.jpg)
.jpg)
Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Volcanoes National Park
Tour Highlights
What makes this trip special
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Your trip, day by day
Nairobi Arrival & Safari Briefing
Jambo! Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, you will be warmly greeted by your professional driver-guide who will be with you for the entire 9-day journey. After assisting with your luggage, your guide will transfer you to your Nairobi hotel — a relaxing oasis in the heart of Kenya’s vibrant capital. Morning: Jambo! Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, you will be warmly greeted by your professional driver-guide who will be with you for the entire 9-day journey. After assisting with your luggage, your guide will transfer you to your Nairobi hotel — a relaxing oasis in the heart of Kenya’s vibrant capital. Afternoon: The afternoon is yours to refresh after your flight. In the early evening, your guide will deliver a comprehensive safari briefing covering the days ahead, park regulations, wildlife expectations, and photography tips. You will enjoy a welcome dinner at the hotel featuring Kenyan cuisine before an early night’s rest in preparation for your adventure. Evening: During your briefing, your guide will review the detailed route map, discuss the unique ecosystems of each park you will visit, and answer any questions about what to expect. You will receive a safari welcome kit including a pair of binoculars, a wildlife checklist booklet, and a reusable water bottle. Take this evening to rest and acclimatise — your epic Kenya safari adventure begins at sunrise tomorrow.
Nairobi to Tsavo West National Park
After an early breakfast, depart Nairobi and drive south-east through the Kapiti Plains towards Tsavo West National Park, one of Kenya’s largest and most diverse wilderness areas. The journey takes approximately 4 hours with a scenic stop at the viewpoint overlooking the vast Tsavo ecosystem. Upon arrival, check in to your lodge and enjoy lunch before embarking on your first afternoon game drive. Morning: depart Nairobi and drive south-east through the Kapiti Plains towards Tsavo West National Park, one of Kenya’s largest and most diverse wilderness areas. The journey takes approximately 4 hours with a scenic stop at the viewpoint overlooking the vast Tsavo ecosystem. Upon arrival, check in to your lodge and enjoy lunch before embarking on your first afternoon game drive. Afternoon: Tsavo West is famous for its dramatic landscapes, volcanic hills, lava flows, and the life-giving waters of Mzima Springs where crystal-clear springs feed a series of pools inhabited by hippos, crocodiles, and fish. The park is renowned for its large tusker elephants, lions, leopards, buffalo, and over 600 bird species. Your afternoon game drive explores the most productive wildlife areas around the Ngulia Hills and Mzima Springs, setting the stage for the extraordinary wildlife encounters to come. Evening: At Mzima Springs, you will have the rare opportunity to descend into an underwater viewing chamber where you can watch hippos and crocodiles glide through the crystal-clear spring water from below the surface — a truly unique perspective on African wildlife. As the afternoon light softens, your guide will navigate towards a scenic sundowner spot where you can toast your first day on safari as the African sun sets over the Tsavo wilderness, painting the sky in brilliant shades of orange and crimson.
Tsavo West to Amboseli National Park
After breakfast, depart Tsavo West and drive south through the Chyulu Hills region into Amboseli National Park, arriving by mid-morning. The drive offers spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro — Africa’s highest peak — dominating the southern horizon. You will check in to your lodge and enjoy lunch before heading out for an afternoon game drive in what is widely considered the best park in Africa for elephant viewing. Morning: depart Tsavo West and drive south through the Chyulu Hills region into Amboseli National Park, arriving by mid-morning. The drive offers spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro — Africa’s highest peak — dominating the southern horizon. You will check in to your lodge and enjoy lunch before heading out for an afternoon game drive in what is widely considered the best park in Africa for elephant viewing. Afternoon: Amboseli’s ecosystem supports over 1,500 elephants, including some of the largest tuskers remaining on the continent. The park’s dried lake bed, seasonal swamps, and acacia woodlands attract huge herds of elephants, zebras, wildebeests, giraffes, and their predators. With Kilimanjaro providing an unforgettable backdrop, this is one of the most photographed wildlife settings in the world. Evening game drives capture the golden light as elephants gather at the swamps — an iconic African moment. Evening: Beyond elephants, Amboseli offers exceptional predator sightings including lions that have adapted to the swamp environment, cheetahs hunting on the open plains, and occasionally leopards in the acacia woodlands. The park is also a birdwatcher’s paradise with over 420 species including ostriches, secretary birds, pelicans, and the striking lilac-breasted roller. As the sun sets behind Kilimanjaro, you will understand why Amboseli is considered one of the most magical places on Earth for wildlife photography.
