Everything about this journey
Move between the trip overview, day-by-day plan and what is or is not included in your safari price.
About this journey
Travel style
- Road Safari
Transport and guiding
Private 4x4 road safari from Nairobi.
Your safari itinerary
A clear daily flow so you know how the journey unfolds from departure to the final experience.
Nairobi to Masai Mara – afternoon game drive
Masai Mara National Reserve
Drive to the Masai Mara via the Rift Valley and Narok. Enter after lunch and begin an afternoon game drive for lion, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest and other plains species.
Your detailed programme begins with a guide briefing covering the day's route, expected travel time, activity conditions and any park or conservation-area procedures. Keep cameras, binoculars, sun protection and a light layer accessible rather than packed away, because useful sightings or scenic stops can begin before the main destination is reached.
The Masai Mara is one of Kenya's richest big-game landscapes, with open grassland, drainage lines, riverine woodland and rolling plains supporting lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, buffalo, giraffe and large herds of grazers. From roughly the middle of the year into the northern dry season, parts of the wider ecosystem may also hold migrating wildebeest and zebra, but herd positions and river crossings are natural events and cannot be guaranteed. A productive Mara day is deliberately flexible: the guide may stay longer with significant behaviour, move between habitats, or adjust the route when fresh predator activity is reported.
This is also a transfer day, so the itinerary avoids pretending that road travel is empty time. Departure is planned early enough to protect the useful safari or activity window, while comfort stops are taken as needed. Drive times in Kenya vary with traffic, weather, road works, park entry procedures and wildlife stops. If arrival is earlier than expected, the guide can use the remaining light for an introductory activity; if conditions cause delay, the programme protects safety and avoids rushing after dark.
By the end of the activity, the guide will recap the main sightings and experiences and confirm the next day's departure plan where applicable. Exact wildlife sightings, mountain views, migration activity, road conditions and activity access remain subject to nature and local regulations, which is why the itinerary is detailed but intentionally not presented as a guarantee of specific encounters.
Full-day Masai Mara wildlife safari
Masai Mara National Reserve
Spend the day across the Mara with a flexible picnic or split-drive schedule. Explore predator territories, riverine habitat and open savannah, with migration-focused routing in season.
After the morning briefing, your guide reviews current conditions and adjusts the day's route where necessary. The aim is to preserve the core itinerary while using local knowledge, recent sightings and realistic transfer times to make the day more rewarding.
The Masai Mara is one of Kenya's richest big-game landscapes, with open grassland, drainage lines, riverine woodland and rolling plains supporting lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, buffalo, giraffe and large herds of grazers. From roughly the middle of the year into the northern dry season, parts of the wider ecosystem may also hold migrating wildebeest and zebra, but herd positions and river crossings are natural events and cannot be guaranteed. A productive Mara day is deliberately flexible: the guide may stay longer with significant behaviour, move between habitats, or adjust the route when fresh predator activity is reported.
A full day gives the guide freedom to work with wildlife and conditions rather than a fixed return deadline. Expect an early start, a slower midday period or picnic arrangement where appropriate, and renewed activity later in the afternoon. Time can be spent at a rewarding sighting instead of leaving simply to keep a timetable. Routes are varied to avoid repeating the same habitat and to increase the range of landscapes, species and photographic opportunities seen during the day.
By the end of the activity, the guide will recap the main sightings and experiences and confirm the next day's departure plan where applicable. Exact wildlife sightings, mountain views, migration activity, road conditions and activity access remain subject to nature and local regulations, which is why the itinerary is detailed but intentionally not presented as a guarantee of specific encounters.
Masai Mara to Lake Nakuru – rhino and lake country
Lake Nakuru National Park
Take a final dawn drive, then travel to Lake Nakuru for an afternoon game drive. Search for black and white rhino, Rothschild’s giraffe, buffalo and lakeshore birdlife.
After the morning briefing, your guide reviews current conditions and adjusts the day's route where necessary. The aim is to preserve the core itinerary while using local knowledge, recent sightings and realistic transfer times to make the day more rewarding.
Lake Nakuru is a compact Rift Valley park where lake-edge habitat, woodland, grassland and rocky slopes can be explored within a relatively small area. It is particularly important for rhino conservation and also supports Rothschild's giraffe, buffalo, zebra, antelope, predators and diverse birdlife. Flamingo numbers vary with water chemistry, lake levels and feeding conditions, so the park should not be sold as a guaranteed flamingo spectacle. Its compact scale makes it well suited to focused morning or afternoon drives and to combination routes with the Mara, Naivasha or Laikipia.
This is also a transfer day, so the itinerary avoids pretending that road travel is empty time. Departure is planned early enough to protect the useful safari or activity window, while comfort stops are taken as needed. Drive times in Kenya vary with traffic, weather, road works, park entry procedures and wildlife stops. If arrival is earlier than expected, the guide can use the remaining light for an introductory activity; if conditions cause delay, the programme protects safety and avoids rushing after dark.
By the end of the activity, the guide will recap the main sightings and experiences and confirm the next day's departure plan where applicable. Exact wildlife sightings, mountain views, migration activity, road conditions and activity access remain subject to nature and local regulations, which is why the itinerary is detailed but intentionally not presented as a guarantee of specific encounters.
Lake Nakuru to Amboseli – cross-country transfer
Amboseli National Park
Start with a short Nakuru drive, then travel south via Nairobi/Athi River toward Amboseli. Arrive late afternoon for a short introductory drive if time permits, or settle in for the next morning’s main safari.
After the morning briefing, your guide reviews current conditions and adjusts the day's route where necessary. The aim is to preserve the core itinerary while using local knowledge, recent sightings and realistic transfer times to make the day more rewarding.
