8 days (not including air travel)
Spot wildlife and roam the Kenyan savannah like the local Maasai people on an awesome safari adventure. Traverse the quintessentially African landscapes of Mount Kenya, the Great Rift Valley and semi-arid savannahs. Let your jaw drop at natural phenomena like a flamingo feeding frenzy and the great wildebeest migration.
More than the standard ‘Big Five’ safari experience, the 8-day ‘Special Five’ takes travellers deep into the wilds of Kenya’s most unique and sought-after regions. Samburu, Ol Pejeta and Masai Mara are prime areas for spotting some of Kenya’s rarest and most inspiring wildlife species. Spot the Samburu ‘Special Five’ – Grevy’s zebra, Somali ostrich, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk and the Beisa oryx, plus the classic safari ‘Big Five’ – elephant, leopard, rhino, lion, and buffalo. Meet and interact with the Maasai people at Tepesua village to learn about their culture and way of life.
Day 1: Samburu
From Nairobi, drive through agricultural country and the cool central highlands of Mount Kenya region to the dry northern Kenya. After a 5-6 hour drive we arrive at Samburu Game Reserve for lunch and afternoon game drive.
Accommodation: Samburu Simba Lodge or similar
Meals: Lunch and dinner
Day 2: Samburu
Whole day of game drives in Samburu. Samburu Park lies in the semi-arid north and is the home of the Samburu Special Five – Grevy’s zebra, Somali ostrich, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk and the Beisa oryx, the five rare and endemic northern animal species.
Accommodation: Samburu Simba Lodge or similar
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 3: Ol Pejeta
Morning game drive as we leave Samburu. Drive for 3-4 hours to Ol Pejeta Conservancy for lunch and afternoon game drive. This is the perfect place to watch wildlife in a less crowded environment against the iconic backdrop of Mount Kenya. The conservancy hosts the largest population of black rhino in Kenya. There’s also elephant, cheetah, lion, leopard, zebra, hartebeest etc. In the afternoon we will visit the Chimpanzee sanctuary, the only one of its kind in Kenya.
Accommodation: Sweetwaters Serena Tented Camp
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 4: Lake Naivasha
Morning game drive then depart and drive for 3-4 hours to Lake Naivasha, a freshwater lake in the Great Rift Valley, famed for its birdlife. Covering over 140 square kilometres, Lake Naivasha — which derives its name from the local Maasai word Nai’posha meaning ‘receding waters’ — is a Ramsar world heritage site and home to some of the world’s rare birds, other wildlife and plants. Over 300 species of birds live around the Lake. The African fish eagle — one of the continent’s most loved birds, known for its graceful aerial skills and distinctive plumage — is among the birds that not only nest in the woodlands around the lake, but are major tourist attractions. Others include Pelicans, Herons, Storks, Kingfishers, Hammerkop, Egrets, Cormorants, Ibis, Red knobbed Coots, etc. There are also hippos in the lake. We take an afternoon boat trip to watch the birds and hippos.
Accommodation: Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort or similar
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 5: Tepesua Maasai Village
Drive to Tepesua, a small Maasai settlement in the bush for insights into their fascinating way of life. Here you can visit traditional homes, observe or engage with day-to-day life, and immerse yourself amongst myriad other local activities which invariably crop up; or just relax and watch the savannah. A short walk in the savannah with the Maasai is also possible. Dinner by the camp fire, starlit skies, and the sounds of the African night – often hyenas calling very nearby.
Accommodation: Tepesua Maasai Camp
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 6: Masai Mara
Morning walk in the Savannah then a short drive to the Masai Mara National Reserve for lunch. After an early afternoon at leisure, we proceed to the reserve for our much-anticipated date with the gem of African wilderness.
Accommodation: Mara Sopa Lodge or similar
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 7: Masai Mara
Full day devoted to game drives in the reserve, with time to explore more of Masai Mara’s scenery and to catch a glimpse the “The Big Five” animals of Kenya: lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo and rhino. In addition to these, Masai Mara teems with other fascinating wild animal species: giraffes, zebras, hippos, baboons, wildebeests, warthogs, gazelles, crocodiles and numerous bird species. The annual migration of millions of wildebeests, zebras and gazelles between July to September is a spectacle not to be missed by any visitor to the Mara. The wildebeest travel in herds for more than 900 km crossing from the Serengeti plains north to the Maasai Mara before they encounter their final obstacle at the Mara River. The Masai Mara is drained majorly by the famous River Mara, and the Mara River crossing is one of the most astonishing and absorbing spectacles, especially with the hungry crocodiles ready to pounce.
Accommodation: Mara Sopa Lodge or similar
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 8: Nairobi
Morning game drive then depart and drive back to Nairobi.
Meals: Breakfast
General: Accommodation is in mid-range standard safari lodges and a Maasai eco-camp. If you prefer alternative accommodation in budget or luxury camps and lodges, we can book for you those at reduced or extra cost.