9 Day Kenya Safari in Tsavo, Amboseli, Nakuru & Maasai Mara

Experience the remarkable diversity of Kenya on this 9-day Kenya safari, combining four of the country’s most celebrated wildlife destinations: Tsavo West National Park, Amboseli National Park, Lake Nakuru National Park and the world-famous Maasai Mara National Reserve. From the dramatic volcanic landscapes and natural springs of Tsavo West to Amboseli’s enormous elephant herds beneath Mount Kilimanjaro, this private Kenya wildlife safari offers a wonderful combination of scenery, wildlife encounters and cultural experiences.

Continue through the spectacular Great Rift Valley to Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru, where you can enjoy beautiful lakeside scenery, abundant birdlife and opportunities to see rhinos. The adventure concludes in the Maasai Mara, one of Africa’s finest wildlife destinations and an important part of the greater Serengeti–Mara ecosystem, renowned for its lions, cheetahs, elephants, buffaloes, leopards and seasonal wildebeest migration. With private transport, an experienced safari guide-driver and accommodation options to suit different budgets, this journey offers an excellent introduction to Kenya’s extraordinary natural heritage.

Safari Highlights:

Pickup from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

Full-day Exploration of Tsavo West National Park

Full-day Exploration of Amboseli National Park

Visiting and Exploring Lake Naivasha

Lake Nakuru National Park exploration

Full-day of game drives in Maasai Mara

Transfer back to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

A Detailed Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Transfer to Tsavo West National Park

Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, you will be warmly welcomed by your professional guide-driver from Arcadia Safaris, who will introduce you to Kenya and brief you about your upcoming safari. You will then begin the drive towards Tsavo West National Park, travelling through Kenya’s changing countryside and enjoying views of local settlements and landscapes along the way. After arriving and checking in at your lodge, enjoy lunch and some time to relax before an optional afternoon game drive, depending on your arrival time.

If time permits, visit Mzima Springs, one of Tsavo West’s most remarkable natural attractions, where clear underground water emerges through volcanic rock to form pools and streams. The springs attract hippos, crocodiles and numerous bird species, while the surrounding vegetation provides a beautiful setting for a guided nature experience. Later, return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay as you prepare for a full day exploring Tsavo West.

Destination: Tsavo West National Park
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 2: Full-Day Game Drives in Tsavo West National Park

After breakfast, set out for a full-day exploration of Tsavo West National Park, enjoying game drives across its varied habitats and dramatic landscapes. Your guide will help you search for elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, lions and other wildlife that inhabit the park. Tsavo West is also known for its striking volcanic formations, open plains, rocky outcrops and pockets of natural vegetation, creating excellent opportunities for wildlife photography and scenic exploration.

Depending on the day’s route and park conditions, visit attractions such as Roaring Rocks, Poacher’s Lookout and the volcanic Chaimu Crater, where the surrounding landscapes offer impressive views across the park. You may also explore areas around Lake Jipe, a scenic lake on the Kenya–Tanzania border that attracts waterbirds and other wildlife. Enjoy a picnic lunch during the excursion before continuing your game drive, then return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Destination: Tsavo West National Park
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 3: Transfer from Tsavo West to Amboseli National Park

After an early breakfast, depart Tsavo West and travel towards Amboseli National Park, one of Kenya’s most celebrated wildlife destinations. The journey takes you through changing landscapes, with views of local villages, open countryside and the distant volcanic scenery of southern Kenya. Upon arrival, check in at your lodge and enjoy lunch before heading out for an afternoon game drive, depending on your arrival time.

Amboseli is particularly famous for its large elephant herds, open grasslands and scenic wetlands, with Mount Kilimanjaro providing a spectacular backdrop on clear days. The park’s ecosystem includes dry lake beds, acacia woodlands, swamps and seasonal wetlands that attract a wide variety of wildlife. During your afternoon exploration, look out for elephants, zebras, wildebeest, buffaloes, giraffes and various antelope species before returning to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Destination: Amboseli National Park
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 4: Full-Day Wildlife Exploration in Amboseli National Park

Rise early for an opportunity to enjoy beautiful views of Mount Kilimanjaro before clouds gather around its summit. After breakfast, embark on a game drive through Amboseli’s diverse habitats, exploring its open plains and swamp areas where elephants frequently gather to feed and bathe. The park is particularly rewarding for elephant viewing, and you may also encounter lions, hyenas, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeest and numerous bird species as you explore with your guide.

You may also arrange an optional visit to a Maasai village to learn about traditional Maasai culture, family life, architecture, music and dance. This cultural experience offers an opportunity to interact with community members and gain a better understanding of their heritage. Depending on your preferences, the remainder of the day can include additional wildlife viewing, photography and time to relax at the lodge before dinner and an overnight stay.

Destination: Amboseli National Park
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 5: Transfer from Amboseli National Park to Lake Naivasha

After breakfast, depart Amboseli and travel towards Lake Naivasha, one of the beautiful freshwater lakes in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley. Enjoy a scenic drive through the countryside, with changing views of open landscapes, settlements and the impressive Rift Valley escarpment. Upon arrival at Lake Naivasha, check in at your accommodation and enjoy lunch before spending the afternoon relaxing or exploring the lakeside surroundings.

