Signature: Kenya's Wildlife & Cultural Heritage

Nairobi

Welcome to Kenya. Your expedition begins in Nairobi, where the energy of a bustling city meets the edge of the wild. You will be met upon arrival and transferred directly to your hotel to unwind. Take this evening to rest and settle into the rhythms of East Africa, letting the anticipation build for the wildlife encounters and cultural connections that await you.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Arrival Day

Nairobi

The adventure begins tomorrow. Feel free to explore on your own before your welcome meeting on the morning of day two. Check for the meeting time in the welcome note at the hotel.

Arrival Transfer

Nairobi 0.25h 6km

You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel to start your adventure.

Accommodations:  Argyle Grand Hotel

Nairobi/Samburu Game Reserve

Gather for a welcome breakfast to meet your National Geographic Expedition Leader, National Geographic Expedition Expert and fellow travellers. Next, board a short flight over the sweeping, rugged landscape to the Kalama airstrip in Samburu. After checking into your lodge and enjoying lunch, enjoy an insightful presentation over high tea. As the heat of the afternoon fades, embark on your first wildlife safari drive. Search for majestic elephants and lions, keeping a keen eye for the rare species that call this rugged northern frontier home. Watch the sun dip low, painting the sky in deep shades of crimson and orange, before gathering for a spectacular welcome dinner under a canopy of stars.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Meet Your Expedition Leader and Group

Nairobi 1.5h

Your opportunity to meet your Expedition Leader and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group this morning.

Private Vehicle

Nairobi 0.5h 14km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Plane

Nairobi - Samburu Game Reserve 1h

Depart on your flight from Wilson Airport, crossing the Equator to Northern Kenya's remote Samburu Kalama Airstrip.

Private Vehicle

Samburu Game Reserve 1h 28km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Safari Drive and Sunset Experience

Samburu Game Reserve 3h

Explore Samburu's dramatic red-earth wilderness in the late afternoon, tracking iconic wildlife through the sun-baked terrain.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodations:  Soroi Larsens Camp

Samburu Game Reserve

Wake to the early morning calls of the wild before departing for Reteti Elephant Sanctuary - the world's first Indigenous-owned African elephant sanctuary. Photographer and National Geographic Explorer Ami Vitale has documented Reteti's pioneering community-led conservation model for global audiences, and today you experience it firsthand. Meet a researcher to learn about the sanctuary's vital work, then witness a private feeding session with rescued calves. Savour a picnic lunch near the sanctuary before an afternoon safari drive back to the lodge, tracking elephants and leopards through the brush.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Safari Vehicle

Samburu Game Reserve 2h - 3h 95km

On your journey to the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, transition from a relaxed wildlife drive into a scenic and culturally rich off-road expedition that passes through traditional Samburu Maasai villages.

Reteti Elephant Sanctuary

Samburu Game Reserve 2h

Meet a researcher at the Reteti Visitor Centre before viewing a private feeding session. Highlighting the meaningful work of Reteti's passionate team of Samburu keepers, researchers, and rangers, the centre is also a testimony to generations of coexistence between the area's Indigenous people and the wildlife with whom they share this land.

Safari Vehicle

Samburu Game Reserve 2h - 3h 95km

Take in the savanna scenery as you make your way back to the lodge.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodations:  Soroi Larsens Camp

Samburu Game Reserve

Set off on an early morning safari drive as the wilderness awakens, stopping to scan the brush for unique wildlife. Return to the lodge for a hot breakfast, followed by a quiet morning at leisure to soak in the serene surroundings. After lunch and high tea, return to the savanna for an afternoon wildlife drive. Pause as the shadows lengthen to enjoy private sundowner drinks, watching the landscape turn to gold. After dinner, a resident naturalist guides you to a special clearing to decode the night sky, revealing how the Maasai and Samburu use constellations as a living calendar.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Morning Safari Drive

Samburu Game Reserve 3h

Set out at dawn across acacia-dotted plains to track iconic wildlife. Keep your binoculars ready to spot grazing elephants, migrating wildebeest, and stealthy predators at their most active. Experience East Africa's raw, untamed beauty firsthand.

Afternoon Safari Drive

Samburu Game Reserve 2h - 3h

Venture into the rugged expanses of Samburu as the midday heat gives way to a gentle, golden light. Scan the Ewaso Ng'iro River banks and thornbush scrub for Northern Kenya's rare "Samburu Special Five"-including reticulated giraffes and Grevy's zebras. Watch predators emerge from the shade as you immerse yourself in an untamed, dramatic landscape rarely touched by crowds.

