About the trip
The land of Kenya is one most pinned by animal and nature lovers. From Nairobi, many conservancy and reserve parks can be accessed with domestic flights or a more scenic ride to these places. Thousands of acres of land sprawls beneath the glistening sun, spread across Mara North Conservancy, Masai Mara National Reserve, and Ol Pejeta Conservancy, all within the Great Rift Valley, home of East African animals. On this trip, we’ll head to Ol Pejeta Conservancy to the world’s last two Northern White Rhinos that are both females. The Lion Tracking experience is another easily unforgettable experience to take home with from here. And the Dog Tracking experience is arguably one of people’s favourite choice as visitors can bond with the K9 unit and play a game of hide-and-seek that showcase these trained dogs’ abilities. Out of Nanyuki, we’ll head to the Great Rift Valley’s Lake Naivasha, one of the few freshwater lakes here, the only one to offer a boat ride that takes you to the beautiful Crescent Island. Within the valley, the Masai Mara Game Reserve provides world-class services and we’ll hop on several game rides through this valley where giraffes, zebra, impalas, lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, rare black rhinos and many more roams the land freely. It is well-known for the fantastic wildebeest annual migration and home to thousands of protected animals and part of the migration route of many other species, including hundreds of birds. This will be a truly humbling experience that reminds the beauty, power, and importance of raw nature.
Highlights
- 7 Nights’ Accommodation
- Bed and breakfast accommodation at Karen Blixen Coffee Garden
- Lunch at Trout Restaurant
- Accommodation at Soames on full board basis
- Accommodation at Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort on Full board basis
- 4 x 4 Landcruiser vehicle with an English-Speaking guide
- Boat ride and Crescent Island in Naivasha
- Accommodation at Tipilikwani on full board basis
- Airstrip flight back from Masai Mara to Nairobi
- Park fees in the Masai Mara
- Flying doctors’ medical evacuation cover
- 1 liter of water per person per day while in a safari vehicle
- Current Government taxes and levies
Accommodation
Karen Blixen Coffee Garden & Cottages or Similar
1 night(s) in Nairobi
soames Hotel, Nanyuki or Similar
2 night(s) in Nanyuki
Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge or Similar
1 night(s) in Lake Naivasha
Tipilikwani Mara Camp or Similar
3 night(s) in Masai Mara National Reserve
Included in the price
Nairobi
- Transfer from Nairobi to Nanyuki
Nanyuki
- Ol Pejeta Conservancy Game Drive in the evening
- Ol Pejeta Conservancy Full Day Game Drives & Lion Tracking And Dog Tracking
Lake Naivasha
- Boat Ride at Lake Naivasha and Visit Crescent Island
Masai Mara National Reserve
- Evening Game Drive
- Full Day Masai Mara Game Drive
- Full-Day in Masai Mara Reserve Area and Game Drive
- Airstrip for your flight back from Masai Mara to Nairobi
Nairobi
- Transfer from Nairobi to Nanyuki
Nanyuki
- Ol Pejeta Conservancy Game Drive in the evening
- Ol Pejeta Conservancy Full Day Game Drives & Lion Tracking And Dog Tracking
Lake Naivasha
- Boat Ride at Lake Naivasha and Visit Crescent Island
Masai Mara National Reserve
- Evening Game Drive
- Full Day Masai Mara Game Drive
- Full-Day in Masai Mara Reserve Area and Game Drive
- Airstrip for your flight back from Masai Mara to Nairobi
Day-wise Itinerary
ExpandDay 1: Arrival In Nairobi
- Your flight will land at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. Our representatives will be waiting for you outside and help transfer you to your hotel. During this trip, your guide will brief you about the trip, particularly about the safari. Outside the car, is the biggest city of Kenya which also serves as its capital, Nairobi, which means “place of cool waters” in local Masai language. It is THE city in East Africa, and is the fourth largest of Africa, a place brimming with life and culture mix of many African tribes that have met modernity.
- Nairobi has many things to see and the youngsters love the café culture and nightlife. As tourists, the museums, and game reserve parks are particularly popular. The Nairobi National Museum houses many artefacts and is a great one-stop to educate yourself on the rich heritage culture of East Africa. It has free entries on Saturday 17th and is the flagship museum of all in Kenya.
- The Karen Blixen Museum is one of the best museums to learn about Karen Blixen, a Danish author known for her 1937 book “Out of Africa.” The museum used to be her home in Africa, around 10 km outside the city of Nairobi and has quite a romantic history with complimenting, refreshing views of lush greenery.
- Nairobi is also well-known for Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, which is an orphanage for particularly elephants and a rehabilitation centre for wildlife. It was founded in 1977 in honour of David Sheldrick by his wife. It is located in Nairobi National Park and they allow visitors as part of their effort to raise funds and awareness about elephants and show first-hand how they are cared for. It isn’t just an enlightening trip about elephants for adults, it’s a definite favourite among children!
