8-Day Kenya Safari: Masai Mara, Nakuru, Naivasha & Amboseli
This 8-day Kenya safari offers an immersive journey through Kenya’s most iconic wildlife destinations, including Masai Mara, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, and Lake Naivasha. Travelers will witness the Big Five up close, explore vibrant birdlife, and enjoy breathtaking landscapes such as the Great Rift Valley and Mount Kilimanjaro. The trip combines thrilling wildlife encounters with luxurious accommodations in lodges and tented camps. Guests will experience both adventure and comfort while creating unforgettable memories in the heart of Africa’s wilderness.
Trip Highlights
- Witness the Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo.
- Explore the Great Migration (seasonal) in Masai Mara.
- Marvel at thousands of flamingos at Lake Nakuru.
- Enjoy a boat safari and wildlife walking experience at Lake Naivasha.
- Photograph elephants with Mount Kilimanjaro as a backdrop in Amboseli.
- Stay in luxury lodges and tented camps throughout the safari.
- Travel with knowledgeable local guides.
Itinerary
Your Masai Mara safari begins with an early morning (7:30 AM) pick-up from your Nairobi hotel or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO). Enjoy a scenic drive through the Great Rift Valley, stopping to take in breathtaking panoramic views and capture memorable photo opportunities. Imagine yourself capturing that perfect landscape shot!
Arrive at your lodge or camp in the Masai Mara in time for a delicious lunch. Embark on an afternoon game drive, where you'll have your first chance to spot lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, and more. Keep your eyes peeled for the elusive leopard!
As the sun sets over the African savanna, return to your accommodation for a well-deserved dinner and a restful night's sleep under the stars.
- Accommodation: Olmoran Mara Tented Camp or similar.
Option 1: Full-Day Game Drive: After a leisurely breakfast, depart around 9:00 AM for a full day of exploration in the Masai Mara. Your experienced guide will navigate the vast plains for the best wildlife viewing opportunities. Enjoy a picnic lunch amidst the stunning scenery.
Option 2: Early Morning & Afternoon Game Drives: Rise before dawn (around 6:00 AM) for an early morning game drive when animals are most active.
This is the prime time to witness a hunt! Return to the lodge for breakfast and relaxation before heading out again for an afternoon game drive with a packed lunch.
Regardless of your chosen option, you'll return to your lodge around 6:00 PM, just as the sun begins to set, for dinner and overnight.
Imagine the thrill of witnessing a lion pride stalking their prey or a cheetah sprinting across the plains! These are the moments that make a Kenya safari genuinely unforgettable.
- Accommodation: Olmoran Mara Tented Camp or similar.
Option 1: Full-Day Game Drive: After a leisurely breakfast, depart around 9:00 AM for a full day of exploration in the Masai Mara. Your experienced guide will navigate the vast plains for the best wildlife viewing opportunities. Enjoy a picnic lunch amidst the stunning scenery.
Option 2: Early Morning & Afternoon Game Drives: Rise before dawn (around 6:00 AM) for an early morning game drive when animals are most active.
This is the prime time to witness a hunt! Return to the lodge for breakfast and relaxation before heading out again for an afternoon game drive with a packed lunch.
Regardless of your chosen option, you'll return to your lodge around 6:00 PM, just as the sun begins to set, for dinner and overnight.
Imagine the thrill of witnessing a lion pride stalking their prey or a cheetah sprinting across the plains! These are the moments that make a Kenya safari genuinely unforgettable.
- Accommodation: Olmoran Mara Tented Camp or similar.
Start your day with a final early morning game drive in the Masai Mara, savoring the last moments of this incredible ecosystem. After breakfast, bid farewell to the Mara and embark on a scenic drive to Lake Nakuru National Park.
Arrive at Lake Nakuru and prepare to be amazed by the sight of thousands of pink flamingos lining the shores. Enjoy an afternoon game drive, searching for rhinos (both black and white), Rothschild giraffes, and other diverse wildlife. Lake Nakuru is a sanctuary for endangered species.
