Helicopter Safari, Mount Kenya

Helicopter Safari at Mount Kenya If you like jaw-dropping views, this itinerary will more than satisfy. It starts when you transfer from your international flight in Nairobi to your private helicopter, which flies you to Solio lodge near the Aberdare highlands, soaring above the ice-capped snowy peaks of Mount Kenya. At Solio Lodge you will see an abundance of game from black and white rhino, to lions and herds of buffalo. You can enjoy a massage in your room by the fire or go horse riding across the plains.

From the exclusive Solio Lodge you and the helicopter will travel to the luxurious Desert Rose lodge where you’ll witness the astonishing rock formations of the Suguta Valley and descend to two remarkable lakes, Turkana and Logipi, to see vast flocks of pink flamingo. After a night at Desert Rose your route to Sasaab will take you over the Ndoto Mountains and the Mathews Range of northern Kenya. Once in the Samburu National Reserve you can enjoy a late afternoon short scenic flight to spot rare Grevy’s zebra from above, landing on the sacred Samburu mountain, Ol Donyo Sabachi (Ol Lolokwe), which towers 1,000m above the surrounding plains. You can complete the magical trip with an early evening walk to Sundowner Rock for panoramic 360° views of the Mathews Range, a magical experience with a fantastic finish.

Day 1 – Helicopter Safari at Mount Kenya

STAY AT: Solio Lodge

Luxurious and intimate, Solio Lodge is situated between Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Mountains, on the Solio Game Conservancy. Home to the endangered black and white rhino, Solio is the perfect gateway to the ‘northern circuit’, and provides plenty of exciting activities.

GETTING THERE: From the moment you land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, your private helicopter will be waiting to whisk you on a short, scenic flight over the rolling Aberdare Mountains to Solio Lodge, where our staff awaits your arrival.

EXPERIENCE: After late-morning coffee at Solio Lodge, fly up over the majestic snow-capped peaks of Mount Kenya and drop down to land at a group of glorious high-altitude lakes that teem with trout for an exclusive fly-fishing experience and champagne breakfast. After this adventure, you’ll return to the Lodge late morning to relax for the rest of the day.

Day 2 – Helicopter Safari at Mount Kenya

STAY AT: Desert Rose Lodge

Desert Rose is Kenya’s northernmost luxury lodge, acclaimed for its dramatic location and interior design. It has one of the most spectacular settings of all the African lodges, in the middle of dense and hilly jungle close to majestic Mount Nyiru. The open-plan lodge has a lounge looking towards the mountains and a wooden deck leading to a glorious dining terrace. The five rooms may be small in numbers but they’re big in impact, with a tactile mixture of stone and carved wood, as well as open-air bathrooms with great views. Beside the lawn is a curvaceous swimming pool, remarkable for its design and location. Desert Rose is designed to be an unforgettable experience – and it delivers on that promise.

GETTING THERE: At day break, head north in your private helicopter over the Western Highlands of the Laikipia Plateau, descending into the infamous Great Rift Valley down the Mukutan Gorge. Touch down on the edge of the Silali Crater for a picnic breakfast before continuing north into the otherwise inaccessible Suguta Valley. This wild area is home to the lesser kudu and striped hyena and is renowned for its fantastic rock formations. Then on to the extraordinary Desert Rose lodge where lunch awaits.

EXPERIENCE:In late afternoon, we’ll fly over the green cedar forest that crowns Mount Nyiru and descend to the southern edge of Lake Turkana, also known as the Jade Sea, so called because of the near incandescent colour of its water. This is the largest permanent desert lake in the world and often referred to as the ‘Cradle of Mankind’. We’ll land on the Nabuyatom Crater to see one of Africa’s most extraordinary landscapes, before heading into the Suguta Valley and over amazing Lake Logipi, or Flamingo Lake. This lake is home to millions of greater and lesser flamingo and when viewed from above in a helicopter, the spectacle is astonishing. We then take the helicopter and land in sand dunes for sundowners, before a short flight returns you back to Desert Rose for dinner.

Day 3 – Helicopter Safari at Mount Kenya

STAY AT: Sasaab Lodge

Sasaab Lodge commands breath taking views across the arid Northern Frontier District towards Mt Kenya. Helicopter Safari offers truly exceptional safari experiences in an area renowned for the ‘Samburu Special Five’ (Grevy’s Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe, Somali Ostrich, Gerenuk and Beisa Oryx).

GETTING THERE: We leave Desert Rose mid morning and head into the Ndoto Mountains. This mountain range, together with the Mathews Range in the heart of Samburu country further south, is a virtual island surrounded by vast grassy plains. This unique geography has allowed a number of species to evolve independently in these mountains and the dense forest terrain is of considerable conservation value. Touch down for a short walk in the pre-historic juniper and cycad forest before continuing to Sasaab for lunch.

EXPERIENCE:Take a late afternoon short scenic flight to spot rare Grevy’s zebra from above, landing on the sacred Samburu mountain, Ol Donyo Sabachi (Ol Lolokwe), which towers 1,000m above the surrounding plains. If the evening is clear you can see a magnificent view of Mount Kenya 70 miles to the south-west. At dusk, take a short walk to Sundowner Rock, for panoramic 360° views of the Mathews Range and a glass of chilled wine.

Day of Departure

Your Helicopter Safari ends here, but the adventure can continue…