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Leopard Safari

11 night Kenya driving safari

HOME > Kenya > Safari Itineraries > Leopard Safari

An extensive 11-night itinerary, the Leopard Safari takes in all of Kenya’s key wildlife areas, and provides a huge variety of landscapes and wildlife. Highlights include beautiful Amboseli with Kilimanjaro as a backdrop, the drier areas of Samburu in the north, and of course the incredible Masai Mara, perhaps the most famous game reserve in the world.

Leopard Safari

 • Nairobi  • Amboseli

• Aberdares

 • Samburu

 • Ol Pejeta  • Nakuru

 • Masai Mara

ITINERARY

Day 1 - UK to Nairobi

Depart the UK on your flight to Nairobi. On arrival, transfer to the Nairobi Serena Hotel for a good night’s sleep ahead of your safari. Overnight: Nairobi Serena Hotel.

Day 2: Nairobi

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before an insightful full day trip to four of Nairobi’s key attractions. Your first stop will be the Giraffe Centre, a conservation centre for the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe where you’ll have the chance to feed these friendly giants. Next you’ll drive to the world-famous Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nairobi Nursery. Spend some time with the elephants as they are fed by staff, who are on hand to answer any questions and talk about their experiences with these rescued baby elephants. The elephants are inquisitive, so expect a trunk heading in your direction! Have lunch at Tamarind Tamambo, and then visit the Karen Blixen Museum; the simple farm house home of Karen Blixen, author of Out of Africa. Your final visit of the day will be Kazuri Beads – a bead-making shop founded in 1975 to create employment for local single mothers. You’ll see how the beads are hand-shaped from clay, kiln-fired and glazed before being strung together to create a colourful bracelet or necklace. Dinner tonight is at your own arrangement. Overnight: Nairobi Serena Hotel (breakfast & lunch included).

Day 3: Nairobi to Amboseli

After breakfast, drive to one of the most popular parks in Kenya – Amboseli National Park, known for its huge elephant herds and dramatic backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro. You’ll arrive at the Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge in time for lunch. This a traditional lodge, where rooms are housed in single-storey buildings. In the afternoon, head out on a game drive. Amboseli’s low vegetation makes for excellent wildlife spotting. Look out for lion, buffalo and zebra, as well as hippo in the swamplands. The park’s dry and dusty form is due to the volcanic ash that came from Mount Kilimanjaro on its last eruption, yet the lush green areas are a result of a continuous water supply from the mountain’s melting snow. Approx. journey time: 5 hours. Overnight: Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge (breakfast, lunch and dinner included).

Day 4: Amboseli

This morning you’ll have the choice of a game drive or visit to a Maasai village (local charge). Then visit one of the lion-proof Maasai bomas created by Born Free in collaboration with the Kenya Wildlife Service. Amboseli is a region of high human-wildlife conflict, with lions destroying livestock, and the local community destroying the lions in return. Typically, Kenyan livestock is held in enclosures made of thorn bushes − which lions can find a way through. The difference with a lion-proof boma is that it is constructed of chain fences. So far, this method – piloted in Amboseli – has proved to be 100% lion proof. Drive back to your lodge for lunch and head out on a game drive in Amboseli. Overnight: Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge (breakfast, lunch and dinner included).

Day 5: Amboseli to Aberdares

After breakfast travel back to Nairobi and then out towards the Aberdare Mountain Range, with lunch en route at the Safari Park Hotel. Once you reach Aberdare you’ll check in at the Aberdare Country Club in order to transfer to its unique sister property, The Ark, which will be your viewing perch for the night. Based on Noah’s Ark, The Ark overlooks a floodlit waterhole and salt lick, attracting wildlife both day and night. Approx. journey time: 8½ hours. Overnight: The Ark (or similar)(breakfast, lunch and dinner included).

Day 6: Aberdares to Samburu

Travel back to the Aberdare Country Club for check-out and continue north to the Samburu National Reserve and the Samburu Game Lodge on the western banks of the Uaso Nyiro River. This is the dry north of Kenya and the reserve attracts wildlife not often seen elsewhere. Look out for the gerenuk – a rare gazelle with a long neck that stands on its hind legs to feed. Approx. journey time: 5 hours. Overnight: Samburu Game Lodge (breakfast, lunch and dinner included).

Day 7: Samburu

Make the most of a full day in Samburu with early morning and afternoon game drives offering further chances to seek out the ‘special five’: the gerenuk, Beisa oryx, reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra and Somali ostrich. Overnight: Samburu Game Lodge (breakfast, lunch and dinner included).

Day 8: Samburu to Ol Pejeta

Drive south to Sweetwaters Serena Camp for lunch and a game drive, then visit the Chimpanzee and Rhino Sanctuaries. Within the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, the sanctuary is the only place in Kenya where the endangered chimpanzee can be seen. It also houses the world’s two remaining northern white rhino. Head back to Sweetwaters for dinner and to experience the charm of under-canvas living. Approx. journey time: 4 hours. Overnight: Sweetwaters Serena Camp (breakfast, lunch and dinner included).

Day 9: Ol Pejeta

Today offers the opportunity for further game drives in the Ol Pejeta conservancy. Overnight: Sweetwaters Serena Camp (breakfast, lunch and dinner included).

Day 10: Ol Pejeta to Lake Nakuru

Drive via Thomson’s Falls to Lake Nakuru for lunch at Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge. Lake Nakuru National Park offers one of the best chances to see rhino. Enjoy a game drive and take in the views from the park’s viewpoints. Stay at the Sarova Lion Hill Lodge overlooking Lake Nakuru. Approx. journey time: 4 hours. Overnight: Sarova Lion Hill Lodge (or similar)(breakfast, lunch and dinner included).

Day 11: Lake Nakuru to Masai Mara

Drive to the Masai Mara and explore the rolling plains on an afternoon game drive. You’re likely to spot prides of lion basking in the shade, and may even be able to seek out an elusive solo leopard and other species including cheetah and hyena. Stay at the Sarova Mara Game Camp – a classic bush camp with traditionally-furnished canvas tents housed under tiled roofs. Approx. journey time: 6½ hours. Overnight: Sarova Mara Game Camp (breakfast, lunch and dinner included).

Day 12: Masai Mara

Today there’s the option of a hot-air balloon safari over the Mara at sunrise. Then head out on early morning, mid-morning and afternoon game drives in the Masai Mara. Overnight: Sarova Mara Game Camp (breakfast, lunch and dinner included).

Day 13: Maaai Mara to Nairobi

If you’re travelling on to Kenya’s coast, you’ll fly directly from the Mara to Mombasa in the afternoon. Otherwise, return to Nairobi. Approx. journey time: 7 hours. Spend the afternoon at the Eka Hotel where you might like to pre-book a day-room to freshen up before your return flight to the UK, arriving the following day.

Notes

This is a group itinerary which operates with a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 6 passengers, all guaranteed a window seat.

On occasion the itinerary may operate in a different order, or different lodges used according to availability and road conditions.

Travel times vary on road conditions and game sightings.

Pack a mixture of warm and light clothing in soft bags, plus sunglasses, camera and insect repellent.

Submit an Enquiry

2022 Kenya safari holidays Holiday prices are per person based on two sharing, including flights, transfers and accommodation, and are subject to availability. Flights from Heathrow - other departures also available, call for details. Holiday ref: K0520W.