9 Days Kenya Safari: Samburu, Sweetwaters, Nakuru & Masai Mara
The 9 days Kenya safari — Samburu, Sweetwaters, Nakuru and Masai Mara — is Blue Lilac Tours & Travel’s most comprehensive north-to-south Kenya circuit. This itinerary ventures beyond the well-trodden south Kenya parks to include the rugged semi-arid wilderness of Samburu (home to the legendary Samburu Special Five), the extraordinary Sweetwaters Ol Pejeta Conservancy (Africa’s largest black rhino sanctuary), before sweeping south through Lake Nakuru’s flamingo shores and into the Masai Mara’s lion-rich savannah. Nine days, five destinations, and a wildlife checklist that covers virtually everything Kenya has to offer — from the gerenuk and Grevy’s zebra of the north to the Great Migration wildebeest of the south. This is Kenya at its most complete.
Book Your 9-Day Kenya Safari
Contact Blue Lilac Tours & Travel — we specialise in crafting personalised multi-park Kenya safari circuits.
Why This 9-Day Itinerary Stands Apart
Most Kenya safari itineraries focus on the southern circuit — Amboseli, Nakuru, and the Masai Mara. The 9-day Samburu and Sweetwaters circuit deliberately heads north first, exploring a Kenya that few visitors experience. Samburu’s dramatic semi-arid landscape, with its acacia-lined Ewaso Nyiro River and striking northern wildlife, provides a vivid contrast to the southern parks. Sweetwaters Ol Pejeta adds a uniquely intimate dimension: as a private conservancy (not a national park), it offers night game drives, guided bush walks, and chimpanzee sanctuary visits that expand the safari experience well beyond the standard game drive. By the time you reach the Masai Mara at the end of the circuit, you’ll have accumulated a wildlife experience that few visitors to Kenya ever achieve.
9 Days Kenya Safari — Complete Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Nairobi
Arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and transfer to your Nairobi hotel. Afternoon orientation: optional Giraffe Centre visit or Nairobi National Park Day Trip game drive. Briefing with your guide over dinner. Overnight Nairobi.
Day 2: Nairobi to Samburu National Reserve
Early departure north via Nyeri and Isiolo into Kenya’s arid north. Arrive at your Samburu riverside camp by early afternoon. Check in and enjoy your first afternoon game drive — the Ewaso Nyiro River banks are magical in the late afternoon light as elephants come to drink and leopards emerge from the acacia scrub. Dinner and overnight Samburu.
Day 3: Full Day in Samburu
Dawn game drive (06:00) for predator activity and early Samburu Special Five sightings. Spend the full morning tracking lions, leopards, the reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, Beisa oryx, gerenuk, and Somali ostrich. Return for breakfast, midday rest. Afternoon drive from 16:00 through the plains and river area. Dinner and overnight Samburu.
Day 4: Samburu to Sweetwaters Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Morning game drive in Samburu (06:00–08:30). Check out and drive south-west to Ol Pejeta Conservancy (approximately 2.5 hours). Check in to your conservancy lodge. Afternoon game drive on Ol Pejeta’s private roads — search for black rhinos, cheetahs, lions, and the famous Morani the cheetah (one of Africa’s most photographed cheetahs). Option for an evening bush dinner. Dinner and overnight at Sweetwaters.
Day 5: Full Day at Sweetwaters Ol Pejeta
Morning chimpanzee sanctuary visit — a unique and moving experience with rescued chimps from Central Africa. Followed by a full morning game drive: black rhino tracking, lion spotting, and birdwatching across Ol Pejeta’s diverse habitats. Picnic lunch in the conservancy. Afternoon game drive. Night game drive (optional, with special conservancy permit) — an extraordinary experience impossible in national parks. Dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Sweetwaters to Lake Nakuru National Park
Morning game drive at Ol Pejeta (06:00–09:00). Check out and drive south-west to Lake Nakuru (approximately 2.5 hours). Arrive mid-afternoon. Afternoon game drive at Lake Nakuru: flamingo-fringed shoreline, Baboon Cliff viewpoint, and the rhino sanctuary (white rhinos complement the black rhinos you saw at Ol Pejeta). Dinner and overnight Lake Nakuru.
