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The Rhino Tracking & Sacred Mountain Circuit

2026▾

2026 2027

Days

Destinations

Charter Flight Legs

Fully private — just you and your party, all year round

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↑ Back to Top Overview Itinerary Stays Why This Journey Pricing & Inclusions Journey Details

10 Days

Small Group

from $10,100 pp

Home › Journeys › Kenya › The Rhino Tracking & Sacred Mountain Circuit

OverviewThis is not merely a wildlife safari. This is an immersion into one of Africa's greatest conservation triumphs — the return of the critically endangered black rhino to the wilds of northern Kenya. Over ten unforgettable days, journey from the community-run Sera Rhino Sanctuary to the sacred forested peaks of the Mathews Range, and the golden plains of Samburu National Reserve. Track rhino on foot, ride horseback beside giraffe, and sit with Samburu elders beside ancient singing wells. Every charter flight, every transfer, every signature experience is wrapped into one seamless, all-inclusive price.

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Exclusive on-foot black rhino tracking with expert rangers in the community-run Sera Rhino Sanctuary

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Sundowner cocktails atop a spectacular rocky outcrop as the sun sets over the northern frontier

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A roaring open-air bonfire dinner in a dry riverbed beneath a canopy of stars

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Interpretive walking safari through the Mathews Range, reading the tracks of the desert's smaller creatures

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The Samburu Singing Wells, where warriors chant to call cattle down to hand-dug wells

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A chef-prepared bush breakfast beneath massive acacia trees, deep in the wilderness

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Horseback safari through the Mathews Range foothills alongside giraffe and zebra

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A visit to the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, home to Africa's first community-owned elephant orphanage

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Sera Rhino Sanctuary

Why Travel With Finders & Keepers Safaris

All-inclusive luxury hotels and lodges — every meal, transfer and signature activity wrapped in one transparent price

VIP airport handling and private guides throughout — fast-tracked through customs, every time

Authentic encounters shaped by Kenya's finest local guides and cultural specialists

First Class bullet trains and domestic flights between every destination — seamless, high-speed travel

Thoughtfully paced itinerary balancing iconic landmarks with quiet, unhurried moments

All entrance fees, signature experiences and a complimentary spa session — no hidden costs

Nairobi → Sera Conservancy → Namunyak → Samburu → Nairobi

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Interactive Route Map

Nairobi → Sera Conservancy → Namunyak → Samburu → Nairobi. Interactive map to be added here with day-by-day scrollspy markers.

Itinerary

Nairobi

Day 1 | Arrival in Nairobi & City Exploration

Upon your arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO), you will be met by your private safari guide and transferred to the JW Marriott Hotel Nairobi. You will look forward to the stunning views of the city and the peaceful serenity of your luxury suite. If your international flight lands before 4:00 PM, you will embark on a guided Nairobi city tour. You will visit the Nairobi National Museum, which offers an overview of Kenya's history, culture, and art, with exhibits on archaeology, paleontology, and ethnography. You will also see iconic landmarks including the Parliament Buildings, the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), and the historic railway station. If you arrive after 4:00 PM, you will enjoy a relaxed evening at the hotel, with the city tour shifting to Day 10.

JW Marriott Hotel Nairobi →

Bed & Breakfast

Sera Wildlife Conservancy

Day 2 | Fly to Sera Wildlife Conservancy & Evening Sundowner

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Wilson Airport (WIL) for a morning private charter or scheduled flight to the remote Sera airstrip in northern Kenya. You will look forward to the spectacular aerial views of the changing landscapes, from the green highlands to the arid northern frontier. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to Saruni Rhino in time for a gourmet lunch. You will look forward to the stunning views of the vast northern landscape and the rugged beauty of the conservancy. In the late afternoon, you will set out on a game drive ending at a spectacular rocky outcrop. You will look forward to scenic sundowners as the sun sets over the vast northern frontier, with the golden light illuminating the landscape.

