Kenya Safari: Explore Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Amboseli

32 Ratings

Save

View All (13)

Embark on a 6-day adventure through the iconic Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli in Kenya. Experience the thrill of wildlife encounters and witness stunning landscapes on this ultimate Kenyan safari.

Duration: 6 days

Cancellation: 6 days

learn more

Highlights

Nairobi to Masai Mara

Maasai Mara National Reserve - Your safari adventure begins with a 7 AM pickup from your Nairobi accommodation or the Airport, setting off on a picturesque drive to the renowned Masai Mara National Reserve. Along the way, enjoy a scenic stop at the Great Rift Valley Escarpment for panoramic views and stunning photography. Upon arrival at your lodge or camp in Masai Mara, check in for lunch and relaxation before embarking on an evening game drive safari starting at 4 PM. Traverse the vast savannahs and grasslands, keeping a keen eye out for the abundant wildlife that inhabits this iconic reserve.

Masai Mara is famous for its high concentration of predators, including lions, leopards, and cheetahs. The open grasslands provide ideal hunting grounds for these apex predators, offering you a thrilling experience to witness predator-prey interactions in the wild. As the sun begins to set, return to your accommodation in the evening for dinner and relaxation amidst the sounds of the African bush.

Full day in Masai Mara National Reserve

Maasai Mara National Reserve - Awaken to the enchanting melodies of the wilderness as you prepare for a full day of exploration within the Masai Mara National Reserve. After a hearty breakfast, embark on exhilarating game drives through the reserve’s diverse landscapes. Your guide will arrange picnic lunch boxes to maximize your time in the wilderness. Masai Mara is home to the Big Five: lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, and rhinos, offering you excellent chances to spot these majestic animals during game drives and guided safaris.

Beyond its wildlife, Masai Mara National Reserve boasts stunning landscapes, including rolling plains, meandering rivers, and picturesque acacia trees dotting the horizon. In the evening, immerse yourself in the rich culture of the indigenous Maasai tribe with an optional visit to a traditional Masai Village, engaging with local communities and gaining insight into their way of life before returning to your accommodation for dinner and relaxation.

Day 3: Maasai Mara - Nakuru

Lake Nakuru National Park - After breakfast, drive from Masai Mara as you depart for the next leg of your journey to Nakuru National Park. Upon arrival, check in for lunch and afternoon relaxation at your lodge before embarking on an evening game drive safari with our experienced guide. The park is home to one of the largest concentrations of black rhinos in East Africa, as well as a significant population of white rhinos. Lake Nakuru National Park was established in part to protect these endangered species from poaching and habitat loss, making it a crucial sanctuary for rhino conservation efforts.

Discover the park’s diverse landscapes, from wooded grasslands to the shimmering lake shores. In addition to flamingos, Lake Nakuru is a haven for birdwatchers with over 450 bird species recorded within the park and other wildlife species. As the sun sets over the horizon, return to your lodge for dinner and overnight rest, recounting the day’s thrilling encounters amidst the beauty of Nakuru.

Day 4: Lake Nakuru - Amboseli National Park

Amboseli National Park - Start your day with a hearty breakfast before departing Nakuru for Amboseli. En route, opt for a scenic pass by Lake Naivasha, where you can have an optional tranquil boat ride and nature walk experience amidst the serene waters and lush vegetation. Lake Naivasha is home to a large population of hippos, which can often be seen basking along the shores or swimming in the shallow waters. A boat safari will offer you the opportunity to observe these massive mammals up close, along with other wildlife such as zebras, giraffes, and many other antelope species that come to the lake to drink.

Lunch will be served en route as you embark on a picturesque drive towards Amboseli National Park, renowned for its stunning views of Mount Kilimanjaro. Arriving in the evening, check in to your lodge or camp for dinner and settle in for a peaceful night amidst the serene surroundings of Amboseli.

Day 5: Full day in Amboseli National Park

Amboseli National Park - Wake up to the breathtaking beauty of Amboseli as you prepare for a full day of exploration within the park. After a hearty breakfast, set out on thrilling game drives through the vast expanse of wilderness. Your guide will arrange picnic lunch boxes to maximize your time in the park. Encounter Amboseli’s famous wildlife, including large herds of elephants and elusive predators. The park’s diverse habitats, which include savannahs, swamps, and acacia woodlands, support a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna.

Amboseli offers some of the most breathtaking views of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, providing a stunning backdrop for your safari adventure. Throughout the day, immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of the African bush, capturing memorable moments and forging unforgettable memories. As the sun begins to set, return to your accommodation for dinner and relaxation, reflecting on the day’s incredible experiences amidst the beauty of Amboseli.

Day 6: Amboseli - Nairobi

Amboseli National Park - Begin your day with an early morning game drive safari in Amboseli, offering a chance to witness the park’s wildlife in the soft light of dawn. The park is home to some of the largest elephants in Kenya, making it a prime destination for elephant enthusiasts and researchers. In addition to elephants, Amboseli is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including lions, cheetahs, leopards, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, and wildebeests, among others.

