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The local guides, James and Hassan from Chameleon, were excellent and extremely hard working and diligent. Samburu Ashnil Camp was brilliant especially the food and very good staff. Invaluable information provided by Naturetrek on Kenya Visa application process resulted in swift delivery. The welcome from all Kenyans was amazing.
D.G. Norfolk, Feb 24
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Kenya Highlights
Tour Code: KEN03This 2-week safari journeys through some of the country’s most spectacular scenery and visits its richest areas for wildlife: the Maasai Mara, Rift Valley Lakes, Mount Kenya and Samburu.
14 days
from
£6,695 (Inc flights)
£6,695 (Inc flights)
Land only price
from
£5,995
£5,995
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
Kenya is blessed with some of Africa’s finest wildlife reserves. This 2-week wildlife and birdwatching safari journeys through some of the country’s most spectacular scenery and into its richest areas for wildlife. We begin in Samburu National Park in the arid north, home to Reticulated Giraffe and Grevy’s Zebra. From here we travel south to the Aberdare National Park, before moving into the Rift Valley to visit Lakes Elementaita and Nakuru. We conclude with four days in the acacia-dotted grasslands of the Maasai Mara, home to Maasai Giraffe, Cheetah, Lion, Spotted Hyena and a diverse and colourful birdlife.
- Visit the world-famous Maasai Mara, plus Samburu and Aberdare National Parks
- Exceptional wildlife of the Rift Valley Lakes
- Abundant birdlife (over 1,000 species recorded in Kenya!)
- Witness the Great Migration of Blue Wildebeest and Plain's Zebra (September only)
- Abundant African mammals; Lion, Cheetah & Leopard all possible
Grading
Grade A - This is a traditional African safari, and therefore suitable for anyone of any age, without any great necessity for extreme fitness. In some areas, exploration of the reserves is by vehicle only, though you are able to walk and birdwatch in the grounds of each lodge. In a couple of places there will be the option for some gentle to moderate walks, as well as the drives.
That all said, this itinerary does cover a wide area of Kenya and as such there are some long vehicle journeys, in particular from Samburu to Aberdare (approx. 4 hrs), Aberdare to Lake Elementaita and Lake Nakuru to the Maasai Mara (approx. 5 hrs).
There is no doubt that Kenya is a magical country. From arid deserts to verdant rainforests, from rolling grasslands to snow-capped equatorial peaks, from lush green hills and cultivated plains to the individual lakes and spectacular escarpments of the Great Rift Valley, this diverse nation has a variety of scenery and habitats unrivalled in Africa. Game in the reserves is abundant; both it and the birdlife — a staggering thousand species, more than any other African area of similar size — are spectacular, approachable, and easily photographed. All this is serviced by a good network of roads, and by standards of accommodation and cuisine as high as any on this great continent.
After an initial overnight stop in Nairobi, we will take a short flight north to Samburu Game Reserve, where we will be based for three nights. Situated in the arid north of Kenya, Samburu is perhaps the most beautiful of all the country's reserves. Grasslands, acacia woodlands and lush riverine forests form an attractive mosaic, and constitute a diversity of habitats that makes the reserve one of the finest for mammal and bird variety. Alongside a good range of common game, we will be looking particularly for Beisa Oryx, Reticulated Giraffe, Gerenuk and Grevy’s Zebra. Amongst the wealth of birdlife, some of the special species are African Pygmy Falcon, Vulturine Guineafowl, Kori Bustard, Orange-bellied Parrot, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Northern Crombec, Pygmy Batis, Golden Pipit, Golden-breasted Starling and Somali Bee-eater. Next, we drive south and west stopping for an overnight stay on the edge of Aberdare National Park. The higher altitude means that the vegetation is quite different here, and the landscape is a picturesque mix of forested ravines and open moorland. Enjoying a walk this afternoon, we should see a wonderful range of montane and forest birds, perhaps including such species as Red-fronted Parrot, Hartlaub’s Turaco and White-starred Robin.
Moving on, we will visit two of the Rift Valley's soda lakes, each with outstanding birdlife. We begin with a 1-night stay to explore Lake Elementaita, where we hope to enjoy the large flocks of Greater and Lesser Flamingoes that can often be seen here. Around the shoreline we'll look for waders, while a visit to Soysambu Conservancy could yield Eland, Kilpspringer, antelopes and Lion. Next, we move to Lake Nakuru. Until 2014, Nakuru was famed for hosting hundreds of thousands of Greater and Lesser Flamingoes, carpeting its surface in a shimmering pink, but in the years that followed the major flooding from 2012 to 2014 very few flamingoes had been visiting the lake. However, since 2020, the flamingoes have slowly begun to return, and the salty mudflats, hilly woodlands around the soda lake and the park itself area all well worth a visit. We will spend the next full day in Lake Nakuru National Park, hoping to find such large mammals as Leopard, Southern White Rhino (and Black Rhino, though these are much more elusive), Bohor Reedbuck, Cape Buffalo, Warthog, Waterbuck, Eland and the rare Rothchild’s Giraffe.
