Day 1: Arrive in Nairobi, Free Time
Welcome to the capital of Kenya! If you have a window seat on the flight, you’ll likely see Nairobi National Park before touching down on the runway. One of the many aspects of what makes this city unique is the closeness of its 73-square-mile (117 km) park. This area is not a zoo, but rather a vast protected space where animals roam happily and free.
Upon landing at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you’ll be picked up by a private driver and transferred to your hotel. Nairobi is the largest city in Kenya, with over six million residents, and it was founded in the late 19th century by colonial authorities in British East Africa as a rail depot on the Uganda Railway. The name originated from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nairobi (cold water), referring to the Nairobi River, which flows through the city.
The rest of the day is free time to explore any way you’d like. You might want to rest after the journey or visit some of the city’s produce and flea markets. Cap off the day by eating a meal at an authentic Kenyan restaurant.
Day 2: Transfer to Mount Kenya, Hike to Old Moses
After breakfast at your hotel, you’ll be picked up by a private driver early enough to avoid the city traffic jam as you make your way to Mount Kenya National Park (109 miles/175 km) with lunch served along the way. This is the highest peak in Kenya and the second highest in Africa, so keep your camera close.
The scenery as you enter the park is breathtaking. Mount Kenya is not only a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve but also a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well. Within its boundaries are landscapes including alpine vegetation and dense forests, lakes, glaciers, mineral springs, as well as rare and endangered species of animals.
Visitors to the park come for a range of outdoor pursuits like hiking, rock climbing, and caving (also known as spelunking). Once you reach the park gate you will adjust your gears, fill out some park entry paperwork, and then lace up for a 5.6-mile (9 km) hike to Old Moses Mountain Camp for your overnight. This is a well-run mountain lodge at 10,837 feet (3300 m) and a common first stop along the popular Sirimon trekking route. There are clean bathrooms, dormitory bunks with a kitchen and dining area, and spacious grounds for setting up tents.
In the evening you’ll have dinner at the camp and the ability to meet fellow trekkers from around the world. Enjoy the views!
Day 3: Descend Mount Kenya, Transfer to Nanyuki
Today, wake up to a spectacular sunrise at Old Moses Camp! You’ll have time to enjoy the views over breakfast before you hit the trail. The return hike descends through four of Mount Kenya’s vegetation belts—tropical rain forest, bamboo jungle, rosewood, and heather zones—and you’ll want to enjoy every moment.
You’ll arrive at the Sirimon Gate in the late afternoon, where a driver will be waiting to pick you up. From here, you’ll transfer to a hotel in Nanyuki (15 miles/24.5 km) for your overnight stay. This cool town is the gateway to Mount Kenya and the Laikipia plateau, one of Africa’s most important wildlife conservation areas, so there are good international restaurants, cafés, and shops for traveler convenience.
Day 4: Transfer to Ol Pejeta Conservancy – Wildlife Safari
An adventure in Kenya is not complete without getting up close to some rare wildlife. After breakfast at your hotel in Nanyuki, you’ll pack up and make the short drive to Ol Pejeta Conservancy (8 miles/13.5 km) for an exciting day surrounded by mammals and birds.
This not-for-profit conservation area encompasses 139 square miles (360 square km) and protects lions, elephants, buffaloes, zebras, gazelles, warthogs, and the only chimpanzees in Kenya. The park is also the site of the largest black rhinoceros sanctuary in East Africa, and you’ll have a chance at spotting the only two northern white rhinoceros remaining in the world.
There are a range of excursions here from game drive safaris, to cycling safaris in non-predatory areas, and you’ll likely find that you wish you had more time here. Lunch and dinner will be served onside, and you’ll stay overnight, as the park offers a mix of tented camps, lodges, and homestays for an unforgettable experience.
Day 5: Morning Game Drive ,Transfer to Nairobi & Depart Kenya
Today, you’ll wake up in Ol Pejeta Conservancy in time for an early game drive before returning to your accommodations for breakfast.
From here, it’s time to say goodbye! You’ll transfer back to Nairobi (128 miles/206 miles). If there’s time before your flight, your driver will stop for lunch and some souvenir shopping before dropping you at the airport for your departure flight. Safe travels!
Day 1: Arrive in Nairobi, Transfer to Naivasha & Boat Tour & Safari Walk
Welcome to Nairobi! Upon arrival at the capital’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport this morning, a private car will collect you for the transfer to Lake Naivasha (76 miles/122 km). Upon arrival, you’ll take an afternoon boat tour with close-up views of hippos, waterbucks, and countless species of birds. Following your lake excursion, join a walking safari on Crescent Island, as you stroll among giraffes, zebra, and other peaceful, relaxed animals thanks to the absence of predators.
