Desert Safari
Day 1: Leave Nairobi and head to Samburu Game Reserve which through Acher’s Post the gate of Northern Kenya. Spend the night at Samburu intrepid.
The new superhighway leads you away from the hassle and tassel of the busy city. Expansive plantations of pineapples will welcome you to the central highlands of Kenya. You are now trespassing the lands of the freedom fighters of Kenya during the historical Mau mau rebellion. After 3 hours you are crossing at the floor of the highest point in Kenya, (Mt Kenya.)
Acacias appear and it gets warm as the grass browns as you approach Samburu and it’s a tough choice of where to do a game drive in either Bufallo springs or Samburu game reserve after check in into the hotel. The main attractions here are the Ewaso nyiro river, the reticulated giraffe, the Somali ostrich, grevy zebra, beisa oryx, elephants, and lastly the gerenuk. Stay at Elephant bedroom tented camp (remember to buy whatever you need for the coming two weeks for it’s the last major town you have)
Day 2: Rise for breakfast and prepare for Marsabit. Drive to Marsabit. As you start to taste untampered nature,the great mesa of Ol Olokwe mountain glances back as it spreads across the horizons. Then after a few hours you will get to the Kaisut desert in Laisamis and once you are on a hilly island you will be sure you are approaching Marsabit as you are amazed by the volcanic craters around.Destination . Rest at Marsabit town for the night.
(Most of the people in the north around Marsabit are the Borana people who are party of the larger Oromo. Other populations in the area are Samburu, Rendille among others) Stay at Marsabit lodge
Day 3: Visit to Lake Paradise and Marsabit National Park.
Marsabit town is in itself an oasis very unique. Standing atop the plains around is Saku mountain which is cloud covered for a better part of the morning. Pay a visit to the ‘singing wells’ near Ulanula before you finally decide to go to the national park. Most likely to see here are long tusked elephants, the greater kudu and a cat if lucky. Stay at Marsabit lodge
Day 4: Rise for the travel to Loiyangalani through North Horr and Kalacha. Along the way take a stop at Makiona an awesome Gabbra settlement and a goat market. Makiona springs will be kind enough to quench your thirst if you are dying of it. Enjoy the unending sand and stone landscapes till you get to the oasis known as Loiyangalani.
Accommodation at Oasis.
Day 5: Rest, culture and sport Fishing in Loyangalani. Museum and rock art visit.
Loiyangalani means ’the place of the trees’. There are two fresh water hot springs in town. One is visited by men and the other one by women. The town is home to the indigenous community known as the Elmolo who live by hunting and fishing. Visit the museum and the beach before finally settling for the dances of the cock tail culture in town in the evening. Stay at oasis lodge
Day 6: Travel to Koobi.
Koobi For a is in Sibiloi National park which has famous fossil sites as well as wildlife.The entrance at Alia bay where you will have to pay your park fees. Among the fossils found is the Homo rudolfensis found in 1972 believed to be about 1.9 million years old. Amongst the wildlife in the poark are lions, cheetahs, hyena, topi , zebras, ostrich, hippos and crocs too.
Stay at base camp
Day 7: Koobi for a beaches are sunbathing crocodiles of the Jade sea. You can swim in the alkaline Lake and it is recommended to do it as a group for safety purposes. In the basecamp, you will be prepared a fresh fish delicacy. You can use the day to rest and sun and sand bath at Koobi for a.
Stay at basecamp
Day 8: Archaeological sites visits and petrified forest visits
Composed of three National parks; Sibiloi, Central and Southern Islands, L ake Turkana National park and World Heritage site is located East of Lake Turkana and is a world leading prehistoric site. Sibiloi National Park is one of the world’s greatest treasures, where the proof of man’s origins was found. It was originally established by the National Museums of Kenya to protect unique prehistoric and Four particular treasures are: the shell of a giant tortoise dating back 3 million years, a set of jaws over 5ft. long from a crocodile believed to have been over 45ft. in length and the extinct Behemoth, forebear of the elephant with massive tusks, both dating back 1.5 million years and the hominid (early man) finds.archaeological sites.
Petrified forest On the north-eastern shores, a few miles inland from the shores of Alia Bay lie the fossilized remnants of a vast forest which stood here in wetter times and which today presents a staggering exercise for the imagination. "Picture a barren, hot and windswept desert landscape supporting a forest of which the grandeur and luxuriance are evidenced by the great girth of the shattered tree trunks that have lain here for several million years".
Stay at base camp
Day 9: Central island visit
The island covers 5 square kilometres of triple volcano. There are two lakes in the island one of which is the only habitat to a tilapia species that existed when the lake was connected to the nile. A visit in April and May will assure you witness crocodile hatchlings as the island is home to the largest crocodile population in Africa. There are large colonies of water birds too around the lake. (Transport to the island is available from the KWS) stay at base camp
Day 10 :Leave for South Horr.
The road to South horr is often marked by stone circles and hills. The circles are remains of earlier settlements while the stone hills are ancient burial sites. Mount Kulal will also dictate its giant stand view for a better stand of the journey.
South Horr is a mountain valley. The rocky walls spread away from you and sunrise will look like peeping light if you make it to welcome the morning. The name horr means ‘flowing water’ as the town is an oasis in between Nyiru and Ol doinyo mara mountains. There used to be elephants and buffaloes which have been wiped out by poaching activities. Sightseeing is a major activity for the entire travel. Stay at Samburu sports resort.
Day 11: South Horr to Mararal.
The Elbarta plains extend to the fading horizons well dotted by hills, ostriches, valleys and shrubs. Baragoi is a centre at the heart of the plains. Sightseeing is a major activity for the entire travel.
Stay at Yare Camels camp.
Day 12: Mararal town,museum visit and then travel to Nyahururu.
Mararal town is the major town for the Samburu people. Samburu warriors with braided hair will cross the streets they rule. If you get time you can visit Kenyatta house which is under the care of the National museums of Kenya where thje first president was detained. You can spend your night in the Mararal safari lodge which is in the Mararal national sanctuary. Then proceed to Nyahururu for the Thomson falls. Sat at Thomson falls hotel.
Day 13: Travel to Naivasha
Naivasha came from the Maasai name ENAIPOSHA which was corrupted to the name of the town today. The area is rich in wildlife, birdlife and a number of attractions among them Hells gateNational park where one can do a walking safari. Crescent island is also a popular destination which is about 2 square kilometres made of an outer rim of a volcanic crater in the lake. There are wildebeests, zebras, impalas, gazelles and pythons in the island. Accommodation at Sopa Lodge.
Day 14: Naivasha to Nairobi?
Travel back to Hotel in Nairobi. Check in Hotel to rest and ready for home with champion badge for surviving Africa’s most challenging yet amazing destination.