Wildlife Safaris

10-Day Kenya Safari: Amboseli, Ol Pejeta, Samburu, Lake Nakuru & Masai Mara

Nairobi, Amboseli, Ol Pejeta, Samburu, Lake Nakuru & Masai Mara, Kenya 10 day(s) Easy

Duration

10 day(s)

Country

Kenya

Type

Wildlife Safaris

Group Size

1-12

Best Months

July - October for the Great Migration; dry seasons (Jun-Oct, Jan-Feb) for the clearest game viewing

Our most complete circuit at 10 days and 9 nights - linking the elephant herds of Amboseli, the rhino sanctuary of Ol Pejeta, the arid beauty of Samburu, the flamingo-lined shores of Lake Nakuru, and three full days on the plains of the Masai Mara.

Itinerary

Download Itinerary (PDF)

DAY BY DAY

Itinerary at a Glance

Amboseli National Park Ol Pejeta Conservancy Samburu National Reserve Lake Nakuru National Park Masai Mara National Reserve Nairobi

10 days 6 stops 4 stays

Day	Destination	Travel	Key Sightings	Overnight	Meals
1	Amboseli National Park Nairobi to Amboseli National Park	Drive	African Elephant Ostrich Plains Zebra +2	Kibo Safari Camp	B L D
2	Amboseli National Park Full Day Game Drive in Amboseli National Park	Drive	African Elephant Ostrich Common Ostrich	Kibo Safari Camp	B L D
3	Ol Pejeta Conservancy Amboseli National Park to Ol Pejeta Conservancy	Drive	African Elephant Ostrich Grant's Gazelle	Sweetwaters Serena Camp	B L D
4	Samburu National Reserve Ol Pejeta Conservancy to Samburu National Reserve	Drive	African Elephant Reticulated Giraffe Ostrich +4	-	B L D
5	Samburu National Reserve Full Day Game Drives in Samburu National Reserve	Drive	Reticulated Giraffe Plains Zebra Ostrich +3	-	B L D
6	Lake Nakuru National Park Samburu National Reserve to Lake Nakuru National Park	Drive	Black Rhinoceros Flamingo African Lion	Ziwa Bush Lodge	B L D
7	Masai Mara National Reserve Lake Nakuru National Park to Masai Mara National Reserve	Drive	African Elephant African Leopard African Lion +4	Mara Kimana Camp	B L D
8	Masai Mara National Reserve Full Day Game Drives in Masai Mara National Reserve	Drive	African Elephant African Leopard African Lion +7	Mara Kimana Camp	B L D
9	Masai Mara National Reserve Full Day in Masai Mara National Reserve	Drive	African Elephant African Leopard African Lion +3	Mara Kimana Camp	B L D
10	Nairobi Masai Mara National Reserve to Nairobi	Drive	-	-	B L D

Full Day-by-Day Itinerary

1 Day

Arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and road transfer to Amboseli National Park. Check in at your lodge, enjoy lunch and a short rest, then head out for an evening game drive with a chance to see elephants, zebras, giraffes and buffaloes - and, on a clear day, views of Mount Kilimanjaro. Overnight on a full-board basis.

Accommodation

Primary Kibo Safari Camp

Accommodation is subject to availability. We can suggest similar-level alternatives or tailor options to suit your budget.

L, D Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya

African Elephant Ostrich Plains Zebra Waterbuck African Lion

2 Day

A full day of morning and afternoon game drives across Amboseli's plains and swamps, tracking its famous elephant herds. Overnight on a full-board basis.

Accommodation

Primary Kibo Safari Camp

Accommodation is subject to availability. We can suggest similar-level alternatives or tailor options to suit your budget.

B, L, D Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya

African Elephant Ostrich Common Ostrich

3 Day

Drive from Amboseli to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, a scenic travel day through the central highlands. Check in on arrival and relax after the journey, then head out for a short evening game drive across Ol Pejeta's plains - one of East Africa's leading black rhino sanctuaries and home to the world's last two northern white rhinos. Overnight on a full-board basis.

Accommodation

Primary Sweetwaters Serena Camp

Accommodation is subject to availability. We can suggest similar-level alternatives or tailor options to suit your budget.

B, L, D Ol Pejeta Conservancy 🇰🇪 Kenya

African Elephant Ostrich Grant's Gazelle

4 Day

Drive north to the Samburu National Reserve, a rugged, semi-arid landscape along the Ewaso Nyiro River. Arrive in time for lunch, then head out on an afternoon game drive in search of the "Samburu Special Five" - Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, Beisa oryx and the Somali ostrich. Overnight on a full-board basis.

B, L, D Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya

African Elephant Reticulated Giraffe Ostrich Grevy's Zebra Gerenuk Beisa Oryx Somali Ostrich

5 Day

A full day of morning and afternoon game drives across Samburu, exploring different areas of the reserve for its resident elephants, predators and the species found nowhere else in Kenya's southern parks. An optional visit to a local Samburu village can be arranged. Overnight on a full-board basis.

