Maasai Mara and Rift Valley Safari

Perfect introductory safari to Kenya for the more adventurous minded. Combine game spotting in the Masai Mara with walking with the Masai in the Loit Plains

Our most popular itinerary in Kenya. This 6 day tour that shows off the very best that Kenya has to offer, with a perfect blend of small-scale eco tourism and big hitting safaris.

The Maasai Mara Reserve and Lake Nakuru National Park are Kenya’s two most popular national parks and it is easy to see why. The Maasai Mara National Reserve is a vast park of rolling grasslands interrupted only by crocodile infested rivers. It plays host to all the big game and the incredible wildebeest migration during the peak summer months. Lake Nakuru is much smaller, but the big attraction here (in addition to the lions, rhinos and hippos…) is the lake itself which is teeming with flamingos and pelicans.

Whilst the undoubted highlight for most will be roaming over the Maasai Mara grasslands in a rugged open top 4wd Landcruiser, it is the Maasai people which make this tour special. You will get to camp out in the Maasai wilderness with a Maasai warrior standing guard against the wildlife outside. You’ll also visit Maasai villages and schools and hopefully get a small sense of the incredible changes that modernisation is bringing to these remote communities. When you are not camping, you’ll stay in charming local guesthouses, including a night in a Colonial tea plantation complete with an out of Africa veranda and lush gardens. All in all this is the perfect introductory safari for anybody visiting Kenya for the first time.

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Itinerary / Highlights

Day 1: Nairobi to the Rift Valley
Am. Drive 200km / 3 hrs from Nairobi to Rift Valley
Pm. BBQ lunch, wildlife walk in tea plantation, evening game drive
After breakfast you’ll be driven from Nairobi to tea and coffee plantation near to Lake Nakuru. The plantation is a lovely lush forested setting where you will enjoy a delicious farm lunch in the gardens followed by a guided bird walk on the estate and a chance to visit the tea and coffee processing operations. The estate has a evocative colonial guesthouse where you will be staying the night. You can take an optional night safari drive around the estate grounds with the chance of seeing hyena and if you are lucky, leopards. (B,L,D)

Day 2: Lake Nakuru
Am. Long morning game drive
Pm. Drive 50km / 1.5h to Lake Naivasha
Lake Nakuru is Kenya’s second most popular wildlife park and for good reason. Although small in size it surrounds a beautiful lake that is teeming with pelicans and flamingos. The park plays host to a variety of terrain, shallows, mud flats along with classical African Acacia Woodlands and grasslands. Lake Nakuru is rich with big game and good sightings are virtually guaranteed. Lion, hyena, rhino, buffalo, giraffe and Zebra are all common. After a long morning game drive with a boxed lunch, you will journey the short drive to a lodge on the shores of Lake Naivasha. You’ll have time to enjoy the pool at the lodge in the afternoon.

Day 3: Hippos in Lake Naivasha and Wilderness Camp
Am. Lake Naivasha boat safari
Pm. Drive 300km / 5hrs from Naivasha to Loita Plains
After breakfast you’ll head out for a boat ride on the vast Lake Naivasha. Unlike the surrounding soda lakes, Naivasha is freshwater and has a large hippo colony and excellent birds with fish eagles, pelicans and love birds common. After returning to shore you’ll be driven to the Loita Plains just outside the Maasai Mara National Reserve, stopping for lunch along the way. You’ll be staying at the Olanganayo wilderness camp in a lush green spot by a small stream. Whilst the crew set up camp you’ll be free to take a short stroll and take in the vastness of the Maasai plains. This area forms the corridor by which Wildebeest migrate to and from the Maasai Mara National Reserve, so wildlife spottings are not uncommon. Our Maasai host will take us on an early evening walk to the nearbye Maasai village and stand sentinel through the night (lions are always a possibility). Spend the evening around the camp fire.

:Day 4: Loita Plains and Magi Moto Eco Camp
Am. Short bush walk & drive to Maasai Mara
Pm. Sunset walk or night game drive
After waking to the sounds of the bush and a full breakfast, you’ll enjoy a short 2-3 hour walk along a small river course and through the open savanna for wildlife viewing. The local Maasai will act as guides and you will often walk amongst giraffe, impala, zebra and wildebeest. You’ll then drive to Maji Moto a fascinating community run eco camp with a hot spring and a lovely spot for lunch. There is the opportunity to visit a widow’s village and school for girls rescued from female genital mutilation. Then onto the permanent tented camp at Mountain Rock Mara Springs. There will be time for a late afternoon game drive in the Siana Conservation area and in the evening you can enjoy a hike up the nearby Naumare Hills to glimpse a stunning sunset over the Mara. Overnight in en-suite permanent tents.

Day 5: Maasai Mara National Reserve.
The big draw. You’ll spend all today in the reserve on a game drive in rugged 4wd extended wheel base LandCruisers with pop tops. With an experienced naturist guide and driver you’ll have every chance of spotting elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, Cheetah, Rhino, hippo, crocodile and countless others. An undoubtable highlight is the Mara River, the scene of so many famous encounters between hungry crocodiles and migrating wildebeest. Overnight at the Mountain Rock Mara Springs again.

Day 6: Back to Nairobi
Early game drive in the Mara
250km / 4-5hr drive back to Nairobi
Another early morning game drive in the Mara at 6am to spot any animals you might have missed and an opportunity to spot the early morning birdlife. After this drive you’ll return to camp for a late breakfast then drive for approximately 4 hours back to Nairobi arriving for late lunch at the Karen Rock House. Optional stay at the guesthouse where you can while away the afternoon around the lovely swimming pool.

Other Details

Accommodation Details

Accommodation is a combination of small mid-range local guesthouses (aprox 3 star), fixed camps and wilderness camping. Availability allowing, in the Rift Valley Lakes area you’ll stay a night each in a small Lake-side lodge (with pool) and a Colonial guesthouse on a tea and coffee plantation. In the Maasai Mara, you’ll stay two nights in Mountain Rock Mara Springs fixed camp just outside the park. The Tents are permanent structures with nice ensuite showers and there is electricity from a generator in the evening. You’ll also spend a night at an exclusive wilderness camp out in the Maasai bush. You’ll be sleeping in a modern tent but there is a drop toilet and mess tent for shade. In Nairobi you’ll stay at the Rock House in Karen which is a quirky small guesthouse complete with swimming pool and lovely en-suite rooms.

All meals are provided. When camping, you’ll have a cook with you who will prepare meals, and in guesthouses you’ll typically eat at the in-house restaurant.

Departure Dates, Options & Prices

Scheduled departures available on alternate Sundays from the 5th June 2011 for £1120
Private departures available on any day from £984pp for a group of 4 to £1320 for a group of two.

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