A giraffe silhouetted against an orange sunset, acacia trees on either side

4-Day Samburu & Ol Pejeta

4 days · 3 nights

Overview

This itinerary links two of the north's strongest draws: Samburu's dry-country wildlife along the Ewaso Ng'iro river, and Ol Pejeta's rhino sanctuary a few hours south. Both sit within a day's drive of Nairobi via Nanyuki, so the route runs as a single loop north and back rather than needing a flight.

The two stops complement each other well. Samburu's landscape and species, Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe and gerenuk among them, are found nowhere on the southern circuit; Ol Pejeta, fenced and closely managed, gives some of the strongest rhino viewing anywhere in Kenya alongside a visit to its chimpanzee sanctuary.

Day by day

01

Nairobi to Samburu

We drive north via Nanyuki and Isiolo, crossing the equator along the way, arriving at the reserve in the early afternoon. After lunch we head into a first game drive along the river.
02

Full day in Samburu

A complete day working the river and surrounding scrub for the reserve's dry-country specialities: an early drive, a rest through the heat, and a second session in the late afternoon.
03

Samburu to Ol Pejeta

We leave Samburu after an early game drive and head south to Ol Pejeta, a drive of a few hours, arriving in time for lunch and an afternoon game drive focused on the conservancy's black rhino and its two northern white rhino.
04

Chimpanzee sanctuary and return to Nairobi

An early game drive at Ol Pejeta, then breakfast and a visit to the chimpanzee sanctuary before we start the drive back to Nairobi, around three hours via Nanyuki.

What's included

Ground transport throughout in a 4x4 safari vehicle with a pop-up roof
Three nights full-board accommodation: two in or bordering Samburu, one within Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Six game drives, led by an English-speaking driver-guide
Samburu National Reserve and Ol Pejeta Conservancy entry fees, including the chimpanzee sanctuary visit
All meals throughout: breakfast, lunch and dinner
Bottled water in the vehicle throughout
Soft drinks, juices, tea and coffee throughout
Beer, wine and spirits throughout

International and domestic flights
Kenya e-Visa or entry permit fees
Tips and gratuities for your guide and camp staff
Items of a personal nature such as laundry and souvenirs
Travel insurance

Best time to visit

June through October and January through March give the driest conditions across both stops and the easiest driving on the road between them.

Common questions

What vehicle do we travel in?

A 4x4 safari Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof, used throughout including the road leg between the two stops.

How much driving links the two parks?

A few hours on a reasonable road, considerably less than the drive north from Nairobi to Samburu itself. We treat day three as a travel day with a game drive at the end rather than pure transit.

Are we guaranteed rhino and the Samburu specialities?

No sighting is ever guaranteed. Ol Pejeta gives strong odds on rhino given how closely the population is monitored inside a fenced area, and two full days in Samburu give a good chance at several of the dry-country species, but which ones and how many varies day to day.

Is this itinerary suitable if we only have four days?

Yes, it's built for exactly that: two genuinely different landscapes and wildlife sets without needing an internal flight, since both stops sit within a day's drive of Nairobi via Nanyuki.