5-Day Masai Mara Safari: Great Rift Valley and Lakes

The Mara River concentrates wildlife like nowhere else on the reserve.

A 5-day group safari from Nairobi to Masai Mara National Reserve, visiting the Great Rift Valley, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha and Hell's Gate National Park along the way. You spend two full days on game drives in the Mara, including a day at the river where crocodiles, hippos and herds gather. The tour includes accommodation, all meals, transport and a professional guide throughout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Nairobi to Masai Mara National Reserve

• Pick up from hotel at 7:30am
• Meet group at office
• Drive along Great Rift Valley floor
• Stop at viewpoint
• Arrive for lunch at Sankale Camp
• Evening game drive in Masai Mara
• Dinner and overnight at Enkorok Mara Camp

Day 2: Masai Mara Extended Game Drive

• Breakfast at camp
• Full day game viewing
• Picnic lunch at Mara River
• Optional visit to Masai villages
• Dinner and overnight at Enkorok Mara Camp

Day 3: Masai Village to Lake Nakuru National Park

• Breakfast at camp
• Optional Masai village visit
• Depart to Nakuru town
• Picnic lunch en route
• Optional boat ride at Lake Naivasha Crescent Island
• Dinner and overnight at Lake Nakuru Lodge

Day 4: Nakuru to Lake Naivasha

• Early breakfast
• Morning in Lake Nakuru National Park
• Depart to Naivasha town
• Dinner and overnight at Naivasha Country Club

Day 5: Naivasha to Nairobi

• Early breakfast
• Visit Hell's Gate National Park
• Visit geothermal power plant and hot springs
• Optional boat ride at Crescent Island
• Lunch
• Depart to Nairobi
• Arrive Nairobi and hotel drop off at 5:00pm

The experience

The route starts with a 7:30am pickup from your Nairobi hotel and a drive south along the Great Rift Valley floor, stopping at the viewpoint before lunch at Sankale Camp. You arrive at Masai Mara in time for an evening game drive across the tree-studded grasslands, where black-maned lions, leopards, cheetahs and herds of plain game move through the rolling hills. Two nights at Enkorok Mara Camp give you a full day centered on the Mara River, where you watch from a picnic lunch as crocodiles and hippos work the water alongside the animals drinking there.

Day three takes you back north toward Lake Nakuru, with an optional Masai village visit arranged directly at the village. Lake Nakuru itself holds hundreds of thousands of flamingos and pelicans, and the park protects black and white rhinos, leopards, giraffes and Columbus monkeys across about 350 recorded bird species. A morning at the lake precedes the drive to Lake Naivasha, where a boat ride to Crescent Island (optional on day three if time allows) brings you close to hippos and other wildlife in the water.

The final morning takes you to Hell's Gate National Park, the only reserve in Kenya where you can walk or cycle among the animals. You visit the geothermal power plant at Ol Karia and the hot springs before lunch, then drive back to Nairobi, arriving at your hotel around 5pm. A second optional Crescent Island boat ride is available here as well.

What’s included

• Comprehensive game drives across all five days.
• accommodation at Enkorok Mara Camp, Lake Nakuru Lodge and Naivasha Country Club.
• all meals throughout the tour.
• services of a professional tour guide and driver.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Nairobi.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (10 to 90 years) · Child (3 to 9 years) · Infant (under 3): free

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 today

Good to know

Low physical effortInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Gracepatt Ecotours Kenya

Is this one for you?Five days is long enough to spend two full days in Masai Mara with a picnic at the river, but short enough to fit the Great Lakes and Hell's Gate on the way: a route that works if you want the reserve's wildlife without committing to a week.

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 9 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What wildlife will I actually see on the game drives in Masai Mara?

Masai Mara is home to black-maned lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, and herds of plain game across the grasslands and rolling hills. The Mara River concentrates crocodiles, hippos and drinking animals in large numbers, especially during the two full days you spend there.

How much time do I spend driving each day, and when do I rest?

Day one includes the morning pickup and the drive down the Rift Valley with a viewpoint stop, arriving in time for lunch and an evening game drive. Days two and three are full days of game viewing with picnic lunch included. Days four and five involve morning game viewing or park time, then afternoon drives to the next destination, with nights at lodges.

Can I visit a Masai village, and what does that cost?

Yes, Masai village visits are optional on day three. You arrange and pay for it directly at the village itself. The cost is not included in the tour price.

What is Lake Nakuru actually like, and why are there so many flamingos?

Lake Nakuru is an alkaline lake that attracts hundreds of thousands of flamingos and pelicans, along with about 350 recorded bird species. The park also protects endangered black and white rhinos, leopards, giraffes and Columbus monkeys, making it a major conservation area.

Is Hell's Gate different from the other parks on this tour?

Yes. Hell's Gate is the only national park in Kenya where you can walk or cycle among the animals rather than stay in a vehicle. You visit the geothermal power plant at Ol Karia and the hot springs on your final morning before returning to Nairobi.