7 Day Samburu, Lake Nakuru & Masai Mara Safari
This seven-day safari crosses Kenya from the dry north to the southern plains, linking three very different parks. Start in Samburu, where the Ewaso Nyiro River draws wildlife into semi-desert country and you can find species seen only in Kenya’s north. Then cross the equator and the highlands to Lake Nakuru for rhinos, and finish with two full days in the Masai Mara.
It’s a long journey on paper, so we break the drive from Samburu to Nakuru with lunch at Thomson’s Falls, and give you a full day in Samburu and another in the Mara so you are not always on the move.
Accommodation
| Night 1 · Nairobi | Sarova Panafric Hotel |
|---|---|
| Nights 2–3 · Samburu | Samburu Simba Lodge |
| Night 4 · Lake Nakuru | Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge |
| Nights 5–6 · Masai Mara | Mara Simba Lodge |
Itinerary
- 1Nairobi Start · 1 night
- 2Samburu 2 nights
- 3Lake Nakuru 1 night
- 4Masai Mara 2 nights
- 1Nairobi Finish
By road
Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi
After immigration and baggage collection at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, our representative meets you with a name board and transfers you to the Sarova Panafric Hotel for the night. Overnight at the Sarova Panafric.
Overnight
Day 2: Nairobi – Samburu National Reserve (FB)
After breakfast, your driver-guide collects you for the drive north through the central highlands, around the western shoulder of Mount Kenya and down into the hot, open country of Samburu. Game drive on the way to Samburu Simba Lodge, arriving for lunch, then head out again in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight at Samburu Simba Lodge.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Samburu National Reserve Full Day (FB)
Spend the day exploring the reserve on morning and afternoon game drives. Samburu is home to the “Samburu Special Five”, animals found mainly in Kenya’s north: the reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, Beisa oryx, long-necked gerenuk and Somali ostrich. Elephants gather along the river, and lions, leopards and cheetahs hunt in the surrounding bush. You can also add a visit to a Samburu village to learn about the culture of the people who live here. Dinner and overnight at Samburu Simba Lodge.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Samburu – Lake Nakuru National Park (FB)
After breakfast, game drive out of the reserve and head south, crossing the equator, to Nyahururu for lunch at Thomson’s Falls Lodge beside the waterfall. Continue down into the Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru National Park, game driving on the way to Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge on the hillside above the lake. Lake Nakuru is a sanctuary for black and white rhinos and the rare Rothschild’s giraffe. Dinner and overnight at Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Lake Nakuru – Masai Mara (FB)
Enjoy an early game drive along the lakeshore, then after breakfast drive south-west through Narok to the Masai Mara, arriving at Mara Simba Lodge on the Talek River for lunch. In the afternoon, head out on your first game drive across the plains. Dinner and overnight at Mara Simba Lodge.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Masai Mara Full Day (FB)
Take a packed lunch and spend the whole day in the reserve, with a picnic under an acacia tree. Head towards the Mara River, where hippos and crocodiles gather, and search the open plains for lion prides, cheetahs and the elephants, giraffes, topi and zebras that make the Mara so rewarding. From July to October, the wildebeest migration fills the plains and your guide will look for a river crossing. Look out, too, for bat-eared foxes, jackals and hyenas. Dinner and overnight at Mara Simba Lodge.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Masai Mara – Nairobi (B)
After breakfast, drive back to Nairobi, stopping at the Great Rift Valley viewpoint, and arrive in the late afternoon for drop-off at your hotel or the airport.
Breakfast
7 Day Samburu, Lake Nakuru & Masai Mara Safari Prices – 2027 Rates
Prices depend on the time of year and how many people are travelling together. The more people sharing the vehicle, the lower the price per person.
7 Day Samburu, Lake Nakuru & Masai Mara Safari
Lodges and camps as described in the itinerary
From $1,355 per person
| Dates | 2 people | 3 people | 4 people | 5 people | 6 people | Single suppl. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03 Jan – 31 Mar | $1,985 | $1,739 | $1,615 | $1,545 | $1,495 | $445 |
| 01 Apr – 31 May | $1,845 | $1,599 | $1,479 | $1,405 | $1,355 | $100 |
| 01 Jun – 30 Jun | $1,985 | $1,725 | $1,595 | $1,515 | $1,465 | $280 |
| 01 Jul – 14 Jul | $2,455 | $2,195 | $2,065 | $1,985 | $1,935 | $560 |
| 15 Jul – 31 Aug | $2,705 | $2,445 | $2,315 | $2,239 | $2,185 | $750 |
| 01 Sep – 30 Sep | $2,429 | $2,169 | $2,039 | $1,960 | $1,909 | $545 |
| 01 Oct – 31 Oct | $2,359 | $2,099 | $1,969 | $1,895 | $1,839 | $495 |
| 01 Nov – 15 Dec | $2,215 | $1,969 | $1,845 | $1,775 | $1,725 | $445 |
| 16 Dec – 02 Jan | $2,325 | $2,080 | $1,959 | $1,885 | $1,835 | $510 |
Prices are in US dollars per person sharing for the full 7-day safari, with exclusive use of the safari vehicle and everything listed under Package Includes. The single supplement is per person, added for a single room. Scroll the table sideways on a phone to see all group sizes. Child rates on request.
Optional Activities
- Hot air balloon safari over the Masai Mara – US$ 450 per adult, US$ 300 per child
- Maasai village visit – US$ 25 per person
Package Includes
- All park entrance fees
- Accommodation and meals as per the itinerary
- 1.5 litres of bottled water per person per day in the vehicle
- Services of an English-speaking, experienced driver-guide
- Transport in a 4×4 safari Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof, for your exclusive use throughout the trip
- Airport transfers in Nairobi
- All government taxes and levies
- Safari accessories (first aid kit, cooler box and fire extinguisher), a 24-hour emergency number and RF radio in all safari vehicles
Package Excludes
- Flying Doctors (AMREF) air ambulance evacuation cover – US$ 10 per person
- Hot air balloon safari and Maasai village visit
- Driver tips
- Drinks, international flights, visas, travel insurance and personal expenses
