7 Days · Masai Mara · Lake Nakuru · Amboseli

Kenya’s three great parks. One perfect week.

The Great Migration in the Masai Mara. Rhinos and flamingos at Lake Nakuru. Elephants beneath Kilimanjaro in Amboseli. This is Kenya’s classic safari circuit — and the best possible answer to the question: where do I start?

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7Days
3Parks
Masai Mara · Lake Nakuru · AmboseliRoute
PrivateGuide & Vehicle
Big FiveWildlife
Duration7 Days / 6 Nights
DestinationsMasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Amboseli
AccommodationMara Serena · Lake Nakuru Lodge · Amboseli Serena
TravelPrivate road safari
WildlifeBig Five throughout
Ideal forFirst-time safari guests
Why This Safari

The classic Kenya circuit. Done properly.

There are hundreds of ways to do a Kenya safari. This is the one that covers what Kenya does best — three parks, each completely different, each essential. The Masai Mara for the sheer density of wildlife and the migration drama. Lake Nakuru for its Rift Valley setting, its rhinos and its extraordinary birdlife. Amboseli for the elephants — the greatest concentration of large-tusked elephants in Kenya — with Africa’s highest mountain as their backdrop. Seven days, six nights, three parks, one unforgettable circuit.

This safari travels by road, which matters more than people think. The drive into the Rift Valley on Day 2 — the moment you crest the escarpment and the valley opens below you — is itself one of Kenya’s great sights. The drive south to Amboseli passes through landscapes that shift from highland forest to dust-dry scrub. The road is part of the story. And at each destination your private guide and vehicle mean you set the pace, stay at the sightings that matter and leave the crowds behind.

“If someone asks me where to start with Kenya, this is the circuit I recommend. Three parks, one week, and you’ll understand why people come back.”
— Gerald Omondi, Safari Travel Plus
7Days
3Parks
Big 5Wildlife
100%Private
Destinations Visited

Masai Mara

The world’s greatest wildlife reserve. Resident Big Five year-round. The Great Migration July–October.

Lake Nakuru

Kenya’s premier rhino sanctuary. Black and white rhino, flamingo on the soda lake, Rothschild’s giraffe, tree-climbing lions.

Amboseli

Africa’s finest elephant herds beneath the snow-capped summit of Kilimanjaro. Over 400 bird species recorded.

Day by Day

7 days. Three parks. One unforgettable circuit.

01

Jambo, Nairobi

Arrival · Nairobi · City Safari

You’re met at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by your private driver and transferred to the Safari Park Hotel — a lush, garden-set property that’s a comfortable and characterful first night in Kenya. If you arrive with time to spare, the Giraffe Centre and Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage are both a short drive from the hotel and a perfect introduction to Kenya’s wildlife and conservation story. In the evening, the legendary Carnivore Restaurant is close by — a Nairobi institution worth the experience. Tonight is for settling in, adjusting to the time zone, and letting Africa begin to work on you.

Arrival City safari

Tonight’s lodge: Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi

02

Into the Rift Valley

Scenic Drive · Rift Valley · First Game Drive

After breakfast, your guide collects you and you drive west out of Nairobi. The city gives way to farmland, then suddenly — at the edge of the Great Rift Valley — the earth simply drops away. The viewpoint here is one of Kenya’s great sights: a vast geological scar running 6,000km from Lebanon to Mozambique, and you’re standing on its rim. Descend into the valley, pass the historic Italian War Memorial Chapel (built by Italian prisoners of war after World War II), cross the wheat fields of the Mara Triangle highlands, and arrive at the Masai Mara by midday. Lunch at Mara Serena Safari Lodge, perched on a hill with views across the reserve. Afternoon: your first game drive on the Mara’s vast golden plains — and within an hour you’ll understand why this place has the reputation it does.

Scenic drive Game drive Big Five

Tonight’s lodge: Mara Serena Safari Lodge, Masai Mara

03

The Mara Comes Alive

Dawn Drive · Full Day in the Reserve · Migration Season

Wake before dawn for a sunrise game drive — the best light of the day and the most active time for predators. Return for breakfast, then the day is yours: a second drive in the afternoon, or time at the lodge between. If you’re here between July and October the Great Wildebeest Migration is in full play — over a million wildebeest and zebra moving through the reserve, and the Mara River crossings that make this one of the great wildlife spectacles on earth. At any time of year the Mara’s resident wildlife is extraordinary: lion prides, leopard in the fig trees, cheetah on the open plains, elephant, buffalo, giraffe. An optional hot air balloon safari can be arranged for this morning — one hour above the Mara at dawn, ending with champagne on the plains.

