Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, Aberdare, Mt. Kenya & Samburu

0730hrs: You shall be collected from your Nairobi hotel / Nairobi airport.

We officially kick off our African safari vacation to Masai Mara Game reserve, Kenya’s finest wildlife safari haven.

The Nairobi to Maasai Mara drive is via the Great Rift Valley Escarpment with views of subsistence farmlands and local community settlements. Along the safari route – there shall be stops to view interesting attractions including the Great Rift Valley escarpment.

We shall descend to the floors of the rift valley for a further drive through Masai country as we progress to the Mara.

Arrival at the Masai Mara shall be in time for lunch.

Later proceed for an afternoon game viewing drive where we’ll be in search of all things wild, returning to our Masai Mara tented safari camp/ safari lodge in for dinner and overnight.

We will explore the Masai Mara at first light to begin our unlimited game viewing drives!

The scenic appeal of this tree studded savannah plains, its moderate climate and diversity of wild game species makes it a one stop shop for game viewing activities.

We shall traverse the reserve on a full day of unlimited game viewing   encountering the big five and more of the lesser game.

You shall visit the Mara river where you may watch hippos & crocodiles or maybe if you visit during the Kenya great migration season (July –October months

During the our stay here, we also have an optional opportunity to visit a village of the Masai people to witness the singing and dancing that are part of their daily lives and sacred rituals. A glimpse into their homes and social structure is a moving experience.

There’s also the opportunity for a sunrise hot air balloon safari over the Mara plains enabling you to have complete exposure of the reserve before having to return shortly after sunset for dinner and overnight at your tented safari camp/ safari lodge.

We’ll finish our tour of the Mara with an early morning breakfast as we exit the park.

We’re headed for the Great Rift Valley and Lake Naivasha. The lake and its surrounding areas are a haven for birds, fish and larger wildlife grazing on the shores. The area is a colorful mix of forests, waterfalls, extinct volcanoes and dramatic towers.

We’ll start out on a bicycle safari at nearby Hell’s Gate National Park. When was the last time you pedaled past zebra and giraffe? Here is the only place one can walk inside the park as there are no wild predators. You will decide if you’ll do the game drive with the safari vehicle or cycle the 11 kms down towards the gorge. At the gorge you will get a guide who will direct you and share information about the rock layers.

This is a place of dramatic cliffs, hot springs, geysers and steaming vents here are dramatic proof of the geothermal activity below ground. But we’ll be gliding along on bicycles past impala, gazelle, zebra, giraffe and baboon. A fitting and joyful way to end a busy day of animal watching.

Overnight at your Lake Naivasha safari lodge / tented safari camp.

Later a short 2 hour drive will take us to the Lake Nakuru National Park.

(We may visit the Lake Bogoria instead if you are more keen on flamingo viewing)

Birdlife abounds with flamingoes seen in their thousands together with pelicans and other bird species. Due to some progressive natural factors like increasing water levels, the flamingo numbers have been reducing but the park itself remains stunning – one of Kenya’s finest.

The Lake Nakuru National Park is home to the black and white rhino species, warthogs, lions, leopards, zebras, giraffe and many more.

Besides the flamingos and rhinoceros with amazing raised ridges the park offers amazing viewpoints for birding, game viewing and sightseeing, explore these viewpoints for unmatchable scenic photography backgrounds among other things. Looking for a true Kenya photo safari experience? Lake Nakuru is one of that place to be.

You’re sure to see rare Rothschild’s Giraffe along with white rhino, especially along the lakeshore. Overnight at your Lake Nakuru safari lodge / tented safari camp.

Today after a tasty breakfast with our bags packed, proceed south to the Aberdare National Park

Transfer to your tree lodge hotel. Both tree lodge hotels provide spectacular viewing perches for night game viewing.

This is an isolated volcanic range that forms the eastern wall of the rift valley, running roughly 100km north south between Nairobi and Thomsons Falls. Soils are red and of volcanic origin, but rich in organic matter.

There are two main peaks, OlDonyo Lesatima (3,999m) and Kinangop (3,906m) separated by a long saddle of alpine moorland at over 3,000m. The topography is diverse with deep ravines that cut through the forested eastern and western slopes and there are many clear streams and waterfalls. The unusual vegetation, rugged terrain, streams and waterfalls combine to create an area of great scenic beauty in the National Park. The park is surrounded by a predominantly indigenous forest. Spend the rest of the afternoon watching wild life at the flood lit Saltlick Water hole, the wildlife here is attracted by the waterholes and salt licks around the treetop lodges.

You will have the golden opportunity to maximize your safari and photographic experience, returning to camp/lodge for dinner and overnight at your treetops lodge.

After breakfast leave your camp/lodge in Aberdare for a journey to Mount Kenya (the second tallest peak in Africa) we’ll arrive Nanyuki for lunch followed by afternoon visit to legendary Mau Mau caves where Kenya’s freedom fighters use to hide during the Second World War.

Take this opportunity to nature walk along the base of Mount Kenya, with fantastic photo safari opportunities of the Mountain and later on return to your tented safari camp/ safari lodge for dinner and overnight.

This morning we depart for Samburu by road, journeying along Kenya’s Northern Frontier District. Wild and rugged, Samburu is fiercely beautiful with its arid savannahs watered by the lovely Ewaso Ng'iro River.

View the Mount Kenya with its snow-capped peaks along the safari route.

Afternoon game viewing drive the Samburu, Shaba and buffalo springs reserves.

It is also one of Kenya’s most protected areas and home to species only found north of the equator.

We’ll do our best to ensure you see all of this rich wildlife.

Dinner & overnight at your Samburu safari lodge/ tented safari camp.

On this beautiful day we’ll arise to an early unlimited game viewing drives along the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River.

Lion, grevy’s Zebra,Cheetah, Bufallo, Elephant, Oryx, reticulated Giraffe, Somali Ostrich etc are among the many animal species seen at the Samburu National Reserve.

Overnight at your Samburu safari lodge/ tented safari camp

Our final morning in the park will give us opportunities to add more wildlife sightings to our checklist. But not all the park’s animal activity is limited to mammals. Samburu hosts over 350 species of birdlife including kingfisher, vulture, guinea fowl, egret, falcon and eagle. You’ll have plenty to keep watching for on the land, in the springs and overhead.

We’ll enjoy another game drive as we exit the park on our journey back to Nairobi.

Heading back to the city, we’ll break up the drive with a stop for lunch.

We should arrive in Nairobi in the late afternoon and will drop you off at your hotel, residence or should you wish at the airport.

We hope you enjoyed this unique tour of Northern Kenya and enjoyed the special atmosphere and wildlife of Samburu. From all of us at African Vulture Safaris, a big thanks and we hope to see you on your next African safari adventure!