4-Day Maasai Mara & Lake Nakuru Safari: Big Five & Flamingos

Lake Nakuru holds roughly 350 bird species, including masses of flamingos and both black and white rhinos.

A 4-day safari tour from Nairobi through Maasai Mara National Reserve and Lake Nakuru National Park, traveling by 4x4 vehicle with a professional English-speaking guide, accommodation at camp and hotel, and meals throughout. The route covers the Mara's plains and the Mara River where crocodiles and hippos gather, then moves to Lake Nakuru to see flamingos, rhinos and over 350 bird species. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Nairobi are included. You choose between a Jeep or Van for the journey.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Nairobi to Maasai Mara

• Pick up from Nairobi hotel at 7:00 am
• Drive along Great Rift Valley floor
• Stop at viewpoint
• Arrive Maasai Mara for lunch
• Evening game drive in Maasai Mara
• Dinner and overnight at camp

Day 2: Full Day Game Drive

• Breakfast at camp
• Full day game viewing
• Visit Mara River to watch wildlife
• Picnic lunch by the river
• Optional visit to Masai villages
• Dinner and overnight at camp

Day 3: Maasai Mara to Nakuru Park

• Early breakfast at camp
• Optional Masai village visit
• Depart to Lake Nakuru National Park
• Stop for lunch at restaurant
• Arrive Nakuru in evening
• Dinner and overnight at Buraha Zenoni Hotel

Day 4: Nakuru to Nairobi

• Early breakfast at hotel
• Morning game drive in Nakuru Park
• See flamingos and other birds
• Observe black and white rhinoceros
• Depart to Nairobi
• Stop for lunch en route
• Drop off at Nairobi hotel

The experience

The tour starts with a morning pickup from your Nairobi hotel around 7 am, then drives south along the Great Rift Valley floor with a viewpoint stop before reaching Maasai Mara in time for lunch. The Mara is Kenya's most celebrated game reserve, known for the great wildebeest migration that peaks in July and August each year. Your first evening includes a game drive through tree-studded grassland and rolling hills where lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants and plains game move through the reserve.

Day two is a full day in the Mara with a picnic lunch eaten at the Mara River, where you watch crocodiles, hippos and other animals in the water while spotting game on the banks. You have the option to visit a Masai village on this day if you choose. The third day moves you east to Lake Nakuru National Park, with a lunch stop on the way. You arrive in the evening at your hotel accommodation in Nakuru. The final morning focuses on the lake itself (flamingos, leopards, giraffes, Columbus monkeys and the black and white rhinos the park was established to protect) before the drive back to Nairobi with a lunch stop along the way.

The vehicle choice (Jeep or Van 4x4) is yours at checkout. Both are built for rough terrain and game viewing. A professional driver-guide leads the entire tour and speaks English. Accommodation runs between a camp during the Mara days and a hotel in Nakuru. All meals, a bottle of water each day, and transport between Nairobi and the parks are included in the price.

What’s included

• Professional English-speaking driver-guide for all four days.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Nairobi.
• accommodation at a camp during the Maasai Mara days and at a hotel in Nakuru.
• all meals throughout the tour.
• a bottle of water daily.
• and game drives in a 4x4 vehicle (Jeep or Van, your choice at checkout).

Options for this experience

2 options

By Van 4*4Guide in English · 07:00Van with pickup included

With 4*4 JeepGuide in English · 07:00 and 07:30Lodge jeep, pickup is included

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:00 and 07:30

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (14 and older) · Child (5 to 13 years) · Infant (1 to 4 years)

GroupUp to 100

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by VALLEY ROCKS TOURS

Is this one for you?Choose the Jeep if you prefer a smaller, more nimble vehicle for game viewing. Pick the Van if your group is larger or you want more space. Either way, the four-day span lets you spend a full day in the Mara's interior at the river, then move to Lake Nakuru's specific ecosystem of flamingos and rhinos: two distinct landscapes in one trip.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 13 years); Infant (1 to 4 years).

What is the Maasai Mara and when does the wildebeest migration happen?

Maasai Mara is Kenya's most celebrated game reserve, home to the Big Five and many other species. The great wildebeest migration, called the world's greatest wildlife spectacle, occurs mainly in July and August each year, when massive herds move across the plains.

Will I see rhinos and flamingos on this safari?

Lake Nakuru National Park, visited on days three and four, is home to both black and white rhinos and is known for great masses of flamingos. The Mara itself also contains numerous elephants and virtually every type of wildlife found in Kenya, though the lake is where you focus on the rhinos and birds.

What happens on the full day in Maasai Mara?

After breakfast you spend the entire day game viewing, including a visit to the Mara River where crocodiles, hippos and other animals concentrate. You eat a picnic lunch there while watching the wildlife. You also have the option to visit a Masai village if you want to.

Is a visit to a Masai village included in the price?

The tour offers the option to visit a Masai village on day two, but this visit is not included in the base price and is arranged separately if you choose it.

What does the 4-day price cover?

The tour includes professional driver-guide services, all accommodation (camp in the Mara, hotel in Nakuru), all meals, a bottle of water daily, and transport with pickup and drop-off at your Nairobi hotel. Park entrance fees for Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru are not included and are paid separately.

Can I choose between a Jeep and a Van for this tour?

Yes, at checkout you select either a 4x4 Jeep or a 4x4 Van for the entire four days. Both are equipped for game viewing and rough terrain.