14-Day Kenya Wildlife Safari

Our guide picks you up from your Nairobi hotel at 6:30 a.m. and heads north through the equator into Samburu land. Drive through the arid Laikipia plateau as the landscape transforms into red-dust plains and thorny scrub. Arrive with a short game drive en route to camp for lunch, then rest before a 4 p.m. game drive. Samburu hosts unique northern species: Reticulated Giraffe, Grevy's Zebra, Beisa Oryx, long-necked Gerenuk, and the blue-legged Somali Ostrich: found nowhere else in Kenya.

A full day exploring Samburu's dramatic desert landscape, broken by the life-giving Ewaso Ng'iro River. Morning game drive through dusty red plains with tabletop Mount Ol Olokwe on the horizon: elephant herds and crocodiles gather at the river's edge. Afternoon drive in search of leopard, lion, and the reserve's resident cheetah. Optional: cultural village tour or a visit to Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, a community-run orphanage.

Pre-breakfast game drive along the Ewaso Ng'iro River, then return to camp for breakfast. Depart Samburu with a short exit game drive and drive south to Lake Nakuru National Park, arriving in time for late lunch. Afternoon game drive at 4 p.m. into the park: watch for flamingos on the lake shore, Rothschild giraffe browsing the yellow-fever acacia forest, and both black and white rhino in the protected sanctuary.

After breakfast, depart Lake Nakuru and drive west and south to the Maasai Mara, arriving in time for lunch. Rest briefly, then head out for an evening game drive from 3–6 p.m. across the open savannah. The Mara at dusk is electric: lions stir for the evening hunt and the great herds settle as the sky turns gold.

A full day of game drives in one of Africa's richest ecosystems. Depart before sunrise to catch predators still active from the night. Picnic lunch by the banks of the Mara River where hippos and crocodiles claim the shallows. In season (July–October), wildebeest gather in their thousands for the iconic river crossings. Afternoon drive through the Mara Triangle, home to Africa's highest lion density. Optional: hot air balloon at sunrise ($480/person) or Maasai village visit ($30/person).

Another extraordinary day in the reserve. Follow your guide's lead: revisit the pride of lions from yesterday, track the cheetah coalition on the open plains, or venture into quieter corners of the Mara Triangle. Alternatively, alternate a morning game drive with an afternoon spent enjoying the camp's facilities. Sundowner on the open plains as a farewell to the Mara.

After breakfast, depart the Mara and drive north-east back into the Rift Valley to Lake Naivasha. Arrive in time for check-in and lunch at a lakeshore lodge. In the afternoon, board a boat for a guided ride on the lake to Crescent Island. This private walking sanctuary is free of predators, allowing a nature walk among giraffe, zebra, waterbuck and over 400 species of birds. Return to shore for dinner.

After breakfast, drive south through the Rift Valley and Maasai country to Amboseli National Park: famous for its scenery with the snow-capped dome of Kilimanjaro dominating the horizon. Arrive with a short game drive en route to the lodge. Check in, have lunch, rest, then head out for an afternoon game drive across the open swamp plains.

After breakfast, head out with picnic lunch boxes for a full day of unlimited game drives. Amboseli is Africa's premier elephant-watching destination: large-tusked bulls and matriarch-led family groups move between the swamps in the shadow of Kilimanjaro. Climb the Observation Hill for panoramic views over the park and, if the mountain reveals itself, an unforgettable photograph. Optional: Maasai village visit ($30/person) or hot air balloon at dawn ($480/person).

After breakfast, depart Amboseli and drive east to Tsavo West National Park, arriving before lunchtime. Game drive through the park en route to camp for lunch. In the afternoon, visit Mzima Springs, a series of crystal-clear pools fed by underground streams from the Chyulu Hills. An underwater viewing chamber offers a view of the hippos and fish below the surface. Keep watch for crocodiles resting on the banks.

Morning and afternoon game drives in the red-soiled wilderness of Tsavo West. Revisit Mzima Springs and explore the Shetani lava flows, a vast field of black lava stretching for kilometres, with the green Chyulu Hills rising in the distance. Lion, leopard, elephant, and the rare black rhino all call Tsavo West home. Spend the rest of the day relaxing at the lodge.

After breakfast, a short game drive through Tsavo West and a stop at the Shetani lava flows before crossing into Tsavo East: Kenya's largest national park. Arrive by mid-morning. Rest, then an afternoon game drive at 3–4 p.m. into the vast open plains where Tsavo East's legendary elephant herds, enormous buffalo, and wide-ranging predators roam.

A full day in the raw, wide-open wilderness of Tsavo East. Search for the descendants of the famous man-eaters of Tsavo, along with buffalo, cheetah, giraffe and vast antelope herds. Visit the Aruba Dam, an artificial waterhole that draws exceptional concentrations of game, especially in the dry season. Watch elephants drinking at the Voi Safari Lodge waterhole.

After breakfast, a final game drive as you depart the park, then drive south-east to the Kenya coast. Lunch en route before being dropped off at your Diani Beach hotel. End of Saringi safari services: the Indian Ocean awaits. Alternatively, board the SGR train from Voi Station to Mombasa at extra cost, then cross by ferry or road into Diani.