10 Day Kenya Grand Tour: Samburu, Amboseli & Maasai Mara

Day 1: Nairobi – Samburu National Reserve

Your driver meets you at your hotel or the airport. After a short briefing you head north. The road takes you past the equator and Mount Kenya. You arrive at Samburu in time for lunch. Check in and rest a bit. Later in the afternoon you go out for a game drive and stay until the sun goes down. Dinner and overnight at your camp or lodge.

Day 2: Full Day in Samburu

You have the whole day to see what Samburu has to offer. The land here is open and scenic with river and forest. The local people have a rich way of life that goes back many years. Springs bubble up from the ground and stay full all year. Wildlife is plentiful. Look for leopard, hippo, elephant, lion, the reticulated giraffe with its neat patterns, and Grevy’s zebra with its thin stripes. Crocodiles lie in the Ewaso Nyiro River. Birdlife here runs to over 365 species. Dinner and overnight at your camp or lodge.

Day 3: Samburu – Aberdares National Park

An early morning game drive starts your day. After that you leave Samburu and drive to the Aberdares. You arrive with time for a short game drive before lunch. You check in at a hotel, have lunch, and take some time to rest. In the afternoon you transfer across the park to The Ark lodge. This place has four viewing decks with balconies and lounges. You sit inside and watch the animals come to you. They gather at the water and salt lick right outside. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

Day 4: Aberdares – Amboseli National Park

Breakfast comes with a view of animals from your balcony. After eating you leave for Amboseli. The park sits at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro. You arrive in the late afternoon. If there is enough light you go out for an evening game drive. You look for elephant, cheetah, lion and other plains game. The mountain stands behind them, a perfect background for photos. Dinner and overnight at your lodge or camp.

Day 5: Full Day in Amboseli

You wake up early. Early morning is the best time to see Kilimanjaro clearly before clouds cover the peak. After breakfast you head into the park for a full day with a picnic lunch. Amboseli is rich in wildlife. You drive through the park looking for animals. There is an optional visit to a Maasai village. The warriors welcome you with singing and dancing. They show you around their homestead and you can take pictures. Dinner and overnight at your lodge or camp.

Day 6: Amboseli to Lake Nakuru National Park

Another early morning game drive to start the day. After that you leave Amboseli and drive toward Lake Nakuru. You stop for lunch somewhere along the way. You arrive at Nakuru in the evening. Dinner and overnight at your camp or lodge.

Day 7: Lake Nakuru to Lake Naivasha

Breakfast comes early. After eating you go into Lake Nakuru park for a game drive. This is the smallest of Kenya’s top national parks but it holds a lot. Flamingos line the shores in the thousands. Pelicans and other water birds are here too. The park is a stronghold for both black and white rhino. You also see warthogs, lions, zebras, and giraffes. Later you leave Nakuru and drive to Lake Naivasha. Dinner and overnight at your camp or lodge.

Day 8: Lake Naivasha – Masai Mara Resrve

You wake up and have a full breakfast. Then you take a boat ride on the lake. You feed small fish to the birds and watch them dive. The boat takes you close to hippos in the water. You get off at Crescent Island for a walking safari. The shores hold many birds like pelicans, cormorants, and fish eagles. This island has more animals per acre than any other park in Kenya. You walk among wildebeest, waterbuck, zebra, and gazelle. Hippos rest in the water during the day. Giraffes born here come back to give birth. Sometimes you see three generations together. Hyenas come at night to hunt but do not stay on the island. Pythons live here and you might see one with a kill. Buffalo move in and out but rangers keep watch. Later you leave Naivasha and drive to the Mara. You stop for lunch in Narok town. After lunch you continue to the Mara. On arrival you check in and go out for a late afternoon game drive. You look for giraffes, elephants, monkeys, leopards, lions, gazelles, and birds. Dinner and overnight at your camp or lodge.

Day 9: Full Day in Masai Mara

Today is all about game viewing. After breakfast you leave your camp with a picnic lunch. You spend the day driving through the park looking for the Big Five. You stop by the Mara River to watch for wildebeest crossing if the season is right. In the evening there is an optional visit to a Maasai village. You join in singing and dancing. You see their beadwork and bright clothes up close. Dinner and overnight at your camp or lodge.

Day 10: Masai Mara to Nairobi

After breakfast you check out of your camp or lodge. Then you leave the Mara and drive back to Nairobi. You arrive in the late afternoon. Your driver drops you off at your hotel or the airport.