7-Day Kenya Family Safari: Amboseli, Lake Naivasha & Maasai Mara

Day-by-day itinerary

Route: Nairobi → Maasai Mara → Amboseli → Lake Naivasha → Nairobi

1. Day 1

   Nairobi to Masai Mara

   The morning starts in Nairobi, from where you continue overland to Masai Mara, descending the wall of the Great Rift Valley and passing through Narok and Maasai farming country. Lunch and check-in come first, then an afternoon drive through open savanna grassland, acacia stands and the rolling country of the greater Mara ecosystem. Look for lion, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, buffalo and large herds of plains game as the light softens through the afternoon. The reserve is best known for its big cat densities, and between roughly July and October the wildebeest migration commonly moves through the ecosystem. Transport and game drives are shared with other travellers on this joining departure. You return for dinner and an overnight stay at Masai Mara.

2. Day 2

   Full-Day Masai Mara Safari

   Today is spent entirely in Masai Mara, beginning with a game drive shortly after first light. You travel through open savanna grassland, acacia stands and the rolling country of the greater Mara ecosystem, working the areas your guide judges most productive on the day. Keep watch for lion, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, buffalo and large herds of plains game as you move between the different habitats. A full day allows morning and late-afternoon drives when animals are most active, with the option of a picnic lunch out in the reserve. The reserve is best known for its big cat densities, and between roughly July and October the wildebeest migration commonly moves through the ecosystem. Transport and game drives are shared with other travellers on this joining departure. You return to your camp or lodge for dinner and a second night at Masai Mara.

3. Day 3

   Masai Mara to Lake Nakuru

   You leave Masai Mara after breakfast and head for Lake Nakuru, travelling through the Rift Valley floor and the farming towns of the Nakuru region. Once you reach Lake Nakuru there is time to check in before heading out among a Rift Valley soda lake ringed by yellow-barked acacia woodland and steep escarpment viewpoints. Your guide works the area for black and white rhino, Rothschild's giraffe, buffalo, waterbuck and dense birdlife, with sightings varying by season and conditions. The park operates as a sanctuary and is one of Kenya's more reliable places to look for rhino; flamingo numbers on the lake rise and fall with water levels. You return for dinner and an overnight stay at Lake Nakuru.

4. Day 4

   Lake Nakuru to Lake Naivasha

   After breakfast you leave Lake Nakuru and travel on toward Lake Naivasha, following the Rift Valley escarpment road with its long views over the valley floor. After check-in and a chance to freshen up, you head out into a freshwater Rift Valley lake fringed by papyrus, fever trees and flower-farming country. There is the possibility of seeing hippo, waterbuck, colobus and an exceptional range of resident and migratory waterbirds, depending on movement and conditions on the day. Naivasha is one of the few freshwater lakes in the Rift Valley, which is why boat trips and walking safaris are possible here rather than vehicle drives alone. The evening is spent at your Lake Naivasha accommodation, with dinner and overnight there.

5. Day 5

   Lake Naivasha to Amboseli

   The day opens in Lake Naivasha with a morning departure for Amboseli, travelling south past Kajiado and through Maasai rangeland toward the Tanzanian border country. Lunch and check-in come first, then an afternoon drive through open plains, dust flats and spring-fed swamps beneath the bulk of Kilimanjaro. There is the possibility of seeing large elephant herds, buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, and abundant water birds around the swamps, depending on movement and conditions on the day. Amboseli is known for its free-ranging elephant families, and on clear mornings Mount Kilimanjaro often rises above the plains, though cloud can hide it. You return for dinner and an overnight stay at Amboseli.

6. Day 6

   Full-Day Amboseli Safari

   An unhurried full day in Amboseli gives your guide room to follow whatever the morning turns up. Your route takes in open plains, dust flats and spring-fed swamps beneath the bulk of Kilimanjaro, with your guide reading recent movement to decide where to spend time. Sightings may include large elephant herds, buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, and abundant water birds around the swamps, depending on season and conditions. The swamps stay green through dry months, drawing elephants and plains game into concentrated, highly photographable groups. Amboseli is known for its free-ranging elephant families, and on clear mornings Mount Kilimanjaro often rises above the plains, though cloud can hide it. Dinner and overnight are again at your Amboseli camp or lodge.

7. Day 7

   Amboseli to Nairobi

   The day opens in Amboseli with a morning departure for Nairobi, returning through the highland approaches to the city. Arrival is followed by check-in and a first drive into Kenya's highland capital and the usual start and end point for road safaris. Nairobi is the arrival and departure hub for most Kenyan safari itineraries. The day ends with a drop-off in Nairobi at your hotel or the airport.