Kenyan Trails — Masai Mara & Nakuru
6 days across Kenya's finest wildlife parks — big cats, rhino, and flamingos
Duration
6 days / 5 nights
Group Size
2–12 guests
Best Season
January – March (Big Cats); July – October (Migration)
From
$2,800 per person
Overview
About This Tour
Six immersive days across two of Kenya's finest wildlife destinations. Starting in Nairobi, you fly directly to the Masai Mara — Kenya's most celebrated game reserve — for three nights of morning-to-evening safaris. Staying inside the park gives you early access to sighting hotspots: lion prides gearing up for a hunt, solitary leopards retrieving kills from acacia branches, and cheetah families in golden light. Every morning begins with a packed picnic breakfast at 5:45am, venturing into the bush before sunrise. The tour then continues to Lake Nakuru National Park, famous for its vast flocks of flamingos, white rhinos, and large cat populations — before returning to Nairobi. Maximum 4 guests per vehicle ensures unhurried, photography-first positioning throughout.
Day by Day
Arrival in Nairobi
Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), you are met by our representative for briefing and driven to the hotel (Hotel Lotos Inn or equivalent) for check-in. Rest and prepare for the safari ahead.
📷 No drive today — rest and prepare kit. Review settings for early morning low-light conditions.
Fly to Masai Mara — First Game Drive
Take the first morning flight from Wilson Airport, arriving at the Masai Mara at 9:00am. Continue immediately with a game drive until 1:00pm, then check into Olikenyei Tented Camp or equivalent lodge. Afternoon game drive until 18:00. The reserve stretches 1,510 sq km, sits 1,500–2,170m above sea level, and hosts 95 mammal species and 570 recorded bird species.
📷 First encounter with resident lion prides and cheetahs in the golden mid-morning light — perfect for environmental portraits.
Full-Day Safari — Big Cats & Predator Action
Packed picnic breakfast at 5:45am and into the bush before sunrise. Full day dedicated to tracking the Mara's big cats — lion, leopard, and cheetah — with Nitin reading animal behaviour to position for the chase, the kill, and the feeding. Staying inside the park ensures early access to sighting hotspots before other vehicles arrive.
📷 Dawn lion hunt sequences — soft directional light, no harsh shadows. Leopard retrieving a kill from an acacia branch.
Full-Day Safari — Big Five & Plains Game
Another full day of morning-to-evening game drives. Today's focus broadens to the Big Five — elephant, rhino, cape buffalo, lion, and leopard — plus hippos at the river and opportunities for landscape photography of the sweeping Mara plains. Overnight again at Olikenyei Lodge or equivalent.
📷 Hippos at the Mara River at dawn. Cape buffalo herds in golden late-afternoon light. Elephant silhouettes at dusk.
Departure for Lake Nakuru
Check out after breakfast at 7:00am and drive to Lake Nakuru National Park (approx. 5 hours via Narok, with lunch en route). Arrive at 15:00 and continue directly with a game drive until 18:00. Check into Lake Nakuru Lodge for dinner and overnight. Nakuru is famous for its enormous flamingo populations, white rhino, and resident lions and leopards.
📷 First views of the flamingo-lined lake shore at golden hour. White rhino in the late afternoon light — rare and remarkable.
Game Drives in Nakuru — Return to Nairobi
Early start at 6:00am for game drives in Lake Nakuru National Park until 9:00am. Return to the lodge for breakfast and check out at 10:00am. Drive to Nairobi (3 hours) for drop-off at your hotel or JKIA. The Kenya tour ends here.
📷 Nakuru dawn — flamingos in flight, pelicans, and the mirror-flat lake surface in first light. A completely different palette from the Mara.
Customise This Safari
Tell us your dates and goals — we'll tailor every detail.
Plan This SafariWhatsApp NitinWhere You'll Stay
Stays are fully customised — from comfortable 3-star tented camps to exclusive 5-star lodges — all with en-suite facilities and breakfast included.
Full board accommodation in 3-star category hotels and lodges throughout — twin sharing basis. Nairobi: Hotel Lotos Inn or equivalent. Masai Mara: Olikenyei Tented Camp or equivalent. Nakuru: Lake Nakuru Lodge or equivalent. All with en-suite facilities.
Discuss accommodation options →Included
- ✓1 night in Nairobi (Hotel Lotos Inn or equivalent, 3-star)
- ✓3 nights in Masai Mara (Olikenyei Tented Camp or equivalent, 3-star)
- ✓1 night at Lake Nakuru (Lake Nakuru Lodge or equivalent, 3-star)
- ✓All meals from Day 2 breakfast onwards (full board at all safari locations)
- ✓All game drives with Nitin Vyas as lead photography guide
- ✓7-seat 4×4 WD Toyota Landcruiser with pop-up roof (max 4 adults)
- ✓Morning flight Nairobi (Wilson) → Masai Mara airstrip
- ✓All park entry and reserve fees
- ✓Airport pick-up and drop at JKIA
- ✓Services of top-rated English-speaking driver/naturalist
Not Included
- —International flights to/from Kenya
- —Kenya e-Visa (approx. USD 35 per person)
- —Travel insurance (mandatory — not optional)
- —Personal camera equipment and memory cards
- —Gratuities for camp staff and drivers (approx. USD 200 per person)
- —Personal expenses (laundry, alcohol, souvenirs, phone/internet)
- —Beverages and alcoholic drinks
- —Optional hot air balloon safari over the Mara
- —Optional visit to a Masai village
- —Medical insurance
What to Bring
- ✦Primary telephoto: 100–400mm or 150–600mm f/5–6.3
- ✦Medium zoom: 70–200mm f/2.8 for tighter compositions and low light
- ✦Wide angle: 16–35mm for landscape and environmental shots
- ✦Teleconverter: 1.4x recommended for extra reach on distant subjects
- ✦Minimum 2 camera bodies (dust and heat are real — backup is essential)
- ✦Beanbag or window mount (tripods not permitted in vehicles)
- ✦Memory cards: minimum 256GB capacity across cards
- ✦Sensor cleaning kit
- ✦Dust-proof camera bag or cover