Game drive Big Five Migration Jul–Oct Photography

Tonight’s lodge: Mara Serena Safari Lodge, Masai Mara

04

Rhinos at the Rift

Lake Nakuru National Park · Rhino · Flamingo

Drive north-east through the agricultural highlands of Narok to Lake Nakuru National Park — a different Kenya entirely. Where the Mara is open golden savannah, Nakuru is a concentrated Rift Valley ecosystem: a soda lake ringed by yellow fever trees and acacia forest, with the escarpment rising behind it. The park is Kenya’s premier rhino sanctuary — both black and white rhino are present and relatively easy to see. Rothschild’s giraffe, one of the world’s rarest subspecies, roam the forest margins. Tree-climbing lions are sometimes spotted in the yellow fever trees. When water levels suit, the lake shore turns pink with flamingo. Arrive for lunch at Lake Nakuru Lodge, followed by an afternoon game drive as the light turns golden on the escarpment.

Game drive Rhino Birdlife

Tonight’s lodge: Lake Nakuru Lodge, Lake Nakuru

05

South to Kilimanjaro

Scenic Drive · Amboseli Arrival · First Elephant Herds

Drive south through Nairobi and continue to Amboseli National Park, at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro. The approach to Amboseli is memorable in itself — the dust flats stretch south toward Tanzania, and then, if the clouds are clear, the mountain appears: vast, white-capped, seemingly too large to be real. Arrive at Amboseli Serena Lodge in time for lunch. Afternoon game drive. Amboseli is renowned above all for its elephants — free-ranging herds of large-tusked elephants that have been studied and protected for over 50 years. The classic Amboseli photograph — a herd of elephants with Kilimanjaro in the background — is not a myth. It happens here, regularly, and you are going to take it.

Scenic drive Game drive Elephants Photography

Tonight’s lodge: Amboseli Serena Lodge, Amboseli

06

The Elephants of Amboseli

Morning Drive · Afternoon Drive · Maasai Village

A full day in Amboseli — morning and afternoon game drives across the park’s dry lake bed, swamps and open plains. The birdlife around the Amboseli wetlands is extraordinary (over 400 species recorded). Lion, cheetah, buffalo and zebra are all resident. But it’s the elephants that stay with you — the sheer scale of them, the family groups, the calves stumbling through the dust, the matriarchs leading the herd toward water. An optional Maasai village visit can be arranged in the afternoon — a genuine cultural exchange with a community that has coexisted with Amboseli’s wildlife for generations. Sundowners at a scenic spot as the mountain turns pink.

Game drive Elephants Big Five Maasai culture

Tonight’s lodge: Amboseli Serena Lodge, Amboseli

07

The Last Drive & the Road Home

Final Game Drive · Drive to Nairobi · JKIA Departure

One more dawn game drive — because no one ever wants to leave Amboseli without a final look at the elephants and the mountain. Return for breakfast, then the drive north to Nairobi. Stop at Namanga, the Kenya-Tanzania border town, where roadside traders sell Maasai beadwork, shukas and carved wooden animals. Arrive in Nairobi around midday — time for a farewell lunch or a day room before your international departure. Or, if you’re not ready for this to end, ask us about a coastal extension in Diani, Mombasa or Zanzibar.

