21 Days Kenya Wildlife Safari

Your 21 Days Kenya Wildlife Safari begins when you arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. After immigration, baggage collection and customs, meet our representative in the arrivals area and transfer privately to your Nairobi hotel.

The first day is intentionally relaxed. Many international travelers arrive after overnight flights, and beginning a long safari immediately can create unnecessary fatigue. Check in and spend the remainder of the day resting. Depending on arrival time, you may:

• Relax beside the pool.
• Enjoy a spa treatment.
• Have lunch or dinner.
• Walk through hotel gardens.
• Prepare camera equipment.
• Organize safari luggage.
• Rest.

Later, your representative or guide can provide a detailed briefing. Topics may include:

• Safari route.
• Driving times.
• Park regulations.
• Wildlife expectations.
• Accommodation.
• Meals.
• Photography.
• Domestic flight options.
• Optional activities.
• Luggage.
• Safety.

If you have specific interests such as predators, birding, photography, elephants or rhinos, inform your guide before the safari begins.

Destination: Nairobi

Activities: Airport transfer and safari briefing

Accommodation: Nairobi hotel

Meal Plan: According to arrival arrangement

Samburu Wildlife Safari

After breakfast, meet your driver-guide and leave Nairobi. Travel north through Kenya’s central highlands toward Samburu National Reserve. The changing scenery is one of the attractions of the journey, as green agricultural landscapes gradually give way to increasingly dry northern country. By the time you reach Samburu, the environment feels completely different from Nairobi, with acacia scrub, dusty plains, rocky hills and the Ewaso Nyiro River defining the landscape.

Arrive at your lodge or tented camp, enjoy lunch and prepare for an afternoon game drive. Samburu is famous for wildlife species associated with northern Kenya, including: Grevy’s zebra, Reticulated giraffe, Gerenuk, Beisa oryx, Somali ostrich.

Together, these species are frequently promoted as the Samburu Special Five. Other wildlife can include: Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Spotted hyena, Waterbuck, Impala, Dik-dik, Warthog, Baboon.

The Ewaso Nyiro River is critically important, and animals frequently gather near the river during dry periods. Return to camp after the afternoon drive.

Destination: Samburu National Reserve

Activities: Road transfer and afternoon game drive

Accommodation: Safari lodge/tented camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Wake early and begin wildlife viewing while temperatures remain cool. Predators may still be active after nighttime hunting, and your guide may search for lions and leopards before concentrating on the specialized northern wildlife, although sightings cannot be guaranteed.

Grevy’s Zebra

Grevy’s zebras are larger than plains zebras. They have:

• Narrow stripes.
• Large rounded ears.
• White bellies.
• Tall bodies.

Seeing this endangered zebra is one of the principal reasons to visit northern Kenya. Other northern specialties include:

• Reticulated giraffe: has sharply defined coat patterns, and its striking appearance makes it one of the region’s most photogenic mammals.
• Gerenuk: a long-necked antelope adapted to dry environments that may stand upright on its hind legs while feeding from shrubs.
• Beisa oryx: has long straight horns and distinctive facial markings.
• Somali ostrich: this large northern ostrich adds another specialized species to the wildlife list.

Return to the lodge for breakfast and relaxation. During the afternoon, head back toward the river, where elephants often gather around water. Possible observations include:

• Drinking.
• Bathing.
• Dust bathing.
• Family interaction.
• Calves playing.
• River crossings.

Return to camp for dinner.

Destination: Samburu

Activities: Morning and afternoon game drives

Accommodation: Same lodge/camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

A second complete day in Samburu allows deeper exploration, and your guide can use information from the previous day to decide where to focus. If a leopard was seen near the river, return to that area. If elephants are concentrating upstream, explore those sections. If cheetahs were seen on the open plains, the guide can search for them again, although sightings cannot be guaranteed.

Leopards are particularly associated with riverine woodland, and these elusive cats may rest in trees during the day. Lions occupy several sections of the ecosystem, and cheetahs generally favor more open terrain. Spotted hyenas and jackals provide additional predator encounters.

Birdwatching is also excellent. Possible birds include: Hornbills, Bee-eaters, Kingfishers, Rollers, Eagles, Vultures, Guinea fowl, Sunbirds.

Spend the middle of the day at camp and return for another evening safari.

Destination: Samburu

Activities: Full-day game viewing

Accommodation: Same camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Ol Pejeta Conservancy

After breakfast, leave Samburu and travel toward Ol Pejeta Conservancy. The environment changes as you move south toward Laikipia. Ol Pejeta is internationally known for wildlife conservation and especially for rhino protection.

Arrive at your lodge or tented camp and enjoy lunch before beginning your first game drive. Possible wildlife includes: Black rhino, White rhino, Elephant, Lion, Buffalo, Giraffe, Zebra, Eland, Warthog, Hyena, Impala.

