5 Days Masai Mara & Lake Nakuru Safari

Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi – Transfer to Lake Nakuru National Park

Your safari begins with a morning pick-up from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport or your hotel in Nairobi. After a short briefing by your guide, you’ll depart for Lake Nakuru National Park, a scenic drive that winds through the Great Rift Valley escarpments with several picturesque viewpoints along the way.

Arrive in time for lunch at your lodge, followed by an afternoon game drive. Lake Nakuru is one of Kenya’s most photogenic parks, known for its shallow soda lake surrounded by wooded grasslands. Keep an eye out for white and black rhinos, Rothschild giraffes, zebras, waterbucks, and large troops of baboons. The lake also hosts flocks of lesser and greater flamingos, pelicans, and over 400 bird species.

Dinner and Overnight:

• Luxury: Sarova Lion Hill Lodge / The Cliff Nakuru

• Mid-range: Lake Nakuru Lodge / Flamingo Hill Tented Camp

Day 2: Lake Nakuru – Drive to Masai Mara National Reserve

After breakfast, enjoy a final early morning game drive in Nakuru before departing for the Masai Mara National Reserve. The journey passes through the beautiful farmlands and highlands of the Rift Valley, arriving at the Mara in time for lunch at your lodge or camp.

In the afternoon, venture out for your first game drive in the Mara. The rolling savannahs and acacia woodlands are teeming with wildlife—from elephants and giraffes to wildebeest, lions, and buffalo. As the sun sets, the reserve glows in warm golden light—perfect for photography and your first taste of the wild magic of the Mara.

Dinner and Overnight:

• Luxury: Mara Serena Safari Lodge / Keekorok Lodge

• Mid-range: Mara Sopa Lodge / Mara Simba Lodge

Day 3: Full-Day Game Drive in Masai Mara

Today is dedicated to exploring the Masai Mara, Kenya’s most iconic wildlife sanctuary. After breakfast, set off for a full-day game drive across the vast plains, following the movements of predators and their prey.

Depending on the season (July to October), you may witness the Great Migration, when over a million wildebeest and zebra cross from Tanzania’s Serengeti into the Mara in search of greener pastures. Even outside migration months, the reserve is abundant with wildlife: lions, cheetahs, elephants, leopards, hyenas, buffaloes, and antelope roam freely, while the Mara River hosts hippos and crocodiles.

Enjoy a picnic lunch in the heart of the savannah, surrounded by breathtaking landscapes and endless horizons. In the evening, return to your lodge as the sun sinks behind the hills, casting a golden glow over the plains.

Dinner and Overnight:

• Luxury: Mara Serena Safari Lodge / Sand River Camp

• Mid-range: Mara Intrepids / Basecamp Explorer

Day 4: Cultural Visit & Optional Activities in Masai Mara

After breakfast, you may choose to enjoy an early morning game drive or visit a traditional Maasai village to learn about the tribe’s rich culture, ancient traditions, and vibrant way of life. The Maasai people, known for their colorful attire and pastoral heritage, offer visitors a glimpse into their customs through song, dance, and storytelling.

Later, relax at your lodge or take part in optional activities such as a hot air balloon safari over the Mara plains—a once-in-a-lifetime experience offering panoramic views of wildlife from the sky. Evening sundowners and campfire stories make for a perfect end to your day.

Dinner and Overnight:

• Luxury: Angama Mara / Fairmont Mara Safari Club

• Mid-range: Mara Leisure Camp / Fig Tree Camp

Day 5: Morning Game Drive – Return to Nairobi

Enjoy one last early morning game drive to catch the predators as they finish their night hunts and the savannah stirs to life. Return to your lodge for breakfast before driving back to Nairobi, arriving in the afternoon. You’ll be dropped off at your hotel or the airport for your onward flight.

Your unforgettable 5-day safari concludes with beautiful memories of Kenya’s wilderness—the roar of lions, the elegance of giraffes, and the unending beauty of Africa’s golden plains.