Ultimate Kenya Safari Adventure

Detailed Itinerary:

Day 1: Mount Kenya Forest Trek
Enjoy a morning journey by road from Nairobi to our base lodge, located on the western slopes of Mount Kenya, arriving in time for lunch. Mountain Rock is an old-style country lodge nestled in the Mount Kenya Forest Reserve at nearly 2,000m. The lush forest setting offers opportunities for guided nature walks and visits to neighboring local villages. This virgin natural forest once sheltered the Mau Mau fighters who resisted British rule in the 1950s. En route, our naturalist guide will reveal forest foods, herbal medicines, and survival techniques, providing insight into the history and ecology of the forest. Colorful black-and-white Colobus monkeys and Hartlaub’s turacos are commonly sighted along the trails. After the nature hike, return for dinner and overnight at Mountain Rock Lodge. (Meals: L, D)

Day 2: Mount Kenya Moorland Trek
After an early breakfast (5:30 AM), commence a day trip to Mount Kenya. Straddling the Equator, its highest point (Batian) rises to 5,199m, making it the second highest mountain in Africa. The ancestral inhabitants regarded Mount Kenya as their God’s sacred domain. Our day trip will focus on studying the forest zones as we gradually gain height, with opportunities for birdwatching and wildlife viewing. The trip involves a one-hour (45 km) transfer to Sirimon Park Gate, where we enter the park. After formalities, we join the trail to Old Moses Camp through the rainforest, experiencing the rich variety of flora and fauna. The trek alongside the Sirimon Valley through Podo forests and bamboo bushes offers stunning scenery. From Old Moses Camp (3,300m), the main summits of Batian, Nelion, and Point Lenana are visible. Lunch is served at Old Moses Camp, and the round trip takes a total of 4 hours (18 km hike).
Note: Those unable or unwilling to cover this distance on foot will receive vehicle escort to the lunch point, if road conditions allow (the access road beyond the park gate is usually closed when wet).

Day 3: Sweetwaters Rhino and Chimpanzee Sanctuary
Enjoy an early breakfast (7 AM) before driving past the Equator to nearby Sweetwaters Game Sanctuary (25 km), bringing along our picnic lunch. Sweetwaters is a private conservancy with a higher wildlife-to-area ratio than any of Kenya's national parks. It also serves as an orphanage for chimpanzees rescued from the war-torn Great Lakes region of Central Africa. Located on the plains of Mount Kenya, Sweetwaters is home to all members of the Big Five and many other species of wildlife. As a leader in the Kenyan conservancy program, it boasts the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa and shelters numerous rare and endangered species. After extensive game viewing sessions with a lunch break in between, we drive back to Mountain Rock Lodge for dinner and overnight. (B, L, D)

Day 4: Journey to Lake Nakuru
Take a leisurely journey to Lake Nakuru National Park. En route, stop for lunch at a co-operatively run coffee and tea estate, which boasts a lush, cool forested setting. Participate in a guided bird walk and visit the tea and coffee processing stations. You can also try your hand at picking tea and coffee if you like. Afterward, proceed to a comfortable local hotel just outside Nakuru National Park.

Day 5: Lake Nakuru Exploration
Start with an early morning (6:00 AM) game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park. The park is moderately small but spectacularly picturesque and is home to abundant wildlife. Here, you'll have exceptional chances to see rare rhinos (both black and white species), Rothschild's giraffes, and elusive leopards, among other animals. With nearly 400 species of birds recorded, the park is a birdwatcher's paradise as well. After our gamedrive, visit a Kikuyu homestead in a nearby village to explore subsistence farming and enjoy afternoon tea at a local home. There’s an option for an overnight stay in a villager’s house for fascinating insights into local life—this experience enhances your African adventure and provides additional income for the family (no extra cost, but please inform us in advance). Otherwise, overnight at an eco-camp by the lakeside, which features beds and en-suite facilities. In the evening, enjoy a guided sundowner hike along the lakeshore to watch the sunset over the Mau Hills, taking in hot springs and hundreds of bird species, including the only pelican-breeding site in Kenya.

Day 6: Hell’s Gate National Park
After breakfast, enjoy a one-hour drive (50 km) to Hell’s Gate National Park. En route, check in at a colonial resort on the shores of Lake Naivasha and enjoy morning tea. With packed lunches, we proceed to Hell’s Gate Park for a 3-4 hour hike across flat terrain to the spectacular gorge. Hell's Gate is a small but beautiful park with plenty of plains game and one of the few national parks in Kenya where exploration on foot is permitted. On our walking safari, we’ll have close encounters with giraffes, gazelles, impalas, zebras, elands, and hartebeests. Highlighting the walk is our descent into the gorge, welcomed by fascinating sights of volcanic formations, geysers, and hot springs. After the hike, we return to the lakeside resort for dinner and overnight in comfortable hotel rooms, where you can swim and relax in the afternoon. (B, L, D)
Note: You can hire bicycles locally to ride inside Hell’s Gate instead of trekking or ride in a vehicle if you prefer not to walk or ride.

Day 7: Maasai Cultural Interactions
After breakfast, enjoy a boat ride on Lake Naivasha, famed for its hippos and diverse birdlife, including pelicans, fish eagles, kingfishers, and lovebirds. Midway through the ride, we’ll disembark at an animal sanctuary to walk among waterbuck, giraffe, zebra, impala, and gazelle. After this excursion, drive across the floor of the Great Rift Valleywith a lunch stop en route to a small Maasai village, where you’ll gain insights into their simple yet fascinating way of life. Our overnight bush camp is set under acacia trees, where we'll dine under starlit skies and sleep to the sounds of the African night.

Day 8: Walking Safari / Sunset over the Mara
Enjoy an optional 2-3 hour walking safari along a small river course and through the savanna for wildlife viewing with Maasai guides, where you will often encounter giraffe, impala, zebra, and wildebeest. Drive to a natural hot spring at Maji Moto (where you can take a dip or soak your feet). We support a primary school here and can arrange visits during term time. Then, we head to our tented camp in the Masai Mara and enjoy a late afternoon game drive in the adjoining Siana Conservation Area. In the evening, we drive partway up Naunare Hills (or hike all the way to the top) to watch a stunning sunset over the Mara while enjoying a sundowner snack. Overnight in our comfortable permanent tented safari camp.
Note: There is a chance for a short night game drive right after the sundowner (if weather conditions are favorable)—no extra cost, but please indicate your interest in advance.

Day 9: Exploring Maasai Mara
Today is dedicated to exploring the Masai Mara, an extension of the great Serengeti Plains teeming with diverse wildlife. We spend the entire day in the reserve on game drives. Expect to see elephants, buffalo, lions, leopards, rhinos, cheetahs, hippos, crocodiles, and an array of other animals. Our expert naturalist guides and 4WD vehicles ensure you have the best chance of spotting them all. From July to September, the Mara is home to the great wildebeest migration, dubbed the new Seventh Wonder of the World. Overnight again at Mara Springs Tented Camp. (B, L, D)

Day 10: Journey Back to Nairobi
Enjoy another early morning game drive in the Mara at 6 AM to spot any animals you may have missed and the best chance for birdwatchers to see various colorful species. After this session, return to camp for a late breakfast before embarking on a 4-hour drive back to Nairobi, arriving for late lunch at our Karen guest home. You have the option to stay at our guesthouse with a relaxing swimming pool, or proceed with your next arrangements. (B, L)