6-Day Fly-In Samburu Mara & Amboseli – Three Parks by Air

Your fly-in Samburu Mara Amboseli safari begins at Nairobi’s Wilson Airport with a 90-minute scenic flight north to Samburu National Reserve. The flight passes near the snow-dusted peaks of Mount Kenya before descending into the rust-red semi-arid plains of northern Kenya. Your Samburu guide meets you at the airstrip and drives you to your riverside camp along the Ewaso Nyiro River for lunch. The afternoon game drive introduces you to the unique Samburu ecosystem, with your guide tracking the famous Special Five: reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, gerenuk, Beisa oryx, and Somali ostrich. Large elephant herds frequent the river, and the dramatic landscape of doum palms and volcanic formations creates a stunning photographic setting.

Spend a full day exploring Samburu with morning and afternoon game drives. The early morning drive follows the Ewaso Nyiro River where elephants drink and bathe in the golden dawn light, while your guide searches the gallery forest for leopards and tracks lion prides across the arid plains. The semi-arid landscape of red earth and scattered palms is utterly different from any park you will visit later on this safari. After a relaxing lunch at camp, the afternoon drive ventures into different sectors targeting wild dog sightings, Beisa oryx herds, and the smaller predators like striped hyena and bat-eared fox that emerge as the afternoon heat subsides.

After breakfast at your Samburu camp, you fly south to the Maasai Mara, crossing the equator and the Great Rift Valley on a flight that showcases Kenya’s incredible geographic diversity. Landing in the Mara, the landscape transformation is dramatic as Samburu’s rust-red plains give way to the golden rolling grasslands of Africa’s most famous wildlife reserve. Your Mara guide meets you and drives you to your lodge for lunch before an afternoon game drive through the heart of the reserve. The Mara’s open terrain offers superb visibility, and your guide targets lion prides, cheetah, and the large buffalo herds that dominate the grassland corridors.

A full day of morning and afternoon game drives in the Maasai Mara explores the reserve’s legendary wildlife diversity. The early morning drive follows the Mara River where hippos crowd deep pools and crocodiles bask on sandy banks, while your guide searches for leopards in the riverine forest. During migration season, this area stages the famous wildebeest river crossings. After lunch and a midday rest, the afternoon drive focuses on different sectors, seeking out elephant herds, giraffe families, and the abundant predator activity that makes the Mara one of the world’s greatest wildlife destinations.

After breakfast at the Mara lodge, you transfer to the airstrip for your connecting flight to Amboseli National Park. The flight crosses the southern Kenya plains with Mount Kilimanjaro growing on the horizon until its snow-capped summit fills the view. Upon landing, your Amboseli guide drives you to your lodge for lunch with mountain panoramas before an afternoon game drive through the park’s marshlands and grasslands. Amboseli’s legendary elephant herds are your primary focus, with your guide positioning you for photographs of these gentle giants framed by the towering Kilimanjaro peak. The park’s swamps attract hippos, flamingos, and a rich diversity of waterbirds that add colour and life to every scene.

Rise early for a final morning game drive through Amboseli as the first light illuminates Mount Kilimanjaro in pink and gold. The early hours offer the clearest mountain views and the best wildlife activity as elephants cross the dusty plains and predators finish their nocturnal hunts. After returning to the lodge for a hearty breakfast, you check out and transfer to the airstrip for your flight back to Nairobi’s Wilson Airport, arriving by midday. You carry with you six days of extraordinary memories spanning three of Kenya’s most iconic parks, each offering completely different landscapes, wildlife, and photographic magic.