from 0 review
10 days
Daily Tour
Unlimited
___
This 10 days Safari Desert to beach takes you to the best parks that you can dream of in Kenya. The safari commences in Nairobi crossing the Equator to the Northern hemisphere to Samburu national reserve which is semi arid. This program may end with a beach extention or drop off at Nairobi.
Visiting the Equator and venturing from the Northern Hemisphere to the breathtaking Samburu National Reserve is an extraordinary journey that unveils the wonders of nature and the enchanting diversity of our planet. This adventure promises a unique blend of geographical significance, cultural exploration, and thrilling wildlife encounters.
As you cross the imaginary line marking the Equator, you step into a world where gravity behaves differently, and water drains in a mesmerizing way. The Equator, the meeting point of the Earth’s hemispheres, is a must-visit for anyone fascinated by the Earth’s natural phenomena and keen to experience the transition from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere.
From there, your journey takes you to the stunning Samburu National Reserve in Kenya. Nestled in the heart of East Africa, this reserve is a sanctuary for a remarkable array of wildlife. Prepare to be captivated by the sight of elephants gracefully strolling by the Ewaso Nyiro River and the mesmerizing dance of the Samburu warriors, adorned in vibrant red attire.
Samburu National Reserve offers an extraordinary opportunity to witness some of Africa’s most iconic animals, including lions, leopards, cheetahs, and the rare Grevy’s zebra. The reserve is also home to a rich birdlife, with over 450 species recorded, making it a haven for bird enthusiasts.
Beyond its wildlife, Samburu offers a cultural immersion into the lives of the Samburu people. Engage in traditional ceremonies, visit local villages, and gain insight into their ancient customs and way of life. The warmth and hospitality of the Samburu people will leave a lasting impression on your heart.
Whether you’re a wildlife enthusiast, a nature lover, or a cultural explorer, visiting the Equator and journeying to Samburu National Reserve will leave you with cherished memories and a profound appreciation for the wonders of our world. It’s an adventure that connects you to the pulse of the Earth and showcases the extraordinary beauty that lies within its diverse landscapes.
Early in the morning arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International airport. You will be met and briefed by our representative upon arrival. Depart for Samburu national reserve which is found in the Northern hemisphere.
What you expect to see from Nairobi to Samburu.
You will have a brief stop over at the Equator crossing at Nanyuki. If weather allows, you will be able to see Mt. Kenya 5199m -Kenya’s highest mountain at this point as well. Proceed further North driving through commercial flower plantations as well as wheat plantations as you drive across one of Kenya’s bread baskets! Arrive in time for lunch at Ashnil Samburu safari camp -situated on the banks on the Ewaso Nyiro river!
After lunch depart for your first game drive in this magnificent game reserve.
Animal expected to be spotted in Samburu National reserve.
Animals expected to be spotted include; herds of elephants as they roam or bathe in the waters of the Ewaso Nyiro! Other big mammals comprise herds of buffalos, gazelles, impalas, Elands, Beisa oryxes among others. You will also with a bit of luck, have a chance to see super predators like lions, leopards, cheetahs, jackals! In the evening drive back to the camp for dinner and overnight at the of your choice.
Premium Accommodation:
Ashnil Samburu Camp
With little Supplement Samburu Elephant Bedroom Camp
Tea or coffee. Early morning game drive. Breakfast at the camp. Relax in your accommodation until lunch time. After lunch you will have your afternoon game drive in the game reserve until sunset. Dinner and overnight at the logde or camp of your choice.
Samburu National reserve information
The 165 sq. km reserve is rich in wildlife with fame for abundance in rare northern specialist species such as the Grevy Zebra, Somali Ostrich, Reticulated Giraffe, Gerenuk and the Beisa Oryx (Also referred as Samburu Special).
The reserve is also popular with a minimum of 900 elephants. Large predators such as the Lion, Leopard and Cheetah are an important attraction (Kamunyak the Miracle Lioness that adapted the baby Oryx is a resident in the reserve). Wild dog sightings are also a common attraction to this unique protected area.
Samburu National reserve Birds
Bird-life is abundant with over 450 species recorded. Birds of the arid northern bush country are augmented by a number of riverine forest species. Lesser Kestrel and the Taita Falcon are species of global conservation concern and they both utilize the reserve. Five species categorized as vulnerable have recorded in the reserve. These are African Darter, Great Egret, White-headed Vulture, Martial Eagle and the Yellow-billed Ox-pecker. Critically endangered species under CITES – Pancake tortoise ( malacochersus tornieri ) is found in the reserve.
Early morning breakfast then game en-route to Ol pajeta arriving in time for lunch and check in at Serena Sweetwater’s luxury tented camp. After lunch relax in the camp before leaving for the first game drive in this sanctuary situated at the foot of Mt. Kenya.
This game drive will take you to the most interesting areas like visiting the Chimpazee as well as the rhino projects within the sanctuary. Dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp of your choice.
Chimpanzee in Olpejeta sanctuary
The Sanctuary is now home to 35 chimps, divided into two large groups. These groups live in vast natural enclosures separated by the Ewaso Nyiro River. The chimps have set feeding times; which is the best time for visitors to see them, either from our special viewing platform or from the chimp walk.
