07 Days Northern Kenya Safari Circuit

After breakfast, travel further north to the Mount Kenya region, arriving in time for lunch at the Serena Mountain Lodge — about 50km north of Nyeri town. Sailing like an ark amid the primeval forests of Kenya's highest mountain, this timbered tree hotel offers champagne-clear mountain air, sweeping views across the forest canopy, sparkling trout streams and gentle forest walks.

Situated at 2,134 metres above sea level on the lower slopes of the mountain, the lodge is cool, tranquil and hushed. The open-air viewing deck looks down onto its own waterhole and salt lick, attracting numerous herds of elephant and buffalo. A tunnel leads to a photo-hide offering spectacular viewing and photographic opportunities just metres from the wildlife at the waterhole. Dinner and overnight at The Serena Mountain Lodge.

After breakfast, embark on the journey north into Kenya's semi-arid region. The Samburu National Reserve sits on the banks of the Ewaso Ng'iro river — 165km² in size, 350 kilometres from Nairobi, ranging in altitude from 800 to 1,230 metres above sea level in Samburu County. On the opposite bank of the river lies the Buffalo Springs National Reserve.

This is where you spot the legendary Samburu Special Five — wildlife found nowhere else in Kenya: Grevy's zebra (the world's largest wild zebra), reticulated giraffe, Beisa oryx, gerenuk (the giraffe-necked antelope) and Somali ostrich. Also found here: olive baboon, warthog, Grant's gazelle, Kirk's dik-dik, impala, waterbuck and Nile crocodile along the river. Arrive for lunch and enjoy an afternoon sunset game drive. Dinner and overnight at Samburu Sopa Lodge.

A full day exploring Samburu with morning and afternoon game drives. The reserve is home to over 350 bird species — a paradise for birdwatchers. These include the Somali Ostrich, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Sunbirds, Bee-eaters, Marabou Stork, Tawny Eagle, Bateleur, Vulturine Guineafowl, Yellow-necked Spurfowl, Lilac-breasted Roller, Palm-nut Vulture, Red-billed Hornbill, Secretary Bird, Verreaux's Eagle, Superb Starling, Yellow-billed Hornbill and various vultures.

Morning game drives along the Ewaso Ng'iro River provide excellent lion and leopard sightings in the acacia woodland, while elephant herds cross the river in spectacular fashion. The afternoon light at Samburu is extraordinary — golden savannah stretching to the Mathews Range in the far north. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

After breakfast and a final morning game drive, check out and drive east to Meru National Park — located east of Meru town. Covering an area of 870km², it is one of Kenya's most famous and beautiful parks, made internationally known by Joy and George Adamson's work with Elsa the lioness, as told in the book and film Born Free.

Meru receives abundant rainfall — 635–762mm in the west, 305–356mm in the east — resulting in tall grass, lush swamps and riverine forest. This rich habitat supports a wide range of wildlife: elephant, hippopotamus, lion, leopard, cheetah, black rhinoceros and some rare antelopes. The park is genuinely wild and far less visited than the Mara or Amboseli — an experience of raw, unspoiled Kenya. Arrive in time for lunch, afternoon game drive, dinner and overnight at Ikweta Safari Camp.

A full day exploring Meru's remarkable diversity of habitats — morning and afternoon game drives covering the park's riverine forest along the Tana River tributaries, open grasslands and the lush western swamp areas. All meals at the camp.

Meru is one of the few Kenyan parks where both black and white rhino are present, alongside one of East Africa's densest elephant populations. The park's remoteness and low visitor numbers make wildlife encounters feel genuinely exclusive — you may spend hours without seeing another vehicle. A final unforgettable night under the vast northern Kenya sky at Ikweta Safari Camp.

After breakfast and a final morning game viewing drive in Meru, check out and drive back to Nairobi — arriving mid-afternoon. Drop at JKIA to connect your flight home, or continue to a Nairobi hotel for an overnight stay.

Seven extraordinary days through Kenya's most diverse and least-visited northern circuit — from highland forest waterhole lodges to remote semi-arid game reserves. A journey that reveals a completely different face of Kenya that most visitors never see.