Saruni Rhino →

Fully Inclusive

Day 3 | On-Foot Black Rhino Tracking & Bonfire Dinner

Today, you will embark on a thrilling, highly exclusive on-foot tracking safari accompanied by expert rangers to locate the critically endangered Black Rhinos in the sanctuary. You will look forward to the adrenaline of walking through the bush, with the rangers reading the tracks and signs of the rhinos. You will learn about the successful conservation efforts that have brought the black rhino back from the brink of extinction. You will look forward to the moment you come face-to-face with these magnificent creatures, experiencing the profound connection that only a walking safari can provide. In the evening, you will gather around a roaring open-air campfire in the dry riverbed for a luxury bonfire dinner under a canopy of stars.

Saruni Rhino →

Fully Inclusive

Namunyak, Mathews Range

Day 4 | Morning Walking Safari & Transfer to Namunyak

Today, you will wake up early for an interpretive walking safari to track smaller wildlife footprints and learn about desert flora. You will look forward to the intimate connection with nature, discovering the smaller details of the ecosystem that are often missed from a vehicle. Your guide will explain the unique adaptations of the desert wildlife. After breakfast, you will take a scenic mid-morning drive through community lands to the spectacular Mathews Range in Namunyak. You will look forward to the dramatic change in landscape, with the lush green hills of the Mathews Range rising from the arid plains. You will check into Sarara Camp. You will look forward to the stunning views of the mountains and the peaceful serenity of the camp.

Sarara Camp →

Fully Inclusive

Day 5 | The Samburu Singing Wells & Bush Breakfast

Today, you will visit the famous local Singing Wells, where Samburu warriors chant unique family songs to call their cattle down to drink from deep hand-dug wells. You will look forward to the mesmerizing sight of the warriors singing and the cattle gathering, with the ancient traditions of the Samburu people on full display. Your guide will explain the cultural significance of the wells and the deep connection between the Samburu and their cattle. You will enjoy a chef-prepared bush breakfast set up under the shade of massive acacia trees, allowing you to dine in the wild surrounded by the sounds of the bush.

Sarara Camp →

Fully Inclusive

Day 6 | Horseback Wilderness Ride & Reteti Elephant Sanctuary

Today, you will explore the Mathews Range foothills on a morning horseback safari, riding alongside giraffes and zebras. You will look forward to the unique perspective of viewing wildlife from horseback, with the animals accepting you as part of the landscape. Your guide will lead you through the scenic trails, sharing insights into the local flora and fauna. In the afternoon, you will visit the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary. You will look forward to seeing the rescue and rehabilitation of orphaned elephant calves by local community keepers, learning about the inspiring conservation efforts that have made this sanctuary a success.

Sarara Camp →

Fully Inclusive

Samburu National Reserve

Day 7 | Drive to Samburu National Reserve & River Game Drive

After breakfast, you will take a morning game-drive transfer south into the iconic Samburu National Reserve. You will look forward to the scenic drive through the changing landscapes, with wildlife sightings along the way. You will check into Elephant Bedroom Camp, a luxury tented camp along the Ewaso Nyiro River. You will look forward to the stunning views of the river and the lush riverine vegetation. In the afternoon, you will head out on a game drive to spot the “Samburu Special Five”—the Reticulated Giraffe, Grevy's Zebra, Somali Ostrich, Beisa Oryx, and Gerenuk. You will look forward to sightings of these unique species, found only in this region.

Elephant Bedroom Camp →

Fully Inclusive

Day 8 | Deep Wildlife Tracking & Luxury Lunch in the Wild

Today, you will set out on a comprehensive full-day game drive tracking Samburu's famous leopard and lion populations. You will look forward to the thrill of tracking these apex predators, with the dramatic landscapes of Samburu providing a stunning backdrop. Your expert guide will position your vehicle for the best viewing opportunities. You will indulge in a private luxury lunch set up directly in the wild along a shaded bend of the river, with the sounds of the bush surrounding you.

