Kick off your 9 Days Kenya Fly-in Safari to Amboseli, Samburu & Masai Mara in one of the only national parks in the world bordering a capital city — Nairobi National Park. The rest of the week is spent learning about Maasai and Samburu culture, meeting Amboseli’s enormous elephant herds beneath Kilimanjaro, and watching plains game and their predators, all expertly guided by Maasai and Samburu rangers.
From a night under canvas on Nairobi’s doorstep to the arid Northern Frontier District and the wildlife-thronged banks of the Talek River, this is your own personal migration through Kenya, with superb game viewing at every turn.
Get into the safari mood the moment you land with a night at Nairobi Tented Camp, the first accommodation ever built inside Nairobi National Park. Tucked into riverine forest yet minutes from the city, the cosy ensuite tents come with hot showers heated over a log fire. Wake to the dawn chorus for a wildlife drive and hearty breakfast, or visit the nearby Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage and AFEW Giraffe Centre.
Fly south-east toward Mount Kilimanjaro and the vast elephant herds of Amboseli — the ecosystem is home to about 1,500 of them. Porini Amboseli Camp sits in the exclusive Selenkay Conservancy, its six roomy tents each with an ensuite bathroom and refreshing outdoor shower. The focus is squarely on prime game viewing through enthralling night drives and guided nature walks, with Kilimanjaro dominating the view from camp.
Fly north to Samburu National Reserve and Elephant Bedroom Camp, shaded by lush riverine forest on the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River. Twelve luxurious open-sided tents put you as close as possible to sleeping under the stars; elephants, monkeys, and antelope wander through camp, while shyer species reveal themselves on game drives and guided treks with Samburu warriors. On day five, visit a local village to learn about Samburu culture, then unwind with a massage, a drink on the game-viewing deck, and a sky full of stars.
Your final stop is Tipilikwani Mara Camp, its twenty tents lining the banks of the Talek River with views over the Masai Mara plains — stage of the annual Great Migration from the Serengeti. Game drive or walk with local Maasai guides who know exactly where the animals move, and take a night drive to catch nocturnal species out foraging, the warm air broken by a lion’s roar or a hyena’s chuckle.
Rise with the light for a hearty breakfast, a final game drive, and a village visit to learn more about Maasai culture, before flying back to Nairobi richer in stories and experience.