Day 1: Nairobi – Lake Naivasha and Hell’s Gate National Park
Your adventure begins with an early departure from Nairobi at 7:00 am, setting out toward the Great Rift Valley. Along the way, you stop at the Rift Valley viewpoint, where sweeping escarpments stretch into the horizon. This is the perfect moment to take your first photos of the trip, capturing the vastness of Kenya’s dramatic geology. The drive continues past rural farms, bustling markets, and small towns, offering glimpses of Kenyan life along the highway.
By mid-morning, you arrive at Hell’s Gate National Park, one of Kenya’s most unique reserves. Unlike most national parks where vehicles dominate, Hell’s Gate allows visitors to walk or cycle among wildlife. Towering cliffs, deep gorges, volcanic towers, hot springs, and steam vents make this park a geological wonder. As you hike through Hell’s Gate Gorge or climb Fischer’s Tower, you marvel at the raw beauty shaped by ancient volcanic activity. Along the way, you spot zebras, giraffes, buffalo, antelopes, and a variety of bird species, including vultures and eagles soaring overhead. This first experience sets the tone for your Kenya Safari Trip — active, engaging, and unforgettable.
After the Hell’s Gate adventure, you head to your lodge for lunch and relaxation before continuing to Crescent Island. Accessing the island via a short boat ride gives you a chance to admire hippos in the water and enjoy birdwatching along the shoreline. Crescent Island itself is a peaceful sanctuary where you can walk among giraffes, zebras, and antelopes without predators nearby. It feels like stepping into a natural paradise where wildlife and humans coexist harmoniously. The tranquility of the island, combined with panoramic views of Lake Naivasha, makes it one of the highlights of any Africa Safari Tour.
You return to your accommodation at Lake Naivasha Simba Lodge, where dinner awaits. The evening is serene, with the sounds of birds settling for the night and the gentle waves of the lake in the background.
Accommodation: Lake Naivasha Simba Lodge
Day 2: Lake Naivasha – Lake Nakuru National Park
After breakfast, you leave Naivasha behind and travel to Lake Nakuru National Park, arriving by mid-morning. Entering the park, you immediately notice the change in scenery — from acacia forests to open grasslands and rocky escarpments. If you are staying inside the park, the drive to your lodge already doubles as a mini game drive, with chances to see baboons, buffalo, and impalas along the way.
After checking in and enjoying lunch, you set out for a long afternoon game drive. Lake Nakuru is world-famous for its birdlife, once renowned for its millions of flamingos that created a pink rim around the shoreline. While flamingo numbers vary, the park remains a birdwatcher’s paradise with pelicans, herons, cormorants, and fish eagles among the 450 species recorded here. Yet birds are only part of Nakuru’s story. This is also one of Kenya’s most important rhino sanctuaries, and both black and white rhinos can be seen grazing close to the tracks.
Your guide takes you deeper into the park to discover lions lounging in the grasslands, leopards stalking through the trees, Rothschild’s giraffes feeding elegantly, and troops of baboons along the cliffs. At Baboon Cliff, you step out to admire the panoramic view of the lake, stretching into the distance with flocks of birds shimmering across its surface. Each moment in Nakuru feels alive, with the variety of habitats making every corner a new discovery.
As the sun sets, you return to Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge. Dinner is served in a warm, inviting atmosphere, with the sounds of the wilderness creating a perfect safari mood.
Accommodation: Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge
Day 3: Lake Nakuru – Ol Pejeta Conservancy
An early breakfast prepares you for the journey to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, located on the Laikipia Plateau at the foot of Mount Kenya. The drive takes you through rolling countryside and fertile farmlands, with the snow-capped peak of Mount Kenya often visible in the distance. By mid-morning, you arrive at the conservancy gates, ready for another unforgettable chapter of your Kenya Safari Trip.
Ol Pejeta is a leader in conservation and one of the most inspiring places to visit in East Africa. Here, you embark on a game drive that reveals a staggering variety of wildlife, including elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, and large herds of antelopes. But Ol Pejeta is particularly famous for its rhinos — it is the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa and the home of the last two northern white rhinos on earth. Standing before these animals, knowing that they are the last of their kind, is an emotional experience that stays with you long after your safari ends.
The day continues with visits to the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary, the only place in Kenya where chimpanzees can be seen. Rescued from the illegal pet and bushmeat trade, these chimpanzees now live in a safe, natural environment where they can thrive. Watching them interact, play, and display their intelligence is fascinating and adds another layer of richness to your Africa Safari Tour.