Game drive Departure
What’s Included

Inclusions & exclusions

Included
  • Private airport transfers in Nairobi (arrival and departure)
  • 1 night at Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi (bed & breakfast)
  • 2 nights at Mara Serena Safari Lodge, Masai Mara (full board)
  • 1 night at Lake Nakuru Lodge (full board)
  • 2 nights at Amboseli Serena Lodge (full board)
  • All meals as stated (full board at all safari properties)
  • Masai Mara National Reserve park fees
  • Lake Nakuru National Park park fees
  • Amboseli National Park park fees
  • All game drives throughout in a private 4×4 Land Cruiser
  • Private English-speaking driver-guide throughout
  • Safari vehicle park fees, fuel and local accident cover
  • Mineral water throughout
  • All local taxes
Not Included
  • International flights and airport taxes
  • Kenya eTA / visa fees
  • Festive season supplements (December / New Year)
  • Tips and gratuities to guides, lodge staff and drivers
  • Optional hot air balloon safari in the Masai Mara (available on request)
  • Alcoholic and soft drinks (beyond mineral water)
  • Laundry, telephone and personal extras
  • Travel and medical insurance
  • Any activities not mentioned in the itinerary
Where You Stay

Your accommodation, property by property

Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi City Hotel
Nairobi, Kenya
Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi
1 night

The Safari Park Hotel is a comfortable, characterful first night in Nairobi — set in expansive tropical gardens with multiple restaurants and a swimming pool. It’s a short drive from both the Giraffe Centre and the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, making it a practical choice if you arrive with time to spare on Day 1. After a long international flight, the gardens and calm setting are exactly what you need.

Garden setting Swimming pool Close to Giraffe Centre Good road access west
Mara Serena Safari Lodge, Masai Mara Safari Lodge
Masai Mara National Reserve
Mara Serena Safari Lodge
2 nights

Mara Serena Safari Lodge is perched on a hill above the Masai Mara, with sweeping views across the reserve from its distinctive circular Maasai-inspired architecture. The position gives excellent sightlines — you can watch wildlife moving on the plains from the lodge itself. Two full days here means unhurried game drives, time to find the resident lion prides, and the chance to be in the Mara when the light is at its best — dawn and dusk.

Hilltop position with Mara views Masai Mara National Reserve Two full days for game drives Optional balloon safari
Lake Nakuru Lodge National Park Lodge
Lake Nakuru National Park
Lake Nakuru Lodge
1 night

Lake Nakuru Lodge sits inside Lake Nakuru National Park — a Yellow Fever tree forest lodge with a relaxed atmosphere and good access to the park’s circuits. As Kenya’s premier rhino sanctuary, Nakuru is one of the best places on the continent to see both black and white rhino, and the lodge’s location within the park means you’re game driving from the moment you leave the gates. The Rift Valley escarpment provides a dramatic backdrop.

Inside the national park Rhino sanctuary Flamingo lake shore Rift Valley escarpment views
Amboseli Serena Lodge Safari Lodge
Amboseli National Park
Amboseli Serena Lodge
2 nights

Amboseli Serena Lodge sits in the heart of Amboseli National Park, surrounded by fever trees and looking out toward Kilimanjaro. The lodge is known for its elephant-rich location — herds regularly pass close to the property — and for the iconic Kilimanjaro views that are best from the lodge’s own grounds at dawn and dusk. Two full days here gives time to track the big tuskers, explore the swamps and open flats, and absorb the particular mood of Amboseli: dusty, vast and unforgettable.

Kilimanjaro views Elephant-rich location Two full days Optional Maasai village visit
Your Safari Vehicle

Built for the African bush.

Custom 4×4 Safari Land Cruiser

Every game drive on this 7-day safari takes place in a custom-fitted Toyota Land Cruiser — Kenya’s most trusted safari vehicle. Fitted with a full pop-up roof for unobstructed 360° wildlife viewing, USB and 12V charging for cameras and devices, a cool box with chilled water, and a comprehensive first aid kit. Private throughout — just your group and your guide.

Our custom Toyota Land Cruiser safari vehicle Exterior — Custom Toyota Land Cruiser
Inside our safari Land Cruiser — leather seats and cool box Interior — Leather seats & cool box
Our custom Toyota Land Cruiser on safari in Kenya On safari — Masai Mara

Full Pop-Up Roof

The entire roof lifts open for unobstructed 360° wildlife viewing and photography. A game drive is experienced standing, not craning through a window. Closes in seconds when it rains.

Comfortable Seating — Up to 6 Guests

Comfortable, upright seating for groups of 2–6. Everyone has a window seat and full pop-roof access. Plenty of room for camera bags, binoculars and personal items on a full-day game drive.

Cool Box & Water Supply

Chilled drinking water available throughout every drive — not just at stops. The on-board cool box holds water, snacks and cold towels for midday comfort.

