Nairobi – Samburu National Reserve (320 km – Approx. 6 hrs drive)

Meal plan: Lunch, Dinner.

07:30 hrs: Your driver/guide will pick you up from your Nairobi area hotel, Nairobi airport, or Nairobi area residence. We’ll head north in our private 4x4 Jeep for Samburu National Reserve.

Along the way, we’ll see the country’s tallest peak, snow-capped Mount Kenya, a majestic sight on the horizon. Our route to Samburu is through Kenya’s central highlands, and we’ll make stops at local markets to shop and enjoy the authentic flavor of the markets. We will also cross the Equator and pause to mark this special moment with a brief stop.

Upon arrival at Samburu, we will embark on our first game drive, rumbling over the rugged terrain in search of lion, leopard, cheetah, buffalo, and elephant. This initial drive will introduce you to the unique wildlife and landscapes of northern Kenya.

We’ll spend the first of two nights at Samburu at the lodge or tented camp of your choice, settling in for an exciting safari experience.

Full Day – Samburu Game Reserve: Wildlife & Northern Specials

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

We’ll arise in time to see the light spreading out on the great plains and delight to the first notes of the birds in the new morning.

Our day will be filled with as many game drives as you wish. Just let your driver/guide know how you would like to plan your day, ensuring your safari experience is tailored to your preferences.

Besides the park’s big game (including lion, leopard, cheetah, buffalo, and elephant), we’ll also be looking for the unusual wildlife found uniquely here, such as the handsome Grevy’s zebra, the distinctly marked reticulated giraffe, and the elegant beisa oryx – a large antelope with a striking appearance.

We will also take drives to nearby Shaba and Buffalo Springs, two oases that are greener than Samburu, featuring forests, woodland, and unique volcanic formations. These areas offer different habitats and potentially different wildlife sightings.

The park also displays over 450 species of avian life, including colorful kingfishers, majestic vultures, busy guinea fowl, swift falcons, and powerful eagles. Despite its arid appearance, Samburu offers many surprises for the curious safari-goer.

Our final safari night will be at Samburu at your choice of lodge or tented camp, enjoying the tranquility of the northern wilderness.

Samburu – Lake Nakuru National Park (250 km – Approx. 5 hrs)

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

We’ll be leaving Samburu this morning, but first, let’s take a final game drive and try to find another elephant or buffalo on its way to a watering hole, capturing one last memory of Samburu's unique wildlife.

We’re on our way to Lake Nakuru National Park, and along our route, we’ll stop at Nyahururu to take in the towering cascade of Thompson’s Falls, a picturesque natural landmark.

Lake Nakuru National Park is a lovely spot filled with waterfalls, acacia forests, and the lake’s blue alkaline waters. You’ll find some flamingos here (though numbers vary seasonally) along with pelicans, kingfishers, ostriches, herons, and eagles, showcasing a rich variety of birdlife.

But the park is also known for giving sanctuary to a large population of both black and white rhinos, offering excellent opportunities to spot these endangered species.

That’s what makes this reserve so special – its great variety of shape, form, color, and species.

We’ll spend the night at your chosen safari lodge or tented camp within or near Lake Nakuru.

Lake Nakuru – Lake Naivasha: Multi-Activity Safari (70km – Approx. 1:30 hr)

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

We’ve got lots to see today, so let’s start with an early morning safari through Lake Nakuru National Park on our way to nearby Lake Naivasha. This provides a final opportunity to spot the park's diverse wildlife in the morning light.

There’s so much to do at Lake Naivasha and its surrounding parks! We’ll get started with a short bike ride over to Hell’s Gate National Park. Here, we’ll hike through dramatic gorges, exploring its unique landscapes on foot while looking for antelope, gazelle, even zebra, and giraffe – a truly immersive way to experience the park's relatively peaceful wildlife.

Back at Lake Naivasha, we’ll take a relaxing boat safari across the lake, greeting pods of hippos and observing the various birds flocking nearby. We might even spot some wildlife grazing on the shore, such as giraffe and zebra.

This peaceful sojourn will be followed by a guided walking tour to Crescent Island Game Sanctuary, a lovely park that is chock full of gentle wildlife like impala, gazelle, zebra, and waterbuck, allowing for incredible close-up encounters.

We’ve had a very full day getting close to the animals on jeep, boat, bike, and foot… truly remarkable and diverse experiences!

We’ll spend the night at the Lake Naivasha safari lodge or tented camp of your choice, unwinding after an adventurous day.

Lake Naivasha – Masai Mara Game Reserve (285 km – Approx. 5-6 hrs.)

