Everything about this journey
Move between the trip overview, day-by-day plan and what is or is not included in your safari price.
About this journey
Experiences
Travel style
- Private Safari
- Tailor-made Safari
Transport and guiding
Private 4x4 with birding-oriented safari guide; specialist ornithologist upgrade available.
Your safari itinerary
A clear daily flow so you know how the journey unfolds from departure to the final experience.
Nairobi to Lake Naivasha – Rift Valley birding
Lake Naivasha
Travel to Naivasha and spend the afternoon on a boat and shoreline habitats looking for fish eagles, kingfishers, herons, cormorants and other freshwater species, alongside hippos and plains wildlife.
Your detailed programme begins with a guide briefing covering the day's route, expected travel time, activity conditions and any park or conservation-area procedures. Keep cameras, binoculars, sun protection and a light layer accessible rather than packed away, because useful sightings or scenic stops can begin before the main destination is reached.
Lake Naivasha introduces a freshwater ecosystem into the safari circuit. Boat outings typically focus on hippos viewed at a respectful distance, African fish eagles, kingfishers, cormorants and other waterbirds, with exact routing determined by wind, water level and local boat guidance. The wider Naivasha area also links naturally with Hell's Gate and the Rift Valley. It is a useful change of pace between long game-drive days because the experience is slower, quieter and viewed from water level rather than through a safari vehicle.
This is also a transfer day, so the itinerary avoids pretending that road travel is empty time. Departure is planned early enough to protect the useful safari or activity window, while comfort stops are taken as needed. Drive times in Kenya vary with traffic, weather, road works, park entry procedures and wildlife stops. If arrival is earlier than expected, the guide can use the remaining light for an introductory activity; if conditions cause delay, the programme protects safety and avoids rushing after dark.
By the end of the activity, the guide will recap the main sightings and experiences and confirm the next day's departure plan where applicable. Exact wildlife sightings, mountain views, migration activity, road conditions and activity access remain subject to nature and local regulations, which is why the itinerary is detailed but intentionally not presented as a guarantee of specific encounters.
Lake Naivasha to Lake Nakuru
Lake Nakuru National Park
Continue to Nakuru and explore lake shore, woodland and grassland for flamingos when present, pelicans, raptors, rhino, Rothschild’s giraffe and buffalo.
After the morning briefing, your guide reviews current conditions and adjusts the day's route where necessary. The aim is to preserve the core itinerary while using local knowledge, recent sightings and realistic transfer times to make the day more rewarding.
Lake Nakuru is a compact Rift Valley park where lake-edge habitat, woodland, grassland and rocky slopes can be explored within a relatively small area. It is particularly important for rhino conservation and also supports Rothschild's giraffe, buffalo, zebra, antelope, predators and diverse birdlife. Flamingo numbers vary with water chemistry, lake levels and feeding conditions, so the park should not be sold as a guaranteed flamingo spectacle. Its compact scale makes it well suited to focused morning or afternoon drives and to combination routes with the Mara, Naivasha or Laikipia.
This is also a transfer day, so the itinerary avoids pretending that road travel is empty time. Departure is planned early enough to protect the useful safari or activity window, while comfort stops are taken as needed. Drive times in Kenya vary with traffic, weather, road works, park entry procedures and wildlife stops. If arrival is earlier than expected, the guide can use the remaining light for an introductory activity; if conditions cause delay, the programme protects safety and avoids rushing after dark.
By the end of the activity, the guide will recap the main sightings and experiences and confirm the next day's departure plan where applicable. Exact wildlife sightings, mountain views, migration activity, road conditions and activity access remain subject to nature and local regulations, which is why the itinerary is detailed but intentionally not presented as a guarantee of specific encounters.
Lake Nakuru to Lake Baringo
Lake Baringo
Take a final early Nakuru birding drive, then travel north to Lake Baringo. Spend the late afternoon in dry Rift Valley habitat for waterbirds, raptors and species associated with the surrounding bush.
