7-Day Amboseli, Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara

Your Best Kenya Safari begins with a meet-and-greet at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport or an early morning pickup from your Nairobi hotel, preferably around 7:30 AM. Meet your professional driver-guide and depart Nairobi for Amboseli National Park, enjoying scenic views of the Kenyan countryside along the way.

The journey covers approximately 220 km and takes around 3–4 hours, depending on traffic and stops. One of the highlights of the journey is the spectacular view of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, which forms an impressive backdrop to Amboseli’s open plains.

Arrive in time for lunch and some relaxation at the lodge before heading out for your first afternoon game drive. The game drive will take place from approximately 3:00 PM until the park’s closing time. Explore the park’s diverse habitats, including its famous swamps, which provide an important water source for wildlife.

Amboseli is particularly renowned for its large elephant herds, but you may also encounter giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeest, hippos, lions, and numerous bird species.

Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Activities:

Accommodations:

• Platinum Amboseli Sopa

Spend the day exploring Amboseli National Park through morning and afternoon game drives, with time to relax at the lodge between activities.

Amboseli is one of Kenya’s most iconic safari destinations, famous for its impressive elephant herds and breathtaking views of Mount Kilimanjaro. The park’s varied landscapes support a wide range of wildlife, including elephants, lions, leopards, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, gazelles, hippos, and many bird species.

The cooler morning hours are ideal for wildlife viewing, while the late afternoon offers another excellent opportunity to explore the park as animals become more active. Your experienced guide will help you search for wildlife and identify the different species you encounter.

Amboseli is also an excellent destination for photography, especially when elephants are seen crossing the open plains with Mount Kilimanjaro in the background.

Return to Amboseli Sopa Lodge for dinner and overnight.

Activities:

Accommodations:

• Platinum Amboseli Sopa

After breakfast, depart Amboseli and travel towards Lake Nakuru National Park, passing through Nairobi. The journey takes approximately 6–7 hours, depending on traffic and stops.

Enjoy a lunch break in Nairobi before continuing towards the Great Rift Valley. You may also have the opportunity to visit the Giraffe Centre before proceeding to Lake Nakuru.

Continue through the scenic Rift Valley, enjoying views of the surrounding countryside, escarpments, and agricultural landscapes. Upon arrival at Lake Nakuru, settle in at your lodge and enjoy the surrounding scenery.

Lake Nakuru is well known for its rhino population and diverse birdlife. Although flamingo numbers can vary with changing water levels, the park remains a beautiful wildlife destination with acacia woodlands, rocky escarpments, waterfalls, and open grasslands.

Wildlife commonly seen includes white rhinos, black rhinos, Rothschild’s giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, hippos, lions, and many species of birds.

Activities:

Accommodations:

• Platinum Nakuru Sopa

Begin the morning with an early breakfast before heading out for a morning game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park. Enjoy the cooler morning temperatures as you search for wildlife and take in the beautiful scenery around the lake.

After the game drive, depart for the Masai Mara National Reserve. The journey takes you through the Mau Escarpment and Narok, with beautiful countryside and agricultural landscapes along the way.

Arrive at the Masai Mara in time for lunch. After some relaxation, enjoy an introductory afternoon game drive across the reserve’s expansive savannah plains.

The Masai Mara is one of Kenya’s premier wildlife destinations and is home to large populations of elephants, lions, cheetahs, leopards, zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, hippos, and wildebeest. The Mara also forms part of the greater Serengeti ecosystem and hosts the spectacular wildebeest migration during the appropriate season.

Activities:

Accommodations:

• Platinum Masai Mara Sopa

Spend the next two days enjoying extensive wildlife viewing in the magnificent Masai Mara National Reserve. These full safari days provide plenty of time to explore the reserve’s open grasslands, wooded areas, river systems, and wildlife-rich plains.

Enjoy morning and afternoon game drives or opt for a full-day game drive with a picnic lunch. Your professional guide will take you to different areas of the reserve in search of the Big Five and other wildlife.

The Mara offers excellent opportunities to see lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, hippos, crocodiles, and many other species. A visit to the Mara River may provide opportunities to observe hippos and crocodiles, while during the migration season, the area can become a spectacular gathering point for migrating wildebeest and zebras.

The Masai Mara offers excellent wildlife viewing throughout much of the year, making it a highlight of the Best Kenya Safari experience.

Return to Masai Mara Sopa Lodge after each day’s activities for dinner and overnight.

Activities:

Accommodations:

• Platinum Mara Sopa

After breakfast, check out and begin your return journey from the Masai Mara to Nairobi. Enjoy the changing scenery as you leave the savannah plains and travel towards Kenya’s capital.

Arrive in Nairobi in time for lunch at a local restaurant before continuing to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Your driver-guide will provide a complimentary airport transfer in good time for your scheduled flight home.

This marks the end of your 7-Day Best Kenya Safari, featuring the elephants and Mount Kilimanjaro views of Amboseli, the rhino-rich landscapes of Lake Nakuru, and the extraordinary wildlife of the Masai Mara.