8 Day Kenya Safari: Samburu to Masai Mara

Our 8 day Kenya safari takes you on an epic journey from the arid north to the legendary plains of the Masai Mara. Starting and ending at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you search for the rare Special Five in Samburu, see rhinos at Lake Nakuru, take a boat ride and walking safari at Lake Naivasha, and finish with three nights in the Masai Mara, giving you plenty of time for the big cats and the Great Migration.

This 8 day Kenya safari suits travellers who want depth as well as variety: two nights in Samburu, three in the Mara and two scenic lake stops in between. Prices for 2, 4 and 6 guests sharing a double room are shown in the table above for low, mid and peak season.

In This Guide

• Safari at a Glance
• Day-by-Day Itinerary
• Where You Stay
• The Four Destinations
• Wildlife You Can Expect
• What Is Included
• Seasons and When to Go
• Tips for Your Safari
• Frequently Asked Questions

8 Day Kenya Safari at a Glance

• Duration: 8 days, 7 nights
• Route: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Samburu (2 nights), Lake Nakuru (1 night), Lake Naivasha (1 night), Masai Mara (3 nights), JKIA
• Accommodation: Samburu Sopa Lodge, Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge, Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort and Masai Mara Sopa Lodge, all on full board
• Vehicle: private 4x4 pop-up roof Land Cruiser with a professional English-speaking driver-guide
• Highlights: the Samburu Special Five, rhinos at Lake Nakuru, a Lake Naivasha boat ride and Crescent Island walk, three nights in the Mara and a Maasai village visit
• Group sizes priced: 2, 4 or 6 guests sharing double rooms
• Best for: wildlife enthusiasts, photographers, families and travellers who want time in the Mara

The route of this 8 day Kenya safari moves steadily from north to south, so you never backtrack. The two Rift Valley lakes sit neatly between Samburu and the Mara, turning long transfers into enjoyable stages, and three nights in the Mara at the end of the trip give you two full days on the plains.

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Nairobi (JKIA) to Samburu National Reserve

An early pick-up at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport starts your 8 day Kenya safari. Your driver-guide heads north through the farmland of central Kenya, passing Mount Kenya and crossing the Equator near Nanyuki, with a stop for photos at the sign. Beyond Isiolo, the landscape turns to dry thornbush and rocky hills.

You arrive at Samburu Sopa Lodge for lunch. In the afternoon you set out on your first game drive in Samburu National Reserve, looking for reticulated giraffes, Grevy's zebras and elephants on their way to the Ewaso Ng'iro River. Return to the lodge for dinner.

Meals: lunch and dinner. Overnight: Samburu Sopa Lodge.

Day 2: A Full Day in Samburu

Spend the day exploring Samburu on morning and afternoon game drives or a full day with a picnic lunch. Your guide searches for the Special Five: Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, Beisa oryx, gerenuk and Somali ostrich. Elephants bathe in the river, crocodiles bask on the sandbanks, and lions, leopards and cheetahs hunt in the reserve. Return to the lodge for dinner under the northern stars.

Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight: Samburu Sopa Lodge.

Day 3: Samburu to Lake Nakuru

After breakfast, you drive south-west across the Equator and down into the Great Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru National Park, checking in at Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge for lunch. In the afternoon you go on a game drive in search of white and black rhinos, Rothschild's giraffes and buffaloes, with pelicans and other water birds along the shore. Return to the lodge for dinner.

Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight: Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge.

Day 4: Lake Nakuru to Lake Naivasha

Enjoy an early morning game drive, when rhinos and lions are most active, then return for breakfast. A short drive takes you to Lake Naivasha, where you check in at Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort for lunch. In the afternoon, a boat takes you across the lake past hippos and fish eagles to Crescent Island, where you walk with a guide among giraffes, zebras, wildebeest and waterbuck. Dinner and overnight at the resort.

Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight: Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort.

Day 5: Lake Naivasha to the Masai Mara

After breakfast, you drive south-west through Narok to the Masai Mara, arriving at Masai Mara Sopa Lodge for lunch. In the afternoon you set out on your first game drive in the reserve, searching for lions, elephants and herds of zebra and topi in the golden evening light. Return to the lodge for dinner.

Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight: Masai Mara Sopa Lodge.

Day 6: A Full Day in the Masai Mara

Spend the whole day exploring the reserve with a picnic lunch, travelling further across the plains and towards the Mara River. Your guide follows the latest sightings of lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants and buffaloes. Between July and October, this is your best chance of witnessing a wildebeest crossing during the Great Migration. Return to the lodge for dinner.

