An exquisite golf safari retreat for the Ladies
This January we were delighted to welcome back Fareen ‘Far’ Samji and welcome the wonderful ladies of her latest Believe Safaris golf retreat group.
Experience a Kenya Golf Safari
From arriving into Kenya capital city Nairobi and experiencing Karen Golf Club, to visiting the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage (those baby elephants are not to be missed), Far’s guests headed to Great Rift Valley Golf Course, before heading to the Masai Mara.
This ‘Après golf’ activity involved the iconic safari experience with Far’s Beyond Safari team, game driving and also visiting a Masai village. Here’s a selection of moments from the first half of their trip:
From the Masai Mara it’s an easy flight to Vipingo Ridge. We were delighted to welcome the group following their safari and inland experience for the beach and golf portion of their trip.
Far and the ladies stayed in our villas within the main Vipingo Ridge resort. We had prepared a custom program for the group, collaborating with Far to offer private dining experiences in diverse outdoor locations, our main restaurant outlets and the Vipingo Ridge Beach Club.
One of evening they were especially lucky, as one of our rescue giraffes, 3 year old male Valentine, took a particular interest in their dessert station when they were dining poolside at the Sundowner.
All our 180+ wild animals roam free around our 1300 acres, so this was a very a memorable moment for sure!
A retreat at Vipingo Ridge
As well as golf we had members of the group keen to explore other pursuits. At Vipingo Ridge we have a number of activities. This retreat group had a number of ladies that opted while some hit the PGA Baobab Course, to embark on one of our Ranger Walk experiences. Our team of trained Rangers navigate the Wildlife Sanctuary, spotting birds and wildlife big and small with the guests who set of in the morning to have the best sightings and return for breakfast with the wider group.
One guest described the trip as ‘exquisite’
The group had a wonderful time with Far. There were a number of positive reviews, and when asked if they enjoyed the safari retreat one guest from Canada commented: “What can I say? Amazing. You’re in the best hands you could ever be in. It’s an amazing trip. You feel safe all the time, it’s just one thing after another after another - it’s overwhelming but life altering. You’ve got to check it out.”
Security and feeling safe is certainly one area Vipingo Ridge is very focussed on, offering world-class security for all the guests. Far’s network, local knowledge and organisation make her a great choice for a trip, has these popular ladies-only excursions show.
Meet Far, she’s smashing the grass ceiling
Far is an inspiring lady.
As well as an entrepreneur leading golf safari trips, she also arranges 9-hole events aiming to remove the ‘scary’ from golf. These women’s only events serve as an introduction to the sport, as well as networking and confidence building activities.
Far is also a published author, with her book ‘Smashing the Grass Ceiling’ a women’s guide to mastering golf for business success supporting her mentoring and public speaking work.
Far is also an athlete recognised as the 5 time Canadian Women’s Long Drive Champion (2012 – 2016), with a personal best drive in competition of 334 yards. An active member of the golf community in Canada, Far is originally from Mombasa, Kenya and we’re delighted to partner with her on bringing together some of her passions, Kenya and golf, for others to experience.
What’s next for Far
Gentleman, if you’re feeling left out do not worry. Far also does trips for mixed groups. In fact there’s another group joining us at Vipingo Ridge at the beginning of March. Fareen and the Believe Safari team are fully booked for 2024 trips, but they are taking bookings for 2025 and will be back at Vipingo Ridge for more golf, après golf and smashing times.
