Majestic Kenya Safaris

9-Day Fly-In Luxury Safari

Starts from

$7,400 pp (USD)

Overview

Nine days covering Amboseli, Masai Mara, and Samburu using scheduled flights throughout. Two nights at each of the first two destinations, then four nights in the Mara as the centerpiece, finishing with two nights in Samburu. This routing works efficiently – start south beneath Kilimanjaro, fly west to the Mara for extended game viewing, then finish north in Samburu’s unique wilderness.

The accommodations are genuinely excellent. Ol Tukai Lodge sits inside Amboseli National Park next to a swamp where elephants feed constantly. For the Mara, you choose between Mara Plains Camp (ultra-luxury in the private Olare Motorogi Conservancy) or Sarova Mara Camp (luxury in the Mara Triangle). Saruni Samburu finishes the safari with boutique luxury in the Kalama Conservancy overlooking Samburu Reserve.

Flying between camps takes 45 minutes to an hour per leg. You land at airstrips minutes from the properties instead of spending entire days on rough roads. For this level of accommodation, it makes sense – you arrive ready to enjoy evening game drives rather than exhausted from travel.

Four nights in the Mara gives you three full days of game drives, which is proper time to explore without rushing. Two nights each at Amboseli and Samburu provides a full day at each plus arrival and departure drives.

Accommodations:

  • Amboseli: Ol Tukai Lodge (2 nights)
  • Masai Mara: Sarova Mara Camp (4 nights)
  • Samburu: Samburu Intrepids Tented Camp (2 nights)

Itinerary

  • Day 1: Nairobi to Amboseli

    Flight Time: 45 minutes

    Meals: Lunch & Dinner

    Morning pickup from your Nairobi hotel and transfer to Wilson Airport. Flight to Amboseli leaves around 9:00 or 10:00 AM. Short hop south with Kilimanjaro visible long before you land if it's clear.

    Touch down at Amboseli airstrip around 10:30 AM. Transfer to Ol Tukai Lodge takes about 5 minutes - it's the only lodge actually inside the park itself. The location next to a permanent swamp means wildlife passes through constantly. Elephants, buffalo, zebra drinking and feeding right in front of the rooms.

    Check in, lunch on the terrace overlooking the swamp, then first game drive at 4:00 PM. Amboseli is small at 392 square kilometers but everything concentrates around the water sources. Elephants are the main attraction - big tuskers, family groups, young bulls. Also plenty of buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, different antelope species.

    Dinner and overnight at Ol Tukai Lodge.

  • Day 2: Amboseli

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

    Full day in Amboseli. Early start around 6:30 AM when Kilimanjaro is usually visible. The mountain typically shows at dawn, then clouds form around the summit by mid-morning. Your guide will position you for the classic shot - elephants with the peak behind them.

    Morning around the swamps watching elephant families interact. These animals are well-habituated, so you can get close. The research program here has tracked families since 1972 - your guide often knows individuals by sight. Back to the lodge for lunch. The swamp remains active all day from the terrace, so you're still watching wildlife during midday rest.

    Afternoon drive at 4:00 PM. Observation Hill in the center of the park is worth climbing for views across the basin. Easy walk, decent perspective. Birdlife around the wetlands is good - pelicans, geese, herons, egrets. Cheetahs sometimes hunt on the dry lake bed. Lions take more work to find than in the Mara but they're around.

    Dinner and overnight at Ol Tukai Lodge.

  • Day 3: Amboseli to Masai Mara

    Flight Time: 1 hour

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

    Quick early drive if there's time, otherwise just breakfast and pack up. Transfer to the airstrip for your flight to the Mara. Usually routes through Nairobi with a fuel stop, then continues west. Total time about an hour including the stop.

    Land at the airstrip closest to your camp. If staying at Mara Plains, you'll land at Olare Orok airstrip in the conservancy. For Sarova Mara, it's Mara Serena airstrip in the Triangle. Transfer takes 5-15 minutes depending on which property.

    Mara Plains Camp has just eight tents in the Olare Motorogi Conservancy. Intimate, exclusive, excellent guiding. Sarova Mara sits on a ridge in the Mara Triangle with views over the plains. Both are genuinely good properties, just different styles - Mara Plains is ultra-luxury boutique, Sarova Mara is accessible luxury with more guests.

    Check in, lunch, then first Mara game drive around 4:00 PM. Wildlife density is immediately noticeable. Lions, elephants, buffalo spread across the grassland. The Mara River runs through both areas with hippos and crocodiles year-round.

    Dinner and overnight at Sarova Mara Camp.

  • Days 4-5: Masai Mara

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

    Two full days in the Mara with morning and afternoon game drives. Early starts around 6:30 AM. Lions are almost guaranteed - the Mara has healthy populations. Leopards take more effort but sightings are regular near the Mara River where there's tree cover. Cheetahs prefer the open plains for hunting. Buffalo in big herds, rhinos less common but present, elephants everywhere.

    If you're here July through October, the migration will dominate. Over a million wildebeest crossing from Tanzania. River crossings are dramatic when they happen but completely unpredictable - might see multiple crossings in a morning or wait days. Your guide stays in radio contact and will get you there if something's building.