After the morning briefing, your guide reviews current conditions and adjusts the day's route where necessary. The aim is to preserve the core itinerary while using local knowledge, recent sightings and realistic transfer times to make the day more rewarding.
Lake Baringo is primarily a birding and freshwater-ecology destination. Its islands, shoreline, acacia country and open water support an impressive range of resident and migrant birds. Boat activities, when included, are subject to wind and water conditions and may also reveal hippos or crocodiles from a safe distance. For specialist birders, the guide can slow the pace considerably to work through raptors, kingfishers, herons, waterbirds and dry-country species rather than treating the lake as a quick scenic stop.
This is also a transfer day, so the itinerary avoids pretending that road travel is empty time. Departure is planned early enough to protect the useful safari or activity window, while comfort stops are taken as needed. Drive times in Kenya vary with traffic, weather, road works, park entry procedures and wildlife stops. If arrival is earlier than expected, the guide can use the remaining light for an introductory activity; if conditions cause delay, the programme protects safety and avoids rushing after dark.
By the end of the activity, the guide will recap the main sightings and experiences and confirm the next day's departure plan where applicable. Exact wildlife sightings, mountain views, migration activity, road conditions and activity access remain subject to nature and local regulations, which is why the itinerary is detailed but intentionally not presented as a guarantee of specific encounters.
Lake Baringo full birding day
Lake Baringo
Use dawn and late afternoon for birding around shoreline and dry-country habitats. The exact locations are chosen according to season, water levels and current access, with a midday rest during the hottest hours.
After the morning briefing, your guide reviews current conditions and adjusts the day's route where necessary. The aim is to preserve the core itinerary while using local knowledge, recent sightings and realistic transfer times to make the day more rewarding.
Lake Baringo is primarily a birding and freshwater-ecology destination. Its islands, shoreline, acacia country and open water support an impressive range of resident and migrant birds. Boat activities, when included, are subject to wind and water conditions and may also reveal hippos or crocodiles from a safe distance. For specialist birders, the guide can slow the pace considerably to work through raptors, kingfishers, herons, waterbirds and dry-country species rather than treating the lake as a quick scenic stop.
Birding is handled at a slower pace than a normal game drive. The guide uses habitat changes, calls, feeding activity and known local niches to build the species list, with time for identification and photographs. Seasonal migrants, water level and weather influence what is present, so the emphasis is on quality observation rather than promising a fixed number of species. Mammals and landscapes remain part of the day whenever they complement the birding route.
By the end of the activity, the guide will recap the main sightings and experiences and confirm the next day's departure plan where applicable. Exact wildlife sightings, mountain views, migration activity, road conditions and activity access remain subject to nature and local regulations, which is why the itinerary is detailed but intentionally not presented as a guarantee of specific encounters.
Lake Baringo to Samburu
Samburu National Reserve
Travel to Samburu and begin an afternoon game drive focused on northern mammals and dry-country birds around the Ewaso Nyiro river.
After the morning briefing, your guide reviews current conditions and adjusts the day's route where necessary. The aim is to preserve the core itinerary while using local knowledge, recent sightings and realistic transfer times to make the day more rewarding.
Samburu offers a dry-country safari very different from southern Kenya. The Ewaso Nyiro river and its riverine vegetation draw elephants and wildlife into an otherwise arid landscape of acacia, scrub and rocky country. The reserve is known for northern specialists such as Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, beisa oryx and Somali ostrich, often grouped as part of the 'Samburu Special Five'. Lion, leopard and other predators are also possible. Game drives are planned around the river corridor, open country and seasonal conditions, with time for both wildlife behaviour and the distinctive northern landscape.
This is also a transfer day, so the itinerary avoids pretending that road travel is empty time. Departure is planned early enough to protect the useful safari or activity window, while comfort stops are taken as needed. Drive times in Kenya vary with traffic, weather, road works, park entry procedures and wildlife stops. If arrival is earlier than expected, the guide can use the remaining light for an introductory activity; if conditions cause delay, the programme protects safety and avoids rushing after dark.
