7-Day Samburu, Nakuru & Mara
A week that strings together four very different corners of Kenya: a night at a waterhole lodge in the Aberdares, two in the dry north at Samburu, one at Lake Nakuru and two in the Maasai Mara.
7 days · 6 nights · Year-round · best Jul – Oct (migration in the Mara)
About this experience
This route is built for people who want variety rather than one park done to death. You start in the cool forest of the Aberdares, watching animals come to a floodlit waterhole from the lodge decks, then head north to Samburu for the species you won't find in the south — Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, Beisa oryx and gerenuk. On the way back down you stop at Lake Nakuru for rhino and birdlife, and finish with two nights in the Mara. It runs as a tailor-made trip, so we agree the route, pace and lodges with you before you book.
Best for
- Seeing several regions in a week
- Rare northern species
- Rhino and big cats
Trip features
- Private or sharedYour own 4x4, or share and pay less
- 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.
Lift off at dawn over the plains, drift silently above the herds, and land to a champagne bush breakfast. The definitive Mara morning.
A boat out among the hippos and fish eagles of Naivasha, then a walk on Crescent Island where the game roams free.
Spend an hour in a working manyatta — the jumping dance, fire-making, and a look at daily Maasai life, hosted by the community itself.
A lantern-lit table set out under the stars, your own chef and a crackling fire — the safari dinner people remember for years.
Day by day
What each day looks like, from pickup in Nairobi to drop-off.
We collect you from your Nairobi hotel and drive north through the Kikuyu farmlands, stopping for a hot lunch at the Aberdare Country Club. From there you transfer up to The Ark, a lodge built over a floodlit waterhole and salt lick, with viewing decks where you can watch elephant and buffalo come in to drink after dark.
The Ark · Full-board
After breakfast you leave the highlands and head north into the dry, open country around the Ewaso Nyiro River. Check in at Samburu Sopa Lodge on the hills above the reserve, then go out on an afternoon game drive until sunset.
Samburu Sopa Lodge · Full-board
Morning and afternoon game drives, with lunch and a rest back at the lodge in between. This is the day to look for the northern specials — Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, Beisa oryx, gerenuk and Somali ostrich — alongside elephant and the big cats, and birders have well over 300 species to work through.
Samburu Sopa Lodge · Full-board
A last morning drive in Samburu, then south to Nyahururu for lunch near Thomson's Falls. You reach Lake Nakuru National Park in time for an afternoon drive along the shore and through the grassland, where both black and white rhino live.
Lion Hill Lodge (or similar) · Full-board
After breakfast the road takes you across the Great Rift Valley to the Maasai Mara, arriving for lunch at Mara Sopa Lodge. In the afternoon you head out on your first drive in the reserve.
Mara Sopa Lodge · Full-board
A full day of game drives across the Mara's plains and rolling hills, looking for lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and the plains herds. If you'd like to see the reserve from the air, an early-morning balloon flight can be added at extra cost.
Mara Sopa Lodge · Full-board
Breakfast at the lodge, then the drive back through the Rift Valley to Nairobi. You arrive around mid-afternoon and we drop you at your hotel or at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
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
- Six nights in safari lodges, as listed in the itinerary
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner every day on safari
- All national park and reserve entry fees
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof and driver-guide (budget option: vehicle shared with other travellers)
- All game drives as described in the itinerary
- Pick-up from your Nairobi hotel and drop-off at your hotel or the airport
- 24/7 WhatsApp support from the Bookara team
Not included
- International and domestic flights
- Kenya eTA (government fee — we help you apply)
- Travel and medical insurance
- Tips for guides and lodge staff
- Drinks and personal expenses
- Optional activities such as the Mara balloon flight
Route & pickup
Where the trip goes, and where we meet you.
- 01 NairobiDay 1 · City
- 02 AberdareDay 1 · Mountain region
- 03 SamburuDay 2 · National park & reserve
- 04 Lake NakuruDay 4 · Lake
- 05 Maasai MaraDay 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
Is this a private or a group safari?+
It depends on the option you choose. The tailor-made and premium options are private — your own vehicle and guide, and nobody else joins. The budget option uses simpler camps and a vehicle shared with other travellers on a set departure, which is what keeps the price down.
Can I change the route or the lodges?+
Yes — this is a tailor-made trip, so the route, pace and lodges are agreed with you before you book. If you'd rather skip the Aberdares, add a night somewhere or swap a lodge, message us and we'll quote it.
What is special about The Ark?+
It's a lodge built above a floodlit waterhole and salt lick in the Aberdares, so the animals come to you. You watch from viewing decks and lounges, and much of the activity happens after dark.
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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