5 Day Kenya Safari Samburu Aberdare Nakuru

Beginning and ending in Nairobi, this 5-day northern Kenya safari takes you on 4×4 safaris to Samburu National Reserve, Aberdare National Park, and Lake Nakuru National Park while staying at high-quality yet budget-friendly safari lodges and camps.

Samburu National Reserve highlights

✓ Predators: The reserve boasts excellent populations of lions, leopards, cheetahs, and wild dogs
✓ Birdwatcher’s Paradise: Over 450 species, including the striking Vulturine Guineafowl and Martial Eagle
✓ Cultural Immersion: Arrange guided visits to local villages to experience the vibrant traditions, dances, and beadwork of the semi-nomadic Samburu people
✓ Ewaso Ng’iro River: This vital lifeline cuts through the arid landscape, attracting large elephant herds, bathing hippos, and Nile crocodiles to its lush, palm-lined banks
✓ The “Samburu Special Five“: This exclusive habitat north of the equator is the only place to find five rare, dry-country species: the Reticulated Giraffe, Grevy’s Zebra, Beisa Oryx, Gerenuk, and Somali Ostrich

Aberdare National Park Highlights 

✓  Royal History: Treetops Lodge is world-famous as the site where Princess Elizabeth learned she became Queen upon the death of her father, King George VI, in 1952
✓  Rare Wildlife: It is a sanctuary for unique animals, including the elusive eastern bongo, giant forest hogs, black leopards, and a protected population of eastern black rhinoceroses
✓  Stunning Waterfalls: The mountainous terrain creates breathtaking cascades. Highlights include the three-step Karuru Waterfalls (Kenya’s tallest at meters) and the neighboring Gura Falls
✓  Lodge-Based Wildlife Viewing: Because the forests are too dense for traditional game drives, animals come to you. Iconic accommodations like The Ark and Treetops Lodge feature elevated platforms overlooking floodlit waterholes and salt licks 
✓  High-Altitude Activities: Beyond wildlife viewing, the park is a prime destination for highland hiking, trout fishing in crystal-clear mountain streams, and birdwatching with over 290 recorded species

Lake Nakuru National Park Highlights 

✓ Makalia Waterfall: A beautiful seasonal waterfall located on the southern edge, perfect for hikes and picnics
✓ Flora Ecosystem: Drive through Africa’s largest candelabra Euphorbia forest and sweeping acacia woodlands 
✓ Baboon Cliff: This iconic elevated lookout provides a breathtaking, panoramic vista over the entire lake basin
✓ Out of Africa Lookout: A dramatic cliffside overlook where visitors can capture stunning landscape photography
✓ Rhino Sanctuary: The heavily protected perimeter shelters a robust, thriving population of both black and white rhinos
✓ Big Cats & Rare Mammals: Visitors routinely spot lions, elusive leopards resting in trees, and the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe
✓ Birdwatcher’s Paradise: The park boasts over 450 bird species, including massive Great White Pelicans, African fish eagles, and herons
✓ Flamingo Spectacle: Millions of Greater and Lesser Flamingos feed on the abundant blue-green algae. The prime viewing season spans from November to April

5 Day Kenya Safari: Samburu, Aberdare, & Lake Nakuru  Safari Itinerary 

Day 1: Nairobi to Samburu National Reserve

Drive Time: Hours (340 km)

0730 Hours – Depart Nairobi heading north, crossing the equator into the arid, rugged terrain of Samburu
1230 Hours– Arrive at your lodge or camp for check-in and lunch.
1600 Hours to 1830 Hours– Afternoon game drive to spot Samburu’s “Special Five”: the Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, beisa oryx, and gerenuk.

Day 2: Full Day in Samburu

0630 Hours to 0930 Hours – Early morning game drive (when predators are most active)
1230 Hours to 1530 Hours – Return to the camp for a hot lunch and midday siesta to escape the northern heat
1600 Hours to 1830 Hours – Afternoon game drive along the Uaso Nyiro River, the lifeline for the reserve’s elephants and big cats

Day 3: Samburu to Aberdare National Park

Drive Time: 4 to 4.5 hours (200 km)

0800 Hours – Enjoy an early breakfast, check out, and drive south towards the Aberdare mountain ranges.
1300 Hours – Arrive at the Aberdare base hotel (e.g., Aberdare Country Club) for lunch.
1430 Hours – Transfer to a specialized vehicle for your “tree hotel” (such as The Ark or Treetops Lodge). Because of strict national park rules, you will only be allowed to take small overnight bags.
1600 Hours onwards – Settle onto the viewing decks overlooking the floodlit waterholes and salt licks to watch forest elephants, buffalo, and rhinos.

