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Samburu giraffes

12 Day Kenya Wildlife Safari: Masai Mara & Kenya Game…

Tour Length12 days
Priced from pps $4512 R85355 £3574 4182 A$6925 C$6107 NZ$7552 Full pricing info
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Summary of this Exclusive Small Group Camping Safari

  • Max. Group Size 6 Travellers
  • Starts & ends in Nairobi, Kenya
  • Accommodation Luxury Camping
  • Transport 4x4 Vehicle / Game Viewing Vehicle
  • Wildlife Big 5, Elephant, Exceptional Birding, Leopards, Lions, Migration Safari (Seasonal) & More
  •  See Departure Dates

Quick Itinerary Overview

A fantastic 12-day Kenya Wildlife Safari traveling in a small private group of 6 people at most. 

See Africa's abundant wildlife in classical Kenya game parks, including the world-famous Masai Mara, Samburu National Park, Lake Nakuru, Amboseli, and Tsavo West. This is the ultimate Kenya Wildlife Safari exploring a diversity of world-class game parks teeming with wildlife. Travel through incredibly scenic landscapes from the Great Rift Valley, to open savannah plains and Africa's tallest mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro.

An excellent value-for-money luxury camping safari, starting and ending in Nairobi, Kenya. 

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Itinerary for this Tour

Day 1: Nairobi to Tsavo West National Park - Kenya

This 12-Day Kenya Wildlife Safari to Masai Mara and top Kenya game parks departs from Nairobi city at 07:00 am

From the capital of Kenya, Nairobi, we travel southeast to Tsavo West National Park.

We explore Chyulu Hills and Mzima Springs, home to numerous hippos and crocodiles. At Mzima Springs we can view the hippos swimming beneath the surface of the water, from the underwater viewing chamber.

We have dinner and stay overnight at a lodge overlooking the national park on day one.

Day 2: Tsavo West National Park - Kenya

The whole day is spent exploring the game park on a morning and afternoon game drive. In Tsavo West National Park birds are very common - look out for the white-bellied go-away bird, red-beaked hornbills and bateleur Eagles. There are also large populations of elephants, zebras and buffaloes, as well as lions, leopards, and cheetahs. Look out for dung beetles rolling huge balls of elephant dung along the tracks. Tsavo Park is famous for its large elephant herds, often seen covered in fine, red dust.

Tsavo Park (East and West) is the largest national park in Kenya (at 22,000 km²). The scenic Tsavo West Park covers a wide variety of landscapes, from swamps and natural springs to rocky peaks, extinct volcanic cones and rolling plains. The dramatic Chyulu Hills form a collection of ancient volcanic cinder cones with splendid views of Kilimanjaro and populations of elands, giraffes, zebras and wildebeest.

Day 3: Tsavo West to Amboseli National Park - Kenya

In the morning we embark on a game drive in Tsavo West Park before driving to Amboseli National Park, located to the northwest of Tsavo, near the Kenyan border with Tanzania. We look out for game en route to our tented safari camp set inside Amboseli Park.

Amboseli Game Park covers 392km² and is the second most popular park in Kenya, after the world-famous Masai Mara. Amboseli is best known for its breathtaking scenery, with towering Mt. Kilimanjaro to the south. This natural setting provides superb photographic opportunities, especially for capturing large bull elephants up close, with the mountain in the background.

We stay in self-contained tents at a luxury, tented safari camp for the night. Enjoy dinner and the beautiful views of Mount Kilimanjaro and the Amboseli plains from the private camp.

Day 4: Amboseli National Park - Kenya

We spend a full day exploring Amboseli Park on game drives. Amboseli covers lush grasslands fed by the melting snow of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak. Standing at 5896m above sea level the snow-topped mountain forms the backdrop to game viewing in Amboseli.

Amboseli National Park hosts some of the largest elephant herds in Kenya and is famous for its big elephant bulls with their impressive tusks. Amboseli is considered one of the top game parks in Africa to get up close to elephants in the wild, as well as offering some of the finest photographic opportunities of wildlife flanked by the scenic Mt Kilimanjaro.

The Game Park also contains huge populations of buffalos, zebras, wildebeests, giraffes, hippos and various antelope species, such as impala. Amboseli Park is also home to lions, leopards, cheetahs, rhinos, jackals, warthogs and various other wildlife. The park also boasts an abundance of birds, including bee-eaters, kingfishers, pelicans, African fish eagles and falcons.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner at the camp are included in the tour price. We camp overnight in Amboseli at the same peaceful camp as the night before.

