How different are the three destinations on this safari

Each park offers a completely unique experience. Samburu has semi-arid landscapes with rare northern species, Mount Kenya provides cool montane forests with endemic wildlife, and Ol Pejeta offers highland grasslands with Big Five and groundbreaking conservation programmes.

Is the Mount Kenya section a climbing expedition

No, this safari visits the lower slopes and montane forest of Mount Kenya for game drives and nature walks at around 2,500 metres altitude. No climbing experience is required.

Will I need warm clothing for Mount Kenya

Yes, temperatures at Mount Kenya's lower slopes can drop to 5-10 degrees Celsius at night. Bring a warm fleece or jacket and layers for the mountain lodge stay.

Can children visit the chimpanzee sanctuary

Yes, children of all ages are welcome at the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary. It is an educational and engaging experience that young travellers particularly enjoy.

How long are the drives between parks

Drives between destinations range from two to five hours, with the longest being the initial Nairobi to Samburu journey. All drives pass through scenic landscapes that are enjoyable in their own right.

5 Day Samburu Mt Kenya Ol Pejeta Northern Explorer Safari

Overview

Itinerary

Cost

FAQs

Map

Overview

Itinerary

Cost

FAQs

Map

Overview

A Samburu Mt Kenya Ol Pejeta safari is the definitive northern explorer road trip through Kenya’s spectacular highlands, connecting three vastly different ecosystems in a five-day journey that reveals wildlife, landscapes, and conservation stories you simply cannot find on the popular southern safari circuit. Begin in the semi-arid lowlands of Samburu National Reserve where the Ewaso Nyiro River sustains the rare Special Five species and powerful elephant herds. Ascend into the misty montane forests of Mount Kenya National Park, Africa’s second-highest peak, where colobus monkeys swing through ancient cedar trees and giant forest hogs forage in bamboo thickets. Conclude at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, a 90,000-acre wildlife sanctuary protecting East Africa’s largest black rhino population and the planet’s last two northern white rhinos. This Samburu Mt Kenya Ol Pejeta safari covers an extraordinary range of altitudes and habitats, from the 900-metre semi-desert of Samburu to the 2,500-metre alpine meadows of Mount Kenya and the rolling highland plains of Laikipia. Each destination delivers a completely unique safari experience. In Samburu, rust-red landscapes and riverine forests harbour species found nowhere in southern Kenya. On Mount Kenya, dense equatorial forest shelters rare endemic species and offers cool respite from the lowland heat. At Ol Pejeta, open grasslands teem with Big Five species while dedicated conservationists work tirelessly to save rhinos from extinction. Expert naturalist guides accompany you throughout, weaving together the ecological connections between these environments and providing insights that transform a game drive into a deep learning experience.

Trip Highlights

Track the rare Samburu Special Five in the Ewaso Nyiro River corridor
Explore the montane forests of Mount Kenya National Park
Visit the last two northern white rhinos at Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary visit at Ol Pejeta
Three dramatically different ecosystems from semi-desert to alpine forest
Big Five game viewing at Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Colobus monkeys and giant forest hogs in Mount Kenya's cedar forests
Expert naturalist guides throughout the journey
Night game drive opportunity at Ol Pejeta

Day 01 :

Nairobi to Samburu National Reserve

Your Samburu Mt Kenya Ol Pejeta northern explorer safari begins with an early morning departure from Nairobi, driving north through the central highlands on the approximately five-hour journey to Samburu National Reserve. As you cross the equator near Nanyuki and descend into the semi-arid lowlands, the lush farmland transforms into the rust-red earth and doum palm landscape that defines Kenya's northern frontier. Upon arrival at your riverside camp within the reserve, you enjoy lunch overlooking the Ewaso Nyiro River before setting out on an afternoon game drive. Your guide navigates the riverine corridors where reticulated giraffe browse the canopy, gerenuk perform their characteristic bipedal browsing stance, and elephant families splash in the shallow waters. As the afternoon light softens, you search for leopards in the gallery forest and Grevy's zebra gathering on the open plains.

Day 02 :

Full Day Samburu Game Drives

A full day in Samburu National Reserve provides comprehensive exploration on morning and afternoon game drives. The dawn drive follows the Ewaso Nyiro River where large elephant herds come to drink, Nile crocodiles sun themselves on sandy banks, and martial eagles survey the landscape from the tallest trees. Your guide tracks lion prides across the sandy terrain and searches the volcanic outcrops for klipspringer and rock hyrax. The semi-arid landscape of ancient lava formations and rust-coloured soil creates an otherworldly photographic backdrop. After a relaxing midday break at camp, the afternoon drive ventures into the open plains sector to complete your Samburu Special Five checklist, targeting Beisa oryx, Somali ostrich, and any species you may have missed in the morning. The late afternoon golden light is ideal for photography as animals become active after the midday heat.

Day 03 :

Samburu to Mount Kenya National Park

After breakfast at your Samburu camp, you depart for the drive south and uphill to Mount Kenya National Park. The three-hour journey traces a spectacular ascent from the 900-metre semi-arid plains through the transitional scrubland and into the cool misty forests that blanket the lower slopes of Africa's second-highest mountain. Your lodge on the slopes of Mount Kenya sits at approximately 2,500 metres, surrounded by ancient cedar and podocarpus trees draped in old man's beard lichen. After lunch in the cool mountain air, an afternoon nature walk or game drive through the montane forest introduces you to a completely different Kenya. Black and white colobus monkeys leap through the canopy, giant forest hogs root through the undergrowth, and bushbuck emerge at forest clearings. The mountain's diverse birdlife includes turacos, sunbirds, and the spectacular crowned eagle hunting above the forest canopy.

Day 04 :

Mount Kenya to Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Depart Mount Kenya after breakfast and drive approximately two hours south to Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia County. This 90,000-acre sanctuary is a conservation powerhouse, protecting the largest population of black rhinos in East Africa alongside healthy populations of all Big Five species. After checking into your lodge and enjoying lunch, you visit the northern white rhino enclosure to stand in the presence of Najin and Fatu, a deeply moving experience that brings the global extinction crisis into sharp focus. Continue to the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary, the only chimpanzee rescue facility in Kenya, where orphaned and rescued chimps live in a forested haven. An evening game drive through the conservancy reveals black rhinos emerging to feed in the fading light, lions patrolling the grasslands, and herds of zebra and eland silhouetted against the spectacular sunset over Mount Kenya.

Day 05 :

Ol Pejeta to Nairobi

Rise early for a final morning game drive through Ol Pejeta as the sun illuminates Mount Kenya's glacial peaks in pink and gold. Your guide tracks black rhinos and the conservancy's resident lion pride while elephants graze peacefully across the open plains. The highland air is crisp and the visibility is exceptional in the early hours, making this an ideal time for photography and birdwatching. After a hearty breakfast at the lodge, you check out and drive approximately three hours south back to Nairobi through Nanyuki and the central highlands, arriving in the city by early afternoon with an extraordinary collection of memories spanning Kenya's most diverse northern landscapes and its most inspiring conservation stories.