10 days/9 nights on Safari: July 16-25, 2026
Ask about an incredible ZANZIBAR add-on to this trip!! (minimum number of total adventurers necessary)
The best of Kenya at migration
Featuring:
An Oregon-based tour director working with locals who have over a decade of experience providing and honing the best possible experience in Kenya
Private transportation
Luxury accommodations
Multiple safaris and drives
Wonderful open air dining expriences
Visits to native villages
Optional morning ballon ride with incredible vistas
Possible add-on to Zanzibar
Make your “Someday” happen now! If you’ve been thinking about a safari, Kenya is the holy grail of safaris and one of the most popular and famous safari destinations in the world.
This custom, luxury safari has been curated to include a range of activities and locations that will showcase the best that Kenya has to offer—diversity of animals, ecosystems and landscape, and different native tribal people.
This incredible safari adventure starts in the capital city of Nairobi, a modern, vibrant city that includes visits to local attractions. Your heart will melt at the sight of baby elephants, you can kiss a friendly giraffe, and you’ll be transported to the golden time of “Out of Africa” at the Karen Blixen Museum.
Leaving Nairobi, our comfortable safari vehicle gives you an excellent view of extraordinary animals and landscapes. During daily game drives, your experienced and eagle-eyed driver/guide will find all the animals you came here to see. In Samburu you’ll also get an up-close look at several rare species of animals such as the Grevy’s zebra, Rothschild giraffe, Gerenuk antelope and more. The Ol Pejeta Reserve, a world-renowned sanctuary protecting the highly endangered black rhinos, gives you the opportunity to see many of these endangered and elusive creatures in their natural habitat.
The highlight will be the time you spend in the famed Maasai Mara. The Maasai Mara is one of Africa’s greatest and most spectacular wildlife reserves and hosts over 95 species of mammals and more than 500 recorded species of birds. It is also home to the Great Wildebeest Migration. This is one of nature’s most awesome wonders and the largest mass movement of mammals on the planet. More than a million wildebeests and zebras cross the Mara River in a thundering display of natural instinct as part of their annual travel cycle covering more than 500 miles in search of fresh, green grassy plains. July is the time of year to witness this spectacle though it is by no means guaranteed. A serene daybreak ride in a hot air balloon gives you a view of this incredibly massive herd from the air.
Spend a wondrous 10 days in luxury tented camps and lodges enjoying outstanding dining, incredible wildlife encounters, and local cultural interactions. You’ll never forget your safari and you will leave Kenya anxious to visit again.
ITINERARY
THIS ITINERARY IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE as we get closer to the trip. Day trips and other experiences may be changed (for the better!)
Day 1: July 16
Nairobi (Accommodation at Karen Blixen Cottages)
Jambo and welcome to Nairobi, Kenya!
Nairobi is one of Africa’s most vibrant cities and a hub for dynamic and innovative artists, journalists, entrepreneurs and businesspeople.
Upon a late night arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you will be met and will be transferred to your overnight Hotel. You will be checked in and and briefed for the safari ahead.
Karen Blixen Cottages
Experience one of the most tranquil luxury hotels in Karen, Nairobi where elegant accommodations, lush gardens, and warm hospitality converge. Set on the historic grounds of Karen Blixen’s former coffee estate, our cottages and suites offer refined comfort in a serene setting. You’re in for an unforgettable stay, with garden views, stylish furnishings, and personalized touches throughout.
Day 2: July 17
Nairobi
Breakfast at the lodge.
You will be picked up and taken to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is world-renowned for its work rescuing and rehabilitating orphaned baby elephants. Then it’s on to a visit to the Giraffe Center, a Kenyan non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the endangered Rothschild giraffes.
Lunch at a local restaurant
Dinner at Karen Blixen Coffee Gardens – Hattons Lounge
Hattons Lounge transforms into an intimate haven, where golden-hour cocktails and candlelit conversations create the perfect setting for relaxation. .
Day 3: July 18
Samburu (Accommodation at Basecamp Samburu Soroi)
Basecamp Samburu
Samburu invites you to discover the untamed beauty of one of Kenya’s most capti-vating landscapes. With breathtaking views of the sacred Mt. Ololokwe, revered by the Samburu people, the camp offers a front-row seat to the dramatic vistas and endless skies that define this unique region.