Day 5: Amboseli to Mount Kenya (Sweetwaters) - Kenya

On day 5 of our Kenya Wildlife Safari we set off early in the morning making our way north to Mount Kenya. Mt Kenya is Africa's second highest mountain, standing at 5199m above sea level.

In the afternoon we take a game drive in Sweetwater's game ranch near Mount Kenya.

The game ranch is home to various wild animals and is set aside as a breeding ground for black rhinos. The ranch also hosts a chimpanzee rehabilitation program. Sweetwaters is the only chimpanzee rehabilitation sanctuary in Kenya, providing a home for chimpanzees that have been mistreated. The chimpanzees are kept at Sweetwaters in a secure environment; which resembles their natural habitat as closely as possible.

We spend the night at a comfortable lodge near Mount Kenya.

Day 6: Mt. Kenya to Samburu Game Reserve - Kenya

After breakfast today we leave the Mount Kenya area, heading to Samburu National Park. We look out for game en route to our next overnight campsite, where we have lunch next to the Ewaso Nyiro River.

After lunch, we set off on a game drive in search of wildlife in Samburu. This region of Kenya is home to the uncommon grevy's zebra with huge furry ears, gerenuk antelope standing on hind legs to feed, blue-necked Somali ostriches with distinct blue legs, and the shy Beisa oryx.

We camp beside the Ewaso Nyiro River under shady palms and trees. The camp has refreshing cold showers to freshen up and escape the heat of the African plains.

Day 7: Samburu National Reserve - Kenya

Day seven is set aside for game viewing in Samburu National Reserve, exploring its open grasslands and diverse landscapes in search of the variety of wildlife found here. Elephants and crocodiles are guaranteed sightings, and we may be lucky enough to spot leopards. The park is also home to reticulated giraffes, hippos, and lions, and the bird watching is excellent with numerous varieties of weaverbirds and the martial eagle.

Samburu hosts beautiful forests, springs and rivers, offering stunning scenery. The game park is part of a lava plain that includes varied habitats, from thorn scrub, red dirt and dried river beds, to broken volcanic rock, steep hills and rocky outcrops.

The Samburu area is also home to interesting people with a rich heritage, making for a colorful cultural experience.

Day 8: Samburu National Reserve to Lake Nakuru - Kenya

After breakfast, we pack up camp and hit the road again, game viewing on our way out of Samburu Park. We travel south through Kenya to Lake Nakuru National Park, stopping for lunch en route. Arriving at Lake Nakuru we take an afternoon game drive in the compact wildlife area.

Lake Nakuru National Park surrounds the lake and was first gazetted to protect the rich bird life, later becoming a sanctuary for endangered species such as the rhino. There are about 25 white and black rhinos, one of the largest concentrations in the country. Predators are also residents of this park while Rothschild’s giraffes have been translocated into the park for safety.

This Kenyan game park has retained its reputation as an ornithologist's delight, with more than 400 species of bird found here. Bird species include the Great White Pelican, African Spoonbill, Yellow-billed Stork, Lesser and Greater Flamingo, and Long-crested Eagle. The small park (180 sq km) is also home to warthogs, waterbuck, buffaloes, reedbucks, and the occasional leopard. Nakuru park has retained its reputation as an ornithologist's delight with more than 400 species of bird found here.

Tonight we stay in en-suite rooms at a comfortable lodge inside Lake Nakuru National Park.

Day 9: Lake Nakuru to Masai Mara - Kenya

Today we leave the lodge after breakfast and travel south towards the famous Masai Mara Game Reserve, in southwest Kenya.

We drive through beautiful savannah grasslands and plains in the Great Rift Valley making our way to the next overnight camp located in a private Masai Mara conservancy. Along the way to our tented camp just outside of Masai Mara, we keep a lookout for wildlife. The camp is set beside the Oloirigynyisho River, frequently visited by elephants, wildebeest, zebra and other animals.

End the day with sundowners at the camp, overlooking the Oloolotikoshi Hills. After dinner in the African-style restaurant, you are free to unwind in the bar and lounge areas and retire to your spacious luxury tent.

Day 10: Masai Mara Game Reserve - Kenya

The next two days of our Kenya Wildlife Safari are spent game viewing in Masai Mara.