Amboseli to Lake Naivasha via Nairobi
Following breakfast and a final morning game drive in Amboseli, you will depart northwards, driving through Nairobi into the magnificent Great Rift Valley. The descent into the Rift Valley escarpment offers breathtaking panoramic views of the valley floor, volcanic cones, and the shimmering lakes far below. Lunch will be enjoyed en route at a scenic viewpoint restaurant before arriving at Lake Naivasha in the early afternoon. Morning: a final morning game drive in Amboseli, you will depart northwards, driving through Nairobi into the magnificent Great Rift Valley. The descent into the Rift Valley escarpment offers breathtaking panoramic views of the valley floor, volcanic cones, and the shimmering lakes far below. Lunch will be enjoyed en route at a scenic viewpoint restaurant before arriving at Lake Naivasha in the early afternoon. Afternoon: Lake Naivasha is a freshwater jewel of the Rift Valley, surrounded by papyrus swamps and acacia woodlands. You will enjoy an afternoon boat cruise on the lake, getting up close to pods of hippos, fish eagles, cormorants, and herons. A visit to Crescent Island — a wildlife sanctuary where you can walk among zebras, giraffes, and waterbucks — is also included. The lake’s serene atmosphere and abundant birdlife provide a perfect contrast to the big-game parks of your journey. Evening: After your boat cruise, you will have free time to explore the lodge’s beautiful gardens overlooking the lake, take a dip in the swimming pool, or enjoy a guided nature walk along the lake shore. Dinner at the lodge features fresh ingredients grown in the Rift Valley region, including locally caught tilapia from the lake. As night falls, the sounds of hippos grunting and the distant whoop of hyenas remind you that you are surrounded by Africa’s wild heartbeat.
Lake Naivasha to Lake Nakuru National Park
After breakfast, enjoy a short scenic drive north through the Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru National Park, approximately 1.5 hours away. Lake Nakuru is famous worldwide for its thousands of flamingos that paint the lake shore in brilliant pink. The park is also a designated rhino sanctuary, home to both black and white rhinoceros populations protected within its boundaries. Morning: enjoy a short scenic drive north through the Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru National Park, approximately 1.5 hours away. Lake Nakuru is famous worldwide for its thousands of flamingos that paint the lake shore in brilliant pink. The park is also a designated rhino sanctuary, home to both black and white rhinoceros populations protected within its boundaries. Afternoon: Your afternoon game drive explores the lake shore, the acacia forests, and the euphorbia-clad cliffs that surround this remarkable soda lake. Beyond flamingos, Lake Nakuru offers excellent predator sightings including lions, leopards, and hyenas. Rothschild giraffes, waterbucks, baboons, and vervet monkeys are commonly seen. The birdlife is extraordinary with over 450 species recorded. As the sun sets over the lake, the pink horizon of feeding flamingos creates an unforgettable African tableau. Evening: A highlight of your visit to Lake Nakuru is the guided rhino tracking experience. The park’s enclosed sanctuary protects both black and white rhinoceros, and your guide will work with local rangers to locate these magnificent prehistoric creatures in their natural habitat. You will also have the opportunity to visit the Baboon Cliff viewpoint, offering a panoramic vista of the entire lake and its surrounding escarpments — the perfect spot for photographs before returning to your lodge for a well-earned dinner.
