7-Day Maasai Mara & Diani Beach Safari

Day-by-day itinerary

Route: Nairobi → Maasai Mara → Nairobi Transfer → Diani Beach → Ukunda / Mombasa

1. Day 1

   Nairobi to Maasai Mara

   Breakfast is taken before you set out from Nairobi for the drive to Maasai Mara, descending the wall of the Great Rift Valley and passing through Narok and Maasai farming country. Arrival is followed by check-in and a first drive into open savanna grassland, acacia stands and the rolling country of the greater Mara ecosystem. Your guide works the area for lion, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, buffalo and large herds of plains game, with sightings varying by season and conditions. The reserve is best known for its big cat densities, and between roughly July and October the wildebeest migration commonly moves through the ecosystem. Transport and game drives are shared with other travellers on this joining departure. Dinner and overnight are at your camp or lodge in Maasai Mara.

2. Day 2

   Full-Day Maasai Mara Safari

   Explore the reserve on morning and afternoon drives, with wildlife encounters determined by natural movement. The drives cover open savanna grassland, acacia stands and the rolling country of the greater Mara ecosystem, moving between habitats as conditions change. Species commonly associated with the area include lion, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, buffalo and large herds of plains game. 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. Transport and game drives are shared with other travellers on this joining departure. The evening returns you to your Maasai Mara accommodation for dinner and overnight.

3. Day 3

   Full-Day Maasai Mara Safari

   Use another full day for a different part of the Mara landscape and a relaxed final safari evening. 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. Sightings may include lion, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, buffalo and large herds of plains game, depending on season and conditions. 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. You return to your camp or lodge for dinner and a third night at Maasai Mara.

4. Day 4

   Maasai Mara to Diani Beach

   Bags are loaded after breakfast and you depart Maasai Mara bound for Diani Beach, connecting to the coast and transferring south through Ukunda. On arrival at Diani Beach you check in, and the rest of the day is free to enjoy a long white-sand beach on Kenya's south coast, backed by palms and fringing reef. Marine and coastal wildlife can include reef fish, colobus monkeys in the coastal forest and seasonal humpback whales offshore, though sightings are never guaranteed. Diani's reef sits close inshore, which keeps the lagoon calm and makes it suitable for swimming and snorkelling. Dinner is served at your Diani Beach camp or lodge, where you spend the night.

5. Day 5

   Diani Beach Day

   Keep the day free for the beach and resort, or choose a separately confirmed marine or coastal activity. The setting is a long white-sand beach on Kenya's south coast, backed by palms and fringing reef. Species commonly associated with the area include reef fish, colobus monkeys in the coastal forest and seasonal humpback whales offshore. Optional activities are included only when they are specifically quoted for your booking. Dinner and overnight are at your accommodation in Diani.

6. Day 6

   Diani Beach Day

   Enjoy another unhurried Indian Ocean day with no mandatory excursion built into the programme. The setting is a long white-sand beach on Kenya's south coast, backed by palms and fringing reef. There is the possibility of seeing reef fish, colobus monkeys in the coastal forest and seasonal humpback whales offshore, though sightings are never guaranteed. Optional activities are included only when they are specifically quoted for your booking. You return to your lodge or camp in Diani for dinner and overnight.

7. Day 7

   Departure from Diani Beach

   Transfer to Ukunda or Mombasa for the confirmed onward flight, train or hotel arrangement. There is a last chance to enjoy the long white-sand beach on Kenya's south coast, backed by palms and fringing reef before you leave. The pick-up time is confirmed in advance to match your flight, with luggage collected from your room. Your Land Rail arrangements end with the drop-off for your onward journey.