This private three-day safari combines Lake Naivasha with the Aberdare highlands, beginning and ending in Nairobi. The two-night route spends one night at Naivasha and one in the Aberdare area. The included boat ride and guided Crescent Island walk introduce Naivasha’s lake and grassland habitats. An Aberdare forest game drive follows on day two, with a morning game drive before the Nairobi return on day three. Waterhole viewing depends on the selected property. Budget, Mid-Range and Luxury accommodation options are available, with Full Board and a private Land Cruiser 4×4 or Safari Minivan for the road safari. The quotation specifies the selected arrangements and their price.
Final morning game drive before returning to Nairobi
One Naivasha night and one Aberdare-area night
Budget, Mid-Range or Luxury accommodation
Private Land Cruiser 4x4 or Safari Minivan
Itinerary
The three-day safari travels from Nairobi to Lake Naivasha for the included boat ride and Crescent Island walk, then continues to the Aberdare area for forest game viewing. A morning game drive completes the wildlife programme before the road return to Nairobi. Waterhole viewing depends on the selected property.
Day 01 :
Nairobi to Lake Naivasha: Boat Ride and Crescent Island
The safari begins with the road journey from Nairobi to Lake Naivasha in the Great Rift Valley. An included boat ride explores the freshwater lake, with views of its papyrus margins, shoreline habitats and the birds and hippos encountered on the water. The programme also includes the guided Crescent Island walk. Following the sanctuary’s visitor routes, the walk gives a ground-level view of the grassland landscape and the free-ranging wildlife encountered there. The boat ride and island walk introduce the lake environment before the journey continues to the Aberdare highlands the following day.
10 hours
Lunch + Dinner
Day 02 :
Lake Naivasha to Aberdare: Forest Game Drive
The journey continues from Lake Naivasha to the Aberdare area for a forest game drive in Aberdare National Park. The drive follows permitted park roads through the highland landscape, exploring forest habitats with your private guide. Viewing stops focus on the mammals, birds and vegetation encountered along the route, with the guide explaining the character of this mountain ecosystem. The forest setting provides a different wildlife experience from the open lakeside scenery of Naivasha. Waterhole viewing forms part of the stay only where the selected property provides that facility; it is not an included night drive or a promise of animals arriving.
9 hours
Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Day 03 :
Aberdare Morning Game Drive and Nairobi Return
A morning game drive provides a final opportunity to explore Aberdare National Park before the road return to Nairobi. Your guide follows permitted vehicle routes and selects viewing stops around the wildlife encountered in the forest landscape. The outing completes the highland wildlife stage of the safari, without promising a particular species or extending the programme into an unconfirmed walking route. After leaving the Aberdare area, the private road journey returns to Nairobi, where the three-day safari ends.
7 hours
Breakfast
Cost Details
What's Included
Road transfers from Nairobi throughout
Boat safari on Lake Naivasha
Aberdare National Park entry fees
Professional safari guide throughout
Two nights full board accommodation
Lake Naivasha conservation fee
Drinking water throughout
Crescent Island walk at Lake Naivasha
What's Not Included
International flights to Nairobi
Kenya electronic travel authorisation (eTA) fees, where applicable
Travel and medical insurance
Tips and gratuities
Alcoholic and premium beverages
Personal expenses
FAQs
What is the three-day route
The safari travels from Nairobi to Lake Naivasha, then the Aberdare area and back to Nairobi. The two nights are divided into one at Naivasha and one in the Aberdare area.
Which activities are included
Day one includes the Lake Naivasha boat ride and guided Crescent Island walk. Day two includes an Aberdare forest game drive, followed by a morning game drive on day three before the Nairobi return.
Does this programme include Hells Gate or a gorge walk
No. The three-day programme does not visit Hells Gate and does not include cycling or a gorge walk.
Is a treetop lodge or waterhole viewing guaranteed
No. The selected accommodation determines whether lodge-based waterhole viewing is available. A treetop lodge, floodlit salt lick, animal-alert system and night game drive are not guaranteed inclusions.
Which accommodation and vehicles are available
Budget, Mid-Range and Luxury accommodation options are available, with a private Land Cruiser 4×4 or Safari Minivan for the road safari. The quotation identifies the selected properties, vehicle, dates and party, and the price for those arrangements; these options do not necessarily have the same price.
Which meals are included
Full Board applies. The daily meal plan includes lunch and dinner on day one, breakfast, lunch and dinner on day two, and breakfast on day three.
Are wildlife sightings guaranteed
No. Game drives and the lake and island activities focus on the wildlife encountered along the permitted routes. The programme does not guarantee a rare forest species, a particular animal at a waterhole or a fixed list of sightings.
Safari Route Map
A sense of the journey
Your route, at a glance.
