wildlife, and ancient culture while learning about wildlife conservation and grassroots business models.
Professor Fadiman is American by birth. However, he is also African as proclaimed by tribal ritual. He is the only White Elder of the Meru Tribe (Mt. Kenya), having rediscovered and reconstructed their “lost” tribal history that had been crushed and almost forgotten under British Colonialism.
He has 63 years of African experience. In the US, he is an African language and area specialist, having taught diplomats at the U.S. State Department, and spoken twice to African experts at the nationally respected California Commonwealth Club. In Africa, he has taught in Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, and South Africa--as a Fulbright Scholar at Unizul. He has funded the schooling of over 220 AIDS orphans while upgrading the schools they attended by supplying books, pens, writing paper, and hope. He has designed and co-led African safaris for 40 years.
Kenya SAFARI 2025
August 7th - 15th
THE BUSINESS OF WILDLIFE
Kenya is a world leader in wildlife conservation. You will visit internationally recognized conservancies and animal sanctuaries where you will learn about the business models that make this vital work possible.
Day 1 - Aug 7th
Ol Pejeta CONSERVANCY
NAIROBI - OL PEJETA - ROAD (4.5 hours, with stops)
Morning
Arrive at Nairobi’s JKIA and be met by the Sacred Savanna team.
Journey to Laikipia (07:00 - 11:30 am)
This scenic drive will take you from the hustle and bustle of Nairobi to Laikipia - one of Kenya’s most stunning wilderness regions. Expect to arrive between 11 pm and 1 pm.
Afternoon
Lunch & Talk | Life as a Lion/How Lions Kill
Enjoy lunch, stretch your legs, and take in the beautiful surroundings of your bush camp.
Late afternoon
Game drive (15:00 - 18:00)
Witness the wilderness come alive! As daylight melts away, nocturnal wildlife becomes more active and you will likely see lions, leopards, hyenas, and more.
DAY 2 Aug 8th
Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Morning
Lion tracking (06:30 - 08:30 am)
Ol Pejeta has one of the highest predator densities in Kenya, with lions being the dominant species in this category. You will track collared lions and gather information about each pride member. The data you collect will go directly to Ol Pejeta’s ecological monitoring unit, aiding in finding solutions to the challenges facing Laikipia’s lions. This is truly one of the most thrilling wildlife conservation experiences on earth!
Lunch & Talk | Who Kills Lions/Lion Poaching, Lion Farming, Canned Lion Hunts
Afternoon
Rhino conservation
The afternoon begins with a drive to the northern white rhino sanctuary, home to the last two remaining specimens. Next, you will visit Baraka, a black rhino that you can get up close and personal to. At the Morani Information Centre, you will have the opportunity to speak with Baraka’s dedicated keepers and learn more about the different rhino subspecies and the conservation efforts for these endangered animals.
Talk | Rhino Poaching - From One Viet Village to Kenya
Late afternoon
Evening game drive
Enjoy your second evening game drive and explore a different part of the conservancy.
Day 3 Aug 9th
Ol Pejeta - umoja Camp
OL PEJETA, LAIKIPIA - SAMBURU (4 hours, with stops)
Morning
Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Nature Walk
Visit Ol Pejeta’s Chimpanzee Sanctuary, the only one in Kenya. Learn how the Conservancy provides refuge to orphaned and abused chimps from Central and West Africa. Finally, leave your vehicle behind and take a riverside nature walk, keeping an eye out for hippos, crocodiles, and the diverse birdlife.
Lunch & Drive to Samburu
Stop for lunch in the bustling town of Nanyuki. The drive to Samburu offers lush views of Mount Kenya before descending into the vast arid wilderness of the northern frontier.
Afternoon
Arrive in Samburu
Upon reaching your camp, stretch your legs, and soak in the beautiful surroundings while learning about the unique history and impactful work of the Umoja Women’s Village.
Talk | Life in a River: Hippos, Crocs and Tigerfish
WILD NEIGHBORS
Discover the Samburu people and learn how they live alongside the wild animals they fear and revere. You’ll learn how community-owned animal sanctuaries provide vital income generation while playing a vital role in anti-poaching initiatives and education for the community and beyond.
DAY 4 Aug 10th
Samburu
Morning
Spot the ‘Northern Special Five’
Start the day with an early game drive at Samburu National Reserve. It’s a haven for elephants as well as lions, cheetahs and leopards. It is also home to the Northern Special Five species (Grevy zebra, Somali ostrich, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, and the Beisa oryx). See how many you can spot!
Lunch & Talk | Life in a Thorn Tree: Giraffes vs Ants
Lunch and refreshments at the camp.
Late afternoon
Evening game drive
Evening game drive along the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River which acts as a magnet for wildlife in search of water, vegetation and prey. Watch for big cats prowling the bush or crocodiles basking in the last rays of sunlight along the riverbank.
