Mid-range 7-Day Mid-Range Kenya Safari
$2,070 / personPrivate · lowest rate, US$, subject to availability
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Kenya
7-Day Rift Valley & Maasai Mara Safari
The Great Rift Valley's lakes, then three nights on the plains of the Maasai Mara, run entirely by private vehicle rather than fly-in.
Duration7 days6 nights
From$6,800per person sharing, US$. Estimate, subject to availability
Trip overview
A private safari that opens with a boat ride on Lake Naivasha and a stop at the Giraffe Centre, continues to the flamingo shallows and rhino sanctuary of Lake Nakuru, then closes with three nights in the Maasai Mara.
This is the one Kenya route on the site run mostly by road rather than air, which suits travellers who want to see the Rift Valley escarpment itself rather than fly over it.
CountryKenyaKenya
Duration7 days6 nights
ArrangementPrivateyour own vehicle and guide
Starts & endsNairobi
Best timeJun – Oct
From$6,800Per person sharing, in US dollars. An indicative starting price: your exact rate is quoted for your dates and party size, subject to availability. All prices shown are estimates. Your final price is confirmed in your written quote.
Map route
The route, stop by stop
1
Nairobi
Day 1 · Arrive
2
Lake Naivasha
Day 2 · Boat ride
3
Lake Nakuru
Days 2 to 4 · 2 nights
4
Maasai Mara
Days 4 to 7 · 3 nights
5
Nairobi
Day 7 · Ends here
What you are likely to see
Hippo
White rhino
Flamingo
Lion
Elephant
Wildebeest
Solid tone means often seen on this route. Outline means possible, and worth the patience. Sightings vary with season and luck, and nothing wild is guaranteed.
Best months to travel
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Best
Quieter
Green season
Gallery
The ground this safari covers
Day by day
7 days, in order
Each day lists the route, the meals included and the lodge for that night. Ask us for the expected driving time on any day.
01
Nairobi
Arrival in Nairobi
A private transfer meets the flight into Nairobi and continues to the hotel. The rest of the day is unhurried: time to rest after the journey and adjust to the altitude before the Rift Valley in the morning.
Private arrival transferEvening at leisure
Accommodation
One night
5 photos
Eden Nairobi
Karen, Nairobi Hotel · 5 photos
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Eden Nairobi is an intimate boutique hotel in the green Karen suburb of Nairobi, set on an acre of wooded gardens with a small lake and outdoor lounge. Once a private home, it was converted into a hotel in 2016 by a family with long roots in Kenyan safari, and it has the relaxed feel […]
One night in Nairobi, at a property such as Eden Nairobi. The exact hotel is confirmed with the final itinerary.
02
Nairobi to Lake Nakuru
Nairobi to Lake Nakuru, via Lake Naivasha
The day opens at the Giraffe Centre on the edge of Nairobi, where the endangered Rothschild's giraffe lean down to the raised platform to be fed at eye level. Then the road climbs out of the city and drops into the Great Rift Valley.
Lunch is by Lake Naivasha, followed by a boat ride on the freshwater lake among hippo pods, fish eagles and pelicans. From there the road continues north to Lake Nakuru, where a game drive on arrival gives a first look at the park before the evening at the lodge.
Giraffe CentreBoat rideDrive with game viewing en route
Day 24 photos
Accommodation
Night 1 of 2
10 photos
The Cliff Camp
Lake Nakuru National Park Tented camp · 10 photos
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The Cliff is a small luxury tented camp set on the rim of a 100 metre rock face inside Lake Nakuru National Park, around two and a half hours by road from Nairobi in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley. Its ten generously sized tented suites are each angled for sweeping views across Lake Nakuru and the […]
Night 1 of 2 at Lake Nakuru, at a property such as The Cliff. The exact lodge is confirmed with the final itinerary.
03
Lake Nakuru
Full Day at Lake Nakuru
Lake Nakuru National Park is small enough to explore in a day and rich enough to fill it. The whole park is fenced as a rhino sanctuary, and it gives some of the most reliable rhino viewing in Kenya, black and white both, along with Rothschild's giraffe, buffalo and waterbuck on the shore, and in the right conditions, flamingos massed in the shallows.
