Kenya's Big Five & Conservation Safari

Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, a driver will greet you and take you to your first destination - Nairobi Tented Camp in Nairobi National Park. Located just a stone’s throw away from the city means that you can be surrounded by wilderness within just a couple of hours after landing in Kenya’s capital.

The park’s proximity to the city provides a unique opportunity to explore Nairobi’s attractions such as the Giraffe Centre, local markets, the Karen Blixen Museum, or the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s elephant orphanage. Rather than spending the night in a city hotel, head back into the reserve for a relaxing game drive, a serene sundowner and a scrumptious dinner of local flavours

Fuel up with a hearty breakfast before your transfer to Wilson Airport and flight to Nanyuki Airstrip. Upon arrival, you will be warmly greeted and driven a short distance to Porini Rhino Camp, an intimate tented camp nestled in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy at the base of Mount Kenya. The conservancy is home to the Big 5 and provides a sanctuary for endangered species like the rare black rhino, indigenous Grevy’s zebra, and rescued non-native chimpanzees.

Settle in for a two-night stay and relish a delicious lunch before taking some time to enjoy your tented suite, refresh, and admire any passing wildlife. Refreshed and energized, visit the Endangered Species Boma to witness the world’s only two remaining Northern white rhinos. You might have the chance to meet Baraka, a blind black rhino, before embarking on an afternoon game drive (keep a lookout for the Big 5—lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo).

In the evenings, gather around the campfire, exchanging safari tales. Enjoy a sumptuous dinner serenaded by the sounds of the Kenyan wilderness under the star-filled sky. Rest up for a full day of adventure on the conservancy, including a visit to the chimpanzee sanctuary!

Enjoy a fresh breakfast and a drive to the airstrip to board your chartered flight to your next destination. Bordering Meru National Park, in a 32-hectare private concession, is Rhino River Camp, the slice of paradise you get to call home for the next three nights. Nestled within a leafy green grove with the tranquil sound of the slow-flowing Kindani River burbling by, the camp has a unique feel in a more forested environment, a birder’s dream. After a scrumptious lunch, settle in and take advantage of the camp’s amenities: a refreshing dip in the swimming pool and a therapeutic massage.

Meru is affectionately known as Kenya’s ‘complete wilderness’ as it is home to a diverse and wide range of African wildlife, including elephant, hippo, buffalo, lion, cheetah, leopard, and an abundance of other mammal species. During your stay, explore this vast wilderness on game drives, nature walks or a hike up the extinct volcano to discover a hidden forest inside.

Rhino River Camp is conveniently located close to the park’s dedicated rhino sanctuary, which you will visit during your stay. The sanctuary is home to around 40 white and 20 black rhinos, which are protected and bred to increase their critically low population numbers. In the evenings, enjoy the warm welcome of the staff who will have the campfire going, along with something to drink and snack on before a delicious lantern-lit dinner.

After indulging in a delicious breakfast amidst the palm fronds and chattering birds, your guide will drive you to the airstrip to meet your next flight to Ol Seki Airstrip. It’s then straight back onto a game drive to Porini Mara Camp, your base from which to explore the iconic Masai Mara. This unpretentious camp is located in the Ol Kinyei Conservancy of the Mara, enveloped by flourishing savannah plains, riverine forests, undulating hills, and serene rivers.

The focus at Porini Mara is on game viewing. Enjoy morning, afternoon and evening game drives in custom-built safari vehicles led by expert driver-guides. Maasai guides adorned in their customary attire are eager to impart their exceptional knowledge about the terrain and wildlife during nature walks. In season, you can experience the incredible Great Wildebeest Migration—one of the most incredible natural encounters. An optional, yet highly recommended, add on to amplify your African safari experience is a hot-air balloon safari to float serenely above Mara plains and admire the endless scenery below.

In between game drives, the friendly staff will ensure you have all you need for a comfortable stay. The chefs will make sure you’re fuelled and ready for every outing with delicious meals and snacks prepared with the freshest ingredients. Look forward to beautiful sunsets where you’ll be treated to sundowner drinks and snacks on the banks of the Laetoli River while serenaded by the sunset symphony of frogs and birds gathering to settle down for the night.

As you enjoy a last morning at Porini Mara and your Kenya safari comes to an end, one more charter flight brings you back to Nairobi. As you soar over the bustling villages, rolling hills and endless plains of Kenya, bid farewell and reflect on the incredible experiences, wildlife encounters and memories made.