Helicopter Tour Into Kenya’s Wild Rift Valley

This mind-boggling and awe-inspiring helicopter adventure into the wilderness of Kenya’s Great Rift Valley is unlike any experience I’ve come across. A full-day excursion with Kenya Choppers is sure to give you one of the most adventure-fueled and memorable travel days you’ll ever have.

Kenya Choppers couldn’t be farther from a standard tour operator in the best way possible. Andrew, the owner and helicopter pilot, embodies the spirit of Steve Irwin meets Indiana Jones. This hostile, yet beautiful, remote region of Kenya is barely accessible to even the most advanced guides and is devoid of other visitors. Andrew navigates the terrain with the ease of walking through his own backyard.

The homebase of the helicopter is Ol Malo Lodge. You’ll start with an hour ride over herds of wild zebra and wonderfully primitive villages, and then soar over a sharp mountain peak and enter the ultimate adventure seeker’s playground.

The Raven R44 chopper has the flexibility to land nearly anywhere on a whim. Just a sampling of the activities accessible are enjoying a riverside picnic breakfast in a canyon; trekking through muddy swampland to watch a baby crocodile up close; taking a running leap down steep sand dunes; landing on the black, rocky edge of an extinct volcano to take in endless views of untouched land; and swimming in the cold waters of Lake Turkana while popping Champagne and snacking on pizza bites.

The number of different terrains and ecosystems you cover in one day is astounding. By the time you return to civilization, you feel as though you’ve lived inside a dozen episodes of NatGeo WILD. This is a day you will not soon forget.