Custom Kenya Safaris by Lynne Gross

10/06/2026

This is what Kenya means to me…

09/01/2026

🦏 Chubby Unicorns continue to be endangered.

🌍 Africa is home to most of the world’s rhinos and Kenya is known for its continuing, vigorous conservation efforts. They have succeeded in protecting these animals and increasing their numbers. But it has been a long road…over the last 100 years, rhino populations have dropped more than 90%. We have already lost one entire species. The last Northern White Rhino male died in Kenya from old age eight years ago. There are only two remaining females in Kenya, both of whom are infertile.

⚪ White and Black rhinos are Not named for their color!
The difference is in their behavior, diet, and shape of their mouths:
🌿 White rhinos have wide, horizontal mouths that are built for grazing on grasses.
🌱 Black rhinos have more pointed mouths with a hooked upper lip to more easily nibble on twigs and tree leaves.
🤍 White rhinos are larger and more social and are usually found in groups called “crashes.”
🖤 Black rhinos are smaller in size and smaller in number. They are considered Critically Endangered due to poaching and habitat loss.

🛡️ In Kenya, rhinos live in conservancies to protect them from poachers. There is still a black market for rhino horns as a status symbol and the false beliefs about medicinal cures.

🚫 They DO NOT have curative properties!

🧬 Rhino horns are nothing more than keratin--the same material as a human hair and fingernails.

🦏 Nobody needs a rhino horn but a rhino.

08/31/2026

WHAT'S MISSING IN THIS PHOTO?!?!?
There are no elephants or giraffes!
This is in the Maasai Mara, which boasts many, many elephants, giraffes and other animals. But ellies and giraffes move away from the wildebeest herds and find shelter in the trees or on higher ground because of the wildebeests attract lots and lots of flies.
Smart.

08/30/2026

🌍 A new chapter is beginning…

After 20 years of collecting stories, experiences, and little pieces of knowledge from Africa, I’m finally putting them all in one place.
I’m excited to announce that I have a new blog! ✨

Over the years, I’ve learned that Africa is so much more than the incredible places you see in photographs. It’s the stories behind the landscapes, the animals, the people, the conservation efforts, and all the fascinating details you might never know unless someone shares them with you.

And I can’t wait to share more of those stories here. 🐘🦏🌿
I’ve just returned from a wonderful 9-day migration safari in Kenya—and what a spectacular experience it was. 🦓🐃

More than a million wildebeests and zebras thunder into the Maasai Mara from the south to enjoy the delicious green grass. Over the course of a year, they make a looping journey of more than 1,500 miles in search of fresh grazing land.
It’s one of Africa’s most incredible natural phenomena, and there’s so much more to the story than you might think.

✨ Learn more about the Great Migration—and the stories, wildlife, and knowledge I’ve been collecting from Africa for the past 20 years—in my new blog.
I can’t wait to share more with you. ❤️🌍

Head to CustomKenyaSafaris.com to learn more.

08/29/2026

🐘 If you think elephants are just beautiful giants to snap a photo of on safari, you’re missing their true superpower. They aren’t just living in the African landscape—they are actively building it. Here is how:

💧 Creating Oases: During the dry season, elephants use their tusks and feet to dig deep into dry riverbeds. They uncover hidden underground water sources, literally mapping out survival points for hundreds of other species who follow their trail.

🌳 Bulldozing Forests into Grasslands: By knocking down dense acacia shrubs and trees, they prevent woodlands from overtaking the plains. This keeps the savanna open, maintaining the perfect habitat for grazers like zebras and wildebeests.

🌱 The Ultimate Seed Hand-off: An elephant eats hundreds of pounds of plants a day and travels miles. Their dung acts as a nutrient-rich, mobile planting system, distributing seeds across massive geographic distances and planting the forests of tomorrow.

🌍 Without them, the wilderness we know would completely collapse.

08/28/2026

Common Misconceptions About an African Safari

When I talk to people about African safaris, I hear all kinds of ideas about what the experience looks like. Maybe you picture khaki-clad explorers trekking through jungles. Or perhaps Hemingway-style camps, afternoon tea, and fan-cooled verandas.

The truth? **Today’s safaris are a little of both—and so much more.** 🌍

Here are 4 common misconceptions:

1. “Safaris are dangerous.”
Not the way you might think. You’ll be with an experienced guide in a purpose-built safari vehicle and stay in established lodges and camps. Your guides know wildlife behavior and how to keep you safe while getting you close to the action.

2. “I have to be super adventurous or physically fit.”
Not at all! Hiking and trekking can be part of your safari if you want. But most travelers enjoy daily game drives, watching elephants, giraffes, wildebeest, antelope, lions, and more in their natural habitat. 🐘🦒

3. “Safari means roughing it.”
Think again! After your game drive, you might return to a beautiful lodge, cottage, or luxury tent—with comfortable beds, hot-water bottles, chef-prepared meals, inviting common spaces, swimming pools, and plenty of creature comforts.

4. “A safari is too expensive.”
There are safari experiences for a range of budgets. Your cost depends on when you travel, how long you stay, your group size, and the level of luxury you prefer.

✨ The biggest misconception? That a safari is only for a certain type of traveler.

Whether you’re dreaming of wildlife, luxury, adventure, incredible landscapes—or simply an unforgettable experience—a safari can be tailored to you.

If an African safari has been on your dream list, **let’s start a conversation.** No obligation, no pressure—just an opportunity to explore whether Kenya and its magnificent wildlife might be the adventure you’ve been waiting for. 🇰🇪🦁

08/26/2026

A group of zebras (called a "Dazzle of Zebras") is enough to make any safari drive memorable!
Zebra stripes help camouflage a running herd by creating an optical illusion that makes it hard for lions or hyenas to judge speed, distance, or single out an individual target. AND, every zebra has a unique stripe pattern, perhaps helping mothers recognize their foals or identify one another within social groups. Also, scientists believe that light reflected off zebras' stripes confuses biting flies, helping keep the zebra more comfortable.

08/24/2026

FUN FACT!
Wildebeests and zebras stay together during their annual migration. Theirs is a complementary relationship: zebras have better eyesight, and wildebeests have better hearing. Also, zebras like to eat the top of each blade of grass, and wildebeests prefer the bottom.

08/20/2026

08/18/2026

Another sad milestone in our lifetime. I have visited Baraka many, many times and i will have bittersweet memories whenever I’m in Ol Pejeta