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Summary
Checkout
Duration
9 DaysStarts In
NairobiRoute
Nakuru County, Samburu National Reserve, Masai Mara National Reserve, Amboseli National Park
Journey through the full spectrum of Kenya's wilderness on this nine-day safari, from sun-baked northern rivers to the foothills of Kilimanjaro. Begin in Samburu, where elephants wander past your tent at night and rare species like Grevy's zebra and gerenuk roam the riverbanks. Head south past Thomson's Falls into the Great Rift Valley to track black and white rhinos in Lake Nakuru National Park, then cross Kenya's golden breadbasket to the legendary Masai Mara, home to lion, leopard, cheetah and, in season, the Great Migration. Finally, fly to Amboseli, where great herds of elephants roam beneath the snowy summit of Africa's highest mountain. With intimate camps, expert guides and a scenic flight connecting the Mara to Kilimanjaro, this is an unforgettable journey through Kenya's most extraordinary landscapes, wildlife and cultures.
PRIVATE SAFARI - 9 Days / 8 Nights featuring Samburu, Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara and extending to Amboseli. Includes private arrival & departure transfers, luxury safari camp accommodations, and game drives as indicated in the itinerary. This itinerary is fully flexible and can be amended to suit your interests.
Includes
- Accommodations as per itinerary
- Meals as per itinerary; breakfast (B), lunch (L), dinner (D)
- Keytours 24-hour emergency assistance
- Private arrival and departure transfers as per itinerary
- National Park Entrance Fees
- Game Drives: As Per Itinerary
Excludes
- Items of a personal nature
- All other items not mentioned as included
- Transfers not mentioned in the itinerary
- International flights
- Travel insurance; please inquire with your Keytours travel consultant
- Gratuities for drivers, guides, and escorts
Itinerary
Day
1
1
Day 1
Day 1: North to the Land of the Samburu
Leave the bustle of Nairobi behind as your guide collects you from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport or your city hotel at 07:00. The road climbs through the fertile central highlands, crosses the Equator and curves around the slopes of Mount Kenya before the land opens into the sun-baked plains of the north. By early afternoon, you reach Elephant Bedroom Camp, a hideaway of just 12 tents shaded by doum palms on the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River. After a late lunch, head out to meet the residents of this arid wilderness, including long-necked gerenuk, striped Grevy's zebra and the beautifully patterned reticulated giraffe, as the hills glow red at sunset.
Day
2
2
Day 2
Day 2: River of Life
In Samburu, everything revolves around the river. Set out at first light to watch elephant families splash in the shallows and leopards slip between the riverine trees, then return for a leisurely breakfast overlooking the water. As the day heats up, take refuge in the shade, watching crocodiles bask on the sandbanks and colorful birds flit through the palms. The afternoon brings another drive, ending with sundowners on a ridge as the sky turns to fire. After dinner, fall asleep to the sounds of the wild, perhaps an elephant browsing just outside your tent, a reminder of exactly how the camp earned its name.
Day
3
3
Day 3
Day 3: Waterfalls and the Rift
Today's journey is a tapestry of Kenyan landscapes. Head south through the frontier town of Isiolo and over the northern shoulders of Mount Kenya to Nanyuki, then turn west to Nyahururu, where Thomson's Falls tumbles 237 feet into a misty gorge. Continue down into the Great Rift Valley to Mbweha Camp, tucked into the private Congreve Conservancy on the southern edge of Lake Nakuru National Park. Arrive for lunch in a setting of thatched lava-stone cottages framed by candelabra euphorbia and yellow-barked acacia. In the afternoon, stretch your legs on a guided walk through the conservancy, listening for the laugh of a distant hyena as night falls.
Day
4
4
Day 4
Day 4: Rhinos of Lake Nakuru
Pack a picnic and spend the whole day in Lake Nakuru National Park, a haven for some of Kenya's rarest wildlife. Track black and white rhinos through the woodland, spot Rothschild's giraffe browsing among the acacias, and scan the branches for lions resting in the trees. Along the shore, water levels determine the birdlife, which may include flamingos, pelicans and storks. Drive up to Baboon Cliff for a panoramic picnic lunch overlooking the shimmering lake, then continue exploring through the afternoon before returning to camp at sunset. For an extra dose of adventure, add a night game drive in the conservancy (additional cost).
Day
5
5
Day 5
Day 5: Through the Breadbasket to the Mara
Set off early on the scenic road south, climbing through Njoro to the heights of the Mau Escarpment, with sweeping views back across the Rift. Descend through Kenya's breadbasket, a rolling quilt of golden wheat and barley fields, to Narok, the lively market town at the gateway to Maasailand. By lunchtime, you arrive at Tipilikwani Mara Camp, ready to settle in before your first foray into the Masai Mara. The afternoon game drive reveals the vast, open savannah that has made the Mara famous, alive with grazing herds and the predators that follow them, before you return to camp beneath a blazing sunset.
Day
6
6
Day 6
Day 6: The Great Plains of the Mara
Devote a full day to the Mara's wildlife, with game drives at dawn and in the golden late afternoon. Watch lions lounging in the grass, cheetahs surveying the plains from termite mounds, and elephant families moving across the horizon. Hippos and crocodiles crowd the rivers, while hyenas and jackals patrol the edges of every kill. If you're travelling between roughly July and October, you may witness the Great Migration in full swing, with thousands of wildebeest and zebra massing on the riverbanks before plunging across. Between drives, relax at camp and swap stories of the day's encounters.
Day
7
7
Day 7
Day 7: Flying to the Foot of Kilimanjaro
After breakfast, transfer to the Mara airstrip for your scheduled Mombasa Air Safari flight, departing at 11:30 and landing in Amboseli at around 12:30, with sweeping aerial views along the way. A guide from your camp welcomes you for the shared transfer to Elephant Gorge Camp, set on the lower slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro within the ALOCA Conservancy. Here, classic contemporary décor evokes the romance of a bygone safari era, with views across the plains of Amboseli to a shimmering ancient lake bed. After lunch, head out on a shared afternoon game drive, returning to camp as the sun sets behind the mountain.
Day
8
8
Day 8
Day 8: Elephants Beneath the Snows
Amboseli is famous for one unforgettable image: great herds of elephants walking beneath the snow-capped summit of Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain. Spend the day chasing that view on shared morning and afternoon game drives, when the mountain is most often clear of cloud. Alongside the elephants, look for Cape buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest and the countless birds that gather around Amboseli's swamps. Between drives, relax at camp with views over the plains, then end the day with a sundowner as the light turns pink on the mountain's snowy peak, a perfect farewell to your Kenyan safari.
Day
9
9
Day 9
Day 9: Amboseli to Nairobi
After an early breakfast, enjoy a final game drive on the way to the airstrip, catching a last glimpse of Kilimanjaro in the morning light. Board your scheduled Mombasa Air Safari flight, departing Amboseli at 08:30 and arriving in Nairobi at around 09:05. On arrival, you'll be met and transferred to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport or your Nairobi hotel for your onward journey, with memories of desert rivers, rhinos, roaring lions and elephants beneath Africa's tallest peak.
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