Why this journey is different.
A mid-range Kenya safari built around the golden hour: gin and tonics on the Naivasha dock, sundowners over Nakuru, and the Mara sky turning copper behind the balloons as your table is set on the plains. Comfortable tented lodges, a private open-roof 4x4, and enough Mara time to matter, without full luxury pricing.
Moments you will remember.
- 1★ Sundowners like nowhere else, a set table on the Mara plains at dusk
- 2★ Optional sunrise hot air balloon over the Mara, champagne breakfast on landing
- 3★ Boat safari on Naivasha and Hell's Gate cycling among wildlife
- 4★ Flamingos and rhino at Lake Nakuru, two nights on the Maasai Mara
Your itinerary.
- 1. Lake Naivasha
- 2. Hell's Gate
- 3. Lake Nakuru
- 4. Maasai Mara
- Day 1Nairobi → Lake Naivasha
Morning pickup, drive out via the Great Rift Valley viewpoint, afternoon boat cruise on the lake, then sundowners on the dock as the fish eagles call. Overnight in a lakeside mid-range lodge.
- Day 2Hell's Gate cycling → Lake Nakuru
Guided cycle safari and gorge walk in Hell's Gate, followed by an afternoon transfer to Lake Nakuru and drinks on the escarpment overlooking the lake.
- Day 3Lake Nakuru → Maasai Mara
Morning game drive tracking rhino and flamingos on Nakuru, then transfer into the Mara for a first afternoon drive that ends with a bush bar set up on the plains.
- Day 4Masai Mara, full-day game drive
A dawn-to-dusk day in the Mara with a picnic lunch on the plains and a proper sundowner at the end of it. Optional sunrise hot air balloon safari is unforgettable.
- Day 5Maasai Mara → Nairobi
Long final morning drive, then road transfer back to Nairobi.
- Private guided game drives in an open-roof 4x4 Land Cruiser
- All park & conservancy entry fees
- Airport meet-and-greet and all ground transfers
- Full board, meals and drinking water throughout
- Bottled water, sundowners and picnic lunches on drive days
- 24/7 in-country concierge on WhatsApp
- International flights
- Kenya / Tanzania e-Visa (we help you apply)
- Personal travel insurance
- Gratuities for guides and camp staff
- Optional balloon safaris and spa treatments
Scenes from this journey.
Photographs from our own guests and guides on this exact route. Tap any image to view full-screen, swipe to browse.
Everything packed, nothing guessed.
This is the same preparation brief we send every confirmed guest on the 5-Day Mid-Range Lake Naivasha to Masai Mara Safari, written from fifteen years of running these parks ourselves. Read it now and you will already know exactly what your safari asks of you.
What to wear on safari
Neutral, breathable fabrics photograph better and keep wildlife relaxed. Skip bright white, neon and anything camouflage, camouflage is restricted in Kenya and Tanzania.
- Long trousers2 to 3
One zip-off pair is ideal for long game drives
- Shorts2
Knee-length, for warm midday hours
- Long-sleeve shirts3
Your best defence against sun and insects
- T-shirts2
Quick-dry fabric, our laundry turnaround is same-day at most lodges
- Fleece or light jacket1
Mara and Amboseli mornings start cold in an open roof 4x4
- Windbreaker1
Waterproof if you travel April, May or November
- Hat, beanie or scarf1 each
Beanie for dawn, wide-brim hat for the equator sun
- Walking shoes1 pair
Closed and comfortable for Hell's Gate and Crescent Island walks
- Sandals1 pair
For camp, lodge decks and pool time
Stay well, so nothing interrupts the wildlife
Our vehicles carry a stocked first-aid kit and every guide is first-aid certified, but personal medication is yours to bring.
- Repellent with DEET or picaridin
- Long sleeves for evenings around the fire
- Calamine or hydrocortisone cream
- Anti-malarial tablets, started before you fly
- Prescription medication for the full trip, in original packaging
- Painkillers, allergy tablets, plasters, antiseptic
- Rehydration sachets, the equator sun is deceptive
- Motion sickness tablets for murram park roads
- Eye drops, sanitiser, tweezers
Paperwork we double-check before you board
Once your dates are confirmed we send a personal checklist and verify your visa and park-entry requirements ourselves.
- Passport valid 6+ months beyond travel
- Kenya or Tanzania e-visa, we send the exact link
- Vaccination certificate where required
- Travel insurance including medical evacuation
- Emergency contact list, ours included
- Photocopies plus a cloud backup
- USD notes printed after 2009, small bills for tips
- Split your cash across two secure places
- Leave heavy jewellery at home, travel quietly
- M-Pesa and card work in Nairobi, carry cash for the parks
- Save your insurer's 24/7 line in your phone and on paper. We keep a copy in the vehicle file too.
We plan around the youngest and the eldest guest
Tell us who is travelling and we adjust drive lengths, seating and meal timing before you arrive, not on the road.
- Daypack with snacks, wipes, sunscreen and games
- Offline films and music, lodge Wi-Fi is limited
- Child-safe insect repellent
- Enough nappies and formula, stock up in Nairobi
- Tell us allergies early, we brief the lodge kitchens
- Extra prescriptions and a spare pair of glasses
- Tell your guide about mobility needs, we reseat and shorten drives
- A portable cushion or cane travels well
- Hydrate often, we pause in shade through midday
We supply the rest: refrigerated drinking water on every drive, binoculars in each vehicle, charging points, a stocked first-aid kit, and a guide who has driven these parks for over a decade. You bring the list above, we bring everything else.
Read us where it counts.
Good to know.
How do I secure my booking?+
A 30% deposit confirms your dates and it is fully refundable up to 30 days before departure. The balance is due on arrival, before your safari begins. All client funds are held in a bonded escrow account.
Can the itinerary be tailored?+
Absolutely. Every trip is designed one-to-one. Extend nights, swap camps, add a honeymoon suite or a helicopter transfer, just ask.
What happens if we need to cancel?+
Free cancellation up to 30 days before departure. Between 30 and 15 days you receive a credit valid for 18 months.
Are your guides KPSGA certified?+
Every head guide holds a minimum silver-level Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association qualification. Most of ours are gold.