The conservancy provides a different safari experience from Samburu, as wildlife viewing is combined with conservation education. Selected specialist experiences may be available by advance reservation. Return to camp in the evening.

Destination: Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Activities: Transfer and game drive

Accommodation: Lodge/tented camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Begin early, as rhinos are the primary focus today. Both black and white rhinos can potentially be encountered, although sightings cannot be guaranteed. Your guide can explain the differences between them: white rhinos are primarily grazers and have broad mouths, while black rhinos are browsers and have more pointed upper lips.

Wildlife conservation is central to Ol Pejeta’s identity. Depending on the activities available, guests may learn about:

• Rhino monitoring.
• Anti-poaching operations.
• Habitat management.
• Wildlife research.
• Conservation technology.
• Community partnerships.

Certain specialist activities may have extra fees. General wildlife viewing remains excellent, so spend time searching for lions, elephants, buffaloes and plains game.

Return for lunch and later undertake another game drive. If permitted and available, an evening activity can sometimes provide an opportunity to experience wildlife after sunset.

Destination: Ol Pejeta

Activities: Game drives and conservation experiences

Accommodation: Same lodge/camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Lake Nakuru National Park

After breakfast, leave Ol Pejeta and travel into the Great Rift Valley, continuing toward Lake Nakuru National Park. The park is relatively compact but biologically diverse. Enter and begin your wildlife drive. Lake Nakuru is another important rhino destination, and possible mammals include: White rhino, Black rhino, Rothschild’s giraffe, Buffalo, Zebra, Waterbuck, Baboon, Warthog, Lion, Leopard.

Flamingos are famously associated with Lake Nakuru, but their numbers fluctuate according to lake conditions. Other waterbirds may include: Pelicans, Storks, Herons, Egrets, Cormorants, Eagles.

Explore the park before continuing to your lodge.

Destination: Lake Nakuru

Activities: Transfer and game drive

Accommodation: Safari lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Lake Naivasha

Begin the day with another Lake Nakuru game drive. Morning light can provide excellent photography conditions. Search open grasslands for rhinos and buffaloes and explore woodland for giraffes and predators. Return for breakfast before departing toward Lake Naivasha.

Arrive at your lakeside lodge, enjoy lunch and relax. Later, take a boat safari if included. Lake Naivasha supports hippos and extensive birdlife, and possible sightings include: Hippo, African fish eagle, Pelican, Cormorant, Kingfisher, Heron, Egret, Jacana.

The boat experience provides a useful break from vehicle-based safari. Return to the lodge before evening.

Destination: Lake Naivasha

Activities: Morning Lake Nakuru safari, transfer and boat trip

Accommodation: Lakeside lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Amboseli National Park

After breakfast, leave Lake Naivasha and travel toward Amboseli National Park. Amboseli is one of Kenya’s most celebrated wildlife areas, famous for large elephant populations and views toward Mount Kilimanjaro, although mountain views are never guaranteed.

Arrive at your lodge or camp, enjoy lunch and a short rest. Later, depart for an afternoon game drive. Possible wildlife includes: Elephant, Buffalo, Zebra, Wildebeest, Giraffe, Hippo, Lion, Cheetah, Hyena, Warthog, Gazelles.

Amboseli’s wetlands attract wildlife even during dry conditions. If Kilimanjaro is visible, the mountain creates one of the most iconic safari landscapes in Africa. Return for dinner.

Destination: Amboseli

Activities: Transfer and afternoon game drive

Accommodation: Safari lodge/tented camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Wake before sunrise, as the early morning hours are especially important for potential Kilimanjaro views. Clouds often build later in the day, although weather is unpredictable. Head onto the plains, where Amboseli’s elephants provide exceptional opportunities for behavioral observation. Possible scenes include:

• Family groups crossing open plains.
• Calves playing.
• Elephants feeding in wetlands.
• Bulls walking independently.
• Herds bathing.
• Dust clouds.
• Elephants drinking.

The wetlands also support:

• Buffaloes.
• Hippos.
• Waterbirds.

Predators may include lions, cheetahs and hyenas, although sightings cannot be guaranteed. Return to camp for breakfast and lunch or remain out with a picnic depending on your preferred schedule. Spend the afternoon exploring a different part of the park.

Destination: Amboseli

Activities: Morning and afternoon game drives

Accommodation: Same camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Another full day allows the safari to respond to changing wildlife conditions. If Kilimanjaro was hidden yesterday, try again at sunrise. If a lion pride has been located, your guide may return to that territory. If elephant herds are concentrated in one of the marshes, spend time there.

Birdwatching is particularly strong. Possible birds include: Crowned cranes, Herons, Egrets, Pelicans, Storks, Secretary birds, Bustards, Eagles, Ostriches, Kingfishers.

