Things We Learnt In:

Kenya is an incredible country- beautifully diverse landscapes, breathtaking wildlife and fantastic people. With so much to cram in to your time in the country it can be hard to know where to start. To take the stress out of planning, here is a suggested 8 day itinerary to make sure the time poor can be the experience rich! Day 1 - arrive in Nairobi You've probably had a long and exhausting flight to reach Kenya, so when you arrive you might be keen to relax and take a nap. No time I'm afraid, because the first 24 hours of this suggested itinerary take you to Giraffe Manor. Enjoy being fully immersed in the conservation of the endangered Rothschild giraffes that make Giraffe Manor their home, and be ready to be enchanted when you see these long legged beasts galloping around the grounds. I could wax lyrical about Giraffe Manor all day, but to save you the time you can read the full review here . Day 2 - Lake Nakuru National Park An early start will see you leavi...

Giraffe Manor is a dream location. The luxurious 1930's manor house is a short drive outside of Nairobi in the Langata suburb. Surrounded by 140 acres of woodland and with 12 acres of privately owned land, the Manor comprises of 12 individual, beautifully designed rooms and shared access to relaxing lounges and terraces. Of course, the likeilhood is that you are not considering Giraffe Manor for the superb accommodation and incredible staff. The real gem is the herd of Rothchilds giraffes that spend their day pottering around, joining the guests for breakfast. Conservation at Giraffe Manor Giraffe Manor is a luxury hotel wrapped in a conservation blanket. The overriding aim is to preserve and conserve the endangered Rothschild giraffe and to educate visitors about the giraffe's plight - in 2016 it was estimated that there were 1671 wild Rothschild's giraffes left in the wild. In order to try and conserve the species, Giraffe Manor has a Giraffe Conservation...

An hour and 40 minute drive from Melbourne sits Phillip Island. An easy day trip, this small island off of the Southern coast is connected to the mainland by a small bridge. It offers unrivalled opportunities to view some Australian wildlife both in a conservation setting and in a natural environment. Koala Conservation Centre We started our day trip at the Koala Conservation Centre. For $12.80 per adult you have access to the ecotourism attraction's two raised boardwalks, allowing you to walk among to the trees to try and spot the koala's that live in the conservation centre. Watching the koalas in their natural habitat is enchanting. Seeing how they studiously ignored all comers was my favourite thing about them. You can watch their ears move as they listen your conversation, decide it is not interesting enough to warrant their attention, and carry on their naps. Koala's sleep for up to 18 hours each day, conserving their energy to digest their fibrous an...

Having exhausted what Sydney and Uluru had to offer us, we made our way to Brisbane for a single night, aiming to catch an early connection to Lady Elliot Island and its Eco Resort in the Whitsundays. Up extra early and full of enthusiasm, we were driven to a private airstrip to await our flight. When it arrived, I was more than a bit dubious that 12 of us would fit in it- a plane the size of a toaster van. But pile in we all did, and off we went. We arrived at Lady Elliot Island early in the morning, ready for 2 nights of wildlife and education about conservation on the Great Barrier Reef. We had picked this resort because of it's eco tourism credentials. As we all know, the Great Barrier Reef is in dire trouble, and whilst we wanted the chance to enjoy the Reef, it was important to us to ensure that we did so in a sustainable and responsible way, not causing any damage, and learning about the environment and conservation efforts taking plac...