Day 4: Aberdare to Lake Nakuru National Park

Drive Time: 2.5 to 3.5 Hours (280 km)

0800 Hours – Depart Aberdare, descending into the Great Rift Valley. You will enjoy scenic views and drive past the stunning Thompson’s Falls
1300 Hours – Arrive at Lake Nakuru National Park for check-in and lunch
1530 Hours to 1800 Hours – Afternoon game drive around the lake and acacia woodlands, renowned for its massive flamingo populations, white and black rhinos, and elusive leopards

Day 5: Lake Nakuru to Nairobi

Drive Time: 3 Hours (160 km)

0630 Hours to 0830 Hours – Early morning game drive to catch the morning light and active wildlife
0830 Hours – Return to the lodge for a full breakfast and check out.
1000 Hours – Depart for Nairobi, driving along the scenic Rift Valley escarpment
1330 Hours – Arrive back in Nairobi (city center or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport) for your onward journey

This is a unique 5-day safari covering the best parks and reserves in Kenya. Beginning and ending in Nairobi, this safari holiday combines Samburu National Reserve, Aberdare National Park, and Lake Nakuru National Park.

The safari begins with a drive out of Nairobi to Samburu National Reserve, situated at the southeastern corner of Samburu District in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. It is bordered to the south by the Ewaso Nyiro River, which separates it from the Buffalo Springs National Reserve.

The reserve is rich in wildlife, renowned for its abundance of rare northern specialist species such as the Grevy’s Zebra, Somali Ostrich, Reticulated Giraffe, Gerenuk, and the Beisa Oryx (also known as the Samburu Special). Other animals include elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffalo, and hippos.

Birdlife is as plentiful as wildlife at Samburu National Reserve, which boasts over 350 different species of birds, including vultures, kingfishers, marabous, bateleurs, guinea fowl, Somali ostriches, and others.

After Samburu, we travel to the Aberdare National Park and stay at the Ark Tree Lodge or Tree Tops Lodge. Watch the animals that frequently visit the lively waterhole beside the lodge, from a series of viewing decks and areas at different levels.

Spotting animals at the floodlit salt lick and watering hole into the night, with common visitors including elephants, buffalo, rhinos, elusive bongo, giant forest hogs, and even leopards. Wind down with dinner and drinks in the bar, overlooking the active waterhole.

After a night at the three lodges, we proceed by road to Lake Nakuru National Park, one of the top tourist destinations in Africa, famed for the Flamingos, both lesser and greater. The Park is one of the few places in Kenya where you are sure to see endangered Rhinos, and it is a RAMSAR site with over 450 bird species, making it a great stop for birders.

The park is also home to over 56 species of mammals, including black and white rhinos, cape buffalo, African wild dogs, zebras, elands, waterbucks, lions, leopards, Rothschild’s giraffes, warthogs, impalas, and hippos.

After a night in Lake Nakuru National Park, we journey back to the bustling city of Nairobi, arriving mid-afternoon, where you can get dropped off at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport or at your hotel.

5 Day Kenya Safari Samburu Aberdare Nakuru Rates Include

✓ Multiple Game drives
✓ All meals included while on safari
✓ All applicable Game Park entrance fees
✓ Guaranteed window seating with open top
✓ Safari vehicles carry cold drinks and mineral water
✓ Choice of accommodation in Samburu, Aberdare, and Lake Nakuru National Park
✓ Round-trip transport from Nairobi to Samburu, Aberdare, and Lake Nakuru National Park
✓ Multi-lingual Professional Safari Guide/ Driver. (Professional Safari Escort is available upon request)

Notes

* Departs and ends in Nairobi
* Transportation is in an open safari mini-van. There is an option for an open-roof 4×4 Land Cruiser at an extra cost

5-Day Kenya Safari Samburu Aberdare Nakuru Rates Exclude

✗ International Airfare
✗ A visit to a Samburu Village
✗ Accommodation in Nairobi
✗ Cost of obtaining a passport and visas
✗Gratuity for your professional driver-guide
✗ Sundowner bush cocktails and bush dinner
✗ Gratuity for porters/ waiters at hotels, camps, and airports
✗ Personal expenses such as transfers to/ from the airport (supplement airport transfer cost applies for tours starting from the airport)
✗ Personal expenses such as traveling insurance, excess baggage fee, communication charges that include, including laundry, emails, faxes, and phone calls, beverages including luxury champagne, luxury spirits, beer, and wines during meals or meals not indicated in the itinerary

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