7-Day Masai Mara Safari from Nairobi: Big Five and Lake Amboseli
Multiple nights across several reserves, early starts and full days hunting the Big Five
A 7-day safari tour from Nairobi covering Masai Mara National Reserve, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli National Park with full board accommodation, all park entrance fees, game drives and an English-speaking professional guide. The itinerary runs early morning and afternoon game drives on most days, with a boat trip on Lake Naivasha and a visit to Hell's Gate National Park where you can walk among wildlife. Airport pickup from Nairobi is included, and you return to the city on day seven.
Step-by-step itinerary
Day 1: Nairobi to Masai Mara
- Breakfast at Nairobi hotel
- Drive through Great Rift Valley escarpment
- Stop at Viewing Point
- Drive through Masai Town Narok
- Arrive at Mara Tented Camp
- Lunch at camp
- Late afternoon game drive
- Dinner and overnight at camp
Day 2: Full day Masai Mara safari
- Early breakfast
- Depart at 7:30am for full day game drive
- Visit Mara River migration point
- Lunch at migration point
- Continue game drive until sunset
- Return to camp
- Dinner and overnight at camp
Day 3: Masai Mara to Lake Naivasha
- Early morning game drive until 9:30am
- Return for full breakfast
- Visit Masai Village
- Depart for Lake Naivasha
- Lunch at Narok
- Arrive Lake Naivasha late afternoon
- Boat trip to see birds and hippos
- Dinner and overnight at guest house
Day 4: Lake Naivasha to Lake Nakuru
- Early morning game drive at Hell’s Gate National Park
- Return for breakfast
- Depart for Lake Nakuru National Park
- Lunch at Lake Nakuru
- Game drive to find leopards and rhinos
- Dinner and overnight at hotel
Day 5: Lake Nakuru to Amboseli
- Early morning game drive
- Return to lodge for breakfast
- Depart for Amboseli National Park
- Hot lunch at Nairobi
- Arrive Amboseli late evening
- Late evening game drive if time allows
- Dinner and overnight at camp
Day 6: Full day Amboseli safari
- Early morning breakfast at 6:30am
- Depart for full day game drive with packed lunch
- Search for predators and other animals
- View Mount Kilimanjaro
- Return to camp
- Dinner and overnight at camp
Day 7: Amboseli to Nairobi
- Early morning game drive
- Return to lodge for full breakfast
- Check out of lodge
- Depart for Nairobi
- Picnic lunch en-route
- Arrive Nairobi late evening
- Drop off at place of choice
What’s included
- Airport pickup from Nairobi.
- private transportation in a 4×4 safari van with open roof and game-viewing roof hatch.
- all national park entrance fees and government taxes.
- accommodation in double rooms at four camps.
- all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) throughout the seven days.
- game drives as detailed in the itinerary.
- a boat trip on Lake Naivasha.
- a visit to a Masai village.
- access to Hell's Gate National Park.
- mineral water during drives.
- and a professional English-speaking guide with UHF radio communication.
Times
- Every day 06:00
Before you book
Operated by Pride of Africa Adventures and Safaris
Prices and times updated 6 days ago
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The experience
The tour starts with a hotel pickup in Nairobi and a drive southwest through the Great African Rift Valley escarpment, stopping at a viewing point before arriving at Masai Mara Miti Mingi Tented Camp in time for lunch. That afternoon you're out on your first game drive until sunset. The next two days are full-day affairs: you leave at 7:30am with a packed lunch, spending hours in the reserve searching for elephants, leopards, rhinos, buffalo, lions and the predators that hunt them (cheetahs, hyenas, wild dogs) alongside zebras, wildebeest, giraffes, hippos and crocodiles. One lunch stop happens at the Mara River, where the wildebeest migration crosses during certain seasons.
On day four you have an early morning game drive until 9:30am, then visit a Masai village before driving to Lake Naivasha for a boat trip in the late afternoon. You'll see hippos, water birds and other species from the water. The next day takes you to Hell's Gate National Park (the only reserve where you can walk and cycle among animals) followed by a drive to Lake Nakuru, famous for thousands of flamingoes and two species of rhino. Day six is a full day in Amboseli National Park, where the landscape is dominated by the snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro. You leave at 6:30am with a packed lunch and spend the day searching for elephants, predators and plains animals with the mountain as a backdrop.
On the final morning you have one more early game drive before breakfast, then drive back to Nairobi with a picnic lunch en route, arriving in the evening. Throughout the tour you travel in an exclusive safari 4×4 van with an open roof and game-viewing roof hatch, and your guide communicates by UHF radio with other vehicles. All meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) are included at the camps, along with mineral water during drives. The camps are Miti Mingi at Masai Mara, Taphe Guest House at Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru Citymax Hotel and Amboseli Kimana Tented Camp.
Is this one for you?Early starts (6:30am or 7:30am most mornings) are what pack full days of game driving into the schedule and give you the best chance of seeing predators hunting. If you're willing to wake early and spend long hours in the van, the seven days hold together as a complete circuit through four reserves without backtracking.
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Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 13 years); Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3): free.
What animals will I actually see on this safari?
The Big Five (elephant, leopard, rhino, buffalo and lion) are the main targets, along with cheetahs, hyenas, wild dogs, zebras, wildebeest, giraffes, hippos and crocodiles. Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru add hippos and thousands of flamingoes. Sightings depend on animal movement and season, but the guide uses radio contact with other vehicles to track them.
Do I need to be fit for the early morning game drives?
Game drives happen from vehicles, so you don't walk long distances. Early starts are at 6:30am or 7:30am, and you spend hours sitting in the van. One day includes a visit to Hell's Gate National Park where you can walk and cycle if you choose, but it's optional. The tour suits all physical fitness levels.
What's included in the accommodation and meals?
Full board means breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided every day at the camps: Miti Mingi at Masai Mara, Taphe at Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru Citymax Hotel and Amboseli Kimana Tented Camp. You stay in double rooms, and mineral water is provided during game drives. Tips are not included.
How does the Masai Mara migration work on this tour?
One lunch stop happens at the Mara River where wildebeest migrate from the Serengeti to Masai Mara during certain seasons. The itinerary places you there, but whether you see the actual crossing depends on the time of year. The migration follows animal movement, not a fixed schedule.
What's the difference between Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru on this tour?
Lake Naivasha includes a boat trip where you see hippos and water birds from the water. Lake Nakuru is visited for a full day of game drives in the national park, where the main draw is thousands of flamingoes and two species of rhino. Both are stops on the same itinerary.
7-Day Masai Mara Safari from Nairobi: Big Five and Lake Amboseli
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from US$ 1,979.46 per person
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