Private Kenya safari
9 Days Samburu, Lake Nakuru, Lake Baringo, Lake Bogoria, Maasai Mara & Amboseli Private Safari
The long way round Kenya: northern deserts, Rift Valley lakes, grassland and Kilimanjaro.
- 9 days / 8 nights
- Kenya
- Budget
- 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
- 9 days / 8 nights
- Country
- Kenya
- Destinations
- Samburu · Lake Nakuru · Lake Baringo & Lake Bogoria · Maasai Mara · Amboseli
- Safari level
- Budget
- Travel type
- Private safari
- Starts
- Nairobi
- Ends
- Nairobi
- Price
- From USD 2,020
Overview
The journey at a glance.
Nine days covers almost the whole spread of Kenyan habitat: the semi-arid north at Samburu, four Rift Valley lakes, the grassland of the Mara, and the dry plains beneath Kilimanjaro.
It is a long route with real driving in it, and it suits travellers who want breadth over repetition. Every stop on it does something the others do not — Samburu for dry-country species, Bogoria for geothermal springs and flamingo, the Mara for predators, Amboseli for elephant.
It runs privately with a minimum of two travellers.
RouteNairobi · Samburu · Lake Nakuru · Lake Baringo & Bogoria · Maasai Mara · Amboseli · Nairobi
Your route
7 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
- 03Lake Nakuru1 night
- 04Lake Baringo1 night
- 05Maasai Mara2 nights
- 06Amboseli2 nights
- 07NairobiIn transit
Day by day
9 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.
Out of Nairobi in the morning and north through the highlands, past Nanyuki and Isiolo, with the country drying out as you go. You arrive at Samburu with time for an afternoon drive along the river.
- Activities
- Road transfer from Nairobi · Afternoon game drive
- Meals
- Lunch, Dinner
- Overnight
- Samburu · Samburu Riverside Camp
Day 2Samburu
A full day on the Ewaso Nyiro.
Morning and afternoon drives around the river. This is the day for Grévy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, oryx and gerenuk, with elephant crossing and crocodile on the banks.
- Activities
- Morning and afternoon game drives
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Overnight
- Samburu · Samburu Riverside Camp
Day 3Samburu → Lake Nakuru
Back down into the valley.
A morning drive, then the road south-west into the Rift Valley. You arrive at Nakuru in the afternoon with time for a game drive on the way to your lodge.
- Activities
- Morning game drive at Samburu · Game drive on arrival at Lake Nakuru
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Overnight
- Lake Nakuru · Buraha Zenoni
Day 4Lake Nakuru → Baringo & Bogoria
Steam on the shoreline.
North to Lake Bogoria, where hot springs and geysers rise straight out of the ground at the water's edge and lesser flamingo gather in very large numbers when conditions suit. You continue to Baringo, which is fresh water and one of Kenya's strongest birding lakes.
- Activities
- Lake Bogoria hot springs · Lake Baringo
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Overnight
- Lake Baringo · Roberts' Camp
Day 5Baringo → Maasai Mara
The long run south-west.
A full driving day down the length of the Rift Valley and across to the Maasai Mara, with lunch on the way. You arrive in the late afternoon.
- Activities
- Road transfer to the Maasai Mara
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Overnight
- Maasai Mara · Miti Mingi Eco Camp
Day 6Maasai Mara
A full day on the plains.
Out after breakfast with a picnic lunch. The Mara's predator density is the highest on this route, and the full day gives your guide room to work with it.
- Activities
- Full-day game drive with picnic lunch · Mara river hippo pools
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Overnight
- Maasai Mara · Miti Mingi Eco Camp
Day 7Maasai Mara → Amboseli
A full travel day to Amboseli.
After breakfast, begin the long road transfer south-east towards the Tanzanian border and Amboseli. This is a full travel day; on arrival you check in and prepare for the following day's game drives.
- Activities
- Optional Maasai village visit · Road transfer to Amboseli
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Overnight
- Amboseli · Nyati Safari Camp
- Optional
- Maasai village visit (USD 10 pp, paid locally)
Day 8Amboseli
A full day with the herds.
Out early while the mountain is clear, working between the dry plains and the swamps where elephant, buffalo and hippo concentrate.
- Activities
- Morning and afternoon game drives · Observation Hill
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Overnight
- Amboseli · Nyati Safari Camp
Day 9Amboseli → Nairobi
A last drive, then the road north.
A game drive on the way out of the park, then the drive back to Nairobi, arriving in the late afternoon for a hotel or airport drop-off.
- Activities
- Game drive en route · Road transfer to Nairobi
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
- Overnight
- The journey ends today
Accommodation · Budget
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 · Budget2 nights
Samburu Riverside Camp
Accommodation confirmed with your quotation and subject to availability.
Plan this safari
Lake Nakuru · Budget1 night
Buraha Zenoni
Buraha Zenoni is the designated budget hotel for Lake Nakuru.
Accommodation confirmed with your quotation and subject to availability.
Plan this safariLake Baringo · Budget1 night
Roberts' Camp
Accommodation confirmed with your quotation and subject to availability.
Plan this safari
Maasai Mara · Budget2 nights
Miti Mingi Eco Camp
Miti Mingi Eco Camp is the designated budget camp for the Maasai Mara.
Accommodation confirmed with your quotation and subject to availability.
Plan this safari
Amboseli · Budget2 nights
Nyati Safari Camp
Nyati Safari Camp is the designated budget camp for Amboseli.
Accommodation confirmed with your quotation and subject to availability.
Plan this safari
Compare accommodation at all three levels
Budget
- Samburu
- Samburu Riverside Camp
- Lake Nakuru
- Buraha Zenoni
- Lake Baringo
- Roberts' Camp
- Maasai Mara
- Miti Mingi Eco Camp
- Amboseli
- Nyati Safari Camp
Midrange
- Samburu
- Ashnil Samburu Camp
- Lake Nakuru
- Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge
- Lake Baringo
- Island Camp Baringo, by routing
- Maasai Mara
- Masai Mara Sopa Lodge
- Amboseli
- Kibo Safari Camp, Sentrim Amboseli Lodge
Luxury
- Samburu
- Sasaab
- Lake Nakuru
- The Cliff — Lake Nakuru
- Lake Baringo
- On Request — confirmed with your quotation.
- Maasai Mara
- andBeyond Bateleur Camp, Cottar's 1920s Camp
- Amboseli
- Elewana Tortilis Camp Amboseli
What you’ll experience
The character of this route.
- 01
Dry-country species along the Ewaso Nyiro in Samburu
- 02
Black and white rhino at Lake Nakuru
- 03
Hot springs, geysers and flamingo at Lake Bogoria
- 04
A full day in the Maasai Mara
- 05
Elephant herds beneath Kilimanjaro in Amboseli
- 06
Almost the full spread of Kenyan habitat in one circuit
Package detail
What the price covers.
These lists apply to the budget 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.
Per person sharing · low season USD 2,020, high season USD 2,300
This is our published starting rate. The final price still depends on your travel dates, group size, park fees at the time of travel, 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.
How much driving is involved?
A fair amount. Two of the nine days are principally transfers, including the run from Baringo to the Maasai Mara. If that is a concern, the seven-day Rift Valley and Amboseli route covers similar ground more tightly.
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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9 Days Samburu, Lake Nakuru, Lake Baringo, Lake Bogoria, Maasai Mara & Amboseli 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.