Check in to Lake Nakuru Ziwa Bush Lodge for dinner and an overnight stay. The Nakuru Lodge offers excellent views and a range of amenities. Imagine the vibrant pink hues reflecting off the lake's surface—a genuinely unforgettable spectacle!
Enjoy an early morning game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park, maximizing your chances of spotting wildlife before the day's heat. After lunch, travel to Lake Naivasha, a freshwater lake teeming with birdlife and hippos.
Embark on an optional boat safari on Lake Naivasha (Cost $20us dollars), getting close to hippos, giraffes grazing on the shores, and many colorful birds. Visit Crescent Island (entry cost $33 us dollars), a unique wildlife sanctuary where you can walk among zebras, wildebeest, giraffes, and other herbivores. (Note: No predators on the island).
Enjoy dinner and overnight at your lodge on the shores of Lake Naivasha.
Accommodation: Lake Naivasha Eseriani Resort or similar.
After an early breakfast, we'll head to Hells Gate National Park, a unique park where you can hire bicycle & cycle amidst stunning scenery.
Rent a bike (payable directly) and explore the park's gorges, cliffs, and geothermal features. Keep an eye out for giraffes, zebras, and baboons.
After an exhilarating experience, exit and embark on a scenic drive to Amboseli National Park, famous for its stunning views of Mount Kilimanjaro. If time permits, have an evening game drive as you proceed to your camp—dinner and overnight at Amboseli Kibo Luxury tented camp.
Return to your camp or lodge for a freshly prepared dinner and an overnight stay.
Accommodation: Amboseli AA lodge or similar.
Picture yourself capturing the perfect photo of an elephant herd with Kilimanjaro towering in the background – a truly iconic African scene!
Enjoy a full day of game drives in Amboseli National Park, exploring different park areas and maximizing your chances of spotting wildlife.
Typically, the day is divided into a morning game drive (7:00 AM—10:30 AM) and an afternoon game drive (3:00 PM—6:00 PM) to avoid the midday heat. Relax at your lodge during the hottest day, perhaps enjoying a swim or a refreshing drink.
Imagine the thrill of witnessing a large elephant herd crossing the open plains, with Kilimanjaro looming majestically in the distance!
Wake up early for a final game drive in Amboseli, capturing the last moments of this incredible safari. Enjoy breakfast at your lodge before checking out. Drive to Nairobi, arriving by late afternoon, where your trip concludes with a drop-off at the airport or hotel.
Cherish the memories of your incredible 8-day Kenya safari as you journey back to reality.
Includes/Excludes
Cost Includes
- - Accommodation as outlined above.
- - All meals are noted in the itinerary.
- - Each day generally includes Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner buffets consisting of both Western and local dishes.
- - Transportation in standard game-viewing safari vehicles with a pop-up roof for easy viewing and photography.
- - Every passenger is guaranteed a window seat.
- - Your driver/guide speaks English and has in-depth knowledge of the flora, fauna, landscape, and culture.
- - A 4x4 Safari Van with a pop-up roof outfitted with two-way, long-range, high-frequency radio communications equipment in Kenya.
- - Each safari Vehicle carries safari accessories, including wildlife books, binoculars for the guide, a first-aid kit, and a fire extinguisher.
- - Flying doctors (AMREF) insurance covers each client doing a safari with us just for emergencies
- - Park entrance fees and game drives as noted in the itinerary.
- - All government taxes, levies, 2 liters of bottled water during safari
- - Pick up from the airport or your hotel and drop off at the hotel or airport in good time for your outbound flight after the trip.
Cost Excludes
- - Domestic and international airfares, as well as departure taxes.
- - Personal communications charges for telephone calls, faxes, email, etc.
- - Tips and gratuities for your driver and guide.
- - Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
- - Laundry services.
- - Between meal snacks, parks, attractions, and events not included in your itinerary