Designed with eco-conscious principles, the camp reflects the spirit of the early explorers with its immersive under-canvas tented accommodations. Built using locally sourced materials, the camp blends seamlessly into its surroundings, leaving no trace on the pristine wilderness.
Here, adventure meets serenity, and nature’s wonders take center stage
Day 4: July 19
Samburu (BasecampBreakfast at the lodge, then a drive north to Born Free country where Joy and George Adamsonraised Elsa the lion cub in the wild.
Lunch is at the Trout Tree Restaurant. Built around a huge Mugumo (Sacred Fig) tree, the restaurant serves fresh trout from its ponds, prime Laikipia beef, and vegetarian options. Residing on the restaurant grounds are troupes of resident Colobus Monkeys, Tree Hyrax, and bird life.
Spend the afternoon discovering the unique wildlife of the Samburu reserve, famous for its elephants and lions, as you drive to your lodge. Arrive in time to relax before dinner at your lodge ideally located on the banks of the Uaso Nyiro River. All rooms and central areas have views of the river and the nearby waterhole, where large herds of elephants and other wildlife come to drink.
Sundowner is a well-deserved drink at the end of a long day on safari to ‘salute’ the African sun as it is setting.
Dinner is at the lodge.
Spend all day on safari in the Shaba reserve. Irrigated by the river, which is home to numerous hippos and crocodiles, Shaba offers sanctuary to large herds of elephant, healthy numbers of lion, leopards, cheetah, plentiful plains game, reticulated giraffe, rare Beisa Oryx, kudu and gerenuk. It is also one of the few reserves in which you can see the Grevy’s zebra (rather than the more common Burchell’s zebra found elsewhere) and the critically endangered wild dog. Offering 100 species of birds, the reserve is also home to the rare, blue-shanked Somali ostrich.
Breakfast and lunch will be at the lodge.
Bush Dinner
Enjoy starlit dinner under the acacia trees beneath the vast African skies (weather permitting). We’ll take you to one of our secret spots for a bush dinner that allows us to be with elephants, waterbuck, lion, impala and all the wildlife that stop to take water.
Day 5: July 20
Ol Pejeta Conservancy (Accomodation at Sweetwaters Tented Safari Camp)
Breakfast and check out, then drive to Nanyuki and Ol Pejeta Conservancy -- your home for the next three nights.
Ol Pejeta
is a 90,000-acre not-for-profit wildlife conservancy in Central Kenya’s Laikipia County. It is the largest black rhino sanctuary in east Africa and home to over 110 critically endangered black rhino and the two remaining northern white rhino on earth. Ol Pejeta employs highly trained rhino protection teams, and continuously gathers data on animals under care. The conservancy also houses a chimpanzee sanctuary.
Sweetwaters Camp
Located within the sprawling Ol Pejeta Conservancy, one of Kenya’s most noteworthy conservancies and home to the ‘Big Five’ (elephant, rhino, lion, buffalo and leopard), Sweetwaters Serena Camp offers a holiday experience unlike any other.
Enjoy top notch amenities: swimming pool, spa and wellness center, camel treks on property, private waterhole and night viewing bar.
Game drive on the way, arriving in time for lunch. Dinner is at the lodge.
Day 6: July 21
Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be at the lodge, unless you opt for a boxed picnic lunch to accommodate an all day game drive. Your option for an adventure or relaxing day:
Your experienced and informative guide will take you on daily game drives or you can walk with rangers as they check lion tracking collars or meet the team as they train anti-poaching dogs.
Or you can spend part or all of the day relaxing on the extensive grounds of the Sweetwaters property, swimming in the outdoor pool, or being pampered at the spa.
Day 7 July 22
Masai Mara (Accommodation at Sarova Mara Camp)
Breakfast at Sweetwaters, then a transfer to the local airstrip for your scheduled flight to Maasai Mara. Upon arrival, you will be met by your driver guide, take a short game drive enroute and check in at your camp.
Maasai Mara is perhaps the only region left in Kenya where the visitor may see animals in the same super-abundance as existed a century ago.
