Three distinct Kenyas, with a day to pause.
The Marabou Stork is not the obvious ambassador for a safari itinerary. It is large, ungainly, and not conventionally beautiful. It is also one of the more fascinating birds in East Africa: a scavenger of considerable intelligence, extraordinarily adapted, and present across every major ecosystem this route covers.
The Marabou Stork Safari moves through three of Kenya’s most distinct wildlife destinations: the open grasslands of the Maasai Mara, the flamingo-lined shores of Lake Nakuru, and the semi-arid river system of Samburu in the north. Each is a different Kenya. Together they show you the country’s range.
This itinerary includes a deliberate rest day. Clients who have travelled with us consistently say the same thing: the days with no fixed schedule, where you are not moving between parks, are often the ones they remember most. Day 6 is built around that. You are in Samburu. The reserve is outside your door. What you do with the day is your own.
The itinerary.
Nairobi to Maasai Mara National Reserve
Pick-up from your hotel or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 06:00. Drive to the Maasai Mara, entering with a game drive en route to the camp for lunch. An afternoon game drive runs from 16:00 until sunset.
Maasai Mara, Full Day
Collect picnic lunch boxes and spend a full day on the Mara plains. The Mara supports one of the highest concentrations of predators in Africa year-round. Lion, cheetah, leopard, hyena, and wild dog are all present. The Mara River, where crocodiles wait during the migration season, runs through the western edge of the reserve.
Maasai Mara to Lake Nakuru National Park
Early breakfast between 06:30 and 07:00. Drive to Lake Nakuru National Park, arriving in time for lunch. An afternoon game drive visits the lake shore, Baboon Cliff, and Makalia Falls.
Lake Nakuru is reliable for both black and white rhino, and the flamingos that gather on the alkaline water in their thousands are one of the park’s defining sights.
Lake Nakuru to Samburu National Reserve
After breakfast, drive north through Isiolo Town and Archers Post into Samburu, entering the reserve with a game drive en route to the lodge for lunch. An afternoon game drive covers the Ewaso Ng’iro River, where wildlife concentrates throughout the day.
Samburu holds species not found in the parks further south: the Reticulated Giraffe, Grevy’s Zebra, Beisa Oryx, Gerenuk, and Somali Ostrich are all regularly seen alongside the familiar predators.
Samburu, Morning and Evening Game Drives
An early morning game drive, followed by time at the lodge through the heat of the day. An evening game drive in the late afternoon.
Samburu, Rest Day
Today has no schedule. The reserve is there if you want it. The lodge is there if you do not. Some guests use a rest day to sit with the landscape they have been moving through all week. Others take an optional game drive at their own pace. The only instruction is to use the day as you need to.
Samburu to Nairobi
After breakfast, drive to Nairobi for drop-off at your hotel or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
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 entrance fees
- 3 bottles of mineral water per person per day
- One safari hat and one safari bag per person
- 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.