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Lion in the Maasai Mara grasslands

Wildlife safari · Kenya

5-Day Maasai Mara · Lake Nakuru & Lake Naivasha

Kenya's classic short circuit: a full day in the Maasai Mara, a sunrise game drive at Lake Nakuru for rhino and flamingo, and a walk or cycle among the cliffs of Hell's Gate, where there are no large predators.

  • 5 days
  • Kenya
  • Wildlife safari
  • From USD 690
Get a free quoteAsk on WhatsApp
4.9/5 from 31 traveller reviews on SafariBookings (opens in a new tab)

The journey

A closer look at your trip.

Kenya's classic short circuit: a full day in the Maasai Mara, a sunrise game drive at Lake Nakuru for rhino and flamingo, and a walk or cycle among the cliffs of Hell's Gate, where there are no large predators.

Maasai MaraLake NakuruLake NaivashaNairobiHell’s Gate
Duration
5 days
Countries
Kenya
Trip style
Wildlife safari
Transport
4x4 Land Cruiser
Start
Nairobi
End
Nairobi
Price
USD 690 (Jan-Jun) / USD 890 (Jul-Dec)

Choose your safari style

The same route, at the level you want to travel.

This journey follows the same wildlife route whichever style you choose. What changes is where you sleep, the level of service and how the trip is quoted.

Choose your safari style

Budget: where you stay

Suggested accommodation

  • Maasai Mara

    Miti Mingi Camp

  • Lake Nakuru

    Buraha Zenoni

  • Lake Naivasha

    Leisure Apex

Suggested accommodation is subject to availability. A property of a similar standard may be proposed where necessary.

What this style means

  • Practical camps and lodges, and public campsites inside the Tanzanian parks. The wildlife itinerary, the guiding and the 4x4 Land Cruiser are the same as on the upgraded styles of this route.
Price
USD 690 (Jan-Jun) / USD 890 (Jul-Dec)
Catalogue reference
Product 7
Enquire about the budget option

Midrange: where you stay

Suggested accommodation

  • Maasai Mara

    Zebra Plains Mara Camp

  • Lake Nakuru

    Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge

  • Lake Naivasha

    Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort

Suggested accommodation is subject to availability. A property of a similar standard may be proposed where necessary.

What this style means

  • Upgraded rooms, dining and a higher service level throughout, with a 4x4 Land Cruiser for game drives.
Price
On Request
Catalogue reference
Product 64
Enquire about the midrange option

Trip highlights

The places that shape this journey.

  • 01

    Maasai Mara

  • 02

    Lake Nakuru

  • 03

    Lake Naivasha

  • 04

    Nairobi

  • 05

    Hell’s Gate

Your route

Across Kenya.

Nairobi → Maasai Mara → Lake Nakuru → Hell’s Gate → Nairobi

We will confirm the day-by-day sequence and overnight stops in your detailed proposal.

KENYATANZANIANairobiMaasai MaraLake Nakuru

Schematic route · See the day-by-day programme for travel details.

Day by day

5 days in East Africa.

  1. Day 1

    Nairobi-Maasai Mara

    Pick-up is from your Nairobi hotel or the airport for a start at around 8am. Two stops break the drive west: the viewpoint over the Great Rift Valley and Narok town for final shopping. Arrive at the eco camp in the Maasai Mara in time for lunch, then head out in the 4x4 Land Cruiser for an introductory evening game drive to get your bearings, find the first animals and watch the sun set over the plains. Dinner and overnight at camp.

    Overnight
    Miti Mingi Camp, Maasai MaraZebra Plains Mara Camp
    Meals
    Lunch and dinner

  2. Day 2

    Maasai Mara Full day on the plains

    An early breakfast gets you into the reserve by 6:30am for sunrise and a full day of game viewing. The Mara holds all of the Big Five, large numbers of plains game such as topi and wildebeest, and a wide variety of birds; between June and October the great migration may also be present. Picnic lunch is taken at the Mara River with hippo and crocodile in view, then the drive continues to the Kenya–Tanzania boundary and back across the reserve until sunset. Dinner and overnight at camp.

    Overnight
    Miti Mingi Camp, Maasai MaraZebra Plains Mara Camp
    Meals
    Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner

  3. Day 3

    Maasai Mara-Lake Nakuru

    After a relaxed breakfast and check-out, visit a Maasai village for an introduction to the community's culture, songs and dances, including a demonstration of lighting fire without matches. Then drive north-east out of the Mara towards Nakuru. On the way, an optional boat ride on Lake Naivasha (extra cost) is a gentle way to see the lake's prolific birdlife and hippo from the water. Arrive in Nakuru in the evening for dinner and the night.

    Overnight
    Buraha Zenoni, Lake NakuruLake Nakuru Sopa Lodge
    Meals
    Breakfast and dinner
    Lions resting on open grassland beneath an acacia tree at golden hour
    The Maasai Mara — the heart of this journey.

