Grand Kenya Safari: Samburu, Laikipia, the Rift Valley, the Mara & Amboseli

This morning you journey north from Nairobi towards Samburu National Reserve, crossing the equator (with a stop to mark the crossing) and skirting the foothills of Mount Kenya, Africa's second-highest mountain, as the highlands give way to the rugged, semi-arid landscapes of the north. You arrive at your camp along the life-giving Ewaso Ng'iro river, fringed with doum palms, in time for lunch, then set out on an afternoon game drive. Samburu is home to the special northern species found in few other places, and you begin to seek out the Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, Beisa oryx and Somali ostrich, along with large herds of elephant drawn to the river, and lion and leopard. The red earth, palms and exotic wildlife are captivating. As the sun sets over the river, rest well in the wild beauty of Samburu.

Today is devoted to Samburu and its remarkable wildlife and culture. You set out on a morning game drive along the Ewaso Ng'iro river and across the red-earth plains, seeking out the special northern species, the beautiful Grevy's zebra, the elegant reticulated giraffe, the long-necked gerenuk browsing on its hind legs, the Beisa oryx and the Somali ostrich, along with elephant, lion, leopard and cheetah, and a wealth of birdlife around the river. After a midday break, you visit a Samburu village, warmly and respectfully arranged, meeting families and learning about their vivid, timeless pastoral way of life, their livestock, homes and customs, and seeing their striking beadwork and dance, before an afternoon game drive. The exotic wildlife and proud culture of the north are captivating. As the sun sets over the river, rest well in beautiful Samburu, Kenya.

This morning, after a final game drive in Samburu, you journey south-west onto the great Laikipia Plateau, a vast patchwork of private and community conservancies rolling towards the peaks of Mount Kenya, at the very forefront of African conservation. You arrive at your conservancy camp or lodge in time for lunch, then set out on an afternoon game drive or activity. Laikipia is home to some of the largest populations of black and white rhino in East Africa, along with lion, leopard, cheetah, the endangered wild dog and large herds of elephant, and its low visitor numbers make for a superb, uncrowded safari. As the sun sets over the plains, with Mount Kenya on the horizon, the sense of wild space and hope is profound. Rest well in the beautiful conservancies of Laikipia, Kenya.

Today is devoted to the pioneering conservancies of Laikipia, where the private setting allows a richer, more active safari than the national parks. You might take a guided walking safari with an expert ranger, tracking wildlife on foot and learning the smaller wonders of the bush, visit a rhino sanctuary to see black and white rhino at close range, or ride across the plains on horseback or camel, an unforgettable way to move among the wildlife. After dark, an exciting night drive seeks out nocturnal creatures such as aardvark, genet, bushbaby and leopard, rarely seen elsewhere. The freedom, intimacy and inspiring conservation are wonderful. As the day ends amid the rolling plains beneath Mount Kenya, rest well in the beautiful conservancies of Laikipia, ready to descend to the Rift Valley lakes tomorrow.

This morning you leave the Laikipia Plateau and journey south-west into the Great Rift Valley, one of the great geological wonders of the world, to Lake Nakuru National Park, set in the Rift Valley floor and ringed by acacia forest, fever trees and escarpments. You arrive in time for an afternoon game drive in this beautiful park, a rhino sanctuary that is one of the best places in Kenya to see both black and white rhino, and a stronghold of the rare Rothschild's giraffe. The soda lake, famous for its birdlife, is at times fringed with great gatherings of pink flamingos and pelicans, and you also look for lion, leopard, buffalo and waterbuck amid the forest and escarpments. As the sun sets over the Rift Valley, the beauty is captivating. Rest well beside beautiful Lake Nakuru, deep in the Great Rift Valley of Kenya.

This morning you enjoy a final game drive at Lake Nakuru, looking once more for rhino, Rothschild's giraffe and flamingos, before continuing a short way through the Rift Valley to freshwater Lake Naivasha, a beautiful lake ringed by hills and fringed with papyrus and yellow-barked fever trees. You settle into your lakeshore lodge, then enjoy a boat safari on the lake, gliding among pods of hippos and a spectacular wealth of waterbirds, from majestic fish eagles swooping for fish to pelicans and kingfishers. You might also visit Crescent Island, a walking sanctuary where you can stroll among giraffe, zebra and antelope in safety. The beautiful lake, hippos and abundant birdlife are lovely, and a lovely change of pace. As the sun sets over Lake Naivasha, rest well on the beautiful shores of this Rift Valley lake, ready for the Mara tomorrow.

