12 Days Iconic Kenya Safari Experience
This 12 Days Iconic Kenya Safari Experience through Kenya lasts for 12 days, and it is designed to allow one to see the different aspects of nature and wildlife in the best of Kenyan habitats, from the dry but still beautiful Northern Frontier to the typical grassy Maasai Mara plains.
The tour goes beyond just looking at animals and includes other joyful and exciting activities such as going on guided bush walks, visiting rhino sanctuaries, and spending time with the Samburu people in a way that will remain forever in your memory.
Tour Highlights.
Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi.
Day 2: To Meru: The Birthplace of Elsa the Lioness.
Day 3: Meru: Guided Bush Walks and Rare Wildlife.
Day 4: Into the Northern Frontier: Arrival in Shaba.
Day 5: Samburu Special Five and Cultural Immersion.
Day 6: Laikipia Bound: Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
Day 7: Rhinos, Rangers, and Wild Learning in Ol Pejeta.
Day 8: Descent into the Rift Valley: Arrival at Lake Nakuru.
Day 9: Naivasha Adventure and Transfer to Maasai Mara.
Day 10: Maasai Mara: A Full Day of Epic Wildlife.
Day 11: Sunrise in the Mara and Return to Nairobi.
Day 12: Departure.
Detailed itinerary.
Part 1: The Northern Frontier and Pioneer Conservation (Days 1–7)
The first seven days are all about exploring the harsh but beautiful lands of Kenya’s north, and through the visiting of different parks one will see the kinds of animals that only live there and also learn about various measures that are being taken to conserve nature.
Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi: Your adventure starts the moment you land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO). Right there, you will meet your guide from Nyumbu Beyond Journeys, who will take you to a hotel where you can relax after the long journey, have your safari briefing and get ready for the days ahead.
Day 2: To Meru: The Birthplace of Elsa the Lioness:
You will leave early in the morning for the airport, where a scheduled flight to Meru National Park awaits you. Meru is a complex of different ecosystems and it is well-known as the place where Joy Adamson’s Born Free was filmed.
You will check in at the lodge and then go out on an afternoon game drive to see and photograph the already usual animals as well as the less common ones, including those found in big numbers like the white rhinos of the park.
Day 3: Meru: Guided Bush Walks and Rare Wildlife:
A whole day of deep immersion in nature and wildlife in Meru is what this day is about. First part of the day is with a Guided Bush Walk where you get to experience the wild at its most authentic and raw while learning the art of tracking and you are also taught more about the different plants, their uses, and the way they grow by an armed guide who is also a skilled botanist and in the afternoon you are taken out for a game drive that focuses on Meru’s rare and endangered species of the north such as the Reticulated Giraffe and Grevy’s Zebra that can be found in this isolated and quiet wilderness.
Day 4: Into the Northern Frontier: Arrival in Shaba:
You take a trip either through the domestic flight or drive in the early hours of the day to reach Shaba National Reserve, a severely dry and deserted landscape that is the continuation of the Sable River Valley, which you will later get to know well by your game drive after you have gone past Shaba Lodge and checked in there.
Day 5: Samburu Special Five and Cultural Immersion:
Besides that, you also have the chance to explore and tour the area of Shaba as well as its adjacent reserves in-depth so that you can accomplish the main purpose of this outing, which is to spot and photograph the Samburu Special Five: Grevy’s Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe, Beisa Oryx, Gerenuk (long-necked antelope) and Somali Ostrich.
You will be brought to a village of the Samburu tribe during the afternoon, where you will share and learn a lot of things about their lifestyle, well-known for being pastoral semi-nomads and closely associated with nature and wildlife.
Day 6: Laikipia Bound: Ol Pejeta Conservancy:
Whether by a short flight or a scenic drive early in the morning, you will make your way to the southwest of the Laikipia region and Ol Pejeta Conservancy. You will have the privilege to enjoy your first game drive here in the afternoon, which is not only known for its excellent Big Five sightings but also for its significant role in the protection of the endangered species.
Day 7: Rhinos, Rangers, and Wild Learning in Ol Pejeta:
This was a day dedicated to conservation learning. Visiting the Rhino Sanctuary dedicated to the rescue of the last few northern white rhinos would be an eye-opening experience.
Supporting the anti-poaching and the ranger teams with their activities will also be highly engaging. Besides, visiting Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary will give you an absolutely new and deep understanding of the rescue and rehabilitation of primates.
Part 2: The Rift Valley and the Iconic Maasai Mara (Days 8–12)
The safari goes down to the Great Rift Valley and ends up in the world-famous Maasai Mara.
Day 8: Descent into the Rift Valley: Arrival at Lake Nakuru:
After breakfast you will meet your safari guide and experience a journey down to the Great Rift Valley from Ol Pejeta. Lake Nakuru National Park is where you walk in the afternoon for your game drive.
The lake shore and the woodland next to it are the places to see great flocks of one of the world’s most beautiful birds-the flamingo. And their pink will be everywhere to both your eyes and your camera lens. Along with the flamingos, the park today is home of the Black and White rhinos of which you should be able to get close to those that are grazing near the lake shore.
Day 9: Naivasha Adventure and Transfer to Maasai Mara:
It will be a morning game drive in Nakuru to start with. A southward journey will bring you to the region of Lake Naivasha, where you have a chance to savor the unique amusing experience of a Champagne Boat Safari or a specially prepared activity by the lake, during which you spot hippos and birds from water.
Next, you will be transferred to an airfield closest to you in the mid-afternoon for a scheduled flight to Maasai Mara National Reserve, thus ensuring an effortless and fast way to the plains.
Day 10: Maasai Mara: A Full Day of Epic Wildlife:
This day is planned fully for the incredible wildlife watch in the Maasai Mara habitat. Through long game drives your expert guide will expose you to following of lion prides, witnessing hunts done by the cheetahs and camera shots at the most ideal places. In case you are on your trip at the time of migration (July-October), then your whole day will be spent in following the magnificent wildebeest herds and the crossing of the Mara River which is full of drama.
Day 11: Sunrise in the Mara and Return to Nairobi:
Start off by doing an early Sunrise Game Drive. Very often it is the most fruitful time to see the predators as they are getting ready for their hunts and are still active before the heat of the day sets in.
After having the final breakfast served with a view over the Mara plains, you will be taken to the local airstrip where your scheduled flight back to Nairobi will be taking off. On landing, you will be taken to a day-use room or a nice hotel by the way of relaxation.
Day 12: Departure:
After having a slow breakfast, you are taken in a safari vehicle from your hotel to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) for the departure of your flight to wherever your next destination might be, thus, putting an end to not only your memorable Kenya safari but also your trip in Kenya.
End of 12 Days Iconic Kenya Safari Experience
