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Trip Report

Kenya Trip Itinerary

This was my first trip to Africa, I planned the whole thing with a travel agency from Kenya directly and it was one of the best experiences of my life!

  • Maasai Mara National Reserve+ 18
  • Lake Naivasha
  • Lake Naivasha
  • Kenya Trip Itinerary
cristina
About Me:
AtlasGuru Contributor

AfricaKenya4 days / December 2019

Highs & Lows

Maasai Mara national reserve!

There's a chance you won't see all of the "big five" animals in the safaris.

Itinerary Overview

Day 1: Nairobi to Lake Naivasha 

Pick up from the airport and after safari briefing, we departed for Lake Naivasha. You can enjoy a boat ride which will give the opportunity to watch amazing birds and scenery. Lunch and dinner at the resort. Spend the rest of the evening relaxing. It's a beautiful lodge, where zebras, hippos, monkeys and other animals walk freely all around, so when you go out of your cabin, you'll see them wandering all over. 

Day 2: Lake Naivasha to Maasai Mara

After breakfast at the lodge, there will be a game drive as you depart for Masai Mara Game Reserve. You arrive for lunch and some rest. Then, in the afternoon you can do an evening game drive, the best time to get a glance of the predators as they crawl out of their shadows ready to give you some action as they hunt for their next meal. Maasai Mara reserve is considered Kenya’s prime wildlife area. This is due to the acacia-dotted plain scenery of stunning beauty where Black manned lions, cheetahs and leopards are found in abundance. Elephants, giraffes, genet cats just to mention a few Mara also hosts over 450 species of bird including the national bird of Kenya, the lilac breasted roller bird & other nocturnal birds. Return to camp later as darkness sets.

Day 3: Maasai Mara full day

Breakfast at the camp and thereafter enjoy full-day game drives with a visit to the Mara River where you will get to see the huge crocodile as they bask in the sun and alongside them you will also find hippos as they yawn their way to the surface of the water. During the great wildebeest migration, this river turns to a valley of death and only the fittest survive. Herds of wildebeests, zebras and antelopes cross the Mara River to seek greener pastures. This scene is among the 10 wonders of the world as it happens yearly (this depends on the season you're traveling).

Day 4: Maasai Mara to Lake Nakuru

Optional early morning game drive and return to the camp for breakfast. That day we travel to Nakuru National Park mostly renowned for its conservation effort towards the black and white rhinos also famous for its millions of pink flamingoes lining the shores of Lake Nakuru. On arrival have lunch and a little rest. Thereafter proceed for your game drives around the park for a chance to see the black rhino, white rhino, the endangered Rothschild giraffe, flamingoes and wide variety of water birds such as pelicans. Lunch and dinner at your camp.

Day 5: Lake Nakuru to Nairobi

Morning game drives and return to the lodge for breakfast alternatively check out after breakfast and have some game drives as you exit the park to drive back to Nairobi. Arrive, you may do some local shopping and lunch. Later be transferred to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your departure flight back home.

  • 1 Night: Lake Naivasha
    Lake Naivasha followed by Kenya Safari Maasai Mara: Big Five Encounters, Luxurious Tented Camps & Unforgettable Wildlife
  • 2 Nights: Maasai Mara National Reserve
    The safaris around the reserve! Best part of the trip.
  • 1 Night: Lake Nakuru
    Here is where you can see the white rhino, which are really difficult to find
Lake Naivasha - Lake Naivasha followed by Kenya Safari Maasai Mara: Big Five Encounters, Luxurious Tented Camps & Unforgettable Wildlife
1

Lake Naivasha Lake Naivasha followed by Kenya Safari Maasai Mara: Big Five Encounters, Luxurious Tented Camps & Unforgettable Wildlife

