Ans: Jade Sea II is a self-drive convoy expedition. You drive your own vehicle as part of a marshalled convoy with route support, briefings, and recovery coordination from the Mara Nomads team throughout.

Ans: Yes — this is one of our more demanding routes. We strongly recommend at least one prior Mara Nomads expedition or equivalent overlanding experience before booking. If you're unsure, reach out and we'll help you assess fit.

Ans: A capable 4x4 with low range, in good mechanical condition, carrying appropriate recovery gear. Full technical requirements are assessed before your booking is confirmed — see "Vehicle Requirements" above.

Ans: The route descends toward the Omo Delta near the Ethiopian border. Specific border and documentation requirements are shared directly with confirmed participants ahead of departure.

Ans: The convoy is intentionally limited — this route's terrain and logistics don't support large numbers. Seats are first-come, first-served on deposit.

Ans: A full packing list — including recovery gear, camping equipment, and personal essentials — is provided to confirmed participants ahead of the expedition briefing.

Ans: Expect extended stretches with no network coverage. This is part of what makes the route what it is — plan accordingly and let people know you'll be off-grid.

Ans: We'll let you know honestly, and where possible suggest what would need to change. We'd rather you arrive prepared than turn back on day 3.

Ans: Secure your seat with the KES 15,000 deposit via the contacts below. Vehicle assessment and full briefing follow before final confirmation.

Ans: Get it inspected before departure, not the week of. At minimum: full service, tyres rated for the terrain, working recovery points, and any known mechanical issues resolved. Our team reviews your vehicle against the Jade Sea II criteria before booking is confirmed — see Vehicle Requirements above.

Beyond your personal kit, every vehicle carries its own recovery gear, spares, and enough fuel range for extended off-grid stretches. The full carry list — down to specifics — goes out in the confirmed participant trip pack.

Ans: Because the places we're taking you cannot absorb an unlimited convoy and still be the places we're taking you to. We cap the convoy at a number we can move safely, communicate across, and recover within — while leaving the campsites, wildlife, and communities we visit exactly as we found them. Beyond that number, it's not an expedition anymore. It's an outdoor event.

Ans: Our regular expeditions are weekend or long-weekend format — maximum adventure in a limited window. Jade Sea II is what happens when we remove that constraint: ten days, two countries, a full circumnavigation of Lake Turkana east to west, with two genuine rest days built in. If you've done our regular runs and want the deeper, tougher version of that feeling, this is it.

Ans: It varies by design. The opening and closing transit legs run up to 400 km, largely tarmac, built to cover ground efficiently. Mid-route days average 100–200 km on volcanic and mixed terrain — these are the days where the driving is the experience. Arrival days into our principal destinations sit around 150 km, and two days involve no driving at all. Distance on paper isn't the whole story either — 150 km on Sibiloi's sculpted lava tracks takes more out of a vehicle than 450 km of tarmac. Full day-by-day driving times go out in the confirmed participant trip pack.

Ans: Your total spend depends on your vehicle and habits, but budget for: fuel (the route covers roughly 2,600 km round trip from Nairobi, and fuel in remote Turkana is expensive or unavailable — budget a buffer); food and supplies for self-catering nights; mandatory medical evacuation insurance (we use AMREF cover — non-negotiable given how far the nearest serious medical facility can be); personal spending; and vehicle preparation costs if your rig needs work to pass inspection. Budget for that last one early, not the week before departure.