WILDLIFE SAFARI · 13 DAYS · NAIROBI TO THE COAST
13-Day Meru & Kenya Grand Circuit
Route: Nairobi → Meru National Park → Ol Pejeta Conservancy / Nanyuki → Lake Nakuru → Lake Naivasha & Hell's Gate → Maasai Mara → Nairobi → Amboseli → Tsavo West → Taita Hills → Tsavo East → Watamu / Malindi / Mombasa
A 13-day Kenya safari circuit from Nairobi through Meru, Ol Pejeta, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha and Hell's Gate, Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Tsavo West, Taita Hills and Tsavo East to the Kenya Coast. Settimo helps coordinate the route and arrangements around your plans.
The itinerary
DAY 01
Nairobi → Meru National Park
Travel from Nairobi toward Meru National Park. On arrival, settle in and enjoy the park experience as arranged, followed by dinner and overnight.
DAY 02
Meru National Park
Spend the day exploring Meru National Park, with game viewing and a lunch break as arranged. Return for dinner and overnight. Wildlife sightings are not guaranteed.
DAY 03
Meru → Ol Pejeta Conservancy / Nanyuki
Depart Meru at 06:30 after breakfast and travel toward Ol Pejeta Conservancy / Nanyuki. Arrive at Ol Pejeta in mid-morning for the wildlife experience and game drive, including a visit to Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary. Ol Pejeta is a major rhino conservation area and home to the world's last two northern white rhinos; monitoring and protection are central to the conservancy's work, and its teams know individual rhinos and their home ranges. Rhino viewing is unusually reliable on these visits, though wildlife sightings are never guaranteed. Sweetwaters provides refuge for rescued chimpanzees, which are not native to Kenya; it is the only place in Kenya where chimpanzees can be seen. Have lunch and a short break around 13:00, then take an afternoon game drive around 16:00 until sunset. Return for dinner and overnight.
DAY 04
Ol Pejeta Conservancy / Nanyuki → Lake Nakuru
Depart at 06:30 for Lake Nakuru; the corresponding supplied transfer estimate is approximately five hours. Game viewing is planned before lunch, followed by lunch and an afternoon break, then an afternoon game drive from around 16:00 until sunset. Wildlife sightings, including rhinos or flamingos, are not guaranteed.
DAY 05
Lake Nakuru → Lake Naivasha & Hell's Gate
Travel from Lake Nakuru to Lake Naivasha and Hell's Gate; the transfer duration from Nakuru has not been supplied, so confirm timing during planning. The Hell's Gate cycling experience is approximately two hours with ranger accompaniment. Reach the lodge around 13:00 for lunch and rest; take a Lake Naivasha boat experience around 16:00 and return around 18:00. Wildlife sightings are not guaranteed.
DAY 06
Lake Naivasha → Maasai Mara
Depart at 06:30 for the approximately five-hour journey to the Maasai Mara. Game viewing and photography continue until lunch, followed by an afternoon break and further viewing until sunset. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 07
Maasai Mara
Depart at 06:30 after breakfast for a full day of game viewing with a packed lunch, returning for dinner and overnight. Great Migration viewing is seasonal and dynamic; wildlife sightings are not guaranteed.
DAY 08
Maasai Mara → Nairobi
Depart around 06:30 for a morning game drive until around 08:00, then continue to Nairobi, arriving around 13:30. After lunch and rest, visit the Giraffe Centre around 16:00, then return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
DAY 09
Nairobi → Amboseli
Travel after breakfast; the supplied transfer estimate is approximately 3.5 hours. Game viewing is planned before lunch, followed by lunch and rest, then an afternoon game drive around 16:00 until sunset. Wildlife sightings are not guaranteed.
DAY 10
Amboseli → Tsavo West
Depart around 08:00 and arrive around 09:30. Visit Mzima Springs for the ranger-accompanied walk as arranged, followed by lunch and rest, then an afternoon game drive until sunset. Dinner and overnight in Tsavo West.
DAY 11
Tsavo West → Taita Hills
Depart at 06:30 for a sunrise game drive until around 09:30, then continue to Taita Hills, arriving around 10:00. Game viewing continues until about 13:00, followed by lunch and rest. An afternoon drive around 16:00 continues until sunset; dinner follows, then a ranger-accompanied night safari from approximately 20:30 to 22:30. Wildlife sightings are not guaranteed.
DAY 12
Taita Hills → Tsavo East
Depart around 06:30 for game viewing until around 10:00, then leave Taita Hills around 10:30 for Tsavo East. Continue with game viewing toward lunch, followed by lunch and rest and an afternoon game drive until sunset. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 13
Tsavo East → Kenya Coast
Depart around 06:30 after breakfast for a final game drive until around 10:00, then leave the park for hotels in Watamu, Malindi or Mombasa, arriving around lunchtime.
PRACTICAL PLANNING
Plan the details with Settimo
Final accommodation, quotation, departure and return arrangements are confirmed with Settimo during planning. The Meru-to-Nanyuki and Nakuru-to-Naivasha travel durations are not specified here and should be confirmed for the selected route. Safari timings are planned around the route and may adjust slightly according to conditions on the day.
How many days is this safari?
This is a 13-day Kenya safari circuit focused on Meru and a wider route through central and southern Kenya to the coast.
Where does the circuit start and finish?
The published route starts in Nairobi and finishes toward the Kenya Coast; final arrangements are confirmed during planning.
Does the Meru route include Lake Bogoria?
No. The published 13-day Meru circuit includes Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha and Hell's Gate; Lake Bogoria is not part of this route.
How is Ol Pejeta included in the route?
Ol Pejeta Conservancy / Nanyuki follows Meru and comes before Lake Nakuru, with the published itinerary including a wildlife experience and Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary.
Can the circuit be customized?
The published itinerary is a starting point; Settimo can discuss the route, timing and arrangements before the final quotation is prepared.
Plan This Safari