Lake Nakuru to Masai Mara National Reserve
Today is a highlight day as you travel from Lake Nakuru south-west through the dramatic Rift Valley landscapes to the world-famous Masai Mara National Reserve. The 5-hour drive takes you through scenic Maasai countryside, past traditional manyattas and vast open plains. You will arrive at your Mara lodge in time for lunch, with the afternoon dedicated to your first game drive in this legendary wilderness. Morning: Today is a highlight day as you travel from Lake Nakuru south-west through the dramatic Rift Valley landscapes to the world-famous Masai Mara National Reserve. The 5-hour drive takes you through scenic Maasai countryside, past traditional manyattas and vast open plains. You will arrive at your Mara lodge in time for lunch, with the afternoon dedicated to your first game drive in this legendary wilderness. Afternoon: The Masai Mara is the crown jewel of Kenya’s wildlife destinations, an ecosystem of over 1,500 square kilometres of rolling savannah, riverine forests, and acacia-dotted plains. It hosts the highest concentration of large predators on Earth including the iconic Marsh Pride of lions, cheetahs, leopards, and spotted hyenas. Your afternoon game drive introduces you to the Mara’s extraordinary biodiversity: vast herds of zebras, wildebeests, topis, impalas, Thomson’s gazelles, and elephants moving across the golden grasslands as the sun sinks towards the horizon. Evening: Your journey to the Mara takes you through the dramatic Great Rift Valley escarpment, with stops at the spectacular viewpoints overlooking the Maasai plains. Along the way, you may spot Maasai warriors tending their cattle herds in traditional red shuka clothing — a living cultural heritage that has coexisted with the region’s wildlife for centuries. After settling into your Mara lodge, the afternoon game drive will focus on the areas around the Mara River, where the resident hippo and crocodile populations are most concentrated and where predator activity is typically highest during the late afternoon hours.
Full-Day Masai Mara Game Drive
A spectacular full day awaits as you depart at sunrise for a complete exploration of the Masai Mara. Your guide will navigate towards the most productive game-viewing areas based on recent sightings, seasonal wildlife movements, and predator activity. The early morning light is perfect for photography, and this is when predators are most active after a night of hunting. Morning: A spectacular full day awaits as you depart at sunrise for a complete exploration of the Masai Mara. Your guide will navigate towards the most productive game-viewing areas based on recent sightings, seasonal wildlife movements, and predator activity. The early morning light is perfect for photography, and this is when predators are most active after a night of hunting. Afternoon: You will enjoy a picnic breakfast and lunch in the bush at a scenic location, perhaps overlooking the Mara River where hippos grunt and crocodiles bask on the sandbanks. During the migration season (July to October), you may witness the dramatic river crossings of wildebeest and zebras as they brave crocodile-infested waters. The afternoon continues with game drives in different sectors of the reserve before returning to the lodge as the sun paints the sky in fiery shades of orange and red. Optional hot air balloon safari is available this morning at an additional cost. Evening: For those who choose the hot air balloon experience, your day begins before dawn as you are driven to the launch site. Watching the sunrise over the Mara from a balloon basket, with the silhouettes of wildlife moving across the plains far below and the African sky igniting in brilliant colours, is an experience that defies description. After floating silently over the savannah for approximately one hour, you will land to a champagne bush breakfast served by the balloon crew in the middle of the wilderness — complete with tables, linens, and silver service. This is truly the most iconic morning of any Kenya safari.
