Itinerary

1. Day 1: Nairobi - Samburu

   • 08:00 hrs – Depart Nairobi and drive north, passing the shoulder of Mount Kenya to Samburu National Reserve.
   • Enjoy a game drive en route to your semi-permanent campsite nestled under a canopy of trees or set up tents on the edge of the Ewaso Nyiro River.

2. Day 2: Samburu National Reserve

   • Spend the day viewing wildlife in the park. Samburu National Reserve is a wildlife haven where you can spot Africa’s big cats—lions, cheetahs, and the elusive leopard. Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, kudu, and gerenuk are unique to this northern Kenya park. The Ewaso Nyiro River, marking the boundary with Buffalo Springs National Reserve, attracts elephants, buffalo, and other wildlife. The vibrant culture of the semi-nomadic Samburu tribes enhances the reserve's dramatic semi-arid landscape.

   Dinner and overnight at the campsite or clean hotels.

3. Day 3: Samburu - Marsabit National Park

   • After breakfast, head further north along the Trans-African Highway to Marsabit. After setting up camp, visit the lodge inside Marsabit National Park. From the edge of a water-filled crater, you may see elephants, buffalo, and kudu. Thick forest limits vehicle access, so you won’t venture further into the park. Mount Marsabit, rising to 1,700 meters, creates its own microclimate, with mist often hugging its slopes. The lower slopes are dry, while higher elevations are forested, featuring crater lakes, swamps, and wildlife.

   Dinner and overnight at the campsite or clean hotels.

4. Day 4: Marsabit - Kalacha

   • After breakfast, visit Marsabit town and another volcanic crater before heading back into the desert and lava flows.
   • Stop for an overnight stay at Kalacha, a small settlement on the edge of the Chalbi Desert.

   Dinner and overnight at the campsite or clean hotels.

5. Day 5: Kalacha - Lake Turkana

   • After an early breakfast, embark on the adventure of crossing the inhospitable Chalbi Desert. The shimmering sands stretch 300 km to Lake Turkana. If the desert is wet, alternative routes around the north and south will be used.
   • Arrive at a semi-permanent campsite just outside Loiyangalani on Lake Turkana’s shores after lunch.
   • Choose between traditional Turkana huts or setting up tents.
   • Relax, enjoying the cool breeze from the lake while sheltered from the harsh climate.

   Dinner and overnight at the campsite or clean hotels.

6. Day 6: Lake Turkana

   • Spend the day relaxing and bathing in Lake Turkana with a short boat excursion to explore the surrounding areas.
   • Visit Loiyangalani and its community.
   • In the evening, you may visit a Turkana Manyata to experience traditional dances under the star-studded sky (at additional cost). The Turkana people, mainly cattle herders and recent fishers, live in a remote area known for its significant evidence of early human history. The lake is renowned for its birdlife and spectacular big game fishing.

   Dinner and overnight at the campsite or clean hotels.

7. Day 7: Lake Turkana - Maralal

   • After breakfast, travel via South Horr and Baragoi to Maralal, home to the colourful Samburu people.

   Dinner and overnight at the campsite or clean hotels.

8. Day 8: Nairobi

   • After breakfast, drive south through the Laikipia Plains and Nyahururu (Thompson’s Falls), returning to Nairobi mid-afternoon.