Kenya: The North
Eight days through Kenya’s wilder north and west: Samburu’s rare species, rhino on Ol Pejeta, flamingos at Nakuru and the Masai Mara to finish.
- Length
- 8 days, 7 nights
- Starts and ends
- Nairobi
- Pace
- Easy
- Best months
- Jan to Feb, Jul to Oct
Day by day
- Day 1
Nairobi to Samburu
Pick-up in Nairobi in the morning and drive north, across the equator, to Samburu for an afternoon game drive along the Ewaso Ng’iro river.
- Day 2
Full day of game drives in Samburu
Morning and afternoon game drives in Samburu National Reserve, along the Ewaso Ng’iro river.
Worth knowingSamburu has five animals rarely seen elsewhere in Kenya, known as the Samburu Special Five: Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, Beisa oryx and Somali ostrich.
- Day 3
Samburu to Ol Pejeta
Drive south to the Ol Pejeta conservancy. In the afternoon, a game drive for black and white rhino, and the chimpanzee sanctuary.
Or insteadRather than the afternoon game drive at Ol Pejeta, an hour on foot with the rhino trackers, or the dog unit that works the fence line. Both go out from the same gate and neither needs a vehicle.
- Day 4
Ol Pejeta to Lake Nakuru
Drive west into the Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru, then an afternoon game drive along the shore for rhino and flamingos.
- Day 5
Lake Nakuru to Masai Mara
Drive west to the Masai Mara and check in at the lodge, then an afternoon game drive.
- Day 6
Full day in Masai Mara
A full day on game drives in the Masai Mara, with a packed lunch. The balloon, if you have added it, goes up at sunrise today or tomorrow.
- Day 7
Full day in Masai Mara
A second full day on game drives in the Masai Mara. From July to October, the herds may be crossing the Mara River.
Worth knowingTwo full days in the Mara is what makes a river crossing likely rather than lucky. Between July and October the herds may cross on any given day, and nobody can say which one in advance. A hot air balloon over the Mara at sunrise can be added on one of these mornings, with breakfast in the bush after you land. Tell us when you book, as flights fill up.
- Day 8
Masai Mara to Nairobi
An early game drive, then the drive back to Nairobi in time for evening flights.
Room to change
Every day on this trip can move. These are the changes we’ve already worked out, and what each one involves.
Laikipia instead
Trade a night for one of Laikipia's private conservancies, where walking safaris and night drives are allowed and the cars are few.
Fewer days
Eight days can become seven or six. We take out a park and rebuild the driving around it. The Mara stays as it is.
An afternoon with the Maasai
Trade an afternoon drive for a visit to a Maasai village near the Mara. Step inside a family's home, see how the village is built and lived in, and meet the people who share this land with the animals.
A better camp
Any night can move up to a lodge or tented camp closer to the animals, for one stop or for all of them.
Tell us what you’d change and we’ll send it back with a price, usually within a day.
Chat with an expertWhere it goes
- NairobiStart and end
- Samburu2 nights
- Ol Pejeta1 night
- Lake Nakuru1 night
- Masai Mara3 nights
Where you’ll sleep
From people who went
“We saw three kinds of giraffe. Our guide knew the best spots and taught us so much about the animals. The trip of our lives!”Mrs. RinaTravelled August 2025
The small print
- Transport in open roof 4x4 safari Land Cruiser
- Service of a professional, trained and skilled driver/guide
- Game drives and park entrance fees
- Unlimited bottled water in safari vehicle
- 7-night accommodation
- Meals on full board basis at safari accommodation
- Local government taxes
- Tips to guide/driver (highly recommended)
- Hot air balloon safari (₹47,500 per person in Masai Mara)
- Medical and travel insurance covers
- Kenyan visa entry fees
- Indian passports need a Kenya eTA before you fly: apply online at etakenya.go.ke at least two weeks ahead, with a passport valid for six months after you arrive.