- We spend an overnight at the hotel in Nairobi.
- (Bed & Breakfast)
Day 2: Transfer From Nairobi To Nanyuki With Game Drive
- After breakfast, we check-out from the hotel and your driver guide will wait for you at the lobby to take you to Nanyuki, a beautiful town located on the northwest of Mount Kenya with cool weather. This is a market town known for the wildlife conservancies and agriculture businesses such as ranches, farms, and pastoral lands.
- We’ll arrive in time for lunch at the Trout Restaurant. Enjoy your delightful meal at one of the most popular hiker’s town heading for Mount Kenya using the Burguret or Sirimon routes. The equatorial is dotted with popular restaurants serving great food, such as Barney’s with their impeccable fine dining experience, and the Trout Tree, offering a unique gastronomic moment as you feast on freshwater fish within a giant tree’s trunk.
- The views offered in this town is truly out of this world, ranging from the Mount Kenya National Park’s lush greenery, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Shaba National Reserve, and more. We’ll spend an overnight in Nanyuki.
- (Full Board Plus - Dinner, Bed, Breakfast, Lunch and Game Drive)
Day 3: Ol Pejeta Conservancy For Game Drives & Lion Tracking And Dog Tracking
- Start your day with a hearty breakfast before heading out for a game drive at Ol Pejeta Conservancy with packed lunch. Game drive in Ol Pejeta can be very exciting as it has the highest wildlife-to-area ration than any National Parks in the country. You can also be guaranteed several sightings through the park, which is home to not just the Big 5, but also the endangered black rhinos, and most rarely, the only two female Northern White Rhinos. There are a range of other activities you can take part in as well, such as camel rides, game walks, horse rides and for cat lovers, the Lion Tracking would be something you don’t want to miss. It’s perfect in Ol Pejeta, which has one of the highest predator densities in Kenya that protects and monitors each member of the pride.
- Also as exciting is the Dog Tracking experience, as we follow Ol Pejeta’s K9 unit which consists of well-trained good boys (dogs!) and how they are trained to detect ammunition and defend or attack on command. You can take part in a hide-and-see session with the dogs and challenge yourself to hide from the sniffing machines or become the seeker with these dogs on your leash.
- We’ll drive back to Soames after a fun day at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in time for dinner before resting at the hotel for an overnight stay.
- (Full Board Plus - Dinner, Bed, Breakfast, Lunch and Game Drive & Ol Pejeta Dog Tracking)
Day 4: Transfer From Nanyuki To Lake Naivasha With Boat Ride And Visit Crescent Island
- Enjoy your breakfast before we check-out and leave Nanyuki for Great Rift Valley’s Lake Naivasha. While the ride may be long, it’s one adorned with gorgeous sights of nature, particularly the Aberdare Ranges which sight will become your longest companion on this journey. We’ll arrive in time for lunch, to check-in and drop off your luggage. Your afternoon is free for you to spend to explore the local area or just to rest after a long ride here.
- Located just outside the town of Naivasha, this lake is one of the only two freshwater lakes of the Great Rift Valley. The name translates in the local Maasai name as rough water due to the volatile weather and sudden storms are often observed in this area. It is slightly higher than Lake Nakuru and is seated at 1.8km above sea level.
- Lake Navisha offers a different experience where visitors can take a boat ride and take the observation closer than ever. For an hour, you can observe hippopotamuses and the thriving bird species that rely on this lake, and visit the Crescent Island, which is a privately owned land famed for being the setting of Meryl Streep’s 1985 romantic flick Out of Africa.
- We’ll head back to where your hotel/lodge and enjoy your dinner with a beautiful view of the lake to accompany your meal before spending an overnight here.
- (Breakfast)
Day 5: Transfer From Lake Naivasha To Masai Mara With Game Drive
- After breakfast, get ready on another exciting day in the Great Rift Valley and check-out. We’ll head to Masai Mara Game Reserve today, one of the most beloved reserves of Africa. Masai Mara is also known locally as the Mara, this National Reserve is a famous wildlife conservation park where the rivers Mara and Talek crosses. One can also find several villages of Maasai people around the area. Maasai Mara has all of the Big Five animals: lions, leopards, African elephants, African buffaloes, and black rhinoceros. The park is also known for being home to one of the largest cheetah populations.
- We’ll spend the afternoon hitting the road for a game drive before the sun goes down, returning to the camp just in time for dinner. Then spend the night in Masai Mara at the camp.
- (Full Board Plus - Dinner, Bed, Breakfast, Lunch, Game Drive & All Local Brands - Spirits, Wine and Beers)
Day 6: Full-day In Masai Mara Game Drive
- The day starts early in Masai Mara because nature never sleeps. You can choose how to spend your day here, either a full-day game drive experience with a picnic lunch experience, or enjoy a morning and evening drive.
