Samburu Five and Big Five

10 day diversified Kenyan safari taking you off the beaten track

$3100-4949 USD

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Safari summary

A really diversified safari taking you through the central highlands of Kenya; visiting the Aberdares mountain range with its fabulous waterfalls and great views of Mount Kenya, then onto the semi-arid Samburu with its unusual wildlife species known as the Special Five, where you'll also have a great chance to spot leopard. You’ll continue your safari onto the Ol Pejeta conservancy where you can see rhino, track lions, and experience a night game drive. The safari will then head to the Great Rift Valley and Lake Naivasha for a boat safari before heading to the Savannah plains of the Maasai Mara to track down all the Big Five.

About this tour

	Tour type	Custom, tailor-made, private
	Main focus	Game drives
	Activity level	Easy activity
	Best months	January, February, March, April, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
	Countries	Kenya
	Parks	Laikipia Plateau Masai Mara Samburu

Fine details

Safari highlights

Boat, canoe, dhow, kayak, mokoro safari
Night game drives
Wildlife sanctuaries

What’s included?

Accommodation
Airport transfers
Meals
Park fees
Private vehicle and driver

What’s not included?

Alcoholic beverages
International flights
Tips and gratuities
Visas

Itinerary

Day 1

Depart Nairobi for the Aberdares (3 hours), a park set in a mountain range with great views of Mount Kenya. There are many waterfalls and lichen hung trees and you may see mountain elephant, black rhino, and leopards, as well as long haired colobus monkeys and the mountain bongo if you are very lucky. You will arrive at the Aberdares Country Club for lunch after which you will be transferred to The Ark, a game-viewing lodge where you will stay for a night.

The Ark

Day 2

Samburu

Continue to Samburu, (3.5 hours) a semi-arid area and very scenic area situated around the Uaso Nyiro River, which attracts wildlife from the surrounding savannah plains. Samburu is known for its’ rare Northern species; including the gerenuk, Beisa oryx and Somali ostrich, there are also 450 different species of bird including the Lesser Kestrel and the Taita Falcon and the reserve is home to several large predators including cheetah, lion, and leopard.

Samburu Intrepids

Day 3

Samburu

Spend the next day exploring the reserve, with all meals at the camp, which is set on the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River and laid out around the natural springs that flow into the river. There is a small forest of indigenous trees, a fish pond and a large free form swimming pool, and all the rooms are ensuite with views of the river.

Samburu Intrepids

Day 4

Laikipia Plateau

After breakfast, you’ll depart Samburu and continue your safari onto Laikipia (3.5 hours) and the Ol Pejeta conservancy, which has the highest density of large mammals in Kenya; including unusual species such as the reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra and the Lelwel hartebeest. The conservancy carries out important work to conserve wildlife and generate income through wildlife tourism for re-investment in conservation projects and the local communities.

Sweetwaters Tented Camp

Day 5

Laikipia Plateau

You’ll spend two nights at the luxury Sweetwaters tented camp, where you can enjoy the views to the Aberdares and Mount Kenya. You’ll head out on early morning and late afternoon game drives, go lion tracking, and participate in gathering research information needed to monitor the collared lions. When you’re not on game drives or tracking lions, you can just relax in camp and watch the wildlife at the camp’s watering hole!

Sweetwaters Tented Camp

Day 6

Spend the day at Lake Naivasha, experience a boat safari across the lake where you may see hippos and many species of bird including fish eagles and pelicans. Towards the end of your boat safari, you’ll stop off at Crescent Island for a guided nature walk. At the end of the day, you’ll retire to the lodge to spend the evening, have dinner, and watch the hippos come up from the lake to graze in Sopa’s grounds

Sopa Resort

Day 7

Masai Mara

After an early breakfast, your guide will take you to the open grassland of the Maasai Mara (4.5 hours). Rich in biodiversity and home to a large variety of bird species and wildlife, this savannah reserve offers great game viewing and bird watching opportunities. The Maasai Mara is regarded as the jewel of Kenya’s wildlife reserves and is home to the annual wildebeest migration, which involves over 1.5 million animals! After lunch enjoy an afternoon game drive with your guide.

Mara Elatia

Day 8

Masai Mara

Spend the day on game drives to explore this amazing reserve, then head back to camp for dinner. Mara Elatia, is a small luxury safari camp, situated on the western side of the Mara in the Mara Triangle and has just 12 luxury tents, the camp combines traditional safari style with a modern contemporary feel and has been designed along eco-friendly principles to leave a minimum footprint. Each tent has an en suite bathroom, a spacious interior and front verandah with views over the savannahs.

Mara Elatia

Day 9

Masai Mara

Spend the day on morning and afternoon game drives in this reserve where there have been 95 species of mammals, amphibians, and reptiles, and over 400 bird species recorded. Nowhere in Africa is wildlife more abundant, and the visitor will rarely miss seeing the Big Five (buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion, and rhino).

Mara Elatia

Day 10

After breakfast you’ll head back to Nairobi by road (5.5 hours) stopping for lunch along the way. Alternatively, stay for lunch and fly back to Nairobi mid-afternoon (optional extra).

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