Masai Mara Morning & Afternoon Game Drives
Your final full day in the Mara begins with an early morning game drive at dawn — the golden hour when the savannah comes alive. Your guide will take you to explore less-visited areas of the reserve, tracking resident prides of lions, searching for elusive leopards in the riverine forests along the Talek and Mara Rivers, and marvelling at cheetahs cruising the open plains in search of prey. Morning: Your final full day in the Mara begins with an early morning game drive at dawn — the golden hour when the savannah comes alive. Your guide will take you to explore less-visited areas of the reserve, tracking resident prides of lions, searching for elusive leopards in the riverine forests along the Talek and Mara Rivers, and marvelling at cheetahs cruising the open plains in search of prey. Afternoon: After a leisurely brunch back at the lodge, the afternoon game drive focuses on specific wildlife targets. You may visit a Maasai village (optional) to experience the vibrant culture of the Maasai people, including traditional dancing, beadwork demonstrations, and a visit to a manyatta (traditional homestead). As this is your last night, a farewell dinner will be prepared at the lodge, where you can share stories and photographs with your guide and fellow travellers. Evening: The farewell dinner is a special affair featuring a bush dinner setup on the lodge terrace under the stars, with the sounds of the African night providing a natural soundtrack. Your guide will present you with a complimentary safari photograph album as a memento of your journey. After dinner, gather around the campfire to reflect on the incredible experiences of the past eight days — the lions you watched hunting, the elephants you photographed, the flamingos that turned the lake pink, and the friendships forged in the wilderness. The night sky over the Mara, unpolluted by artificial light, offers a breathtaking canopy of stars to cap your final evening in the bush.
Final Game Drive & Return to Nairobi
Rise early for one final spectacular sunrise game drive in the Masai Mara. This farewell drive is often the most memorable, as the morning light floods the savannah and wildlife is at its most active. Your guide will make every effort to locate any remaining species on your wish list, ensuring a satisfying conclusion to your safari adventure. Morning: Rise early for one final spectacular sunrise game drive in the Masai Mara. This farewell drive is often the most memorable, as the morning light floods the savannah and wildlife is at its most active. Your guide will make every effort to locate any remaining species on your wish list, ensuring a satisfying conclusion to your safari adventure. Afternoon: Return to the lodge for a farewell breakfast, then begin the journey back to Nairobi (approximately 5-6 hours drive) with a lunch stop en route. You will arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in the late afternoon, in time for your evening departure flight. As you board your plane, you carry with you the unforgettable memories of Kenya’s magnificent wildlife, landscapes, and the warm hospitality that defines this extraordinary country. Evening: During the drive back to Nairobi, you will have time to reflect on the incredible diversity of your journey — from the red elephants of Tsavo West and the Kilimanjaro-framed herds of Amboseli to the hippo-filled waters of Lake Naivasha, the flamingo-covered shores of Lake Nakuru, and the predator-rich plains of the Masai Mara. Your guide will ensure you arrive at the airport with plenty of time for check-in, and will assist you with your luggage before bidding you farewell. As you depart Kenya, the memories of this luxury spectacle safari will remain etched in your heart forever, calling you back to Africa’s majestic wilderness.
What's Included & Excluded
Know exactly what your package covers
Included
- All national park entrance fees
- 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof for game viewing
- Professional English-speaking driver-guide
- Full board accommodation at camps/lodges
- Game drives per the itinerary
- Bottled drinking water in the vehicle
- Airport transfers
Not Included
- International flights
- Tanzania visa
- Travel insurance
- Tips for driver-guide and camp/lodge staff
- Alcoholic beverages
- Optional activities (hot air balloon, cultural visits) unless stated
- Personal expenses
Best Time to Travel
Wildlife viewing is good year-round. The dry season (June-October) concentrates animals around water sources for easier sightings, and the Great Migration's river crossings peak July-October. Calving season in the southern Serengeti runs December-March.
Tented camps and lodges
Full board (breakfast, lunch, dinner) at camps/lodges
What to Pack
Suggested gear for this trip
You Might Also Like
Similar tours our guests love
Get a Free Quote
Tell us about your trip and we'll get back to you within 24 hours — or message us on WhatsApp for a faster reply.