Lake Naivasha - Lake Naivasha followed by Kenya Safari Maasai Mara: Big Five Encounters, Luxurious Tented Camps & Unforgettable Wildlife - null
Lake Naivasha - Lake Naivasha followed by Kenya Safari Maasai Mara: Big Five Encounters, Luxurious Tented Camps & Unforgettable Wildlife - null
Lake Naivasha - Lake Naivasha followed by Kenya Safari Maasai Mara: Big Five Encounters, Luxurious Tented Camps & Unforgettable Wildlife - null5+

This was the first location on our Kenya trip. It was truly a beautiful place! The accommodation is by cabins and they are very comfortable and spacious. The food was delicious, and they had a lot of variety and vegetarian options. Some of the animals you can see there include zebras, monkeys and hippos, they walk freely all around the hotel and is beautiful, you can even ask the hotel personnel to wake you up at night to see the hippos out of the water (since they're nocturnal). You can also opt for a boat drive on the lake to see the hippos and different birds flying around.

Maasai Mara National Reserve - The safaris around the reserve! Best part of the trip.
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Maasai Mara National Reserve The safaris around the reserve! Best part of the trip.

Maasai Mara National Reserve - The safaris around the reserve! Best part of the trip. - null
Maasai Mara National Reserve - The safaris around the reserve! Best part of the trip. - null
Maasai Mara National Reserve - The safaris around the reserve! Best part of the trip. - null6+

This was definitely my favorite location of the whole trip! Maasai Mara is the biggest national reserve in Kenya and it borders Tanzania's Serengeti National Park so all the animals cross over both countries. Here, you have the chance to see the "Big five": Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Elephant and African buffalo. We were lucky enough to have seen all five of them multiple times, it was beautiful and you have the opportunity to get really close to the animals, it's truly a once in a lifetime experience. Additionally, our hotel was IN the reserve so we had the opportunity to see different animals pass in front of our tent. Our last day on our way to the next location we had the opportunity to visit a Maasai tribe, getting to know some fo their dances and do some shopping of their original handicrafts.

Lake Nakuru - Here is where you can see the white rhino, which are really difficult to find
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Lake Nakuru Here is where you can see the white rhino, which are really difficult to find

Lake Nakuru - Here is where you can see the white rhino, which are really difficult to find - null
Lake Nakuru - Here is where you can see the white rhino, which are really difficult to find - null
Lake Nakuru - Here is where you can see the white rhino, which are really difficult to find - null1+

It was a perfect way to end our trip, the lodge is beautiful and the food was over the top, they had a buffet with endless options both for carnivores and vegetarians. The personnel was amazing, and at night they bring you a bag with warm water for your feet, because it can get really cold at night. The game drive was amazing, we got to see lions again, and this time it was a whole family! (Which is not very common for this location) and we saw a lot of rhinos, they’re more beautiful than you would expect and really big! It was a beautiful experience.

Q & A

  • What would you have changed?

    I would've stayed longer so i would've had the opportunity to visit Nairobi and also had more time at each location.
  • Anything go wrong during the trip?

    No! Everything went according to plan.
  • Restaurant recommendations?

    Our food was included in the tours so we ate at the hotels for every meal (breakfast, lunch and dinner), the food was amazing at every place though!
  • Tips you would give a friend?

    Be prepared for changes in the weather! It can be very warm but if it starts raining it can get really cold.
  • Packing tips?

    Always bring an umbrella and comfy clothes!
  • Transportation Tips?

    We had the same driver throughout the whole trip, it was amazing cause he also was our guide and since we booked a private tour, he always adjusted our schedules to what worked best for us. We were given the choice of a minivan or a land cruiser. I highly recommend the land cruiser since its better equipped for all of the terrains you have to drive through.
  • Any surprises?

    I was pleasantly surprised by the food! It's honestly one of the best food I've ever tried and there was a lot of variety.
  • Booking details?

    Our agency was called Kichaka Tours, it's from Kenya and it was amazing. The attention and personnel was exceptional and we had a very good experience overall. I recommend you use a travel agency since mobility in Africa is not so easy if you're by yourself, specially in the natural reserves.

Lodging