From here, you’ll stop for lunch at a local restaurant and then visit two local artisans. First is Fired Earth Pottery for a demonstration on how to make handmade ceramic pieces. Next is Elementaita Weavers, a local weaving cooperative that makes lovely handwoven fabrics. The craftsmen dye their wool before spinning and weaving it on traditional looms in their workshop.
If there’s time left in the day, you can go horseback riding while game viewing or visit a farmer’s home for tea while learning about subsistence farming. You can also drive to Hells Gate National Park for more game viewing. Without predatory animals, the park is safe for walking, cycling, rock climbing, bird watching, and trekking through the lower gorge among the geysers.
After this adventurous day, you’ll settle into your accommodations for the evening. Options in the area include:
- Camp Carnelley’s is a quiet lakefront guesthouse with beautiful grounds where monkeys swing from the trees and hippos graze on the pier. The camp is eco-friendly and has a private garden, bar, and restaurant where you can relax and enjoy a leisurely meal.
- Sopa Lodge is a lovely, upscale resort set on 150 acres of grassland studded with Acacia bushes and trees. The grounds are home to resident giraffe, waterbuck, and both Vervet and Colobus monkeys. It is also a regular stop for hippos who come from the lake and trim the grass on a nightly basis—viewable from the safety of your private room terrace.
Day 2: Transfer to Maji Moto Cultural Camp, Optional Activities
After breakfast at your resort in Naivasha, a private safari vehicle will pick you up and transfer you to Maji Moto Maasai Cultural Camp (103 miles/165 km), recommended by “The New York Times'” travel section, where you’ll get insight into the daily lives of the Maasai people.
Here, you’ll enjoy local culture and wildlife while exploring education, health care, and conservation projects supported by donations from the tours. Spend quality time with locals to experience their lives and understand their cultures, challenges, and methods of adapting to outside influences.
Optional activities during your visit include:
- Walking in the surrounding plains and hills for wildlife and nature viewing
- Visiting a medicine woman and observing ceremonies for blessings
- Gathering and learning about medicinal plants
- Observing daily life in the village (beading, cooking, laundry, etc.)
- Bathing in a hot spring
- Enjoying a campfire along with stories and songs
- Visiting a community school and meeting children
Following your activities, you’ll have dinner and spend the night at the camp’s cottage. The property combines traditional Maasai materials, with stone floors, comfortable beds, and a private terrace. Although you’ll have a private room, you’ll share flush toilets and hot mineral water showers with other guests.
Day 3: Transfer to Maasai Mara, Afternoon Game Drive
After an early breakfast at the cottage, you’ll continue your adventure with a private transfer to Maasai Mara National Reserve (83 miles/133 km) arriving in time for lunch and an afternoon game drive. If you’re traveling between July and September, the Great Migration should be well underway. These specific months allow you even more chances to view extraordinary herds of wildlife on the plains, such as elephants, zebra, lions, cheetah, leopard, giraffe, buffalo, and rhino.
Tonight you have your choice between two types of accommodation. They include:
- Ashnil Mara Camp offers 40 luxury tents within the game reserve along the Mara River. This location provides an excellent position for game viewing and relaxation at the end of an exciting day of game drives. Each luxury tent includes a beautiful ensuite bathroom, a walk-in closet, and a relaxing sun deck for wildlife viewing.
- Oseki Maasai Mara Camp is located on a hill 1.5 miles (2.5 km) from the game reserve. Managed by the local Maasai tribe, the camp is a convenient home base for wildlife safaris and other outdoor adventures.
Day 4: Morning & Afternoon Game Drives
Today, you’ll have the entire day to enjoy two separate private safaris in Maasai Mara National Reserve—one in the morning and one in the afternoon—where you’ll look for wildlife such as elephant, zebra, lion, cheetah, leopard, giraffe, buffalo, rhino, and much more.
At the end of your afternoon game drive, you’ll return to your selected camp for the night. Enjoy the evening at either your luxury Ashnil accommodation with river views, a relaxing pool, and dinner served under the stars. If you’re staying at Oseki, you’ll have expansive vistas of the plains from the hilltop dining area surrounded by Maasai warriors.
Day 5: Sunrise Game Drive, Return to Nairobi & Depart Kenya
It’s time to say goodbye to Kenya! But first, you’ll rise and shine with an early morning game drive followed by breakfast back at the camp. Soak up the final hours of your safari adventure before driving back to Nairobi (192 miles/309 km).
