Private Kenya safari
7 Days Samburu, Ol Pejeta, Lake Nakuru & Maasai Mara Private Safari
Northern dry country, rhino conservancy and the Mara, on a private vehicle.
- 7 days / 6 nights
- Kenya
- Midrange
- Private
Choose your level
One route, three ways to travel it.
The road, the parks and the day-by-day itinerary are the same at every level. What changes is where you sleep, what you travel in and what it costs.
Trip facts
- Duration
- 7 days / 6 nights
- Country
- Kenya
- Destinations
- Samburu · Ol Pejeta · Lake Nakuru · Maasai Mara
- Safari level
- Midrange
- Travel type
- Private safari
- Starts
- Nairobi
- Ends
- Nairobi
- Price
- On request
Overview
The journey at a glance.
This is the strongest Kenyan route for a traveller who has done a first safari and wants something less obvious. It runs north first — Samburu's dry-country species, then Ol Pejeta's rhino work on the Laikipia plateau — before turning back south for Nakuru and the Mara.
Ol Pejeta is a conservancy rather than a national park. It holds East Africa's largest black rhino population, protects the last two northern white rhinos, and runs a sanctuary for chimpanzees rescued from outside Kenya.
All three of the premium areas on this route — Samburu, Ol Pejeta and the Mara — have genuinely good upscale camps, which makes it the catalogue's clearest luxury upgrade path.
RouteNairobi · Samburu · Ol Pejeta · Lake Nakuru · Maasai Mara · Nairobi
Featured journeyOl Pejeta, Samburu and the Mara all have highly rated upscale camps, which makes this the clearest premium upgrade path.
Your route
6 points.
One unfolding story.
Where you stay, and for how long. The full route is listed in text below the line, so it reads the same however you are viewing this page.
- 01NairobiIn transit
- 02Samburu2 nights
- 03Ol Pejeta1 night
- 04Lake Nakuru1 night
- 05Maasai Mara2 nights
- 06NairobiIn transit
Day by day
7 days, read as a journey.
Timings are indicative and depend on road and park conditions on the day. Meals shown are those included in the safari price.
Day 1Nairobi → Samburu
North past Mount Kenya.
You leave Nairobi in the morning and drive north through the highlands, past Nanyuki and Isiolo. The country dries out steadily as you go. You arrive at Samburu in the afternoon with time for a first game drive along the river.
- Activities
- Road transfer from Nairobi · Afternoon game drive
- Meals
- Lunch, Dinner
- Overnight
- Samburu · Ashnil Samburu Camp
Day 2Samburu
A full day on the Ewaso Nyiro.
Morning and afternoon drives worked around the river, which holds everything in the dry season. This is the day for Grévy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, Beisa oryx and gerenuk, with elephant crossing the river and crocodile on the sandbanks.
- Activities
- Morning and afternoon game drives
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Overnight
- Samburu · Ashnil Samburu Camp
Day 3Samburu → Ol Pejeta
Up onto the Laikipia plateau.
A morning drive, then the road south and west onto the plateau. Ol Pejeta sits higher and cooler, with Mount Kenya on the skyline. An afternoon drive on the conservancy usually produces rhino on the open plains.
- Activities
- Morning game drive at Samburu · Afternoon game drive at Ol Pejeta
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Overnight
- Ol Pejeta · Sweetwaters Serena Camp
Day 4Ol Pejeta → Lake Nakuru
Rhino work, then back into the valley.
A morning on the conservancy, including the chimpanzee sanctuary and the northern white rhino enclosure, before the drive west and down into the Rift Valley. You reach Nakuru in the afternoon.
- Activities
- Morning game drive at Ol Pejeta · Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary · Road transfer to Lake Nakuru
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Overnight
- Lake Nakuru · Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge
Day 5Lake Nakuru → Maasai Mara
Lake shore in the morning, grassland by evening.
A morning game drive at Nakuru for rhino, Rothschild's giraffe and waterbuck on the lake shore, then the drive south-west to the Maasai Mara with lunch on the way.
- Activities
- Morning game drive at Lake Nakuru · Road transfer to the Maasai Mara
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Overnight
- Maasai Mara · Masai Mara Sopa Lodge
Day 6Maasai Mara
A full day on the plains.
Out after breakfast with a picnic lunch. After the dry north and the plateau, the Mara's open grassland and its predator density feel like a different country again.
- Activities
- Full-day game drive with picnic lunch
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Overnight
- Maasai Mara · Masai Mara Sopa Lodge
Day 7Maasai Mara → Nairobi
The last morning, then east.
An optional early visit to a neighbouring Maasai village, then breakfast and the drive back to Nairobi, arriving early in the afternoon.
- Activities
- Optional Maasai village visit · Road transfer to Nairobi
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
- Overnight
- The journey ends today
- Optional
- Maasai village visit (USD 10 pp, paid locally)
Accommodation · Midrange
A place to pause between chapters.
