Overview
Visit a world of grassy steppes, tall mountains, and beautiful people. This adventure safari in East Africa is an amazing blend of natural wonders and local cultural experiences; you will be amazed at the abundance of both. Watch the sunset over the plains of Maasai Mara, view lion, elephant, giraffe, hyena, and many more from four-wheel drive vehicles. Enjoy great food and spirits as you stay in comfortable lodges. Sample traditional foods, make friends, and go hiking with Maasai warriors. Join Wilderness Inquiry in Kenya for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Sample Itinerary
Expand All FieldsDay 1: Welcome to Nairobi!
Your guide will meet you in the evening at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. From the airport, you’ll ride to your Nairobi lodging where you will meet your fellow adventurers and gather for a trip briefing before retiring to a night of rest.
Day 2: Elephant Orphanage and Nairobi National Park.
After breakfast we head to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's EIephant Orphanage to learn about their conservation work and meet the elephant orphans in their care. In the afternoon, we will take a short ride to Nairobi National Park, where we will set out on our first game drive. Among the wide open grass plains and acacia bush you'll have a chance to see your first buffalo, giraffes, zebras, and wildebeests of the trip.
Day 3: Explore the pristine Samburu National Reserve and look for lions, leopards, and more.
Rise with the sun this morning. After a nourishing breakfast we will head to Kenya's premier Samburu National Reserve. This vast wilderness is an arid reserve where nearly all of the trees and most wildlife are found along the Ewaso Ng'iro River. Several species of wildlife that are rarely seen elsewhere are common here including reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, beisas oryx, and leopards. In the evening, settle into your accommodations at the Samburu Simba Lodge.
Day 4: Search for a diverse array of African mammals during a morning game drive.
In the morning, we will take in the rich and diverse collection of African mammals by exploring the outer reaches of the Samburu National Reserve. During the afternoon you will have time to rest and relax by the hotel pool and comfortable accommodations.
Day 5: Sweetwater Chimpanzee Sanctuary, home to several chimpanzees rescued by the Jane Goodall Institute.
After breakfast, drive to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, home to Sweetwater's Chimpanzee Sanctuary. During your exploration, you’ll encounter chimpanzees, rhinos, and elephants as you take an evening game drive. Spend the night among the wildlife and surrounded by awe-inspiring natural beauty in the Sweetwaters Serena Camp.
Day 6: Depart for beautiful Lake Nakuru and visit forest-rich Aberdare National Park.
Rise and leave early for Lake Nakuru, stopping along the way to explore Aberdare National Park, home to elephants, serval, and colobus monkeys. Continue to Nakuru National Park for an afternoon game drive and overnight stay at Lake Nakuru Lodge, which offers unobstructed views of the lake and wildlife.
Day 7: Search for rhino, giraffe, baboons, and more wildlife on a game drive near Lake Nakuru National Park.
After breakfast, drive to Lake Naivasha, famous for its hippos and flocks of pink flamingos - a birder’s paradise. You'll have the chance to stretch your legs with a hike among the towering cliffs and water-gouged gorges of Hell’s Gate National Park before settling into your accommodations at Kongoni Lodge.
Day 8: Learn about the Maasai Mara collection of diverse landscapes and visit a Bomas (homestead).
After hot tea and breakfast, your group will join our Maasai hosts for activities such as taking livestock out to graze, blessing ceremonies, and warrior training. Walk down to visit the local school before heading off to the Maasai Mara Reserve – the picturesque landscapes unique to Africa. Rolling plains stretch as far as you can see and provide sightings of all the "big five" African mammals.
Day 9: Look for the "big five" on the rolling plains of the Maasai Mara Reserve.
You'll spend the day exploring the Maasai Mara Reserve. Located in the Great Rift Valley, the reserve is primarily open grassland and regarded as the jewel of Kenya’s wildlife viewing areas. There have been some 95 species of mammals, amphibians, and reptiles and over 400 bird species recorded on the reserve. Nowhere in Africa is wildlife more abundant, and it is for this reason a visitor hardly misses to see the big five - buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion, and rhino.
Day 10: Visit the flowing Mara River that stretches across Kenya and Tanzania, and search for wildlife on an afternoon game drive.
In the morning, you’ll visit the Mara River, walk a few steps into Tanzania, and trek along the riverbanks. Today, you can take a full-day game drive or choose shorter drives in the morning and afternoon.
Day 11: Take in views of the Great Rift Valley before heading back to Nairobi.
Your group will venture back to Nairobi, stopping for scenic vistas of the fertile Great Rift Valley along the way. For dinner in Nairobi, you'll have a chance to taste local game and drink dawa cocktails, the perfect end to an amazing African adventure day!
Day 12: Close out your adventure with a visit to the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife\Giraffe Centre and Nairobi market. Say farewell to your trip mates.
On this last day, you’ll visit the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife Giraffe Centre and explore a lively Nairobi market before catching your evening flight.
What to Expect
TERRAIN/ROUTE: Kenya varies in terrain from tall mountains to vast plains. You’ll complete a circuit route that takes you North out of Nairobi to Mt. Kenya, then Southwest to Nakuru, on to Masai Mara, and back to Nairobi with many great stops along the way.
Read more »Frequently Asked Questions:
Where do we meet?
Standard Meeting Places and Times
Start: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 9:00 PM (local time)
End: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 6:00 PM (local time)
Transportation
This trip begins at Jomo Kenyatta Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, on the first evening of the trip where you will be picked up and brought to your lodge. You will ride in a Wilderness Inquiry van/jeep throughout the trip and be returned to the Jomo Kenyatta Airport in the evening on the last day of the trip.
Are your safari trips accessible for a person who uses a manual wheelchair?
We have had participants who use manual wheelchairs successfully join us on safari in Kenya and Tanzania. The basic activity of riding in a vehicle for game drives is very accessible, but persons using wheelchairs will most likely need assistance transferring in and out of the vehicles. Also, most of East Africa was not designed for people who use wheelchairs. We have a variety of ways to make each trip more accessible, like using our "Rick-shaw" device to help on hiking trails, but the reality is it will be more difficult than getting around in the States. For this reason, we may ask you to bring a "Trip Assistant" to help with transfers and some physical issues, and we will ask for your patience as there may be situations that are just not practical for persons who use wheelchairs to participate in -- like a steep climb to a waterfall. Flexibility is key! Please call us to discuss.
Which immunizations do you recommend when traveling to an international destination?
Prior to departure, we recommend that you check with your doctor as early as possible to ensure you are up to date on your standard immunizations. Your doctor is in the best position to recommend specific vaccinations to specific destinations.
What are the visa requirements for Kenya?
A visa is simply a stamp in your passport that permits travel in a foreign country. You need to have a Single-entry tourist visa to get through customs in Kenya for this trip. Most people get their upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta Airport in Nairobi. If you prefer, you can obtain your visa in advance through the Kenyan Embassy.
Please contact us with any questions.
What are your thoughts on safety in Kenya?
Safety is our top priority on every trip, and Kenya is no exception; we would not offer a trip of any kind that places our groups in unsafe situations. Please rest assured that we take every precaution that we can and monitor conditions during our time there. We also register our entire group and route with the US Embassy.
We are confident you will be impressed with the level of safety and security you will experience in Kenya. Tourism is Kenya's primary industry and it is in their best interest to ensure tourists are safe. You will find the wonderful local people going to great lengths to ensure your safety and comfort.
For more information, go to http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_923.html
Do you have a single supplement for Kenya Wildlife Safari?
You can elect to guarantee a single room for the duration of the trip for $1200 during the registration process.