Lunch is a picnic at Baboon Cliff, with the whole lake spread out below, and in the afternoon the drive returns to the woodland, where leopard are sometimes seen resting in the yellow barked acacia.
Full day game viewingPicnic lunch at Baboon Cliff
Day 32 photos
Accommodation
Night 2 of 2
10 photos
The Cliff Camp
Lake Nakuru National Park Tented camp · 10 photos
View lodge & photosClose
The Cliff is a small luxury tented camp set on the rim of a 100 metre rock face inside Lake Nakuru National Park, around two and a half hours by road from Nairobi in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley. Its ten generously sized tented suites are each angled for sweeping views across Lake Nakuru and the […]
A second night at the same property at Lake Nakuru.
04
Lake Nakuru to the Maasai Mara
Lake Nakuru to the Maasai Mara
An early start returns through the Rift Valley to Nairobi, where a flight connects to the Maasai Mara. From the air, the land opens out into long, rolling grass, with the herds on it just visible as the plane descends.
Lunch is at camp, and the first afternoon game drive follows, onto plains with one of the highest concentrations of predators in Africa.
Drive to NairobiScheduled flight
Day 42 photos
Accommodation
Night 1 of 3
5 photos
Il Moran Governors’ Camp
Mara River, Musiara area, Maasai Mara National Reserve Tented camp · 5 photos
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Governors’ Il Moran Camp is a small, intimate tented camp in a forested stretch along the Mara River, in the Musiara area of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Being inside the reserve and beside the river puts you in prime wildlife country, and the camp is well placed for the wildebeest migration, which typically moves […]
Night 1 of 3 in the Maasai Mara, at a property such as Il Moran Governors' Camp. The exact lodge is confirmed with the final itinerary.
05
Maasai Mara
Full Day in the Maasai Mara
The first of two full days on the reserve starts at dawn, when lion, cheetah and hyena are still active and the plains are at their most alive. The afternoon drive goes back out as the heat eases and the light turns warm.
Between the two, the camp is the place to be, with a long lunch and a quiet hour in the shade, listening to the sounds of the bush.
Morning and afternoon drives
Day 52 photos
Accommodation
Night 2 of 3
5 photos
Il Moran Governors’ Camp
Mara River, Musiara area, Maasai Mara National Reserve Tented camp · 5 photos
View lodge & photosClose
Governors’ Il Moran Camp is a small, intimate tented camp in a forested stretch along the Mara River, in the Musiara area of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Being inside the reserve and beside the river puts you in prime wildlife country, and the camp is well placed for the wildebeest migration, which typically moves […]
A second night at the same property in the Maasai Mara.
06
Maasai Mara
Second Full Day in the Maasai Mara
The second full day follows the herds wherever the morning's reports place them. In the migration months that can mean the great crossings on the Mara River; the rest of the year, the resident herds and the cats that follow them.
A second day in the same place is often the better one: the guide knows where the animals were the day before, and can build on it. The evening is the last in the bush.
Morning and afternoon drives
Day 62 photos
Accommodation
Night 3 of 3
5 photos
Il Moran Governors’ Camp
Mara River, Musiara area, Maasai Mara National Reserve Tented camp · 5 photos
View lodge & photosClose
Governors’ Il Moran Camp is a small, intimate tented camp in a forested stretch along the Mara River, in the Musiara area of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Being inside the reserve and beside the river puts you in prime wildlife country, and the camp is well placed for the wildebeest migration, which typically moves […]
A third night at the same property in the Maasai Mara.
07
Maasai Mara to Nairobi
Departure
A last game drive at first light, then breakfast and the flight back to Nairobi. Lunch is at a well known Nairobi restaurant, and a day room at a hotel such as Emara Ole Sereni gives time to rest before the evening departure.
