10 Day Kenya Safari: Samburu, Ol Pejeta, Lakes, Maasai Mara and Amboseli

A 10 day Kenya safari is the trip for travellers who want to actually see the country, not just one or two parks. This route covers five very different landscapes: Samburu’s dry north, Ol Pejeta’s rhino sanctuary, Lake Nakuru’s rift valley lake, the Maasai Mara’s plains and Amboseli’s elephants under Kilimanjaro.

Ten days is enough time to properly settle into each stop rather than treating every park as a box to tick. You get 2 full days in the Mara alone, plus a fair spread across the other four parks on this 10 day Kenya safari.

We run this route with a private driver guide and a pop up roof 4×4 throughout. Prices below are a guide price per person sharing, confirmed in writing on WhatsApp before you pay a deposit.

Highlights

• Five parks in one trip: Samburu, Ol Pejeta, Lake Nakuru, Maasai Mara and Amboseli
• Rhino tracking on foot or by vehicle at Ol Pejeta Conservancy
• Two full days in the Maasai Mara for the best chance at big cats
• Flamingos and a fenced rhino sanctuary at Lake Nakuru
• Elephant herds and Kilimanjaro views to close out the trip in Amboseli
• Private driver guide and 4×4 for the entire 10 day Kenya safari

Day by day plan

1. Day 1

   Nairobi to Samburu

   Early pickup and a drive north past Mount Kenya’s lower slopes, through Nanyuki and Isiolo, about 5 to 6 hours in total. You reach camp by mid afternoon and head out for an evening game drive along the Ewaso Nyiro River before dinner. Overnight in Samburu.

2. Day 2

   Full day Samburu

   Two game drives target the Special Five, Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, beisa oryx and Somali ostrich, alongside elephant, lion and leopard along the river. A Samburu village visit can be arranged for the midday break. Overnight in Samburu.

3. Day 3

   Samburu to Ol Pejeta

   A morning game drive, then the drive south to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, about 2 to 3 hours. Ol Pejeta protects one of Kenya’s largest black rhino populations and the last two northern white rhinos on earth. An afternoon game drive covers the conservancy’s open plains. Overnight at Ol Pejeta.

4. Day 4

   Ol Pejeta to Lake Nakuru

   A morning at Ol Pejeta, with an optional rhino tracking activity or a visit to the chimpanzee sanctuary, then the drive to Lake Nakuru, about 3 hours. An afternoon game drive covers the lake shore and euphorbia forest, with rhino, buffalo and often flamingos on the water. Overnight near Nakuru.

5. Day 5

   Lake Nakuru to the Maasai Mara

   An early game drive, then the drive to the Maasai Mara, about 4 to 5 hours across the highlands. You arrive by mid afternoon in time for a first evening game drive on the plains before dinner. Overnight in the Mara.

6. Day 6

   Full day Maasai Mara

   A full day with two game drives across the reserve’s open grassland, tracking lion, cheetah and the resident herds. If the wildebeest are in the Mara during your dates, a river crossing is possible. Overnight in the Mara.

7. Day 7

   Second full day Maasai Mara

   A second full day gives you real depth in the reserve rather than a rushed single pass. An optional hot air balloon flight at dawn, or a Maasai village visit, can be added on this day. Overnight in the Mara.

8. Day 8

   Maasai Mara to Amboseli

   A long travel day, roughly 7 to 8 hours, cutting back past Nairobi and out toward the Tanzania border. It is the price of covering five parks on one road based 10 day Kenya safari. You arrive at Amboseli in the late afternoon.

9. Day 9

   Full day Amboseli

   Two game drives take in the marsh edges where large elephant families gather, plus open plains with giraffe, zebra and buffalo, all with Kilimanjaro rising behind them on a clear morning. Overnight in Amboseli.

10. Day 10

    Amboseli to Nairobi

    A final sunrise game drive, then breakfast and the drive back to Nairobi, about 4 hours. We drop you at your hotel or the airport in time for an evening flight, closing out your 10 day Kenya safari.

10 day Kenya safari, private 4×4, per person sharing

• Low season rates (Jan to Jun, when the Mara ticket is USD 100). Jul to Dec adds roughly USD 200 to 350 per person because the Mara ticket doubles to USD 200.
• A fly drive version, swapping one or two road legs for short domestic flights, is available on request and shortens the trip by up to 2 driving days.
• Park fees, camp full board, all game drives and a private driver guide are included in every tier.

Get my exact price on WhatsApp

What a 10 day Kenya safari covers

This 10 day Kenya safari is built to show you contrast: the dry north at Samburu, conservation work at Ol Pejeta, a rift valley lake at Nakuru, open plains at the Mara, and elephants under a mountain at Amboseli. No two days look the same.

It is a road based trip, so a fair share of the ten days involve driving between parks. We think that trade is worth it, since you see rural Kenya between stops, not just the parks themselves. Compare this against our shorter 7 day Kenya safari if you have less time, or ask about a fly drive version if time matters more than the road.

How much does a 10 day Kenya safari cost

A 10 day Kenya safari on this route starts from about USD 3,050 per person sharing in a group of 6, at budget camps in low season. Two people travelling alone pay closer to USD 3,850, since the vehicle and driver cost is split fewer ways.

The price covers your driver guide, vehicle, park fees, accommodation and all meals across five parks. Season and camp choice move the number most, since the Mara ticket alone doubles from July, and luxury camps roughly double the cost of budget ones at every group size.

