This safari is a nice combination of small and special game reserves, Lake Nakuru and the famous Masai Mara. You will depart from Nairobi to Samburu Game Reserve, a small and beautiful reserve in the northern part of Kenya. You will pass the equator on your way. The different landscapes, the Ewaso Ng’iro River and the “Samburu Special Five” make this a unique reserve. After Samburu you will proceed to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, situated on the foot of Mt. Kenya. This is the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa and the only place in Kenya to see chimpanzees. Via Lake Nakuru, a beautiful lake in the Great Rift Valley, you will travel to Masai Mara, where you will stay 3 nights. You will have enough time to enjoy this famous game reserve. After the Masai Mara you will travel back to Nairobi. The next day you will fly to Mombasa and you will spend 5 days in a nice beach resort in Diani Beach.
You will be picked up at the airport in Nairobi and brought to your hotel, where you will stay on B&B basis.
Overnight:
Type A: Sarova Panafric Hotel
Type B: Nairobi Serena Hotel
Day 2: Nairobi – Samburu Game Reserve
Today your safari begins! After breakfast your driver will pick you up and drive towards Samburu Game Reserve. You will pass the equator on your way. Afterwards the road leads to the dry northern areas, on the way you will pass villages of the local Samburu tribe. Samburu is known for its diverse landscapes; the area is arid and largely semi-desert, with unique sceneries of rounded and rugged hills and plains. Fringing riverine forest of acacias, figs and palms are found along the Ewaso Ng’iro River. This river is home to hippos and crocodiles. Often herds of elephants are coming to drink in the river. Palms and acacias are an ideal resting place for leopards.
Samburu is known for its “Samburu Special Five”; the Grevy zebra, reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, gerenuk and the Beisa oryx are not found in other parks in Kenya. Together with the Masai Mara Samburu has the highest concentration of wild animals.
You will arrive at the beginning of the afternoon at your lodge/tented camp, in time for lunch.
In the afternoon you will make the first game drive in search of the Samburu Special Five!
After a long day you can enjoy the dinner and overnight at your lodge/tented camp, where you will stay on Full Board basis.
Overnight:
Type A: Samburu Game Lodge
Type B: Ashnil Samburu Camp
Day 3: Samburu Game Reserve
Today you will have a full day in Samburu. You will make an early morning game drive. This is the best time to spot animals while hunting, though you need to be lucky! Afterwards you will return to the lodge/camp for full breakfast. After breakfast you can enjoy the facilities at the camp, or optionally visit a Samburu village. This is a nice way to learn more about this ancient culture! You can arrange the visit via your driver.
After lunch, in the late afternoon, you will make another game drive. In the evening you can enjoy the dinner and overnight at the lodge/camp.
Overnight on Full Board basis:
Type A: Samburu Game Lodge
Type B: Ashnil Samburu Camp
Day 4: Samburu Game Reserve – Ol Pejeta Conservancy
After breakfast you will depart towards Laikipia, where you will stay in the unique Ol Pejeta Conservancy, on the foot of Mount Kenya, and home to a big variety of wild animals. It’s the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa and the only chimpanzee sanctuary in Kenya. From your luxury tented camp you overlook a waterhole, which attracts many animals. You will arrive in time for lunch at the camp. In the afternoon you will do a game drive, which includes a visit to the chimpanzee sanctuary.
In the evening dinner and overnight at the camp.
Overnight on Full Board basis:
Type A: Sweetwaters Tented Camp
Type B: Sweetwaters Tented Camp
Day 5: Ol Pejeta Conservancy – Lake Nakuru
After breakfast you will depart to Lake Nakuru, one of the beautiful lakes of the Rift Valley.
Lake Nakuru is known for its flamingos which color the shores of the lake pink. With more than 400 bird species Lake Nakuru forms a real bird paradise in the world. Next to birds there are many wild animals living around the lake. The chance to see rhinos is the biggest in Lake Nakuru National Park. Additionally there are many leopards, waterbucks, buffalos, impalas and hippos living in the area.
You will arrive at the beginning of the afternoon at your lodge/tented camp, in time for lunch. In the afternoon you will go on safari. You will stay on Full Board basis.
Overnight:
Type A: Flamingo Hill Camp
Type B: Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge
Day 6: Lake Nakuru – Masai Mara
After breakfast you will leave towards the Masai Mara, one of the most beautiful game reserves in Kenya. Masai Mara is known for the world famous “Migration”, the annual migration of millions of wildebeest and zebras between the Serengeti in Tanzania and Masai Mara in Kenya. This spectacle takes place during the months of July till October. However, in other months the Masai Mara is definitely worth a visit as well! The open savannah, rolling hills, acacia trees and rivers including the Mara River form the beautiful sceneries of the Masai Mara. But of course the high number of wild animals living in the Masai Mara, make it a must see.
You will arrive at the beginning of the afternoon at your tented camp, in time for lunch!
In the afternoon you will make the first game drive in search of the BIG FIVE in the Mara. After a long day you can enjoy your dinner and overnight at the tented camp, where you will stay on Full Board basis.
Overnight:
Type A: Mara Sarova Game Camp
Type B: Ashnil Mara Camp
Day 7+8: Masai Mara
You will have 2 full days to enjoy the beauty of the Masai Mara. Normally you will make 2 or 3 game drives per day, you can discuss this with your driver. You could also choose for a full day game drive, whereby you will carry lunchboxes with you. This is common in some parts of the Masai Mara. But of course you can also enjoy the surroundings and facilities at the beautiful tented camp.
Optionally you can visit a Maasai village, you can discuss this with your driver.
Overnights on Full Board basis:
Type A: Mara Sarova Game Camp
Type B: Ashnil Mara Camp
Day 9: Masai Mara – Nairobi
Today you will leave the Masai Mara and travel back to Nairobi. You will make a lunch stop on the way. At the end of the afternoon you will arrive at your hotel in Nairobi. You can spend your evening as you wish. We can recommend The Carnivore Restaurant for meat lovers; a famous meat restaurant serving many types of meat incl. specials like crocodile. Reservation is required in advance; your driver can assist you with booking.
Overnight on B&B basis:
Type A: Fairview Hotel
Type B: The Norfolk
Day 10: Nairobi – Diani Beach
With hopefully many great memories and adventurous experiences of your safari you will travel today to the beautiful coast of Kenya. You will be picked up at your hotel in the morning for a transfer to the airport in Nairobi for your flight to Moi International Airport Mombasa. Upon arrival you will be picked up and drive to your beach hotel. You will stay at Diani Beach, south of Mombasa. In a beautiful seaside resort you can relax and recover from your safari. You will stay at the resort on Half Board basis.
Overnight:
Type A: Pinewood Beach Resort & Spa
Type B: Leopard Beach Resort & Spa
Day 11 – 14: Diani Beach
You can relax on the beautiful beach of Diani Beach, or at the swimming pool at your resort. There are as well many excursion possibilities in Diani Beach. You could do a one-day city tour to Mombasa, visiting for example Fort Jesus and the Old Town. Haller Park and Mamba Village are two other tourist attractions in Mombasa. You could also visit Wasini Island, book snorkelling/diving trips and water sport activities in Diani. If you would like to receive any information about one of these excursions, please let us know.
Overnight stays:
Type A: Pinewood Beach Resort & Spa
Type B: Leopard Beach Resort & Spa
Day 15: Departure from Diani Beach back home
Depending on your flight schedule, you will be picked up at your hotel for your transfer back to the airport in Mombasa for your flight back home.
END OF THE JOURNEY