8-Day Northern Kenya Expedition

We are departing Nairobi after an early breakfast, journeying north beyond Mount Kenya. You are watching the lush central highlands gradually transform into the searing, beautiful scrublands of the Samburu region. By afternoon, you are crossing the Ewaso Ng’iro River into Samburu National Reserve. Your first game drive en route to your lodge is immediately introducing you to the “Samburu Special Five”: the elegant reticulated giraffe, striped Grevy’s zebra, long-necked gerenuk, distinctive Somali ostrich, and majestic beisa oryx. You are settling into your riverside camp as the sun dips below the hills.

Over two full days, you are delving deep into the ecosystems of Samburu and its sister reserves, Buffalo Springs and Shaba. Your guide is leading you on morning and afternoon game drives along the riverbanks and through the dry bush. You are learning to track wildlife, searching for leopard, lion, and the large elephant herds that depend on the Ewaso Ng’iro. One afternoon, you are visiting a local Samburu manyatta (homestead). You are sharing in community life, understanding ancient pastoral traditions, and witnessing captivating traditional dances under the vast African sky.

We are embarking on a longer travel day, leaving the reserves behind for the open road. You are traversing the hauntingly beautiful Kaisut Desert, a vast expanse of lava rock and scrub. Your destination is the cool, forested highland oasis of Marsabit Town, rising dramatically from the desert plains. You are checking into your simple, welcoming lodge. In the late afternoon, you are taking a short drive to Lake Paradise within Marsabit National Park, where you might spot giant-tusked elephants emerging from the misty forest to drink a truly mystical scene.

Today, you are venturing into true expedition territory. After an early start, we are driving northeast across rugged terrain toward Lake Turkana, the “Jade Sea.” You are arriving at the remote Sibiloi National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You are checking into basic but clean bandas (cottages) at Lake Turkana’s shore. The afternoon is dedicated to visiting the Koobi Fora Museum and fossil beds. You are walking where some of humanity’s oldest ancestors were discovered, guided by a local expert who brings millions of years of history to life.

You are spending the day immersed in this prehistoric landscape. We are exploring more of Sibiloi’s remarkable sites, which may include the petrified forest or the Lothagam North Pillar Site, an ancient megalithic cemetery. The stark, volcanic scenery against the jade-green waters of Lake Turkana is creating unparalleled photographic opportunities. You are learning about the resilient communities, like the El Molo, who call these harsh shores home. The day is ending with a spectacular, peaceful sunset over the world’s largest desert lake.

We are bidding farewell to Lake Turkana and turning south. Today brings one of the journey’s most iconic experiences: crossing the Chalbi Desert. You are driving onto the vast, shimmering white expanse of this ancient salt pan. In the dry season, it is a surreal, mirage-filled landscape stretching to the horizon. You are stopping to absorb the profound silence and emptiness. By late afternoon, you are reaching the small desert oasis of Kalacha, on the desert’s edge. You are staying at a simple campsite or lodge, a welcome refuge after the day’s stark beauty.

Today is a full immersion into the wonders of the Serengeti. With a packed picnic lunch, we spend the entire day exploring this vast ecosystem, following the great herds of wildebeest and zebra and seeking out prowling lions, elusive leopards, and swift cheetahs. We’ll visit the Seronera River Valley and the scenic Moru Kopjes. An optional Maasai cultural visit and guided bush walk to enrich your understanding of this majestic land before returning to your camp.