By the end of the activity, the guide will recap the main sightings and experiences and confirm the next day's departure plan where applicable. Exact wildlife sightings, mountain views, migration activity, road conditions and activity access remain subject to nature and local regulations, which is why the itinerary is detailed but intentionally not presented as a guarantee of specific encounters.
Full-day Samburu Special Five and birding
Samburu National Reserve
Explore riverine and arid habitats for reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, gerenuk, oryx, elephant, big cats, vultures, eagles and specialist birds.
After the morning briefing, your guide reviews current conditions and adjusts the day's route where necessary. The aim is to preserve the core itinerary while using local knowledge, recent sightings and realistic transfer times to make the day more rewarding.
Samburu offers a dry-country safari very different from southern Kenya. The Ewaso Nyiro river and its riverine vegetation draw elephants and wildlife into an otherwise arid landscape of acacia, scrub and rocky country. The reserve is known for northern specialists such as Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, beisa oryx and Somali ostrich, often grouped as part of the 'Samburu Special Five'. Lion, leopard and other predators are also possible. Game drives are planned around the river corridor, open country and seasonal conditions, with time for both wildlife behaviour and the distinctive northern landscape.
A full day gives the guide freedom to work with wildlife and conditions rather than a fixed return deadline. Expect an early start, a slower midday period or picnic arrangement where appropriate, and renewed activity later in the afternoon. Time can be spent at a rewarding sighting instead of leaving simply to keep a timetable. Routes are varied to avoid repeating the same habitat and to increase the range of landscapes, species and photographic opportunities seen during the day.
By the end of the activity, the guide will recap the main sightings and experiences and confirm the next day's departure plan where applicable. Exact wildlife sightings, mountain views, migration activity, road conditions and activity access remain subject to nature and local regulations, which is why the itinerary is detailed but intentionally not presented as a guarantee of specific encounters.
Second Samburu morning and afternoon
Samburu National Reserve
Use the extra day to revisit productive birding sites at different light periods and to follow mammal activity without rushing.
After the morning briefing, your guide reviews current conditions and adjusts the day's route where necessary. The aim is to preserve the core itinerary while using local knowledge, recent sightings and realistic transfer times to make the day more rewarding.
Samburu offers a dry-country safari very different from southern Kenya. The Ewaso Nyiro river and its riverine vegetation draw elephants and wildlife into an otherwise arid landscape of acacia, scrub and rocky country. The reserve is known for northern specialists such as Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, beisa oryx and Somali ostrich, often grouped as part of the 'Samburu Special Five'. Lion, leopard and other predators are also possible. Game drives are planned around the river corridor, open country and seasonal conditions, with time for both wildlife behaviour and the distinctive northern landscape.
A full day gives the guide freedom to work with wildlife and conditions rather than a fixed return deadline. Expect an early start, a slower midday period or picnic arrangement where appropriate, and renewed activity later in the afternoon. Time can be spent at a rewarding sighting instead of leaving simply to keep a timetable. Routes are varied to avoid repeating the same habitat and to increase the range of landscapes, species and photographic opportunities seen during the day.
By the end of the activity, the guide will recap the main sightings and experiences and confirm the next day's departure plan where applicable. Exact wildlife sightings, mountain views, migration activity, road conditions and activity access remain subject to nature and local regulations, which is why the itinerary is detailed but intentionally not presented as a guarantee of specific encounters.
Samburu to Mount Kenya highlands
Mount Kenya
Travel south into cooler highlands around Mount Kenya. Spend the afternoon on forest-edge and garden birding walks at an appropriate accessible location, with mountain views when weather permits.
After the morning briefing, your guide reviews current conditions and adjusts the day's route where necessary. The aim is to preserve the core itinerary while using local knowledge, recent sightings and realistic transfer times to make the day more rewarding.