Lake Naivasha is well known for its hippos, freshwater ecosystem and rich birdlife, with more than 400 bird species recorded in the wider area. Its papyrus-fringed shores provide habitat for kingfishers, herons, fish eagles and many other waterbirds, making it an excellent destination for nature lovers and birdwatchers. Depending on your interests and the time available, optional activities include a boat ride on the lake or a guided nature walk on Crescent Island, where you can observe wildlife on foot with an experienced guide. Return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Destination: Lake Naivasha
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 6: Transfer from Lake Naivasha to Lake Nakuru National Park

After breakfast, depart Lake Naivasha and drive north towards Lake Nakuru National Park, another important wildlife destination within Kenya’s Great Rift Valley. The journey offers beautiful views of the surrounding highlands and countryside before you arrive at the park. After checking in at your lodge and enjoying lunch, head out for an afternoon game drive through the park’s diverse habitats, including acacia woodlands, open grasslands and the scenic lakeshore.

Lake Nakuru National Park is especially important for its black and white rhino conservation programme and is also home to Rothschild’s giraffes, buffaloes, waterbucks, zebras, baboons and other wildlife. Flamingos and pelicans may be seen along the lake, although their numbers and distribution change with water levels and feeding conditions. During your game drive, keep watch for lions and leopards as well as the park’s abundant birdlife. Later, return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Destination: Lake Nakuru National Park
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 7: Transfer from Lake Nakuru National Park to Maasai Mara National Reserve

After breakfast, depart Lake Nakuru and journey towards the famous Maasai Mara National Reserve, travelling through the scenic landscapes of the Great Rift Valley and rural Kenya. The Maasai Mara forms the northern section of the greater Serengeti–Mara ecosystem and is renowned for its abundant wildlife and sweeping grassland plains. Upon arrival, check in at your lodge or tented camp and enjoy lunch before heading out for an afternoon game drive, subject to your arrival time.

During your first exploration of the reserve, search for elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, antelopes, lions, cheetahs and other wildlife. The Maasai Mara is also an important habitat for leopards and numerous bird species, while the seasonal Great Migration brings enormous herds of wildebeest and zebras through the ecosystem, usually between the middle of the year and the later months, with timing varying annually. After your game drive, return to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight stay.

Destination: Masai Mara National Reserve
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 8: Full-Day Game Drives in Maasai Mara National Reserve

After breakfast, enjoy a full-day wildlife exploration of the Maasai Mara, one of Africa’s most rewarding safari destinations. With your guide, traverse the reserve’s open savannah, riverine woodland and rolling grasslands in search of the famous Big Five: lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes and rhinos. You may also encounter cheetahs, hyenas, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, topis, gazelles and many other species. A picnic lunch can be arranged in the reserve, allowing you to spend more time exploring its wildlife-rich areas.

The Maasai Mara is also a fantastic destination for birdwatching, with a wide variety of raptors, vultures, storks, bustards and colourful smaller species recorded in the reserve. Optional experiences include an early-morning hot-air balloon safari, which offers a memorable aerial perspective of the plains, or a visit to a Maasai village to learn about traditional culture and community life. These activities are arranged at an additional cost unless specifically included in your confirmed quotation. After your day’s adventures, return to your lodge or camp for dinner and an overnight stay.

Destination: Masai Mara National Reserve
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 9: Morning Game Drive and Transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

Enjoy an early breakfast before heading out for a final morning game drive in the Maasai Mara, making the most of your remaining time in this remarkable wildlife reserve. Depending on your departure schedule, you may explore nearby plains and wildlife areas in search of animals you have not yet encountered. After the game drive, return to your accommodation, check out and begin the journey back to Nairobi, with a stop for lunch along the way.

Upon arrival in Nairobi, you will be transferred to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your onward flight, marking the end of your 9-day Kenya safari through Tsavo West, Amboseli, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru and the Maasai Mara. Since the road journey from the Maasai Mara to Nairobi takes several hours and can be affected by traffic and road conditions, an evening or late-night international departure is recommended. If your flight leaves earlier, we advise arranging an additional night in Nairobi or adjusting the final safari schedule.

Destination: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
Accommodation Option: No (Unless on request)

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

SAFARI COST: From $2,400 Per Person

PRICE INCLUDES

• Round Trip Airport Transfers (pick-up and drop-off)
• Private Transportation in 4×4 Safari Cars
• Meals Specified on a Full Board basis
• Accommodation with Ensuite Facilities
• Applicable Park Entrance and Activities Fees
• English Speaking Professional Driver-Guide
• All Hotel and Lodge Pickups and Drop-off
• All Applicable Taxes
• Bottled drinking water and Fruits while on safari
• Activities as stipulated in the Itinerary (except those stated as “optional”)

PRICE EXCLUDES

• Activities not mentioned in the Itinerary
• International Flight Fares (unless requested)
• Country Entry Visa
• Personal Travel Insurance
• Telephone Charges
• Laundry Services
• Bar bills and all Alcoholic drinks
• Souvenirs, Gifts and Tips
• Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
• All related medical tests and vaccinations

We appreciate you choosing us. Let’s explore the wild together!