At 8:30 AM, return to the lodge for breakfast before checking out at 10 AM. Depart Amboseli as you journey back to Nairobi, marking the end of your 6-day safari adventure. Your driver will drop you off at your hotel or directly at the airport for your onward arrangements, leaving you with cherished memories of your unforgettable journey through Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, and Amboseli.

What's Included

Lunch
Dinner
Breakfast
5 Nights Accommodation
Drinking water
A professional guide
Transport in a Shared Pop-up roof Safari Van

What's Not Included

Park entrance fees/ Administration fee/ Maasai Village Tour/ Boat Ride/ Tips and personal expenses

Additional Information

Embark on an unforgettable 6-day safari through Kenya’s most iconic destinations. Witness the stunning landscapes and diverse wildlife of Masai Mara, home to the Big Five and the Great Wildebeest Migration. Discover the bird-rich shores of Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha. End your adventure with a visit to Amboseli, where you’ll be awed by the majestic…

Cancellation Policy

If you cancel at least 6 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel between 2 and 6 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a 50% refund.
If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.

Customer Ratings

4.8

(32 Ratings)

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Sinead_b

Nov 20, 2024

Absolutely the best experience ever - Absolutely the best experience ever. Joseph from Bigtime Safaris was absolutely amazing and so knowledgeable. The accommodation was great and the food was lovely.

Review provided by Viator

Mk371

Nov 15, 2024

A trip to remember - First Safari - Pickup from hotel was smooth and on time, communication via WhatsApp. George the driver and guide with more than 20 years experience really made the trip memorable. He knew where to spot wildlife before other vehicles did. The first full day in the Mara, 4 of the Big 5 were seen due to his expertise. Glad I booked the jeep, very roomy and the best option for the rugged terrain. All lodges visited were great, food was buffet style., accommodations comfortable. Thanks again George.

Review provided by Viator

Josephmk4870ov

Nov 6, 2024

10/10 recommend - Fantastic experience all round. The trip was extremely easy, and didn’t require any organisation from us once we’d met up with our guide, who took us to all the parks and pre booked accommodation without us having to do anything. The accommodations were very pleasant, and the vehicle was comfortable for long rides. Most importantly however, the safari was incredible. Our driver (Patrick) was extremely knowledgeable about the wildlife, and was able to anticipate where they’d go next. He helped us identify and spot every animal we could think of, and we got excellent views as a result of his expert knowledge of the parks. Everyone we dealt with from the company was a fantastic representative of their company, and we had a wonderful time. I would 100% recommend people to book this.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

2c2020

Oct 29, 2024

Once in a lifetime safari - We were completely happy with every aspect of our safari. Our guide, David, was very knowledgeable about the wildlife and was always eager to impart that information to us. He is the guides’ guide as he often told other drivers where to go look for the animals. I’m so amazed how he can spot an animal hidden far away as he drove. He’d stop and tell us where to look and sometimes it took us 10-15 minutes with binoculars to find the animal. He’d go to any length possible to make our adventure the best possible one. He also knows how animals behave and will park at a spot where he knows the animal will walk towards. He’ll beat other drivers to getting the best viewing spot. Also he’ll park where you’ll get the best angle photographically and tell you if a video would be better and he’s right. Originally we booked a minivan but upgraded to a Land Cruiser and were glad we did. About 90% of the safari vehicles in Maasai Mara and Amboselli National Parks were Land Cruisers. We used an open top minivan with another operator in Nairobi national park and got stuck in wet mud on one section. We had to wait until another vehicle came by to use a bungee cord to pull our minivan out. Land Cruisers with their four wheel drive are much less likely to get stuck and the seating is more spacious then the minivans. We also upgraded to a private safari which is good because we can tell David however long we want to stay at any given viewing spot. Often the drives are hours long and one time after eating something bad I had to tell David to pull over so I could use a “bush toilet.” I would have been embarrassed if I had to do so with a shared safari packed with strangers. We were wary about doing the optional Lake Nakuru 2 hour combo boat ride and nature walk after reading reviews. But we were glad we did. You can see hippos much closer on the boat and you can walk to about 20 feet from some of the wildlife. We did the optional Massai village tour and it was interesting to see and learn how they live. However, we did have a bad taste at the end when we were led into their market area where we were subject to overly aggressive sales tactics for souvenirs vastly overpriced by multiples over what you can pay anywhere else for the exact same items. We help support the massai with the “donation” fee for admission on the front end and to subject their guests to a rude ending doesn’t really help their cause in the long run. Then again, the massai aren’t known for being good business people. Neither the Maasai village, boat/nature walk or balloon excursions had anything to do with Wild Adventures. They just dropped us off at those places if we wanted to do those excursions and we paid those places without Wild Adventures being a middleman. When we went in the first week of October we saw herds of wildebeast in the Masai but none were crossing the river so we missed the Great Migration. We did the balloon ride over Amboselli which lasted about 1.25 hours at $450 per person. It was ok, but we didn’t see too many animals and the view of mt Kilimanjaro was not much different from 500 feet up. Personally I thought the balloon went too high because the few animals we saw were too small and far away. I’d rather see animals from just above tree height, which I’m told is often the case at the massai Mara balloon ride. We upgraded to the Sentrim chain lodgings and they were clean and comfortable. They consist of single rustic bungalow buildings. The food was buffet style and tasty with a decent variety. I did get an upset stomach but neither my two family members nor David did so go figure. Wild Adventures provided ample water during the game drives and the lodgings put a 500 ml bottle for each guest in the room, which we used to brush our teeth as tap is not completely potable. One of the sentrim properties only had electricity available from 5-7 am and 6-10 pm so overnight charging wasn’t available. When the electricity shuts off at 10 pm don't forget to put the light switch into the off position or at 5 am the lights will come back on when the electricity returns. Not all sentrim properties had outlets compatible with US plugs so we still needed our adapters sometimes. All the lodgings had hot showers and flushing toilets. We highly recommend using Explorers wild Adventures as they are a professionally run operation geared to high client satisfaction.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Wolff857