Can parts of a 10 day Kenya safari be done by flight

Yes. The longest single leg, Maasai Mara to Amboseli, can be swapped for a short domestic flight via Nairobi, cutting a full travel day. Some guests also fly the Nairobi to Samburu leg at the start of the trip for the same reason.

See our Kenya fly in safaris page for routes and prices if you would rather spend the saved time at camp than on the road.

Which parks give the best Big Five chances

The Maasai Mara is the strongest single park for the Big Five, especially lion and leopard, and this itinerary gives it two full days for exactly that reason. Ol Pejeta is the most reliable spot for rhino, both black and the last two northern white rhinos in the world.

Read our Big Five in Kenya guide for a full park by park breakdown of your odds for lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino.

Is 10 days too long for children

Not usually, but it depends on the child and how much driving they can handle without getting restless. Younger children often do better on a shorter 5 or 6 day version with fewer transfer days, while children from about 8 upward generally manage the full 10 day Kenya safari well.

See our Kenya family safaris page for child rates and lodge picks if you are planning this route with kids.

Customising your 10 day Kenya safari

Swap Samburu for a Tsavo start if you are coming from the coast, add an extra Mara night in place of a lake stop, or turn any long leg into a short flight. Tell us your priorities on WhatsApp and we will rework the route and the price before you book.

Some guests also extend this into a longer trip by adding Rwanda or Uganda gorillas at the end. Our 12 day Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda safari shows how that combination works.

Best season for this route

January to June is cheaper because the Mara ticket sits at USD 100 rather than USD 200, and the shorter rains in April and May green up Amboseli and Samburu without seriously disrupting road travel between parks.

July to October is peak season, with the wildebeest migration likely in the Mara and dry, dusty conditions at Amboseli that favour long Kilimanjaro views. Either season works well for a 10 day Kenya safari; the choice comes down to migration timing and your budget.

Driving distances across the route

Across the full trip you spend roughly 30 to 35 hours in the vehicle, spread over 6 travel days and 4 full park days. The longest single leg is Maasai Mara to Amboseli at 7 to 8 hours.

• Nairobi to Samburu: about 5 to 6 hours
• Samburu to Ol Pejeta: about 2 to 3 hours
• Ol Pejeta to Lake Nakuru: about 3 hours
• Lake Nakuru to Maasai Mara: about 4 to 5 hours
• Maasai Mara to Amboseli: about 7 to 8 hours
• Amboseli to Nairobi: about 4 hours

What to pack for this route

Pack neutral colours, a warm layer for early morning game drives, sunscreen and a hat. Samburu and Amboseli run hotter and drier than the Mara and Nakuru highlands, so layers that come off easily through the day work best.

• Light layers plus one warm fleece for early starts, especially in Samburu and Nakuru
• Comfortable closed shoes for camp walks and the occasional guided walk
• Binoculars, a good camera and spare memory cards or storage
• Malaria prophylaxis after a chat with your doctor
• A dust mask or buff for the drier northern stretches

Health, visas and practical notes

Most nationalities need a Kenya ETA before arrival, applied for online. Yellow fever vaccination is required if you are arriving from a country where it is endemic, and malaria prevention is recommended across every park on this route.

Mobile signal is patchy inside the parks but usually fine at camp. See our vaccinations and malaria guide, our tipping guide and our packing checklist so you know what to budget for beyond the headline price of your 10 day Kenya safari.

How to book your 10 day Kenya safari

Booking your 10 day Kenya safari with us takes about five minutes of your time. The rest is our job. Here is exactly what happens, step by step, so there are no surprises along the way.

1. Send your dates. Message us on WhatsApp with your travel dates, how many people are coming and the ages of any children. Tell us if you have a budget in mind. We plan with it, not around it.
2. Get a written quote. We reply with a clear price per person, what it includes and what it does not. No hidden park fees and no vague extras. If a cheaper camp or a shorter route makes more sense, we say so.
3. Tweak it until it fits. Change a camp, add a night or swap a park. Ask as many questions as you like. Changes cost nothing until you confirm.
4. Confirm with a deposit. A deposit holds your vehicle, guide and rooms. You get a written confirmation with every detail and the date the balance is due.
5. Travel day. Your driver guide meets you at your hotel or the airport with a name board. You have their number and ours for the whole trip.

What every trip with us includes

Every 10 day Kenya safari plan we put together comes with the basics done properly. You ride in a safari vehicle with a pop up roof, with a professional driver guide who knows the parks. Water is in the cooler box, and park fees are sorted in advance so you do not stand in a queue at the gate.

We also stay reachable. If something changes on the road, a flat tyre, a closed route or a sudden storm, we sort it and keep you posted on WhatsApp.

Paying safely

We share payment details in writing only, and every payment gets a receipt. The payment options and the balance date sit on your written quote, so nothing is left to memory or a phone call.

Why book with a Nairobi team

We live here. We drive these roads all year, we know which camps are honest about their photos, and we know when a park is too busy to enjoy. That local knowledge is what turns a good 10 day Kenya safari into a great one. Our Google rating sits at 5.0 from 46 reviews, and we plan to keep it that way.

Ready when you are. Send us a message and we will put a plan together for you shortly.

Questions people ask

Official information: KWS park fee schedule.

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