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

How about one more leisurely game drive around Lake Naivasha this morning, looking for its abundant birds and wildlife, before we exit this beautiful Rift Valley lake for the immense spaces of the Masai Mara National Reserve? This final drive offers another chance to appreciate the tranquility and diverse birdlife of the lake.

This is the big one – world-famous and Kenya’s most popular park. The drive will take us through scenic landscapes, leading us into the heart of the Mara.

We’ll have time to take our first thrilling game drive in the Mara this afternoon. This introductory drive will immediately immerse you in the rich wildlife. Look for Africa’s legendary Big Five – lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo – they’re all here. You’ll have your best chances of seeing lion and the other big cats (leopard and cheetah) as sightings are regularly reported due to the Mara's healthy predator populations.

We’ll spend the next three nights at the Masai Mara at the safari lodge or tented camp of your choice, ready for an unparalleled wildlife experience.

Full Day – Masai Mara: Abundant Wildlife & Migration Spectacle

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

We’ve planned this 8-day safari to give you lots of time to explore the rolling hills and acacia tree-dotted plains of the Masai Mara.

One of the most unique properties of the Mara is that this ecosystem has the highest concentration of wildlife in this region of Africa. Besides the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, buffalo), we’ll be looking for vast herds of gazelle, topi, eland, plus great quantities of diverse birdlife – including colorful kingfisher, majestic storks, busy guinea fowl, and plenty of powerful raptors.

You may also see stunning hordes of wildebeests and zebra throughout the park during the Great Migration (July – October). This is the time when uncountable numbers of these grazers invade the park, crossing the Mara River, searching for sustenance – a truly unforgettable natural phenomenon.

We’ll take a picnic lunch near the Mara River, keeping an eye out for lurking hippos and crocodiles. And if it is the migration season, look for the vast influx of wildlife streaming into the Mara, creating a spectacle of life and survival.

This will be our second night spent here at your chosen Mara accommodation, allowing you to immerse deeper into the rhythms of the bush.

Second Full Day of Game Drives at Masai Mara: Optional Excursions

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

It is our second full day at the Masai Mara. If you have any special requests or spots you'd like to visit or re-visit, just ask your driver/guide. He’ll be happy to help tailor the day's game drives to your preferences, allowing for further exploration of this magnificent reserve.

Beyond the thrilling game drives, two memorable optional activities your guide will let you know about are:

• Optional Visit to a Local Maasai Village: Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of the Maasai people. For $20 per person, you can meet the tribespeople, learn about their lives, traditions, and unique culture. You might even participate in one of their energetic dances! (Consult your safari driver/guide while on safari to arrange this).
• Optional Pre-Dawn Hot Air Balloon Safari: For a truly breathtaking perspective, consider a pre-dawn hot air balloon safari over the park. Imagine sailing silently over the Masai Mara as the sun begins to light up the hills, valleys, and rivers of the reserve. You’ll have a perfect, panoramic view of the wildlife as it roams over the vast plains – a not-to-be-missed experience! Your guide can make all the arrangements for this incredible adventure (enquire with us for the cost, which is typically around $420 per person).

Our final safari night will be spent here at your Mara accommodation, allowing you to reflect on the incredible experiences of the past days.

Masai Mara – Nairobi: Safari Conclusion & Departure (265km – Approx. 5 hrs)

Meal plan: Breakfast.

After a leisurely breakfast at your lodge/camp, your dedicated driver-guide will assist you with the checkout process and proceed to Nairobi – Kenya’s vibrant capital city.

On the way, your guide will point out the impressive Longonot extinct volcano, a stratovolcano located southeast of Lake Naivasha in the Great Rift Valley of Kenya. It is thought to have last erupted in the 1860s, and its name is derived from the Maasai word Oloonong’ot, meaning “mountains of many spurs” or “steep ridges.”

You have flexible options for your return:

• You can opt to drive via Naivasha for lunch/excursions (at an extra cost).
• Alternatively, drive straight to Nairobi and pass by Kiambethu Farm for a delightful tea farm tour inclusive of a three-course buffet lunch (at an extra cost).
• OR, drive straight back to the capital and later transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) for your flight back home.

We will bring you to your hotel, residence, or the airport, ensuring a comfortable end to your journey.

8 days of discovery – lakes, rivers, and acacia-dotted rolling hills. And all the wildlife that these lands offer as a gift of the natural world. We hope you took plenty of photos and memories to share back home.

We at Walk With Maa Tours appreciate your patronage and thank you for your trust. Until we next meet – Asante!