7 DAYS KENYA SAFARI: SAMBURU- OL PEJETA CONSERVANCY- LAKE NAKURU – MASAI MARA – minimum 2 pax.PRIVATE SAFARI

Overview

Excellent! This sounds like a fantastic Kenyan safari itinerary, offering a wonderful blend of unique wildlife, diverse landscapes, and conservation success stories, all relatively accessible from our location here in Nairobi. Let’s break down what makes each of these destinations special and how they complement each other:

1. Samburu National Reserve:

As we just discussed, Samburu offers a taste of Kenya’s arid north with its dramatic scenery and the “Samburu Special Five” – gerenuk, Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, and Beisa oryx. The Ewaso Nyiro River is the lifeline of this reserve, attracting a wealth of wildlife and providing excellent game viewing opportunities. It’s a place with a distinct cultural flavor, offering chances to interact with the vibrant Samburu people.

2. Ol Pejeta Conservancy:

Moving southwest from Samburu, Ol Pejeta Conservancy, located on the Laikipia Plateau, is a truly remarkable destination with a strong focus on conservation. It’s the largest sanctuary for black rhinos in East Africa and the only place in Kenya where you can see chimpanzees at the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary. Ol Pejeta also boasts the last two remaining northern white rhinos in the world, a poignant reminder of the conservation challenges we face.

Beyond its flagship species, Ol Pejeta offers excellent general game viewing, including elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, and a variety of plains game. Its diverse landscape ranges from open grasslands and acacia woodlands to riverine forests. Activities here often include day and night game drives, guided walks, and visits to the rhino and chimpanzee sanctuaries. The conservancy’s commitment to community engagement and sustainable tourism adds another layer of significance to a visit.

3. Lake Nakuru National Park:

Heading further southwest into the Rift Valley, Lake Nakuru provides a completely different experience. Famous for its often-pink shores due to vast flocks of lesser flamingos (though their numbers can fluctuate), it’s also a crucial sanctuary for both black and white rhinos. The park’s relatively compact size makes for concentrated game viewing, and you’re likely to see Rothschild’s giraffes, waterbucks, buffalo, and a variety of other birdlife. Baboon Cliff offers stunning panoramic views of the lake and the surrounding landscape.

4. Masai Mara National Reserve:

Finally, the grand finale – the iconic Masai Mara. As we’ve discussed, this is Kenya’s premier wildlife destination, renowned for its sheer abundance of game and the spectacular Great Wildebeest Migration (typically best witnessed between July and October). The vast plains, dotted with acacia trees, provide classic African safari scenery and unparalleled opportunities to see the “Big Five” and numerous other predators and herbivores. Hot air balloon safaris, cultural visits to Maasai villages, and walking safaris are popular activities here, complementing the exceptional game drives.

Why this itinerary works so well:

Variety of Landscapes: You’ll experience the arid beauty of Samburu, the conservation-focused plains of Ol Pejeta, the bird-rich alkaline lake of Nakuru, and the classic savannah of the Masai Mara.
Unique Wildlife Encounters: From the “Samburu Special Five” and the rhinos and chimpanzees of Ol Pejeta to the flamingos of Nakuru and the sheer volume of game in the Mara, each destination offers distinct wildlife viewing opportunities.
Conservation Focus: Ol Pejeta highlights the critical work being done to protect endangered species, adding an important dimension to your safari.
Cultural Immersion: Opportunities to interact with both the Samburu and Maasai cultures provide enriching experiences.
Accessibility from Nairobi: While involving some travel, these destinations are all within reasonable reach from Nairobi, making for a logistically feasible and rewarding itinerary.

This itinerary offers a comprehensive taste of Kenya’s diverse wildlife and landscapes, creating memories that will last a lifetime. Have you considered how much time you might allocate to each of these incredible places?

Itinerary

DAY 1: NAIROBI – DRIVE TO SAMBURU GAME RESERVE

This morning we travel by road to Kenya’s northern frontier. Wild and rugged, Samburu is fiercely beautiful with its arid savannahs watered by the lovely Uaso Nyiro River.