Elephant Bedroom Camp →

Fully Inclusive

Day 9 | Maasai & Samburu Cultural Immersion Day

Today, you will dedicate your final full day to a deep cultural immersion at a traditional local village. You will look forward to learning about the pastoralist way of life, beadwork art, ancient fire-making techniques, and traditional dances. You will be welcomed by the village elders, who will share stories and insights into their traditions and their coexistence with wildlife. You will also learn about the warriors' traditions, the role of cattle in their culture, and their spiritual connection to the land. The day concludes with a final, celebratory multi-course farewell dinner, paired with vintage wines.

Elephant Bedroom Camp →

Fully Inclusive

Nairobi

Day 10 | Fly to Nairobi & Flexible City Tour / Departure

On your final morning, you will enjoy a game drive before breakfast, then check out and transfer to the Samburu airstrip for your morning flight back to Wilson Airport in Nairobi. Upon arrival, if the city tour was missed on Day 1, you will now embark on a guided tour of Nairobi, visiting historical sites or local markets. You will then be transferred to your city hotel, where you have been booked for a complimentary spa session to relax and rejuvenate after your incredible journey. You will enjoy this time at your leisure as you unwind from the expedition. The following day, you will be transferred back to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your connecting international flight back home.

JW Marriott Hotel Nairobi →

Breakfast

Want to adjust the pace, swap a lodge, or extend this journey?

We are here for that. Every Finders & Keepers Safaris itinerary is a starting point, not a fixed departure — the pace, the lodges, the length, the dates and the party travelling can all be reshaped around you. Tell us what you would change and a specialist will rebuild the journey and price it honestly, before you commit to anything.

Tailor This Journey →

Private Journey

Your Accommodation

Four Extraordinary Stays

Nairobi, Kenya

NIGHT 1

Nairobi, Kenya

JW Marriott Hotel Nairobi

View Details

NIGHTS 2–3

Sera Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya

Saruni Rhino

View Details

Namunyak, Mathews Range

NIGHTS 4–6

Namunyak, Mathews Range

Sarara Camp

View Details

Samburu National Reserve

NIGHTS 7–9

Samburu National Reserve

Elephant Bedroom Camp

View Details

Why This Journey

What sets this journey apart

On foot with black rhino, among Samburu singing wells and the Mathews Range: a northern Kenya journey built around walking.

Black rhino on foot

Exclusive on-foot black rhino tracking with expert rangers in the community-run Sera Rhino Sanctuary.

Singing wells and star dinners

The Samburu Singing Wells, where warriors chant to call cattle to hand-dug wells, plus a bonfire dinner in a dry riverbed beneath the stars.

Into the Mathews Range

An interpretive walking safari reading the tracks of the desert’s smaller creatures, a horseback ride, and the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary.

Best ValueJan – MayGreen season — lush landscapes, fewer crowds

Peak SeasonMay – SepPeak dry season & the Great Migration

Shoulder SeasonSep – DecMigration wind-down, still excellent game viewing

Best forWalkersSolo travellersConservation-minded travellers

Plan this journey with us →

Inclusions & Offers

Deposit Offer

Hold 2027 for half the usual deposit

Confirm any 2027 departure with a 15% deposit instead of the usual 30%, booked before 31 December 2026.

Your balance is not due until 60 days before departure.
The reduced deposit holds your camps, permits and internal flights at today’s rates, so a mid-year price movement does not reach you.
Applies to new 2027 bookings only and cannot be combined with a group discount on the same booking.

Solo Travellers

30% off the single supplement

Travelling on your own? We cut the single traveller supplement by 30% across selected 2027 departures.

The supplement covers the sole-occupancy cost a camp charges when a room sleeps one rather than two.
Available on selected camps and dates — your specialist will tell you which of your nights qualify before you commit.
Nothing changes about the journey itself: same guide, same vehicle, same rooms.

Group Offer

Bring three, the fourth travels free

Book four guests on a 2027 group departure and the fourth guest’s safari cost is on us.