Oct 11, 2024

Thank you Bernard and Johann for this great travel experience! - Our Safari with Explorers Wild Adventures was a unique experience. The coordination in the planning was excellent, Johann suggested a great tour for us and specifically addressed our plans by organizing a train ticket to Mombasa with shuttle to our beach hotel afterwards. Even before departure, we were able to make sure once again that we had made a good choice: at the counter I noticed that I had forgotten the application of the eTA. What normally takes up to 3 days was accelerated to 1.5 hours by Johann and his Visa team with good contacts, so we could still make our flight – thanks again for that! Arriving at Nairobi airport, Bernard welcomed us, who accompanied us for the 6 day tour of the Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli Park. Already on the drive through the interior he told us a lot about life and culture in Kenya and we got along brilliantly. He has often demonstrated his skiing abilities on the slopes and his friendly nature and good networking with locals and other skiers has always allowed him to offer us the best experiences. The entire wildlife: Lions and elephants passing directly by the van, rhinos, hippos etc. but also the impressive flora, Bernard always knew the answers to our questions through his many years of experience. We also enjoyed the selection of lodges. We would like to highlight the “Mara Empiris” which gave us a very family welcome and convinced us with typical food. With the Masai Moniku who works there, we visited the Masai village and got an idea of the traditional life there. In short, we couldn’t have asked for a better guide than Bernard, who has grown close to our hearts with his always friendly and open nature and we couldn’t have imagined a better company than Explorers Wild Adventures, who fulfilled all our wishes with his team.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Ky_n

Aug 27, 2024

Excellent safari experience, highly recommend! - I had a wonderful time with this your group, they were very well organised and made sure everyone was safe. We were sure to see all the big 5 and also the ugly 5, the driver Moses was a consummate pro! The accommodation was great given how much it cost and all the food was included. I also want to point out when I paid the park fees, I accidentally overpaid by $100. A simple email to the group and they were more then happy to drive to my hotel and return the extra amount! Very happy and highly recommend!!

Review provided by Viator

425mariavirginias

Aug 10, 2024

Family’s trip - First time in Kenya. We had an amazing trip. Our guide James was nice and always open to our questions and requests. We spent a beautiful time in family. Our kids loved all the experience. We could see all the animals we expected.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Patrick_p

Jul 22, 2024

We had an amazing trip!... - We had an amazing trip! The accomodations were fine, especially for the cost, as was the food. We had marvellous game drives and saw the "big five" in just one day in Masai Mara. The other national parks were incredible as well, as was the boat tour on Lake Naivasha. Our great tour guide Jackson spotted a lot of animals for us, told us interesting stories about the animals and drove us fast and safely to wherever we needed to go. All in all a wonderful experience, that we can recommend for everyone!

Review provided by Viator

Minna_k

Jul 8, 2024

Who said kids cannot enjoy a safari? :) - Our daughter, 1.5years old , came with us in this amazing adventure. She had so much fun with the giraffes, elephants, zebras, the lions, etc... everything was very safe, including the optional boat ride for seeing hippos. Our adventure had many highlights, but one of them was definitely our guide . Mr Jeoffrey was super kind with our baby and with our needs. We have stopped to get diapers almond the way and we were also given family accomodation in all Locations. There was always enough of sleep and enough of adventure. We definitely recommend this tour. For us with a little child 6 days of adventure are enough. In addition to this experience, we have also spent 1 day in Nairobi (national park, giraffes, baby elephants) and additional 5 days in Mombasa. The train connection was very easy and comfortable. Overall the the habitants of Kenya are some of the most friendly people out there. Definitely a must in the journey for discoverimg Africa!

Review provided by Viator

Ursula

Oct 28, 2024

Cost of the trip - We haven't made the journey yet, but even before that we felt betrayed. First, advertising is done with a fairly low price. 6 days safari for about 800€ per person. But as soon as we have booked and paid for the trip, an email arrives saying that the entrances to the parks are not yet included in the booking and we still have to pay over $500 per person on the spot. This little thing was never mentioned in advance. Now we just hope the trip is better than the start.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

From $395

Check Availability

From $395

Select Date and Tickets

up to 8 guests

2 Adult