Upon arrival in the capital, you’ll transfer to the airport with plenty of time to catch your evening departure flight. Safe travels!
Day 1: Arrive in Nairobi – Explore the city
Welcome to Kenya!
Upon arriving at the international airport in Nairobi, you’ll transfer you to your hotel. Along the way, your guide will discuss the details of the trip and what to expect in the upcoming days. After settling into your accommodation, your driver is happy to bring you into the city for a little exploration.
Nairobi is known for its markets, restaurants, and cafes that feature local and regional cuisine. You can also visit some of the religious sites in the city, including The Holy Family Minor Basilica and the Jamia Mosque. Enjoy a stroll through Uhuru Park before returning to your hotel.
You can also simply relax at your hotel. The Tamarind Tree Hotel has a shared lounge and pool area, as well as a popular restaurant.
Day 2: Transfer to the Maasai Mara National Reserve
After breakfast, you’ll transfer back to the airport for your flight to the Maasai Mara National Reserve. You’ll arrive in time to check into your accommodation at Ilkeliani Camp, which is set near the Talek River. This is a popular watering hole for the area’s elephants and you can relax on the viewing deck in hopes to catch a glimpse. After settling into your safari tent, you’ll enjoy lunch at the camp’s restaurant.
This evening, you’ll enjoy your first game drive. Wildlife is best viewed in the morning and at dusk, so you’ll take advantage of your first night in the savannah. Tomorrow you’ll view wildlife near the Mara River.
Each year, nearly two million wildebeest, zebra, and other antelope gather their young and trek across the crocodile-infested Mara River in the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Their migratory nature takes them in search of greener pastures and rainfall. The Great Migration is a unique event; no other migration features such a high number of wildlife, except perhaps butterflies and smaller birds.
Day 3: Explore Masai Mara Reserve – Enjoy an optional hot air balloon safari
In the morning, you’ll depart your camp for a full-day excursion into the Masai Mara Game Reserve, which is arguably Kenya’s most popular game sanctuary. It’s the most famous and most visited game reserve in the country. Here, you can easily view an array of wildlife, including gazelle, impala, antelope, giraffe, elephant, buffalo, and warthog, as well as the big cat species, such as leopard, cheetah, and lion.
The biggest draw to the reserve is, of course, the annual migration of millions of wildebeest and zebra from the Serengeti plains. Starting in late June, the animals cross the Tanzania border and the Mara River to reach the Masai Mara grazing fields. The dramatic crossing of the river results in a game of survival, as the species are met with lurking predators below the water. The migration is best seen from July to August.
Other animals you’ll view on safari include bat-eared foxes, jackals, and spotted hyenas, as well as the hippos and crocodiles that make their homes in the Mara and Talek rivers. The reserve is also rich in birdlife with about 452 recorded species, including vultures, eagles, common ostrich, cranes, storks, hamerkop, and hornbills.
In the afternoon, you can opt for a hot air balloon safari or visit a local Masai village to learn about the nomadic lifestyle. The Masai are famous for their bravery, as they have co-existed with the region’s wild animals for centuries.
In the evening, you’ll return to camp where you can relax on your personal veranda, swim in the pool, view the elephants from the lounge, or enjoy a drink in the bar before dinner.
Day 4: Watch the Great Migration along the Mara River
Enjoy breakfast before embarking on another viewing of the wildebeest and zebra on the Mara River. You have the option to enjoy another hot air balloon safari in the morning, or you’ll transfer to the park in a 4×4 safari vehicle, which helps to ensure excellent viewing of the animals. Your guide will explain more about the migration, as well as the two different species.
While the migration may seem like a chaotic frenzy of movement, research has shown that a herd of wildebeest possesses what is known as “swarm intelligence”, where the wildebeest systematically explore and overcome an obstacle as one. And although the wildebeest may seem extremely vulnerable, they are an intelligent species and adapt their behavior for survival. For example, once a wildebeest is born, it must be able to walk within 4-5minutes or the mother will leave the young to predators.
The biggest threat to the animals crossing the Mara River is the crocodiles awaiting the herds. They slink silently under the water, waiting to drown their prey by clutching them in their strong jaws and pulling them below the surface. A crocodile can lunge more than half of its body length out of the water to grab a potential victim and can also use its tail as a secondary weapon.
You’ll spend your day viewing the river and the migration, moving from vantage point to vantage to enjoy the best viewing opportunities. Once again, you’ll return to camp in time for dinner and to enjoy a relaxing evening.
Day 5: Depart Nairobi
Time to say goodbye to Kenya. After breakfast, you’ll transfer to the airport in Nairobi in time to catch your flight.