8-Day Safari in Kenya Featuring Masai Mara and Samburu

Meet the driver at the agreed airport collection area after arrival. Transfer to the Nairobi hotel and spend the evening preparing for the journey north. If you have time for a city visit, arrange it separately and keep the following morning’s start in mind. Samburu is a substantial road transfer, so packing your day bag the night before will help. Discuss the realistic transfer time for Nairobi with your driver before departure, allowing for security checks, road surfaces and short breaks.

Leave Nairobi for Samburu, travelling through changing landscapes towards a warmer and drier region. After reaching camp, take an afternoon game drive if the arrival time allows. Samburu is known for species adapted to semi-arid habitat, including reticulated giraffe, gerenuk and Grevy’s zebra. Look for elephants near the river and return before the camp’s evening schedule. Discuss the realistic transfer time for Samburu National Reserve with your driver before departure, allowing for security checks, road surfaces and short breaks.

Set out early while the temperature is still manageable. Your guide will look for northern species as well as familiar mammals such as elephants and big cats. Return to camp for a rest at midday when the heat can make long game drives tiring. A later drive gives another opportunity to follow animal movements around the river corridor. Observe wildlife quietly and follow park regulations. Discuss the realistic transfer time for Samburu National Reserve with your driver before departure, allowing for security checks, road surfaces and short breaks.

Travel from Samburu towards the Laikipia area and enter Ol Pejeta Conservancy. The landscape and management model differ from a national reserve. This destination is important for rhino conservation and supports other large mammals, making it a valuable addition to the route. After check-in, take a planned drive inside permitted areas. Special activities such as a night drive need separate confirmation. Discuss the realistic transfer time for Ol Pejeta Conservancy with your driver before departure, allowing for security checks, road surfaces and short breaks.

Leave Ol Pejeta and continue into the Rift Valley for Lake Nakuru. The park contains lake-edge habitat, grassland and woodland, all of which influence where animals may be found. Search for rhinos and other mammals while watching the water for birds. Flamingo numbers vary with lake conditions, so do not expect a fixed spectacle. Spend the night in the park area after the drive. Discuss the realistic transfer time for Lake Nakuru National Park with your driver before departure, allowing for security checks, road surfaces and short breaks.

Depart Nakuru early for the Masai Mara. Much of this day is spent on the road, followed by a chance to explore the reserve if the timing allows. The Mara provides open viewing and a strong contrast with the northern, rocky surroundings earlier in the trip. After checking in, discuss tomorrow’s wildlife plan with the guide so you can use the full day well. Discuss the realistic transfer time for Masai Mara National Reserve with your driver before departure, allowing for security checks, road surfaces and short breaks.

Begin early and look for the Mara’s predators and plains animals across suitable tracks. Depending on season, the reserve may have large grazing herds, but there is no fixed date on which a migration crossing can be promised. Your guide will decide where to pause for animal viewing and where lunch may safely be taken. Return to camp for the final evening of the safari.

Have breakfast before setting out on the road to Nairobi. An extra morning drive is sometimes offered at additional cost, but you should avoid it if you have a tight flight connection. Traffic near the capital can be unpredictable, so allow a generous margin. The programme finishes with a transfer to your agreed hotel or airport, and no final night is included.