Kenya Overland Safari // Born Free Safaris

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Kenya Overland Safari

At a glance

East Africa

Kenya

10 Days/9 Nights

January-March; June-December

Overview
Itinerary
Accommodations

Kenya Overland Safari

Travel the landscapes of Kenya

10 Days/9 Nights

ACCESSIBILITY: This journey can be tailored for those that have physical and/or neuro-diversity needs. We’ll collaborate with you to modify the itinerary as needed to turn your trip into a reality.

Private guide and deluxe safari vehicle with photographic hatch. Journey from the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, cross the Equator and visit Ol Pejeta where you'll have the opportunity to see chimpanzee and rare rhino. Visit Lake Nakuru National Park, home of large flocks of pink flamingo and then down the star of the 'show' the Maasai Mara Game Reserve.

The Maasai Mara, is the northern extension of the Serengeti Plains. It is here where the yearly migration of the wildebeest and zebra takes place. Your guide will take you on game drives in search of cheetah, lion, and roaming herds of elephant.

The Kenya Overland is an affordable high-value safari. Featured is unlimited game drives in the Mara and Amboseli.

Advantages of an Overland Kenya Safari:

You create the pacing of your trip. Spend more time at a sighting of your favorite wildlife species. Your guide will discuss your preferences, when you would like to start your day and go back to the lodge or stay out for full day game drives.

Another advantage of an overland safari is there are no weight restrictions on luggage or personal weight.

Driving is especially a great advantage to the avid photographer with heavy equipment.

Itineraries are paced to make drive times as short as possible but roads are rough and there are several days where you will spend more than three hours transiting (Amboseli to Ol Pejeta; Lake Nakuru to Mara).

Highlights

Choice of Accommodations
Deluxe Safari Vehicle with photographic hatch
Professional Guide/Driver
Unlimited game drives in Amboseli and Mara*
Amboseli National Park - foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro
Ol Pejeta Conservancy - Nature walks, game drives
Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary
3 Days Maasai Mara National Reserve
*Unlimited game viewing is within park rules.
Optional Hot-Air Balloon Safari and flight out of the Mara

Day-by-day itinerary

Day
01

Nairobi, Kenya

Touch down in Nairobi! Our local Born Free host will welcome you with a warm friendly smile, assist with airport formalities, and escort you to your hotel. Get a good night's sleep - your adventure begins in the morning!

OPTIONAL SIGHTSEEING
Depending on your flight arrival time today, guided touring can be arranged, or an additional day can be added if you would like to enjoy any of the following popular sites in and around Nairobi:

- AFEW Giraffe Center
- Sheldrick's Elephant Orphanage
- Nairobi National Park
- UTAMADUNI Craft Centre & Verandah Restaurant
- Karen Blixen Museum & Kazuri Beads
Day
02

Amboseli National Park

Mt. Kilimanjaro Foothills

After breakfast, meet your Born Free Professional Guide, who will stay with you for the duration of your Kenya safari. Board your private 4x4 safari cruiser, equipped with binoculars and a cool box for refreshments, and set out on safari! Game drive as you please within park rules.

Your first destination is Amboseli National Park. Game viewing begins before reaching your safari lodge. Amboseli features a unique ecosystem and a variety of wildlife that is easy to spot. You are also in the best location to view the largest peak in Africa - Mount Kilimanjaro.

Amboseli is home to an astonishing amount of game, including buffalo, hippo, giraffe, eland, zebra, wildebeest, lion, leopard, cheetah, and a host of birdlife, but this area is most famous for its elephants. As a safe haven for these giants, there are now over 1,400 resident elephants in Amboseli, and sightings for visitors are amongst the best in East Africa.

You'll have two full days to explore Amboseli. In addition to game viewing, you have the option of a cultural visit to a local village.

Drive time: Approximately 2 hours to park

Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day
03

Amboseli National Park

Up at dawn for an early morning game drive. This is the best time to see the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

The area has a golden hew, and you will see life as it starts its day. Lions on the prowl, zebra feeding on the grasses, and elephants bathing in the swamps.

Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day
04

Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Dawn game drive in Amboseli and then head out to the lush Kenya hill country. Here, tea, coffee, and pineapple plantations dot the countryside of Central Kenya.

Your destination is the 24,000-acre Ol Pejeta Conservancy. On game drives, you can encounter giraffe, zebra, eland, oryx, waterbuck, gazelle, elephant, buffalo, ostrich, and baboon.

There are plenty of activities, including game drives, lion tracking, rhino monitoring, and night game drives. On walks, there are hundreds of colorful bird species to be observed.

Drive time: 4 hours with stops enroute

Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day
05

Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Chimpanzee Sanctuary

A special feature at Ol Pejeta is the Chimpanzee Sanctuary. Established in 1993 as a collaborative effort between Jane Goodall, the Kenya Wildlife Service, and the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary provides a vital haven for rescued apes. Because chimpanzees are not indigenous to Kenya, the sanctuary serves as a specialized refuge for those recovered from illegal trade or abusive conditions across West and Central Africa. After rehabilitation, the chimpanzees reside in a protected 250-acre natural forest habitat where they are free to explore.

