Trip overview
See all of the Big Five in ten unhurried days. Adds the Laikipia Plateau and Ol Pejeta Conservancy, home to the last northern white rhinos, to the classic circuit.
Tick the Big Five, and then some
The Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino) is a colonial-era hunting term, but it's still the headline goal of most safaris. Seeing all five in 10 days is virtually guaranteed on this route, and you'll add rare encounters that most Kenya itineraries miss: the last two northern white rhinos at Ol Pejeta, chimpanzees at Sweetwaters, and walking safaris on the Laikipia plateau.
This itinerary suits travellers who want depth, variety and a story to bring home.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1
Arrive Nairobi
Airport pickup, transfer to Nairobi hotel. Welcome briefing.
🏕 Stay: Nairobi hotel · 🍽 None
Day 2
Nairobi to Maasai Mara
Drive to the Mara via Great Rift Valley viewpoint. Afternoon game drive.
🏕 Stay: Mara camp · 🍽 B/L/D
Day 3
Full day Maasai Mara
Game drives morning and afternoon. Optional balloon safari.
🏕 Stay: Mara camp · 🍽 B/L/D
Day 4
Full day Maasai Mara
More game drives, chase the migration if in season, big cats year-round.
🏕 Stay: Mara camp · 🍽 B/L/D
Day 5
Mara to Lake Nakuru
Drive to Nakuru, afternoon game drive, flamingos, rhinos, Rothschild's giraffe.
🏕 Stay: Lake Nakuru lodge · 🍽 B/L/D
Day 6
Nakuru to Ol Pejeta
Drive to Ol Pejeta Conservancy on the Laikipia plateau. Afternoon visit to Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary.
🏕 Stay: Sweetwaters Serena Camp · 🍽 B/L/D
Day 7
Full day Ol Pejeta
Sunrise game drive, visit the last northern white rhinos, walking safari with rangers, lion tracking.
🏕 Stay: Sweetwaters Serena Camp · 🍽 B/L/D
Day 8
Ol Pejeta to Amboseli
Long drive south to Amboseli (~8 hrs via Nairobi bypass). Afternoon arrival.
🏕 Stay: Amboseli lodge · 🍽 B/L/D
Day 9
Full day Amboseli
Two game drives, Kilimanjaro at sunrise, big elephant herds, optional Maasai village.
🏕 Stay: Amboseli lodge · 🍽 B/L/D
Day 10
Amboseli to Nairobi · Departure
Morning game drive, drive to Nairobi (~4 hrs), transfer to airport.
🏕 Stay: None · 🍽 B/L
What's included
Included
- All park & conservancy fees
- Mid to upper mid-range accommodation
- Full board meals throughout
- Private custom 4x4 Land Cruiser
- Professional Kenyan driver-guide
- Bottled water
- Airport transfers
- All government taxes
Not included
- International flights
- Kenya eTA
- Travel insurance
- Drinks
- Optional balloon safari
- Tipping
- Personal expenses
What guests say
I am a wildlife photographer and I have travelled across Africa for twenty years. Afrirom's knowledge of the conservancies and their relationships with the guides made this the most productive safari I have ever done. The lighting, the patience, the access, exceptional.
Our second safari, but our first with a Kenyan-owned operator, and it's the only way we'll travel here from now on. The conservancy stay was a revelation. We watched a leopard hunt at twilight from our tent. The Afrirom team handled every logistic from JFK to JKIA seamlessly.
Three generations of my family, me, my daughter and her two teenagers, and somehow Afrirom designed a trip that thrilled all of us. The kids loved cycling through Hell's Gate, my daughter loved the lodges, and I loved that everything just worked. Honest, kind, and brilliant at what they do.