Stargazing

Samburu Game Reserve 0.75h

Gather beneath a canopy of stars as your resident naturalist guides you through the celestial wonders adorning the Samburu sky. Decode the ancient "living calendar" of the wilderness, learning how Northern Kenya's indigenous communities have long used these constellations to navigate the rugged landscapes.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodations:  Soroi Larsens Camp

Samburu Game Reserve/Masai Mara

Enjoy breakfast at the lodge before boarding a flight to the legendary Maasai Mara National Reserve. Transfer to your new lodge, where lunch awaits. In the afternoon, attend high tea before setting out into the Maasai Mara for a thrilling afternoon safari drive. Feel the gentle breeze across the open grasslands and listen to the distant wildlife as you track the great herds before returning to the lodge for a refined dinner.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Private Vehicle

Samburu Game Reserve 1h 28km

Take in the rolling grasslands from a private vehicle as you transfer from your Samburu lodge to the Kalama Airstrip.

Plane

Samburu Game Reserve - Masai Mara 2h

Depart Samburu on your AirKenya flight for the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Afternoon Safari Drive

Masai Mara 2h - 3h

Venture into the Maasai Mara's sweeping grasslands just as the afternoon heat begins to soften and the savanna springs back to life. Scan the golden plains for grazing elephants, prides of lions, and elusive leopards descending from acacia branches.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodations:  Fairmont Mara Safari Club

Masai Mara

Venture out on a morning safari drive as the golden light of dawn washes over the endless plains. Watch prides of lions stirring and herds of zebras moving across the savannah. Return to the lodge for a restful midday break and a delicious lunch. In the afternoon, embark on another wildlife safari drive through the reserve, scanning the horizon for cheetahs pacing through the tall grass or hippos wallowing in the river channels. As dusk falls, return to the comfort of your lodge to share stories over a beautifully prepared dinner.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Morning Safari Drive

Masai Mara 3h

Set out at first light across the golden, acacia-dotted savannas of the Maasai Mara to track legendary wildlife. Raise your binoculars to scan sweeping grasslands for roaming elephant herds, wildebeest, and prowling lions at their most active. Connect directly with the raw, untamed spirit of the Mara.

Bush Breakfast at Maasai Mara

Masai Mara 1h

Savor an exclusive open-air breakfast served in the heart of the Maasai Mara, where the golden savanna is your dining room. Toast the sunrise with freshly brewed Kenyan coffee as wildlife grazes in the distance, elevating a classic safari tradition into an unforgettable, immersive encounter with nature.

Afternoon Safari Drive

Masai Mara 2h - 3h

Venture into the Maasai Mara's sweeping grasslands just as the afternoon heat begins to soften and the savanna springs back to life. Scan the golden plains for grazing elephants, prides of lions, and elusive leopards descending from acacia branches.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodations:  Fairmont Mara Safari Club

Masai Mara

Savour coffee and fresh fruit before an early morning safari drive, capturing the wilderness at its most active. Return to the lodge for a hot breakfast and a peaceful morning at leisure. During high tea, reflect on the incredible wildlife and heritage uncovered. Embark on your final afternoon wildlife safari drive in the Maasai Mara, soaking in the cinematic vistas of the acacia-dotted plains one last time. Celebrate the end of your Kenyan safari with a festive farewell dinner at the lodge.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Afternoon Safari Drive

Masai Mara 2h - 3h

Venture into the Maasai Mara's sweeping grasslands just as the afternoon heat begins to soften and the savanna springs back to life. Scan the golden plains for grazing elephants, prides of lions, and elusive leopards descending from acacia branches.

Morning Safari Drive

Masai Mara 3h

Set out at first light across the golden, acacia-dotted savannas of the Maasai Mara to track legendary wildlife. Raise your binoculars to scan sweeping grasslands for roaming elephant herds, wildebeest, and prowling lions at their most active. Connect directly with the raw, untamed spirit of the Mara.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodations:  Fairmont Mara Safari Club

Masai Mara/Nairobi

Enjoy breakfast before flying back to Nairobi. Upon arrival, transfer to Amani ya Juu, a remarkable community social impact success story. Visit the workshop to see how local women achieve economic independence by handcrafting beautiful, culturally symbolic textiles. Engage in warm conversation to learn about their history and share a locally sourced lunch prepared by the community youth. For those with late international departures, a day-use room is available to relax and refresh as you prepare for your journey home.

Please do not book departing flights prior to 7:30PM.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Plane

Masai Mara - Nairobi 1.5h

Board your flight out of the Maasai Mara, bidding farewell to the savanna as you return to Nairobi.

Amani ya Juu Workshop and Lunch

Nairobi 1h

Step inside Amani ya Juu, a sanctuary where women from across post-colonial East Africa find safety, empowerment, and economic independence through fair-trade entrepreneurship. Tour the vibrant workshop to watch artisans transform local fabrics into culturally symbolic handicrafts. Conclude your visit by sharing an authentic, locally sourced lunch prepared by community youth, engaging in meaningful conversation that connects you to the resilient spirit of Nairobi.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch