5 Day Kenya Safari Samburu Lake Baringo Bogoria Nakuru

This 5-Day/4-Night Safari highlights the contrasting ecosystems of Kenya’s arid northern frontier and the scenic Rift Valley’s soda lakes. The route requires a steady, well-paced travel schedule to ensure optimal wildlife viewing and birding opportunities across four premier destinations:

✔  Lake Baringo: Discover a renowned birdwatcher’s paradise and rich local culture
✔ Lake Nakuru National Park: Explore world-class rhino sanctuaries and acacia woodlands 
✔ Samburu National Reserve: Encounter unique arid-adapted wildlife and stunning semi-arid landscapes
✔ Lake Bogoria National Reserve: Witness the spectacular, shifting flocks of lesser flamingos and active hot springs

5-Day Kenya safari Samburu, Baringo, Bogoria & Nakuru Highlights 

✔ Lake Bogoria Geothermal Wonders: Walk carefully alongside bubbling hot springs and explosive geysers shooting steam into the air
✔ Lake Baringo: Take a boat ride to spot massive pods of hippos, bask in the presence of crocodiles, and watch the iconic African fish eagle dive for prey
✔ Lake Nakuru National Park: Spend the morning exploring one of Kenya’s most successful sanctuaries dedicated to the protection and breeding of both Black and White Rhinos
✔ Lake Bogoria Birdlife: At Lake Bogoria National Reserve, you can witness a breathtaking natural spectacle of massive, vibrant flocks of lesser flamingos feeding on the lake’s abundant blue-green algae
✔ Samburu National Reserve Wildlife: Dedicate morning and afternoon game drives to spotting unique northern species like the Reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, Beisa oryx, Somali ostrich, and the long-necked Gerenuk
✔ Nyahururu’s Thomson’s Falls: A breathtaking natural marvel on the Ewaso Ng’iro river, plunging 74 meters (243 feet) into a dense, misty gorge. Located just 3 km from town at a cool altitude of 2,360 meters, it is an iconic, must-see stop in Kenya
✔ Samburu National Reserve Big Cats: Take advantage of the sparse brush and clear visibility to easily track leopards, lions, and cheetahs. Visit a local Samburu village to learn about the fascinating traditions and semi-nomadic heritage of the people

5-Day Kenya safari Samburu, Baringo, Bogoria & Nakuru Itinerary  

Day 1: Nairobi to Samburu National Reserve (~5-6 hours drive)
Day 2: Full Day in Samburu National Reserve
Day 3: Samburu to Lake Baringo via Thompson’s Falls (~5 hours drive)
Day 4: Lake Baringo to Lake Bogoria, then to Lake Nakuru (~3 hours total drive)
Day 5: Lake Nakuru National Park to Nairobi (~3 hours drive)

Day 1: Nairobi to Samburu National Reserve

Drive Time: 5–6 hours (340 km)

0630 Hours: Depart Nairobi early to beat traffic and navigate the Great Rift Valley towards the north
1230 Hours: Arrive at Samburu, check into your lodge/camp, and have lunch
1530 Hours: Head out for an afternoon game drive to spot the “Samburu Special Five” (Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, Beisa oryx, Somali ostrich, and gerenuk)
1830 Hours: Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight

Day 2: Full Day in Samburu

0630 Hours: Early morning game drive for optimal predator activity before the heat sets in
0900 Hours: Return to camp for a full breakfast and time to relax by the pool
1530 Hours: Afternoon game drive focusing on the Ewaso Ng’iro riverbanks, where large elephant herds and crocodiles gather
1830 Hours: Sunset return, dinner, and overnight

Day 3: Samburu to Lake Baringo

Drive Time: 4–5 hours (270 km) 

0630 Hours: Early morning game drive as you exit the reserve
0830 Hours: Breakfast and checkout
0930 Hours: Drive southwest, passing through the arid landscapes down into the Rift Valley
13:30 Hours: Arrive at Lake Baringo in time for lunch
1600 Hours: Take an afternoon boat ride on the lake for world-class bird watching, viewing hippos, and potentially seeing the spectacular fish eagle feeding

Day 4: Lake Baringo to Lake Bogoria to Lake Nakuru

Drive Time: 2.5 hours (Baringo to Bogoria) + 2 hours (Bogoria to Nakuru) 

