Day 1: Nairobi to Amboseli National Park – Giants Beneath Kilimanjaro
Your safari begins with a morning pick-up at 7:30 am from your Nairobi hotel or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. As you leave behind the city’s bustle, the scenery changes to open plains dotted with Maasai villages, their manyattas (traditional huts) blending seamlessly into the landscape.
Arrive in Amboseli National Park around midday and check into Amboseli Sopa Lodge. After a hot lunch and a little rest, it’s time for your first game drive at 4:00 pm.
Amboseli is known worldwide for its elephants — more than 1,600 individuals belonging to 56 distinct families. Many have been studied for decades and are recognized by name. As you watch them move gracefully across the plains, with Mount Kilimanjaro rising behind them, you will understand why this is one of the most photographed safari destinations in Africa. Alongside elephants, look out for lions, cheetahs, buffalo, wildebeest, and hundreds of bird species.
As the sun dips below the horizon, return to your lodge to freshen up and enjoy a freshly prepared dinner. Fall asleep to the distant calls of hyenas and the soft rumble of elephants.
Accommodation: Amboseli Sopa Lodge
Day 2: Full-Day Game Drives in Amboseli
Today is dedicated entirely to exploring Amboseli. Your itinerary is flexible — you can either choose a full-day game drive with picnic lunch or two separate drives, one in the early morning and one in the afternoon.
- Option 1: Full-Day Game Drive – Depart after breakfast with picnic lunch and spend the day traversing Amboseli’s diverse habitats: open plains, swamps, and acacia woodlands. Elephants dominate the landscape, but keep an eye out for lions resting in the shade, cheetahs stalking prey, and flamingos in the seasonal lakes.
- Option 2: Split-Day Game Drives – Begin with a sunrise drive at 6:00 am, when Kilimanjaro’s peak is most visible and predators are active. Return to the lodge for breakfast and leisure time before heading out again at 4:00 pm for an evening safari in the golden light.
Whichever option you choose, Amboseli’s wildlife and scenery will leave you mesmerized. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Accommodation: Amboseli Sopa Lodge
Day 3: Amboseli to Ol Pejeta Conservancy – Conservation at Its Finest
After breakfast, set off for Ol Pejeta Conservancy, located on the equator near Nanyuki. The drive takes you through fertile highlands, past tea and coffee plantations, and across the equator.
Arrive at Sweetwaters Camp in time for lunch, followed by an afternoon game drive. Ol Pejeta is a model of modern conservation, home to East Africa’s largest population of black rhinos as well as elephants, lions, leopards, and cheetahs.
A highlight of your visit is the Chimpanzee Sanctuary, the only place in Kenya where you can see these primates. Many are orphans rescued from the illegal wildlife trade. You will also visit the enclosure housing the last two northern white rhinos on earth, an emotional experience that underscores the urgency of wildlife protection.
In the evening, return to camp for dinner under the stars.
Accommodation: Sweetwaters Camp
Day 4: Ol Pejeta to Samburu – Into the Wild North
Start your day with a dawn game drive at Ol Pejeta, searching for lions and leopards before returning for breakfast. Then depart for Samburu National Reserve, a journey that takes you into northern Kenya’s semi-arid landscapes.
Arrive at Samburu Sopa Lodge for lunch, then set out on an afternoon game drive. Samburu is unlike any other park in Kenya, with dramatic hills, the Ewaso Nyiro River, and species not found elsewhere. Look out for the Samburu Special Five: Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, Beisa oryx, Somali ostrich, and gerenuk (the long-necked antelope that stands on two legs to feed). Leopards are also frequently spotted in this reserve.
Return to your lodge for dinner, with the sounds of the bush surrounding you.
Accommodation: Samburu Sopa Lodge
Day 5: Full-Day Safari in Samburu
Take advantage of the cooler morning hours with a 6:00 am game drive, when predators are active and herbivores graze before the midday heat. Samburu’s landscapes are stark yet beautiful, with doum palms lining the riverbanks and rocky escarpments rising from the plains.
Return to the lodge for breakfast and relaxation, then venture out again in the late afternoon for another game drive. Samburu’s wildlife behavior is fascinating — elephants often dig into the sandy riverbeds for water, while lion prides rest in the shade of acacia trees.
As evening falls, enjoy dinner at the lodge and perhaps a storytelling session by your guide.
Accommodation: Samburu Sopa Lodge
Day 6: Samburu to Lake Naivasha – Rift Valley Escape
After breakfast, depart for the Great Rift Valley. Arrive at Lake Naivasha by midday and check into your lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, enjoy a boat ride across the lake, where hippos wallow and fish eagles swoop dramatically from the skies.
Continue to Crescent Island for a guided walking safari among giraffes, zebras, and gazelles. This rare experience allows you to walk in the wild in safety, offering a different perspective from game drives.
Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Avian Court Hotel
Day 7: Lake Naivasha to Masai Mara – Into the Safari Heartland
After breakfast, visit Hell’s Gate National Park, known for its dramatic gorges, volcanic formations, and cycling safaris. Then begin the drive to the Masai Mara National Reserve, arriving in time for lunch at Zebra Plains Mara Camp.
In the late afternoon, enjoy a cultural walking safari with Maasai warriors, followed by a visit to a local village to learn about Maasai traditions. End the evening with dinner at camp.
Accommodation: Zebra Plains Mara Camp
Day 8–9: Full Days in the Masai Mara – Safari Dreams Come True
Spend two full days immersed in the Masai Mara. Choose between full-day drives with picnic lunches or split-day drives. Visit the Mara River, where the Great Migration unfolds between July and October, with dramatic river crossings and predator action.
Optional: Take a hot air balloon safari at sunrise (extra cost), floating above the plains before enjoying a champagne breakfast.
Every drive offers something new: prides of lions, elusive leopards, cheetahs sprinting across the grasslands, and herds of elephants moving gracefully.
Evenings are for relaxation, cultural performances, and storytelling around the fire.
Accommodation: Zebra Plains Mara Camp
Day 10: Masai Mara to Nairobi – Farewell to the Wild
Enjoy a final sunrise game drive before breakfast. Then depart for Nairobi, arriving in the afternoon. Depending on your schedule, you may add optional visits to the Giraffe Centre, Karen Blixen Museum, or Kazuri Beads Centre.
Transfer to your hotel or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your onward flight, bringing your unforgettable 10-Day Best of Kenya Safari to a close.