- We’ll head out by 6.30 AM to catch nocturnal animals going about their life and catching their last prey of the day before retreating back to their nests and burrows. Catching glimpses of these subtle animals can be rather tricky, but it’s still a worthwhile trip as they’re on our way to catch a view of the sunrise. By 8.30 AM, we’ll be back at the camp for a buffet breakfast and we’ll leave you spend the day at your own pace, whether it’s to catch more sleep before lunch or to explore the area around. Lunch takes place at 12.30 PM and if you opted for a full-day game drive, we’ll go on a picnic lunch.
- In between the drives, you get to visit a nearby, local Masai Village at an extra cost. The people of Masai villages are known for their friendliness and with this drive, you get to see what life is like for some of the oldest African Tribes to reside within the valley. The people still practice their traditional way of living among nature, unadulterated by modern-day civilization.
- From the camp, we’ll head out at 4 PM for a game drive through the park to catch glimpses of the games in the afternoon. Masai Mara is a favorite of wildlife enthusiasts especially around July to November when zebras and gnus would cross the area as part of their annual migration. Enjoy the ride and we’ll head back to the camp as the sun sets and in time for dinner and to spend the night here.
- (Full Board Plus - Dinner, Bed, Breakfast, Lunch, Game Drive & All Local Brands - Spirits, Wine and Beers)
Day 7: Full-day In Masai Mara Reserve Area And Game Drive
- The day starts early in Masai Mara because nature never sleeps. You can choose how to spend your day here, either a full-day game drive experience with a picnic lunch experience, or enjoy a morning and evening drive.
- We’ll head out by 6.30 AM to catch nocturnal animals going about their life and catching their last prey of the day before retreating back to their nests and burrows. Catching glimpses of these subtle animals can be rather tricky, but it’s still a worthwhile trip as they’re on our way to catch a view of the sunrise. By 8.30 AM, we’ll be back at the camp for a buffet breakfast and we’ll leave you spend the day at your own pace, whether it’s to catch more sleep before lunch or to explore the area around. Lunch takes place at 12.30 PM and if you opted for a full-day game drive, we’ll go on a picnic lunch.
- In between the drives, you get to visit a nearby, local Masai Village at an extra cost. The people of Masai villages are known for their friendliness and with this drive, you get to see what life is like for some of the oldest African Tribes to reside within the valley. The people still practice their traditional way of living among nature, unadulterated by modern-day civilization.
- From the camp, we’ll head out at 4 PM for a game drive through the park to catch glimpses of the games in the afternoon. Masai Mara is a favorite of wildlife enthusiasts especially around July to November when zebras and gnus would cross the area as part of their annual migration. Enjoy the ride and we’ll head back to the camp as the sun sets and in time for dinner and to spend the night here.
- (Full Board Plus - Dinner, Bed, Breakfast, Lunch, Game Drive & All Local Brands - Spirits, Wine and Beers)
Day 8: Masai Mara To Nairobi For Departure
- After breakfast, you will be driven to the nearby airstrip and for your flight back to Nairobi. You’ll arrive at Wilson Airport after the domestic flight and you will be transferred to the JKI Airport for your departure back home.
- (Breakfast)
Exclusions
Expand- International Airfares
- International and domestic departure tax
- Laundry services
- Beverages
- Meals and excursions not described in the itinerary above
- Entry Visas to the country
- Travel and health insurance
- Any optional tours or excursions not mentioned in the itinerary above
- Gratuities (tips) to your guide, hotel staff and porters
- Any other items of a personal nature, such as drinks, laundry, telephone and postage.
Terms and Conditions
Expand- Currency: The currency of Kenya is the Kenyan Shilling (KES; symbol KSh) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of KSh1,000, 500, 200, 100 and 50. Coins are in denominations of KSh20, 10 and 5. Residents may import up to KES 500,000 and must declare if currencies exceeding US $10,000. Non-residents may import local and foreign currencies without restrictions but amounts exceeding US $10,000 must be declared.
- Banking: Banking hours: Monday -Friday 09h00-15h00, and Saturdays 09h00-12h00.
- ATMs are common especially in major tourist destinations.
- Mastercard and Visa Credit Cards are widely accepted; American Express and Diners Club less so.
- Major hotels accept payment by credit card, as do major safari companies, travel agencies and restaurants.
- Very few banks or foreign exchange bureaus accept travellers’ cheques; when they do, they charge high commissions.
- Climate and Weather: Kenya has three types of climates: temperate subtropical climate in the west and southwest highlands (where Nairobi is located), hot and humid along the coast, and hot and dry in the north and east.
- Clothing and Dress Recommendations: For Nairobi and the coast: lightweight cotton and linens are advised. Warmer clothing is needed in June and July, while rainwear is advisable between March and June, and October and December.
- For safari: loose-fitting and light neutral tones are recommended. If you are visiting a luxury lodge, pack a nice set of clothes for dinner is recommended.
- Electricity and Plug Standards: Electrical sockets in Kenya are of the ‘Type G (BS-1363)’.
