This 9-Day Kenya Cultural Safari and Game Viewing Adventure takes you to some of Kenya’s top wildlife parks. You will have a good chance of seeing the Big Five and many other animals.
This safari also includes a visit to the only place in Kenya where you can see chimpanzees, as well as the last two remaining northern white rhinos. It is a complete and exciting Kenya holiday.
See the detailed itinerary for this 9-day Kenya Cultural Safari and Game Viewing Adventure below.
9-Day Kenya Safari Highlights
- Day 1: Nairobi to Samburu National Reserve
- Day 2: Full Day in Samburu National Reserve
- Day 3: Samburu to Ol Pejeta Conservancy
- Day 4: Ol Pejeta to Aberdare National Park
- Day 5: Aberdare to Lake Nakuru National Park
- Day 6: Lake Nakuru to Lake Bogoria – Lake Naivasha – Hell’s Gate
- Day 7: Lake Naivasha to Masai Mara National Reserve
- Day 8: Full Day in Masai Mara
- Day 9: Return to Nairobi
Detailed 9-Day Kenya Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Nairobi to Samburu National Reserve
Welcome to Kenya. You will be picked up from the airport or your hotel in Nairobi by our company driver or safari guide. Then begin the drive to Samburu National Reserve.
Along the way, you will pass the lower slopes of Mt. Kenya and cross the Equator, where you can stop for a photo at the 0-degree line.
Arrive in Samburu in the afternoon and have lunch at your lodge or camp. You can relax at the lodge or go for an optional game drive. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 2: Full Day in Samburu National Reserve
Spend the day on game drives in Samburu, especially along the Ewaso Nyiro River, where most animals are found. Look out for rare northern species such as Grevy’s zebra, Somali ostrich, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, and Beisa oryx.
Elephants in Samburu often appear red due to dust bathing in the red soil. After the game drives, return to your lodge or camp for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3: Samburu to Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Go for an early morning game drive to look for predators and other animals like gazelles, baboons, warthogs, hippos, and hyenas. After the drive, have breakfast and travel to Ol Pejeta Conservancy in the Mt. Kenya region.
Ol Pejeta is the only place in Kenya where you can see chimpanzees. It is also home to the last two northern white rhinos. In the afternoon, go on a game drive in the sanctuary. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: Ol Pejeta to Aberdare National Park
After breakfast, take a short game drive in Ol Pejeta to look for more animals such as cheetahs, hyenas, jackals, zebras, and hartebeests. Then drive to Aberdare National Park, arriving in time for lunch.
In the afternoon, go for a game drive or nature walk. Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge or camp.
Day 5: Aberdare to Lake Nakuru National Park
Go for an early morning game drive in Aberdare, where you may see elephants, rhinos, leopards, hyenas, baboons, monkeys, buffalos, warthogs, and bushbucks. Return to the lodge for breakfast, then drive to Lake Nakuru National Park. Stop at Thompson Falls in Nyahururu along the way.
Enjoy a scenic drive through farms and small towns. Arrive at Lake Nakuru in the afternoon for lunch, followed by a game drive. The park is home to many bird species and has a rhino sanctuary. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6: Lake Nakuru to Lake Bogoria – Lake Naivasha – Hell’s Gate
After early breakfast and a morning game drive, leave Lake Nakuru for Lake Bogoria. Visit the hot springs, geysers, and see flamingos (depending on the season). Continue to Lake Naivasha, arriving in time for lunch.
Later in the afternoon, visit Hell’s Gate National Park. You can explore the park on foot or rent a bicycle. Look out for animals such as zebras, gazelles, giraffes, and antelopes. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 7: Lake Naivasha to Masai Mara National Reserve
After breakfast, take a boat ride on Lake Naivasha. Look for hippos, birds, and other animals near the lake. Take a short guided walk on Crescent Island to see giraffes, zebras, waterbucks, and buffalos.
Later, drive to Masai Mara National Reserve, arriving in time for lunch. In the afternoon, go for a game drive to begin exploring this famous reserve. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 8: Full Day in Masai Mara
Spend the day on game drives across Masai Mara. Look out for the Big Five—lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino—as well as many other animals and birds. Start with an early morning drive, return for breakfast, then head out again to explore different parts of the park.
You can carry a packed lunch or return to the lodge for a hot meal. Visit the Mara River to see hippos, crocodiles, and, if you’re lucky, the wildebeest migration (July to October). In the evening, relax at your lodge. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 9: Return to Nairobi
After breakfast, enjoy a short game drive as you exit the park. Drive back to Nairobi for drop-off at your hotel or the airport for your flight home.
Optional activity: Hot air balloon safari in Masai Mara (extra cost).
