This 7 Days Kenya Safari combines Kenya’s culture, dramatic landscapes, and fascinating wildlife.
After a night in the busy capital, a private tour driver guide will whisk you to the waters of lakes Naivasha and Nakuru, before taking in classic Africa safari experience in the Masai Mara National Reserve, filled with spectacular landscapes and iconic African wild animals.
Meet Maasai people and learn about their culture during a traditional village visit.
With cultural encounters and wonderful wildlife right on your doorstep, it is easy to fall in love with this captivating corner of the world.
Highlights
- Marvel at the spectacular views as you drive along the Great Rift Valley escarpment, before an exclusive visit to Elsamere Conservation Centre to learn the story of Elsa and the conservation trust over high tea.
- Take a boat cruise on the sparkling waters of Lake Naivasha – the highest lake in the Great Rift Valley at 1884m – keeping an eye out for thirsty hippos and an array of dazzling birdlife.
- Visit a local Maasai community known for championing Maasai women’s health and education. Here you’ll be welcomed by traditional Maasai warrior song and dance and learn about this remarkable and ancient culture.
- Explore the heart of Lake Nakuru National Park and look out for endangered black and white rhino on morning and afternoon 4×4 game drives.
- Search for lions and cheetahs prowling the park on several 4×4 game drives, and enjoy sunset drinks within Masai Mara Game Reserve.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive In Nairobi
Welcome to the capital of Kenya! If you have a window seat on the flight, you will likely see Nairobi National Park before touching down on the runway. One of the many aspects of what makes this city unique is the closeness of its 117.21 km2 (45.26 sq. mi) park. This is not a zoo, but rather a large protected are where many of Africa’s wild animal species roam happily and free.
Upon landing at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), you will be picked up by a private driver and transferred to your hotel. Nairobi is the largest city of Kenya, with over 6 million residents, and it was founded in the late 19th century by colonial authorities in British East Africa as a rail depot on the Uganda Railway. The name Nairobi originated from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nairobi (cold water), referring to the Nairobi River, which flows through the city.
The rest of the day is free time to explore any way you would like. You might want to rest after the journey or visit artistic and cultural displays at Nairobi Gallery or lounging by the pool.
Accommodation
Luxury: Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi/Giraffe Manor/Panafric Nairobi
Midrange: Tamarind Tree Hotel/Crowne Plaza Nairobi
Meals
- Dinner
Included activities
- Complimentary Airport Arrival Transfer
- Nairobi – Welcome Dinner
Add on activities
- Nairobi – City Tour
Special information
An airport arrival transfer is included but this transfer is only valid if arriving on day one or if you have booked pre-trip accommodation through Tulambule. Please provide your flight details at the time of booking, or at a minimum 15 days prior to travel.
Day 2: Lake Naivasha – Lake Nakuru
After an early breakfast, your tour drive will take you to East African Great Rift Valley. Your first stop will be at the Eden Project.
Eden Reforestation Projects is an NGO (nonprofit) that works in developing countries to restore natural landscapes destroyed by deforestation. Eden works directly with local communities experiencing extreme poverty resulting from the deforestation and destruction of the land that sustains them.
You will spend an hour here and learn how they work alongside the local community to produce, plant, and protect tens of millions of trees every month, creating jobs to support them in restoring their local environment and economy long-term.
Then continue your drive to Elsamere, the former home of the writer Joy Adamson, whose 1960 book ‘Born Free’ helped bring wildlife conservation into the mainstream.
Elsamere house is a veritable museum dedicated to the works of George and Joy Adamson, with many photos of Elsa, the lioness that started it all. Enjoy on a boat cruise on Lake Naivasha, the highest of all lakes in the Great Rift Valley and home to many a hippopotamus.
Later, enjoy a high tea lunch on the very grounds Joy cherished for so many years, with the lake as a serene backdrop. After lunch, you continue to your lodge at Lake Nakuru National Park, arriving in the early evening. From your lodge you will enjoy remarkable views of Lake Nakuru, alive with the call of birds and rich in wildlife.
