6-Day Private Explorer Safari – Nairobi, Amboseli, Naivasha & Mara

The Nairobi programme combines a Nairobi National Park game drive, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nursery and the Giraffe Centre. The early game drive explores the park’s grassland and woodland habitats before the Nursery’s fixed public visiting hour. The Nursery visit runs from 11:00 to 12:00 with official advance confirmation, with gate arrival planned by 10:30; it is closed on 25 December. The afternoon Giraffe Centre visit covers giraffe viewing and conservation education, with any supervised feeding following the centre’s instructions.

The safari leaves Nairobi for Amboseli, travelling south towards the plains beneath Mount Kilimanjaro. The arrival-day game drive introduces Amboseli’s open landscapes and wetland habitats, with the guide looking for elephants and the other wildlife encountered along the park roads. Observation and photography stops provide the first opportunity to explore the park from the private safari vehicle. This day begins the two-night Amboseli stage, with a full day of game drives scheduled next.

Morning and afternoon game drives explore Amboseli’s open plains, acacia woodland and permanent swamp habitats. The wetland edges provide opportunities to look for elephants, hippos and waterbirds, while the open ground offers a different setting for observing the park’s other wildlife. The programme includes Observation Hill for a wider view across the Amboseli basin. Mount Kilimanjaro forms part of the landscape when visibility allows, and the day provides time to photograph both the wildlife and the changing mountain views.

The safari leaves Amboseli and continues by road to Lake Naivasha, moving from the southern plains to the Rift Valley lake landscape. The Naivasha programme includes the boat ride and guided Crescent Island walk. The boat provides a water-level view of the lake and its birdlife, while the walk explores the sanctuary’s grassland habitats on foot. This Naivasha overnight separates the Amboseli and Maasai Mara road stages, with the journey continuing to the Mara on the following day.

The road journey continues from Lake Naivasha towards the Maasai Mara through the Rift Valley and Narok area. The afternoon game drive introduces the Mara’s open plains, acacia woodland and wildlife habitats. The guide follows the reserve roads and stops for wildlife observation and photographs as animals are encountered. This is the Mara arrival day in the Explorer programme, which has one overnight in the reserve before the next day’s road return to Nairobi.

The safari leaves the Maasai Mara for the road return to Nairobi. The route retraces the transition from the reserve’s grasslands through the Narok area towards the Rift Valley and the capital. This departure day is devoted to the overland journey after the single Mara overnight in the Explorer programme. The six-day safari finishes at the agreed Nairobi hotel or airport drop-off point, following its Nairobi, Amboseli, Naivasha and Mara stages.