0700 Hours: Early breakfast before driving to nearby Lake Bogoria (a shallow soda lake)
0900 Hours: Arrive at Lake Bogoria National Reserve. Take a walk to the geysers and bubbling hot springs
1200 Hours: Have a picnic lunch or return for a quick hot meal
1330 Hours: Depart for Lake Nakuru National Park
1600 Hours: Enter Nakuru for an afternoon game drive to view the rhino sanctuary, Rothschild’s giraffes, and (seasonally) thousands of flamingos
1830 Hours: Check into your Lake Nakuru accommodation for dinner and rest

Day 5: Lake Nakuru to Nairobi

Drive Time: 3 hours (160 km)

0630 Hours: Morning game drive to catch the early golden light across the lake and woodlands
0900 Hours: Return to your lodge for breakfast and checkout
1030 Hours: Begin the drive back to Nairobi, ascending the Rift Valley escarpment
1330 Hours: Arrive back in Nairobi (or proceed to the airport) in the early afternoon

What better way to explore four of Kenya’s most magnificent landscapes than in a private 4×4 safari vehicle, a truly epic ‘road trip’ through the classic savannah-and-safari country?

This 5-day safari begins and ends in Nairobi, and encompasses a round trip by road through four of Kenya’s iconic and game-rich areas: Samburu National Reserve, Lake Baringo, Lake Bogoria, and Lake Nakuru National Park.

The safari begins with the Samburu National Reserve, situated at the southeastern corner of the Samburu District in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya, some 345 km from Nairobi. The reserve borders the Samburu tribe’s homes in Kenya, a tribe known for its remote culture and pastoral, nomadic way of life.

Samburu is rich in wildlife, famous 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).

The reserve is also popular with elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, and wild dogs. 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.

Our next destination is Lake Baringo – one of the two freshwater lakes in Kenya’s Rift Valley, the other being Lake Naivasha. Lake Baringo is home to hippos and crocodiles as well as an abundance of colorful birds and small reptiles. Giraffes and other grazers are also present to the north of the Lake.

The Reserve’s herd of rare Greater Kudu makes it unique, and other game to view includes buffalo (rare), zebra, baboon, warthog, caracal, spotted hyena, impala, dik dik, and many small mammals.

We also visit Lake Bogoria, popular for its spectacular Flamingo populations, the surrounding bush and grassland is home to a number of animals, before heading to Lake Nakuru National Park. 

One of the Great Rift Valley’s most famous soda lakes, Lake Nakuru, offers visitors the chance to witness one of the world’s most spectacular wildlife sights: brilliant pink flamingos as far as the eye can see.

When conditions are right, between one and two million lesser and greater flamingos feed around the shores of the shallow lake, which, together with tens of thousands of other water birds within a species list of around 400 birds, makes Lake Nakuru a genuine ornithologist’s paradise.

Game viewing is also good. The park is home to warthogs, baboons, waterbucks, and large numbers of impalas. Slightly shyer residents include buffalo, Rothschild’s giraffe, eland, the occasional leopard, and both black and white rhinos.

A herd of hippos has its territory in the northern part of the lake.

Day 1: Nairobi – Drive to Samburu National Reserve

0800 Hours: Samburu National Reserve is a rugged and semi-desert park located in the Samburu district in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. The park borders the Samburu tribe’s homes in Kenya, a tribe known for its remote culture and pastoral, nomadic way of life.

1200 Hours: We arrive in time for lunch at our lodge. After lunch, we relax before our afternoon game drive.

1530 Hours: We enjoy an afternoon game drive in the reserve. Samburu is renowned for its rare animal species unique to the park, namely the long-necked gerenuk, Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, and Beisa onyx.

The elusive Kenya leopard is often seen in the park, especially in the evenings.

Accommodation Options:
Luxury Accommodation: Elephant Bedroom Camp, Saruni Samburu Lodge
Mid-Range Accommodation: Samburu Simba Lodge, Sarova Shaba Game Lodge
Budget Accommodation: Lion King Bush Camp, Samburu

Meal Plan: {Lunch & Dinner}

Day 2: Explore Samburu National Reserve

This full day in the Samburu Game Reserve will be spent searching for the Big Five and the Samburu Five, and observing the vast, unspoiled scenery during morning and afternoon game-viewing drives.

The park is plentiful with crocodiles that bask on muddy riverbanks and velvet monkeys that frolic in the late afternoon sun. Samburu is renowned for its rare fauna, known as the ‘Samburu five’.

These five particular animals are usually only found north of the equator – the long-necked gerenuk, the reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, the beisa oryx, and the Somali ostrich. A camel-back safari is a specialty in Samburu, and a cultural visit to the Samburu people, who depend on their cattle, goats, sheep, and donkeys, can also be arranged.

