7-Day Aberdares, Samburu & Meru Safari
A week in central and northern Kenya: two forest tree lodges in the Aberdares and on Mount Kenya, then the dry north at Samburu and the quiet wilderness of Meru.
7 days · 6 nights · Year-round · best Jun – Oct & Jan – Mar
About this experience
This route takes you through central and northern Kenya, where the scenery and the wildlife change every couple of days. The first two nights are at The Ark and Serena Mountain Lodge, both built to overlook waterholes and salt licks in the forest, so elephant and buffalo come to you. You then drive north to Samburu for two nights along the Ewaso Ng'iro river, looking for the northern species, before finishing with two nights in Meru National Park, one of Kenya's most unspoiled parks. You travel in a private 4x4 with a pop-up roof and your own driver-guide throughout.
Best for
- Second-time visitors
- Birdwatchers
- Wilderness lovers
Trip features
- Private vehicleYour own 4x4 and driver-guide
- Starts any dayPick your own date, 7+ days ahead
- Can be tailoredChange lodges, add days or parks
- Children welcomeAges 3–12 at half price
- Pickup in NairobiAirport or your hotel
- EnglishGuide language
Signature experiences
Optional extras we can add to this trip. Prices are per person and confirmed when you book.
Amble through the northern scrub the way the Samburu travel it — a guided camel walk, often ending with a riverbank sundowner.
Spend an hour in a working manyatta — the jumping dance, fire-making, and a look at daily Maasai life, hosted by the community itself.
On foot with an armed ranger — tracks, plants, birds and the small details a vehicle drives straight past.
Chilled drinks on a ridge as the sun drops and the sky turns — a quiet, golden end to a day of game drives.
Day by day
What each day looks like, from pickup in Nairobi to drop-off.
We collect you from your Nairobi hotel in the morning and drive north through Kikuyu farmland to the Aberdares, stopping for a hot lunch at the Aberdare Country Club. From there you transfer to The Ark, a lodge built over a floodlit waterhole and salt lick, where elephant, buffalo and other forest animals come to drink by day and night.
The Ark · Full-board
After breakfast you continue north to Serena Mountain Lodge, a tree lodge in the forest on the lower slopes of Mount Kenya, arriving for lunch. The rest of the day is for watching the waterhole and salt lick from the open deck, or from the underground hide if you want close-up photographs of elephant and buffalo.
Serena Mountain Lodge · Full-board
You leave the mountain behind and head into the semi-arid north to Samburu National Reserve, which sits along the Ewaso Ng'iro river. After lunch and check-in, an afternoon drive runs until sunset, looking for the reserve's northern species: Grevy's zebra, gerenuk, reticulated giraffe, Beisa oryx and Somali ostrich.
Samburu Sopa Lodge · Full-board
Morning and afternoon game drives along the river and across the rugged country around it, with good chances of seeing predators as well as the northern specialists. Samburu is also excellent for birds, from vulturine guineafowl and lilac-breasted rollers to hornbills, eagles and vultures.
Samburu Sopa Lodge · Full-board
A last morning game drive in Samburu, then the drive to Meru National Park, east of Meru town. Its rivers, swamps and grassland support elephant, hippo, lion, leopard, cheetah and black rhino, as well as some less common antelope.
Ikweta Safari Camp · Full-board
Morning and afternoon game drives through Meru's mix of rivers, swamp, open plains and woodland, with all meals at camp. Meru feels remote and unspoiled, and a full day gives you time to explore it properly.
Ikweta Safari Camp · Full-board
A final morning game drive after breakfast, then the road back to Nairobi, arriving in the middle of the afternoon. We drop you at your hotel or at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your flight home.
Where you'll stay
Lodges we book on this trip. If one is full on your dates, we'll offer a comparable property before you pay anything.
What's included
Included
- 6 nights in the lodges and camp named in the itinerary
- All meals on safari: breakfast, lunch and dinner
- All national park and reserve entry fees
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof and driver-guide
- All game drives as per the itinerary
- Hotel pickup in Nairobi, and drop-off at your hotel or the airport at the end
- 24/7 WhatsApp support from the Bookara team
Not included
- International and domestic flights
- Kenya eTA (government fee — we help you apply)
- Travel insurance
- Tips for your guide and lodge staff
- Optional activities and excursions
- Drinks and personal expenses
Route & pickup
Where the trip goes, and where we meet you.
- 01 NairobiDay 1 · City
- 02 AberdareDay 1 · Mountain region
- 03 Mount KenyaDay 2 · Mountain region
- 04 SamburuDay 3 · National park & reserve
- 05 MeruDay 5 · National park & reserve
- 06 NairobiDay 7 · City
Good to know
A 30% deposit holds your dates, and the balance is due 45 days before you travel (book closer than that and you pay in full). Cancel 90+ days before departure for a full refund, 60–89 days before for 50% back. Full terms.
Common questions
How do the tree lodges work?+
The Ark and Serena Mountain Lodge are built to look over a waterhole and salt lick in the forest. Instead of driving out to find animals, you watch from the decks as elephant, buffalo and others come in to drink, including after dark.
Is the vehicle private?+
Yes. The 4x4 and driver-guide are yours for the whole week and nobody else joins you, so the pace is set around you.
Can we change the route or the lodges?+
Yes. The route and stays can be adjusted on request. Message us with what you'd like and we'll quote it.
Book on WhatsApp
Your chat opens with the trip pre-filled — no payment needed now. Our team replies between 7am–10pm EAT.
Request saved
WhatsApp is opening with your details pre-filled — just hit send.
- 1 Send the pre-filled messageYour trip details are already written for you.
- 2 Confirm in chat — or pay the deposit onlineSame reference either way. Our team replies 7am–10pm EAT.
- 3 Instant confirmationWhatsApp message + email receipt the moment your deposit lands.
Your request ref becomes your booking reference once the deposit is paid.
Book direct with the operator
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Licensed & certified
Kenya-registered operator in Nairobi with experienced driver-guides.
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Run from Nairobi
We plan and run your trip ourselves, with driver-guides we know, and stay reachable on WhatsApp throughout.
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Secure payment
Card or Apple Pay through Paystack (USD). Taxes and park fees are in the price you see.
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Flexible cancellation
Full refund up to 90 days before departure; a 30% deposit holds your dates.
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