The Mount Kenya highlands provide cooler air, forested slopes, agricultural country and views toward Africa's second-highest mountain when weather permits. Unless a trekking itinerary specifically says otherwise, this is not a summit-climbing day; the focus is on scenic highland travel, forest-edge nature, local landscapes and a gradual transition between central Kenya and the drier north. Cloud can build around the mountain quickly, so views are treated as a bonus rather than a guaranteed feature.
This is also a transfer day, so the itinerary avoids pretending that road travel is empty time. Departure is planned early enough to protect the useful safari or activity window, while comfort stops are taken as needed. Drive times in Kenya vary with traffic, weather, road works, park entry procedures and wildlife stops. If arrival is earlier than expected, the guide can use the remaining light for an introductory activity; if conditions cause delay, the programme protects safety and avoids rushing after dark.
By the end of the activity, the guide will recap the main sightings and experiences and confirm the next day's departure plan where applicable. Exact wildlife sightings, mountain views, migration activity, road conditions and activity access remain subject to nature and local regulations, which is why the itinerary is detailed but intentionally not presented as a guarantee of specific encounters.
Mount Kenya morning birding and Nairobi return
Mount Kenya
Take an early highland birding walk, then drive back to Nairobi through the central Kenya agricultural landscape, arriving in the afternoon.
After the morning briefing, your guide reviews current conditions and adjusts the day's route where necessary. The aim is to preserve the core itinerary while using local knowledge, recent sightings and realistic transfer times to make the day more rewarding.
The Mount Kenya highlands provide cooler air, forested slopes, agricultural country and views toward Africa's second-highest mountain when weather permits. Unless a trekking itinerary specifically says otherwise, this is not a summit-climbing day; the focus is on scenic highland travel, forest-edge nature, local landscapes and a gradual transition between central Kenya and the drier north. Cloud can build around the mountain quickly, so views are treated as a bonus rather than a guaranteed feature.
This is also a transfer day, so the itinerary avoids pretending that road travel is empty time. Departure is planned early enough to protect the useful safari or activity window, while comfort stops are taken as needed. Drive times in Kenya vary with traffic, weather, road works, park entry procedures and wildlife stops. If arrival is earlier than expected, the guide can use the remaining light for an introductory activity; if conditions cause delay, the programme protects safety and avoids rushing after dark.
By the end of the activity, the guide will recap the main sightings and experiences and confirm the next day's departure plan where applicable. Exact wildlife sightings, mountain views, migration activity, road conditions and activity access remain subject to nature and local regulations, which is why the itinerary is detailed but intentionally not presented as a guarantee of specific encounters.
What your package covers
These items are included in the quoted safari price unless your written quotation states otherwise.
- Professional English-speaking safari driver-guide.
- Transport in the vehicle type specified for the package, with game-viewing roof where applicable.
- All scheduled game drives, guided visits and activities stated in the itinerary.
- Applicable national park, national reserve or conservancy entry fees for the included programme.
- Accommodation during multi-day safari nights in the selected comfort category; specific properties are confirmed at quotation stage and are not fixed in this package description.
- Meals stated in the day-by-day itinerary.
- Bottled drinking water while travelling in the safari vehicle.
- Pick-up and drop-off at the stated Nairobi, Mombasa, Diani, Malindi or Watamu meeting point where applicable.
- Government taxes and service charges applicable to the included services at the time of quotation.
What to budget for separately
These items are normally outside the package price unless specifically added to your written quotation.
- International flights and any domestic flights not expressly stated as included.
- Kenya visa or electronic travel authorisation costs where applicable.
- Travel, medical, evacuation and cancellation insurance.
- Tips and gratuities for guides, drivers, porters and other service staff.
- Alcoholic drinks, premium beverages and personal purchases.
- Laundry, telephone charges, souvenirs and other personal expenses.
- Optional activities such as hot-air balloon safaris, night drives, spa treatments or additional community visits unless specifically stated as included.
- Pre-safari and post-safari accommodation or transfers not stated in the itinerary.
- Any new or increased statutory park, reserve, conservancy, marine or government charges introduced after a quotation has been confirmed, unless otherwise stated in the booking terms.
