7-Day Northern Kenya Trail – Samburu Meru & Ol Pejeta Safari

Your northern Kenya trail safari begins with an early departure from Nairobi, driving north through the central highlands on the approximately five-hour journey to Samburu National Reserve. The route crosses the equator near Nanyuki before descending into the semi-arid lowlands where the Ewaso Nyiro River sustains all life in this dramatic landscape. Upon arrival at your riverside camp, you enjoy lunch overlooking the river before an afternoon game drive along the riverine corridors. Your guide navigates through the acacia woodland and doum palm groves searching for the famous Special Five: the elegant reticulated giraffe, the distinctive Grevy’s zebra, the acrobatic gerenuk, the stately Beisa oryx, and the blue-legged Somali ostrich. Elephant families frequent the river crossings, and the late afternoon light sets the volcanic landscape ablaze with warm tones.

A full day in Samburu provides morning and afternoon game drives exploring the reserve’s diverse habitats. The dawn drive follows the Ewaso Nyiro River where large elephant herds drink in the morning mist, crocodiles bask on sandy banks, and fish eagles call from the treetops. Your guide tracks lion prides through the sandy terrain and searches the dense riverine gallery forest for leopards draped across branches. The volcanic rock formations and red laterite soil provide a photographic backdrop unlike any other Kenya reserve. After lunch at camp, the afternoon drive targets open plains where Grevy’s zebra gather and Beisa oryx stand against the setting sun, while smaller predators like bat-eared fox and wild cat emerge as the day cools.

After breakfast, depart Samburu for the drive southeast to Meru National Park, a journey of approximately three hours through the transitional scrubland at the base of the Nyambene Hills. Meru is one of Kenya’s most beautiful and least visited national parks, famous as the setting for Joy Adamson’s Born Free story and for landscapes that range from palm-lined rivers to dense riverine forest and open grassland dotted with termite mounds. Upon arrival at your lodge, enjoy lunch before an afternoon game drive through Meru’s lush habitats. The park’s riverine forests are home to leopards, buffalo herds, and waterbuck, while the open grasslands support populations of lion, cheetah, and the reintroduced white rhinos that now thrive in a dedicated sanctuary. Meru’s bird diversity is exceptional, with over 300 species including the palm nut vulture and Peter’s finfoot along the waterways.

Dedicate a full day to exploring Meru National Park on morning and afternoon game drives. The morning drive takes you through the park’s varied terrain including the Tana River tributaries where hippos wallow and elephants wade through the shallows. Your guide visits the white rhino sanctuary where these magnificent animals have been successfully reintroduced after being poached to local extinction in the 1980s. The park’s dense vegetation creates a more intimate game-viewing experience than the open plains of Samburu, and patient tracking is rewarded with sightings of lesser kudu, hartebeest, and reticulated giraffe. After lunch, the afternoon drive explores different sectors including the dramatic rocky outcrops and the palm-fringed Rojewero River. The park’s low visitor numbers mean you often have wildlife sightings entirely to yourself.

Depart Meru after breakfast and drive approximately three hours southwest to Ol Pejeta Conservancy on the Laikipia Plateau. The route passes through the foothills of Mount Kenya and the agricultural town of Meru before climbing onto the highland plains. Upon arrival at your Ol Pejeta lodge, enjoy lunch with views of Mount Kenya before an afternoon of conservation-focused experiences. Visit the northern white rhino enclosure to see Najin and Fatu, the planet’s last two surviving northern white rhinos, in a profoundly moving encounter with armed ranger guides explaining the global effort to save the subspecies. Continue to the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Kenya’s only chimp rescue facility. An evening game drive reveals black rhinos emerging to feed, lions on the prowl, and the spectacular sunset over Mount Kenya.

A full day at Ol Pejeta allows for comprehensive exploration on morning and afternoon game drives. The dawn drive targets black rhinos in the early morning when they are most visible before retreating to dense bush. Your guide also tracks the conservancy’s healthy lion pride, spotted hyena clans, and large buffalo herds. The morning light on Mount Kenya creates stunning photographic opportunities with wildlife silhouetted against the mountain. After lunch at the lodge, the afternoon drive covers different sectors of the 90,000-acre conservancy, searching for cheetahs, eland, and the abundant birdlife that thrives in Ol Pejeta’s diverse habitats. The conservancy’s successful protection of endangered species is evident at every turn, and your guide shares the remarkable conservation story behind Ol Pejeta’s transformation from a cattle ranch to a world-leading wildlife sanctuary.

Rise early for a final morning game drive through Ol Pejeta as the sunrise illuminates Mount Kenya in shades of pink and gold. The crisp highland air provides exceptional visibility for last-chance sightings of rhinos, elephants, and big cats. After returning to the lodge for breakfast, you check out and begin the approximately three-hour drive south to Nairobi through Nanyuki and the central highlands, arriving in the city by early afternoon with a week of extraordinary memories from three of northern Kenya’s most remarkable wildlife destinations.