8-Day Kenya Highlights Safari Itinerary

Upon arrival at JKIA Nairobi airport, you will be met and transferred to Sarova Stanley Hotel, Nairobi where you are booked for 1 night on bed & breakfast basis.

After breakfast, depart with all your luggage driving north of Nairobi past one of the world’s largest pineapple plantations, coming into the agriculturally rich central highlands of Kenya where vast farms of Kenya’s arabica coffee are located, enjoying the scenic views of the seemingly never-ending Aberdare range of mountains, then proceed further north past the Equator, driving through the scenic slopes of Mt. Kenya, before arriving at Shaba National Reserve for lunch and check-in at your lodge, where you are booked for 2 nights. Afternoon game viewing drive with dinner & overnight at your lodge.

Buffalo Springs National Reserve: Buffalo Springs is one of the two game reserves in Kenya that has an English name derived from an incident that took place during World War II, when Italian war planes mistakenly bombed the place where the reserve stands today, killing many innocent Cape buffaloes — and the impact of the bombs on the ground caused a natural water spring to gush out from the earth. Today, these water springs are a source of water to the wildlife and the local community living within this area.

Whilst on your game viewing drive, you are likely to see the rare Samburu Five, namely the Somali ostrich, the Gerenuk antelope, the Beisa oryx, the Grevy’s zebra and the reticulated giraffe. These five animals are only found in this part of Kenya. Kenya is blessed within East and Southern Africa to have all three species of giraffe, namely the reticulated giraffe, the Masai giraffe and the Rothschild’s giraffe.

Morning & afternoon game viewing activities, all meals & overnight at your lodge.

After breakfast in Shaba National Reserve, depart with your luggage heading south-west to your next destination, Sweetwaters Tented Camp, located right on the geographical Equator line, arriving in time for lunch. Afternoon game viewing drive before returning to your camp for dinner & overnight.

Ol Pejeta Conservancy: Situated in Laikipia County, Central Kenya, right on the Equator, Ol Pejeta Conservancy is one of Kenya’s most important wildlife sanctuaries, lying between the Aberdare Ranges and Mount Kenya and offering spectacular views of both. It has the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa, with over 100 individuals. It combines cutting-edge conservation work with community development and sustainable tourism. It is here that world-renowned conservationist Jane Goodall started a sanctuary for endangered chimpanzees rescued from Central Africa, where they faced imminent extinction. These chimps have today found a safe home, and their numbers have since doubled within this sanctuary, which is not their endemic habitat. Ol Pejeta Conservancy is also home to the extremely endangered northern white rhino, where the world’s only two surviving northern whites, Najin and Fatu, are found. Ol Pejeta gained global attention as the home of Sudan, the last male northern white rhino, who passed away in 2018. His legacy continues through advanced reproductive technologies aimed at saving the subspecies.

After breakfast at Sweetwaters, depart with your luggage heading west along the base of the Aberdare mountain range, with a brief stop at the scenic Thomson’s Falls, then proceed into Kenya’s Rift Valley to your next lodge, Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge, where you are booked for one night.

Lake Naivasha: Lake Naivasha is a freshwater lake in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, located near Naivasha town. It is famous for its birdlife, hippos, and scenic surroundings, making it a key stop on safari itineraries. There are over 400 species of birds, including fish eagles, herons, kingfishers, and large flocks of cormorants. Large populations of hippos in the lake are often seen during boat rides. Other animals include giraffe, zebra, and antelope roaming nearby Crescent Island.

After breakfast in Lake Naivasha, drive on through the Rift Valley past Kenya’s breadbasket, taking in large wheat and maize plantations. Arrive at your camp for lunch and check-in. Afternoon game viewing drive within the world-renowned Masai Mara National Reserve.

Masai Mara National Reserve: The Masai Mara, besides being one of the eight wonders of the world, is home to the Big Five and is also a great world attraction for the annual wildebeest migration that takes place between the months of July through October, when an estimated two million wildebeest, hundreds of thousands of plains zebra, and numerous gazelles cross into the Masai Mara from Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park in search of pasture. It is a spectacle to behold, watching these herds of wildebeest and zebra crossing through the crocodile-infested Mara River as they make their way to the Mara Triangle in search of more pasture. Practically throughout the year, these rolling grasslands of the Masai Mara are teeming with wildlife activity. Here, you stand a chance of seeing all the Big Five besides a variety of other wildlife. Return to your camp at sunset. Dinner and overnight at your camp.

Morning & afternoon game viewing activities, meals & overnight at your camp.

After breakfast, depart Masai Mara National Reserve and drive back to Nairobi, JKIA, for your homebound flight.