Amboseli is famous for its elephants, open plains and permanent wetland systems fed by underground water from the Kilimanjaro catchment. The combination of dry ground and green marshes creates strong wildlife concentrations and excellent birding. Clear views of Mount Kilimanjaro are weather-dependent, often best in the cooler early morning or late afternoon, so the guide uses the light rather than promising a mountain view at a fixed hour. Lion, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, hyena and numerous antelope may be encountered, but the park's elephant behaviour and landscape are usually the defining experience.
This is also a transfer day, so the itinerary avoids pretending that road travel is empty time. Departure is planned early enough to protect the useful safari or activity window, while comfort stops are taken as needed. Drive times in Kenya vary with traffic, weather, road works, park entry procedures and wildlife stops. If arrival is earlier than expected, the guide can use the remaining light for an introductory activity; if conditions cause delay, the programme protects safety and avoids rushing after dark.
By the end of the activity, the guide will recap the main sightings and experiences and confirm the next day's departure plan where applicable. Exact wildlife sightings, mountain views, migration activity, road conditions and activity access remain subject to nature and local regulations, which is why the itinerary is detailed but intentionally not presented as a guarantee of specific encounters.
Full-day Amboseli elephants and Kilimanjaro
Amboseli National Park
Use dawn and late-afternoon drives with a midday break. Concentrate on elephants around the marshes, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, predators and birdlife, with landscape photography whenever Kilimanjaro is visible.
After the morning briefing, your guide reviews current conditions and adjusts the day's route where necessary. The aim is to preserve the core itinerary while using local knowledge, recent sightings and realistic transfer times to make the day more rewarding.
Amboseli is famous for its elephants, open plains and permanent wetland systems fed by underground water from the Kilimanjaro catchment. The combination of dry ground and green marshes creates strong wildlife concentrations and excellent birding. Clear views of Mount Kilimanjaro are weather-dependent, often best in the cooler early morning or late afternoon, so the guide uses the light rather than promising a mountain view at a fixed hour. Lion, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, hyena and numerous antelope may be encountered, but the park's elephant behaviour and landscape are usually the defining experience.
A full day gives the guide freedom to work with wildlife and conditions rather than a fixed return deadline. Expect an early start, a slower midday period or picnic arrangement where appropriate, and renewed activity later in the afternoon. Time can be spent at a rewarding sighting instead of leaving simply to keep a timetable. Routes are varied to avoid repeating the same habitat and to increase the range of landscapes, species and photographic opportunities seen during the day.
By the end of the activity, the guide will recap the main sightings and experiences and confirm the next day's departure plan where applicable. Exact wildlife sightings, mountain views, migration activity, road conditions and activity access remain subject to nature and local regulations, which is why the itinerary is detailed but intentionally not presented as a guarantee of specific encounters.
Amboseli sunrise and return to Nairobi
Amboseli National Park
Take a final dawn drive for elephants and mountain views, then exit after breakfast and drive back to Nairobi with lunch en route.
After the morning briefing, your guide reviews current conditions and adjusts the day's route where necessary. The aim is to preserve the core itinerary while using local knowledge, recent sightings and realistic transfer times to make the day more rewarding.
Amboseli is famous for its elephants, open plains and permanent wetland systems fed by underground water from the Kilimanjaro catchment. The combination of dry ground and green marshes creates strong wildlife concentrations and excellent birding. Clear views of Mount Kilimanjaro are weather-dependent, often best in the cooler early morning or late afternoon, so the guide uses the light rather than promising a mountain view at a fixed hour. Lion, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, hyena and numerous antelope may be encountered, but the park's elephant behaviour and landscape are usually the defining experience.
This is also a transfer day, so the itinerary avoids pretending that road travel is empty time. Departure is planned early enough to protect the useful safari or activity window, while comfort stops are taken as needed. Drive times in Kenya vary with traffic, weather, road works, park entry procedures and wildlife stops. If arrival is earlier than expected, the guide can use the remaining light for an introductory activity; if conditions cause delay, the programme protects safety and avoids rushing after dark.
By the end of the activity, the guide will recap the main sightings and experiences and confirm the next day's departure plan where applicable. Exact wildlife sightings, mountain views, migration activity, road conditions and activity access remain subject to nature and local regulations, which is why the itinerary is detailed but intentionally not presented as a guarantee of specific encounters.
What your package covers
These items are included in the quoted safari price unless your written quotation states otherwise.
- Professional English-speaking safari driver-guide.
- Transport in the vehicle type specified for the package, with game-viewing roof where applicable.
- All scheduled game drives, guided visits and activities stated in the itinerary.
- Applicable national park, national reserve or conservancy entry fees for the included programme.
- Accommodation during multi-day safari nights in the selected comfort category; specific properties are confirmed at quotation stage and are not fixed in this package description.
- Meals stated in the day-by-day itinerary.
- Bottled drinking water while travelling in the safari vehicle.
- Pick-up and drop-off at the stated Nairobi, Mombasa, Diani, Malindi or Watamu meeting point where applicable.
- Government taxes and service charges applicable to the included services at the time of quotation.
What to budget for separately
These items are normally outside the package price unless specifically added to your written quotation.
- International flights and any domestic flights not expressly stated as included.
- Kenya visa or electronic travel authorisation costs where applicable.
- Travel, medical, evacuation and cancellation insurance.
- Tips and gratuities for guides, drivers, porters and other service staff.
- Alcoholic drinks, premium beverages and personal purchases.
- Laundry, telephone charges, souvenirs and other personal expenses.
- Optional activities such as hot-air balloon safaris, night drives, spa treatments or additional community visits unless specifically stated as included.
- Pre-safari and post-safari accommodation or transfers not stated in the itinerary.
- Any new or increased statutory park, reserve, conservancy, marine or government charges introduced after a quotation has been confirmed, unless otherwise stated in the booking terms.
