Jambo! Welcome to Kenya. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm in Nairobi. If you arrive early, why not kickstart your exploring – you could go on a 4WD safari in Nairobi National Park, visit the Karen Blixen Museum or join an Tuuur Day Trip to see the city through the eyes of a local. For something more hands-on, you could head to Kazuri Beads to take part in a jewellery workshop using clay sourced from the foothills of Mt Kenya. After your meeting, get to know your group over a welcome dinner. It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place. Petty theft is common in Nairobi. As a general rule, the safest place for your valuables is on your person in a neck wallet or money belt, though your hotel room may have a safe in which to store things. If you do decide to go exploring, make sure you get local advice on where it is and isn't safe to walk – particularly for later in the day. Be careful not to leave bags unattended on chairs or on the floor when in bars or restaurants. Without being paranoid, appearing vigilant is a great deterrent to would-be thieves. It’s highly recommended you make scans of important travel documents and email them to yourself – this will save you hours of time in paperwork if anything does happen. Optional activities require additional transport costs that are shared among travellers that book. The optional activities can also be bought as a package to save on transport costs.

Leave Nairobi after breakfast, headed for the Samburu National Reserve. On the way, you’ll stop to visit local beekeepers to get an insight into their sustainable beekeeping practices and learn how they provide education and training to women and youth working in beekeeping in rural communities. You’ll listen to an educational talk, then take a guided tour of the manufacturing area, where you’ll see how honey is produced and processed. Next, visit the apiaries to see both honeybees and stingless bees. Take part in a tasting session where you’ll try a variety of honey and bee products, then you’ll have some time to browse the local produce before continuing to Samburu. Your lodge tonight is within the Samburu National Reserve. This evening, there’s the option to take part in an astro-tourism experience – a bonfire storytelling session blending cultural storytelling with astronomy and stargazing. Your travel time today will be approximately 6 hours.

Spend a full day exploring Samburu National Reserve on a 4WD safari. Set on the banks of the Ewaso Ngiro River and spanning 165 sq km, this reserve is known for its abundance of endemic northern Kenyan wildlife. Keep your eyes peeled for the famous ‘Samburu Special Five’ – the Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, oryx beisa, gerenuk (AKA the ‘giraffe gazelle’) and Somali ostrich. You might also see elephants, lions, leopards and birds like the golden-breasted starling, Von der Decken's hornbill, martial eagle and the vulturine guinea fowl, with its distinctive bright blue plumage. With fewer crowds compared to Kenya's more popular wildlife reserves, you’ll get a more authentic, raw encounter with these incredible creatures and the sweeping landscape they call home – open plains scattered with acacia woodlands and doum palms. Please bring sun protection (hat, sunscreen and sunglasses), a refillable water bottle and a camera or binoculars for wildlife viewing. Light, breathable clothing is recommended, along with a light jacket for cooler morning or evening temperatures. Roads within Samburu National Reserve can be rough and dusty, so a scarf or buff may be helpful during the drive.

Depart from your lodge this morning and drive south to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, located between the foothills of Mt Kenya and the Aberdare Range. This conservancy is home to lions, elephants, giraffes and more than 165 critically endangered black rhinos. This afternoon, you’ll go on a 4WD safari and learn about the innovation behind Ol Pejeta’s conservation work. Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.

Travel south towards the slopes of Mt Kenya – a UNESCO World Heritage site that forms a critical ecosystem supporting biodiversity and wildlife corridors. When you arrive, you’ll head to the Intrepid-adopted forest for a tree-planting activity. Play your part in contributing to ongoing reforestation work by planting an Indigenous tree – these trees help to support long-term habitat restoration, soil recovery and climate resilience. Next, go on a guided nature walk through the forest to the Mau Mau Caves. This historic cave system served as a hideout for Mau Mau fighters during the Mau Mau Uprising in the 1950s. Step inside the cave, learn about its history from your leader and see the waterfall at the cave’s entrance. Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours. The walk to Mau Mau Caves is an easy to moderate forest walk on uneven terrain, which can be muddy after rain, so sturdy walking shoes are essential. Weather around Mt Kenya can be cool and unpredictable, so bring a light rain jacket, a warm layer, sunscreen and a refillable water bottle.

Journey to the Great Rift Valley, watching the landscape transform from farmland to volcanic plains as you approach Lake Naivasha. When you arrive, you’ll explore the lake on a boat cruise. Bird lovers, be sure to keep an eye out for African fish eagles, kingfishers, spoonbills, great crested grebes and great egrets. The lake is also home to a significant population of hippos, which you might see wading in the water or strolling along the shoreline. After, continue to Lake Nakuru National Park. Venture out to explore the park’s various habitats including acacia woodlands, grasslands and the alkaline (soda) lake, each of which attracts a diversity of wildlife including leopards, buffalo, zebras and giraffes. Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.

Spend a full day exploring Lake Nakuru National Park on 4WD safaris in the morning and afternoon. This park is known for its birdlife – there are more than 450 bird species found throughout the park. You might see egrets, pelicans, storks, spoonbills and raptors. During today’s excursions, you may spot black and white rhinos, gazelles, warthogs, lions, buffalo, leopards, giraffes and zebras. You’ll also head to some of the park’s best viewpoints like the Baboon Cliff for a panoramic vista over the lake. For today’s safaris, carry a refillable water bottle and wear comfortable, breathable clothing and a hat for sun protection. Binoculars and a camera are highly recommended for bird watching and wildlife viewing. Roads within the park can be dusty, so a scarf or buff may be helpful. Follow your guide’s instructions at all times to ensure safety and respect for wildlife.

After breakfast, travel south through the Great Rift Valley, bound for the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Along the way, you’ll visit Tepesua – a community-based organisation focused on supporting women’s health and education. Be welcomed by traditional Maasai warrior song and dance, then hear about Maasai culture and traditions from the locals. After, continue to the Maasai Mara, arriving in the afternoon. Settle into your accommodation – you have a full day of exploring the reserve ahead of you tomorrow. Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours.

Venture out into the Maasai Mara National Reserve on a full-day 4WD safari. Search the vast savannas for lions, leopards, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, cheetahs, hippos, elephants, rhinos and buffalo. Make sure you have your phone or camera fully charged – this is a great opportunity to sharpen your wildlife photography skills! If you’re up for an early start this morning, you have the option to take part in a hot air balloon ride, giving you a rare chance to see the Maasai Mara from a bird's-eye perspective. As the sun rises, you'll drift through the sky, sometimes floating at tree level, offering great photo opportunities. At other times, you'll soar higher, taking in sweeping views of the vast plains and the early morning movements of the wildlife below. After landing, enjoy a bush breakfast before returning to camp to rejoin your group. An optional balloon ride over the Maasai Mara at sunrise is offered as a pre-booked service, which guarantees you a place. If you would rather wait and try to get a better price by booking this locally on the ground, you are welcome to, but keep in mind that this is a popular activity, and places are limited.

Have breakfast, then leave the Maasai Mara and drive back to Nairobi, where your adventure comes to an end. You’ll be dropped at the finishing point hotel listed in the Essential Trip Information, however, no accommodation will be provided tonight. If you’d like to extend your stay, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time to organise additional accommodation. Your travel time today will be approximately 6 hours. Any onward flights for today should be booked for no earlier than 6 pm.