Mid-range3-Day Private Maasai Mara Safari
$1,184 / personPrivate
View itinerary
Kenya
4-Day Lake Naivasha & Maasai Mara Safari
A four day introduction to Kenya, from the Great Rift Valley to the Maasai Mara.
Trip overview
A four day introduction to Kenya, combining the Great Rift Valley, Lake Naivasha and the plains of the Maasai Mara. The route pairs scenic drives and guided walking with classic game viewing, an optional hot air balloon safari and a farewell lunch in Nairobi.
Departures run on any day subject to availability. For seven or more travellers a quote is required, and children of all ages are accepted, with under eights discounted and under threes travelling free.
CountryKenyaLake Naivasha · Maasai Mara
Duration4 days3 nights
ArrangementPrivateyour own vehicle and guide
Starts & endsNairobi
From$1,590per person, estimated
How this price works. Per person in US dollars, from $1,590 up to $2,090 depending on travel dates and party size. Subject to availability. All prices shown are estimates. Your final price is confirmed in your written quote. Payment and cancellation terms
Map route
Route overview
1
Nairobi
Day 1 · Starts here
2
Lake Naivasha
Day 1 · 1 night
3
Maasai Mara
Days 2 to 4 · 2 nights
4
Nairobi
Day 4 · Ends here
Wildlife you are likely to see
Elephant
Lion
Buffalo
Zebra
Giraffe
Wildebeest
Rhino
Leopard
Cheetah
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.
Photos
Photos from this route
Itinerary
Day by day itinerary
Each day lists the route, the meals included and the lodge for that night. Lodges are as proposed for your dates and are confirmed by name in your written confirmation.
Main transfers on this trip
- Day 1: Nairobi to Lake Naivasha
- About 1.5 to 2.5 hours by road (estimate)
- Day 2: Lake Naivasha to the Maasai Mara
- About 4 to 5 hours by road (estimate)
- Day 4: Maasai Mara to Nairobi
- About 5 to 6 hours by road (estimate)
Road times are estimates without game drives or stops. Traffic, weather, road works and border queues can add time, and your guide plans comfort breaks along the way. Flight times depend on the airline schedule for your date.
Day 1: Nairobi to Lake Naivasha
The morning departure from Nairobi soon reaches the edge of the Great Rift Valley, and a stop at Mai Mahiu gives a sweeping view across the valley floor. Then comes Hell's Gate National Park, one of the few Kenyan parks that can be explored on foot, on a guided walking safari between towering red cliffs and gorges, and across open plains where zebra and gazelle graze. For anyone who prefers, cycling is an option.
Check in and lunch are at Naivasha Kongoni Lodge, and the afternoon is free, with an optional boat ride on Lake Naivasha for close views of hippo and the lake's rich birdlife.
Hell's Gate walking safariOptional boat rideLunch and dinner
Day 12 photos
Hippos alongside a boat on Lake Naivasha
A hippo in the shallows, flamingos on the far shoreAccommodation
One night
10 photos
Naivasha Kongoni Lodge
Lake Oloiden, Lake Naivasha area Lodge · 10 photos
View lodge & photosClose
Naivasha Kongoni Lodge is a relaxed, simple lodge in the Lake Naivasha area of Kenya’s Rift Valley, overlooking Lake Oloiden, a smaller lake beside Lake Naivasha. The lodge sits in around ten acres of gardens, grassland and acacia woodland, where zebra, wildebeest, impala and giraffe can be seen on foot, and the birdlife is plentiful. […]
Lake Naivasha to the Maasai Mara
Day 2: Lake Naivasha to Maasai Mara
After breakfast the road runs west to the Maasai Mara, arriving at Mara Kimana Camp for lunch. The first game drive heads out across the rolling savannah in search of lion, elephant, cheetah, giraffe and the great herds of plains game.
The vehicle returns around sunset, for dinner and time around the campfire.
First afternoon game driveAll meals
Day 22 photos
Open plains as far as the light goes
The herds moving across open ground, vehicles at the tree lineAccommodation
Night 1 of 2
5 photos
Mara Kimana Camp
Sekenani River, near Sekenani Gate, eastern Maasai Mara Tented camp · 5 photos
View lodge & photosClose
Mara Kimana Camp is a bush camp on the eastern side of the Maasai Mara National Reserve, set in riverine woodland along the Sekenani River and only a couple of kilometres from Sekenani Gate. That short hop means you can be out on the open plains within minutes of leaving camp, looking for lion, cheetah […]
Maasai Mara National Reserve
Day 3: Full day in the Maasai Mara
The day can begin with an optional hot air balloon safari, at extra cost, rising over the plains at dawn. Otherwise, the vehicle leaves after breakfast with a packed lunch, for a full day of game viewing, pausing at midday in the shade of an acacia before the search for the Big Five carries on through the afternoon.
An optional Maasai village visit is also available, and a bonfire evening closes the day.
Optional hot air balloonPacked lunchAll meals
Day 32 photos
A lion pair resting in the long grass, Maasai Mara
Impala, zebra and wildebeest sharing the same stretch of plainAccommodation
Night 2 of 2Same lodge as Day 2: Mara Kimana Camp. See photos and details on Day 2.
Day 4: Maasai Mara to Nairobi
After breakfast the road climbs back out of the Rift Valley toward Nairobi. A complimentary farewell lunch at Carnivore Restaurant, famous for meat roasted over charcoal, comes before the transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, closing the safari.
Carnivore Restaurant lunchBreakfast and lunch
Price
Price and what is included
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.
- Park fees for non-residents
- All activities unless specifically marked optional
- All accommodation unless listed as an upgrade
- A professional driver-guide
- All transportation unless marked optional
- All taxes and VAT
- Round-trip airport transfer
- Meals as specified in the itinerary
- Drinking water throughout the safari
Not included
Budget for these separately.
- International flights
- Additional accommodation before or after the safari
- Tips, published guideline US$10 per person per day
- Personal expenses including souvenirs, travel insurance and visa fees
- Government-imposed increases in taxes or park fees
Rates by travel date
| Rate range | Per person |
|---|---|
| Published range | $1,590 to $2,090 |
Rates are per person in US dollars and exclude international flights. For seven or more travellers, a quote is required.
Before you book
Frequently asked questions
What travellers ask us most about a safari like this one. Anything else, ask below and a specialist in Nairobi replies during office hours, Monday to Saturday.
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.
Do we need a visa?
Kenya: most visitors need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA), applied for online before travel at etakenya.go.ke, together with the mandatory Kenyan inbound travel health insurance (bought during the eTA application or on the eCitizen portal). 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.
What vehicle will we travel in?
A pop up roof 4x4 safari vehicle, usually a Toyota Land Cruiser, provided through the licensed Kenyan transport partners we contract and work with regularly, with the same driver guide from the first day to the last. It is yours alone for the whole safari, and every vehicle carries reusable water bottles.
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 during Nairobi office hours, Monday to Saturday, 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
4-Day Lake Naivasha & 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
$1,590
Per person in US dollars, from $1,590 up to $2,090 depending on travel 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.
Enquire first for questions and a written quote, with no commitment. Book this safari asks us to hold your dates for 72 hours without payment. Your booking is confirmed only when we confirm it in writing and your deposit is received under our booking terms.
More ideas
Similar safaris
Mid-range
Mid-range5-Day Tsavo East & Amboseli Safari from Diani Beach
$2,160 / personPrivate
View itinerary
Mid-range3-Day Maasai Mara Big Five Safari
$1,010 / personPrivate
View itinerary
All prices shown are estimates. Your final price is confirmed in your written quote.
