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4205 USD

per Adult

Classic Kenya lakes and safari trip

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Hellen
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This Kenya lakes and safari trip brings together the country’s most rewarding contrasts: Nairobi’s urban energy, the calm waters of Lake Naivasha, the birdlife of Lake Nakuru, and the wide open drama of the Maasai Mara.

From the Great Rift Valley to the savannah, each stop reveals a different side of Kenya. Glide past hippos on Lake Naivasha, watch flamingos gather near Nakuru, and follow expert guides through the Maasai Mara in search of big cats, grazing herds, and quiet moments in the wild.

With intimate camps, flexible pacing, and experiences shaped around your interests, this route feels personal, unhurried, and deeply connected to the landscapes and cultures that define memorable Kenya trips.

Classic Kenya lakes and safari trip highlights

  • Immersive safaris in iconic national parks: Witness the Big Five on private game drives, designed around your pace and interests.
  • Authentic cultural encounters with local communities: Meet Maasai and other local communities, sharing stories, traditions, and daily life.
  • Handpicked boutique camps and lodges: Stay in intimate safari camps and eco-lodges, chosen for character, comfort, and location.
  • Scenic journeys through diverse Kenyan landscapes: Travel from savannahs to highlands and lakes, with personalized routes that let you stop for hidden viewpoints, markets, and photo spots.
  • Flexible, tailor-made daily experiences: Shape each day of your Kenya trip around your travel style and curiosity.
DayLocationActivityOvernight
1Nairobi

• Arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

• Airside meet and assist

• Breakfast at Karen Blixen Coffee Garden

• Visit Nairobi National Museum

• Giraffe Centre visit in Langata

Nairobi
2Nairobi

• Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nursery visit

• Elephant feeding and mud bath viewing

• Conservation-focused experience

• Karura Forest walk or bike ride

Nairobi
3Nairobi / Lake Naivasha

• Scenic drive through the Great Rift Valley

• Picnic lunch in Hell's Gate National Park

• Explore by foot, vehicle, or bicycle

• Continue to Lake Naivasha

Lake Naivasha
4Lake Naivasha

• Guided walk on Crescent Island

• Giraffe, zebra, and wildebeest sightings

• Birdwatching and photography

• Boat trip on Lake Naivasha

Lake Naivasha
5Lake Naivasha / Masai Mara National Reserve

• Drive through the Rift Valley escarpment

• Arrival at safari camp

• Afternoon at leisure or game drive

• Big Five tracking

• Maasai cultural visit

Masai Mara
6Masai Mara National Reserve

• Pre-sunrise game drive

• Nocturnal wildlife tracking

• Camp breakfast or bush breakfast

• Afternoon game drive

• Classic African sundowner

Masai Mara
7Masai Mara National Reserve

• Early morning game drive

• Quieter tracks and riverine areas

• Wildlife signs and seasonal sightings

• Slow morning at camp

• Afternoon game drive and sundowner

Masai Mara
8Masai Mara / Lake Nakuru National Park

• Sunrise game drive in the Masai Mara

• Scenic journey to Lake Nakuru

• Lake Nakuru game drive

• Big Five tracking

• Flamingos and birdlife viewing

Lake Nakuru
9Lake Nakuru National Park

• Early morning game drive

• Rhino, gazelle, and buffalo sightings

• Time to relax at the lodge

• Tailored afternoon game drive

• Sundowner overlooking the water

Lake Nakuru
10Lake Nakuru / Nairobi

• Final scenic drive to Nairobi

• Short tailor-made city tour

• Time for shopping or souvenirs

• Farewell dinner at a local restaurant

• Transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

Places you'll visit

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Day01

Arrival in Nairobi

Welcome to Nairobi, where your Kenya travel experience begins with a smooth arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

You will be met airside, assisted through immigration, and driven to Karen Blixen Coffee Garden for a relaxed breakfast in the leafy Karen suburbs.

Continue to the Nairobi National Museum to explore Kenya’s rich heritage, from early humankind to modern culture, before enjoying lunch in the city.

In the afternoon, visit the Giraffe Centre in Langata for an up-close encounter with endangered Rothschild giraffes, then transfer to your hotel for the night.

Nairobi National Park
Day02

Elephants and forest trails in Nairobi

Spend the morning at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nursery in Nairobi National Park, where rescued young elephants gather for their daily feeding and mud bath.

Your visit helps support important conservation and rehabilitation work, adding a deeper purpose to the experience.

Later, explore Karura Forest, a peaceful urban oasis of shaded trails, waterfalls, and birdlife. Walk or bike beneath towering trees, pause at quiet picnic spots, and enjoy a refreshing escape from Nairobi’s energy.