B, L, D Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya

Reticulated Giraffe Plains Zebra Ostrich Grevy's Zebra Gerenuk Beisa Oryx

6 Day

Drive south to Lake Nakuru National Park, a compact, fenced sanctuary built around its alkaline lake in the Great Rift Valley. Afternoon game drive around the lake shore for its rhino sanctuary and, in good years, dense flocks of flamingos. Overnight on a bed and breakfast basis.

Accommodation

Primary Ziwa Bush Lodge

Accommodation is subject to availability. We can suggest similar-level alternatives or tailor options to suit your budget.

B, L Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya

Black Rhinoceros Flamingo African Lion

7 Day

Continue west across the Rift Valley to the Masai Mara, the northernmost extension of the Serengeti ecosystem, arriving in time for an afternoon game drive. Overnight on a full-board basis.

Accommodation

Primary Mara Kimana Camp

Accommodation is subject to availability. We can suggest similar-level alternatives or tailor options to suit your budget.

B, L, D Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya

African Elephant African Leopard African Lion Cheetah African Buffalo Topi Spotted Hyena

8 Day

A full day of game drives across the Mara's plains, with the best chance of the trip for lion, leopard, cheetah and, in season, the Great Migration. An optional Maasai manyatta visit or sunrise hot air balloon safari can be arranged locally. Overnight on a full-board basis.

Accommodation

Primary Mara Kimana Camp

Accommodation is subject to availability. We can suggest similar-level alternatives or tailor options to suit your budget.

B, L, D Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya

African Elephant African Leopard African Lion Cheetah African Buffalo Hippopotamus Wildebeest Topi Spotted Hyena Maasai Giraffe

9 Day

A second full day of game drives, exploring different areas of the reserve - including the Mara River crossing points - for the best chance of catching predators in action. Overnight on a full-board basis.

Accommodation

Primary Mara Kimana Camp

Accommodation is subject to availability. We can suggest similar-level alternatives or tailor options to suit your budget.

B, L, D Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya

African Elephant African Leopard African Lion Cheetah African Buffalo Topi

10 Day

Final morning game drive, then depart the Masai Mara for Nairobi. Lunch en route before your transfer to JKIA for departure.

B, L Nairobi 🇰🇪 Kenya

Best Time to Visit

July - October for the Great Migration; dry seasons (Jun-Oct, Jan-Feb) for the clearest game viewing

High Season - Jun-Oct & Jan-Feb

Dry weather makes for the clearest game viewing, with animals gathering at rivers and waterholes. Masai Mara river crossings peak July-October. Expect busier parks and the highest rates of the year.

Low Season - Mar-May & Nov

The "green season" brings lush scenery, dramatic skies and newborn wildlife, with far fewer visitors and the lowest accommodation rates. Expect afternoon showers, muddier roads and a handful of camps closed for maintenance.

What to Expect

Our most complete circuit links six distinct areas of Kenya:

Nairobi is your arrival and departure point, and the usual base for onward transfers to the parks that follow.

Amboseli National Park is famous above all for its elephants - large, habituated herds that are among the easiest in Africa to observe up close - set against the backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro on clear mornings, plus swamps that draw hippo, buffalo and abundant birdlife.

Ol Pejeta Conservancy, near the base of Mount Kenya, is a private, non-profit wildlife conservancy and one of Africa's most important black rhino sanctuaries. It also hosts a sanctuary for chimpanzees rescued from elsewhere in Africa, alongside healthy populations of lion, elephant and the rest of the Big Five.

Samburu National Reserve lies in Kenya's arid north along the Ewaso Nyiro River. It's the best place in the country to find the "Samburu Special Five" - Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, Beisa oryx and the Somali ostrich - alongside a Samburu culture with deep ties to the Maasai.

Lake Nakuru National Park is a compact, fenced sanctuary built around its alkaline lake in the Great Rift Valley. Expect a strong chance of seeing both black and white rhino, along with leopard, buffalo and, in good years, dense flocks of flamingos along the shoreline.

The Masai Mara is Kenya's best-known reserve, part of the same ecosystem as Tanzania's Serengeti. Visitors come for the Big Five, resident prides of lion, and - from around July to October - the Great Migration, when huge herds of wildebeest and zebra cross the Mara River in search of fresh grazing. A visit to a local Maasai village or a sunrise balloon safari over the plains are popular optional additions here.

Route Map

Approximate route followed during this safari.

What's Included

All transport in a 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof
Park and conservancy entry fees for Amboseli, Ol Pejeta, Samburu, Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara
9 nights' accommodation as per itinerary (full board throughout, except bed & breakfast at Lake Nakuru)
Professional English-speaking driver-guide