Optional activities at Ol Pejeta include guided bush walks, night drives to spot nocturnal species, and community visits to learn about local culture. Each activity highlights a different aspect of conservation and life on the Laikipia Plateau. As evening falls, you check in at Serena Sweetwaters Tented Camp, where luxury tents overlook a busy waterhole that attracts wildlife even after dark. Dinner is served in a beautiful dining room, and you fall asleep to the sound of animals just beyond your canvas walls.
Accommodation: Serena Sweetwaters Tented Camp
Day 4: Ol Pejeta Conservancy – Samburu Game Reserve
After breakfast, you leave Ol Pejeta and travel north into Kenya’s rugged northern frontier. The journey to Samburu Game Reserve introduces you to drier landscapes, with rocky hills, scattered acacias, and open scrubland. By midday, you arrive at your lodge or camp, check in, and enjoy lunch. The afternoon is reserved for your first game drive in Samburu.
Samburu feels different from any other park you’ve visited so far on this safari. The lifeblood of the reserve is the Ewaso Nyiro River, which flows through the arid land and attracts animals seeking water. Crocodiles bask along its banks, hippos submerge themselves in the cool water, and elephants come down in family groups to drink and bathe. The contrast of green vegetation along the river against the dry, ochre landscape creates a striking backdrop for photography.
This afternoon drive introduces you to both familiar wildlife and Samburu’s unique residents. Lions, leopards, and cheetahs are present, but so too are the “Samburu Special Five” — the reticulated giraffe with its striking geometric patterns, the Grevy’s zebra with its narrow stripes, the long-necked gerenuk that feeds while standing upright, the Somali ostrich with its blue legs, and the Beisa oryx with its elegant horns. Seeing these rare animals makes Samburu a highlight of any Luxury Safari Trip in Kenya, especially for travelers seeking something beyond the usual safari sightings.
As the sun sets, the sky glows with rich colors that reflect on the river’s surface. You return to Samburu Simba Lodge, where dinner is served and the night is filled with the distant calls of nocturnal wildlife.
Accommodation: Samburu Simba Lodge
Day 5: Samburu Game Reserve (Full Day)
Today is a full day to discover the wonders of Samburu. After an early breakfast, you head into the reserve with a packed picnic lunch, ready for long hours of game viewing. The morning light bathes the landscape in a golden glow, perfect for photography, and the animals are active as they forage and hunt.
Throughout the day, you encounter Samburu’s incredible wildlife. Herds of elephants move gracefully across the plains, dust rising with each step. Lions may be seen resting under the shade of acacias, while leopards hide in rocky outcrops, waiting for the right moment to strike. Cheetahs, with their unmatched speed, stalk gazelles on the open ground. But what makes Samburu truly special are its endemic species. Watching Grevy’s zebras graze side by side with reticulated giraffes and gerenuks creates a safari experience found nowhere else.
Birdwatchers are equally rewarded, as Samburu boasts more than 450 bird species. From the striking vulturine guinea fowl to eagles, falcons, and colorful bee-eaters, the skies are as alive as the land below. The diversity of wildlife, combined with the unique dryland environment, makes Samburu a favorite for travelers seeking distinctive Africa Safari Tours.
In the afternoon, you may choose to visit a Samburu village to learn about the culture of this proud community. Related to the Maasai, the Samburu are pastoralists known for their colorful attire, traditional dances, and deep connection to the land. This cultural experience adds depth to your safari, giving you insight into the people who have lived in harmony with these wild places for centuries.
As evening approaches, you return to your lodge for dinner. The tranquility of Samburu under the star-filled sky is unforgettable, and your Kenya Safari Trip here leaves you with memories of rare wildlife, dramatic landscapes, and cultural encounters.
Accommodation: Samburu Simba Lodge
Day 6: Samburu Game Reserve – Nairobi City
Your final day begins with an early morning game drive in Samburu. The light is soft, and the air is filled with the calls of awakening birds. It is your last chance to capture the beauty of this rugged land and the wildlife that inhabits it. Perhaps you’ll spot elephants making their way to the river one final time, or lions stretching after a night of hunting.
After the drive, you return to the lodge for breakfast and then check out, beginning the journey back to Nairobi. The drive takes you through the central highlands, past fertile farmlands and small towns bustling with life. As you approach Nairobi, the memories of your safari flood your mind — walking among animals at Crescent Island, flamingos at Nakuru, rhinos at Ol Pejeta, and the Samburu Special Five.
By afternoon, you arrive in the city, where you are either dropped at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your flight home or taken to your Nairobi hotel depending on your plans. Your Luxury Safari Trip in Kenya may be over, but the experiences of these six days will remain with you forever.
