5-Day Samburu and Meru National Park Safari

An early departure from Nairobi begins the journey north through the central highlands to Samburu National Reserve. The route crosses the equator and descends into the semi-arid landscape that gives Samburu its distinctive character. After arrival and settling into the accommodation, an afternoon game drive introduces the reserve’s riverine and dry-country habitats. The guide leads the exploration from the private safari vehicle, with opportunities to observe the wildlife and birds encountered and see how the river corridor contrasts with the surrounding open country. This first viewing session establishes the setting for the full reserve day that follows. The drive returns to the accommodation for the first of two Samburu overnight stays.

A full day in Samburu includes morning and afternoon game drives, providing two wildlife-viewing sessions in the same reserve. The morning circuit explores the riverine and semi-arid habitats, with the guide interpreting animal behaviour and the landscape encountered along the way. A midday return to the accommodation separates the two drives and gives the party a break before the afternoon exploration. The second session provides further time to watch wildlife and birds and photograph the reserve as the light changes. Staying in Samburu for a second night allows the day to concentrate on the reserve rather than another destination transfer. A cultural village visit remains optional and outside the included programme.

The party leaves Samburu in the private safari vehicle and travels to Meru National Park, moving from Samburu’s semi-arid country to a destination with grasslands, woodland and riverine habitats. Arrival includes time to settle into the Meru accommodation before the scheduled afternoon game drive. The guide introduces Meru through a vehicle-based circuit on the park’s permitted roads, with opportunities to watch wildlife and birds across its contrasting habitats. This first drive gives the party an initial view of the park before the full exploration day that follows. The programme ends at the accommodation for the first of two Meru overnight stays.

Morning and afternoon game drives make this a full Meru exploration day, with the included rhino-sanctuary visit forming part of the vehicle-based wildlife programme. The sanctuary visit adds a focused conservation and rhino-viewing element to the day, alongside wider exploration of Meru’s grasslands, woodland and riverine habitats. A return to the accommodation separates the two driving sessions. The afternoon provides another opportunity to observe wildlife behaviour and photograph the park from the private safari vehicle. The day stays within Meru National Park and finishes with the second Meru overnight stay. The sanctuary visit is included; individual rhino sightings depend on the animals’ movements.

An early morning game drive provides the final wildlife-viewing session in Meru. The party explores the park once more with the guide, watching for animals and birds during the morning period and taking in the landscape before departure. The drive returns to the accommodation for checkout, after which the private safari vehicle begins the journey back to Nairobi. The route runs through the eastern highlands, Embu and Thika, providing a change of scenery from the two wildlife destinations visited during the safari. Nairobi is the finishing point of the five-day journey, following two Samburu nights, two Meru nights and the included Meru rhino-sanctuary visit.