Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrival and Into the Land of Giants

   • Morning: Your guide meets you at your Nairobi hotel or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). Depart on the scenic drive southwest to the Maasai Mara.
   • Afternoon: Arrive at Zebra Plains Mara Camp or an equivalent premium camp. Settle into your tent overlooking the plains.
   • Late Afternoon (4:00 PM onwards): First Mara Game Drive. Enter the reserve to find the Masai Giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi). Observe their jagged patterns against the golden savannah.
   • Evening: Sundowner drinks, followed by dinner and overnight at camp.

2. Day 2: The Woodland Savanna of the Mara Triangle

   • After an early breakfast, depart with packed lunches for a full day immersion into the pristine Mara Triangle, the western section of the reserve bounded by the Mara River and the Oloololo Escarpment.
   • Morning (6:30 AM - 1:00 PM): We cross the Serena or Oloololo gate and explore the lush, riverine woodlands and open savannas. This area is famed for its high density of Masai Giraffe. We'll focus on observing their behavior in this rich habitat, watching them feed on the diverse acacia species and studying the social structure of large herds in the rolling terrain.
   • Picnic Lunch: Enjoy a scenic picnic lunch at a designated site along the Mara River, often with giraffe and other wildlife in view.
   • Afternoon (2:00 PM onwards): Continue our exploration, driving along the riverbanks where giraffes come to drink—a careful and vulnerable ritual. The Triangle's woodlands offer spectacular photography opportunities, with dappled light filtering through the trees onto the giraffes' distinctive coats.
   • Late Afternoon: Exit the Triangle and return to camp, with game viewing en route.
   • Evening: Dinner and overnight at your camp, recounting the day's sightings. 

3. Day 3 : To the Rift Valley & The Northern Giraffe

   • Morning (6:30 AM - 10:00 AM): Farewell Mara Game Drive. A final morning drive in the eastern sectors of the reserve for a last look at the Masai Giraffe.
   • Late Morning: Breakfast and check out.
   • Afternoon (11:30 AM): Scenic drive east into the Great Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru National Park. Arrival (~4:00 PM): Check into your classic tented camp.
   • Evening Game Drive: Introductory drive to spot the Northern Giraffe (Rothschild's) in the fever tree forests.
   • Evening: Dinner and overnight at your tented camp.

4. Day 4 : Lakeside Giants & Rhino Sanctuary

   • Morning Game Drive (6:30 AM start): Photograph Rothschild's giraffe against flamingo-lined shores (water levels permitting) and search for black and white rhino.
   • Midday: Lunch and rest at camp.
   • Afternoon Game Drive (3:30 PM onwards): Visit Baboon Cliff for panoramic views, then seek out giraffe in the acacia forests.
   • Evening: Sundowner in the park before dinner and overnight at camp.

5. Day 5 : The Highland Passage to Samburu

   • Morning (8:00 AM): After breakfast, depart Nakuru for Samburu via the picturesque route through Nyahururu.
   • Lunch: Picnic lunch en route.
   • Afternoon (Approx. 3:00 PM): Arrive at your Samburu camp and Check in.
   • Late Afternoon (4:00 PM onwards): First Samburu Game Drive. Enter Samburu National Reserve to find the Reticulated Giraffe along the Ewaso Ng'iro River.
   • Evening: Dinner and overnight at your camp.

6. Day 6 : Specialists of the Dry Country

   • Morning (6:30 AM - 10:30 AM): Reticulated Giraffe Behavior Drive. Focus on their adaptations to the arid environment.
   • Midday: Breakfast and leisure at camp.
   • Afternoon (3:30 PM onwards): Buffalo Springs Exploration. Cross into Buffalo Springs National Reserve to compare habitats and spot the Samburu Special Five.
   • Farewell Sundowner: Celebrate your three-species quest in the bush.
   • Evening: Final dinner and overnight at your Samburu camp.

7. Day 7 : Cultural Insights & Return to Nairobi

   • Morning (6:30 AM - 10:00 AM): Final Game Drive in Shaba. After an early breakfast and packing, we depart for a final safari in the dramatic Shaba National Reserve. We'll seek out the Reticulated Giraffe amidst the lava rocks and springs, appreciating their adaptability in this starkly beautiful landscape.
   • Late Morning (10:30 AM): We exit Shaba and begin our journey south, descending from the arid lowlands into the lush, cool highlands of Laikipia.
   • Midday (Approx. 1:00 PM): Arrive in Nanyuki for a memorable farewell lunch. We will dine at a unique Trout Tree Restaurant (subject to booking availability), enjoying freshly prepared trout with spectacular views of Mount Kenya and the surrounding forests—a perfect, serene contrast to the wilderness of the past week.
   • Afternoon (2:30 PM): Continue the final leg of the drive to Nairobi, reflecting on the journey.
   • Evening (Approx. 5:30 PM): Arrive in Nairobi. Drop-off at your hotel or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) for your onward evening flight.