Kenya for Thanksgiving
November 22-28, 2026 | Starting at $1,510
Make that trip to East Africa! This six-night small group tour blends rare conservation experiences with unique access to remote rural Maasai communities in Laikipia North.
Better yet, your adventure will be supporting Girls’ Education in Kenya through the Amazing Maasai Girls Project.
Get ready to leave a piece of your heart in Africa…
Trip Highlights
❋ Six Nights, Small Group Trip
Six nights with a full itinerary during Thanksgiving week (Sunday, 11/22 to Saturday 11/28). Group capped to 20 persons.
❋ Authentic Maasai Culture
Explore Maasai culture - before its colorful traditions disappear. In the remote pastoral villages of Laikipia North, you’ll be welcomed with traditional music and dance.
❋ Support Girls' Education
The Amazing Maasai Girls Project works to create changemakers in Kenya, through funding high school scholarships and community service programming for young women. Meet our students and alumni during your trip.
❋ Wildlife Safari
You’ll have plenty of opportunities to spot Africa’s most impressive wildlife during this trip. From rhinos to chimpanzees to elephants, you’ll have the chance to enjoy Kenya’s most magnificent creatures.
Open for 2026
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Open for 2026 -
The 2026 trip is full!
We have had an overwhelming response to this amazing trip and we can’t wait to introduce everyone to the Amazing Girls.
But never fear, we will be offering this trip in 2027 so watch this space for updates on our next adventure with the Maasai!
An Adventure Like No Other
We cannot wait to welcome you to Kenya!
Along with our travel provider, Bucket List Adventures, the team at the Amazing Maasai Girls Project is thrilled to deliver a unique small group safari & cultural experience this Thanksgiving. You’ll visit one of Kenya’s most rural, remote and colorfulcommunities and stay at a Maasai Manyatta. We’ll enjoy traditional Kenyan sundowners and Maasai camp fires, listening to traditional music under the stars.
What’s more, you’ll meet the smart, ambitious students of the Amazing Maasai Girls Project. We’ll spend a morning at St Francis School, where you’ll hear from our students & alumni about life in Laikipia and what education means to them.
Read the full itinerary details below. The video is a summary of our 2024 marathon and school visit.
Thanksgiving Tour (Package A)
Itinerary - 6 Nights
Day 1 (Nov 22) | The Gateway: Nairobi Arrival
● Morning/Afternoon: Arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and transfer to a safari lodge set on a 20,000-acre wildlife conservancy. Settle into your boutique cottage and unwind from your flight.
● Evening: A "Welcome to Kenya" dinner under the African sky. Your safari starts here.
● Stay: Swara Acacia Lodge
Day 2 (Nov 23) | Nairobi to Aberdare National Park
● The Route: Head north toward the central highlands. Enter via the Mutubio Gate to witness the dramatic change in vegetation as you climb to the moorlands.
● The Experience: Explore the "Three Falls" (Chania, Gura, and the towering Karuru waterfalls).
● Evening: Settle into Treetops Lodge. Built in 1932 in Aberdare National Park, the rustic, four-deck, ship-like lodge is perched on a fig tree over a waterhole, offering prime wildlife viewing.
● Stay: Treetops Lodge
Day 3 (Nov 24) | The Heart of Laikipia: Aberdares to Ilpolei
● The Route: Descend the Aberdares, stopping in Nanyuki to cross the Equator.
● Continue north into the rugged beauty of the Laikipia plateau.
● The Interaction: Arrive at Twala Cultural Manyatta. You will be hosted by the local Maasai women’s group, a pioneer in community-led conservation.
● Evening: A bush sundowner followed by a "Culture Night" around a roaring bonfire, featuring traditional songs and stories.
● Stay: Twala Cultural Centre (authentic Manyatta stay).
Day 4 (Nov 25) | Meet The Students: The Amazing Maasai Girls Project
● Morning: Visit the students supported by the Amazing Maasai Girls Project, hearing firsthand about the challenges and triumphs of education in rural Kenya.
● Afternoon: engage in community activities rest and recovery.
● Stay: Twala Cultural Centre (Authentic Manyatta stay).
Day 5 (Nov 26) | The Rhino Sanctuary: Ol Pejeta Conservancy
● The Route: Drive to the world-renowned Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
● The Experience: Home to the last two Northern White Rhinos on Earth. Game drive to see the "Big Five" and visit the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary.
● Stay: Maisha Sweetwaters.
Day 6 (Nov 27) |: Ol Pejeta Conservancy: Full Day Game Drive
● Early Morning: Enter the conservancy and begin your game drive—best time to spot predators and enjoy sightings of elephants, giraffes, zebras, and more.