Accommodation Options:
Luxury Accommodation: Elephant Bedroom Camp, Saruni Samburu Lodge
Mid-Range Accommodation: Samburu Simba Lodge, Sarova Shaba Game Lodge
Budget Accommodation: Lion King Bush Camp, Samburu

Meal Plan {Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner}

Day 3: Samburu – Drive to Lake Baringo

0600 Hours: We wake up early for breakfast. We check out of the lodge/ camp

0700 Hours: Today, we cover over 300 kilometers by road from Samburu to Lake Baringo, a freshwater Rift Valley lake, famous for its magnificent bird life.

1400 Hours: We arrive at Lake Baringo. We check into our lodge, and lunch follows.

1500 Hours: Fishing and water sports are some of the activities visitors can enjoy. If you want to get a feel of the culture of the people living around the lake, there is a village belonging to the Njemp community nearby.

There is also a snake park in the area where you can have a closer look at the reptiles. Lake Baringo is well known for two of its water residents–Hippo and Crocodile. Hippos are seen in the lake on boat trips.

Accommodation Options:
Luxury Accommodation: Lake Baringo Samatian Island Camp, Lake Baringo Roberts Camp, Island Camp Resort
Mid-Range Accommodation: Tumbili Cliff Lodge Limited
Budget Accommodation: Kibelion Hotel, 4DSem Acacia Accommodation

Meal Plan: {Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner}

Day 4: Lake Baringo – Drive to Lake Bogoria – Drive to Lake Nakuru National Park

0800 Hours: Today, we travel to the exotic Lake Nakuru National Park located in the Great Rift Valley.

0930 Hours: 50 Kilometers along our way, we visit Lake Bogoria to view the Hot Geysers and springs. Lake Bogoria is also a bird sanctuary park with amazing scenery.

1030 Hours: We depart Lake Bogoria and drive 125 kilometers to Lake Nakuru National Park.

1230 Hours: We arrive at Lake Nakuru. After lunch, we relax before setting out on our afternoon game drive.

1530 hours: The afternoon is spent on an exciting game run in Lake Nakuru National Park. Besides the flamingos that the lake is famous for, there are approximately 400 other species of birds visiting the lake.

In addition, the wildlife found in the Park includes the introduced Rothschild’s giraffe, Reedbuck, Lion, Buffalo, Leopard, Baboon, waterbucks, warthogs, impalas, elands, and the endangered black and white rhinos.

A large herd of hippos has a territory in the northern part of the lake, making for interesting game viewing.

Accommodation Options:
Luxury Accommodation: Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge, Sarova Lion Hill Lodge
Mid-Range Accommodation: Lake Nakuru Lodge, Egret Savannah Camp, Lake Nakuru National Park
Budget Accommodation: Kivu Resort Nakuru, Chester Hotel Nakuru, Merica Hotel Nakuru

Meal Plan: {Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner}

Day 5: Lake Nakuru National Park – Drive to Nairobi

0630 Hours: Morning game drive to savor the beauty of the park.

0900 Hours: Return to the lodge for breakfast.

1000 Hours: After breakfast, we drive back to the city, where you are dropped off at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport or post-tour accommodation in Nairobi at about 1300 Hours, bringing our wildlife adventure to a close.

Meal Plan {Breakfast}

5 Day Kenya Safari Samburu Lake Baringo Bogoria Nakuru Includes

✓ Extensive Game drives
✓ Pre-tour itinerary document
✓ All meals included while on safari
✓ All applicable Game Park entrance fees
✓ Safari vehicles carry cold drinks and mineral water
✓ Guaranteed window seating with an open top for easy photography
✓ Guaranteed departures for two or more passengers booking this safari
✓ Accommodations of your choice in Samburu, Lake Baringo, Lake Bogoria, and Lake Nakuru
✓ Round-trip transport from Nairobi to Samburu, Lake Baringo, Lake Bogoria, and Lake Nakuru & Multi-lingual Professional Safari Guide/ Driver

Notes

* Departs daily and upon request

5 Day Kenya Safari Samburu Lake Baringo Bogoria Nakuru Excludes

✗ International Airfare
✗ A visit to a Samburu Village
✗ Accommodations in Nairobi
✗ Cost of obtaining a passport and visas
✗ Gratuity for your professional driver guide
✗ Nature walks, Night game drives, Camel rides, etc
✗ Gratuity for porters/ waiters at hotels, camps, and airports
✗  Personal expenses such as traveling insurance, excess baggage fee, communication charges that include 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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