It is also one of Kenya’s most protected areas and home to species only found north of the equator, from the reticulated giraffe to Grevy’s zebras and Beisa oryxes. We also enjoy, our luxurious hostelry set beneath a canopy of acacia trees along the banks of the river. Overnight at a Samburu sopa lodge.

DAY 2: EXPLORE SAMBURU GAME RESERVE

Dawn breaks in golden bands as we start our day in the bush by scanning the river from our tent’s veranda with a cup of steaming coffee in hand. Before the dew is off the grass, we’re off in pursuit of the elephants, lions, leopards, and cheetahs that thrive in the reserve’s grasslands and acacia woodlands. And so the day is spent in alternating pursuits of exploration in the bush and relaxation in our cozy camp. Overnight at will be at Samburu lodge.

DAY 3: SAMBURU – OL PEJETA NATIONAL PARK.

Early morning game drive. Return to the lodge for breakfast. Depart for Ol Pejeta to arrive in time for lunch. This morning we depart Samburu and proceed south, driving through the quintessential town of Isiolo to our hotel. The next day we will visit the Ol Pejeta Conservancy and its sumptuous ranch were once the private domain of famed multi-millionaire, Adnan Kashoggi.

DAY 4: OL PEJETA CONSERVANCY- DRIVE TO LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK.

After breakfast, we enter the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. You will have a morning game viewing drive in Ol Pejeta Conservancy. The Ol Pejeta Conservancy is situated on the equator, west of Nanyuki between the foothills of the Aberdares and Mount Kenya. The Conservancy boasts of the largest Black Rhino sanctuary in East Africa and in 2013 reached a population milestone of 100 black rhino. It also houses the three remaining Northern White Rhino in the world. The Sweetwater’s Chimpanzee Sanctuary is situated here, and provides a haven for orphaned, abandoned and rescued chimpanzees. It is the only place in Kenya where these great apes can be seen. The Conservancy is host to the “Big Five” among a large selection of other African animals. Later we will exit the park and head to Lake Nakuru with lunch on the way and making a brief stop at Nyahururu Thomson Falls. Dinner and overnight will be at Lake Nakuru lodge.

DAY 5: LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK – DRIVE TO MASAI MARA GAME RESERVE.

After breakfast, you will have an extensive morning game drive at the Lake Nakuru National Park. The Lake is famous for flamingos as well as over 400 other species of birds. In addition, many species of game can be found in the Park including the introduced Rothschild’s giraffe, black and White Rhino, Waterbuck, Reed buck, Lion, Buffalo, Leopard, Baboon and many species of plains game.

Later we will head to Masai Mara National Reserve with lunch en-route. You will easily see Lions, Rhinos, Hippos, Crocodiles, Giraffe, Wildebeests, Zebras, Buffalo, Warthogs, Hyenas, and Jackals, Wild dogs, Buffalo, Leopard and a variety of antelopes. It is in the Mara that the most spectacular event of the natural wonders of the world takes place. This is the annual migration of millions of wildebeest and zebra from the Serengeti (Tanzania) in search of water and pasture.Behind their heels are predators of the savanna – Lion, Cheetah, and Wild dog, Jackal, Hyena and Vultures. Depart for an afternoon game drive. Overnight at the lodge.

DAY 6: MASAI MARA GAME RESERVE

We spend a full day in the Masai Mara on morning and afternoon ‘game drive. The trees in the distance might turn out to be a family of Giraffes. Those clump of bushes a pride of Lions, and the rock that moves a Rhino lumbering out of your way.

With diligence and some luck, you may encounter a family of Cheetahs, or a herd of Elephants crossing the path in front of you. Large animals are not the only entertainment – a family of warthogs may amuse you, running as fast as their little legs will carry them, until they forget why they are rushing and stop to regroup. Overnight at one of the lodge Masai Mara .

DAY 7: MASAI MARA – DRIVE TO NAIROBI.

Breakfast the set for an optional activity of visit to Masai village. Have good moments with the Masai people as well as learning their culture. You will pay $10 per person paid directly at the village. Later on depart after breakfast and drive back to Nairobi arriving early afternoon. Drop at your hotel or transfer to the airport for onward flight home.