The extended stay provides excellent opportunities for wildlife photography. Instead of rushing, photographers can wait for better light, behavior and positioning. Finish your final Amboseli day with sunset over the plains.

Destination: Amboseli

Activities: Full-day wildlife safari

Accommodation: Same lodge/camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Tsavo West National Park

After breakfast, leave Amboseli and travel toward Tsavo West National Park. The scenery changes dramatically, as Tsavo West is characterized by:

• Volcanic landscapes.
• Rocky hills.
• Lava flows.
• Woodland.
• Springs.
• Open savannah.

Arrive at your lodge, enjoy lunch and later begin a game drive. One of the park’s famous attractions is Mzima Springs, where clear groundwater creates an oasis within the dry environment. Depending on conditions and routing, visitors may see hippos and aquatic life around the spring system. Wildlife elsewhere in Tsavo West may include: Elephant, Buffalo, Giraffe, Zebra, Hippo, Waterbuck, Lion, Leopard, Antelopes.

Leopards are naturally difficult to locate in the thicker vegetation. Return to your lodge.

Destination: Tsavo West

Activities: Transfer and game drive

Accommodation: Safari lodge/tented camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Spend the entire day exploring Tsavo West, one of Kenya’s great wilderness parks. The vegetation can make wildlife more difficult to locate than in open savannah parks, but the landscape itself becomes an important part of the experience. Your guide may explore:

• Waterholes.
• Open plains.
• Lava landscapes.
• Woodland.
• Springs.
• Scenic viewpoints.

Elephants are common, and their skin may appear reddish after dust bathing in Tsavo’s iron-rich soil. Buffaloes may form substantial herds, and lions inhabit the ecosystem. Leopards remain present but elusive, and no sighting can be guaranteed. The park’s birdlife can also be excellent.

Spend the middle of the day at your lodge or remain in the field with a picnic, then return for an afternoon drive.

Destination: Tsavo West

Activities: Full-day safari

Accommodation: Same lodge/camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Tsavo East National Park

After breakfast, leave Tsavo West and continue into Tsavo East National Park. Although the two parks form parts of the same wider ecosystem, the landscapes differ. Tsavo East generally contains broader open terrain, so wildlife can be easier to see in certain areas.

Enter the park and begin game viewing. Elephants are among the main attractions, and large herds may move across the red-earth landscape. Other wildlife can include: Lion, Buffalo, Giraffe, Zebra, Impala, Waterbuck, Kudu, Jackal, Hyena.

The Galana River and seasonal watercourses are important wildlife areas. Continue to your lodge or camp and, after lunch, return for another afternoon drive.

Destination: Tsavo East

Activities: Transfer and game drive

Accommodation: Safari lodge/tented camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Begin early, as the vast scale of Tsavo East becomes apparent during a full-day safari. Unlike smaller parks where roads frequently intersect, Tsavo can create a sense of enormous space. Elephants are the major highlight, and you may encounter:

• Breeding herds.
• Bulls.
• Calves.
• Dust-bathing elephants.
• Herds walking toward water.

Lions can also be encountered, although sightings cannot be guaranteed, and Tsavo’s lions occupy a legendary place in Kenyan safari history. Spotted hyenas, jackals and other carnivores may also be seen.

Birdlife differs from wetter Rift Valley destinations, with dry-country species becoming more prominent. Your guide can explore areas around rivers, waterholes and open plains. Return to the lodge in the evening.

Destination: Tsavo East

Activities: Full-day wildlife safari

Accommodation: Same lodge/camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Return to Nairobi

After breakfast, enjoy wildlife viewing while leaving Tsavo East and travel back toward Nairobi. This is primarily a transfer day and provides an opportunity to rest before the final Masai Mara portion. Arrive in Nairobi and check into your hotel. The remainder of the afternoon can be used for:

• Laundry.
• Relaxation.
• Spa treatment.
• Shopping.
• Restaurant dining.
• Repacking.
• Camera maintenance.
• Image backup.

After more than two weeks of safari, the Nairobi break helps reset the pace before the final wildlife destination.

Destination: Nairobi

Activities: Transfer and leisure

Accommodation: Nairobi hotel

Meal Plan: Breakfast and according to hotel arrangement

Masai Mara National Reserve

After breakfast, travel toward the Masai Mara National Reserve. The journey can be completed by road or domestic flight. Flying reduces travel time and is particularly useful after a long overland safari. If flying, transfer to the appropriate Nairobi airport and board your safari aircraft, land at an airstrip close to your selected camp, meet your Mara guide and begin wildlife viewing immediately. If traveling by road, enter the ecosystem during the afternoon.

The Masai Mara is one of Africa’s most wildlife-rich environments. Possible sightings include: Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Elephant, Buffalo, Giraffe, Zebra, Wildebeest, Topi, Eland, Impala, Gazelles, Hyena, Jackal.

Arrive at your camp after the afternoon game drive.