Sarova Mara Camp
Our camp is in the heart of the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, offering an authentic African safari experience. Each tent is equipped with modern comforts and en-suite facilities. You may catch stunning wildlife sightings right outside your tent!
Enjoy lunch at the camp and an evening game drive.
Dinner is at the lodge showcasing fresh, locally grown produce from our organic garden, ensuring vibrant flavors in every dish.
Day 8: July 23
Maasai Mara
Breakfast and lunch will be at the lodge, unless we opt for a boxed picnic lunch. Spend the whole day on safari in Africa’s richest wildlife viewing arena. Historically teeming with wildlife, the Mara hosts Kenya’s largest lion prides and elephant herds. Predators include leopards, cheetah and spotted hyena, while in the Mara River you will see fat pods of hippo and vast Nile crocodiles. Other highlights include giraffe, gazelle, zebra, buffalo and over 550 species of birds.
Dinner will be under the acacia trees beneath the vast African skies (weather permitting).
Day 9: July 24
Maasai Mara Balloon Safari followed by a bush breakfast “Out of Africa” style.
We take off at dawn, rising with the sun rises and float whichever direction the winds take us. Your pilot can precisely control the altitude of your balloon: sometimes flying at treetop height, sometimes lower, offering a unique perspective and great photographic opportunities of the wildlife below. At other times our pilot may ascend to 1000 ft or more to see the enormity and wonderful panorama of the Masai Mara with nothing but silence from the natural sounds below.
The flight is about one hour depending on conditions, and eventually you must land. You celebrate in the traditional manner with an excellent sparkling wine before sitting down to a full English breakfast prepared and served in the bush in “Out of Africa” style.
After the savannah breakfast your safari driver is ready to continue your day’s activities.
Spend the whole day on safari in Africa’s richest wildlife viewing arena. Historically teeming with wildlife, the Mara hosts Kenya’s largest lion prides and elephant herds. Predators include leopards, cheetah and spotted hyena, while in the Mara River you will see fat pods of hippo and vast Nile crocodiles. Other highlights include giraffe, gazelle, zebra, buffalo and over 550 species of birds.
Sundowner
After the village visit and an evening game drive, relax and unwind with drinks and snacks servedon the savannah as you ‘salute’ the setting African sun.
Dinner is at the lodge.
Day 10: July 25
Depart
After an early morning breakfast, check out and with a game drive enroute, transfer to the airstrip for your scheduled flight to Nairobi. Upon arrival in Nairobi, you will be met by our representative who will assist your check in to a day room at Four Points Nairobi Airport. You will be picked up from the hotel and transferred for your flight home from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
Pricing/Terms
10 days/9 nights
Price until 12/31/25: $10,500/pp Double Occupancy / $2000 single supplement (see deposit and payment details below) After 12/31/25: $10.950/pp DO
50% of cost of trip due upon booking. Then, balance of full cost of trip due by 1/15/26. All payments are non-refundable. Payments made by check only. While our trips feature smaller groups for maximum enjoyment and interaction, this trip is subject to a low minimum number of guests. Please do not buy airfare until we inform you that the minimum has been met.
LYNNE WILL HELP YOU WITH ALL PRE-TRIP ARRANGEMENTS. VISAS, TRAVEL LOGISTICS, ETC
While our trips feature smaller groups for maximum enjoyment and interaction, this trip is subject to a low minimum number of guests. Please do not buy airfare until we inform you that the minimum has been met.
WHAT IS/ISN’T INCLUDED:
What is included:
Accommodation as stipulated in the itinerary.
Transportation in a Liberty Land Cruiser vehicle with pop-up roof for easy game viewing & photography.
Services of an English-speaking driver-guide, game viewing drives and parks entrance feesas indicated in the itinerary.
All Government taxes and levies.-
All meet and greet services.
All arrival and departure transfers.
24 hours stand-by contact number.
Meals as indicated in the itinerary.
Internal flights as indicated: Kamok – Mara - Wilson
Two-way long range high frequency radio communication in each vehicle.