The waiver covers the land portion — camps, meals, guiding and game drives.
International flights, visas, gorilla and chimpanzee permits and personal spending are excluded, as those are paid to third parties per head.
All four guests must travel on the same departure date and book together.

What's Included

All accommodation, Fully Inclusive
All charter/scheduled flights & 4x4 transfers
VIP airport meet-and-greet & private guide
On-foot black rhino tracking, Sera
Horseback safari, Mathews Range
Reteti Elephant Sanctuary visit
Singing Wells cultural experience
All park & conservancy fees
Complimentary spa session, Nairobi
Airport transfers (all)
Private guide throughout
Bush breakfasts & bonfire dinners
✓Travel insurance facilitated on your behalf (adjusted in your quote if you are already covered)

What's Not Included

International flights to/from Nairobi
Gratuities for guides & camp staff
Additional spa sessions beyond the complimentary one
Items of a personal nature

Per Person Pricing

Per Person Sharing $11,200

Single Traveller Supplement $3,400

ⓘ Prices are per person based on double/twin sharing. Single travellers pay the supplement above. All optional activities and signature experiences are included. Speak to us for availability and group rates.

2027 Season Pricing

The same unforgettable journey, priced by season.

Jan – May Best ValueGreen season — lush landscapes, fewer crowds

$10,100

May – Sep Peak SeasonPeak dry season & the Great Migration

$12,900

Sep – Dec Shoulder SeasonMigration wind-down, still excellent game viewing

$11,400

Flexible Payment Plan

Reserve today with a low early deposit to lock in your 2027 dates and pricing.

Spread the rest across convenient instalments, at a pace that suits you.

Final balance due one month before departure — nothing more to pay once you fly.

Speak To Us

Journey Details

Minimum Age

Varies by camp, activity and national park

Camps and lodges — Most safari camps accept children from six years, with shared game-drive vehicles usually from eight to twelve. Many properties will take younger children on a privately booked vehicle.
Walking safaris — Guided walking safaris carry a firm minimum of fifteen or sixteen years across most reserves. This is set by the licensing authority, not the camp, and is never waived.
Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking — Uganda and Rwanda both enforce a strict minimum of fifteen years. It is a national park regulation and there are no exceptions.
Hot-air balloon safaris — Operators generally require children to be at least seven, and tall enough to brace unaided in the basket on landing.
Family and exclusive-use camps — A number of our camps run dedicated family units, child-minding and tailored activity programmes, and will relax their usual age limit for a sole-use booking.
Talk to us first — Age limits vary from property to property and from activity to activity. Speak to our experts before you book, and we will pre-arrange the details with each lodge around the ages of the children travelling with you.

Safari Duffel

Duffel, safari hat, vest and hooded jumper

Your duffel — A soft-sided Finders & Keepers Safaris duffel, sized for the 15 kg limit on the light aircraft that move you between camps. Rigid suitcases cannot be carried on those flights at all.
What is inside it — A branded Finders & Keepers Safaris safari hat, a safari vest, and a hooded jumper for cold dawn starts and balloon mornings.
Yours to keep — The bag and everything in it is a gift, not a loan. Nothing is returned at the end of your journey.
Packing around it — Soft luggage, neutral colours, and layers. Laundry is included at nearly every camp, which is why 15 kg goes further than it sounds.

Note

Best timed around wildlife movement patterns

Kenya's game viewing is exceptional year-round, though the Great Migration river crossings in the Maasai Mara peak between July and October. Malaria prophylaxis is recommended for all safari areas — please consult your doctor before travel.

Early starts — Safaris begin very early in the morning. Your guide will confirm what time you will be collected from your camp or lodge.
Tailoring this journey — If you would like this package with more or fewer days, arranged for a group, a family or a solo traveller, or with add-ons, reach out and we will tailor it for you.
Route changes — Your guide or driver may alter the route in certain circumstances, but every destination set out in the itinerary will be covered.

