Nairobi, Samburu & the Maasai Mara — Kenya's most iconic luxury safari
This is the most iconic luxury Kenyan safari with Safari Collection, owners of Giraffe Manor. Begin with breakfast among the giraffes at Giraffe Manor and a visit to the Sheldrick elephant orphanage. From Nairobi, fly north to the dramatic red-earth wilderness of the Samburu north at Sasaab. You'll enjoy some of the best sunsets and culture in Kenya here. From Sasaab fly south into the heart of the Maasai Mara National Reserve at Sala's Camp. Sala's is well positioned to see the Great Migration in August and September. This combination takes advantage of the Safari Collection long-stay offer for the best rates.
1 night
Kenya's capital and the gateway to almost every safari — a green, high-altitude city on the edge of Nairobi National Park, where lions and rhino range within sight of the skyline. Most trips begin and end here: a night or two at Giraffe Manor, where the resident Rothschild's giraffes put their heads through the breakfast windows, or at a bush retreat on the park boundary, with time for the David Sheldrick elephant orphanage and the Karen Blixen house. International flights land at Jomo Kenyatta (NBO); light aircraft to the camps leave from Wilson (WIL).
2 nights
Kenya's capital and the gateway to almost every safari — a green, high-altitude city on the edge of Nairobi National Park, where lions and rhino range within sight of the skyline. Most trips begin and end here: a night or two at Giraffe Manor, where the resident Rothschild's giraffes put their heads through the breakfast windows, or at a bush retreat on the park boundary, with time for the David Sheldrick elephant orphanage and the Karen Blixen house. International flights land at Jomo Kenyatta (NBO); light aircraft to the camps leave from Wilson (WIL).
4 nights
The arid northern frontier beyond Mount Kenya — the Samburu heartland of Kalama, Westgate, Sera and the Namunyak and Mathews Range conservancies — a land of red earth, doum palms and dramatic rocky hills. This is 'special five' country, home to species found nowhere further south: reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra, Beisa oryx, gerenuk and the blue-necked Somali ostrich, alongside elephant and big cats along the Ewaso Ng'iro River. Samburu-run conservancies pair outstanding wildlife with deep cultural immersion — walks, camel treks and the famous singing wells — well off the main circuit.
4 nights
The Maasai Mara National Reserve itself — the core of the Mara ecosystem, open rolling grassland cut by the Mara and Talek rivers, and the stage for the Great Migration's famous river crossings from roughly July to October. Game viewing is exceptional and reliable year-round, with big lion prides, cheetah on the plains and elephant. But the reserve is public land: vehicles can crowd a sighting in peak season, and off-road driving, night drives and walking are not permitted. A handful of camps sit inside the reserve itself for first-light access to the action.
Day room · departure layover
A departure-day room in Nairobi for late international flights. Kenya's long-haul departures leave JKIA around 21:00–23:00, so we book a day-use room to relax, shower and dine before the airport. A layover, not an overnight.
Visa / eTA — required before you travel. Kenya has replaced tourist visas with an electronic travel authorization (eTA), which you must obtain before entry. The eTA now also includes a mandatory government travel-insurance fee — separate from, and in addition to, your own travel insurance.
Arriving from a neighboring country? If you’re flying into Kenya from DRC, South Sudan, or Uganda — or from an elevated-risk country including Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia, Angola, Burundi, Ethiopia, or Somalia — you’ll need to complete an Electronic Traveler Health Surveillance Form before landing (your airline provides the QR code), and you may be temperature-screened on arrival. Worth knowing if your trip pairs Kenya with a Tanzania or Rwanda safari.
Passport. Valid for at least 6 months beyond your arrival date, with 2 blank pages.
Vaccinations. A yellow-fever certificate — the ICVP, or “Yellow Card” — is required if you’re arriving from a yellow-fever country, or you may be denied entry.
Currency. No limit in or out, but amounts over US$10,000 (or the equivalent) need documentation showing the source and purpose of the funds.
Good to know. Any US dollars you plan to spend must be dated 2014 or later and free of markings or tears. The embassy also recommends carrying international medical and evacuation insurance.
U.S. Embassy, Nairobi: ke.usembassy.gov
Guidance for US passport holders — if you travel on another passport, please confirm the requirements for your nationality.
Every departure runs a similar route with all-in pricing. Prices vary by season.
Inclusions: Safari lodge and camp rates are inclusive of all meals, drinks, and most activities — including game drives — but exclude top-shelf drinks and premium activities like helicopter excursions. City and beach stays follow each property's own board basis, shown on the lodge.
Children are priced at each lodge's child rate. Exact rates and room allocation are confirmed at booking, once ages are collected.
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