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The Great Rift - Kenya Moto Safari Expedition
The Great Rift – Kenya Moto Safari Expedition – 20th May to 2nd June 2027
Experience Level: Experienced
Tour Detail
Duration: 14 Days
Nairobi - Archer's Post - Ngurunit - Loiyangalani - Sibiloi - Kalacha - Marsabit - Lake Nakuru - Masai Mara - Nairobi
Two expeditions in one fortnight, and they could not be less alike.
The first seven days are among the hardest riding in East Africa. From Nairobi you cross the equator at Nanyuki, and once past Archer's Post the tarmac ends for almost the entire loop - the Samburu plains, the granite domes of the Ndoto Mountains, volcanic rock fields dropping to the jade shore of Lake Turkana, the fossil beds of Sibiloi where the earliest humans were found, and the salt flats of the Chalbi Desert where Gabbra camel caravans still cross in the heat. You ride with a mechanic, a support vehicle and satellite communications, because for four of these days there is no mobile coverage at all.
Then you hand back the bikes and change gear completely. Five days in a private 4x4 Landcruiser with the roof up: Lake Nakuru for black and white rhino, Rothschild's giraffe and the flamingo shallows, then three full days in the Masai Mara - the northern reach of the Serengeti, and the densest predator country on earth. Full-board lodges, packed picnic lunches in the bush, and a sundowner on the plains to finish.
Roaming Horizons runs this as one continuous expedition with a single team looking after you from the airport to the airport. Desert and savannah, camp bandas and lodge suites, 1,700 kilometres of dirt and then a week of watching. Fourteen days, and no two of them the same.
Day 1
Arrival At Nairobi
Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport we will pick you up and check in to the hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure to rest and recover from the flight before the ride begins.
In the evening we meet at basecamp for the ride briefing and bike allocation. Please carry your motorcycle licence, passport, and printed Kenya eTA approval - the signed rental agreement, liability waiver and inspection form are completed at this briefing.
Accommodation on bed & breakfast basis. Lunch and dinner at own expense.
Day 2
Nairobi to Archer's Post - 350 Kms
We leave basecamp and head north on the A2, climbing steadily out of Nairobi and into the highlands. You cross the equator at Nanyuki with the peak of Mount Kenya on your right, then descend into Samburu country along the Ewaso Ng'iro River.
This is full tarmac the whole way and one of only two paved days on the entire ride, so use it to settle into the bike and find your rhythm with the group. Time permitting we stop at the Buffalo Springs natural pool before pushing on to camp.
Distance covered: 350kms, Riding time: 6-7 hours, Surface: Tarmac
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.
Day 3
Archer's Post to Ngurunit - 170 Kms
The tarmac ends today. We head north through Samburu country on hard-packed dirt and loose rock, with long corrugated sections across the open plains - a steady off-road pace rather than technical riding, and the day that teaches you how the bike handles loaded on dirt.
The Ndoto granite domes rise on the horizon as we approach camp. This is gerenuk and reticulated giraffe country. Afternoon options include the Ndoto rock pools, the Ngurunit sand river, or rock scrambling in the domes. A Samburu or Rendille manyatta visit can be arranged with advance notice - a traditional jumping dance, beadwork demonstration and a walk through a working homestead. Campfire storytelling with the crew after dinner.
Distance covered: 170kms, Riding time: 6 hours, Surface: Off-road
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.
Day 4
Ngurunit to Loiyangalani - 210 Kms
South through the South Horr valley at the foot of Mount Kulal, then past the turbines of Lake Turkana Wind Power - the largest wind farm in Africa - and across open volcanic rock fields before the long descent to the lake.
Rocky volcanic track gives way to loose gravel and washboard, and you can expect strong crosswinds near the wind farm. It is one of the hottest legs of the route, and then Lake Turkana opens up in front of you: algae-green, the largest desert lake in the world, and the reason it is called the Jade Sea. The Loiyangalani Desert Museum gives context before an El Molo village visit; quad bike hire and boat rides on the lake are available locally.
Distance covered: 210kms, Riding time: 6 hours, Surface: Off-road
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.