Destination: Masai Mara

Activities: Transfer and game viewing

Accommodation: Safari lodge/tented camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Wake early, as predator activity is often greatest during the cooler hours. The guide may begin by searching for lions or following information about recent leopard and cheetah sightings, although no sighting can be guaranteed.

Lions

The Masai Mara supports numerous lion prides. Potential observations include:

• Cubs.
• Territorial males.
• Females hunting.
• Feeding.
• Pride interactions.
• Resting.
• Drinking.

Leopards and Cheetahs

Leopards use riverine woodland and mature trees. They are more difficult to find than lions and require patience. Cheetahs often use open plains, and watching a cheetah scan for prey can become one of the safari’s most exciting moments.

Spend the day exploring different sectors, carrying a picnic lunch or returning to camp, and continue wildlife viewing during the afternoon.

Destination: Masai Mara

Activities: Full-day predator and Big Five safari

Accommodation: Same camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Today is designed for slower, more detailed wildlife observation. By now, you may already have seen many of Kenya’s most famous species, so instead of constantly searching for new animals, concentrate on behavior. You might spend considerable time with: An elephant family, A lion pride, A cheetah, A leopard, Hyenas, Giraffes, Large herbivore herds.

Photographers can focus on:

• Golden-hour light.
• Backlighting.
• Silhouettes.
• Animal interactions.
• Predator-prey behavior.
• Environmental portraits.
• Birds.
• Storm landscapes.

The private safari format allows flexibility. Return to camp in the evening.

Destination: Masai Mara

Activities: Behavioral wildlife and photography safari

Accommodation: Same camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Your final complete safari day can focus on the Great Wildebeest Migration if the herds are present in the Mara. The migration is a continuous ecological movement through the Serengeti–Mara ecosystem, and the exact location of the herds depends on:

• Rainfall.
• Grazing.
• Water.
• Seasonal conditions.

When large herds are present, you may see thousands of wildebeest and zebras, and predators frequently follow these concentrations. Possible scenes include: Wildebeest herds, Zebra herds, Lions near migration corridors, Hyenas, Cheetahs, Vultures, Jackals.

River Crossings

River crossings are dramatic but unpredictable. No responsible safari operator can guarantee a crossing, and even when herds gather near a river, they may wait for hours or turn away. Your guide will use current wildlife information to determine the best areas to explore.

Optional Hot-Air Balloon Safari

An optional balloon flight can also be arranged. Balloon safaris usually begin before sunrise, and the flight provides spectacular aerial views of the Mara. Possible scenes include:

• Savannah.
• Rivers.
• Herds.
• Acacia trees.
• Giraffes.
• Elephants.

Ballooning is weather dependent, cannot be guaranteed and is usually charged separately. Return to camp for your final safari evening.

Destination: Masai Mara

Activities: Migration or resident wildlife safari; optional balloon flight

Accommodation: Same camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Wake for your final morning in the Masai Mara. Depending on your departure schedule, enjoy an early game drive, which provides one more opportunity to see wildlife before leaving the bush. Return for breakfast and check out, then transfer to the airstrip for a flight to Nairobi or begin your road journey. Upon arrival in Nairobi, transfer toward Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

If your international flight departs later in the evening, optional arrangements can include:

• Day room.
• Restaurant.
• Shopping.
• Nairobi excursion.
• Private transfer.

Your 21 Days Kenya Wildlife Safari ends after three remarkable weeks exploring several of Kenya’s greatest wildlife ecosystems.

Safari Destinations Explained

• Samburu National Reserve: one of the best places to begin a long Kenya wildlife safari because it immediately introduces species not commonly seen farther south. The reserve’s dry landscapes and Ewaso Nyiro River provide habitat for northern specialties as well as elephants and predators.
• Ol Pejeta Conservancy: adds a strong conservation theme. The presence of both black and white rhinos makes it particularly important for travelers hoping to see rhinos, and it also provides excellent general wildlife viewing.
• Lake Nakuru National Park: combines rhinos, giraffes, buffaloes, woodland and lake ecosystems, and its compact size can make wildlife viewing particularly productive.
• Lake Naivasha: provides a welcome water-based experience. Boat safaris offer opportunities to observe hippos and birds, while lakeside lodges provide a slower rhythm.
• Amboseli National Park: one of Africa’s greatest elephant destinations. Its wetlands, dry plains and Kilimanjaro views, when conditions permit, create unforgettable scenery.
• Tsavo West National Park: provides rugged volcanic landscapes and a genuine sense of wilderness, contrasting strongly with Amboseli and the Masai Mara.
• Tsavo East National Park: vast and famous for red-earth elephants, with the scale of the park one of the main attractions.
• Masai Mara National Reserve: provides the wildlife climax. Its predators, plains game and seasonal migration create some of Africa’s most dramatic safari experiences.