At the chimpanzee visitor centre you can learn more about our individual chimps, and if one in particular steals your heart you can pledge to adopt him or her – helping Ol Pejeta to ensure they live out the rest of their days in peace and safety.
Olpejeta Sanctuary Rhinos
The same sanctuary boasts two Northern white rhinos -the only two left on the planet christened Najin and Fatu – the last northern white rhinos left in the world which were moved to Kenya from the Czech Republic in 2009, and live in the 700-acre northern white rhino enclosure.
The Enclosure is open to visitors twice daily, at 08:30 and 16:00 – where you can meet the northern whites and learn more about their history, what it takes to protect them, and what Ol Pejeta is doing to try and save this subspecies
Premium Accommodation
Serena Sweet waters
Breakfast at the camp. Departure for Lake Nakuru national park with a game drive en route.
The Equator and Rift valley view point
You will have another technical stop along the Equator as the road crisscrosses the Equator line before eventually arriving at the Great Rift Valley. Brief stop over at the Rift Valley viewpoint where you will have a panoramic view of the floor of the valley with its densely populated villages.
Descend into the Rift Valley driving through tea plantations arriving in time for lunch at Flamingo Hill camp. After lunch relax before leaving for the afternoon game drive until sunset. This game drive will take you to the shores of the lake where you will be able to alight from your vehicle and take a walk as you take photos of the flamingo colonies in the alkaline waters of Nakuru. Dinner and overnight at lodge or camp of your choice.
Lake Nakuru National park information
Lake Nakuru National Park was established in 1961. It now covers an area of 188km² (69.5 square miles) and is situated in the Great Rift
The 40 sq. km lake is shallow surrounded by marshes, woodland and grassland. There are some rocky outcrops and the largest euphorbia forest in Africa on the eastern side. The lake is fed by three main rivers; the Njoro, the Makalia and the Enderit rivers, as well as several springs and has some excellent viewpoints overlooking the lake from Baboon Cliff and Lion Hill.
The lake supports the blue-green Cyanophyte Spirulina Platensis, which is the main food source for the brilliant pink flamingoes that can be found wading on the lake’s edge. At times, there can be up to two million greater and lesser flamingoes and tens of thousands of other birds. Food conditions change periodically, and the number of birds fluctuates at times depending on the alkalinity levels of the water!
Animals in Lake Nakuru national Park.
Lake Nakuru National Park also offers sanctuary to huge numbers of native African animals including waterbucks, warthogs, impalas, buffalo, Rothschild giraffes, elands, endangered black rhinos, white rhinos and, occasionally, leopards. A large herd of hippos have a territory in the northern part of the lake, making for interesting game viewing.
Premium accommodations:
Sarova lion hills or Sopa Nakuru Lodge
Basic accommodations:
Nakuru lodge or Flamingo hills camp
Mbweha camp
Breakfast at the camp. Departure for Maasai Mara with a game drive en route. You will have a brief stopover in the floor of the Great Rift Valley.
This magnificent valley can be seen From the Moon! The Rift Valley begins in Northern Syria, eventually crosses the Dead Sea and the Red sea into Ethiopia running all the way to Mozambique, covering around 4820 kms.
As you drive on floor of the valley you will see Mt. Longonot 2600m -an extinct volcano at the floor of the Rift! From this point you may start looking for some gazelle species, zebras, as well as giraffes as they roam in the acacia drepanolobium bushes commonly known as the Whistling acacia! Your next stop will be for refueling at Narok -the last town before turning off to the Mara ecosystem.
You will arrive in time for lunch. Check-in at Kilima luxury camp -perched high on the slopes of the Oloololo escarpment with an unrivaled view of the Mara plains below! After lunch its time to relax from the drive before embarking on your first safari in the reserve till sunset.
Animal expected to be spotted in Masai mara
Animals expected to be spotted include; The Big Five; Lion, Elephant, Rhino, Buffalo and the Leopard. Other big mammal species represented in the ecosystem are herds of Wildebeests, zebras, gazelles, impalas, Masai giraffes and other kinds of African wildlife. At sunset drive back for Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge or camp of your choice.
Premium accommodations:
Mara serena lodge or Ashnil mara or Keekorok lodge
Basic accommodations:
Kilima camp or Figtree lodge or Osero lodge
with a little supplement Sentinel camp or Neptune Mara Rianta luxury camp.
Early breakfast at the camp. Depart for a full day tour of the reserve with picnic lunch. This game drive will take you to the most interesting parts of the reserve including hippo pools in the Mara river.
Predators in Masai Mara
You will have a chance of spotting the super predators; families of lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyaenas, as well as their prey! If you are a little luckier you may witness them hunting. You will have picnic lunch within the reserve before proceeding with your game drive arriving back to the camp in the late afternoon to relax. Dinner and overnight at the camp of your choice.
