This is the complete Kenya circuit: Samburu and Ol Pejeta Conservancy in the north, Lake Nakuru and the Maasai Mara in the centre and west, and Amboseli and Tsavo in the south, covering six of Kenya's best parks in a single 10-day trip rather than splitting them across multiple visits.
For shorter versions of parts of this circuit, see our 5-Day Samburu and Ol Pejeta Conservancy Safari and 6-Day Kenya Highlights Safari. For a version that ends with a beach extension instead of the northern circuit, see our 8-Day Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Tsavo and Mombasa Beach Safari.
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After an early pick-up from your Nairobi hotel, the drive north passes Thomson's Falls and the town of Nanyuki before reaching Samburu National Reserve, arriving in time for lunch and an afternoon game drive along the Ewaso Nyiro River.
Distance: Approximately 325 km, 5 to 6 hours driving
Activity: Drive north via Nanyuki, afternoon game drive
Accommodation: Lodge in Samburu National Reserve
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
A full day of game drives covers Samburu's riverine forest and dry savannah, home to the reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra, gerenuk and Beisa oryx, species rarely seen further south, alongside healthy elephant, lion and leopard populations along the river.
Distance: Morning and afternoon game drives
Activity: Full day of game viewing
Accommodation: Lodge in Samburu National Reserve (second night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
After a final morning game drive, the route continues south to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, arriving in time for lunch. An afternoon game drive follows, with a visit to Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary, the only one of its kind in Kenya.
Distance: Morning game drive in Samburu, then road transfer to Ol Pejeta
Activity: Game drive and chimpanzee sanctuary visit
Accommodation: Lodge in Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
After a morning game drive past Ol Pejeta's rhino sanctuary, home to the last northern white rhinoceros in the world, the route continues to Lake Nakuru National Park, arriving in time for an afternoon game drive around the lakeshore.
Distance: Morning game drive in Ol Pejeta, then road transfer to Lake Nakuru
Activity: Game drive, then travel day with an afternoon game drive on arrival
Accommodation: Lodge near Lake Nakuru National Park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
A morning game drive covers Lake Nakuru's fenced rhino sanctuary before the drive continues to the Maasai Mara, with views of Mount Longonot and Lake Naivasha en route. An afternoon game drive follows on arrival.
Distance: Morning game drive in Nakuru, then road transfer to the Maasai Mara
Activity: Game drive, then travel day with an afternoon game drive on arrival
Accommodation: Lodge or tented camp in the Maasai Mara
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
A full day of game drives covers the Mara's acacia-studded grassland and rolling hills, with a packed lunch out on the plains and a strong chance of Big Five sightings alongside the reserve's huge resident herds of zebra and wildebeest.
Distance: Full-day game drive with packed lunch
Activity: Morning and afternoon game drives
Accommodation: Lodge or tented camp in the Maasai Mara (second night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
After a final morning game drive, the long transfer south to Amboseli National Reserve skirts Nairobi en route, the longest single travel day of the itinerary, with arrival timed for a late-afternoon check-in.
Distance: Approximately 430 km, 7 to 8 hours driving via the Nairobi bypass
Activity: Final Mara game drive, then full-day transfer to Amboseli
Accommodation: Lodge or tented camp in Amboseli National Reserve
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
A full day of game drives covers Amboseli's swamps and open plains, with elephant herds gathering at close range against the backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro on clear mornings.
Distance: Game drives within Amboseli National Reserve
Activity: Morning and afternoon game drives
Accommodation: Lodge or tented camp in Amboseli National Reserve (second night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
After breakfast, the drive continues to Tsavo West National Park, with a stop at Mzima Springs, which produces over 95 million gallons of water daily and offers an underwater observation tank for hippo and crocodile. An afternoon game drive follows on arrival.
Distance: Road transfer from Amboseli to Tsavo West via Mzima Springs
Activity: Travel day with a Mzima Springs stop, afternoon game drive
Accommodation: Lodge in Tsavo West National Park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
A final morning game drive covers Tsavo's famous red-dust elephants before the drive returns to Nairobi, arriving by early evening to bring the safari to a close.
Distance: Morning game drive, then approximately 330 km, 5 to 6 hours driving back to Nairobi
Activity: Final game drive, then return drive to Nairobi
Accommodation: N/A, end of safari
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Prefer a shorter version of the northern leg only? See our 5-Day Samburu and Ol Pejeta Conservancy Safari. Want a beach finish instead of returning to Nairobi? See our 8-Day Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Tsavo and Mombasa Beach Safari.
Yes, this itinerary is paced to give at least one full day of game drives at every park, including two full days each in Samburu, the Maasai Mara and Amboseli, rather than rushing through with only transfer-day glimpses.
Starting north with Samburu and Ol Pejeta, then working south through Nakuru, the Mara, Amboseli and Tsavo, creates a single directional loop rather than backtracking, which is more efficient than visiting the parks in a different order.
Yes, several of the longer transfer days, particularly Mara to Amboseli, could be shortened with a domestic flight at additional cost. Let us know if you would like a fly-in version of part or all of this circuit.
A private safari vehicle with an English-speaking driver-guide, all park and conservancy entry fees, the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Mzima Springs visits, roundtrip transfer from Nairobi, 9 nights of accommodation, and all meals as specified from lunch on Day 1 through lunch on Day 10.
Yes, this is a popular format for honeymoons and anniversaries given its comprehensive coverage of Kenya's parks. Upgraded lodge categories and private extras can be arranged on request.
Yes. For the northern circuit alone, see our 5-Day Samburu and Ol Pejeta Conservancy Safari. For the southern and central highlights alone, see our 6-Day Kenya Highlights Safari.
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