4 Night / 5 Days
Masai Mara &
lake Nakuru Safari
Five days pairing Kenya's most famous reserve with Lake Nakuru's flamingos and rhino sanctuary. Big cats in the Mara, pink lakeshores and rare rhino sightings at Nakuru.
Tour Overview
The Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru offer two different wildlife settings within a short Kenya safari. The Mara is known for its open grasslands and large populations of predators and plains animals, while Lake Nakuru brings you closer to the wildlife of the Great Rift Valley.
The Maasai Mara is home to lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffalo, and many other species. Three days in the reserve give you time for several game drives across its grasslands and riverine areas.
Lake Nakuru adds a different landscape to the safari. The park is known for its black and white rhinos, Rothschild's giraffes, lions, leopards, buffalo, and a wide range of waterbirds around the lake.
- Three days of safari in Maasai Mara
- Lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, zebras, and wildebeest
- Game drive around Lake Nakuru
- Black and white rhinos at Lake Nakuru
- Rothschild's giraffes and lake birdlife
- Drive through Kenya's Great Rift Valley
- Safari in a Pop-up Roof Land Cruiser
- Nairobi to Nairobi road transfers
Places You'll Visit
Two contrasting landscapes, from the grasslands of the Mara to the soda lake shores of Nakuru.
01
Masai Mara
Kenya
Kenya's most famous reserve, known for dense lion prides, cheetah and the Great Migration's river crossings. Dawn game drives here rarely disappoint.
3 Days · 1 Reserve
02
Lake Nakuru
Nakuru County
A soda lake known for flamingos and one of Kenya's most reliable rhino sanctuaries, set inside acacia woodland close to the Rift Valley escarpment.
2 Days · 1 National Park
Tour Itinerary
A five-day route from Nairobi to Masai Mara, through Lake Nakuru, and back to Nairobi.
01
Masai Mara
Days 1 - 3
02
Lake Nakuru
Days 4 - 5
Masai Mara
Days 1 - 3
Day 1
Nairobi to Masai Mara, First Game Drive
Leave Nairobi in the morning and drive towards the Maasai Mara. The road takes you through the Great Rift Valley and across Kenya's countryside before reaching the Mara region.
After lunch and check-in at your lodge or camp, head out for an afternoon game drive. Look for lions, elephants, zebras, giraffes, wildebeest, and other wildlife across the grasslands. Return to camp in the evening for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 2
Full Day in Masai Mara
Start early with a morning game drive across the Maasai Mara. The cooler hours are a good time to look for predators and other wildlife.
Spend the day exploring different areas of the reserve, with opportunities to see lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffalo, and hyenas. Enjoy a picnic lunch during the day's safari before continuing into the afternoon.
Return to your lodge or camp in the evening.
Day 3
Full Day in Masai Mara
Spend another full day exploring the Maasai Mara. A second full day allows you to cover different areas and spend more time around recent wildlife sightings.
Your guide can adjust the route according to animal movements and road conditions. The day may include time around the grasslands, seasonal rivers, or the Mara River. Return to camp after the afternoon game drive.
Lake Nakuru
Days 4 - 5
Day 4
Maasai Mara to Lake Nakuru, Afternoon Game Drive
After breakfast, check out and drive towards Lake Nakuru. The journey takes you through the Rift Valley before reaching the national park.
After lunch, head out for a game drive around Lake Nakuru. The park is known for black and white rhinos, Rothschild's giraffes, buffalo, lions, leopards, and many bird species. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5
Lake Nakuru to Nairobi, Safari Ends
After breakfast, leave Lake Nakuru and drive back to Nairobi. Depending on your departure time, you can be dropped at your Nairobi hotel, preferred location, or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Inclusions and Exclusions
Included
- Lodging in Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru including all meals and safari.
- Entrance fees, safari fees and guide services in Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru.
- 1 Evening Game Drive on Day 1 and Full Day Game Drives on
- Day 2 and 3 in a Pop-up Roof Land Cruiser in Maasai Mara.
- Game Drive in Lake Nakuru on Day 4 in a Pop-up Roof Land Cruiser.
- Nairobi to Nairobi transfers in a Land Cruiser.
- Airport and hotel assistance before and after the trip.
- Drinking water during safari drives.
Not Included
- Personal expenses like laundry, international phone calls, liquor, à la carte food, etc.
- International or domestic airfares and rail tickets.
- Travel insurance.
Tips and Gratuities. - Anything that is not mentioned in the inclusion section.
Booking & Terms.
Booking Procedure
To confirm your booking, a 50% advance payment along with a clear copy of your Passport is required.
Passport copies should be scanned and emailed to us at sa****@**********ia.com along with your preferred travel dates and number of travellers.
Cancellation Policy
| Notice Given | Refund |
|---|---|
| 120 days or more before departure | Full refund |
| 60 days or more before departure | 80% refunded |
| 30–59 days before departure | 60% refunded |
| 21–30 days before departure | 40% refunded |
| 11–20 days before departure | 20% refunded |
| 10 days or less, or no-show | No refund |
Guest Gallery
Guest Testimonials
We thank all of our guests for trusting Big Cats India and for trusting us with planning their wildlife holiday with us. Read all our guest's reviews
Mr. Maxim Vetsuypens
Netherlands
We were a bit late with planning the safari trip and many good spots were fully booked, but Krunal was very helpful and creative in planning a trip that met our needs. The resorts where very comfortable and the food was tasty. Krunal was very responsive to our messages Read More
Marisa Romeo
Switzerland
magnificent safari tour/wonderful tour & safari I discovered Big Cats India via the internet, looking through various operators and having asked for some offers to go to national parks and possibly see and photograph tigers (mission accomplished, but it is never obvious to be Read More
Lewis Johnson
Australia
Had such an amazing tiger safari tour with Big cats at Pench tiger safari. Had 6 tiger sightings, 1 leopard sighting and 100s more wildlife over our 4 day tour. Big cats couldn’t have been more helpful with the whole booking and right the way through they were always asking how it Read More
Frequently Asked Questions
What destinations are covered in this 5-day Kenya safari?
The safari covers Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru, with Nairobi as the starting and ending point.
How many days are spent in Maasai Mara?
The itinerary includes three days in Maasai Mara, allowing time for an afternoon game drive on arrival and two full days of safari.
What wildlife can I see in Maasai Mara?
The Maasai Mara is home to lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffalo, hyenas, and many other species.
What is Lake Nakuru known for?
Lake Nakuru National Park is known for its black and white rhinos, Rothschild's giraffes, lions, leopards, buffalo, and birdlife.
Can I see flamingos at Lake Nakuru?
Flamingos can be seen at Lake Nakuru, but their numbers and location vary with water levels, food availability, and seasonal conditions.