Masai Mara National reserve information
Maasai Mara is a Maasai word meaning ‘spotted’, this is because when you take a panoramic view what you see is a mass of endless savannah grasslands spotted by scanty bushes of croton dichogamous! The reserve, covering 1510 sq. km. happens to be the Northern continuation of Tanzania’s Serengeti national park from where the animals roam freely in search of greener pastures.
Great Migration Masai Mara
Each year between July and October the Greatest animal spectacle -the Wildebeeste migration takes place in this reseve. During this time close to 2 million wildebeests, followed by around half a million zebras and around 250,ooo gazelles arrive in the reserve, crossing the Mara river where crocodiles often lie waiting to pounce on them!
Early breakfast at the camp. Drive back to the Rift valley arriving on time for lunch at Naivasha Sopa lodge. Relax before taking a boat ride to the Crescent Island for a walking safari.
Boat ride in crescent island
The boat ride will take you to hippo pools in this fresh water lake before eventually landing at the Crescent island. Part of the Film ‘Out of Africa’ was shot here! On the island you will have a walking safari bringing you close to giraffes, zebras as well as different gazelle and antelope species. After the walking safari you ride back to the jetty. Transfer back to the lodge or camp of your choice.
Premium accommodations:
Sopa Lodge
Basic accommodations:
Crescent camp
Dinner and overnight at lodge or camp of your choice.
Breakfast at the lodge before driving to Amboseli national park via Nairobi. Brief stop at Emali before leaving the A109 Nairobi-Mombasa highway and driving towards Mt. Kilimanjaro.
The drive will last you approximately 5 hours before arriving in this world renowned national park. You will have lunch at Oltukai lodge. After lunch relax before embarking on an evening game drive. The park is famous for being the best place in Africa to get close to free-ranging elephants among other wildlife species. Other attractions of the park include opportunity for spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro (5894m)-Africa’s highest Mountain
Amboseli National park information
Amboseli is a Maasai word for ‘salty dust”. This is because during the dry season, lake Amboseli dries up and when it’s windy the dust tastes salty!
The national park, covering approximately 390sq. km of swampy area boasts the largest elephant herds as they roam between the swamps and the foot of Africa’s highest mountain! Other physical attractions include lake Amboseli, the Observation Hill which allows a panoramic view of the better part of this park overlooking Enkongo Narok swamp with its schools of hippos as well as herds of Elephants! For the avid ornithologists, this swamp does not disappoint with its prolific avifauna.
Other animals include; buffaloes, hippos and a variety of water fowls like pelican, Egyptian goose, jacana. You equally have a chance of spotting leopard, cheetah, wild dogs, giraffe, zebra, lion, mongoose, hyrax, dik- dik, lesser kudu, and nocturnal porcupine.
In the evening drive back the lodge or camp of your choice.
Premium accommodation:
Oltukai lodge or Amboseli serena lodge
Basic accommodation:
Kilima camp ,‘Sentrim Amboseli or Kibo Camp
with little supplement Satao Elerai Camp, Tawi Lodge or Tortilis camp
Embark on your early morning game drive at 6.30am then come back at 8.30am for full breakfast. After breakfast game drive as you drive out of the park.
Once you are out of the park drive approximately 1 hr to The sanctuary entrance –A drive that will take you through breath taking views of Taita hills on the horizon.
You will arrive at Saltlick lodge or Lions bluff in time for your lunch. After lunch afternoon game drive in Taita hills, located at the foot of Taita hills as well as game drive at Lumo Community Wildlife Sanctuary. Both lie at the heart of the Tsavo ecosystem comprising Tsavo East, West and the Taita Game Sanctuary.
Taita hills and Lumo sanctuary
The area is a vital wildlife corridor for the animals of Tsavo East and West, an ancient elephant migratory route and an important breeding site for lions. It is home to abundant and diverse wildlife species, spectacular landscapes, and enjoys the rich cultural heritage of the Taita people.The little known 125,000 acre Lumo Community Wildlife Sanctuary is situated between the Taita hills Sanctuary and Tsavo west , only 50 km from Voi on the Taveta road. Three group ranches joined together to form the Lumo Community Wildlife Sanctuary as a way to use natural resources on their land.
By investing the earnings from tourist activities, the community plays an integral role in conserving the biodiversity of the area by fighting poaching and the bush meat trade and creating awareness of the invaluable wildlife therein. The sanctuary is a model of how local people benefit from the union of conservation and enterprise in a sustainable way to help alleviate poverty and conserve wildlife for the future generations.
Wildlife spotted in Taita hills
On your game drive you have a chance of spotting lion, leopard, cheetah, serval cat, civet, bat-eared fox, buffalo, giraffe, elephant, baboon, waterbuck, Coke’s hartebeest, eland, gazelle, zebra, mongoose, hyrax, Dik dik, porcupine, and Oryx, the rare aard-wolf, and both striped and spotted hyena and the prolific bird life features 600 recorded species. dinner and overnight stay at lodge or camp of your choice.
Premium accommodations:
Saltlick lodge
Basic accommodation:
Lions bluff
Morning game drive in Taita hills sanctuary before breakfast. After Breakfast game drive in the sanctuary before leaving for Mombasa arriving in the afternoon. Transfer to your beach hotel.
Leave a reply