Meals: breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner. Overnight: Masai Mara Sopa Lodge.

Day 7: Masai Mara Game Drives and a Maasai Village Visit

A morning game drive is followed by lunch at the lodge and time to relax by the pool. In the afternoon you visit a Maasai village, where your hosts welcome you with songs and the famous jumping dance and share their way of life. The day ends with a sunset game drive, a perfect finale to the wildlife on your 8 day Kenya safari. Return to the lodge for dinner.

Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight: Masai Mara Sopa Lodge.

Day 8: Masai Mara to Nairobi (JKIA)

After breakfast, you drive back to Nairobi, stopping for lunch en route. Your 8 day Kenya safari ends with a drop-off at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Meals: breakfast and lunch en route.

Where You Stay

Samburu Sopa Lodge (2 nights)

Samburu Sopa Lodge lies inside Samburu National Reserve, with earthy cottages, a swimming pool and a waterhole. Reserve fees apply for each night you stay and are included in your price.

Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge (1 night)

Inside Lake Nakuru National Park on the western escarpment, with balconies overlooking the lake. Park fees for the night are included.

Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort (1 night)

On the lake shore beneath yellow fever trees, with spacious cottages, a pool and lawns where hippos graze at night.

Masai Mara Sopa Lodge (3 nights)

Thatched round cottages on a hillside near the Oloolaimutia gate, with a pool and terraces. The reserve management treats the lodge as part of the reserve, so reserve fees apply for each night, and these are included.

All meals on your 8 day Kenya safari are on a full board basis, so breakfast, lunch and dinner are covered throughout.

The Four Destinations

Samburu National Reserve

About 165 square kilometres of semi-arid country along the Ewaso Ng'iro River, managed by the Samburu County Government. Home to the Special Five and healthy populations of elephants and big cats. Read our guide to Samburu National Reserve and the Special Five.

Lake Nakuru National Park

A fenced rhino sanctuary managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service, part of the Kenya Lake System UNESCO World Heritage Site. Read our guide to flamingos in Lake Nakuru National Park.

Lake Naivasha

A freshwater Rift Valley lake with hippos and more than 400 bird species. Crescent Island is reached by boat on this package, and both the boat ride and island entry are included. Read our guide to Lake Naivasha and Crescent Island.

The Masai Mara National Reserve

About 1,510 square kilometres of savannah managed by Narok County Government, with the Mara Triangle run by the Mara Conservancy. Read our Masai Mara safari guide and our guide to the Great Migration month by month.

Wildlife You Can Expect on an 8 Day Kenya Safari

• The Samburu Special Five: Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, Beisa oryx, gerenuk and Somali ostrich.
• Rhinos: white and black rhinos at Lake Nakuru.
• Big cats: lions, leopards and cheetahs in Samburu and the Mara, with leopards also at Nakuru.
• Elephants and buffaloes: along the Ewaso Ng'iro River and across the Mara.
• Hippos and crocodiles: at Lake Naivasha and in the Mara River.
• Giraffes: reticulated, Rothschild's and Masai giraffes, plus giraffes on foot at Crescent Island.
• Birds: vulturine guineafowl, pelicans, fish eagles, flamingos, secretary birds and many more.

With three nights in the Mara and four different ecosystems, this 8 day Kenya safari gives you an excellent chance of seeing all of the Big Five. See our guides to the Big Five in Kenya and 10 animals in the Masai Mara.

What Is Included in Your 8 Day Kenya Safari

Included

• Airport pick-up and drop-off at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
• All accommodation: 2 nights at Samburu Sopa Lodge, 1 night at Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge, 1 night at Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort and 3 nights at Masai Mara Sopa Lodge, sharing a double room
• Full board meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner, including a picnic lunch on the full Mara game-drive day
• En route lunch on the last day before your airport drop-off
• All park and reserve entry fees for Samburu, Lake Nakuru and the Masai Mara
• Activity fees: Lake Naivasha boat ride, Crescent Island walking safari and Maasai village visit
• Transport in a private 4x4 pop-up roof Land Cruiser
• Services of a professional English-speaking driver-guide
• Drinking water in the vehicle during the safari

Not Included

• International and domestic flights
• Kenya Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) and travel insurance
• Drinks at the lodges, tips and items of a personal nature
• Optional activities such as a hot air balloon safari
• Room upgrades, suites and festive or Easter season supplements

Before you travel, apply for your Kenya eTA and read our Kenya visa guide.