Day 7: Lake Nakuru to Masai Mara
Morning game drive at Lake Nakuru (06:30–09:30). Full breakfast and check-out. Drive south-west to the Masai Mara (approximately 3.5 hours via Narok). Arrive early afternoon. Check in and afternoon game drive on the open Mara plains — your first experience of the Mara’s legendary lion country. Dinner and overnight Masai Mara.
Day 8: Full Day in the Masai Mara
Pre-dawn departure for the signature 06:00 Mara game drive. Full morning tracking lion prides, cheetah families, leopards, elephants, and — if the season is right — witnessing the Great Migration river crossings. Breakfast at camp. Afternoon drive in the golden light (14:00–18:30). Option for a Maasai cultural village visit. Dinner and overnight in the Mara.
Day 9: Final Game Drive and Return to Nairobi
Morning Mara game drive (06:00–09:00). Full breakfast and check-out. Drive back to Nairobi (approximately 5–6 hours via Narok). Arrive Nairobi by late afternoon. Drop-off at your hotel or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your departure flight.
Fly Between Parks for a Premium Experience
Ask about charter flights connecting Samburu, Ol Pejeta, and the Masai Mara for a faster, more comfortable journey.
Wildlife Highlights of the Full 9-Day Circuit
- Samburu Special Five — Reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, Beisa oryx, gerenuk, Somali ostrich
- Black Rhino — At Ol Pejeta (Africa’s largest black rhino sanctuary) and Lake Nakuru
- Chimpanzees — Rescued chimps at Ol Pejeta sanctuary (unique to this itinerary)
- Lions, Leopards & Cheetahs — Across Samburu, Ol Pejeta, Nakuru, and the Masai Mara
- Flamingos — Lake Nakuru’s iconic shoreline flocks
- Great Migration — In the Masai Mara July–October
Other Kenya Safari Options
For those with less time, our 7 Days Kenya Safari covers Nairobi, Masai Mara, Nakuru, Naivasha, and Amboseli in 8 days — Kenya’s classic southern circuit. For a focused Samburu experience, our 3 Days Samburu Safari is the ideal 3-night introduction to northern Kenya. If you want to keep things shorter still, the 3 Days Masai Mara Safari packs the best of the Masai Mara into a lean 4-day package.
Nine Days. North to South. The Complete Kenya Safari.
Book your 9-day Samburu and Masai Mara safari with Blue Lilac Tours & Travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What parks are covered in the 9-day Kenya safari?
The 9-day safari covers: 1 night Nairobi, 2 nights Samburu National Reserve (north Kenya), 2 nights Sweetwaters / Ol Pejeta Conservancy (rhinos and chimpanzees), 1 night Lake Nakuru, and 2 nights Masai Mara — a comprehensive northern and southern Kenya circuit.
What makes the Sweetwaters stop special?
Sweetwaters Ol Pejeta Conservancy is Africa’s largest black rhino sanctuary and the only place in Kenya where you can see rescued chimpanzees. It also has lions, cheetahs, buffalos, and a rich bird list in a beautifully managed private conservancy.
Is Samburu far from Nairobi?
Samburu is approximately 350 km north of Nairobi — roughly a 5–6 hour drive. Blue Lilac Tours & Travel can arrange charter flights to Samburu airstrip, reducing travel time to under 1.5 hours.
Can I see the Samburu Special Five and the Big Five on the same safari?
Yes — this 9-day itinerary is specifically designed to deliver both. Samburu provides the Special Five (reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, Beisa oryx, gerenuk, Somali ostrich), while Nakuru (rhino), Ol Pejeta (black rhino), and the Masai Mara (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo) cover the Big Five across the circuit.
What is included in the 9-day Kenya safari?
Inclusions: 4×4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof, professional driver-guide, all park and conservancy entry fees, full-board accommodation at all destinations, all game drives as per itinerary, and hotel/airport transfers in Nairobi. Excluded: international flights, personal travel insurance, and gratuities.