For the final leg of our adventure, we travel over the Rift Valley, viewing the spectacular Longonot Volcano as we cross the cultivated plains towards the rolling grasslands of the Maasai Mara, where we will spend four nights. This is the finest of Kenya’s reserves, and teems with animals, especially in September when huge herds of Blue Wildebeest, pursued by their predators, have migrated into the Maasai Mara from the adjacent Serengeti in search of fresh pastures. Topi, Hartebeest, gazelles, Plains Zebra, Giraffe, African Elephant and Cape Buffalo feed with them on the plains, and attendant Lions, Cheetahs, Black-backed Jackals and Spotted Hyenas are never far away. The big game may take much of the spotlight, but the birdlife is equally extraordinary, with vultures, Martial Eagles, Secretarybirds, Ostriches, Southern Ground Hornbills, and colourful barbets, weavers and finches littering the grasslands and acacias. There is plenty of wildlife to see outside of the migration season too, with resident mammals and birds joined, during our winter months, by the migratory birds that move in from the northern hemisphere. The Maasai Mara is such a wonderful place, it never disappoints.
Finally, we take the short flight from the Maasai Mara back to Nairobi, where we will have time to freshen up before we depart on our overnight flight back to London.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Fly Nairobi and overnight
Day 2/4
Samburu area
Day 5
Aberdare National Park
Day 6
Lake Elementaita
Day 7/8
Lake Nakuru
Day 9/12
Maasai Mara
Day 13
Fly Nairobi and depart
Day 14
Arrive London
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation:
We stay in comfortable lodges or tented camps with private facilities throughout.
- Food:
All food is included in the price from breakfast on Day 2 to lunch on Day 13. Dinner on Day 13, if required, is at your own expense.
Reviews
Dates & Prices
2025
Departures
Availability
Cost
Sun 7th Sep – Sat 20th Sep
SPACES
£7,295
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£6,495
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£1,295
2026
Departures
Availability
Cost
Sun 8th Feb – Sat 21st Feb
SPACES
£6,695
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£5,995
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£1,195
Sat 5th Sep – Fri 18th Sep
SPACES
£7,395
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£6,495
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£1,295
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Many of the world’s mammals are instantly recognisable to us. Animals such as Lions, Tigers, elephants and bears capture our imaginations from an early age. At Naturetrek, we take great pleasure and pride in helping people to fulfil their lifelong dreams of seeing these iconic species in the wild. We also enjoy introducing our clients to some of the world’s more unusual mammals, many of which are just as fascinating.
Naturetrek Mammal Watching Tours
Many of our tours have a primary focus on mammals and we offer the widest choices of mammal-watching holidays across the globe, from the poles to the tropics. Our holidays are guided by at least one professional naturalist tour leader and usually benefit from additional guiding by expert local naturalist guides. We have holidays to see an incredible range of the world’s most sought-after mammals, such as orangutans, lemurs, bats, polar mammals, big cats, and mammals of the African savannah. A significant number of tours also targets some of the planet’s more unusual and elusive species, from pottos and pangolins to slender lorises and obscure cetaceans.
Here’s a selection of our mammal tours:
- India’s Kanha and Pench Tiger Reserves
- A cruise to Spitsbergen in search of Polar Bears
- A chance to see the ‘Big Five’ and much more in South Africa’s Kruger National Park
- Search for Blue, Fin and Sperm Whales in the Azores
- Close-up views of Brown Bear and Wolverine in Finland
- Enjoy the mammals of Kenya’s Masai Mara, while staying in luxury camps
- Search for elusive nocturnal mammals, such as Aardvark, Black-footed Cat and Aardwolf, in the Kalahari Desert
Bargain mammal selection
We offer a range of action-packed bargain holidays for the dedicated mammal enthusiast, which are exceptional value for money, from Belize to Zambia.
Our specialist recommends...
"Africa is perhaps the greatest continent for mammal-watching. I would recommend 'Botswana’s Desert & Delta (Mammals)' for combining stunning scenery and wildlife. We also offer a tour to Uganda which includes a chance to see Mountain Gorillas. And India, along with Tigers, has a superb variety of mammals. Closer to home, short breaks to Spain in search of Wolves and Iberian Lynx are hard to beat.”
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
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Safari Holidays – Experience Earth’s Greatest Continent for Wildlife
Why choose Africa for wildlife safaris?
When people think of visiting Africa, safari holidays are regularly at the top of the list. Riding in an open-top jeep along dusty tracks and looking out across sun-baked savannahs teeming with big game is arguably one of life’s best experiences.
For the nature enthusiast, Naturetrek’s African safari holidays offer unparalleled opportunities. Africa is the world’s greatest continent for wildlife, being home to many of the planet’s most iconic mammals and birds.
