Overview
This private five-day safari flies from Wilson Airport to the Maasai Mara and returns to Nairobi by road via Lake Naivasha. Three nights in the Mara provide the arrival-day game drive and two full game-viewing days. The fourth and final night is at Naivasha, with the included boat ride and Crescent Island walk on Day 4.
The final day visits Hell’s Gate before the Nairobi return. The included flight is one-way from Wilson to the Mara; the return journey is by road. Budget, Mid-Range and Luxury accommodation options and a Land Cruiser 4×4 or Safari Minivan are available, with the selected arrangement determining the quotation.
Trip Highlights
- One-way flight from Wilson Airport to the Maasai Mara
- Three Maasai Mara nights with two full game-viewing days
- Lake Naivasha boat ride and Crescent Island walk
- Final overnight at Lake Naivasha
- Road return from the Mara via Naivasha to Nairobi
- Included Hell’s Gate main-valley walk on the final day
Itinerary
The safari begins with the included flight from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport to the Maasai Mara. The airstrip arrival is followed by the transfer to the Mara base and the afternoon game drive.
The first wildlife session introduces the reserve’s open grassland, wooded margins and riverine habitats. Your guide selects suitable viewing stops around the wildlife encountered, providing time to observe behaviour and photograph the landscape.
Morning and afternoon game drives explore the Maasai Mara’s grassland and wooded habitats. Your guide looks for grazing herds, elephants and predators, with time at suitable sightings for observation and photography.
The day’s viewing follows the animals present and permitted routes within the booked camp sector. Riverine habitats provide a different perspective from the open plains, with opportunities to look for hippos, crocodiles and birds where the route reaches suitable viewing areas.
A second full day of Mara game viewing provides further time to explore the booked sector’s wildlife habitats. The guide follows current animal movements and chooses routes and stops around the sightings encountered.
The day combines patient wildlife observation with landscape and birdwatching opportunities. The programme returns to the Mara base for the third and final Mara overnight before the road journey to Naivasha.
The safari leaves the Maasai Mara for Lake Naivasha. The included boat ride explores the freshwater lake under the operator’s safety arrangements, with opportunities to observe waterbirds and hippos from the boat route.
The included Crescent Island walk follows sanctuary paths through grazing habitat beside the lake. These activities introduce the lake environment before the final overnight at Naivasha.
The final morning visits Hell’s Gate National Park for the included walk on permitted main-valley routes. The guide introduces the volcanic landscape and looks for wildlife from the designated visitor routes. Cycling remains an optional activity with its existing separately payable charges.
The safari then returns by road to Nairobi, completing the fly-in programme and the road journey through Naivasha.
Cost Details
What's Included
- One-way flight Nairobi (Wilson Airport) to Maasai Mara
- Road transport from Maasai Mara via Lake Naivasha to Nairobi in a Land Cruiser 4x4 or Safari Minivan, according to the selected package
- Airport transfers in Nairobi
- All Maasai Mara game drives in the selected safari vehicle
- Boat safari on Lake Naivasha
- Hell's Gate National Park entry and walking safari
- Professional English-speaking safari guide
- Four nights full board accommodation
- All applicable park and reserve entry fees
- Drinking water during game drives and activities
- Complimentary binoculars for use during game drives
- Crescent Island walk at Lake Naivasha
What's Not Included
- International flights
- Kenya visa fees
- Travel and medical insurance
- Hot air balloon safari in the Mara
- Maasai village visit
- Hell's Gate cycling fees
- Tips and gratuities for guide and accommodation staff
- Alcoholic and premium beverages
- Personal expenses such as laundry and souvenirs
- Excess baggage charges beyond 15 kg on the bush flight
FAQs
The safari flies one-way from Wilson Airport to the Maasai Mara, stays three nights in the Mara and travels by road to Lake Naivasha for the final night. It returns to Nairobi by road on Day 5. A return flight to Nairobi is not included.
The Day 4 programme includes the Lake Naivasha boat ride and Crescent Island walk, followed by the final overnight at Naivasha.
The final day includes a guided walk on permitted main-valley visitor routes before returning to Nairobi. It does not promise inner-gorge access. Cycling is optional and its existing separately payable charges remain excluded.
Bush-flight baggage limits depend on the airline, aircraft, route and ticket. Weight, bag dimensions and any camera equipment must fit the confirmed carrier allowance. Extra baggage or hard cases require the carrier's prior acceptance; no single allowance applies to every safari flight.
Kenya's main rainy seasons are the March to May long rains and October to December short rains, with substantial regional and year-to-year variation. Rain can affect roads, visibility and camp operations. The chosen route and confirmed services determine the best fit; calendar dates do not establish dry weather or specific wildlife encounters.
Safari Route Map
A sense of the journey
Your route, at a glance.
Nairobi → Maasai Mara → Lake Naivasha → Hell’s Gate → Nairobi
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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