Guests staying at Ol Pejeta can visit the sanctuary's education center and observe these remarkable animals from elevated viewing platforms.

Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day
06

Lake Nakuru National Park

Your safari continues to Lake Nakuru National Park, an UNESCO World Heritage Site in Kenya's Rift Valley. Lake Nakuru is renowned as a premier birdwatching destination, famous for its massive flocks of flamingo, often described as the "greatest bird spectacle on earth."

The area features alkaline waters, acacia woodlands, and rocky cliffs, hosting over 450 bird species, plus giraffe, waterbuck, and, in rare occasions, leopard.

Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day
07

Maasai Mara National Reserve

Today's journey brings you to the world-famous Maasai Mara National Reserve. This is the perfect place to spend your final three nights on safari, a true climax to your wildlife adventure.

Travel down the Great Rift Valley wall into the vast plains of Kenya. The Maasai Mara National Reserve totals 750 square miles and forms the northern tip of the Serengeti/Mara ecosystem.

Throughout the year, the Maasai Mara is a place of natural drama, a kaleidoscope of color and life. The famed "Big Five" - elephant, rhino, lion, leopard, and buffalo - roam the reserve, together with hundreds of other species, from the fastest animal on earth - the cheetah - to crocodile and magnificent birds of prey.

Game drives are arranged as you please with your private guide. Embark on a full-day game drive in the reserve with a picnic lunch, or return to your lodge for a hot lunch and short rest in between game viewing.

Additional optional activities that may interest you - a cultural visit to a Maasai village or an exhilarating hot-air balloon safari over the Mara.

Drive time: 3 hours

Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Days
08-09

Masai Mara National Reserve

Wake up this morning with the sounds of the bush. Perhaps take the optional Hot-Air Balloon Safari with a Champagne breakfast.

The mornings have a mystical golden glow. The wildlife is beginning their search for water and today's food. The views across the rolling grasslands are studded with acacia trees. The reserve is made up of rivers and forests, the sense of space overwhelming.

Each day will bring different surprises as you watch the daily life of the wildlife.

After a morning game drive, return to camp for breakfast, relax a bit, and then out again exploring the vast reaches of the Mara Plains.

Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day
10

Your Journey Onward

Bid a fond farewell to the bush and the friends you have made at camp as you drive back to Nairobi. A dayroom has been provided for you to relax before you are transferred to the airport to connect to your international flight.

Take with you the memories of a truly magical African experience.

Breakfast / Lunch

Optional:
Flight from Mara to Nairobi

Available accommodation levels

From understated, high comfort stays to ultra-luxury lodges, Africa offers some of the most unique accommodations in the world. We believe where you stay, especially while on safari, is a core part of your journey, providing far more than just a place to sleep.

The properties shown are intended to spark inspiration. Born Free will discuss the choices and recommend those that align with your budget and comfort preferences. These selections are based on seasonality, site inspections, and—most importantly—feedback from our travelers. Most itineraries can mix and match the Platinum, Gold, and Silver categories.

Platinum
Overview
Platinum properties transcend 5-star standards to offer curated, flawless luxury. These are more than stays; they are unforgettable experiences.

Recommendations
- Contact Born Free for Platinum Standard on driving safaris.
Gold
Overview
Gold accommodations are only a "notch" below Platinum, generally in ambience. Nothing is left behind in comfort, location and overall experience.

Recommendations
Nairobi:
- Karen Blixen Cottages, Karen Gables, Hemingways Eden
Amboseli National Park:
- Tawi Lodge, Tortilis Camp
Ol Pejeta Conservancy:
- Ol Pejeta Bush Camp, Kicheche
Lake Nakuru National Park/Lake Naivasha:
- Chui Lodge
Maasai Mara National Reserve:
- Soroi Mara Bush, Mara Intrepid
Silver
Overview
Our most popular class of accommodations. Select locations and are often mixed with Gold level properties. Simply a good value.

Recommendations
Nairobi:
- Crowne Plaza, Four Points
Amboseli National Park:
- Ol Tukai
Ol Pejeta - Mt. Kenya region:
- Sweetwaters
Lake Nakuru National Park:
- Lion Hill Lodge
Maasai Mara National Reserve:
- Ilekelani (pictured), Entim, Kichwa Tembo
Mara Conservancies:
- Mara Expedition, Encounter Mara, Karen Blixen Camp
Value
Overview
Properties are straightforward without compromising the experience. Special rates are often offered by booking multiple nights in the same hotel portfolio.

Recommendations
Nairobi:
- Crowne Plaza, Four Points, The Tribe
Amboseli National Park:
- Ol Tukai
Ol Pejeta - Mt. Kenya region:
- Sweetwaters
Lake Nakuru National Park:
- Lion Hill Lodge
Maasai Mara National Reserve:
- Mara Serena Lodge

Wishlist

Kenya Overland Safari

At a glance

Kenya Overland Safari

Travel the landscapes of Kenya

Highlights

Day-by-day itinerary

Available accommodation levels

Platinum

Gold

Silver

Value

Associations

Insurance