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Lake Naivasha flamingoes, Kenya by Nina R

Kenya Budget Safari - Masai Mara & Best Parks Lodge…

Tour Length8 days
Priced from pps $2650 R50082 £2101 2457 A$4069 C$3591 NZ$4434 Full pricing info
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Summary of this Lodge Safari

  • Max. Group Size 7 Travellers
  • Departs from Nairobi, Kenya
  • Ends at Mombasa, Kenya
  • Accommodation Lodge / Safari Lodge
  • Transport Open 4x4 Game Viewing Vehicle
  • Wildlife Big 5, Elephant, Exceptional Birding, Leopards, Lions, Migration Safari (Seasonal), Rhino & More
  •  See Departure Dates

Quick Itinerary Overview

This Kenya Budget Safari explores Masai Mara, Amboseli, Tsavo, and Lake Naivasha, before ending at Diani beach.

See an abundance of African wildlife in the best Kenya national parks and enjoy the exceptional landscapes of East Africa, including the Great Rift Valley. Travel in a 4x4 safari vehicle (window seat guaranteed) with a pop-up roof. Stay at comfortable safari lodges and tented camps. 

This small-group tour starts in Nairobi and ends at the tropical paradise of Diani Beach where white-sand beaches await. An excellently-priced guided Kenya Safari combining top African wildlife and beach destinations.

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Itinerary for this Tour

Day 1: Nairobi to Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

What could be more exciting than starting an African wildlife safari in the world-famous Masai Mara National Reserve? So after a short tour briefing, we say farewell to Nairobi city and head for the tranquil Kenyan countryside.

As we get into Masai Mara territory the first wildlife adventure of our Kenya Budget Safari begins. Look out for the Big 5, elephant, lion, rhino, leopard and buffalo and all the other African wildlife you would expect to see on safari in Kenya. Masai Mara is, after all, one of the best game reserves in Africa!

Your guide is extremely knowledgeable and will share his stories, point out interesting signs of animal behavior that could easily be overlooked.

As the sun sets it's time to check into Ilkeliani Camp, Masai Mara (or similar) located on the banks of the Talek River where the wildlife gathers to drink. After a welcome dinner, we gather around the campfire to recapture the day's highlights with our fellow travelers. At the end of your first exhilarating day in Kenya's best national park, fall asleep to the sounds of the African bushveld.

  • Lunch & Dinner

Day 2-3: Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

We spend the next two days of our Kenya Budget Safari exploring Masai Mara in our open-top safari vehicle, where everyone is guaranteed a window seat. There's also the option to stand with our heads popping through the open roof, wind in our hair as we experience excellent viewing and photo opportunities from this vantage point.

No two days in the African bush are the same and we have enough time to travel to every corner of the Masai Mara and immerse ourselves in this wildlife wonderland, so be prepared for excitement.

If you are fortunate to be there during the Great Migration, enjoy the thrill of seeing thousands of wildebeests and zebras crossing the plains, risking a swim across the crocodile-infested river. But any time of the year is a good time to visit as the vast plains of Masai Mara teem with wildlife and there is a good chance of adding the Big 5 to our spotted list as well as many other species.

After our thrilling days on safari in Masai Mara, we return to our camp where we enjoy a sundowner and a welcome dinner. The evening is spent around the fireplace, under starry skies re-living the events of the day.

  • Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4: Masai Mara to Lake Naivasha, Kenya

Today we leave Masai Mara and head to Lake Naivasha National Park, arriving on the lake shores around lunchtime.

Located in the Great Rift Valley, Lake Naivasha is one of the few freshwater lakes there and is populated with hippo and a variety of birdlife including cranes and pelicans. The area is also well-known for flower farming with many roses grown for export to Europe.

The afternoon is free for leisure activities. There are guided boat tours on the lake which are ideal for bird watching. Alternatively, take a stroll around the grounds of our lodge, cool off in the pool, relax with a good book or take a nap. It's time to re-energize before our next wildlife adventure.

We spend the night at Naivasha Sopa Lodge (or similar), where the large grounds are an invitation to explore. Look out for the resident wildlife which includes giraffe, waterbuck and zebra.

  • Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 5: Lake Naivasha to Amboseli National Park, Kenya

Today our Kenya Budget Safari takes us on a scenic drive south to Amboseli National Park. Depending on the weather our long drive may culminate in spectacular distant views of Kilimanjaro and snow-capped Uhuru Peak. Amboseli is well known for its large herds of elephants and to see them wandering regally amongst the Acacia trees is a charming sight.

During the afternoon we take a wildlife viewing drive in the park in our 4x4, open roof vehicle, adapted for spectacular views. Amboseli National Park offers some of the best opportunities to see African wildlife because the vegetation is sparse due to the long, dry months. The protected area is home to elephant, Cape buffalo, impala, lion, cheetah, spotted hyena, Masai giraffe, Grant's zebra, and blue wildebeest. A host of large and small birds occur too, all overlooked by towering Kilimanjaro. No wonder Amboseli is rated as the second-best of Kenya's national parks, after Masai Mara.

We spend the next two nights at Satao Elerai Camp (or similar), located in a private conservancy with its own waterhole attracting wildlife. An ideal spot for wildlife viewing whilst enjoying camp comforts.

  • Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 6: Amboseli National Park, Kenya

Today we take a full day to explore Amboseli National Park and learn more from our safari guide about the elephants' highly developed social behavior as we follow a herd.

Although Amboseli has a hot dry climate, it benefits from underground water sourced from the melting snow off Kilimanjaro which filters through volcanic rock, which in turn funnels into two springs in the heart of the park. This can turn Amboseli into a green oasis during the rainy season.

There are five different habitats in Amboseli ranging from the dried-up bed of Lake Amboseli, wetlands with sulfur springs, the savannah, and woodlands which contributes to the large wildlife population such as cheetahs, wildebeest, zebras and waterbucks.

After a breathtaking day of wildlife viewing, we return to Satao Elerai Camp (or similar). End day six of our Kenya Budget Safari with sundowners on the terrace looking out at Mt Kilimanjaro in neighboring Tanzania, before enjoying dinner at the camp.

  • Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 7: Amboseli National Park to Tsavo National Park, Kenya

After visiting three of the best national parks in Kenya you would think it couldn't get any better, but then you haven't seen Tsavo National Park. Today we head into the coastal area of Kenya to Tsavo West National Park.

This beautiful rugged wilderness has a number of ecosystems that include open grasslands, scrublands, and Acacia woodlands, belts of riverine vegetation, and rocky ridges including the Poacher's Lookout where visitors can see the teeming herds in the plains below.

Tsavo West National Park is known for its magnificent wildlife viewing and species that includes elephant, rhino, Hippos, lions, cheetah, leopards, Buffalos as well as diverse plant and bird species. We take an afternoon wildlife viewing drive through the park spotting overwhelming numbers of wildlife and searching for rare species such as Hunter’s hartebeest.

Tonight our Kenya Budget Safari is based at Severin Safari Camp (or similar), a tranquil retreat in the African wilderness.

  • Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 8: Tsavo West National Park to Diani Beach, Kenya

On the final day of our Kenya Budget Safari, we leave the wildlife of Kenya behind. After breakfast at our safari lodge, we take a slow, scenic drive along back roads, past rolling hills and small villages, down to the coastal town of Diani Beach. With 13 kilometers of warm Indian Ocean coastline trimmed with white beaches and waving palm trees, this is a tropical paradise.

The past week has seen us become African safari experts with the knowledge gleaned from our tour guide and our observations in the diverse landscapes, but now it's time to relax. If you have planned a stay at the coast you will be dropped at your post-safari hotel. Alternatively, your guide can transfer you to the airport. We highly recommend booking at least one post-tour night at Diani Beach to enjoy the beaches and allow time for delays and changes.

  • Breakfast & Lunch

Kenya Safari Note:

This Kenya Budget Safari is also available as a private safari tour, departing on any day of the year. If you are interested in booking this affordable safari on a private basis, please contact African Budget Safaris for pricing details.

You will stay in hotels, safari lodges or permanent tented camps (with en-suite bathrooms). Safari lodges are solid buildings, whereas tented camps feature permanent, walk-in safari tents that offer the same service as hotels and lodges. Whenever possible, we accommodate our guests at small and personal tented camps, avoiding the big safari lodges.

We only use specially converted 4×4 safari vehicles (i.e. Toyota Land Cruiser) that are able to take on the harsh Kenyan road conditions. Each guest will enjoy a window seat and during game drives the pop-up roof can be opened to enjoy unspoiled views.

Important: If you would like to fly out of Mombasa airport on the last day of your safari, please consult with African Budget Safaris before booking your flight.

Wildebeest Great Migration Explained

Please note that the Wildebeest Great Migration is seasonal. As a natural wildlife phenomenon, it is fluid and unpredictable. For this reason, seeing the Great Migration cannot be guaranteed.

The wildebeest and other wild herbivores migrate between Masai Mara in Kenya and Serengeti in Tanzania. These herds move in a massive circular route covering some 1200 miles (1931km). It is a continuous movement of wildlife that can be seen in different areas at different times of the year. During certain phases of this annual trek the animals disperse or slow down, whilst at other times the migration picks up speed, with the herds becoming larger and denser. Not only does the Wildebeest Great Migration vary from place to place and season to season but the movement of these large wildlife herds varies from year to year.

Please talk to a travel expert from African Budget Safaris about seeing the Wildebeest Great Migration on your safari to find out more. Also, check out our detailed article about the Great Migration in Serengeti and Masai Mara.

Child Policy

This tour does take children.

There is no official age limit, but due to the many hours spent in the vehicle, we don’t recommend this trip for children under the age of 6 years. However, if parents can confidently say that their children are comfortable in travelling long distances, they are of course welcome, and parents are to be responsible for their children at all times.

Please contact African Budget Safaris for further information.

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+Included in the Tour Price
  • Lodge safari according to the itinerary
  • Travel in a 4×4 safari vehicle
  • Professional, English-speaking guide
  • Overnight stays as per itinerary
  • Meals according to the itinerary
  • Mineral water
  • All mentioned activities
  • All national park fees
  • Flying Doctors insurance (AMREF) during the safari
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This tour departs with a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 7 guests.

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