Nairobi Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage  images
Karura forest
Day03

Hell's Gate and Lake Naivasha

After breakfast, your driver will collect you from your Nairobi hotel for a scenic journey through the dramatic landscapes of the Great Rift Valley to Lake Naivasha.

Enjoy a picnic lunch in Hell's Gate National Park, one of the best places to visit in Kenya for active safari experiences and striking scenery. Explore your way: on foot, by vehicle, or by bicycle for a more immersive, close-up look at the park.

Discover towering cliffs, rugged gorges, and free-roaming wildlife before continuing to your Lake Naivasha hotel to check in and relax for the night.

Hells Gate National Park
Day04

Crescent Island and Lake Naivasha

Begin your day with a guided walk on Crescent Island, one of Lake Naivasha’s most rewarding hidden corners.

Stroll among grazing giraffes, zebras, and wildebeest, pause for birdwatching, and enjoy close-up photos in a quiet, uncrowded setting that feels wonderfully wild.

Later, take a relaxed boat trip across Lake Naivasha, one of Africa’s finest freshwater lakes. Glide past pods of hippos, watch fish eagles hunt, and take in views of Eburru Mountain and yellow-barked acacias along the shore.

Crescent Island visit
Lake Naivasha Boat ride
Hellen

Tips from Hellen

Kenya Travel Expert

quotes

On Crescent Island, wear neutral colors and comfortable closed shoes. The terrain is easy, but you are walking among free-roaming wildlife, so small details matter. A local guide will read animal behavior and keep the right distance, especially around giraffes and wildebeest, making the experience feel relaxed without losing its sense of wildness.

Day05

Journey to the Maasai Mara

Leave Lake Naivasha after breakfast and travel through the dramatic Rift Valley escarpment toward the legendary Masai Mara National Reserve, a highlight of any Kenya itinerary.

Arrive at your intimate safari camp in time for lunch, then spend the afternoon at your own pace. Relax and take in the views, or head out on a game drive in search of the Big Five: elephant, leopard, rhino, buffalo, and lion.

Later, enrich your time in the Mara with an authentic Maasai cultural visit, learning about local traditions, daily life, and the community’s deep connection to this land.

Lion enjoying meal
Day06

Sunrise and sundowners in the Maasai Mara

Wake to a gentle call and your favorite hot drink before setting out on a pre-sunrise game drive across the Maasai Mara.

This quiet hour can be especially rewarding, with chances to spot nocturnal wildlife such as leopards, as well as hippos returning to the water and plains game becoming active in the first light.

Return to camp for breakfast, or choose a relaxed bush breakfast prepared just for you. After lunch, unwind at camp before heading out again with your guide.

As the afternoon softens into evening, watch the landscape glow in golden light and enjoy a classic African sundowner while wildlife moves across the plains.

cheetah
Day07

Hidden corners of the Maasai Mara

Begin the day with a warm drink before setting out early to explore a different side of the Maasai Mara.

Your guide may take you toward quieter tracks, riverine areas, or open plains where the day’s movement is just beginning. Look for fresh signs of wildlife, from big cat tracks to grazing herds shifting with the light.

After breakfast back at camp, enjoy a slow morning at leisure. Later, head out again for an afternoon game drive focused on new landscapes, seasonal sightings, and the subtle changes that make each day in the Mara feel different.

End with a sundowner in the bush as the plains settle into evening.

masai mara
Day08

From the Maasai Mara to Lake Nakuru

Start the day with a sunrise game drive in the Maasai Mara, tracking big cats and grazing herds as the savannah comes to life.

Return to camp for a hearty breakfast and a relaxed check out before setting off on your scenic journey to Lake Nakuru National Park.

Known as a birder’s paradise, Lake Nakuru offers rewarding game drives, beautiful lakeshore scenery, and chances to spot the Big Five. Watch for flamingos and other birdlife along the shimmering water, with plenty of memorable moments for photography.

Lake Nakuru National Park
Day09

A full day in Lake Nakuru

Start the day with an early game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park, looking for rhinos, gazelles, and buffalo as the sun rises over the lake.

Return to the lodge for breakfast and time to relax through the warmer hours of the day.

Later, head out on a tailored afternoon game drive, when the light softens, and wildlife becomes active again. End the day with a sundowner overlooking the water.

Lake Nakuru National Park
Day10

Farewell from Nairobi

After a well-deserved rest, check out of your hotel and enjoy a final scenic drive back to Nairobi.

In the afternoon, your driver will take you on a short city tour shaped around your interests, with time to browse modern malls or pick up thoughtful souvenirs.

End your Kenya trip with a relaxed dinner at a local restaurant, savoring authentic flavors before your transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your flight home.

Lake Nakuru National Park