3 days2 nightsKenya
Nairobi → Lake Naivasha → Aberdare → Nairobi
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Find your journey on the map.
Tap a stage below to explore the journey.
Location markers are approximate. Connections show the journey sequence, not roads, exact driving distances or live vehicle tracking. The itinerary sets out each stage.
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$390/ Adult
Private safari for your party
Budget, Mid-Range or Luxury accommodation
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4.9
Based on 664 reviews
Erica Anderson
What an amazing tour: we saw an incredible number and variety of animals and got to learn so much from our fantastic guide Kelvin. He was very knowledgable and patient with us andWhat an amazing tour: we saw an incredible number and variety of animals and got to learn so much from our fantastic guide Kelvin. He was very knowledgable and patient with us and he made our experience unforgettable. Could not have asked for a better introduction to Kenya!…
Laura H
Very knowledgeable and friendly
michael graham
Kelvin met us at the airport, took us to our hotel and then picked us up next morning for a 5 day Safari through the Masai Mara. Brilliant experience! Kelvin is knowledgeable,Kelvin met us at the airport, took us to our hotel and then picked us up next morning for a 5 day Safari through the Masai Mara. Brilliant experience! Kelvin is knowledgeable, patient and great fun. Rustic Nature Tours are well organised and quick to respond from my very first enquiry. You won’t be disappointed.…
Peter M
Great experience! Kelvin is an excellent guide and is full of knowledge. He made sure our 3 experiences were to the max. I highly recommend Rustic Nature Tours and I recommendGreat experience! Kelvin is an excellent guide and is full of knowledge. He made sure our 3 experiences were to the max. I highly recommend Rustic Nature Tours and I recommend asking for Kelvin as your guide.…
Ruth
My husband and I completed a half-day Nairobi Park and Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage tour and the variety of wildlife was amazing: enormous dazzle of zebras cautiously drinking atMy husband and I completed a half-day Nairobi Park and Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage tour and the variety of wildlife was amazing: enormous dazzle of zebras cautiously drinking at the lake, three lions slinking past our vehicle as they hunted an impala, a huge crocodile incubating eggs, two white rhinos napping on the side of the road, and so much more. Our guide was happy to provide knowledgeable answers to all of our questions and was amazing at locating wildlife. I absolutely recommend this company.…
Michael G
Rustic Nature Tours were responsive from my very first contact and flexible with what we wanted to do and when. The Safari was excellent and accomodation/food spot on. If someoneRustic Nature Tours were responsive from my very first contact and flexible with what we wanted to do and when. The Safari was excellent and accomodation/food spot on. If someone says they had a better guide than Kelvin, they are making it up! He’s the MAN. We had a blast.…
Fernando Estaragues
It was a really good experience, it's totally recommended, the service of the office guys is good, they answer to you everytime and with a lot of enthusiasm.The truck was reallyIt was a really good experience, it's totally recommended, the service of the office guys is good, they answer to you everytime and with a lot of enthusiasm.The truck was really good with a lot of personalized service.The guide was the best one, fully recommended our guide, Kelvin Ndolo, he drive through all the safari to let us catch some good pictures, the service is really good with him, he was a nice person with a lot of experience, telling you about everything in Kenya in general, nice time with him, helping, giving advices, experienced man.He is el chingon!!In general we can say that we wouldn't be in a better tour and guide for the first experience in Kenya!…
Nicole S
We had a wonderful day exploring Nairobi and learning so much about the history of both the city and Kenya. This private tour was great value, offering pick-up directly from ourWe had a wonderful day exploring Nairobi and learning so much about the history of both the city and Kenya. This private tour was great value, offering pick-up directly from our hotel and a comfortable ride to each site.Our driver/guide, Denish, was fantastic! extremely safe, knowledgeable, and always ready to answer any questions we had. Every guide we met at the individual stops was equally kind and full of insights.Highlights of our day included a delicious lunch, visiting local community shops for souvenirs, and especially the museum and Kobe Tough! It was the perfect blend of culture, history, and city highlights. If you have a day in Nairobi, we highly recommend booking this tour!…
Marc-Antoine Ladouceur
I booked a four-day trip with Rustic Nature Tour (Safari tour) in Kenya at the very last minute, and they absolutely nailed it. They put together a beautiful itinerary, adapted toI booked a four-day trip with Rustic Nature Tour (Safari tour) in Kenya at the very last minute, and they absolutely nailed it. They put together a beautiful itinerary, adapted to my preferences, at a price that really surprised me, in a good way. My guide was fantastic, not just knowledgeable about wildlife but also about the socialBiophysical environmental, geomorphology and human stories behind the places we visited. Everything just flowed. I couldn’t be happier with the experience and highly recommend them to anyone looking for an authentic Kenyan adventure…
FarAway57601419658