Flight to NairobiDeparture
Accommodation
No overnight
8 photos
Emara Ole Sereni
Mombasa Road, Nairobi, bordering Nairobi National Park Hotel · 8 photos
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Emara Ole Sereni is a contemporary hotel just off Mombasa Road in Nairobi, set between Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Wilson Airport and right on the edge of Nairobi National Park. Opened in 2019 as the newer wing of the Ole Sereni complex, it offers 148 stylish, air-conditioned rooms and suites, some on the upper […]
No overnight. Day room at a property such as Emara Ole Sereni before the departure flight.
The price
The price, in full
Written plainly so there are no surprises at the airport. Anything optional can be added to the quote before you pay.
Included
Already in the price you see.
- All internal flights (Mara leg only)
- Accommodation as specified
- All meals as mentioned
- Transfers and game drives
- Park fees and entrance charges
- Services of a professional guide
Not included
Budget for these separately.
- International flights
- Visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses, including tips
- Drinks and meals not mentioned
- Optional activities and excursions
Before you book
Questions, answered
What travellers ask us most about a safari like this one. Anything else, ask below and a specialist in Nairobi replies within one business day.
Is this a private safari?
Yes. This safari is private: your own vehicle and guide for the whole trip, and we never merge your party with another to cut costs.
How do we book, and how much is the deposit?
Press Book this safari. You can hold your dates for three days without paying while a specialist checks availability with the lodges and parks, or pay a deposit of 30, 40 or 50 percent, or the full amount, by credit or debit card through Pesapal. You can also pay by bank transfer, or in person at our Nairobi office by card. The standard schedule is a 30 percent deposit to confirm and the balance 60 days before arrival; bookings made within 60 days of departure, and gorilla or chimpanzee permits, are paid in full at booking. Card details go to Pesapal, never to Volcan.
Will we see the Great Migration and a river crossing?
The herds usually reach the Maasai Mara around July and stay until about October, crossing the Mara River many times in that period. For the rest of the year they are in the Serengeti in Tanzania. The timing is set by the rains, so no operator can promise a crossing on a given day, but our guides follow the reports every morning and position you as well as experience allows.
Is there a luggage limit on the flights?
Light aircraft on safari routes usually allow about 15 kg per person, hand luggage included, in a soft-sided bag without wheels or a frame. We confirm the exact allowance for your flights, and anything you do not need on safari can usually be stored until you return.
Do we need a visa?
Kenya: most visitors need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA), applied for online before travel at etakenya.go.ke. Rules depend on your passport and change from time to time, so check them before you book flights, and always apply through the official government portal, never a third-party agent. We tell you what applies to your route when we confirm your trip.
Which vaccinations and health precautions do we need?
See a travel clinic at least six weeks before you go. Malaria is present in most safari areas of East Africa, so ask about antimalarials, insect repellent and cover-up clothing for the evenings. A yellow fever certificate can be required depending on your route and where you arrive from.
Can children come on this safari?
Yes, and a private vehicle makes it easy to set the pace around them. Child rates depend on the lodges, and some camps and activities set minimum ages, so tell us the ages of everyone travelling and we confirm what applies before you pay anything.
What happens if we need to cancel?
Tell us in writing as early as possible. The cancellation charges for your trip are set out in your written booking confirmation. Gorilla permits, internal flights and non-refundable lodge deposits already paid on your behalf cannot be recovered, so they are charged in full. Refunds go back to the card or account the payment came from. The detail is in our Booking & Payment Terms.
Enquire
Plan this safari with us
Send your dates and who is travelling. A specialist checks availability with the lodges and parks and replies within one business day with an itemised price.
- Free, and no obligation
- Ask about changing the dates, lodges or pace
- Answered by the team in Nairobi who plan the trip
Availability
7-Day Rift Valley & Maasai Mara Safari
Dates are held for 72 hours without payment while you check flights. Nothing is charged until the itinerary is confirmed in writing.
From
$6,800
Per person sharing, in US dollars. An indicative starting price: your exact rate is quoted for your dates and party size, subject to availability. All prices shown are estimates. Your final price is confirmed in your written quote.
Prices are for guidance and are confirmed against current lodge and park rates before any payment.
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