Accommodation
Luxury: The Cliff/Sarova Woodlands
Midrange: Lake Nakuru Lodge/Flamingo Hill Camp/Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge
Meals
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Included activities
- Lake Naivasha – Boat trip
- Lake Naivasha – Elsamere Conservation Centre
- Kiambu Tigoni – Eden Reforestation Project
Special information
- Today’s total driving time is around 4 hours.
Day 3: Lake Nakuru National Park
This morning you will tour Lake Nakuru National Park on a game drive – the park’s lake is its stunning centrepiece. Mornings can be cold here so you need to bring warm clothes.
You might see why this great soda lake has been described as the world’s greatest ornithological spectacle; great flocks of flamingos often turn the landscape a sweeping shade of pink. Flooding in recent years has unfortunately caused a decline in the park’s birdlife. However Nakuru boasts substantial numbers of other wildlife species, including waterbuck, reedbuck, gazelle and the rare Rothschild’s giraffe.
Leopards also reside here, and the chances of sighting one are high. Return to the lodge and take some time out for lunch, then head back out for another afternoon game drive. Keep your eyes peeled for white rhinoceros as well as one of Africa’s most endangered creatures, the elusive black rhinoceros. Although white rhino sightings are fairly common, spotting a black rhinoceros is a real treat.
Accommodation
Luxury: The Cliff/Sarova Woodlands
Midrange: Lake Nakuru Lodge/Flamingo Hill Camp/Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge
Meals
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Included activities
- Lake Nakuru – Afternoon 4×4 Game Drive
- Lake Nakuru – Morning 4×4 Game Drive
Day 4: Visit Masai Mara
After breakfast, drive southwest to the Masai Mara National Reserve, one of the best wildlife game reserves on African continent. Cross the Great Rift Valley of East Africa.
Pass by the remote Loita Hills region which is home to the Maasai people. This is one of little area where they still practice their traditional way of life with little influence from the western world.
Have a stopover at Tepesua Village. Here youwill be welcomed by Maasai Warriors through traditional song and dance. Meet your Maasai guide, take a walk to the community village and enjoy a captivating talk full of insights into this ancient culture.
Tepesua Village offers support, safety and economic growth through the Tepesua Widows Income Project, where widowed women sew eco-friendly handicrafts to sell to visitors and locals.
Learn about village life and be shown around a traditional Maasai home and cattle enclosure. Move on to your lodge or camp in Masai Mara National Reserve where you will stay for the next three nights. Watch blazing sunsets and you can share stories over the bonfire.
Accommodation
Luxury: Mara Serena Lodge/Ashnil Mara Camp/Mara Leisure Camp
Midrange: Mara Sopa Lodge/Jambo Mara Lodge/Basecamp Masai Mara
Meals
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Included activities
- Loita Hills – Cultural talk and village visit
Special information
- Today’s total driving time is approximately 7 hours.
Day 5: Masai Mara National Reserve
Explore more of the national reserve by 4×4 vehicle today with further game drives from morning to the afternoon. Have your packed lunch and depart for an early morning game drive. You will explore the furthest part of the game reserve.
Witness the wonderful variety of wildlife that inhabits the area. Zebra, wildebeest and gazelle are plentiful. You might even spot predators keeping a casual eye on their movements. Giraffes, elephants and elands are also frequently sighted, along with plenty of bird life.
The place is known for its riverine woodlands and rolling green plain, and amongst the many species of game, black-maned lions, leopards or cheetahs might appear, with some luck.
As the sun starts to set, stop and take a moment to soak it all in with a drink in hand – there is few better ways to wrap up a day of wildlife watching in one of the world’s most magical wildlife areas. As dusk falls, a variety of animals might be visible in the vicinity of your camp or lodge also.