USB & 12V Charging

Multiple USB-A, USB-C and 12V socket charging points throughout the vehicle — keep cameras, phones and devices charged across every full-day drive.

First Aid Kit On Board

Every vehicle carries a comprehensive first aid kit and your guide holds a current first aid certificate. Emergency numbers are pre-saved and the guide briefs you on procedure at the start of the safari.

4-Wheel Drive Throughout

Genuine 4×4 traction is essential in the Mara and Amboseli — especially after rain. The Land Cruiser handles rutted tracks, river crossings and off-road terrain that no minivan could navigate.

100% Private — Always

This vehicle is never shared. No strangers, no compromises on timing, no waiting for others. You set the pace of every drive, every stop, and every return to camp.

4-Wheel Drive Throughout

Genuine 4×4 traction is essential in the Mara and Amboseli — especially after rain. The Land Cruiser handles rutted tracks, river crossings and off-road terrain that no minivan could navigate.

Maximum 6 Passengers

The Land Cruiser seats up to 6 comfortably, with full pop-roof access for everyone. For groups of 2–4 you’ll find significantly more space per person — ideal for extended game drive comfort.

Pre-Departure Safety Check

Every vehicle undergoes a full mechanical inspection before each safari departs. We carry a spare tyre, tow rope and basic repair kit as standard. In 15 years we have never abandoned a client on the road.

Investment

Safari costs

Pricing for this 7-day safari varies by travel dates, group size and seasonal lodge rates. We’ll prepare a detailed, no-obligation quote for your exact dates and group. Mid-range accommodation is used as standard — we can upgrade to premium camps or adjust any property on request.

Prices are per person sharing. Solo supplement available on request. Optional balloon safari can be added.

Questions & Answers

Frequently asked questions

Yes — this is our most recommended itinerary for first-time Kenya safari guests. The three-park circuit covers what Kenya does best, in a logical route that maximises time in the parks and minimises long driving days.

Day 2 (Nairobi to Masai Mara) is the longest drive at approximately 5–6 hours with stops. Day 4 (Mara to Lake Nakuru) is 3–4 hours. Day 5 (Nakuru to Amboseli via Nairobi) is approximately 4–5 hours. All drives include scenic stops and are done in a comfortable private Land Cruiser.

The Great Migration is present in the Masai Mara from approximately July to October each year, though exact timing varies with the rains. Outside those months, the Mara has excellent year-round resident wildlife — lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant and buffalo are present throughout the year.

Not by default, but it can be added on Day 3 in the Masai Mara. The balloon flight lasts approximately one hour and includes a champagne breakfast on the plains. Ask when enquiring and we’ll include it in your quote.

Masai Mara: lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, wildebeest, zebra (and migration Jul–Oct). Lake Nakuru: black and white rhino, Rothschild’s giraffe, flamingos (seasonal), tree-climbing lions. Amboseli: large-tusked elephants, lion, cheetah, buffalo, abundant birdlife, Kilimanjaro views.

Yes. Your game drives are in a private vehicle with just your group and your guide. You set the pace and the sightings. You are not in a shared vehicle or group tour.

Mid-range to comfortable lodge standard throughout — Mara Serena, Lake Nakuru Lodge and Amboseli Serena are all established, comfortable safari lodges with good food, swimming pools and reliable facilities. We can upgrade to premium camps on request.

Absolutely. Common extensions include adding a night in Samburu or Ol Pejeta, upgrading accommodation to luxury camps, adding a beach extension in Diani or Zanzibar, or combining with a Tanzania safari. Use Get a Custom Safari Quote to discuss.

Year-round — Kenya is a year-round safari destination. July to October is peak season (migration, peak game viewing, busier parks and higher prices). January to March is an excellent quieter alternative with strong predator activity and calving in Amboseli. December and April–May are quieter still.

Light neutral-coloured layers (khaki, olive, beige), a warm fleece for cool mornings, sun hat, sunscreen, camera with zoom lens, binoculars. The lodges all have laundry facilities.

Ready to Go?

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Speak to our Nairobi team directly — we know these parks, these lodges and these roads. No call centres, no automated responses. Just honest advice and a safari built around you.

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