7-Day Budget Kenya Safari: Maasai Mara, Lakes & Hell’s Gate Adventure

7 DAYS BUDGET SAFARI

You’ll have a well-rounded safari experience combining diverse wildlife, stunning landscapes, and rich cultural attractions. Each destination offers a unique experience, making the journey enjoyable and exciting.

DAY 01: NAIROBI – MAASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE

Depart from Nairobi early in the morning. Enjoy the scenic drive through the Great Rift Valley, with a stop at the viewpoint for breathtaking views and photo opportunities. Continue your journey passing through Narok town, a bustling Maasai market town. Arrive at Maasai Mara National Reserve. Check into your lodge or tented camp. Maasai Mara is famous for the Great Wildebeest Migration, Big Five, scenic landscapes, and cultural heritage. Embark on your first game drive. Look out for the Big Five animals: leopards, lions, buffaloes, elephants, and rhinos.

DAY 02-03: MAASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE

Start with a sunrise game drive. Early hours are prime for spotting predators like lions and leopards. Enjoy breathtaking sunrise over Mara plains. Visit a traditional Maasai village in the afternoon to learn about their customs and participate in activities like beadwork and traditional dances. Head out for another game drive focusing on different areas of the reserve. Enjoy a sundowner, a refreshing drink served in the bush while taking in the stunning views. You can also have an optional hot air balloon safari, which offers a unique perspective of the Mara and its wildlife. You will spend the next days exploring Maasai Mara Reserve. Dinner and overnight at Orngatuny Mara King Camp.

DAY 04: MAASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE – LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK

Depart from Maasai Mara and drive to Lake Nakuru National Park. Arrive in time for lunch. Head for an afternoon game drive that takes you around the lake, home to the famous pink flamingo. Lake Nakuru houses Kenya’s first rhino sanctuary and one of the largest concentrations of black rhinoceros in the world, as well as a large population of white rhinos. Among predators are lions, leopards, and large pythons hiding in the dense woodlands which may occasionally be seen crossing roads or dangling from trees. Other game includes Thomson’s and Grant’s Gazelle, long-eared leaf-nosed bats, colobus monkeys, rock hyraxes, waterbucks, impalas, striped hyena, wildcats, reedbucks, and golden cats. Dinner and overnight at Top Cliff Lodge.  

DAY 05: LAKE NAKURU – LAKE NAIVASHA NATIONAL PARK

After breakfast, check out of your accommodation and embark on the journey to Lake Naivasha. Upon arrival, you’ll check into your accommodation and have lunch. Explore the Lake to spot hippos, bird species like African Eagles, Cormorants, and Pelicans, and other wildlife that inhabit the area. Enjoy a guided walking safari on Crescent Island, a privately owned sanctuary on Lake Naivasha known for its walking safaris among zebras, giraffes, and numerous bird species. In the evening, enjoy dinner and overnight at Elmer Resort.

DAY 06: LAKE NAIVASHA NATIONAL PARK – HELLS GATE NATIONAL PARK

Drive from Lake Naivasha to Hell’s Gate National Park for approximately 4-5 hours. Arrive and check-in at your lodge. Hell’s Gate National Park is known for its geothermal activity, including hot springs, steam vents, and dramatic cliffs, gorges, and rock towers. The park is also one of the few parks where you can walk or cycle among the animals. Rent a bike at the Fischer’s Tower Gate. Cycle through the park, passing past zebras, gazelles, buffaloes, and giraffes. The absence of large predators makes it safe to cycle through the park. The park offers two main cycling circuits: the Buffalo Circuit (14 km) and the Twiga Circuit (9 km), both starting at Elsa Gate. Enjoy a packed lunch with views of the tower and surrounding landscape. Try rock climbing at Fischer’s Tower. Enjoy a packed lunch with views of the tower and surrounding landscape. Hire a guide to explore the Lower Gorge, known for its dramatic rock formations and hot springs. Dinner and overnight at Elsamere Lodge.

DAY 07: HELLS GATE NATIONAL PARK – NAIROBI

Depart from Hell’s Gate National Park and head to Nairobi, where you’ll be dropped off at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport upon arrival.

INCLUSIVE: Accommodation, Full Board Meals, Return Transport, Professional Tour Guide, Drinking Water

EXCLUSIVE: International Flights, Park Entry Fees, Tips, Personal Items, Self-Sponsored Activities