2024 Engaging Africa Travel Experience 2

Conservation, Community Engagement and the Indian Ocean World

~ July 6 - July 18, 2024 ~

This Engaging Africa Laurentian Travel Experience will visit the Nairobi, Nyeri, and Mombasa regions, and Tsavo and Amboseli National Parks.

Left to Right: Highland Agriculture of Nyeri, Fort Jesus Mombasa, Tsavo, Amboseli

Left to Right: Highland Agriculture of Nyeri, Fort Jesus Mombasa, Tsavo, Amboseli

Itinerary (subject to minor changes):

If you would like a .pdf version of the itinerary and trip information, please email bknauf@stlawu.edu.

Participants will be picked up at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by Kenya Program staff and transferred to SLU’s campus in the leafy Nairobi suburb of Karen. You will enjoy a two-night stay and a relaxing introduction to campus life and Kenya’s cosmopolitan capital city. You will be able to experience the student perspective 1st hand.

  • Overnight on the KSP campus---live/relive the student experience

We will travel north to the Mount Kenya region for a two night visit with our longstanding rural homestay families in Nyeri county. We will visit with host-families and explore the challenges and innovations of rural Kenyan life.

  • Two night stay in Nyeri County at FK Resort.

Heading south we will travel to the coast of Kenya and the historic Swahili city of Mombasa. As a long standing site for both a coastal field component and student internships, we will explore the broad Indian Ocean culture of the Kenyan coast an engage with key community partners and internship hosts in the region.

  • Includes flight or train to Mombasa
  • Three night stay at Mombasa Serena or equivalent

Traveling back upcountry from the Kenyan coast we will then visit Kenya’s largest National Park. Abundant wildlife viewing opportunities and discussions about the challenges and innovation of conservation efforts await.

  • Two night stay at Serena Kilaguni or equivalent.

Heading along the southern border of Kenya we will travel from Tsavo to Amboseli national park. Nestled in the shadows of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Amboseli is known for its abundant Elephant populations and has long been a site of a KSP field component. In addition to wildlife viewing in the park, we will have an opportunity to learn more about the Maasai community and the challenges of pastoralist lifestyles in the region.

  • Two nights stay in Amboseli Sopa or equivalent.

Heading back from Amboseli after an early morning game drive the trip will end with a final celebration dinner and city excursions before flying back to the U.S. overnight Thursday with a Friday, July 19th arrival.

Cost (airfare not included):

Alumni group photo in front of a building holding the St. Lawrence flag.

Alumni travel group in 2019 at lunch in Nyeri.

$4,900 per person (for double occupancy/sharing)

$5,500 per person (for single occupancy off-campus)

Maximum of 22 Laurentian participants - family members above age 13 are welcome to join.

Housing Information

Some shared accommodations may be required on the Nairobi campus, all other accommodations will be in 3 and 4 star hotels outside of Nairobi in single occupancy rooms.

Additional Information

All meals and non-alcoholic drinks during meals are included throughout the trip. Cost is also inclusive of local travel/health care insurance coverage during the duration of the trip. Bottled/filtered water will also be provided for drinking.

Registration

This trip is now SOLD OUT.  If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please contact Barb Knauf via the contact information listed below. 

An initial deposit of $1,000 per person must be received by December 1, 2023 to reserve your spot on a first-come, first-serve basis. Full payment is due by March 31, 2024. If the University cancels this experience, we will work with travelers on a future visit to Kenya or work to refund the full or partial deposit amounts as circumstances allow. 

Questions?

Please contact Barb Knauf via email at bknauf@stlawu.edu or by calling 315-229-1847, or email Dr. Matt Carotenuto at mcarotenuto@stlawu.edu.

Alumni group with homestay families during 2019 trip

Alumni travel group with homestay families in 2019.