  4. Day 4

    Lake Nakuru-Hell’s Gate

    Breakfast and check-out are early so the 4x4 Land Cruiser is in Lake Nakuru National Park as the sun comes up, when the shoreline can turn pink with flamingos and the light is at its best for photographs. The park is a sanctuary for black and white rhino and is also home to leopard, buffalo, waterbuck and hippo. Leave the park later in the morning and drive to Naivasha, check in and spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure. Dinner follows, and the night is spent by the lake.

    Overnight
    Leisure Apex, Lake NaivashaLake Naivasha Sopa Resort
    Meals
    Breakfast and dinner

  5. Day 5

    Hell’s Gate-Nairobi

    After breakfast, check out and drive the short distance to Hell's Gate National Park, one of the few Kenyan parks where you can explore on foot or by bicycle because it has no resident large predators. Walk or cycle (bike hire optional) among zebra, buffalo, giraffe and eland beneath the cliffs, and stop at Fischer's Tower, where rock hyrax gather in numbers. Leave the park around midday for the drive back to Nairobi, arriving at about 3pm for drop-off at your hotel or the airport.

    Meals
    Breakfast

What is included

Your written quotation itemises every one of these for your dates, so you can compare it line by line with any other:

  • Park, reserve and conservancy entry fees
  • Accommodation for each night, named
  • Meals on each day
  • Game drives in the 4x4 Land Cruiser, with its seating
  • Driver-guide and fuel
  • Airport or hotel pick-up and drop-off
  • Whether the vehicle is private or shared

What to allow for

Most travellers also budget separately for the items below. Your quotation confirms which apply to this trip.

  • International flights
  • Kenya eTA and any Tanzania visa
  • Travel and medical insurance (Tanzania now requires inbound cover)
  • Optional activities such as a balloon flight
  • Drinks and tips for guides and camp staff
How safari prices and park fees work →

When to travel

Seasonal considerations.

The Great Migration is a natural phenomenon, not a scheduled event. The herds move through the Serengeti and Maasai Mara with the rainfall, so their position shifts from month to month and year to year, and river crossings can never be guaranteed on a given date. Broadly, the calving months in the southern Serengeti fall around January to March, the western and central plains hold the herds from roughly April to June, and the northern Serengeti and the Mara are the usual focus from about July to October. We plan around the most current reports rather than a fixed calendar.

Read the full season guide →

Who it suits

Is this the right journey?

  • Travellers who want more than a sampler: enough days to settle into each area rather than moving on every morning.
  • Travellers at different budgets — this route is sold as Budget, Midrange, with the same wildlife itinerary throughout.
  • Solo travellers and couples happy to share a vehicle on a scheduled departure, or any group wanting the journey privately on request.

Pricing

Plan with the details in view.

USD 690 (Jan-Jun) / USD 890 (Jul-Dec)

Seasonal published prices in US dollars
Travel periodPublished price
January–JuneUSD 690
July–DecemberUSD 890

Published catalogue reference rate. Confirm availability and the final quotation for your travel dates.

This itinerary can also be arranged privately in a 4x4 Land Cruiser on request. A private departure is quoted separately and confirmed with your dates and group size.

Request a quotation

Free quotation

Get a quote for this trip.

Tell us when and how many. We will reply with a written quotation for the 5-Day Maasai Mara · Lake Nakuru & Lake Naivasha in the style you selected above, and adjust the pace, parks or accommodation if you would like something different.

4.9/5 from 31 traveller reviews on SafariBookings (opens in a new tab)
  1. 01

    Tell us your dates

    Send the quick form or a WhatsApp message. It is free and commits you to nothing.

  2. 02

    Get a written quotation

    Our Nairobi team checks availability and sends a quotation stating the route, accommodation and exactly what is and is not included.

  3. 03

    Adjust it until it fits

    Change the pace, the style of accommodation or the parks. Ask anything before you decide.

  4. 04

    Book when you are ready

    Nothing is reserved or charged until you accept the quotation in writing.

Rather talk it through? Ask on WhatsApp

Free and without obligation. Nothing is booked or charged until you accept a written quotation.

Your questions, answered.

How do I request a quotation?

Send your travel dates, party size and accommodation preferences. We will confirm availability and send a written quotation before you book.

Can I customise this trip?

Ask our team about adjustments to the itinerary, accommodation and pace. We will explain what is practical for your dates and confirm any price changes.

What is the published price for this 5-day trip?

USD 690 (Jan-Jun) / USD 890 (Jul-Dec). Ask us to confirm the quotation for your dates and group size.

What vehicle is used for game drives?

Safari game drives use a 4x4 Land Cruiser. Your quotation will confirm whether your trip is private or shared and specify any separate transfer arrangements.

Keep exploring

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Maasai Mara · Lake Nakuru · Lake Naivasha · Amboseli · Serengeti · Ngorongoro · Lake Manyara · Arusha · Nairobi

Twelve days across Kenya and Tanzania with time to breathe: the Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha with a walk at Hell's Gate, Amboseli, then Lake Manyara, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater.

Available Budget · Midrange · Luxury

Quoted to your dates

Explore journey
Get a free quote · From USD 690
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