These are properties Ndurumo may recommend or use at this level on this route. Final accommodation is confirmed with your quotation and remains subject to availability.
Samburu · Midrange2 nights
Ashnil Samburu Camp
Accommodation confirmed with your quotation and subject to availability.
Plan this safariOl Pejeta · Midrange1 night
Sweetwaters Serena Camp
- or Maisha Sweetwaters Camp
A strong rhino and conservation-led extension at every level.
Accommodation confirmed with your quotation and subject to availability.
Plan this safariLake Nakuru · Midrange1 night
Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge
Accommodation confirmed with your quotation and subject to availability.
Plan this safariMaasai Mara · Midrange2 nights
Masai Mara Sopa Lodge
Accommodation confirmed with your quotation and subject to availability.
Plan this safari
Compare accommodation at all three levels
Budget
- Samburu
- Samburu Riverside Camp
- Ol Pejeta
- Comfort Gardens Sweetwaters
- Lake Nakuru
- Buraha Zenoni
- Maasai Mara
- Miti Mingi Eco Camp
Midrange
- Samburu
- Ashnil Samburu Camp
- Ol Pejeta
- Sweetwaters Serena Camp, Maisha Sweetwaters Camp
- Lake Nakuru
- Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge
- Maasai Mara
- Masai Mara Sopa Lodge
Luxury
- Samburu
- Sasaab
- Ol Pejeta
- Kicheche Laikipia, Ol Pejeta Bush Camp
- Lake Nakuru
- The Cliff — Lake Nakuru
- Maasai Mara
- andBeyond Bateleur Camp, Cottar's 1920s Camp
What you’ll experience
The character of this route.
- 01
Grévy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, oryx and gerenuk in Samburu
- 02
East Africa's largest black rhino population at Ol Pejeta
- 03
The last two northern white rhinos, under 24-hour protection
- 04
Rescued chimpanzees at the Sweetwaters sanctuary
- 05
A full day in the Maasai Mara to close the circuit
- 06
A private vehicle throughout
Package detail
What the price covers.
These lists apply to the midrange version of this route. Optional extras are listed against the day they fall on.
What’s included
- Transport in a 4×4 Safari Land Cruiser
- Airport pick-up on arrival
- Accommodation as set out in the itinerary
- All meals while on safari (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
- Services of a professional Ndurumo driver-guide
- All park and reserve entrance fees
- All game drives listed in the itinerary
- Statutory taxes
Not included
- International flights
- Kenya or Tanzania visas and entry fees
- Travel and personal insurance
- Single-occupancy supplement
- Alcoholic and soft drinks
- Optional activities, including balloon safaris and village visits
- Items of a personal nature
- Tips for your guide and lodge staff
Pricing
Clear before you commit.
Price depends on travel dates, group size, accommodation level, park fees at the time of travel and vehicle arrangements.
We have not loaded a contracted rate for this tier yet, and we would rather quote you accurately than estimate. Price depends on dates, occupancy, park fees, vehicle arrangements and accommodation availability.
- Travel dates
- Required for a quotation
- Group size
- Required for a quotation
- Occupancy
- Per person sharing; single supplement quoted separately
- Child rates
- Quoted where the property applies them
This route, shaped around you
Begin with the journey already chosen.
Your enquiry carries this route and level automatically, so you only add the details we genuinely need to price it.
Why is this route recommended for an upgrade?
Samburu, Ol Pejeta and the Maasai Mara all have genuinely strong upscale camps, so the luxury version of this circuit holds its standard the whole way rather than dipping in the middle.
Can I see the northern white rhinos?
Ol Pejeta protects the last two, in a guarded enclosure. Access arrangements are set by the conservancy and we confirm them for your dates.
Is the price per person?
Yes. Published rates are per person sharing a twin or double room. Solo travellers pay a single-occupancy supplement, which we quote with the rest of the trip.
What does the final price depend on?
Travel dates, the number of people travelling, your accommodation tier, park fees at the time of travel and vehicle arrangements. We reprice every enquiry for the exact dates rather than working from a fixed sheet.
Can the itinerary be changed?
Yes. The route below is the standard shape of the trip. Nights can be added or moved, and destinations can be swapped, as long as the driving distances still work.
Are park fees included?
Yes. All park and reserve entrance fees for the parks in the itinerary are included in the quoted price.
What vehicle will we use?
Road safaris use a 4×4 Safari Land Cruiser. Private departures have their own vehicle; group departures share the vehicle with fellow travellers.
Can children join this safari?
Yes. Tell us your children's ages when you enquire and we will confirm which properties on the route suit them and whether child rates apply.
Continue exploring
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7 Days Samburu, Ol Pejeta, Lake Nakuru & Maasai Mara Private Safari
Let’s mark this route.
Share your dates and party, and we will come back with a quotation for this itinerary at the level you have chosen — or tell you honestly if a different route fits better.
A guided enquiry, not an instant booking. No obligation.
