6-Day Luxury Kenya Safari — Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha & Lake Bogoria

Day-by-day itinerary

Route: Nairobi → Masai Mara → Lake Nakuru → Lake Naivasha → Lake Bogoria → Nairobi

1. Day 1

   Nairobi to Masai Mara

   You leave Nairobi after breakfast and head for Masai Mara, descending the wall of the Great Rift Valley and passing through Narok and Maasai farming country. Once you reach Masai Mara there is time to check in before heading out among open savanna grassland, acacia stands and the rolling country of the greater Mara ecosystem. Look for lion, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, buffalo and large herds of plains game as the light softens through the afternoon. The reserve is best known for its big cat densities, and between roughly July and October the wildebeest migration commonly moves through the ecosystem. This is a joining departure, so the safari vehicle is shared with other guests. You return for dinner and an overnight stay at Masai Mara.

2. Day 2

   Full-Day Masai Mara Safari

   You spend the day in Masai Mara, heading out early and returning as the light goes. You travel through open savanna grassland, acacia stands and the rolling country of the greater Mara ecosystem, working the areas your guide judges most productive on the day. There is the possibility of seeing lion, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, buffalo and large herds of plains game, though wild sightings are never guaranteed. A full day allows morning and late-afternoon drives when animals are most active, with the option of a picnic lunch out in the reserve. The reserve is best known for its big cat densities, and between roughly July and October the wildebeest migration commonly moves through the ecosystem. This is a joining departure, so the safari vehicle is shared with other guests. Dinner and overnight are again at your Masai Mara camp or lodge.

3. Day 3

   Masai Mara to Lake Nakuru

   You leave Masai Mara after breakfast and head for Lake Nakuru, travelling through the Rift Valley floor and the farming towns of the Nakuru region. After check-in and a chance to freshen up, you head out into a Rift Valley soda lake ringed by yellow-barked acacia woodland and steep escarpment viewpoints. Look for black and white rhino, Rothschild's giraffe, buffalo, waterbuck and dense birdlife as the light softens through the afternoon. The park operates as a sanctuary and is one of Kenya's more reliable places to look for rhino; flamingo numbers on the lake rise and fall with water levels. The evening is spent at your Lake Nakuru accommodation, with dinner and overnight there.

4. Day 4

   Lake Nakuru to Lake Naivasha

   The morning starts in Lake Nakuru, from where you continue overland to Lake Naivasha, following the Rift Valley escarpment road with its long views over the valley floor. After check-in and a chance to freshen up, you head out into a freshwater Rift Valley lake fringed by papyrus, fever trees and flower-farming country. Wildlife commonly associated with this area includes hippo, waterbuck, colobus and an exceptional range of resident and migratory waterbirds. Naivasha is one of the few freshwater lakes in the Rift Valley, which is why boat trips and walking safaris are possible here rather than vehicle drives alone. You return for dinner and an overnight stay at Lake Naivasha.

5. Day 5

   Lake Naivasha to Lake Bogoria

   The day opens in Lake Naivasha with a morning departure for Lake Bogoria. You arrive at Lake Bogoria, check in and have time to settle before the next stage of the journey. Expect a straightforward road journey, with the exact timing depending on conditions. Dinner is served at your Lake Bogoria camp or lodge, where you spend the night.

6. Day 6

   Lake Bogoria to Nairobi

   The day opens in Lake Bogoria with a morning departure for Nairobi, returning through the highland approaches to the city. After check-in and a chance to freshen up, you head out into Kenya's highland capital and the usual start and end point for road safaris. Nairobi is the arrival and departure hub for most Kenyan safari itineraries. Arrival back is normally in the afternoon, with a drop-off at your hotel or the airport.