Inclusions at Karen Blixen Cottage: Bed and Breakfast
Inclusions at Basecamp Samburu: Full board accommodation
Inclusions at Sweetwaters Camp: Full Board accommodation
Inclusions at Sarova Mara Camp: Full Board accommodation
Park fees
Bush Meals and Sundowner where indicated
Selected drinks during dinner
Dayroom at Four Points Hotel
Not included:
1. All items of personal nature e.g. telephone call bills, fax/email bills etc. Tips and gratuities to hotel, lodges, camp staff and driver- guide(s). Suggested:
Driver/Guide: $150 per person or more (at the end of the trip)
Hotel/Lodge staff: $5 per person per day
Porters: $2 to $3 per bag (approximately $20 total)
2. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks unless stated otherwise.
3. Any international flight and depature taxes.
4. Laundry services.
5. Any other item(s) not included in our itinerary.
6. Visa fees ($50 per person)
7. Balloon ride ($600/pp)
DIETARY RESTRICTIONS: This is called Portland Food ADVENTURES for a reason. Our trips are not great for people with restrictive food issues or preferences. Plus, on this trip, you will have the opportunity to try things you may not have ever had before.
MOBILITY: Also, you must be able to walk without issue and negotiate stairs.
Lastly, our groups are really fun, and we want to make sure we keep them that way. So, if you’re a flexible, open traveler who appreciates the opportunity to sit back and let us do the planning and the legwork while you eat and drink really well, this trip is for you. If you need to be in complete control of your schedule, and need to know what’s happening months in advance on Friday at 3pm during the trip, this may not be the best way for you to travel. Our guests who put this in our hands report the times of their lives!!
We can help you with excursions before, during and after as well. ASK ABOUT EXTENDING THIS TRIP TO ZANZIBAR.
YOU ARE WELCOME AND ENCOURAGED TO CALL CHRIS AT 503 314 4221 TO DISCUSS THE TRIP BEFORE OR AFTER MAKING YOUR DEPOSIT. THERE MAY BE SPECIAL OFFERS AVAILABLE ONLY OVER THE PHONE!!
Getting to and from Nairobi:
While you will book your own flights, for those of you embarking from Portland, we suggest looking into the direct Delta/KLM flight to Amsterdam and then on to Nairobi. Just one stop each way. It looks like this:
Portland to Nairobi
Round-trip, 1 Traveler
PDX → NBO
1 stop • 22h 45m
1:15 pm - 7:35 am(9h 20m)
Arrives Next Day
Portland (PDX) - Schiphol (AMS)
Overnight flight
Delta 9219
Operated by KLM
Layover 4h 40m•Change planes in Amsterdam (AMS)
12:15 pm - 10:00 pm(8h 45m)
Schiphol (AMS) - Jomo Kenyatta Intl (NBO)
Delta 9585
Operated by KLM
NBO → PDX
1 stop • 21h 21m
11:59 pm - 8:00 am(9h 01m)
Arrives Next Day
Jomo Kenyatta Intl (NBO) - Schiphol (AMS)
Overnight flight
Delta 9567
Operated by KLM
2h 25m•Change planes in Amsterdam (AMS)
10:25 am - 11:20 am(9h 55m)
Schiphol (AMS) - Portland (PDX)
Delta 9216
Lynne Gross: Your passionate and experienced safari designer
I have been taking clients to Kenya for 10 years and my good friend, driver, and safari partner Evans has been with me on every trip! We are both passionate about Kenya and the safari experience. Evans speaks impeccable English and he is an expert in guiding safaris. He will amaze you with his knowledge of Kenya, its wildlife, people, and ecosystems.
Evans and I will be your escorts every day. We will cater to your needs, stop for interesting sights, take detours for the best viewing, and make any other changes on the fly to help you enjoy a truly immersive experience. We also have a full tour company of professionals in the Nairobi office who handle your reservations and arrangements. We can contact them by phone during the safari if we need them to call ahead to lodges, order special room accommodations, picnic lunches, or other things to make your safari the best it can be.
Safari planning takes several months before we leave home. I will work with you in person and on the phone during that time making sure this is a perfect trip for you. I will send you reminders during the lead-up to your departure.
My goal is to make you feel cared for and connected to Africa. Leave everything up to me and enjoy the delightful anticipation of your upcoming safari.
