Our flagship 12-day Kenya expedition combines three wildly contrasting ecosystems in one seamless itinerary: the Maasai Mara's Big Five, Samburu's rare Samburu Special Five, and a multi-day Mount Kenya climb through forest, moorland and alpine zones. No other package in our catalogue delivers this breadth of Kenya — savannah predators, ancient endemic wildlife and a high-altitude mountain adventure all in a single trip from Nairobi.
Depart Nairobi early and drive via the Great Rift Valley to the Maasai Mara. Three days of game drives in open 4×4 vehicles: Big Five sightings (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino), Great Migration river crossings in season, and the dense cat populations of the Mara Triangle. Stay in a tented safari camp or lodge. Optional sunrise hot-air balloon and Maasai village cultural visit.
Drive north from the Mara, stopping at the Equator for the famous water-drainage demonstration. Arrive in Nanyuki at the foot of Mount Kenya for overnight. Climb preparation briefing and kit check.
Drive to Samburu National Reserve on the banks of the Ewaso Ng'iro River. Two days of game drives targeting the Samburu Special Five: Grevy's zebra, Somali ostrich, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, and Beisa oryx — none found in the Mara. Also: lion, leopard, cheetah, crocodile and 450+ bird species. Cultural interaction with Samburu herders.
Drive south to Nanyuki. Full equipment check and acclimatization briefing with the mountain guide team. Overnight at Nanyuki hotel.
Four days on Mount Kenya via the Sirimon route: Day 8, drive to Sirimon Gate (2,650m) and hike to Old Moses Camp (3,300m). Day 9, ascend Mackinder's Valley to Shipton's Camp (4,200m). Day 10, pre-dawn summit push to Point Lenana (4,985m) for sunrise across Africa, then descend to Shipton's Camp. Day 11, descend via Sirimon to the gate and drive back to Nanyuki. Professional guide, porters, cook, all meals and mountain huts included.
Morning drive back to Nairobi. Tree-planting initiative stop with a local community group. Arrive Nairobi early afternoon. End of The Big 5 Experience.
We did the full Big 5 Experience — Mara, Samburu, and climbing Mount Kenya. Twelve days felt like a different world on every leg. Samburu's reticulated giraffes and gerenuk were species we'd never even heard of. Then standing on Point Lenana at sunrise with Kilimanjaro in the distance? Unforgettable. CKS handled every detail without a single hiccup.
The Sirimon route is the most popular and best-acclimatizing ascent on Mount Kenya, approaching from the north through dense montane forest …
The Chogoria route is widely considered the most beautiful path up Mount Kenya — a 6-day traverse that climbs through montane forest, past L…
The Naro Moru route is the fastest and most direct path to Point Lenana — great for trekkers short on time. It ascends the notorious Vertica…
