Your Kenya journey begins in Nairobi with a warm welcome and overnight at the elegant Nairobi Serena Hotel. From there, travel north to Chogoria, home of Village HopeCore, where the focus shifts to meaningful global health and cultural connection. Over several days, visit HopeCore’s headquarters, join mobile clinics and maternal-child health sessions, meet local entrepreneurs, and connect with families working to strengthen their communities. An optional adventure into Mount Kenya National Park includes a 4×4 rainforest drive, a hike to Lake Ellis, and a visit to scenic Nithi Falls, with evenings spent sharing meals and stories with the HopeCore team.

Village HopeCore International (HopeCore) is a community health and development program located on the slopes of Mt. Kenya. Their team is dedicated to fostering integrated social and economic development in rural communities, which is what’s made them the ideal community partner for MedTreks. We have been fortunate to have some of MedTreks core faculty be part of HopeCore’s program since its inception in 2001. Through the integration of health interventions, both preventative and curative, health education, micro loans, skills-based training, and staff capacity building, HopeCore is reducing the burden of poverty for vulnerable populations in the Maara Sub County.

The first part of our trip takes place in the beautiful region of Chogoria, at the base on the slopes of Mt. Kenya. We stay in a beautiful family run hotel just outside of the town center near the gates to Mt. Kenya and surrounded by lush coffee plantations, rivers and waterfalls. The hotel is simple but clean, safe and very comfortable. There are hot showers, internet, a restaurant, bar and conference area. Enjoy coffee on the garden balcony or read a book out in the gardens surrounding the hotel.

Bush plane experience:

One of the highlights of the journey is traveling between parks by bush plane. Not only does it cut down on hours of driving time, the two bush plane flights that we take on this itinerary, offer an incredible birds eye view of Kenya from above. From Sweetwaters, a short scenic flight lifts you above the patchwork of farms and foothills surrounding Mount Kenya before opening onto the vast golden plains of the Maasai Mara. Watching the landscape transform from the air offers a remarkable perspective on Kenya’s ecosystems. Later, the flight from the Mara back to Nairobi often provides a final glimpse of wildlife scattered across the savanna below—an unforgettable closing moment to the safari experience.

For those looking to make the journey even more memorable, this safari can be paired with our Mt. Kilimanjaro climb. Many guests choose to begin with the adventure of summiting Africa’s highest peak before traveling into Kenya for the village health experience and luxury safari. After days on the mountain, the transition into wildlife viewing, beautiful lodges, and open savanna landscapes offers a perfect balance of challenge and restoration. Combining Kilimanjaro with the Kenya journey creates an extraordinary East African experience—moving from high alpine trails to vibrant communities and some of the most iconic wildlife ecosystems on the planet.