This morning you journey from Lake Naivasha to the legendary Masai Mara, Kenya's most famous wildlife area and the northern extension of the great Serengeti ecosystem, travelling across the highlands and down into the vast rolling grasslands of the Mara. You arrive at your camp in time for lunch, then set out on your first game drive across the golden plains, dotted with acacias and alive with wildlife. You seek out the Mara's powerful lion prides, cheetahs, elephants, buffalo, giraffe and immense herds of plains game, and in migration season the vast herds of wildebeest and zebra that have poured north from the Serengeti. The sense of space and abundance is extraordinary, your expert guide reading the savannah brilliantly. As the sun sets over the plains, you return to camp. Rest well in the heart of the legendary Masai Mara, Kenya.

Today is a full day exploring the legendary Masai Mara, which offers some of the finest big-cat viewing on earth. You set out at dawn, when the plains are cool and the predators active, seeking out lion prides resting after the night's hunt, cheetahs scanning the grasslands from a termite mound, and elusive leopard in the riverine forest. In season, the plains fill with the vast herds of the Great Migration, and at the rivers the wildebeest and zebra mass before plunging across in dramatic, crocodile-lined crossings, one of nature's most primal spectacles. You also see elephant, buffalo, giraffe, hippo and abundant plains game, guided by an expert who reads the savannah brilliantly. You may picnic in the bush and drive until the golden evening light. As the sun sets over the plains, you savour the wildness. Rest well in the beautiful Masai Mara, Kenya.

You have another full day in the legendary Masai Mara, one of the finest big-cat destinations on earth. This morning, an optional dawn balloon safari drifts silently over the plains as the sun rises, revealing the herds below, followed by a champagne bush breakfast in the wild (optional). On your game drives you continue to seek out the Mara's superb big cats and elephants and, in season, the vast migrating herds and their dramatic river crossings, returning to the rivers in hope of witnessing a crossing. The depth of time lets you follow the drama of the savannah unhurried and return to favourite sightings. You might picnic in the bush amid the abundance. As the sun sets over the golden plains in a blaze of colour, you savour a magical evening on safari. Rest well in the beautiful Masai Mara, deep in wild Kenya.

You have a final full day in the Masai Mara, with time to explore its varied landscapes, from the open plains to the riverine forest and the escarpment. On your game drives you make the most of every chance to enjoy the Mara's superb big cats, elephants and, in season, the migrating herds and their crossings, your expert guide finding beautiful, unhurried sightings. Today you also visit a Maasai village (manyatta), warmly and respectfully arranged, meeting families and learning about their timeless pastoral way of life, their cattle, homes and customs, watching the famous jumping dance and seeing intricate beadwork, a genuine window into a living culture closely tied to these plains. Many of your guides and camp staff are themselves Maasai. As the sun sets over the plains, you savour a final magical evening in the Mara. Rest well, for tomorrow you journey south to Amboseli.

This morning, after a final early game drive in the Masai Mara, you fly (via Nairobi) south to Amboseli National Park, in the far south of Kenya on the Tanzanian border, one of the most beautiful and iconic wildlife settings in Africa. As you arrive, the vast, snow-capped bulk of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain, rises across the plains ahead. You settle into your lodge or camp, then set out on an afternoon game drive into the park, famous above all for its large, relaxed herds of elephants moving across the open plains and seasonal swamps beneath the mountain. You also look for lion, cheetah, buffalo, giraffe, zebra and a wealth of birdlife, all framed by Kilimanjaro. As the light softens to gold and the mountain glows, the elephants beneath the snows are unforgettable. Rest well at your Amboseli camp, in this iconic landscape of southern Kenya.

Today is devoted to Amboseli, a fitting finale to your grand safari. You set out on a morning game drive in the cool early light, when Kilimanjaro is often at its clearest, its snows glowing above the plains, and the elephants are active. Amboseli's elephants are among the most studied in the world, and you watch great herds at close range as they cross the plains, bathe and feed in the swamps, and raise their calves, often framed by the mountain. You also seek out lion, cheetah, buffalo, giraffe and countless birds around the wetlands. After a relaxed midday break at your lodge, you head out again for an afternoon and evening drive, perhaps climbing Observation Hill for a sweeping view over the swamps and plains. As the sun sets behind Kilimanjaro, the scene is a breathtaking finale. Rest well at Amboseli, reflecting on your grand journey through Kenya.

After a final morning game drive in Amboseli, savouring a last look at the elephants beneath the snows of Kilimanjaro, you return to your lodge for breakfast and then journey back to Nairobi, arriving in the capital in time for your onward international departure (a light-aircraft flight can be arranged to save time). You leave having completed the ultimate grand safari through Kenya, the special species of Samburu, the rhino conservancies of Laikipia, the flamingos and lakes of the Great Rift Valley, the big cats and, in season, the Great Migration of the legendary Masai Mara, and the elephants and Kilimanjaro of Amboseli, meeting the Samburu and Maasai peoples along the way. The images stay vivid long after you land, the Grevy's zebra of the north, the rhino beneath Mount Kenya, the lions on the golden plains, and the elephants beneath the snows. Kenya offers the greatest breadth of safari on earth, and you depart already dreaming of a return.