7-Day Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Amboseli & Tsavo West Safari

Day-by-day itinerary

Route: Nairobi → Masai Mara → Lake Nakuru → Amboseli → Tsavo West → Nairobi

1. Day 1

   Nairobi to Masai Mara

   After breakfast you leave Nairobi and travel on toward Masai 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. 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. The evening is spent at your Masai Mara accommodation, with dinner and overnight there.

2. Day 2

   Full-Day Masai Mara Safari

   An unhurried full day in Masai Mara gives your guide room to follow whatever the morning turns up. Much of the day is spent among open savanna grassland, acacia stands and the rolling country of the greater Mara ecosystem. 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. This is a joining departure, so the safari vehicle is shared with other guests. You return to your camp or lodge for dinner and a second night at Masai Mara.

3. Day 3

   Masai Mara to Lake Nakuru

   The day opens in Masai Mara with a morning departure for Lake Nakuru, travelling through the Rift Valley floor and the farming towns of the Nakuru region. You arrive in time to settle in, and the day continues with a game drive across a Rift Valley soda lake ringed by yellow-barked acacia woodland and steep escarpment viewpoints. Your guide works the area for black and white rhino, Rothschild's giraffe, buffalo, waterbuck and dense birdlife, with sightings varying by season and conditions. 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. Dinner and overnight are at your camp or lodge in Lake Nakuru.

4. Day 4

   Lake Nakuru to Amboseli

   Bags are loaded after breakfast and you depart Lake Nakuru bound for Amboseli, travelling south past Kajiado and through Maasai rangeland toward the Tanzanian border country. Begin the substantial transfer toward Amboseli after breakfast and any final Nakuru game viewing. Arrive later in the day. There is the possibility of seeing large elephant herds, buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, and abundant water birds around the swamps, depending on movement and conditions on the day. Amboseli is known for its free-ranging elephant families, and on clear mornings Mount Kilimanjaro often rises above the plains, though cloud can hide it. Dinner and overnight are at your camp or lodge in Amboseli.

5. Day 5

   Full-Day Amboseli Safari

   Spend the day exploring Amboseli for elephants and other wildlife, with possible views of Mount Kilimanjaro when the weather is clear. Your route takes in open plains, dust flats and spring-fed swamps beneath the bulk of Kilimanjaro, with your guide reading recent movement to decide where to spend time. Species commonly associated with the area include large elephant herds, buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, and abundant water birds around the swamps. The swamps stay green through dry months, drawing elephants and plains game into concentrated, highly photographable groups. Amboseli is known for its free-ranging elephant families, and on clear mornings Mount Kilimanjaro often rises above the plains, though cloud can hide it. You return to your camp or lodge for dinner and a second night at Amboseli.

6. Day 6

   Amboseli to Tsavo West

   Breakfast is taken before you set out from Amboseli for the drive to Tsavo West, travelling south-east through Emali and the Chyulu Hills country. Leave Amboseli and continue toward Tsavo West National Park. Explore the park’s rugged terrain and contrasting habitats on a game drive after arrival. This is good country in which to look for elephant, buffalo, hippo, crocodile and a wide range of plains game. Mzima Springs produces millions of litres of clear water daily and has an underwater viewing chamber for watching hippo and fish. The evening is spent at your Tsavo West accommodation, with dinner and overnight there.

7. Day 7

   Tsavo West to Nairobi

   The day opens in Tsavo West with a morning departure for Nairobi, returning through the highland approaches to the city. Enjoy final wildlife viewing in Tsavo West where the schedule permits, then travel back toward Nairobi. Nairobi is the arrival and departure hub for most Kenyan safari itineraries. The day ends with a drop-off in Nairobi at your hotel or the airport.