4 Days New Year Premium Safari: Samburu And Ol Pejeta

Road to New Beginnings

Your private guide meets you at JKIA or an agreed Nairobi hotel between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m. The drive to Samburu covers 310–330 km through Thika, Karatina, Nanyuki and Isiolo and normally takes 5½–6½ hours before extended stops. Holiday traffic may lengthen the journey, making an on-time departure valuable. A refreshment break is arranged in a secure location while the guide explains the changing landscape.

First Sunset of the Journey

Reach the premium lodge at about 1:00 p.m. for check-in and lunch, then rest until approximately 3:30 p.m. A three-hour game drive explores Samburu's acacia scrub, open plains and Ewaso Ng'iro River corridor. Search for northern wildlife, elephants, birds and predators while allowing every encounter to develop naturally. Return by approximately 6:30 p.m. for dinner. When the date is New Year's Eve, the lodge's confirmed celebration follows the drive.

Destination:

SAMBURU NATIONAL RESERVE

Overnight:

Elephant Bedroom Camp

  premium luxury 5 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Lunch, Dinner

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First Morning Drive

Begin with tea or coffee before departing at approximately 6:30 a.m. If the previous night included a countdown, this slightly later start supports adequate rest. The 2½-hour drive searches riverine woodland and open country for Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, Beisa oryx, elephants, antelopes, birds and predators. Sightings are never guaranteed. Return around 9:15 a.m. for breakfast.

New Year at the Lodge

Spend late morning relaxing at camp. A festive lunch is usually planned around 1:00 p.m., but the exact menu and entertainment depend on the lodge confirmation. Guests should hydrate and rest rather than allowing celebrations to affect afternoon safety.

Golden-Hour Safari

Leave at approximately 3:45 p.m. for a two- to 2½-hour drive through a different reserve area. Alternatively, guests may stay for a planned lodge event. Return around 6:30 p.m. for dinner, reflection on the day's experiences and overnight

Destination:

SAMBURU NATIONAL RESERVE

Overnight:

Elephant Bedroom Camp

  premium luxury 5 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

❮ ❯

Morning in Samburu

Depart at approximately 6:15 a.m. for a final two-hour game drive, using the cool conditions to revisit a productive habitat or explore a new route. The guide may focus on a species, bird group or landscape that interested you during the previous outings. Return for breakfast, check out around 9:30 a.m. and begin the journey south.

New Horizons in Laikipia

The transfer from Samburu to Ol Pejeta is 130–160 km and usually takes three to four hours through Isiolo and Nanyuki. Arrive for a late lunch and settle into the selected premium camp. An afternoon game drive introduces Ol Pejeta's grasslands and acacia bush while the guide explains its wildlife and conservation work. Search for rhinos, buffaloes, elephants, lions and plains animals without guaranteed claims. Reach camp before dark for dinner. Optional New Year arrangements must be pre-booked and may depend on the exact travel date.

Destination:

SAMBURU NATIONAL RESERVE

Overnight:

Mutara Camp

  premium luxury 5 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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A Purposeful Start to the Year

Have breakfast at approximately 6:30 a.m., check out and begin your final conservancy drive. When access permits, visit the northern white rhino area and learn about long-term efforts to protect threatened rhinos. Continue to Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary during its public morning period for an introduction to rescued chimpanzees and the consequences of illegal wildlife trafficking. Visibility and access remain subject to animal welfare and conservancy operations.

Journey Back to Nairobi

Lunch is planned at approximately 12:30–1:00 p.m. before departure. The 210–230 km journey to Nairobi normally takes four to five hours, but New Year traffic can extend the schedule. Expected arrival is between 5:30 and 7:00 p.m. The guide will drop you at JKIA, an agreed Nairobi hotel or a confirmed private address. Evening flights should preferably depart after 9:00 p.m.; adding a Nairobi night is the safest option for a tight holiday schedule.