📅 Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Nairobi to Samburu National Reserve
After breakfast, depart north via Nanyuki toward the Samburu Game Reserve, set in the rugged, semi-arid northern region of Kenya. You will arrive at the Samburu Sopa Lodge in time for lunch. After a short siesta, head out for an afternoon game-viewing drive. The great Ewaso Nyiro River, dotted with doum palms, meanders through the reserve, creating an oasis that draws massive herds of elephants and other wildlife. Keep an eye out for leopards, which are often seen at dusk.
Day 2: Full Day in Samburu National Reserve
Enjoy morning and afternoon game viewing in both the Samburu and Buffalo Springs reserves. The Samburu region is the best place to find unique endemic northern species and is an ornithological paradise for bird lovers. The entire region is a place of breathtaking, magical beauty. A deep red sunset silhouetting the doum palms along the river brings the perfect end to your day on safari.
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Overnight: Samburu Sopa Lodge
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Meal Plan: Full Board (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 3: Samburu to Lake Nakuru National Park
Depart Samburu in the morning and drive down into the floor of the Great Rift Valley, arriving at Lake Nakuru National Park in time for lunch. The park is Kenya’s first rhino sanctuary, featuring one of the largest concentrations of black and white rhinoceros in the world. Spend the afternoon exploring the dense woodlands and the lakeshore, keeping an eye out for tree-climbing lions, leopards, and endangered Rothschild's giraffes.
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Overnight: Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge
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Meal Plan: Full Board (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 4: Lake Nakuru to Maasai Mara National Reserve
After breakfast, traverse the Rift Valley and ascend its western rim into Maasai land, where red-clad warriors tend their herds among the wildlife. Arrive at the prestigious Mara Serena Safari Lodge in time for lunch. In the afternoon, depart for a game drive in search of wildlife in this vast, world-renowned reserve.
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Overnight: Mara Serena Safari Lodge
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Meal Plan: Full Board (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 5: Full Day in Maasai Mara National Reserve
Spend a full day exploring the park in search of the “Big Five.” The Mara offers wildlife in such variety and abundance that it is difficult to believe—over 450 species of animals have been recorded here. If visiting between late June and October, you will witness the spectacular annual migration of millions of wildebeests and zebras.
(Optional Activities: A dawn Hot Air Balloon Safari can be arranged for US$450 pp; a visit to a local Maasai village for US$35 pp; or a thrilling Night Game Drive to spot nocturnal predators for US$100 pp).
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Overnight: Mara Serena Safari Lodge
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Meal Plan: Full Board (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 6: Maasai Mara to Lake Naivasha
After breakfast, drive to Lake Naivasha—the highest and purest of the Great Rift Valley lakes, famous for its birdlife and hippos. Arrive for lunch at your resort. In the afternoon, take a boat ride along Lake Naivasha to Crescent Island, where you will enjoy a guided nature walk right next to grazing zebras, giraffes, wildebeests, and waterbucks in a predator-free environment.
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Overnight: Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort
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Meal Plan: Full Board (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 7: Lake Naivasha to Amboseli National Park
After a sumptuous breakfast, depart for Amboseli National Park. Set in rolling savannah scenery, it is dwarfed by the pink-tinged, snow-capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro. You’ll arrive at the Amboseli Sopa Lodge in time for check-in and a delicious lunch. The afternoon will be spent on a game drive in search of the vast elephant herds and the “Big Five.”
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Overnight: Amboseli Sopa Lodge
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Meal Plan: Full Board (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 8: Amboseli to Nairobi
After an early morning game drive to catch the best views of Mount Kilimanjaro, return to the lodge for a hearty breakfast. Check out and enjoy a final game drive en route as you exit the park and head back to Nairobi. You will be transferred to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport or your Nairobi hotel, marking the end of your safari.
🏨 Accommodation Summary
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Samburu: Samburu Sopa Lodge
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Lake Nakuru: Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge
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Maasai Mara: Mara Serena Safari Lodge
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Lake Naivasha: Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort
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Amboseli: Amboseli Sopa Lodge
