Nairobi Hostel
Hostel
Day 1
Samburu — 5 days (Nairobi, Ol Pejeta, Nanyuki, Ewaso Nyiro & Mount Kenya)
Eight days north of the Mara. Five days going straight to Samburu and back, without Laikipia or Mount Kenya.
Dust & Thorn
Runs this trip
Wildlife safari
Eight days north of the Mara
Group Tour
Join a fixed-date departure with other travellers
Top Highlights
NairobiEight days north of the Mara — the last two northern white rhino, a river that draws everything in the dry country, and Mount Kenya. Ol PejetaNajin and Fatu are the last two northern white rhino alive, both female, both here. Ewaso NyiroSamburu is hot, dry and nine hundred metres lower than the highlands. Grevy's zebraGrevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, Beisa oryx, gerenuk and Somali ostrich — the northern dry-country species, none of which are in the…
Itinerary
Eight days north of the Mara — the last two northern white rhino, a river that draws everything in the dry country, and Mount Kenya.
NairobiHow the day runs
- 1 hrsTransfer into the city
- MealsDinner
- AccommodationNairobi Hostel
Included Activities
- Airport transfer
- Hotel night
LANDMARKS Nairobi Karen Nairobi National Park Start point Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO), Nairobi 00:00 - 23:59Najin and Fatu are the last two northern white rhino alive, both female, both here. The subspecies is functionally extinct and they are guarded around the clock.
Nairobi, Ol Pejeta, NanyukiHow the day runs
- 4 hrs7:00 AM — north over the equator
- 3 hrs1:00 PM — the conservancy, and the rhino enclosure
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationNanyuki Hostel
Included Activities
- Conservancy fees
- Tented camp with all meals
LANDMARKS Ol Pejeta Northern white rhino Chimpanzee sanctuary Mount Kenya Samburu is hot, dry and nine hundred metres lower than the highlands. Everything comes to the Ewaso Nyiro, which is the only permanent water.
Nanyuki, Samburu, Ewaso NyiroHow the day runs
- 4 hrs7:30 AM — north-east and down to 900 m
- 3 hrs3:30 PM — the river in the late afternoon
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationSamburu Hostel
Included Activities
- Reserve fees
- Camp with all meals
- Evening drive
LANDMARKS Ewaso Nyiro Doum palms Samburu reserve Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, Beisa oryx, gerenuk and Somali ostrich — the northern dry-country species, none of which are in the Mara.
Samburu, Ewaso NyiroHow the day runs
- 4 hrs6:00 AM — the morning drive along the river
- 3 hrs3:30 PM — the afternoon, for leopard on the riverine strip
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationSamburu Hostel
Included Activities
- Two drives
- Camp with all meals
LANDMARKS Grevy's zebra Reticulated giraffe Beisa oryx Gerenuk Somali ostrich Arranged through the community conservancy rather than as a roadside stop, which is the difference between a visit and a performance.
SamburuHow the day runs
- 3 hrs8:00 AM — a community conservancy visit
- 3 hrs3:30 PM — a last afternoon drive
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationSamburu Hostel
Included Activities
- Community fee
- Camp with all meals
LANDMARKS Samburu community Conservancy Ewaso Nyiro Mount Kenya is 5,199 m and holds glaciers on the equator, though they have lost most of their extent in a century.
Samburu, Nanyuki, Mount KenyaHow the day runs
- 4 hrs8:00 AM — south and up
- 3 hrs2:00 PM — the forest edge and the equator marker
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationMount Kenya Hostel
Included Activities
- Park entry
- Lodge at Nanyuki
LANDMARKS Mount Kenya Nanyuki Equator The giant lobelias and groundsels above 3,000 m are the reason to walk here even without going near the summit. Point Lenana is a separate three-day trip.
Mount Kenya, NanyukiHow the day runs
- 6 hrs6:30 AM — the Sirimon track to the moorland and back
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationNanyuki Hostel
Included Activities
- Guide and park fees
- Lodge night
LANDMARKS Sirimon track Giant lobelia Afro-alpine moorland Four hours, and Nairobi traffic makes the last hour the longest.
Nanyuki, NairobiHow the day runs
- 4 hrs8:00 AM — back to the city
- MealsBreakfast
- AccommodationNot included — onward travel
Included Activities
- Transfer
- Day 1Airport transfer
- Day 1Hotel night
- Day 2Conservancy fees
- Day 2Tented camp with all meals
- Day 3Reserve fees
- Day 3Camp with all meals
- Day 3Evening drive
- Day 4Two drives
- Day 5Community fee
- Day 6Park entry
- Day 6Lodge at Nanyuki
- Day 7Guide and park fees
- Day 7Lodge night
- Day 8Transfer
- Day 1 · 1 nightNairobi Hostel
- Day 2 · 1 nightNanyuki Hostel
- Day 3 · 3 nightsSamburu Hostel
- Day 6 · 1 nightMount Kenya Hostel
- Day 7 · 1 nightNanyuki Hostel
- Day 1Nairobi to NairobiTransfer into the city
- Day 2Nairobi to Ol Pejeta7:00 AM — north over the equator
- Day 3Nanyuki to Samburu7:30 AM — north-east and down to 900 m
- Day 5Samburu to Samburu8:00 AM — a community conservancy visit
- Day 6Samburu to Nanyuki8:00 AM — south and up
- Day 8Nanyuki to Nairobi8:00 AM — back to the city
Where you'll stay
All accommodations are subject to change
Nanyuki Hostel
Hostel
Days 2, 7
Samburu Hostel
Hostel
Days 3–5
Mount Kenya Hostel
Hostel
Day 6
What you'll eat
7 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 7 dinners across 8 days, at camp. It opens with dinner on day 1 and closes with breakfast on day 8.
- DinnerServed on days 1–7
- BreakfastServed on days 2–8
- LunchServed on days 2–5
18 meal services named in the itinerary. Vegetarian and vegan covered; Jain, gluten-free and allergies on notice at booking
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Customer reviews
Overall rating
4.7/5
Based on 3 reviews
Review summary
Food4.3/5
Guide4.7/5
Itinerary5.0/5
Transport4.7/5
Accommodation4.3/5
Tour operator5.0/5
Sort by:Recommended
5
S
Sameer Khan – Chennai2025-10-13 · Verified booking
Excellent sightings and the guides clearly knew the area. Nothing fancy about the beds, and nothing wrong with them either. Solid operator.
Reply from Dust & Thorn
Thanks for writing this up. We've passed your note to the team.
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4
O
Owen Clarke – Lisbon2025-10-13 · Verified booking
Early starts, but that's where the wildlife is. Well run. Would book with them again.
Reply from Dust & Thorn
Thank you. We've taken the point about the transfer and are reviewing it.
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5
M
Meera Iyer – Mumbai2025-10-13 · Verified booking
Northern Kenya was quieter than I expected and the camp was comfortable. Solid operator.
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Questions people ask
One other operator runs this safari. See all 2 side by side →