4 Days Samburu & Lake Nakuru Safari

If you want to get away from the more heavily visited southern parks, this is a good route to take instead. Four days is enough time to properly settle into Samburu, one of the least crowded reserves in the country and home to wildlife you will not see anywhere in the Mara or Amboseli, then finish with Lake Nakuru, whose rhino sanctuary and flamingo-lined shores are a complete change of scenery again. It is a shorter, more affordable alternative to the longer northern circuits, without cutting either park down to a rushed half-day stop.

This is a private departure, so your vehicle, driver guide, and pace are set around your group rather than a fixed schedule. It suits travelers who want real time in fewer places rather than a broader but more hurried multi-park circuit.

Itineraty:

Day 1: Nairobi to Samburu Game Reserve

Pickup from your Nairobi hotel at around 7:30 AM, with the drive north taking you into Kenya's Northern Frontier District. Samburu is dry, rugged, and watered by the Uaso Nyiro River, and it holds species found almost nowhere else in the country - the reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra, Beisa oryx, gerenuk, and greater and lesser kudu. You will arrive in time for lunch, rest, then head out for an evening game drive. Dinner and overnight at Umoja Tented Camp.

Day 2: Full Day in Samburu National Reserve

A full day exploring the reserve's grasslands and acacia woodland, with good chances of elephant, lion, leopard, and cheetah alongside the region's signature species. Dinner and overnight again at Umoja Tented Camp.

Day 3: Samburu to Lake Nakuru National Park

After breakfast, an optional visit to a Samburu village gives some insight into the culture of the region before you head south, with lunch provided en route and a photo stop at Thomson's Falls along the way. You will arrive at Lake Nakuru in the afternoon, with time to check in and make use of the hotel's facilities, including the pool. Dinner and overnight at Buraha Zenoni Hotel, Nakuru.

Day 4: Lake Nakuru National Park to Nairobi

Lake Nakuru sits within the volcanic Rift Valley, with the lake itself covering roughly a quarter of the park. Declared a rhino sanctuary in 1983, it now holds around 45 black rhino and 31 white rhino, alongside its well-known flamingo populations. After breakfast, you will have an extensive morning game drive, then head back to Nairobi with lunch provided en route, arriving in the afternoon and dropped at your hotel or the airport by around 2:00 PM.

From $700 USD per person

Best Time to Visit

June to October is the strongest window for both parks, covering the dry season across the northern and Rift Valley regions alike. January to March is a solid, quieter alternative if you prefer fewer vehicles at each sighting.

Good to Know

This route sees noticeably fewer vehicles than the Mara or Amboseli, if you are looking for a quieter safari experience.
The Nakuru hotel has a swimming pool, worth factoring in if you want some downtime built into the trip.

Groups of 3 or more should confirm final per-person pricing with us directly before payment, since rates scale with group size.