Masai Mara, Serengeti, and Naivasha - Highlights of Kenya

Day 1: Nairobi – Kenya
Arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi on the evening of day one, our guide welcomes you to Kenya. It transfers you to the first overnight hotel in the city. Spend the evening resting after your flight and relaxing at the comfortable hotel set in lush gardens. The hotel is spacious and modern yet retains a distinctive colonial charm, offering warm hospitality and a quiet retreat from the bustling city.

Day 2: Lake Nakuru National Park – Kenya
Leaving Nairobi, we travel northwest towards Lake Nakuru National Park, driving into the scenic Great Rift Valley. Traveling through the eastern branch of the extensive East African Rift system, we pause to take photographs and admire the beautiful views of this natural wonder bordered by escarpments.

We continue to the Kenyan Rift Valley lake, Lake Nakuru, set inside a national park. Entering the Lake Nakuru National Park, we enjoy some game viewing as we make our way to our tented camp, where we have lunch. We embark on a game drive in the afternoon, exploring this wildlife-rich Kenyan game park. Lake Nakuru Park was founded as a bird sanctuary but has since expanded to incorporate the grasslands surrounding this shallow soda lake. The park is home to almost 450 bird species, including five internationally threatened species, and is a Ramsar wetland site. Lake Nakuru Park is best known for the vast flocks of greater and lesser flamingoes that sometimes migrate to the lake's shores. In addition to the visiting flamingoes and other water birds, Nakuru also shelters around 56 mammal species, most notably endangered black and white rhinos. Along with rhinos, Lake Nakuru National Park was expanded to protect Rothschild giraffes, relocated here. On our game drive, you can expect to see antelopes, buffalos, zebras, baboons, monkeys, hyenas, jackals, hippos, and pythons, as well as the rhinos and giraffes of Nakuru. We keep our eyes open for the diverse birdlife, including water birds such as fish, eagles, pelicans, and storks. After our game drive, we return to our eco-friendly camp, located inside the Lake Nakuru National Park, for a tasty dinner and a restful evening in this lovely wilderness area.
Day 3: Lake Naivasha – Kenya
Our day starts with a breakfast buffet at the tented camp before setting off on a morning game viewing drive in Lake Nakuru National Park. We drive to the nearby Lake Naivasha at around noon, arriving in time for lunch at our next overnight lodge. This afternoon, we visit Lake Naivasha's Crescent Island National Park on a relaxing boat cruise. We explore this beautiful Island on foot, spotting the numerous birds and wildlife found here. Crescent Island is home to some 200 species, including healthy numbers of fish eagles, cormorants, and pelicans, among others. Wildlife sightings include wildebeests, giraffes, zebras, and various antelopes, such as waterbuck, gazelles, elands, and impalas. In addition, the lake is inhabited by an abundance of hippos, which can also be spotted from the boat and the Island. Our afternoon boat cruise is followed by dinner at the lodge, overlooking the lake and its surroundings. The safari lodge is set around the original trees on its now rolling lawns amid grasslands. Spot giraffes, monkeys, and waterbuck at the lodge, as well as visiting hippos.
Day 4: Masai Mara National Reserve – Kenya
Today we travel south to the world-famous Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya's leading national park. First, we head to our luxury camp for lunch, and then we venture out on an afternoon game drive in Masai Mara. The Masai Mara Reserve is most famous for the Great Migration here annually. The Great Migration sees hundreds of thousands, even millions, of wildebeest, gazelle, and zebra migrating across the plains between Masai Mara in Kenya and the Serengeti in Tanzania in search of grazing. Maasai Mara is one of Africa's most renowned and best-loved game parks because of its rich wildlife, magical spirit, and truly African feel. Exploring Masai Mara, we experience the endless savannahs and wide-open skies that make this the archetypal African safari land. Home to Africa's Big Five and an abundance of other wild animals, we can look forward to superb wildlife sightings in Masai Mara. In addition, big cats are often sighted on game drives, with the Mara being known for its exceptional significant cat populations, including lions, leopards, and cheetahs. Finally, we return from our rewarding game drive to tuck into a hearty dinner at the luxurious tented camp. This intimate safari camp is located along the banks of the Talek River overlooking the plains of Masai Mara, offering comfortable accommodation and top-class service.

Day 5 & 6: Masai Mara Game Reserve – Kenya
We spend the last two days on this Classical Kenya Lodge Safari exploring the Masai Mara National Reserve on morning and afternoon game viewing drives. The Masai Mara National Reserve hosts numerous birds, including over 50 species of birds of prey, along with its spectacular wildlife. Aside from the Big Five, we go in search of zebra, giraffe, jackal, cheetah, bat-eared foxes, hyena, and numerous antelopes, from topi and impala to gazelles. In the rivers of Mara, we spot plenty of wallowing hippos and Nile crocodiles waiting for prey. Then, on either day five or six, we head into the bush on foot for an exciting game viewing walk. The walking safari takes us into a private concession area next to Masai Mara to discover the finer details of the African bush and hopefully encounter wildlife and birds on foot. The morning game walk is a great way to ease into the unrushed pace of African life, gaining knowledge about animal tracking and behavior up close. Masai Mara is also home to the proud Masaai tribe of Kenya, with communities of these traditional people living inside the national park. The game reserve is named after the distinctive Masaai nomads, who herd livestock in their bright red robes. Accommodation: Luxury Safari Camp (en suite tented rooms on raised decks, bar, dining area, and lounge).
Day 7: Masai Mara to Nairobi – Kenya
This morning, one last game drive in Masai Mara takes us back into the wild for a final dose of wildlife action and inspiration from nature. We then travel back to Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, where we transfer you to the airport for your onward flight.