Day 5
Loiyangalani to Sibiloi National Park - 110 Kms
The shortest distance of the tour and by some way the hardest day. Sharp lava-rock fields and loose stone run the entire length of Lake Turkana's eastern shore - slow going, high puncture risk, and precisely the reason a mechanic and support vehicle travel with the group.
We enter through the Ilret ranger gate into Sibiloi National Park: the Koobi Fora fossil beds, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the richest early-hominin deposits found anywhere on earth, a petrified forest, and Central Island volcano visible offshore. Turkana communities live along this stark volcanic shore and encounters are opportunistic rather than scheduled - where we meet a village, the local guide leads the introductions. Tonight we camp inside the park under KWS.
Distance covered: 110kms, Riding time: Full day, Surface: Off-road (technical)
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.
Day 6
Sibiloi to Kalacha Oasis - 150 Kms
Out onto the alkaline flats of the Chalbi Desert - open sand and flat-track riding, the fastest surface of the week, punctuated by salt pans and mirages convincing enough that riders regularly slow for water that is not there.
The hazard here is fesh fesh: pockets of fine, talc-like dust that hide under a crusted surface and can swallow a front wheel without warning. We ride in a staggered line rather than nose-to-tail, through pale undisturbed patches. Gabbra camel caravans still cross these flats carrying salt to Marsabit market, often at first light. Kalacha's own Gabbra community runs the camp, so tonight's stay is itself the cultural stop - twin bandas and a doum-palm mess beside a stone-walled spring. The hottest day on the route, and the coldest night.
Distance covered: 150kms, Riding time: 5-6 hours, Surface: Off-road
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.
Day 7
Kalacha to Marsabit - 150 Kms
More desert flat and corrugation out of North Horr, then a sharp rocky climb up into Marsabit's forested crater rim - and the temperature drops noticeably, sometimes into mist, as the road gains the highland.
Marsabit National Park sits inside an extinct volcano, with Lake Paradise on its floor and forest elephants on the rim. Early morning is the time for the Singing Wells, where Borana and Rendille herders water their livestock while singing call-and-response songs to keep the bucket chain in rhythm. After five nights of camps and bandas, tonight brings a proper bed, an ensuite bathroom and a hot shower.
Distance covered: 150kms, Riding time: 5-6 hours, Surface: Off-road
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.
Day 8
Marsabit to Nairobi - 560 Kms
The longest single day of the ride and the easiest surface: full tarmac from Marsabit onward, back down through the Samburu plains and Isiolo, across the equator southbound, with Mount Kenya on your left one last time.
We finish at basecamp with the certification ceremony and hand the motorcycles back. From here the expedition changes shape entirely - you transfer to your Nairobi hotel, and tomorrow you swap the bike for a Landcruiser.
Distance covered: 560kms, Riding time: 8-9 hours, Surface: Tarmac
Breakfast & lunch included. Accommodation in Nairobi on bed & breakfast basis; dinner at own expense.
Day 9
Nairobi to Lake Nakuru National Park
At 6:30am, after breakfast and check-out, you meet your English-speaking guide-cum-driver and head into the Great Rift Valley by road in a private 4x4 pop-up roof Safari Landcruiser.
A scenic game drive through Lake Nakuru on the way in, then check in at the lodge on full board basis for hot lunch and a chance to rest. At 3:30pm the evening game drive goes out in pursuit of white and black rhino, big cats and the endangered Rothschild's giraffe, with Lesser Flamingoes massed in the shallows and some of the finest birding in Kenya. Back to the lodge by 6:30pm for dinner.
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.
Day 10
Lake Nakuru to Masai Mara National Reserve
At 6:30am, after breakfast and check-out, we continue to the Masai Mara - the northern extension of the Serengeti ecosystem and the most famous wildlife reserve in East Africa.
A short scenic game drive on the way in before checking into the lodge on full board basis, with hot lunch and time to relax. At 3:30pm we head out into the reserve for the evening game drive, running until 6:30pm. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.
Day 11
Full Day Game Drive In Masai Mara
At 6:30am, after breakfast, we head out with packed lunch for a full day exploring the reserve. This is where your driver-cum-guide's knowledge earns its keep - reading movement across the plains, knowing which sectors the cats are working, and where a kill is likely to draw a crowd.
