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Departs: Fridays
Price: US$ 755

Local Payment: US$ 200

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Safari brief

This rugged 1,800-km expedition is run in land cruiser or expedition trucks. You will traverse along some of Africa's worst roads; see wildlife endemic to the North of Kenya, beautiful mountain forest surrounded o¬n all sides by hot dusty deserts, eventually arriving at shores of the beautiful Jade Sea (Lake Turkana). As well as spectacular scenery it is the people of northern Kenya that make the most lasting impression; nomadic pastoralists such as the Gabbra, Turkana and Samburu whose adherence to a strictly traditional lifestyle and dress is practically unique in modern East Africa.

Gametrackers has been offering this as one of our best selling safari for over 29 years especially for those true explorers and travellers who want to get off the tourist beaten track and for it, we are highly recommended.

Safari Highlights

- Samburu game reserve; Ewaso Nyiro River
- Marsabit National park; lake paradise, Gof Redo
- Kaisut and Chalbi deserts
- North horr and Kalacha
- Lake Turkana (the jade sea); loyangalani town
- Culture; Samburu, Gabbra, Borana, el molo, turkana, pokot tribes (optional visit to tribal villages and dances)
- Mt Nyiro foothills, south horr and Maralal
- Boat ride on Lake Turkana
- Thompson falls, Nyahururu

Day 1 – Maralal
Depart in the early morning towards Maralal via Nyahururu (stop at Thompson falls briefly). Lunch en route as we arrive in the campsite in the late afternoon to pitch up tents for the night. (Particularly long drive; cold night).

Maralal is the unofficial capital of the Samburu people and has a distinctly frontier feel about it. It is also home of the Maralal International Camel Derby that happens o­nce a year between July and October and attracts riders and spectators from all over the world.

Day 2 – Lake Turkana
After breakfast, we start the long journey driving via Baragoi and South Horr to arrive at our semi - permanent beach campsite where we have our traditional Turkana Huts (if still available; if not we pitch tent at an alternative campsite) which make it a perfect place to relax, protected from the scorching sun and heat characteristic of the climate of this remote area.
 
Lake Turkana is the largest desert lake in the world and extends for 288 kilometres up to the Ethiopian / Kenyan border surrounded by volcanic rock and desert.

Day 3 – Lake Turkana

The day is spent relaxing. We visit the El molo tribe and thereafter enjoy a sunset boat cruise (look out for crocodiles along the shore). Other optional activities (payable direct) include visiting the Desert museum, enjoying a swim at the nearby lodge and exploring Loyangalani town. Return to the campsite for dinner and overnight.

Day 4 – Kalacha
After an early breakfast we cross the Chalbi desert (if dry) via North horr towards Kalacha. If it has rained, we shall use another route avoiding the desert. Kalacha is a small settlement on the edge of the Chalbi Desert inhabited by the Gabbra people (pastoralists particularly attached to their camels).
Enjoy an evening sunset, swim at the campsite or watch a Gabbra performance in the evening (optional cost) (windy night).

Day 5 - Marsabit
Break up camp in the early morning as we head south towards Marsabit (meaning place of cold); an astonishingly cool, green and hilly oasis rising high above the dry heat of the surrounding desert lands. En route we stop to enjoy views of the massive Gof Redo crater and desert landscape. The area is home to the local Rendille and Samburu people abundant in their bright red outfits, beads and earrings. This will be a cold night.

After setting up camp, we visit the lodge inside the National park and as long as the roads are dry we drive up to Lake Paradise and Little Lake. Here, an indigenous forest and a desert come together to create the most compelling landscape o­n earth. Elephants and greater kudu abound. The dense forest in the park is also home to a variety of birds.

Day 6 – Samburu
Depart in the early morning along the trans-african highway towards Samburu. Lunch en route and arrive Samburu National reserve in time for an afternoon game drive.
Accommodation is in our semi-permanent campsite, beautifully set under a canopy of trees or we may pitch tents o­n the edge of Uaso Nyiro River (meaning Brown in Samburu) if they are occupied.  Cold showers are available which are amazingly refreshing in the hot, dusty climate.   

Day 7 - Samburu
The day is spent game viewing in the park. You may also opt to visit the lodge for a swim and cold drink or a nearby Samburu village (payable direct).

Samburu is part of a lava plain that includes a diverse landscape of thorn scrub, red dirt, dried river beds, broken volcanic rock, steep hills, and rocky outcroppings. The region is home to the uncommon Grevy's zebra, gerenuk antelope, Somali ostriches, lions and Oryx. Elephant, crocodile and numerous bird make excellent sighting.

Day 8 – Nairobi via Nanyuki
Depart camp after breakfast viewing game as we drive back to Nairobi via Mt. Kenya region. Arrive back in the late afternoon.