Saruni Wild-banner

Kenya Big 5 & Rhino Tracking Safari

Let us customise this sample itinerary to make your dream safari
When you contact Go2Africa you'll receive a free consultation with one of our Africa Safari Experts who will help you create your own perfect trip

At A Glance

Destinations
Duration

7 days

Nearest Airport

Kalama Airport

Children Under 12 Welcome

Tour Highlights

Wide diversity of wildlife, scenery and cultures
Game drives, birding, and guided nature walks
Recommended for elephant and big cat sightings
Track black rhinos on foot in Samburu
Fly from camp to camp for convenience and comfort
Enjoy the annual Wildebeest Migration through the Mara in season

Overview

Combining Kenya's arid Samburu savannahs with the lush grasslands of the Masai Mara means a wide diversity of wildlife and scenery as well as different cultures and experiences to look forward to. And with three different lodges on a 7-day itinerary, this tour is ideal for those looking to make the most of their time in Kenya.

Your tour opens in the Samburu National Reserve where you stay at Saruni Rhino. There are morning and afternoon game drives to look forward to as well as guided nature walks, star gazing, night drives, cultural experiences and a glimpse into rhino conservation – the emphasis is on as wide an experience as possible. It is big game country – home to elephant and lion – and part of your time is spent tracking the highly endangered black rhino. There is also plenty of time to look for Samburu's more unusual animals that are absent from the Masai Mara: keep an eye out for the long-necked gerenuk, the sabre-horned oryx gazelle and the dazzling Grevy's zebra.

Then it is off to the rolling grasslands of the Masai Mara and a camp with a private setting to ensure unspoilt views and exclusive game sightings. You enjoy a mix of game drives in the concession as well as the national reserve itself, which is home to the seasonal Wildebeest Migration as well as abundant year-round game. It is an area renowned for predator sightings and, even if the wildebeest herds are absent during your visit, you will still enjoy superb game viewing.

Accommodation on this safari takes the form of elegant tent camps with facilities such as swimming pools, spa treatments and private dining. The distances between destinations are taken care of by short flights, enabling you to enjoy as much time on safari as possible – perfect for couples and honeymooners.

Itinerary

Day to day
"excellent"
IGN
Isabel Gamboa Nosti
traveler

Read more reviews
Itinerary information

You arrive at Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport where a professional driver-guide transfers you to nearby Wilson Airport for a scheduled flight to Samburu National Reserve. A guide meets you at the airstrip and drives you to Saruni Rhino, home for the next three nights.

Saruni Rhino is an intimate tented camp set in a private wildlife reserve and one of the few places in Kenya – or indeed Africa – where you can still track black rhino on foot. There is also a nearby rhino sanctuary and an elephant orphanage to visit as well as game drives to go on and bird watching to enjoy – the sight of thousands of sand grouse drinking is one to remember. And for a unique cultural experience, your guide will take you to the Singing Wells where local herdsmen call their cattle to drink through songs that are apparently recognisable only by their own cattle.

Saruni Rhino information

Track black rhino in Samburu
Visit the Retiti Elephant Sanctuary
See the Singing Wells cattle waterhole
Contribute to rhino conservation in East Africa
Private airstrips for fly-in safaris
Dinners in the old riverbed

Fully Inclusive (All Meals, Selected Beverages)

Read more
"excellent"
IGN
Isabel Gamboa Nosti

Read more reviews
"excellent"
SM
Sally Murphy
traveler

Read more reviews
Itinerary information

It is about a 90-minute flight from the Samburu airstrip to the Masai Mara, enabling you to change environments quickly and comfortably. Contiguous with the Serengeti, the Masai Mara is most famous for its seasonal Wildebeest Migration with the bulk of the animals passing through between the end of June and the beginning of November. It is a time of dramatic encounters between the wildebeest and their predators – lions, leopards, wild dogs and spotted hyenas – but such is the depth of wildlife in the Mara that it remains a highly rewarding destination at any time of year. Game drives with Maasai guides take you into the heart of the action and there are also exciting bush walks to go on as well as the chance to book an optional hot-air balloon flight over the savannah; it is a pre-dawn start and you are rewarded with a well-deserved champagne breakfast.

Saruni Wild information

Hemingway-style camp in the Mara North & Lemek Conservancies
Excellent game viewing including elephant, leopard & buffalo
Private Maasai guides
Nature walks with specialist hosts
Flying & hot-air balloon safaris on request
Access to Wellbeing Space at Saruni Mara

Fully Inclusive (All Meals, Selected Beverages)

Read more
"excellent"
SM
Sally Murphy

Read more reviews
Itinerary information

Visit the rhino sanctuary on the way to the airstrip and once again admire the hippos and the crocodiles of the Mara River. Transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport with Saruni driver and vehicle. Depending on the time of your international flight, stop at the Talisman or Carnivore restaurant for dinner.

Expert Opinion

We know because we go
Justin Chapman

Justin Chapman

Africa Safari Expert

A safari that takes you from Kenya's arid Samburu savannahs to the lush grasslands of the Masai Mara. Begin with game drives, nature walks, and cultural experiences in Samburu, focusing on tracking the endangered black rhino and spotting unique species like the gerenuk and Grevy's zebra. Then, head to the Masai Mara for exclusive game drives in a private camp, where you'll enjoy exceptional predator sightings and abundant year-round game. Short flights between locations maximise your time in the bush.

View Profile

What’s Included?

  • Meals:
  • Saruni Rhino : Fully Inclusive (All Meals, Selected Beverages)
  • Saruni Wild : Fully Inclusive (All Meals, Selected Beverages)
  • All necessary permits, conservancy and park fees
  • All activities specified, including morning and evening game drives each full day on safari
  • 24/7 assistance and support during your trip
  • Complete financial protection with our Money-Back Guarantee

What’s Excluded?

  • Your international flights to and from Africa + any related taxes
  • Any travel visas you require (though we help you with this)
  • Tips
  • Personal items (eg. travel insurance, souvenirs)

See What Our Travellers Have To Say