The Best Big 5 Safari in Kenya? 8 Top-Selling Budget Safaris
Published on 28 January 2025, Last updated on 14 February 2025.
By Landia Davies in Big 5 Safari.
Kenya is one of the 3 best countries to see the Big 5 in Africa, along with South Africa and Tanzania. You can see all five Big Five animals on one Big 5 Safari in Kenya, but it's not as straightforward as in South Africa and Tanzania.
Many Kenya wildlife parks do not have any rhinos and several that do, only have a few which are hard to find. Then there's the challenge of finding leopards, a species that's notoriously difficult to track down.
It is, however, possible to see all five - rhino, lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo - on one Big Five Kenya Safari. It just takes the correct safari package (or careful independent planning) and some good luck.
Big 5 Safari Kenya = Masai Mara + 1 or 2 Other Kenyan Parks
On a safari in Kenya only, your best bet for seeing all 5 of the Big 5 animals is to combine Masai Mara with Kenyan parks where rhinos are often seen, as this is the most rarely-sighted Big 5 animal in Masai Mara. The next hardest-to-find member of the Big 5 in Masai Mara is the leopard, so adding a Kenyan park where leopards are often seen will further improve your chances of checking them all off your bucket list.
Our best-selling Big 5 Safaris in Kenya maximize your chances of seeing the Big 5 of Africa - on one budget trip. Here they are:
Big Five Safari Kenya - lions
1) 5-Day Lake Nakuru & Masai Mara Safari in Kenya
Price: About $1,770 (low season) to $2,377 (high season) per person sharing
Starts and Ends in Nairobi / small group safari (maximum of 6 guests)
A budget-friendly Big 5 Kenya Safari with a mix of lodge and tented camping accommodation. This small-group private tour is conducted in a custom-made 4x4 Land Cruiser.
Masai Mara National Reserve & Masai Mara Conservancy Area: Big 5 lions, buffalos, elephants and maybe leopards, rarely rhinos
Lake Nakuru National Park: Big 5 white rhinos, buffalos, and maybe lions and leopards
2) 5-Day Fly-in Kenya Safari to Masai Mara Conservancies
Price: About $3,089 (low season) to $5,777 (high season) per person sharing
Starts and Ends in Nairobi / small group safari (maximum of 9 guests)
Accommodation on this Big 5 Kenya Safari is at small tented camps inside the private Masai Mara Conservancies of Ol Kinyei and Olare Motorogi. This all-inclusive Kenya Safari includes scheduled flights between Wilson Airport in Nairobi and the Masai Mara Conservancy Areas. It is a unique Masai Mara package because it includes night game drives and guided bush walks in the private conservancies with skilled Maasai guides.
Ol Kinyei Conservancy Area - lions, leopards, elephants and buffalos
Olare Motorogi Conservancy - lions, elephants, and maybe leopards and rhinos
Naboisho Conservancy Area - lions and elephants
Add an optional full-day safari in Masai Mara National Reserve (at extra cost)
Price: About $2,208 (low season) to $2,610 (high season) per person sharing
Starts and Ends in Nairobi / small group safari (maximum of 6 guests)
One of our best value-for-money Big 5 Safaris in Kenya, this package includes comfortable lodge accommodations and a private guide. Transport is in a custom-made 4x4 Land Cruiser.
Masai Mara National Reserve - Big 5 lions, buffalos, elephants and maybe leopards, rarely rhinos
Lake Naivasha - Big 5 buffalos
Amboseli National Park - elephants, buffalos and sometimes lions, rarely leopards
Price: About $2,976 (low season) to $3,810 (high season) per person sharing
Starts and ends in Nairobi / small group safari (maximum of 6 guests)
An affordable Kenya Big 5 Safari with luxury camping accommodation. This private small-group safari explores an unusual mix of Kenyan national parks in a custom-made 4x4 Land Cruiser.
