Overview
When you think of wild Africa, the novel Out of Africa may come to mind. This is what you get on safari in Kenya. Experience a classic big game safari in 4×4 safari vehicles with your own expert guide. Discover some of the most famous wilderness areas in the world, including the Masai Mara Reserve and the Great Rift Valley. Visit the palm groves and riverine forests of the Samburu National Reserve and witness the greatest wildlife show on earth, the Great Migration of over 2 million wildebeest and zebra. Kenya is the place to see dense concentrations of lion and cheetah in particular, and we’ll ensure your group is kept small for an intimate safari with maximum game experiences. Here’s what your very own Out Of Africa adventure could look like…
You’ll be met on arrival at Nairobi International Airport and transferred to your hotel for your overnight stay.
Nairobi is the capital and also the largest city in Kenya. It's a city that never seems to sleep, a place where the boundless energy of people contrasts starkly with the the peace of the great wilderness that surrounds it. Just 20 minutes from the city centre you can see lion, cheetah, rhino, buffalo and more in Nairobi National Park. Your safari adventure has truly begun.
After breakfast you’ll depart Nairobi and head north to Samburu National Reserve where you’ll spend two nights. Samburu sits on the banks of the Ewaso Ng'iro river, northern Kenya’s biggest and least seasonal river. The constant water supply makes this region particularly rich in wildlife, as herds of plains game gather in the thick acacia and doum palm forest along the river banks in search of thirst-quenching water and relief from the fiery sun. On the south side of the river is the Buffalo Springs National Reserve and further downstream is the Shaba National Reserve – together they make up the Samburu-Buffalo Springs-Shaba complex, a wilderness region that is small enough to explore thoroughly in a couple of days.
You’ll enjoy morning and evening game drives that follow winding, sandy tracks close to the meandering river, where animals appear suddenly and without warning. See prides of lions padding through the bush, stop for a herd of elephants to cross the road or hear the flurry of disturbed leaves as a flight of graceful impala leap through the forest to safety. Samburu is home to all three big cat species as well as unusual animals that are endemic to the region; the endangered Grevy’s zebra, the designer-coated reticulated giraffe and the stretch-necked gerenuk antelope which is often seen on its hind legs, browsing trees out of reach of its short-necked relatives.
After your Samburu safari, you’ll set off for the spectacular scenery of Kenya’s Great Rift Valley and the Congreve Conservancy, a private reserve tucked up against the southern border of Lake Nakuru National Park. This is where you’ll find Mbweha Camp, your home for the next two nights. In addition to daily game drives through the game-rich conservancy, you’ll have plenty of other activities to keep you entertained. Visit the hot springs at nearby Lake Elementaita, see the massive Menengai Crater that boasts one of the biggest calderas in the world and enjoy guided nature walks in Lake Nakuru National Park, famous for its breath-taking pink flamingos that gather on the salt-encrusted shores. Along with Amboseli National Park, Lake Nakuru is one of two premium category parks in Kenya and is a true sanctuary for rare birds and animals, hosting five globally threatened species including one of the world's highest concentrations of black rhino. Avid bird watchers can spot African fish eagles and pelicans.
After unique landscapes and uncommon animals, it’s time for the quintessential safari for which Kenya is famous – a Big 5 safari in the Masai Mara National Reserve where you’ll stay for two nights. The Masai Mara is a land of breathtaking vistas, teeming wildlife and endless plains. The excellent year-round concentration of game includes elephant, buffalo, giraffe, lion and cheetah as well as the two million wildebeest, zebra and other antelope that make up the famous Great Migration. The reserve has forged a strong reputation for being one the best places to see predators, as they stalk the wildebeest who in turn stalk green grazing. Black rhino hide shyly in the dense thickets of brush while the Mara River contributes to the migration excitement with rafts of hippo and basks of teeth snapping crocodiles. We highly recommend a hot air balloon fight over the plains of the Mara with a delicious champagne breakfast at the end – a bucket list experience to top off one of the most sought-after safari experiences in Africa.
After a final bush breakfast and a sad farewell, you'll head back to Nairobi to catch your return flight home, your camera filled with photos and your heart filled with happiness.