Seasons and When to Go

The price table at the top of this page shows rates for three seasons, based on the dates used by the lodges:

• Low season: 1 April to 31 May, the green season during the long rains.
• Mid season: 2 January to 31 March, 1 to 30 June and 1 November to 21 December.
• Peak season: 1 July to 31 October and 22 December to 1 January.

Masai Mara reserve fees are higher from July to December, so guests travelling between 1 November and 21 December pay a small supplement per person, shown in the note under the price table. July to October is the most popular time for an 8 day Kenya safari, with the migration in the Mara and dry conditions in Samburu. January to March is also excellent, while April and May bring green scenery and fewer visitors.

See our guides to the best time to visit Kenya and the best time to visit the Masai Mara.

Tips for Your 8 Day Kenya Safari

• Arrive early: the drive to Samburu takes about six hours, so book a morning arrival at JKIA.
• Pack for heat and cool mornings: Samburu is hot, while the lakes and the Mara can be chilly at dawn.
• Wear closed shoes: for the walk on Crescent Island.
• Bring binoculars and a zoom lens: for birds and distant animals.
• Use soft luggage: it fits more easily into the Land Cruiser.
• Carry small notes: for tips and crafts.

For a complete checklist, read our Kenya safari packing list.

Why Choose This 8 Day Kenya Safari

This 8 day Kenya safari combines the best of the north and the south with a relaxed pace. Three nights in the Mara is a real advantage, giving you two full days to explore and a much better chance of seeing leopards, cheetahs and, in season, river crossings. Samburu adds species you will not find elsewhere, and the two lakes provide variety with a boat ride, a walking safari and a rhino sanctuary.

A private Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof and an experienced driver-guide stay with you throughout, so you can travel at your own pace and stop wherever you like.

The route is efficient, moving from north to south without backtracking, and every travel day ends with an afternoon activity.

Why Three Nights in the Mara Matter

Many safaris allow only two nights in the Masai Mara, which leaves one full day for exploring. With three nights, your 8 day Kenya safari gives you two full days, allowing your guide to reach different areas of the reserve, wait patiently at a river crossing or follow a cheetah hunt without rushing back. You also have time to relax at the lodge between drives, which makes the whole trip more enjoyable.

For photographers, the extra day means more chances of good light and memorable behaviour, while families appreciate a slower pace towards the end of the trip.

Travelling as a Family or Group

An 8 day Kenya safari works beautifully for families and small groups of friends. The private Land Cruiser seats up to six guests comfortably, and every seat has a window and access to the pop-up roof. Children enjoy the variety of each day, from spotting gerenuks in Samburu to walking among giraffes on Crescent Island and meeting Maasai families in the Mara. All four lodges have swimming pools for a break in the heat of the day, and the lodges offer reduced rates for children sharing with adults. Read our guide to the best adventures for families with kids.

Driving Times

Typical driving times on this 8 day Kenya safari are about six hours from the airport to Samburu, five to six hours from Samburu to Lake Nakuru, one and a half hours from Nakuru to Naivasha, four to five hours from Naivasha to the Mara, and five to six hours from the Mara back to the airport. Your guide stops for comfort breaks and viewpoints, and drinking water is always on hand.

Extend Your Safari

• Add Amboseli and Kilimanjaro with our 10 Day Kenya Safari: The Grand Sopa Circuit
• Finish on the beach using our Kenya safari and beach holiday guide
• Add a sunrise hot air balloon safari over the Mara
• Visit Ol Pejeta Conservancy on the way north

Frequently Asked Questions

Is an 8 day Kenya safari a good length? Yes. It allows four destinations and three nights in the Mara without feeling rushed.

Is the boat ride included? Yes. Crescent Island is reached by boat on this package, and both the boat and island entry are included.

Can children join this 8 day Kenya safari? Yes. The lodges offer reduced rates for children sharing with adults. Contact us for a family quote.

Will we see the Great Migration? The herds are usually in the Mara between July and October, but timing depends on the rains.

Is the vehicle private? Yes. Your group has its own 4x4 pop-up roof Land Cruiser and driver-guide throughout.

Can I tailor the 8 day Kenya safari? Yes. We can adjust the order, upgrade rooms or add a beach extension.

Book Your 8 Day Kenya Safari

Ready to travel from the wild north to the Mara plains? Check the price table above for your travel dates and group size, then send us a booking request using the form below, or contact us with any questions. You can also browse more Kenya safari packages.