Routing
A superb second park
And, on a first week, usually the wrong choice. Here is how to tell which trip you are planning.
When to include it
| Your trip | Verdict |
|---|---|
| First safari, one week | Usually not. Mara plus Amboseli gives more variety for less travel |
| First safari, two weeks | Yes. There is room, and the contrast is the point |
| Second or third Kenya trip | Yes. The single best addition in the country. |
| Photographer wanting unusual subjects | Yes, strongly, nobody else is shooting these species |
| Already going to Laikipia or Ol Pejeta | Yes. It is on the same road north |
| Travelling with young children | Probably not: hot, and a long way |
| You want high density of animals | No. Go to the Mara. |
Getting there
- Fly: about an hour from Nairobi Wilson to Samburu or Kalama airstrip.
- Drive: five to six hours from Nairobi, much of it good tarmac past the flank of Mount Kenya. The drive itself is interesting. You watch highland farmland turn into dryland scrub.
- From the Mara: fly. Do not attempt this by road.
The route that works best
Because Ol Pejeta and Laikipia sit on the road north, the natural shape is a road journey that picks them up on the way:
- Nairobi (1 night)
- Ol Pejeta (2 nights): rhino, chimps, a gentle start
- Samburu (2–3 nights), the special five and the river
- Fly to the Masai Mara (3 nights): density and big cats
Eight or nine nights, one flight, three completely different ecosystems. It is the best two-week-lite itinerary in Kenya.
How many nights here
Two if it is a stop on a longer route. Three if you want a real chance at wild dog and leopard, or if you are photographing.
More than three and you will have seen the reserves thoroughly, at which point consider going further north into the community conservancies instead.
More from our Kenya guides
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