This Budget Kenya Safari takes you to Masai Mara and Amboseli - the two most famous national parks in Kenya. It also explores the scenic Great Rift Valley Lakes of Naivasha and Nakuru. Accommodation is in comfortable and well-known African safari lodges in prime locations: inside Masai Mara National Reserve and Amboseli National Park, on the shores of Lake Naivasha, and overlooking Lake Nakuru National Park, with an overnight stay at a luxury hotel in central Nairobi.
The affordable Kenya Lodge Safari offers an impressive variety of wildlife experiences over just eight days, including a Masai Mara Safari, the rich birdlife of the Great Lakes, and the elephants of Amboseli flanked by Mount Kilimanjaro.
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This Budget Kenya Safari starts in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you are collected and transferred to a 5-star hotel in Nairobi.
The rest of day one is free for you to relax at the hotel and rest after your trip or explore the bustling capital of Kenya.
Dinner (own expense) can be enjoyed at the upmarket hotel or at one of the many excellent restaurants in Nairobi.
After a delicious breakfast at the hotel, we depart for Kenya’s famous Amboseli National Park.
Arriving at Amboseli we check into one of the best-known lodges of the park. The safari lodge is located in the heart of Amboseli, and the nearby swamp attracts an abundance of game. Visitors will be treated to views of the snow-covered peaks of Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain.
In the afternoon we embark on the first game drive of our Kenya Safari. On our afternoon game drive around the many green marshes of the national park, we view the great herds of elephants that make this watery green habitat their home, along with hippos and buffaloes. For the bird-lover, there is an amazing variety of water birds. Back at the safari lodge, sundowners can be enjoyed in one of two bars. You will have time to cool down in the pool or browse through the wildlife library.
After dinner, optional entertainment includes Maasai dancers and a talk about Kenya’s wildlife, by a local specialist.
On day three of our Budget Kenya Safari, we make the most of the opportunity to view the plentiful game and natural beauty of Amboseli Park, which is an International Biosphere Reserve. The varied landscape includes the lake bed of Amboseli (dry outside the rainy season), savannah, and numerous lush swamps. A wide variety of antelope and other animals such as spotted hyenas, warthogs, jackals, olive baboons, and vervet monkeys can be found on the plains, and there is always the possibility of spotting a lion, leopard, or cheetah.
The pyramid-shaped Observation Hill is an easy climb for those who feel like it and offers stunning views of Mount Kilimanjaro. We return to the safari lodge for lunch and a rest. This afternoon you can take an optional nature walk and do some birdwatching (150 species have been spotted on the grounds). Dinner will be served at the safari lodge looking out over Amboseli and the distant Mount Kilimanjaro.
We rise early to enjoy breakfast at the safari lodge and then drive back to Nairobi. From there we will travel up through the spectacular Great Rift Valley.
Our destination for today is Lake Naivasha, a serene freshwater lake that is one of a series of lakes formed by the Great Rift Valley.
Mount Longonot (2,776 m) towers over the freshwater lake, known for its submerged volcanic island, called Crescent Island. This beautiful lake is home to exceptional numbers of water birds. After checking into the luxurious lakeside lodge, we enjoy lunch. This afternoon you can enjoy the pool, or embark on a boat ride (optional). The unspoiled shores of Lake Naivasha are also well worth exploring on foot.
After breakfast, on day five of this Budget Kenya Safari, we drive further down the Great Rift Valley.
On our way to Lake Nakuru National Park, we pass Lake Elmenteita. Before checking in at our safari lodge inside Lake Nakuru Park, we take a morning game drive around our second Great Lake. Lake Nakuru attracts large flocks of flamingos at times and is also Kenya’s largest rhino sanctuary. A leisurely lunch at the lodge overlooking the lake precedes our second game drive in Lake Nakuru Park.
Back at the safari lodge you can cool down in the pool, or enjoy optional cocktails, before tucking into a sumptuous buffet supper.
Today we continue up the beautiful Rift Valley of East Africa. We make our way to a safari lodge in Masai Mara National Reserve, the highlight of this Kenya Lodge Safari.
After lunch, an afternoon game drive will take us across the rolling plains, where legendary herds of animals can be seen roaming freely. Back at the safari lodge, there is time for a splash in the pool before supper.
Today we have the exciting prospect of a full-day safari in Masai Mara. The large numbers of animals found on these vast plains make for unforgettable game viewing!
Masai Mara is world-famous for the massive wildebeest herds and numerous other herbivores, such as Thompson's gazelles, zebra, and eland, that migrate here annually. This spectacular Wildebeest Migration, also known as the Great Migration, takes place between July and October. The abundance of migrating herbivores draws large numbers of predators, including plenty of big cats. Large herds of elephants and buffalos also roam the acacia-studded plains, hosting an array of other grazers and predators.
Today we return to Nairobi. You have the option of flying back to Nairobi (at extra cost) if you prefer. Back in Nairobi, we enjoy lunch at the famous Carnivore restaurant. The BBQ restaurant’s menu includes exotic meats such as ostrich, gazelle, crocodile, and more (fish and vegetarian choices available too).
After lunch, it is time to say goodbye. You are transferred to the international airport for your onward flights, concluding our adventure-filled Budget Kenya Safari to Masai Mara & Beyond.
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.
For up-to-date and confirmed pricing info for optional items, please drop us an enquiry.
This tour does take children.
Children of all ages are welcome to join accompanying parents or guardian on this safari.
Important to note:
Please contact African Budget Safaris for further details and options for family-friendly safaris.
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