Reteti Elephant Sanctuary
Day 5 Aug 11th
SAMBURU - RETETI ELEPHANT SANCTUARY (2 hr each way)
Morning
Reteti Elephant Sanctuary
Travel into the northern wilderness to the remote Mathews Range to visit the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary. A community-owned sanctuary, a first for Africa. You will be paired with a keeper, from the local Samburu community who will You will teach you about the care, rehabilitation, and release of elephant calves and their ongoing anti-poaching initiatives.
Lunch & Talk | Elephant Poaching: From a Chinese Village to Kenya
Note: You will carry a packed lunch from the camp.
Evening
Back to Umoja Camp
Evening Campfire and Samburu Dancers
Share stories with your driver-guide by the campfire, and be captivated by the vibrant performances of cultural dancers.
ANCIENT CULTURE, MODERN OUTLOOK
Learn how the Samburu people are learning to adapt to some of the challenges of modern life. You’ll visit a unique village where women are the only residents. You’ll discover how and why this village was established and learn about their micro businesses.
DAY 6 Aug 12th
UMOJA - CHOGORIA
SAMBURU - MERU (3.5 hours, with stops)
Morning
Cultural visit
Visit Umoja Women’s Village - the village where women rule! Learn about this unique village - a safe haven for Samburu women and girls. Step into their world and learn about their ancient customs and culture and the community’s income-generating initiatives.
Activities include
Cultural dancing; history talk; visit to a kindergarten and primary school; tour of the kitchen garden; help build a manyatta (a traditional hut of the Samburu and Maasai); learn how to bead; talk to the residents and listen to to their remarkable personal stories
Early afternoon
Lunch
Enjoy your last meal at the camp before embarking on your journey to Chogoria.
Afternoon
Welcome to the Meru region!
The drive to Chogoria takes you back up to the slopes of Mount Kenya. Home to the Ameru people, a Bantu group known for their farming prowess. Chogoria will be your base for observing and participating in impactful grassroots community development work.
VILLAGE HOPECORE INTERNATIONAL
You will visit a local NGO to gain insight into the impactful work they do within their community. During the visit, you will have the opportunity to explore various grassroots income-generating and development projects.
Day 7 Aug 13th
CHOGORIA
Morning
Making a Difference!
After breakfast, you will be joined by your hosts from Village HopeCore International, a hugely impactful community development NGO. You will learn about their incredible work, including public health, education, income generation, and capacity-building programs.
Lunch / Afternoon
Field visit: Income Generation Program
After lunch at the hotel, you will have the opportunity to interact with a variety of program beneficiaries, such as store owners, poultry farms, and special projects, and witness firsthand how the program's training, loans, and support have empowered them.
Evening
Cultural interaction & Talk | Life in a Meru School
Evening back at the hotel presents an opportunity to mingle with the staff and beneficiaries of HopeCore. This is a chance to ask questions and learn about sustainable development and rural life in Kenya more generally.
CHOGORIA & Mt Kenya Forest
DAY 8 Aug 14th
Morning
Field visit: WASH Program
After breakfast, visit a local school to observe HopeCore's WASH Program. You will see how clean water and hygiene practices are reducing waterborne diseases among students.
Lunch
Lunch & Talk | Anti-Poaching Tactics: Rhino Poachers vs Texas Blook Hounds
Afternoon
Forest walk
Take in the stunning beauty and diverse wildlife of the Mount Kenya Forest with a hike through its lush edges, bordering the fertile cultivation zone. Watch for monkeys and exotic birds while learning about the forest’s medicinal plants and cultural significance.
Evening
Dinner & Talk
Day 9 Aug 15th
CHOGORIA - Nairobi
CHOGORIA - NAIROBI JKIA (4.5 hours, with stops)
Morning
Breakfast and Talk
After breakfast depart for Nairobi and your transfer to JKIA.
Return to Nairobi via Thika
You will arrive in Nairobi in the afternoon, stopping for lunch en route at the Blue Posts Hotel in Thika. Enjoy this famous hotel's relaxing grounds and waterfall.
Evening
Transfer to JKIA
Your driver-guide will take you to the airport for your night flight back home. Kwaheri Kenya!
Each African Safari is like a Broadway play
In order for you to watch, photograph and actually experience wildlife interactions like a lion kill, every actor in the safari (guides, drivers, etc.) must play his part perfectly, and each day’s production must go right.
A safari is not cheap—either for the client or the operator. For each successful day in the bush Land-Cruisers must work flawlessly, guides must be knowledgeable, lodgings must be safe and secure, and food, drink, and amenities must be available in the most remote locations. Understandably there are multiple costs involved for operators to ensure that your trip runs smoothly and lives up to everything an African adventure should!
Professor Jeff Fadiman
Your safari INCLUDES:
4x4 Land Cruiser
Expert Driver Guide
Accommodation
Food and Drink
All Activities
Evacuation Cover
Your safari EXCLUDES:
International Flights
Personal Travel Insurance
Donations
Tips
Your safari COSTS:
$2300 Per Person
$500 Deposit Due: March 15th
$900 Due: May 19th
$900 Due: July 19th
Join me for an unforgettable African adventure!
- Professor Jeff Fadiman with Sacred Savanna