Remember that wildlife is a waiting game, and patience is the whole skill. Enjoy your picnic lunch in the bush, then continue straight into the afternoon game drive until 6:30pm before returning to the lodge.
You may instead opt for an early morning and evening game drive with a hot lunch back at the lodge - please discuss this with your guide the previous evening.
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.
Day 12
Full Day Game Drive In Masai Mara
A second full day in the Mara, working different sectors in different light, and statistically your best chance of the trip for a big sighting.
At 6:30am, after breakfast, head out with packed lunch for the morning game drive until midday. Enjoy your picnic lunch in the bush, then continue into the evening game drive. The Mara leg concludes with a signature sundowner in the wild, weather permitting, complimentary with a glass of juice. Any extra beverages consumed during this time are charged separately.
You may instead opt for an early morning and evening game drive with a hot lunch back at the lodge - please discuss this with your guide the previous evening.
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.
Day 13
Masai Mara to Nairobi
A later start today. At 8am, after breakfast and check-out, we make the drive back to Nairobi and check in at the hotel on bed & breakfast basis.
A last evening together, and the first real chance to compare the desert half of this trip with the savannah half over a drink. Lunch and dinner at own expense.
Breakfast included. Accommodation on bed & breakfast basis.
Day 14
Departure from Nairobi
After fourteen days of lava fields, salt flats, jade water and open savannah, it is time to bid farewell. At 8am, after breakfast and check-out, you will be dropped at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your departure flight.
Hotel check-out is before 10:00am; day rooms can be arranged at additional cost if your flight departs late in the day. For those with extra time, optional extensions can also be arranged before departure. We thank you for riding with us and being part of this incredible adventure - until next time, ride safe and keep exploring.
Breakfast included.
- Total riding distance covered during this tour – 1700Kms
- Regions covered - Samburu, Ndoto Mountains, Lake Turkana, Sibiloi, Chalbi Desert, Marsabit, Great Rift Valley & Masai Mara
- Riding days - 7 (Day 2 to Day 8) | Safari days - 5 (Day 9 to Day 13)
- Total riding time – approximately 44-48 hours
- Road Condition – 10% Tarmac & 90% Off-road (5 of the 7 riding days are unpaved)
- Longest riding day - 560Kms on Day 8, Marsabit to Nairobi
- Most technical day - Day 5, Loiyangalani to Sibiloi (lava rock, loose stone, high puncture risk)
- Highest temperature on route - up to 43°C on the Chalbi Desert crossing
- Motorcycle -
- Experience required – Experienced (genuine off-road capability is essential on this route)
- Safari vehicle - private 4x4 non-AC Safari Landcruiser with pop-up roof and English-speaking guide-cum-driver
- Group size - 10 to 12 riders
- Connectivity - patchy to none from Ngurunit onward; satellite phone and two-way radios are carried throughout
- Language : English & Swahili
- Entry - an approved Kenya eTA is required before departure; EAC and most African nationals are exempt
- Lake Turkana is the largest desert lake in the world and the largest alkaline lake on earth. The algae in it give the “Jade Sea” its colour
- Koobi Fora, in Sibiloi National Park, is one of the richest early-hominin fossil beds ever found - which is why Sibiloi is known as the Cradle of Mankind
- Lake Turkana Wind Power, which the route passes on Day 4, is the largest wind farm in Africa
- The Chalbi is a dried-up ancient lake bed. Its salt flats throw mirages convincing enough that riders regularly slow for water that is not there
- Gabbra camel caravans still cross the Chalbi carrying salt to Marsabit market, as they have for centuries
- At Marsabit’s Singing Wells, Borana and Rendille herders sing call-and-response songs to coordinate the bucket chain that waters their livestock
- The route passes through five distinct pastoralist communities - Samburu, Rendille, Gabbra, Turkana and El Molo - each with its own language, dress and way of life
- The El Molo are Kenya’s smallest ethnic group, living in stilted villages on the Turkana shore and still fishing the lake by traditional methods
- Mount Kulal, which the route skirts above Loiyangalani, is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
- Marsabit National Park sits inside an extinct volcanic crater, with Lake Paradise on its floor and forest elephants on its rim
