Masai Mara & Lake Nakuru 4-Day Group Safari from Nairobi

Masai Mara National Reserve

The Masai Mara National Reserve covers roughly 1,500 square kilometres of open savannah in Narok County, about 270 kilometres west of Nairobi, and is the Kenyan half of the Serengeti–Mara ecosystem. Its lion prides, cheetahs and leopards are the main draw, backed by elephants, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, topi, elands, hyenas and the rare black rhino. From about July to October the wildebeest migration fills the plains and the Mara River sees the dramatic crossings; the rest of the year the resident game is still abundant.

This safari gives you an evening game drive on day one, a full day with picnic lunch on day two reaching the Mara River for hippos and crocodiles, and a final morning drive on day three before the road north. Our driver-guides work the reserve daily and share sightings by radio, but as always, wildlife sightings are never guaranteed.

Lake Nakuru National Park

Lake Nakuru National Park lies in the floor of the Great Rift Valley about 160 kilometres north-west of Nairobi, beside the town of Nakuru, and protects a shallow soda lake ringed by grassland, euphorbia slopes and a forest of yellow-barked fever trees. It is fenced and runs one of Kenya's most important rhino sanctuaries, so both black and white rhinos are seen regularly on the lakeshore flats, along with Rothschild's giraffes, buffalo, waterbucks, lions, leopards and large troops of baboons.

Lake Nakuru is famous for flamingos, whose numbers rise and fall with the lake's water level; in some years the shore is pink for kilometres, in others the pelicans and cormorants dominate. Baboon Cliff gives the classic view over the lake, and Makalia Falls marks the park's southern end. Entry is paid by card at the gate, and the park's compact size makes an afternoon and a morning drive very productive.

The Mara River

The Mara River runs through the western reserve on its way to Lake Victoria and is the single most important place on a Masai Mara safari. Its pools hold large pods of hippos that spend the day submerged and grunting, and its sandbanks are lined with crocodiles, some of them very large. During the migration the wildebeest and zebra herds gather on the banks and cross in panicked waves, which is the scene photographers wait for, though crossings cannot be timed or promised.

Day two of this safari is a full day in the reserve precisely so there is time to drive to the river and back while still searching for cats on the open plains. A picnic lunch is packed by the camp so you can stay out through the middle of the day.

The Great Rift Valley Road

The journey links the two parks across the Great Rift Valley. On day one the road out of Nairobi climbs to the escarpment viewpoint above Mai Mahiu, with Mount Longonot and the valley floor spread below, before dropping down and running west through Narok to the Mara. On day three you retrace the route as far as the valley and turn north along the lakes, passing Lake Naivasha and the geothermal steam of the Olkaria field before reaching Nakuru.

Expect five to six hours of driving on day one and roughly the same on day three, with rest stops. The final stretch after Narok is rough murram where the 4x4 jeep earns its keep. Day four's return from Nakuru to Nairobi takes about three hours on tarmac, arriving in the early afternoon.

Safari Accommodation and Meals

Three nights of safari accommodation are included: two nights near the Masai Mara and one night near Lake Nakuru, in properties with private rooms or tents with their own bathrooms, hot showers and evening electricity. All meals are included from lunch on day one to lunch on day four, with a picnic lunch on the full Mara day, and bottled water is provided in the vehicle. Tell us about vegetarian or other dietary needs at booking.

Evenings are early, as game drives start at dawn, and the camps near the Mara are close enough to the bush to hear hyenas at night. Drinks at the accommodation and tips are paid directly. Mosquito nets are provided; both parks lie in or near malaria zones, so follow your doctor's advice.