A 7-day safari in Kenya encompassing Samburu, Lake Nakuru, and Masai Mara offers a diverse wildlife experience. The journey begins in Samburu, known for unique species like Grevy’s zebra and reticulated giraffe. Then, it proceeds to Lake Nakuru, famous for its flamingos and rhinos. The safari culminates in the iconic Masai Mara, renowned for the Big Five and the Great Migration (seasonal).
The Masai Mara National Reserve is one of the top safari destinations in Africa, home to an impressive abundance of wildlife, especially big cats. At certain times of the year, we will witness the Wildebeest Great Migration, one of the most spectacular wildlife displays on earth.
Day 1: Nairobi to Samburu Game Reserve – Kenya
The 7-Day Samburu, Lake Nakuru & Masai Mara Safari starts with collection from your pre-tour hotel in Nairobi at 7:30 in the morning. Your guide tells you more about the journey ahead before we set off. Leaving Nairobi, we head north via the shoulder of Africa’s second-largest mountain, Mount Kenya, making our way to the Samburu National Reserve. Arriving at our first lodge we have lunch and embark on our first wildlife adventure – an exciting afternoon game drive in Samburu. We overnight at a lodge overlooking the bushveld inside Samburu National Reserve.
Day 2: Samburu National Reserve – Kenya
Day two is set aside for game viewing in Samburu National Reserve, exploring its open grasslands and diverse landscapes in search of the variety of wildlife found here. Samburu hosts beautiful forests, springs, and rivers, offering stunning scenery. The game park is part of a lava plain that includes varied habitats, from thorn scrub, red dirt and dried river beds, to broken volcanic rock, steep hills, and rocky outcrops.
This region of Kenya is home to the uncommon Grevy’s zebra with huge fury ears, gerenuk antelope standing on hind legs to feed, Somali ostriches with distinct blue legs, and the shy Oryx. Elephants and crocodiles are guaranteed sightings and lions, hippos, and giraffes are also found in the reserve. The bird watching is excellent, with over 365 species, including numerous varieties of weaverbirds and the martial eagle. Leopard sightings are also a special feature here. The Samburu area is also home to interesting people with a rich heritage, making for a colorful cultural experience. After a rewarding day of game viewing in the vast Samburu Reserve, we return to our lodge for dinner and a relaxing evening under the stars.
Day 3: Samburu to Lake Nakuru – Kenya
After breakfast we break up camp and hit the road again, game viewing on our way out of Samburu National Reserve. We travel south through Kenya to Lake Nakuru National Park, stopping for lunch en route. Arriving at Lake Nakuru Park we take a scenic afternoon game drive in this compact wildlife area.
This Kenyan game park has retained its reputation as an ornithologist’s delight, with more than 400 species of bird found here. Bird species include the Great White Pelican, African Spoonbill, Yellow-billed Stork, Lesser and Greater Flamingo, and Long-crested Eagle.
The Lake Nakuru National Park surrounds the lake and was first gazetted to protect the rich bird life found here, later becoming a national park to provide sanctuary for endangered species such as the rhino. There are about 25 white and black rhinos, one of the largest concentrations in the country. Predators are also residents of this park while Rothschild’s giraffes have been translocated into the park for safety This small park (180 sq km) is also home to warthogs, baboons, waterbuck, buffaloes, reedbucks, zebras, and the occasional leopard. This evening at our comfortable lodge in the national park we enjoy dinner and a relaxing evening after game spotting and bird watching around the lake.
Day 4: Lake Nakuru to Masai Mara – Kenya
Today we depart from the lodge after breakfast and travel south towards the famous Masai Mara Game Reserve, in southwest Kenya. We drive through beautiful savannah grasslands and plains of the Great Rift Valley making our way to our next overnight accommodation, in a private conservancy near Masai Mara. Arriving at our luxury tented camp on the banks of a river, we settle in for a peaceful night under starry African skies.
Day 5: Masai Mara National Reserve – Kenya
The next two days are spent embarking on exhilarating game-viewing drives in Masai Mara. On clear days, the Masai Mara National Reserve offers fantastic orange-tinged sunsets worth capturing on camera. The Mara reserve covers 1510km² of incredible wide-open landscapes and fertile riverine woodlands, following the meanders of the Mara and Talek rivers. One glimpse is enough to explain its appeal as an iconic savannah, with a mass of amazing wildlife. An optional hot-air balloon safari can be arranged at an extra cost. After our action-packed day of wildlife sightings on the scenic plains of Africa, we return to our tented camp for dinner. Fall asleep in the comfort of your tented room, listening to the sounds of nature.
Day 6: Masai Mara National Reserve – Kenya
Spend another full day exploring the spectacular Masai Mara Park. Wherever you go in the Mara Reserve you will see an abundance of wildlife, such as Masai giraffes, baboons, warthogs, bat-eared foxes, grey jackals, spotted hyenas, topis, impalas, hartebeests, wildebeests, elephants, buffaloes, zebras, and hippos. It is common to see lions either basking after a heavy meal or surveying the plains for their next meal. Cheetahs and leopards are harder to spot but are still reasonably common.
The ultimate wildlife action here is, without doubt, the annual wildebeest exodus in July and August when millions of these grass-eaters move north from the Serengeti in search of greener grass before turning south again in October. The Great Migration is one of the most awe-inspiring wildlife spectacles on earth! We spend our final night on safari under star-studded skies at the tranquil camp in the wilderness near Masai Mara.
Day 7: Masai Mara to Nairobi – Kenya
Your last day on budget safari in Kenya kicks off with breakfast at our tented camp in the private Masai Mara Conservancy. Then it is time to leave the African bush behind and drive back to Nairobi. This unforgettable Samburu, Masai Mara & Lake Nakuru Safari ends this afternoon upon arrival in Nairobi.