Our Kenya Ultimate Safari tour takes you through the country’s most breathtaking wildlife destinations, perfect for those eager to immerse themselves in the stunning beauty of Kenya. Over twelve exhilarating days, prepare to be captivated by six incredible landscapes on a continuous loop. Begin in the wild serenity of Samburu’s northern wilderness, move south to the rhino sanctuaries of Laikipia and Nakuru, and immerse yourself in the Maasai Mara, renowned for its spectacular game viewing. A serene day on Lake Naivasha offers a peaceful interlude before you venture south once again to Amboseli, where the majestic Kilimanjaro stands tall. This journey is a remarkable opportunity to experience the essence of an entire country in one inspiring safari.
Dexter has driven every leg of this route countless times, and the itinerary is tailored to showcase what each region truly excels at, rather than just a generic list of parks. Samburu is selected for the unique species you won’t find further south. Ol Pejeta offers the chance to see rhinos up close, accompanied by the dedicated people who work to protect them. The Mara is known for its incredible density of predators. Amboseli is famous for its elephant herds that have traversed the same land for generations, all with the iconic mountain in the background. Every stop on this itinerary has a purpose; none are simply fillers.
A trip this long is really a logistics problem before it’s anything else — twelve days of transfers, park entries, and changing terrain, timed so nothing feels rushed and nothing gets wasted on the road. That planning happens once, before you land, and it’s Dexter doing it — the same guide who picks you up on day one is still with you on day eleven, no hand-offs between regions and no new face to brief each time you change parks.
“This is the one I tell people to take if they can only do Kenya once. You get the north, you get the Mara, you get Amboseli, and you get it without a different guide at every stop.”
Fly or drive up to Samburu National Reserve, where the Ewaso Ng’iro river cuts through dry, red-earth country unlike anything further south. First game drive is in the afternoon, once the heat has broken.
A full day in Samburu tracking the species that make the north worth the detour — Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, Beisa oryx, and Somali ostrich — alongside good numbers of elephant and the reserve’s resident lion and leopard.
South to the Laikipia plateau and Ol Pejeta Conservancy, East Africa’s largest black rhino sanctuary and home to Najin and Fatu, the world’s last two northern white rhinos. Afternoon game drive on arrival.
A full day at Ol Pejeta — rhino tracking with the conservancy’s rangers, a stop at Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary (the only place in Kenya to see chimpanzees, all of them rescued), and open ground that holds strong numbers of lion and cheetah.
On to Lake Nakuru National Park, a fenced sanctuary for both black and white rhino and one of the best places in the country to find Rothschild’s giraffe. Worth knowing going in: the lake’s famous flamingos have mostly shifted to Bogoria and Elementaita since water levels rose years ago — Edward will tell you honestly what’s likely on the day rather than promise pink shorelines.
A transfer to the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya’s best-known reserve and still the one that earns it — open grassland, the highest concentration of predators in the country, and an afternoon game drive to start.
The whole day given to the Mara — this is where the density of lion, cheetah, and leopard shows itself, and where the wildebeest migration passes through if your dates land between July and October.
A second full day, worked around whichever part of the reserve is producing the best sightings that week — Edward reads the Mara daily rather than driving a fixed loop, including a look at the river crossings the reserve is famous for.
A change of pace at Lake Naivasha — a boat ride among hippos and fish eagles, with the option of a walking safari on Crescent Island, one of the only places in Kenya where you can walk on foot among giraffe, zebra, and waterbuck with no predators present.
South to Amboseli National Park, where the swamps fed by Kilimanjaro’s underground rivers support some of the largest elephant herds — and the largest tusks — left in Africa, with the mountain itself as the backdrop on a clear day.
A full day of game drives across Amboseli’s swamps and dry lakebed, with the best light on Kilimanjaro typically early morning and late afternoon.
Transfer back to Nairobi and on to the airport for your international departure — around four hours’ drive, timed to your flight.
11 days Dexter's own hand-picked circuit through five of Kenya's most distinct landscapes — Ol Pejeta, Lake Nakuru, the Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, and Amboseli — hosted by him in person, once a month, for a small group only.
14 days Samburu's wild north and the Masai Mara's big-cat plains with Dexter, then six barefoot nights on Diani's white sand. A slow, two-week Kenya safari and beach holiday with no rushing anywhere.
15 days Kenya's three great safari landscapes, from Samburu's arid north to the Mara's plains and Amboseli's elephants under Kilimanjaro, then four slow days on the Swahili island of Lamu. The definitive fly-in.
A trip this size takes real planning. Message Edward directly and he'll work out timing, room configuration, and group size with you before anything's booked.
It's in Nairobi Dexter replies usually within a day