Documents

Kenya eTA required before arrival

Passport — Valid for at least six months beyond your arrival date, with at least two blank pages for stamps.
Kenya eTA — Kenya replaced its tourist visa with an Electronic Travel Authorisation in January 2024. Apply online before you fly — approval normally lands within 48 to 72 hours, but allow a week.
African passport holders — Citizens of almost every African country now enter Kenya without an eTA. East African Community nationals — Burundi, DR Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda — may stay up to six months; other African nationals up to two.
Yellow fever — A vaccination certificate is required if you are arriving from, or have transited, a country with yellow fever risk.
We file it for you — Whether you are flying in from overseas or travelling from elsewhere on the continent, we complete and submit your visa application on your behalf. You hand us your documents once. We do the filing, chase the approval, and carry the confirmations in your travel pack so nothing rests on you remembering a reference number at a counter.
Most of Africa is open to you — The great majority of our African destinations are now either visa-free or issue a visa on arrival, so an embassy queue is rarely in your future at all. Where a visa on arrival does apply, we prepare and lodge the paperwork ahead of you — you reach the desk with a finished file rather than a blank form and a biro.
Before you travel — Entry rules change frequently and without much notice. Your specialist confirms the current requirements for every passport in your party at the time of booking, and checks them again before you fly.

Guaranteed Departures

Private, tailor-made departures on your dates, or join a small group

Once confirmed, you travel — When your departure date is confirmed, it is guaranteed. We do not cancel, merge or reschedule a confirmed departure for commercial reasons, however the final numbers fall.
What confirms a departure — A departure becomes confirmed once the agreed number of travellers has been reached and paid for in line with the agreed payment schedule. Places held without payment do not count towards it.
If the minimum is not reached — Where a group departure has not reached its agreed numbers, we tell you early rather than late, and you choose: move to the next available date, continue at a revised small-group rate, or take a full refund of everything you have paid.
Solo journeys — Solo and tailor-made itineraries carry no group minimum at all. Your dates are confirmed the moment your deposit is received.

Visas — We prepare and submit your visa application on your behalf. Please note that the granting of a visa rests solely with the immigration authority of the country concerned, and is never guaranteed by us.
Medication — We arrange malaria prophylaxis, together with anti-nausea and anti-anxiety tablets, for your journey. Any prescription medicine should be confirmed with your own doctor before you travel — they remain the final authority on what is suitable for you.
Africa is not always hot — Despite the stereotype, Africa moves through distinct seasons and mornings at altitude can be genuinely cold. A hooded jumper is provided for cold conditions, and for every guest joining a hot-air balloon safari.
Dietary requirements — If you have strict dietary needs, please tell us at the time of booking. This includes vegans, guests in recovery, non-drinkers, and anyone following a prescription from their doctor.
Travel insurance — We facilitate travel insurance for our clients. If you are already covered, please say so during booking so we can take it into account in your final quote.
Tailoring your quote — Some of our inclusions — hot-air balloon safaris, for example — may not be what you want. Point these out and we will adjust your final offer accordingly.
The Maasai massage & spa recovery — Guests travelling the safari circuit by road rather than by air should expect long and tiring days. The rough terrain of the jungle gives the vehicle a constant jolting ride, known affectionately as the Maasai massage. A spa session is provided at the end of your safari to recover.
What to pack — Neutral colours are the rule on safari: khaki, olive, stone and brown. Avoid black and dark blue, which draw tsetse flies, and leave camouflage at home entirely — it is reserved for the military and illegal for civilians in several African countries. Bring layers for cold dawn game drives, long sleeves and trousers for dusk when the mosquitoes are out, closed walking shoes, a sun hat and sunglasses. Lodge dinners are smart-casual; nothing formal is needed.
Your safari duffel & kit — The duffel bag is used when flying into the parks, where luggage is limited to 15 kg per person. A branded Finders & Keepers Safaris safari hat and safari vest are also provided.