Budget level:
High-End
Country
Kenya
Duration
6 Nights
Safari Type
Lodge and Canvas
Location
Laikipia, The Masai Mara
Kids Min Age
5
Safari Rating
Arrive into Nairobi and fly north onto the Laikipia highlands, destination Ol Pejeta, home of the last two northern white rhino on the planet!
Laikipia is one of Kenya’s premier wildlife areas and home to BIG 5, including the highest rhino density in East Africa. Laikipia is also renowned for its innovative conservation successes working closely with local communities. Laikipia is at a high elevation making it an ideal all year safari destination for families, but it can be chilly in winter so bring those woollies along!
Explore the Ol Pejeta Conservancy on day and night game drives, on foot and horseback, whilst seeking out the BIG 5, including three species of rhino, white, black and the last two northern white rhino.
After 3 glorious nights at Ol Pejeta fly onwards to Rekero Camp in the heart of the Masai Mara, which boasts some of the best wildlife viewing in Africa.
The Masai Mara hosts the wildebeest migration herds that visit the plains each year around July to September, as well as plentiful resident wildlife year-round, which includes leopard, cheetah, lion and much more. The plains of the Mara are the most photogenic safari landscape of them all, and one of the best places to get up close and personal with large animals.
The 3 nights at Rekero Camp will be a definite highlight and you won’t want to leave, guaranteed! The expert guides at Rekero will make the day, night and off-road game drives memorable, take you on bushwalks and do a bush breakfast/lunch on the plains, very special!
Unfortunately all good things come to an end on the last morning game drive to the local airstrip before flying onto Wilson Airport in Nairobi and connecting to your next destination
Detailed itinerary
Night 1: Nairobi to Ol Pejeta
On arrival at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport you will be met by a driver
who will transfer you by private vehicle to the domestic Wilson Airport.
Fly from here to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, 40 minutes away (15kg luggage limit per person; soft bags required for all flights on this itinerary). A guide from Ol Pejeta Bush Camp will meet you at the airstrip and game-drive you back to camp, where you can enjoy lunch and relax in the comfort of your tent overlooking the river. In the mid-afternoon, set off for a game drive to explore this wildlife-rich reserve, which is home to Kenya’s largest population of black rhino as well as the rest of the BIG 5 species and plenty of unusual wildlife, too, including eland and Grevy’s zebra.
Ol Pejeta is simple, authentic tented camp in a prime position within Ol Pejeta Conservancy, on the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River where hippos often splash, and elephants come to drink. The seven guest tents are spacious and comfortable, each with lounge chairs where you can relax with a good book or binoculars to watch the birdlife between game drives. Each tent also includes an en suite bathroom with hot bucket showers. There is a library/lounge area with fireplace, a communal dining area and plenty of comfortable seating areas. Many of the staff have worked here since the camp first opened and guests are truly welcomed into the family. The camp offers an ideal base for exploring this unique conservancy and learning more about the work being done to preserve endangered species.
Nights 2 and 3: Ol Pejeta Bush Camp
Enjoy morning and afternoon guided activities with the knowledgeable safari experts at Ol
Pejeta Bush Camp.
Game drives allow you to cover good distances in search of the resident wildlife, perhaps counting how many rhinos you can see in a drive. Whilst these modern-day dinosaurs are a rarity across much of Africa, they are found in great numbers here.
You will also visit the endangered-species enclosure on a drive one morning or afternoon, where the last two remaining northern white rhino on Earth are found, meeting their rangers and learning about the work being done to save this sub-species.
A bit about OL PEJETA CONSERVANCY:
- Wildlife: 3 species of rhino, lion, leopard, buffalo, giraffe, elephant, hippo as well as rarer species including wild dog and Jackson’s hartebeest.
- 300 bird species.
- Safari activities: game drives, night drives, visit to endangered species enclosure (northern white rhino), horse riding, mountain biking, community visit, canine anti-poaching unit visit, lion tracking with researcher.
- Close to Mount Kenya – enjoy stunning views on a clear day.
Night 4: Ol Pejeta to Masai Mara
After breakfast you will be driven to the airstrip for your morning flight to the Masai Mara, a
journey of approximately an hour, landing right in the heart of this world-famous reserve.
A guide from Rekero will meet you here and game-drive you back to camp, offering the perfect
introduction to the vast savannah plains and stopping to watch any wildlife you encounter on
the way. Settle into your tent and enjoy lunch and time to relax overlooking the Talek River,
one of the two major river systems in the reserve, which runs right in front of camp. After afternoon tea and cake, head out on a game drive to search for big cats and other wildlife.
Rekero is an iconic tented camp with a rich history, Rekero takes a prime position on the banks of the Talek River, where wildlife is often viewed right from the comfort of camp. There are nine spacious guest tents that balance the adventure of sleeping under canvas with plenty of modern comforts. The main lounge tent and vast deck offer the perfect vantage point from which to spot wildlife drinking at the river, as well as overlooking one of the main river crossing points when the Great Migration herds are in the reserve.
The guides here are superb and know the best spots to seek out the many species found in the Masai Mara, as well as the history and stories of some of the big cats that frequent this corner of the reserve.
Nights 5 and 6: Rekero Camp
Game drives from Rekero take place in the early to mid-morning and in the mid- to late afternoon, when wildlife is most active, offering the best sightings. The grassy plains are home to a wide range of species, from prides of lion to cheetah stalking their prey and hippos wallowing in muddy pools.
There is never a dull moment in the Masai Mara. During the heat of the day you will return to camp for a rest, lunch and, of course, the tradition of freshly baked cake and tea or coffee before your afternoon drive.
Dinners are typically communal, sharing stories of your day’s adventures with other guests. Hot-air ballooning is also possible from here, at an additional cost (pre-booking recommended), offering a unique perspective on the landscapes and wildlife at sunrise.
A bit about the MASAI MARA:
- One of Africa’s most rewarding safari destinations with an excellent density and diversity of wildlife.
- Part of the larger Masai Mara-Serengeti ecosystem where the 2 million-strong herds of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle make their Great Migration year-round.
- Wildlife: lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, hippo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, hyena.
- Safari activities: game drives and hot-air ballooning (supplementary cost)
Masai Mara to Nairobi
Depart for the airstrip after your final breakfast in camp from where you will take the late morning flight back to Nairobi.
A guide will transfer you from here by private vehicle to the international airport, Jomo Kenyatta, where you can check in for your international flight home or the next destination.
When to go
| jan | feb | mar | apr | may | jun | jul | aug | sep | oct | nov | dec | |
| Laikipia |  | | |  | | |  | | | | | |
| The Masai Mara | | | | | | | | | | | | |
= Best
= Good
= MixedThe Accommodation
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