Tsavo West National Park: elephants, buffalos and sometimes black rhinos and lions, rarely leopards
Amboseli National Park: elephants, buffalos and sometimes lions, rarely leopards
Lake Nakuru National Park: white rhinos and buffalos and maybe black rhinos, lions and leopards
Masai Mara National Reserve and Masai Mara Conservancy: lions, buffalos, elephants and maybe leopards and rhinos
5) 8-Day Kenya Lodge Safari to Masai Mara & Best Parks
Price: About $2,790 (low season) to$3,890 (high season) per person sharing
Starts in Nairobi and Ends in Mombasa / small group safari (maximum of 7 guests)
A popular Beach & Big 5 Kenya Safari that ends in Mombasa instead of Nairobi. This well-priced small group tour stays at comfortable safari lodges and tented camps, travelling by 4x4 vehicle with a pop-up roof.
Masai Mara National Reserve: lions, buffalos, elephants and maybe leopards, rarely rhinos.
Amboseli National Park: elephants, buffalos and sometimes lions, rarely leopards
Tsavo West National Park: elephants, buffalos and sometimes black rhinos and lions, rarely leopards
6) 8-Day Kenya Family Safari to Masai Mara Lodge & More
Price: About $2,364 (low season) to $3,468 (high season) per adult sharing (for a family of 4: 2 adults and 2 children)
Starts and ends in Nairobi / small group safari (maximum of 6 guests)
The private Kenya Family Safari visits a great mix of African destinations to delight kids and adults. This Kenya Big Five safari stays at family-friendly lodges and luxury tented camps. Transport is in a 4x4 safari vehicle and driving distances are kept to a minimum on this mid-range Kenya safari making it ideal for families with children.
Ol Pejeta Conservancy: black rhinos, elephants, lions and rare leopard sightings (and Sweetwaters chimpanzee sanctuary)
Lake Nakuru National Park: white rhinos and buffalos and maybe black rhinos, lions and leopards.
Hell's Gate National Park: buffalos
Lake Naivasha: buffalos
Masai Mara National Reserve: lions, buffalos, elephants and maybe leopards, rarely rhinos.
7) 10-Day Kenya Safari to Masai Mara, Ol Pejeta & Lake Naivasha
Price: About $2,910 (low season) to $3,928 (high season) per person sharing
Big 5 Safari Kenya Special: Travel before 31 Dec 2025 and SAVE 5%
Starts and ends in Nairobi / small group safari (maximum of 6 guests)
An exciting Big 5 Kenya safari offering an unusual mix of activities and destinations. Stay at a hotel in Nairobi, luxury tented camps and luxury safari lodges on this small-group safari travelling by custom-made 4x4 Land Cruiser.
Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nursery (Elephant Orphanage) in Nairobi: elephants
Ol Pejeta Conservancy: black rhinos, elephants, lions and rare leopard sightings (and chimpanzee sanctuary)
Lake Naivasha National Park: buffalos
Lake Nakuru National Park: white rhinos and buffalos and maybe black rhinos, lions and leopards
Masai Mara National Reserve: lions, buffalos, elephants and maybe leopards, rarely rhinos
8) 12-Day Kenya Wildlife Safari: Masai Mara & Kenya Game Parks
Price: About $4,626 (low season) to $5,639 (high season) per person sharing
Starts and ends in Nairobi / small group safari (maximum of 6 guests)
Our longest Big 5 safari in Kenya-only is a mid-range Kenya safari tour with luxury camping accommodation. This private small-group safari covers the most bases for seeing the Big 5 animals and travels by custom 4x4 Land Cruiser.
Tsavo West National Park: elephants, buffalos and sometimes black rhinos and lions, rarely leopards
Amboseli National Park: elephants, buffalos and sometimes lions, very rarely leopards
Sweetwaters Game Park (Ol Pejeta Conservancy): black rhinos (and chimpanzee sanctuary)
Samburu National Reserve: elephants and sometimes lions, leopards and buffalos.
Lake Nakuru National Park: white rhinos, buffalos and sometimes lions and leopards.
Masai Mara National Reserve and Masai Mara Conservancy: lions, buffalos, elephants and maybe leopards and rhinos.
Add a night or 2 in Nairobi before or after your Big 5 safari in Kenya to visit Nairobi National Park where you can see white rhinos, buffalos and sometimes lions.
Visit Ol Pejeta or Lake Nakuru to improve your chances of seeing rhinos.
Visit Samburu National Reserve and the Masai Mara Conservancies or specific parts of Masai Mara National Reserve (ask our safari experts for guidance) for the highest chance of seeing leopards.
