Safari Overview
This 9 day off the beaten path safari offers a deep dive into Kenya’s untamed wilderness. Starting at the lush Aberdare National Park, spend your first night at the unique Ark Lodge, set in the forest overlooking a wildlife frequented waterhole. Then journey north to Samburu, home to rare species like the Gerenuk and Somali ostrich. Over two nights, enjoy game drives through the rugged reserve, where you’ll encounter Samburu’s “Special Five” and over 450 bird species.
Next, travel to the Rift Valley’s Lake Nakuru, a bird lover’s paradise and a sanctuary for endangered white rhinos. Afterward, fly over central Kenya’s dramatic terrain to the world renowned Masai Mara. Spend four incredible days here chasing the Big Five, witnessing dramatic predator-prey encounters, and, if traveling between July and October, possibly witnessing the Great Migration.
This safari seamlessly blends rare wildlife, cultural encounters, and luxury in remote locations, giving you a comprehensive and unforgettable experience of Kenya’s most enchanting and diverse ecosystems.
Safari Itinerary
After pick up, we will start our drive to the Aberdare Mountain Ranges. The Aberdare National Park was created in 1950 to protect the forested slopes of the ancient Aberdare Range, with wildlife ranging from elephant and lion to the black and white Colobus monkey and beautiful but lesser-sighted bongo – a horned antelope with distinctive white stripes.
Once you reach Aberdare National Park, you’ll check in at The Ark Lodge, which will be your viewing perch for the night. In the heart of the Aberdare National Park, The Ark’s design is based on Noah’s Ark. It overlooks a floodlit waterhole and salt lick, attracting wildlife day and night.
Four viewing decks with balconies allow up-close wildlife viewing without even leaving your accommodation. There’s also a ground-level photo hide and an on-call viewing service to ensure that you don’t miss a thing. Rooms are known as ‘cabins’, set over three ‘decks’.
Enjoy your one-night stay at the Aberdare National Park, visit the famous waterfalls and hike the highest peak, satima, that’s recorded to be the 3rd highest point in Kenya.
Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
- Location: – Aberdare National Park
- Camp of Stay: – The Ark Lodge
- Meal Plan: – Full board
- Activities: Game drive
After breakfast, you will start the drive to Samburu National Reserve. Get there in time for lunch. After checking in and rest, we’ll embark on an afternoon game drive to enjoy sightings of wildlife species such as the elephants, and special five species including, Somali Ostrich, Gerenuk antelope, Reticulated Giraffe, Grevy Zebras, Beisa Oryxes.
Dinner and overnight at the camp.
- Location: – Samburu National Reserve
- Camp of Stay: – Samburu Intrepids
- Meal Plan: – Full board
- Activities: Game drive
Head out with your guide/driver into the Samburu reserve on morning and afternoon game drives.
Samburu National Reserve is home to the big five, Elephant, Lion, Rhino, Leopard, Buffalo. The Gerenuk, Reticulated Giraffe, Somali Ostrich, Gravy Zebra, Besia Oryx, are classified as the Samburu special five that are rarely found in other popular parks. There are also endangered Wild Dog as well as Pun cake Tortoise – Endangered. There are over 450 species of birds identified and aquatic species in the Waso Nyiro River including, vultures, kingfishers, marabous, bateleurs, guinea fowl and others. The whole day will be spent exploring the park for the whole day game drive.
Dinner and overnight at the camp.
- Location: – Samburu National Reserve
- Camp of Stay: – Samburu Intrepids
- Meal Plan: – Full board
- Activities: Game drive
Have breakfast before driving via Thomson’s Falls – a scenic waterfall on the Ewaso Nyiro River – to Lake Nakuru National Park for lunch and a game drive. The park is a haven for bird lovers, with over 400 species of bird, and provides a habitat for lion, leopard, and Rothschild giraffe. It also offers fantastic chances of spotting herds of white rhinos.
Enjoy an afternoon game drive. Later, head to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
- Location: – Lake Nakuru
- Camp of Stay: – Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge
- Meal Plan: – Full board
- Activities: Game drive
After breakfast, Proceed to the Masai Mara National Reserve.
There shall be stops at scenic places along the Nakuru – Masai Mara route
Arrive in time for lunch. Enjoy an afternoon game drive as we familiarize with the reserve. Dinner and overnight at the camp.
- Location: – Maasai Mara National Reserve
- Camp of Stay: – LOYK Mara Camp
- Meal Plan: – Full board
- Activities: Afternoon Game drive
The following three days will be filled with in depth exploration of the Mara, you will be taken for full-day game drives of the most renowned game reserve in Kenya. It has won several awards as the leading destination in Africa.
The Mara offers wildlife in such variety and abundance that it will be easy to spot them. You will be on the lookout for Africa’s Big Five – lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino. The birdlife is also abundant.
Maasai Mara is famous for the great wildebeest migration, where millions of wildebeest and zebras from the Serengeti (Tanzania) migrate to Mara in search of water and pasture. Following on their heels are the predators of the savanna- lion, cheetah, wild dog, jackal, hyena and vultures making for incredible sightings.
With a vast land to explore, we will be able to spot lots of wildlife such as the big cats, wildebeest, birds, and many more. From July to October, this vast land hosts the most phenomenal activities in the world, the wildebeest migration and crossing. With an added bit of African rough and bush terrain, this eventful moment will actually close up your safari in a memorable way.
Return to camp for dinner and overnight.
- Location: – Maasai Mara National Reserve
- Camp of Stay: – LOYK Camp
- Meal Plan: – Full board
- Activities: Game drive
On our last day, we will be finalizing our 9 days Off Beaten Path Safari in Kenya. Early Morning breakfast at your camp. We will have our last morning game drive before checking out of our camp. We will drive to Nairobi before checking in at our city hotel in Nairobi for refreshments and rest.
Later, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back home.
What is Included in the Safari
Includes
- Return Flights as per the package
- Return road Transfers with our 4×4 land cruiser jeeps.
- Return Bush Transfers
- Concessions and Park entrance fees to all parks being visited
- Accommodation on Twin / Double basis in luxury camps
- Meals are on full board basis (Vegetarian Options are available and Gluten Free)
- Comprehensive game drives in our 4×4 open sided land cruiser jeeps with amazing spaces with window seats, freezers electric sockets and binoculars.
- Services of a professional photographer, English speaking, private birding safari guide.
- Maasai Community Visit in Masai Mara and Bush Dinner
- Evacuation Covers with Amref International
- Mineral drinking water all through the safari
Excludes
- Exclusives
- Personal Items (Visas, Medical and Travel Insurances)
- Alcoholic beverages where not applicable (Mostly international brands)
- Tips and Gratuity (We recommend you tip our guides directly)
- Activities not mentioned above
- Any other item / activity not mentioned above
- Extra activities to book for safari Include (Should be booked prior)