Many of these animals are relatively easy to observe and exist in scarcely believable abundance, guaranteeing that our African safari tours are always full of amazing sightings.
From the Okavango Delta in Botswana and Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park to Namibia’s Etosha National Park and the superb Kruger National Park in South Africa, our African wildlife safaris will take you to all the continent’s most unmissable destinations.
Classic African safari holidays
We offer classic safari-style packages to Botswana, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa and Namibia.
On these African safari tours you will stay in or very near the prime game-rich areas such as national parks and reserves, heading out daily for wildlife watching in vehicles. There will usually be additional chances to join night drives and look for nocturnal species.
On the majority of our African wildlife safaris, even those in our bargain range, we are able to use superb accommodation, including in remote locations. Tented, fully serviced camps with private facilities are the norm.
Expert naturalist guides
All of our African safari tours are led by expert naturalist guides. Most of our tours are led by superb local guides (the quality of guiding in many parts of Africa is second to none), while some of our longer tours are joined by a UK leader.
What wildlife might I see?
Africa is the best place in the world for seeing large concentrations of big game such as African Bush Elephant, Lion, Cape Buffalo, Giraffe and Blue Wildebeest. On Naturetrek’s African safari tours we visit some of the world’s most famous national parks and reserves, such as the Serengeti, Kruger and Okavango Delta, as well as some less well known regions, in search of a full range of the continent’s most spectacular mammals, from Hippos, Wild Dogs and White Rhinos to Leopards, bushbabies and African Wildcats.
The birdlife is equally staggering, with an enormous variety of charismatic species found across the continent, from bee-eaters and hornbills to finches, weavers and a stunning diversity of birds of prey. Naturetrek’s African wildlife safaris offer a chance to search for a superb variety of species and avian spectacles, such as flamingo-lined lakes in the Rift Valley, bizarre Shoebills in Uganda’s swamps, and giant Ostriches strutting across endless savannahs.
See our list of the best African Safari Holidays
Our specialist recommends...
"We offer a superb choice of expert-led African safari holidays ranging from 9-day bargain tours in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park to a 17-day birdwatching and mammal-viewing safari through Namibia, Botswana and Zambia. For those who have previously enjoyed a traditional safari, I would recommend our ‘South Africa’s Rare Mammals’ tour, which targets some of the continent’s most rarely seen creatures, such as Aardwolf, Black-footed Cat, Cape Porcupine, African Wildcat, Brown Hyaena and the iconic Aardvark
Paul Stanbury – Operations Manager
Big Cat Safari Holidays
Big cats are among the most admired and sought-after mammals on the planet, and we are proud to offer a broad and comprehensive range of big cat safari holidays. We offer inspiring and truly memorable wildlife tours to enjoy sightings of all of the world’s iconic species in their natural habitats, including Tigers in India and Nepal, Jaguars in the Pantanal, Pumas in Chile and Snow Leopards in India and Mongolia and we certainly do not neglect the smaller cats either.
We offer a range of itineraries around Africa and encounter the continent’s high-profile species like Lions, Cheetahs and Leopards and also the lesser known species such as Caracal, Sand Cat, Black-footed Cat, Serval and African Wild Cat. We also have wildlife holidays that catch sightings of the Asiatic Lion in India and the elusive Leopard in Sri Lanka.
We also offer a pioneering tour to try to see the most difficult of all big cats the Sunda Clouded Leopard in Borneo with Leopard Cat, Marbled Cat and Flat-headed Cat all having being seen on our Borneo holidays. Closer to home, we offer holidays in Europe to go in search of Wildcat and both Eurasian and Iberian Lynx.
We have run these holidays for many years with great success, working with the best local contacts and guides and staying at the very best locations with carefully crafted itineraries which allow the optimum amount of time to achieve sightings.
Our specialist recommends...
"Naturetrek has been instrumental in designing, researching and pioneering many of the big cat safari tours on the market. Our dedicated Tiger-watching trips have an unparalleled 100% success record with sightings, while if you want an experience dedicated to looking for Jaguars (also with a 100% success rate), you can’t do any better than our 'Brazil – Just Jaguars!' holiday. Additionally, our 'South Africa – Just Cats!' holiday offers a chance to see a wide variety of species in stunning scenery and for a real adventure, well off the beaten track, our 'Borneo's Mammals - Deramakot Forest Reserve' holiday is hard to beat for sheer excitement as we go in search of Sunda Clouded Leopard with extensive night time spotlighting outings encountering a wonderful number of mammals as we search for this elusive cat. Finally, if you wish to combine two holidays in one, our 'South America's Big Cats' holiday, first goes in search of Pumas in Chile followed by Jaguars in Brazil with a wonderful chance now for Ocelot in the Pantanal. "
Tom Mabbett - Operations Manager
Tom Mabbett - Operations Manager
Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
