7 Day Safari: Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Amboseli, Taita Hills and Tsavo East

Your Day-by-Day Itinerary Break Down

This is our full cross-country route, starting in Nairobi and ending on the coast. You cover five parks in seven days, from the rhino sanctuary at Lake Nakuru to the open plains of the Maasai Mara, the elephant herds of Amboseli, the private conservancy at Taita Hills, and finally Tsavo East before you reach the beach. It suits guests who want a serious safari before or after time in Malindi, Watamu or Diani, without flying back to Nairobi to get there.

Day 1

Nairobi to Lake Nakuru

Pickup starts at 07:00 from your Nairobi hotel. The drive to Lake Nakuru takes around two to three hours. You check in at your lodge for lunch, then head out at 15:00 for an afternoon game drive. The park is fenced and protects a strong population of both black and white rhino, along with Rothschild’s giraffe and good numbers of lion and leopard. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.

Day 2

Lake Nakuru to Maasai Mara

After a short game drive at 06:30, you have breakfast and set off for the Maasai Mara, a drive of around five to six hours through the Rift Valley and Narok town. You arrive in time for lunch, then head out at 16:00 for your first game drive, watching for lion, elephant and buffalo. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.

Day 3

Full day in the Maasai Mara

Game drives run at 06:30 and 16:00, with lunch and rest at the lodge in between. The Mara holds resident wildlife year round, and between July and September it also hosts the wildebeest and zebra herds crossing over from Tanzania. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.

Day 4

Maasai Mara to Amboseli

After an early breakfast at 06:30, you begin the long drive to Amboseli, around seven to eight hours with a stop for lunch on the way. This is mostly a travel day, and you arrive at your lodge in the early evening. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.

Day 5

Amboseli to Taita Hills

An early game drive at 06:30 gives you a couple of hours in Amboseli before breakfast, with a good chance of photographing elephants against Mount Kilimanjaro. After breakfast you drive to the Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, around four to five hours away. You arrive in time for lunch. Because Taita Hills is private land rather than a national park, we can also take you on a night game drive after dinner, a kind of wildlife viewing not possible inside the national parks. Overnight at your lodge.

Day 6

Taita Hills to Tsavo East

After breakfast at 07:30, you continue to Tsavo East, Kenya’s largest park, known for its red-dust elephants and wide open plains. You enter with a game drive on the way to your lodge, arriving in time for lunch. At 16:00 you head out for an evening game drive. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.

Day 7

Tsavo East to the coast

After a final game drive at 06:30 and breakfast, you exit the park and drive to your hotel in Malindi, Watamu, Diani or Mombasa, a journey of around three to three and a half hours. You arrive in the early afternoon, with the rest of the day free to settle in.

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Helpful Tips

  • Days 2 and 4 involve long drives, so bring snacks, a charged phone or a book for the road.
  • Pack layers. Lake Nakuru, the Mara and Taita Hills can all be cool in the early morning and evening, while Amboseli and Tsavo East run warmer.
  • A torch is useful for the night game drive at Taita Hills, in addition to the vehicle’s spotlight.
  • Binoculars help across every park on this route, especially in the Mara and Amboseli.
  • Carry small notes in cash for tips and any extras at the lodge

Price Includes

  • Transport in a 4×4 safari vehicle with a pop-up roof
  • Professional driver-guide
  • All park and sanctuary entry fees
  • Accommodation for 6 nights on the safari
  • Meals as stated in the itinerary
  • Game drives as listed, including the night game drive at Taita Hills
  • Bottled water during the safari

Price Excludes

  • International and domestic flights
  • Visa and travel insurance
  • Tips for your driver-guide and lodge staff
  • Drinks other than water
  • Personal items and souvenirs

FAQS

It ends on the coast, in Malindi, Watamu, Diani or Mombasa, so you can continue straight into a beach stay without flying back to Nairobi. If you need to return to Nairobi instead, we can organize that.
The Mara sits in Kenya’s southwest, and getting from there to Amboseli in the southeast means crossing a large stretch of the country. There’s no way to shorten this by road, though we can arrange a flight for either leg at an added cost.
Elephant and buffalo are common in every park on this trip. Lion is likely in the Mara, Amboseli and Tsavo East. Rhino is best seen at Lake Nakuru. Leopard is possible everywhere but shy and harder to predict.
It’s a private wildlife sanctuary rather than a national park, which is why a night game drive is possible there and not in the others.
Yes. We can drop one or two parks to bring this down to 5 or 6 days, or focus only on the Amboseli, Taita Hills and Tsavo East section if you’re short on time.
safari pricing

Your dates. Your lodge level. Your quote.

Safari rates change with the season, number of travellers and available accommodation. 

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