Begin your Kenya Big Five Safari with an early morning departure from Nairobi at approximately 7:00 a.m. and travel south toward the legendary Masai Mara National Reserve. Along the way, stop at the Great Rift Valley Viewpoint, where you can admire sweeping views across the dramatic escarpment and take memorable photographs. Continue toward the Mara, arriving in time for lunch and check-in at Masai Mara Sopa Lodge.
After some time to relax, the afternoon offers an opportunity to explore the reserve. You can choose an optional game drive to begin your wildlife adventure or visit a traditional Maasai village for an enriching cultural experience. The Masai Mara is famous for its exceptional concentration of wildlife and provides opportunities to encounter lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, and wildebeest.
Return to the lodge in the evening for dinner and your overnight stay.
Main Destination:
Masai Mara National Reserve
Spend the second day of your Kenya Big Five Safari exploring the magnificent Masai Mara. After an early breakfast, depart at approximately 6:45 a.m. with packed picnic lunches for a full-day game drive lasting until around 4:00 p.m.
Explore different sections of the reserve while searching for the famous Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino. You may also encounter cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, hyenas, hippos, crocodiles, gazelles, and numerous bird species. If you travel during the migration period, generally between July and October, there may also be opportunities to witness the movement of huge wildebeest herds through the Mara ecosystem.
For an added adventure, you can choose an optional hot-air balloon safari, offering spectacular aerial views of the Mara at sunrise, followed by a bush breakfast after landing. Continue with your game-viewing activities before returning to Masai Mara Sopa Lodge for dinner and overnight accommodation.
Main Destination:
Masai Mara National Reserve
Accommodation:
Masai Mara Sopa Lodge
Continue your Kenya Big Five Safari with another full day dedicated to wildlife viewing in the Masai Mara. After breakfast, depart at approximately 6:45 a.m. with a packed picnic lunch and venture into the reserve for an extended game drive.
Having another full day in the Mara provides additional opportunities to explore different areas and observe wildlife behavior. Search for lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, rhinos, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, gazelles, and other species that inhabit the reserve. The changing scenery and varied wildlife encounters make every game drive a unique experience.
Guests who did not take the hot-air balloon experience on the previous day can choose to participate today, followed by a bush breakfast. Otherwise, continue with the day’s game viewing and photography opportunities before returning to the lodge in the evening.
Dinner and overnight stay will be at Masai Mara Sopa Lodge.
Main Destination:
Masai Mara National Reserve
Accommodation:
Masai Mara Sopa Lodge
After breakfast, leave the Masai Mara and travel toward Lake Nakuru National Park. Before departing, guests who wish to experience local culture can arrange an optional visit to a Maasai village. Depending on the day’s schedule, lunch will either be served as a packed picnic or enjoyed along the route.
Upon reaching Lake Nakuru National Park, embark on an afternoon game drive lasting approximately three to four hours. The park is well known for its rhino population and offers opportunities to see white and black rhinos, Rothschild’s giraffes, lions, buffaloes, zebras, hippos, and other wildlife. Flamingos may also be observed when seasonal conditions are favorable.
After the safari, proceed to Sarova Woodlands Hotel & Spa for check-in, dinner, and overnight accommodation.
Main Destination:
Lake Nakuru National Park
After breakfast, continue to Lake Naivasha, enjoying a scenic drive of approximately two hours. This day combines nature, relaxation, and adventure, with several optional activities available depending on your interests.
You may choose to enjoy a boat ride on Lake Naivasha, followed by a guided visit to Crescent Island, where wildlife can be observed on foot in a natural setting. Later, continue to Hell’s Gate National Park, known for its striking cliffs, gorges, and dramatic volcanic landscapes.
Explore the park on a game drive, or choose an optional cycling or guided walking experience for a closer encounter with the surrounding environment. After the day’s activities, proceed to Lake Naivasha Resort for dinner and overnight accommodation.
Main Destination:
Lake Naivasha and Hell’s Gate National Park
Accommodation:
Lake Naivasha Resort
After breakfast, use the morning to complete any Lake Naivasha activities that could not be covered the previous day. Once ready, depart for Amboseli National Park, traveling south through Kenya’s scenic countryside.
This is one of the longer driving days of your Kenya Big Five Safari, so the journey will be paced with comfort and safety in mind. Your professional driver-guide will manage the route while providing opportunities to appreciate the changing landscapes along the way.
Upon arrival in Amboseli, check in at Amboseli Sopa Lodge or a similar mid-range property. Enjoy dinner and relax after the day’s journey before spending the night at the lodge.
Main Destination:
Amboseli National Park
Enjoy breakfast before heading into Amboseli National Park for a full-day game-viewing experience. The game drive begins at approximately 10:00 a.m., allowing the day to warm up before exploring the park’s wildlife-rich plains.
Amboseli is particularly famous for its large elephant herds and spectacular views toward Mount Kilimanjaro. During the drive, look out for elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, wildebeest, hippos, and a variety of bird species.
The open landscapes provide excellent opportunities for wildlife photography, while the dramatic mountain backdrop adds to the experience. Continue exploring the park until approximately 5:00 p.m. before returning to Amboseli Sopa Lodge for dinner and your final overnight stay in the park.
Main Destination:
Amboseli National Park
Accommodation:
Amboseli Sopa Lodge
After breakfast, begin your final day with a short morning game drive of approximately one to two hours as you exit Amboseli National Park. This provides one last opportunity to spot wildlife and enjoy the park’s scenic surroundings before starting the journey toward Nairobi.
Continue through the Namanga area near the Kenya–Tanzania border. Guests continuing onward to Tanzania can be dropped off at Namanga for their next travel arrangements. Those returning to Nairobi will continue with the journey toward the city, arriving at approximately 2:00 p.m.
You will be dropped off at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) or the Nairobi office at no additional cost. Hotel drop-off can also be arranged at an additional charge.
Your Kenya Big Five Safari concludes in Nairobi after an exciting journey through the Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, Hell’s Gate, and Amboseli, combining exceptional wildlife viewing with some of Kenya’s most memorable landscapes.
Main Destination:
Nairobi City