- You cross the equator twice - northbound at Nanyuki on Day 2 and southbound on Day 8
- Lake Nakuru holds both black and white rhino and is a stronghold for the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe
- The Masai Mara is the northern extension of the Serengeti and carries one of the highest predator densities on earth
- North of Isiolo there are no ATMs, and from Ngurunit onward there is effectively no mobile coverage - the satellite phone is equipment, not a precaution
- motorcycle for the full 7 day ride (Day 2 to Day 8)
- Comprehensive motorcycle insurance
- English speaking tour leader and experienced local ride captain for the whole ride
- One certified mechanic and a fully equipped support vehicle with driver for the whole ride
- Local cultural guide for the village and community visits along the route
- Two-way radios (lead, mid-pack and sweeper) and satellite phone across the no-coverage sections
- 13 nights accommodation as per the itinerary - Nairobi hotel, camps, bandas, guesthouse and safari lodges on twin/double sharing basis
- All KWS park entry, motorcycle and campsite fees for Sibiloi and Marsabit National Parks
- Breakfast daily; all meals on the riding days as per the itinerary; full board at both safari lodges
- All game drives in a private 4x4 non-AC Safari Landcruiser with pop-up roof and English speaking guide-cum-driver
- Lake Nakuru National Park and Masai Mara National Reserve entry fees
- Airport transfers in Nairobi on arrival and departure in a luxury AC van
- AMREF Flying Doctors coverage (for life threatening emergencies only)
- 2 Litres of water bottles during the riding days and drinking water on board throughout the safari
- Veg / Vegan / Non-Veg meal plan throughout the tour (please fill details in your indemnity form)
- All applicable taxes
- All your international and domestic flight tickets
- Kenya eTA / visa charges
- Medical or travel insurance - medical evacuation cover is strongly advised on this route
- Fuel for the motorcycles during the riding days
- Personal damages / accidental damages cost to the motorcycle is not included (client has to pay for any damages that happened during the tour)
- The compulsory refundable bike security deposit as per our Terms & Conditions (fully refundable at tour completion if there is no damage)
- Lunch and dinner in Nairobi on Day 1, Day 8 and Day 13, and any other meals not listed in the inclusions
- Masai village entry fee, alcohol, tips, room service, laundry or anything which is not mentioned in the above inclusions
- Tips and gratuities for guides and support staff at the end of the tour
Northern desert leg (Day 2 to Day 8) : Hot and dry throughout. Archer's Post 22-30°C; Ngurunit 28-34°C by midday with heavy dust; Loiyangalani 30-38°C with strong afternoon crosswinds off the lake; Sibiloi 30-36°C with almost no shade anywhere on the shore; the Chalbi crossing 36-43°C by early afternoon, dropping to around 20°C overnight; Marsabit noticeably cooler and often misty as the road climbs into the crater forest.
The May question : Late May sits at the tail end of Kenya's long-rains season. The southern leg to Archer's Post is unaffected tarmac, but the northern desert tracks - the Chalbi, the Turkana shoreline and the Ndoto approach - can see occasional washouts or softened surfaces if the rains run late. Historically the region is drier than the south even in May. Our ground team confirms track conditions two to three weeks before departure and a half-day buffer is built into the schedule.
Rift Valley & Masai Mara (Day 9 to Day 13) : Mild and green, roughly 12-26°C, with short afternoon showers possible. Early morning game drives are genuinely cold in an open vehicle, so bring a fleece.
Pack for both extremes - desert heat up to 43°C, and the possibility of a wet, muddy morning on the Ngurunit or Marsabit approach.
Breakfast is included at every property. On the riding days, lunch and dinner across the desert stretch are self-catered - our own chef travels with the group and the food, because north of Isiolo there are no restaurants to speak of and everything has to be carried. Expect simple, hearty camp cooking: ugali, sukuma wiki, nyama choma, chapati, rice and stews, with fresh fruit where it can be sourced.
On the safari leg both lodges are full board with buffet dining, and the two full days in the Mara use packed picnic lunches taken in the bush. Veg, vegan and non-veg meal plans are catered for throughout - please flag any dietary requirements on your indemnity form at the time of booking. Bottled drinking water is on board the safari vehicle at all times.
Where will you ride?
Unknown. Unbounded. Untravelled.