    Outside those months, resident wildlife still delivers plenty. Actually less crowded without the migration rush. If you're at Mara Plains in the conservancy, you get night drives which aren't allowed in the main reserve. The conservancy also has strict vehicle limits, so sightings feel more private.

    Optional hot air balloon safari available if booked ahead (around $450 per person).

    Dinner and overnight at Sarova Mara Camp.

  • Day 6: Masai Mara

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

    Third full day covering different areas or revisiting productive spots. By now your guide knows what you're interested in and will adjust accordingly. Want to find rhinos? He knows where they've been lately. Looking for cheetahs? He'll focus on the open plains where they hunt.

    The Mara River deserves extended time even without crossings - lots of hippos, big crocodiles, different bird species along the water. Worth an hour just sitting and watching interactions.

    Between drives, time to relax at camp. Mara Plains has a small pool and spa treatments. Sarova Mara has pool, spa, larger public areas. Both have good food and attentive service.

    Dinner and overnight at Sarova Mara Camp.

  • Day 7: Masai Mara to Samburu

    Flight Time: 1.5 hours

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

    Early morning game drive, breakfast, then fly to Samburu. The routing usually goes via Nairobi with a connection. Total time about 1.5 hours including stops. Land at Kalama airstrip around midday.

    Transfer to Saruni Samburu takes about 15 minutes. The camp sits up on a hillside in the Kalama Conservancy with views over Samburu Reserve and Mount Kenya in the distance when it's clear. Only six bandas scattered across the slope, so guest numbers stay low.

    Check in, lunch by the spring where elephants come to drink, then first game drive at 4:00 PM. Drives work across both Kalama Conservancy and Samburu Reserve - you're not limited to one or the other.

    First afternoon focuses on the northern specialist species. Reticulated giraffe with distinctive geometric patterns. Grevy's zebra - bigger with narrower stripes. Gerenuk standing on hind legs. Beisa oryx. None of these appear in southern Kenya. Lions and leopards along the Ewaso Ng'iro River.

    Dinner and overnight at Samburu Intrepids Tented Camp

  • Day 8: Samburu

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

    Full day exploring Samburu Reserve and Kalama Conservancy. Early drive at 6:30 AM when it's cooler and animals are active. The river is where everything happens - elephants crossing, crocodiles on banks, hippos in pools.

    Samburu's predators are healthy. Lions rest in riverine shade during heat. Leopards appear regularly in the big trees. Cheetahs work the open areas. Visitor numbers here are a fraction of the Mara, so sightings feel more private.

    Back to camp mid-morning for breakfast. Pool, views from your banda, or just relax. Optional activities include guided walks in the conservancy or village visits. Afternoon drive from 4:00 PM. Night drives are permitted in the conservancy - good for leopards and nocturnal species.

    Last evening at Saruni. The camp does sundowners on a nearby hill with valley views.

    Dinner and overnight at Samburu Intrepids Tented Camp.

  • Day 9: Samburu to Nairobi

    Flight Time: 1 hour

    Meals: Breakfast

    Final early morning game drive before breakfast. Last chance for northern species at dawn. Return to camp around 9:00 AM, pack up, transfer to Kalama airstrip.

    Flight to Nairobi lands at Wilson around noon. Transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for international connections or to a city hotel if staying over. Most international flights leave evening - timing works well with the morning flight from Samburu.

Accommodation

Ol Tukai Lodge in Amboseli with elephants walking by the pool
Ol Tukai Lodge
Samburu Intrepids accomodation unit
Samburu Intrepids
Sarova Mara luxury tented camp
Sarova Mara Game Camp
Sarova Mara Game Camp

Rates

Season2 Pax3 Pax4 Pax5 Pax6 Pax
Jan - Jun$9,200$8,400$7,900$7,600$7,400
Jul - Dec$11,200$10,200$9,600$9,200$8,900

Includes & Excludes

A Family Safari to Remember

Our Kenya safari exceeded expectations! Expert guides, comfortable accommodations, and unforgettable wildlife sightings. Highly recommend!

Kenya safari testimonial - The smiths

The Smiths

USA

An Unforgettable Solo Adventure

Solo traveler, felt safe and well-cared for. Guides were knowledgeable and friendly. Beautiful scenery and wildlife.

Mark Davis testimonial of our Kenya safaris

Mark Davis

Australia

Honeymoon Paradise in Kenya

Honeymoon was a dream come true! Luxurious accommodations, personalized service, and romantic atmosphere. Perfect!

The Harris Testimonial

David & Emily Harris

UK

Budget-Friendly Safari Adventure

Budget-friendly safari with incredible wildlife sightings. Knowledgeable guides and comfortable accommodations. Highly satisfied!

Family-Safari-Review (1)

Théo Martin

France

A Luxury Safari Experience

Best safari experience ever! Saw the Big Five, learned about Maasai culture, and enjoyed delicious food. Amazing!

Jennifer Lee Testimonial

Jennifer Lee

Canada

Luxury Honeymoon in the Wild

Our Kenya safari was unforgettable! Expert guides, luxurious accommodations, and incredible wildlife sightings. Highly recommend!

Testimonial by David and Emily Johnson

David and Emily Johnson

United States

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