Just completed a half-day Nairobi Park and Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage tour and the variety of wildlife was amazing: enormous dazzle of zebras cautiously drinking at the lake,Just completed a half-day Nairobi Park and Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage tour and the variety of wildlife was amazing: enormous dazzle of zebras cautiously drinking at the lake, three lions slinking past our vehicle as they hunted an impala, a huge crocodile incubating eggs, two white rhinos napping on the side of the road, and so much more. Our guide was happy to provide knowledgeable answers to all of our questions and was amazing at locating wildlife. I absolutely recommend this company.…
Katie Richards-Schuster
Kelvin and Rustic Nature Tours were the absolute best choice for the two day trips we did during our time in Nairobi. We could not have asked for a better experience. The tripsKelvin and Rustic Nature Tours were the absolute best choice for the two day trips we did during our time in Nairobi. We could not have asked for a better experience. The trips were completely seamless. We had terrific communication beforehand in preparation for the experiences, and we felt that all aspects were accounted for. Kelvin was absolutely exceptional as a guide. He was very knowledgeable about the animals, the local history, and the elements of the safari experience. His ability to navigate us to exactly the spots where we could see the most, be the closest, and truly experience all that Kenya has to offer.For the first-day experience, we traveled to Amboseli. People in our group really wanted to see elephants. And elephants we saw! Kelvin helped position the Land Cruiser so that we had multiple herds of elephants (including babies) walk in front of the vehicle, less than 10 feet away!! It was a memorable sight. We also saw lions, zebras, wildebeests, birds (of all kinds), giraffes, and so much more. Kelvin has a college degree in wildlife management, and he is both extraordinarily knowledgeable and professional in the trip. He answered our questions, provided information, and helped us experience the wildlife in the safest manner possible. I would definitely recommend taking the Land Cruiser over the Safari van. The roads in the park are bumpy, and the Land Cruiser ensured a safe, comfortable ride while also getting us into the perfect spot to see the animals. After 4 hours or so in the park, we headed to a beautiful lodge to eat. The food and experience at the lodge were wonderful. After that, we did another drive before leaving to head back to Nairobi. A long but unbelievable day!For the second experience, we headed to Nairobi National Park, then the Sheldrick Elephant Trust, Kobe Beads, lunch, and the Giraffe Center. Again, Kelvin was a masterful guide. In the park, he got us close to hippos, rhinos, zebras, giraffes, ostriches, and even a crocodile- among many other animals. He found the perfect spots and maneuvered the vehicle just right (and sometimes even off the beaten path) to make sure we saw the best views of the animals (again, we recommend the Land Cruiser for the best experience!). After talking with others who took different trips to Nairobi National Park, we realized how special our visit was. Many of them didn’t have Kelvin guiding them and, as a result, missed seeing all that we saw. We can’t emphasize enough how amazing Kelvin is. From there, Kelvin got us to the Elephant Sanctuary. He had the tickets already set, so all we needed to do was walk in, and then he got us to the perfect spot where we could be feet away from baby elephants, a baby rhino, and a baby zebra. Truly spectacular! After that, we visited a local bead factory that is a microenterprise supporting local women. We had a tour, learned about the beading process, and then had the opportunity to visit their shop (no hassling or pressure to buy- but we did get some beautiful items!). Then to a hidden garden for lunch at a local restaurant, and then finally to the giraffes. By the time we got to the giraffes, it was very busy, but again, Kelvin worked his magic to get us through the line quickly (we felt like VIPs!) and to the perfect spot to feed them. He clearly knows the staff, as he was able to get us pictures and even additional food to feed the animals. After a long day, he masterfully navigated traffic (which is no joke) to return us to the hotel.All in all, our time in Kenya would not have been the same without Kelvin and Rustic Nature Tours. We can’t recommend their tours any higher. You will not be disappointed!!!…
Brianna D
Our amazing guide Faith was right on time to pick us up at our hotel. We started the morning with a trip to Kobe Tough where we saw the bead making process. Then we headed to theOur amazing guide Faith was right on time to pick us up at our hotel. We started the morning with a trip to Kobe Tough where we saw the bead making process. Then we headed to the elephant orphanage where Faith knew the whole system and was able to get us up close spots in the “splash zone.” Next up was the giraffe center where we got up close to hand feed giraffes. Faith knew all of the giraffes by name and personality and even took photos on our camera for us. Afterwards we stopped for traditional Kenyan lunch (at your own expense) and we elected to do the Karen Blixen museum for the entrance fee as well. Since it was just me and my husband, Faith even drove us to the local mall before taking us back to the hotel. Overall it was a day well spent with memories to last a lifetime!…
This private four-day programme starts in Nairobi and ends in Diani. It visits Tsavo West and Tsavo East for game drives, including Mzima Springs in...
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