10-Day Big Five Kenya Safari | Meru, Samburu & Ol Pejeta
10 Days Kenya Big Five & Conservation Safari – Samburu, Meru & Ol Pejeta
10-Day Big Five & Northern Kenya Safari
Discover a different side of Kenya on an immersive 10-day Big Five safari combining the wild landscapes of Meru National Park, Samburu National Reserve and Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
This carefully designed safari takes you away from Kenya's better-known southern circuit and into some of the country's most rewarding northern wildlife destinations.
Begin in Nairobi before travelling to Meru National Park, a beautifully diverse wilderness of rivers, forests, open plains and volcanic landscapes. Meru is historically associated with conservation legends George and Joy Adamson and Elsa the lioness, whose story inspired Born Free.
Continue north to Samburu National Reserve, where the Ewaso Nyiro River sustains wildlife in an otherwise rugged landscape. Here, you have the opportunity to encounter the region's distinctive northern species, including reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra, gerenuk, Beisa oryx and Somali ostrich, alongside elephant, lion, leopard and buffalo.
The safari concludes in Ol Pejeta Conservancy, one of Kenya's leading wildlife conservation landscapes and an important destination for rhino conservation. Your experience includes access to the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary, where the chimpanzees can be visited as part of the conservancy experience. Ol Pejeta's 2026 tariff specifically states that the chimpanzee sanctuary visit is included within the conservancy entry experience.
Three ecosystems. One extraordinary safari. A deeper connection with Kenya's wildlife and conservation story.
Safari Highlights
- 🦁 Big Five wildlife opportunities
- 🐘 Elephant viewing in Meru, Samburu and Ol Pejeta
- 🦏 Black and white rhino conservation
- 🦒 Reticulated giraffe
- 🦓 Grevy's zebra
- 🦌 Gerenuk and Beisa oryx
- 🐆 Lion and leopard
- 🐃 Large buffalo herds
- 🐒 Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary
- 🌿 Meru's riverine and forest ecosystems
- 🌍 Equator experience
- 🐦 Exceptional northern Kenya birdlife
- 🛖 Optional Samburu cultural experience
- 🚙 Private 4x4 safari experience
Day 1 – Arrival in Nairobi
Overnight: Nairobi hotel | Bed & Breakfast
Arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport where the Afrika Hub Vacations representative will meet and welcome you to Kenya.
Transfer to your Nairobi hotel for an overnight stay before beginning your Northern Kenya safari.
Day 2 – Nairobi → Meru National Park
Overnight: Elsa's Kopje | Full Board
After breakfast, meet your safari guide for a briefing before departing Nairobi for Meru National Park.
Meru offers a fascinating combination of open grasslands, riverine forests, wooded landscapes and seasonal waterways.
Arrive at Elsa's Kopje, a renowned luxury safari lodge associated with the legacy of Joy and George Adamson and Elsa the lioness.
Enjoy an afternoon game drive depending on arrival time.
Elsa's Kopje currently publishes significant seasonal variation. For example, 2026 game-package rates are substantially higher from July through October than during April–May, making seasonal pricing particularly important for this itinerary.
Days 3 & 4 – Full-Day Meru National Park Safari
Overnight: Elsa's Kopje | Full Board
Spend two full days exploring the diverse ecosystems of Meru.
Wildlife potentially includes:
- Elephant
- Lion
- Leopard
- Buffalo
- Grevy's zebra
- Giraffe
- Eland
- Greater kudu
- Waterbuck
- Hippo
- Crocodile
- Warthog
- Hyena
- Various antelope species
- Extensive birdlife
Meru National Park currently charges KES 800 per adult for East African citizens and USD 70 per adult for non-residents.
Optional activities can include guided walks, bush breakfasts, sundowners, fishing and other lodge-based experiences, subject to availability.
Day 5 – Meru → Samburu National Reserve
Overnight: Sarova Samburu/Sarova Shaba | Full Board
Enjoy an optional early-morning game drive before breakfast.
Continue north through Isiolo towards Samburu National Reserve.
The journey takes approximately 3–4 hours depending on road and wildlife-viewing conditions.
Arrive in time for lunch followed by an afternoon game drive.
Days 6 & 7 – Full-Day Samburu Safari
Overnight: Sarova Samburu/Sarova Shaba | Full Board
Spend two days exploring the extraordinary Samburu ecosystem.
The reserve's dry landscapes contrast dramatically with the life-giving Ewaso Nyiro River.
Your safari focuses on the region's distinctive Samburu Special Five:
- Reticulated giraffe
- Grevy's zebra
- Gerenuk
- Beisa oryx
- Somali ostrich
You will also have opportunities to see elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, cheetah and numerous bird species.
A Samburu cultural experience can be added as an optional activity.
Day 8 – Samburu → Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Overnight: Sweetwaters Serena Camp | Full Board
After breakfast, begin the journey south towards Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
Enjoy wildlife viewing along the route where conditions permit.
Arrive for lunch followed by an afternoon game drive.
Ol Pejeta is located in Laikipia and is approximately four hours by road from Nairobi, according to the conservancy's current visitor information.
Day 9 – Full-Day Ol Pejeta Conservation Safari
Overnight: Sweetwaters Serena Camp | Full Board
Spend a full day exploring Ol Pejeta's wildlife and conservation landscape.
Possible experiences include:
- Black and white rhino viewing
- Lion and elephant sightings
- Buffalo
- Leopard
- Grevy's zebra
- Chimpanzee sanctuary visit
- Conservation experiences
- Game drives
- Bird watching
The current 2026 Ol Pejeta tariff lists Meet the Chimpanzees as included with the conservancy entry, while specialist experiences such as lion tracking, dog tracking, night game drives and northern white rhino experiences attract additional fees.
Day 10 – Ol Pejeta → Nairobi
Enjoy an optional pre-breakfast game drive.
After breakfast, depart Ol Pejeta and drive back towards Nairobi.
Lunch is at own cost unless included in the final quotation.
Arrive in Nairobi in the afternoon for hotel or airport drop-off.
End of safari.
