6-Day Kenya Classic: Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru & Amboseli

6 daysPrivate tourMid-range4.9(488 reviews)

Our best-selling Kenya itinerary visits the Masai Mara for predators and the Migration, Lake Nakuru for rhinos and flamingos, and Amboseli for huge elephant herds with Mount Kilimanjaro as the backdrop.

6-Day Kenya Classic: Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru & Amboseli photo 1

6-Day Kenya Classic: Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru & Amboseli photo 2

6-Day Kenya Classic: Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru & Amboseli photo 3

6-Day Kenya Classic: Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru & Amboseli photo 4

From, per person sharing

$2,145

Route: Nairobi → Masai Mara National Reserve → Lake Nakuru National Park → Amboseli National Park → Nairobi
Duration: 6 days / 5 nights
Accommodation: Choose budget, mid-range or luxury lodges
Meals: Meals as listed in the itinerary

Customise & book

Day-by-day itinerary

What happens each day: travel times, morning, afternoon and evening plans, meals and where you sleep. Lodges shown are our recommended choice; you can switch to budget, mid-range or luxury at every stop when you book.

Day1
Nairobi to the Masai Mara
Nairobi → Masai Mara · approx. 270 km, 5–6 hrs by road
Morning
Morning pick-up from your Nairobi hotel or the airport. Drive north-west to the Great Rift Valley viewpoint for photos over the valley floor, then continue through Narok and Maasai grazing lands into the Mara ecosystem.
Afternoon
Lunch at your camp, a short rest, then your first afternoon game drive. The open grasslands offer immediate sightings of zebra, wildebeest, giraffe and gazelle, and your guide will start looking for the resident lion prides.
Evening
Sunset back at camp, dinner and an early night. Your guide will be ready for a dawn start.
Activities
Afternoon game drive
Meals included
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Overnight
Ashnil Mara Camp
Mid-range Tented Camp
Masai Mara National Reserve · Full board
Recommended · change when booking
Day2
Full day in the Masai Mara
Full day in the Masai Mara · approx. 8–9 hrs of game viewing
Morning
Leave at 6:30am with a packed breakfast to make the most of the cool morning hours, the best time for cheetahs hunting on the open plains and lions returning from the night's hunt.
Afternoon
Picnic lunch in the reserve, then explore the Mara River. From July to October this is where the famous wildebeest crossings take place; outside the season the river still hosts enormous pods of hippos and crocodiles. Look for leopards resting in the riverine trees on the way back.
Evening
Sundowner drinks and dinner at camp. Optional: book a sunrise balloon flight for the next morning.
Activities
Full-day game drive
Meals included
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Overnight
Ashnil Mara Camp
Mid-range Tented Camp
Masai Mara National Reserve · Full board
Recommended · change when booking
Day3
Masai Mara to Lake Nakuru
Masai Mara → Lake Nakuru · approx. 240 km, 5 hrs by road
Morning
A final early game drive in the Mara, then breakfast at camp before checking out and driving back into the Rift Valley towards Lake Nakuru.
Afternoon
Arrive at Lake Nakuru National Park for an afternoon game drive. The park is a rhino sanctuary with both black and white rhinos, and its soda lake attracts flamingos and great white pelicans. Drive up to Baboon Cliff for a panoramic view over the lake, and look for Rothschild's giraffe and tree-climbing lions in the yellow-barked acacia forest.
Evening
Dinner and overnight at your lodge in or near the park.
Activities
Afternoon game driveBaboon Cliff
Meals included
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Overnight
Lake Nakuru Lodge
Mid-range Lodge
Lake Nakuru National Park · Full board
Recommended · change when booking
Day4
Lake Nakuru to Amboseli
Lake Nakuru → Amboseli · approx. 400 km, 7–8 hrs by road via Nairobi
Morning
Early breakfast and departure. This is the longest travel day, through the Rift Valley and around Nairobi, with stops for coffee and to stretch your legs.
Afternoon
Lunch en route in Nairobi or at Emali, then continue south towards the Tanzanian border, with Mount Kilimanjaro appearing on the horizon on a clear day.
Evening
Arrive in Amboseli in time for sundowners and dinner at your lodge. If you arrive early, your guide may take a short game drive on the way in.
Meals included
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Overnight
Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge
Mid-range Lodge
Amboseli National Park · Full board
Recommended · change when booking
Day5
Full day in Amboseli
Full day in Amboseli · approx. 8 hrs of game viewing
Morning
Sunrise is the best time to see Kilimanjaro, before the clouds gather. Morning game drive among the large elephant families that Amboseli is famous for, including some of Africa's last big-tusked bulls.
Afternoon
Visit the swamps fed by Kilimanjaro's snowmelt, where elephants wade and graze alongside buffalo and hippos, with abundant water birds. Climb Observation Hill for 360° views over the swamps and plains. Picnic lunch or a return to the lodge, depending on the sightings.
Evening
Late afternoon game drive as Kilimanjaro often reappears from the clouds at sunset, then dinner at the lodge. Optional: a Maasai village visit.
Activities
Full-day game driveObservation Hill
Meals included
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Overnight
Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge
Mid-range Lodge
Amboseli National Park · Full board
Recommended · change when booking
Day6
Amboseli to Nairobi
Amboseli → Nairobi · approx. 240 km, 4–5 hrs by road
Morning
A last early game drive in Amboseli, then return to the lodge for breakfast and check-out.
Afternoon
Drive back to Nairobi, arriving in the early afternoon. Drop-off at your hotel or the airport for your onward flight.
Evening
End of services.
Activities
Morning game drive
Meals included
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
No overnight: end of safari