7 Days Crowned Crane Safari
Mount Kenya, Ol Pejeta, Lake Elementeita, Lake Nakuru, and Maasai Mara
The widest cross-section of Kenya we run.
The Grey Crowned Crane is one of the most recognisable birds in East Africa: tall, elegantly marked, with the golden crown of feathers that gives it its name. It is found across the wetlands, grasslands, and open country of the region. In Kenya, it appears across much of the safari circuit this itinerary covers.
But the Crowned Crane Safari is about more than one species. It is a seven-day route through some of Kenya’s most varied and rewarding destinations, each with a different ecology, elevation, and character. Mount Kenya’s highland forest. The open conservancy of Ol Pejeta, where the last two northern white rhinos are under permanent guard. The flamingo-ringed shores of Lakes Elementeita and Nakuru. And the Maasai Mara, where the circuit ends with two days on Kenya’s most celebrated game reserve.
This is one of the strongest itineraries in the Savanna Secrets portfolio for those who want to cover a meaningful range of Kenya’s ecosystems in a single journey.
The itinerary.
Nairobi to Mount Kenya National Park
Pick-up from your Nairobi hotel at 06:00. Drive north along the main highway, passing through pineapple plantations and highland farmland before ascending toward Mount Kenya. Arrive at the lodge for lunch.
The afternoon is at leisure: the lodge overlooks a waterhole and salt lick where animals come to drink throughout the day. In the late afternoon, watch the forest edge as the light changes.
Mount Kenya to Ol Pejeta Conservancy
After breakfast, drive to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, entering with a game drive en route to the lodge for lunch. Ol Pejeta is a 360-square-kilometre private conservancy in Laikipia, home to the Big Five and one of the highest densities of wildlife in Kenya outside the Maasai Mara.
The afternoon game drive includes a visit to the Chimpanzee Sanctuary, the only place in Kenya where rescued chimpanzees can be seen in a natural habitat setting.
Ol Pejeta to Lake Elementeita
After breakfast, depart with a game drive through the conservancy en route to the gate. Drive south via Mweiga and Nyahururu, stopping briefly at Thomson Falls before continuing to Lake Elementeita. Arrive for a late lunch and spend the afternoon at leisure on the lake shore.
Lake Elementeita is a shallow soda lake in the Great Rift Valley, a designated Ramsar Wetland of International Importance, and home to flamingos, pelicans, and over 450 recorded bird species.
Lake Elementeita to Lake Nakuru National Park
After breakfast, drive to Lake Nakuru National Park with a game drive en route to the lodge for lunch. The afternoon game drive covers the lake shore, Baboon Cliff, and Makalia Falls. Lake Nakuru is one of the best parks in Kenya for rhino sightings and remains an important flamingo habitat.
Lake Nakuru to Maasai Mara National Reserve
After breakfast, drive to the Maasai Mara. Check in and lunch on arrival. An afternoon game drive runs until sunset across the open Mara plains.
Maasai Mara, Full Day
Collect picnic lunch boxes and spend a full day on the plains. A sundowner stop before returning to camp as the light fades over the grassland.
Maasai Mara to Nairobi
After breakfast, drive back to Nairobi, arriving early afternoon. Farewell lunch at the Carnivore Restaurant. Drop-off at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport or your Nairobi hotel.
Inclusions & exclusions.
- Return road transport in a private 7-seater safari vehicle with pop-up roof and guaranteed window seats
- Services of a professional multilingual driver-guide throughout
- All game drives as detailed in the itinerary
- Six nights full-board accommodation
- All national park and conservancy entrance fees
- Visit to the Chimpanzee Sanctuary at Ol Pejeta
- 3 bottles of mineral water per person per day
- One safari hat and one safari bag per person
- Farewell lunch at the Carnivore Restaurant, Nairobi
- Flying Doctors emergency evacuation cover
- All applicable government taxes
- Alcoholic and soft drinks
- Tips and gratuities for guides and lodge staff
- Personal expenses including telephone calls, laundry, and similar
- Travel insurance
- International flights and airport transfers not specified above
- Any items not specified above
Lodges shown reflect our standard arrangement for this route. Where we hold a fixed relationship, the named property is used; otherwise a lodge of equivalent standard is substituted.
What you will see.
Book this safari, or shape your own version of it.
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will confirm availability and tailor the route, the pace, and the lodges to your group.