On clear days, the Masai Mara National Reserve offers fantastic orange-tinged sunsets worth capturing on camera. The Mara reserve covers 1510km² of incredible wide-open landscapes and fertile riverine woodlands, following the meanders of the Mara and Talek rivers. One glimpse is enough to explain its appeal as an iconic savannah, with a mass of amazing wildlife.

An optional balloon safari can be arranged at an extra cost.

Evenings are spent relaxing at the tented camp, enjoying the scenic wilderness setting, friendly service and star gazing.

Day 11: Masai Mara Reserve - Kenya

We spend another full day exploring the spectacular Masai Mara Park. Wherever you go in the Mara Reserve you will see an abundance of wildlife, such as Masai giraffes, baboons, warthogs, bat-eared foxes, grey jackals, spotted hyenas, topis, impalas, hartebeests, wildebeest. elephants, buffaloes, zebras, and hippos. It is common to see lions either basking after a heavy meal or surveying the open plains for their next meal. Cheetahs and leopards are harder to spot but are still reasonably common.

The ultimate wildlife action here is, without doubt, the annual wildebeest exodus in July and August when millions of these grazers move north from the Serengeti in search of lusher grass before turning south again in October. The Great Migration is one of the most awe-inspiring wildlife spectacles on earth!

Day 12: Masai Mara to Nairobi - Kenya

Wake up to the African bush at our tented camp in the Masai Mara Conservancy area, and enjoy a leisurely breakfast.

Then we return to bustling Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, arriving at about 15h00 in the afternoon. This Kenya Wildlife Safari to Masai Mara and top Kenya Game Parks ends upon arrival in Nairobi.

Masai Mara Safari Accommodation

Accommodation is at a luxury tented camp located in a private 30-acre conservancy near the Masai Mara National Reserve.

The camp offers views of the Oloolotikoshi Hills from its location on the banks of the Oloirigynyisho River where various wild animals are regularly spotted. The closest entrance to Masai Mara is the Ololaimutia gate, only 2.5 km from the camp. This intimate camp features 8 spacious permanent tents which have been tastefully decorated and furnished with double beds and mosquito nets. The tents have en-suite bathrooms with flush toilets, washbasins, and hot showers. Each tent has its own veranda where guests can sit back and watch the bush.

Facilities include bar and lounge areas, a shop selling locally-made products, and an airy restaurant in a circular design based on a traditional African hut.

Samburu & Lake Nakuru Safari Accommodation

At Samburu, we camp beside a river amid palms and woodlands near the game reserve. The safari camp features refreshing, cold showers.

For our time at Lake Nakuru, we stay at a comfortable lodge inside Lake Nakuru National Park. Facilities include two bars, a restaurant and a swimming pool. Accommodation is in en-suite rooms with views of the national park and lodge gardens.

Kenya Safari Transport

This safari will be conducted in a custom-made 4x4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof for game viewing. The 4x4 Land Cruisers are adapted for game viewing and fitted with refrigerators to keep your drinks cold out in the bush.

The maximum group size on this Kenya Safari is six people, to guarantee each person a window seat on game drives.

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.

Optional Extras and Excursions

For up-to-date and confirmed pricing info for optional items, please drop us an enquiry.

  • Cultural Maasai tours
  • Masai Mara hot-air balloon trips

Child Policy

This tour does take children.

Children of all ages, travelling with accompanying parents or guardian, are accepted on this safari.

Please contact African Budget Safaris for further information.

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+Where does the tour go to?
+Optional Activities & Day Trips
For confirmed pricing on these optional items, please drop us an enquiry
  • Cultural Maasai tours
  • Masai Mara hot-air balloon trips
+Included in the Tour Price
  • Custom made 4x4 -7 seater Land cruiser  with pop-up roof for game viewing, maximum group size 6 pax to guarantee a window seat 
  • Full board accommodation on safari
  • Game drives as per the itinerary
  • Game parks entry fees and government taxes
  • Services of professional English speaking guides
  • 1 litre of Mineral water per person per day while on safari
+Not Included in the Tour Price
  • Cultural visits to Maasai Villages 
  • Tips & drinks
  • Personal items
  • Kenya Visas
  • Nairobi airport transfers
  • Hotel accommodation in Nairobi (before & after safari)
+Departure Dates

This tour departs daily with a minimum of 2 people.

Scheduled Tour Departures
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If you do not see departures listed for your dates, please do contact us for further info.

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