from 1 review
7 Days
Daily Tour
Unlimited
English, Francais, spanish
“Night one, Aberdares. You are seated in the dark balcony of The Ark lodge. Below the floodlit waterhole, a family of elephants arrives silently out of the forest. Then a bushbuck. Then, at 11pm, a movement at the treeline. Your guide raises his hand. The leopard walks to the water’s edge, drinks for thirty seconds, and disappears. You have not left your chair.”
This seven-day circuit travels a different Kenya than the standard tourist trail. Beginning in the dramatic highland forest of the Aberdares — where you spend a night in The Ark, one of Kenya’s most atmospheric game lodges — it moves north to Samburu’s desert scrubland and its unique ‘Special Five’ before sweeping through Nakuru and down to the Mara.
The Highlands & Savannah circuit is particularly suited to travellers who have done the standard Mara/Amboseli circuit before and want to see the Kenya that most visitors miss: the mountains, the northern deserts, and the extraordinary wildlife of the Rift Valley lakes.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS TOUR
Samburu is the best-kept secret in Kenya. It receives a fraction of the Mara’s visitors but delivers equal wildlife drama — plus the Special Five, which you simply cannot see anywhere else. Combine it with The Ark’s extraordinary night game viewing and this circuit delivers experiences no other 7-day itinerary in Kenya can match.
LENS TAGS
🌿 Senior-friendly ♿ Accessible (partial)
GROUP SIZE / FORMAT
Private
The Ark at Aberdares National Park is a purpose-built overnight game-viewing lodge that sits above a floodlit waterhole and salt lick. Guests arrive in the afternoon and check in for a 24-hour stay — wildlife viewing from tiered balconies throughout the night. The lodge is accessed via internal stairs but has lift access to upper viewing levels, making it suitable for guests with limited mobility. Samburu National Reserve sits in Kenya’s arid north : an ecosystem completely different from the Mara’s grasslands. It is home to species endemic to the Somali-Maasai biome.
Nairobi-Aberdares National Park
Depart Nairobi early morning (approx. 7:30 AM) and drive into the cool highland forests of the Aberdares. After an en-route game drive through the park, arrive at The Ark lodge in time for lunch. Spend the afternoon and evening on the tiered viewing decks overlooking the floodlit waterhole and salt lick — a place where elephants, buffalo, bushbuck, giant forest hog, and sometimes leopard come to drink through the night. A night unlike any other in Kenya. Dinner and overnight at The Ark.
Aberdares-Samburu National Park
After an early breakfast, descend from the highlands and drive north to Samburu — Kenya's wild, arid north. The landscape transforms dramatically as you leave the forest behind and enter the dust-red scrubland of the Ewaso Ng'iro River basin. Check in to Ashnil Samburu Camp, enjoy lunch, then head straight out for an evening game drive. Keep your eyes open for the Special Five on your very first afternoon. Dinner and overnight at Ashnil Samburu.
Samburu National Park Full day
A full day dedicated entirely to Samburu. Morning and afternoon game drives give you the best chance of spotting all five of Samburu's iconic endemic species — the long-necked gerenuk feeding upright on acacia bushes, the striking reticulated giraffe with its geometric coat, Grevy's zebra with its pencil-thin stripes, the elegant Beisa oryx, and the statuesque Somali ostrich. Watch crocodiles basking on the riverbanks of the Ewaso Ng'iro. Optional: cultural visit to a traditional Samburu village. Dinner and overnight at Ashnil Samburu.
Samburu-Lake Nakuru
Optional early morning game drive before breakfast and checkout. Drive south through Kenya's stunning Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru National Park — one of Kenya's most important conservation areas and a sanctuary for both black and white rhinos. Arrive for a late lunch, then head out on an afternoon game drive until sunset. Look for the shimmering pink fringe of flamingos on the lake's edge, Rothschild's giraffes moving through the yellow fever trees, and lions resting on rocky outcrops. Dinner and overnight at Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge.
Lake Nakuru-Maasai Mara
Early morning game drive at Nakuru before breakfast and checkout. Drive south to the Maasai Mara — Kenya's greatest wildlife arena and the crown jewel of the East African savannah. En-route game drive as you enter the reserve, arriving in time for lunch at camp. Afternoon game drive across the open plains, where you may encounter lion prides, elephant herds, and vast columns of wildebeest (seasonal). Dinner and overnight at Sarova Mara Game Camp.
Maasai Mara Full day
A full day in the Mara — the safari experience at its most complete. Morning and afternoon game drives cover the reserve's iconic landmarks: the Mara River crossing point, Governors' Hill, and the rolling grasslands of the Mara Triangle. Picnic lunch delivered to the bush beside the Mara River. Watch for all members of the Big Five — elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino — alongside cheetah, hippo, crocodile and over 450 recorded bird species. Optional: hot air balloon safari at dawn (+$450 per person, pre-booking required). Dinner and overnight at Sarova Mara Game Camp.
Maasai Mara-Nairobi
Breakfast and checkout.An optional Maasai Village visit and thereafter drive north back to Nairobi. Arrive Nairobi late afternoon — transfer to your hotel or direct to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for onward flights.
Sally Adrian
Excellent