● Mid-Morning: Visit the Chimpanzee Sanctuary and the Rhino Sanctuary, home to the last two Northern White Rhinos.
● Lunch Break: Enjoy lunch at a lodge or picnic site within the conservancy.
● Afternoon: Continue with a game drive in different areas, with high chances of spotting the Big Five and other wildlife.
● Late Afternoon: Optional activities such as lion tracking or guided bush walks.
● Stay: Maisha Sweetwaters.
Day 7 (Nov 28) | The Return or The Extension
● Package A: Final morning game drive and depart for Nairobi (approx. 4 hours).
● Package B: Transfer to Nanyuki Airstrip for a bush flight to the Maasai Mara for a 2-night extension to witness the big cats.
● Package C: Transfer Lamu by air for a slow-paced Swahili island extension.
Package Options & Pricing
Package A
Thanksgiving Tour
6 Nights/ 7 Days
November 22-28, 2026
Total Cost Per Person
Sharing: US$1,510
Single Occupancy: US$1,800
Overview:
The core package - a full week of adventure and connection reaching the remote Maasai community of northern Laikipia.
See Package A Itinerary Above.
Package B
Thanksgiving Tour + Maasai Mara Extension
8 Nights/ 9 Days
November 22-30, 2026
Total Cost Per Person
Sharing: US$3,420
Single Occupancy: US$4,140
Overview:
After the core package, fly from Laikipia for a two-night excursion to see the vast savannah’s of the iconic Maasai Mara National Reserve.
After flying directly from Laikipia, you will arrive in time for lunch at your camp, before heading out for an afternoon game drive where you can spot a variety of wildlife including lions, elephants, giraffes, and more.
The following day is dedicated to a full-day game drive within the reserve, giving you the opportunity to explore deeper into the Mara ecosystem, including the Mara River, with chances to see the Big Five. Optional activities such as a hot air balloon safari can further enrich your experience.
On the final day, you may enjoy an early morning game drive before breakfast, after which you will check out and depart, either driving back to Nairobi or taking a scheduled flight from Mara for your onward journey.
Optional additional night in Nairobi and/or airport drop-off.
Package C
Thanksgiving Tour + Lamu Coastal Extension
9 Nights/ 10 Days
November 22 - December 1, 2026
Total Cost Per Person
Sharing: US$2,560
Single Occupancy: US$2,850
Overview:
After the core package, fly to Lamu, Kenya’s version of Zanzibar. This is a slow-paced Swahili island, steeped in centuries of trading history, where donkeys outnumber cars.
You’ll stay at Queens House, known for its authentic Swahili architecture and ocean views. You’ll enjoy a magical sunset dhow cruise.
Explore Lamu Old Town on your first full day.Your guided walking tour takes you through narrow winding streets, traditional Swahili houses and local markets by the waterfront. Later, cross over to Shela Village for a scenic walk to the Lamu Sand Dunes. In the evening, enjoy a famous floating bar.
The next day, take a boat ride across to Manda Island for a relaxing beach day at Manda Bay, swimming in crystal-clear waters. Later, visit the historic Takwa Ruins, an ancient Swahili settlement dating back to the 15th century.
Departing on December 1, you will be transferred to Manda Airport and onto Nairobi.
Nairobi Day Tour Add-On
Saturday or Sunday, November 21 or 22, 2026
Total Cost Per Person
$185-$250 per person
Overview:
A full day exploring Nairobi's three top wildlife experiences, all within minutes of the city center.
Your day begins with hotel pickup and a guided game drive through Nairobi National Park, the only national park in the world bordering a capital city. Watch lions, giraffes, rhinos, and zebras roam freely against the backdrop of the city skyline.
Mid-morning, visit the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, the world-renowned elephant orphanage. Get up close to rescued baby elephants, hear their stories, and learn how the Trust rehabilitates and reintroduces them to the wild.
After an optional lunch, end your day at the Giraffe Centre, where you can hand-feed endangered Rothschild giraffes from an elevated platform and learn about efforts to protect this rare species.
Drop-off at our safari lodge in the late afternoon.
All Packages Include:
• Return Airport transfers
• Accommodation for all nights mentioned in package, full-board basis with bed & breakfast,
• Meals on full board as stipulated in the itinerary i.e. breakfast, lunch and dinner
• All parks entrance fee
• Dinner under the stars
• Guided game drives
• Activities as mentioned in the itinerary
Exclusions:
• Any extra excursion not mentioned above
• Tips
• Travel Insurance
• Visa
• Anything else not mentioned above
Fundraising:
Additional to the package price, each person is required to fundraise a minimum of $350, which will fund one year of full-board secondary school for an Amazing Girl though the AMGP.
You will be provided with a fundraising page to share with friends and family.
