Kenya’s ultimate walking safari at Governors’ Mugie House

There are only a few places in Kenya running walking safaris; bush walks completely exposed to the wilderness. Luckily for us, our manager, George, was trained in Zimbabwe where it takes around 4 years to qualify to be a specialist walking safari guide so we’re able to offer something quite out-of-the-ordinary.

The Mugie Conservancy is the perfect spot for a walking safari with almost 50,000 acres giving you that feeling of continuously exploring new territory. It’s relatively flat terrain, so not too strenuous, and idyllic open country with some lovely escarpments which you can climb and scan the valleys below. We venture out in the cooler afternoons and after driving into the bush, we’ll have a comprehensive safety briefing before walking for a couple of hours. Getting out of the vehicle and putting your feet on the ground is such a different experience to just driving around in a Jeep. We’ll stop, look at tracks, pick up bones, taste fruit, feel a leaf, perhaps even break open some elephant dung. You’re so much more immersed in nature.

Sometimes we stalk animals – say impala, giraffe and zebra – tracking them downwind so that they don’t pick up your scent. Or perhaps lions if we see them. Keeping a close eye on their body language, and always behaving like a guest in their home, we can sometimes get as near as 50 yards away. You can afford to be a little closer to the elephants, my favourite mammal for their sheer intelligence as well as their complex emotions and family structures. Seeing such a magnificent creature up close is simply indescribable.

At the end of the walk, we’re known to surprise guests with sundowners in the bush. I’m talking about a full set up with a dedicated bar man and your cocktail of choice. It’s quite the sensory overload.