Return to lodge late in the evening and freshen up before settling in for dinner.
Accommodation
Luxury: Mara Serena Lodge/Ashnil Mara Camp/Mara Leisure Camp
Midrange: Mara Sopa Lodge/Jambo Mara Lodge/Basecamp Masai Mara
Meals
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Included activities
- Masai Mara – Sundowner and snacks
- Masai Mara – Full Day 4×4 Game Drive
Day 6: Masai Mara National Reserve
Today’s morning is yours to do as you wish.
You might choose sit back with a delicious cup of coffee on your private deck, keeping an eye out for animals in the reserve. Or forgo a sleep-in in favour of an early morning game drive or a guided walking safari.
If you would like to see the Mara from a different viewpoint, a hot air balloon safari at sunrise is a truly unforgettable experience. You can book a balloon ride in advance or on the ground (subject to availability). And the suppliers are committed conservationists. Part of the profits from every flight goes straight to worthy conservation projects within the reserve.
You will be picked before sunrise and float through the sunrise, sometimes at tree height, making the most of the marvelous photo opportunities.
Sometimes you’ll ascend to get an overview of the vastness of the Mara plains and the early-morning movements of the teeming mammal herds. In the afternoon, you’ll go another exciting game drive in the reserve.
Accommodation
Luxury: Mara Serena Lodge/Ashnil Mara Camp/Mara Leisure Camp
Midrange: Mara Sopa Lodge/Jambo Mara Lodge/Basecamp Masai Mara
Meals
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Included activities
- Masai Mara – Afternoon 4×4 Game Drive
Add on activities
- Masai Mara National Reserve – Balloon ride
- Masai Mara – Half Day Game Drive
- Masai Mara National Reserve – Guided Walking safari
Special information
The balloon safari is offered as a pre-booked service which will guarantee you a place. If you would rather wait and try to get a better price by booking this locally on the ground, you are welcome to, but keep in mind that this is a popular activity and places are limited.
Day 7: Drive Back Nairobi
Today, you leave Masai Mara and return to Nairobi. You can expect to arrive in the late afternoon, at which point your adventure will come to an end.
Please do not book any international flights departing from Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport before 8pm this evening to allow for any unexpected delays. If you would like to extend your stay in Nairobi city, additional accommodation can be booked in advance.
Meals
- Breakfast
Special information
The total driving time today is around 6 hours. To reduce your travel time back to Nairobi, you may choose to take a morning flight from Masai Mara to Nairobi. This will give you the chance to catch a late afternoon international flight out of the city.
Please note that the flight from Masai Mara arrives at Wilson Airport (Nairobi). International flights leave from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
If staying on in Nairobi, you may require a transfer from Wilson Airport back to your Nairobi hotel. We are able to book the flight and also the transfer to our Nairobi hotel (additional costs involved).
End Of 7 Days Kenya Safari
Inclusions
- Meals:6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 6 dinners
- Transport: 4×4 Safari Vehicles, Boat, Private Vehicle
- Accommodation: Hotel, Lodges, and tented camp
- Arrival airport transfer
- Luggage transfer
- Daily breakfast and signature local meal experiences
- 24/7 on-ground support
- Lake Naivasha – Boat trip
- Lake Naivasha – Elsamere Conservation Centre
- Kiambu Tigoni – Eden Reforestation Project
- Lake Nakuru – Afternoon 4×4 Game Drive
- Lake Nakuru – Morning 4×4 Game Drive
- Loita Hills – Cultural talk and village visit
- Masai Mara – Sundowner and snacks
- Masai Mara – Full Day 4×4 Game Drive
- Masai Mara – Afternoon 4×4 Game Drive
Exclusions
- Optional/add on activities
- You’re Kenya Visa
- Tips
- Laundry services
- Other Beverages/ drinks
- International flights
- Extra meals not mentioned in the program
- Inoculations and personal insurance
- Items of personal nature such as telephone, postage, laundry, etc.
