8-Day Kenya Safari
Amboseli Naivasha Masai Mara

Customizable Amboseli & Masai Mara Itinerary

Customize This Itinerary Now

8-Day Amboseli & Masai Mara: At a Glance

  • Duration: 8 Days / 7 Nights
  • Perfect for: First-time Kenya visitors, photographers, elephant lovers, and anyone seeking deep immersion in three distinct ecosystems with a focus on relaxed pacing and flexibility.
  • Key Destinations: Nairobi | Amboseli National Park | Lake Naivasha | Maasai Mara National Reserve
  • Ekuseni Difference: Your driver-guide is your trusted friend in Kenya, ready to adapt the day's timing to your interests, ensuring this safari truly feels like your own. We cater to mid-range and high-end budgets, ensuring comfort and quality are never compromised.

Trip Highlights

  1. Kilimanjaro’s Majestic Shadow: Get up early in Amboseli for the iconic view of Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa’s highest peak) rising over the dusty plains, often with large herds of elephants walking directly into the foreground. It’s the ultimate photo opportunity.

  2. Rift Valley Exploration & Resident Wildlife: Enjoy a completely different environment in the peaceful Lake Naivasha area. This stop breaks the journey perfectly and provides a tranquil atmosphere where you can enjoy a morning activity on the lake and often see resident plains game (like giraffes and zebras) grazing freely on the lodge grounds.

  3. Extended Great Cat Action, Cultural Immersion & Optional Sunrise Ballooning: You have two full days plus one extra morning in the Masai Mara, maximizing your chances for incredible big cat sightings. Take the chance to enjoy an optional Hot Air Balloon Safari at sunrise or visit a local Maasai community.

8-Day Kenya Safari Amboseli Naivasha Masai Mara Gallery

Why We Love this Kenyan Bush to Beach Itinerary

We designed this 8-day itinerary to deliver the ultimate safari balance, focusing on comfort, in-depth exploration, and seamless travel logistics:

  • Optimal Comfort & Flow: We’ve eliminated long, tiring single-day drives. The journey is broken up with a relaxing overnight stop in the picturesque Lake Naivasha area, meaning no single travel day exceeds six hours. This ensures you arrive refreshed and ready for your next game drive.

  • Deep Masai Mara Experience: You get a generous two and a half full days of dedicated exploration in the Masai Mara National Reserve. This ample time significantly increases your chances of spotting the Big Five and witnessing dramatic wildlife encounters, including the world-famous Great Migration during peak season.

  • Unrushed Adventure: The extended duration provides plenty of time for optional, high-value experiences like an unforgettable hot air balloon safari at sunrise or a visit to a local Maasai community without feeling rushed to fit it into a packed game drive schedule.

  • Perfect Contrast: The trip offers a perfectly contrasted journey, starting with the iconic Kilimanjaro views in Amboseli, moving to the scenic Great Rift Valley and its lakes, and culminating in the boundless savanna of the Masai Mara.

Accommodation & Safari Tiers
Your Budget, Your Comfort

Ekuseni offers a choice of safari tiers to ensure the experience perfectly aligns with your budget and style of travel, without ever sacrificing safety, quality of guiding, or vehicle standard.

Mid-Range Comfort (The Classic Tented Experience)

  • Lodging: Beautifully situated tented camps and permanent lodges offering private bathrooms, comfortable beds, and full board. These are often located just outside the main reserve boundaries on private conservancies, which often results in a more private game viewing experience.
  • Ambiance: Excellent value, cozy communal areas, and high-quality meals.

High-End Luxury (The Premier Experience)

  • Lodging: Exclusive luxury tented camps or five-star lodges situated inside the National Reserves or in prime positions within private conservancies. These offer expansive luxury tents, private plunge pools (in some locations), and personalized butler service.
  • Ambiance: Utmost privacy, gourmet dining, premium included drinks, and often includes specialized activities like bush walks or night drives (where permitted).

Itinerary, Day by Day

Day 1: Welcome to Nairobi, Friend (Arrival Day)

Today is for settling in. We’ll meet you at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and transfer you directly to your comfortable hotel or guesthouse in Nairobi. There are no scheduled activities today, allowing you to relax and recover from your flight. This buffer day ensures you start your safari threfreshed and ready for adventure tomorrow.

  • Accommodation: Nairobi Hotel/Guesthouse (Mid-Range or High-End based on your preference).

  • Meals: No meals included.

After an early breakfast, we begin our road trip south to Amboseli National Park. The drive takes about 4.5 to 5 hours on decent roads, giving you a chance to see Kenyan rural life outside the city.

We arrive at your camp or lodge in time for lunch. In the late afternoon, we head out for our first proper game drive. Amboseli is all about the giants; it’s famous for its massive herds of elephants and the big tuskers, all set against the incredible, close-up view of Mount Kilimanjaro.

We rise before dawn for the best chance to see the iconic view of Kilimanjaro without its cloud cover. We’ll spend the whole day exploring Amboseli’s vast plains and its vital swampland areas, which act as a water source during dry periods.

Keep an eye out for lions, cheetahs, and plenty of buffalo and plains game. We’ll carry a picnic lunch with us or return to the lodge for a mid-day rest, ensuring we are back out for the prime game viewing hours in the late afternoon.

After a final early breakfast, we begin the scenic road transfer north toward the Great Rift Valley. Today’s drive is approximately 5.5 – 6 hours, taking you past bustling towns and stunning landscapes.

We arrive at your lodge near the Lake Naivasha area in time for lunch. In the late afternoon, we will enjoy a gentle wildlife viewing experience near the lodge grounds or on a brief sundowner drive, allowing you to settle in and spot the resident plains game, like graceful giraffes and zebras, that often graze freely in the area before dinner.

We enjoy an early breakfast before heading out for a half-day exploration of the Lake Naivasha area. This morning often includes an optional boat safari (highly recommended!) to see hippos up close and the majestic Fish Eagles catching their breakfast.

We return to the lodge for an early lunch. Immediately after lunch, we begin the final major road transfer to the Masai Mara National Reserve. This drive takes approximately 4.5 – 5 hours on varying road conditions.

Due to the afternoon start, we will arrive at your camp in the late afternoon/early evening, settle in, and prepare for a full day of game viewing tomorrow.

The Mara is truly the heart of the African safari. We spend a full day here exploring its varied landscape, from the open plains popular with cheetahs to the dense riverine forests where leopards hide.

We aim to find the famous Big Cats and, depending on the season (July to October), we may witness the drama of the Great Migration river crossings. Our guide will use their expert knowledge to take you away from the crowds to find those quiet, private wildlife encounters.

Note: This morning is also an ideal time for the optional Hot Air Balloon Safari experience (pre-booked extra cost), which replaces the morning game drive and includes a Champagne Bush Breakfast.

Today begins with your final, deep Mara experience. You have the flexibility to choose: either a final exhilarating morning game drive to catch the big cats before the heat sets in, the optional sunrise Hot Air Balloon Safari (if not taken on Day 6), OR a meaningful visit to a local Maasai community to learn about their fascinating culture and traditions.

We’ll enjoy an early farewell lunch at the camp or a packed lunch in the bush before starting the final major road transfer back to Nairobi. This transfer takes approximately 5.5 to 6 hours. We will drop you off at your Nairobi hotel/guesthouse in the late afternoon/early evening for your final overnight stay.

Depending on your flight schedule, you may have time for some last-minute souvenir shopping or relaxation.

We will provide a direct, private transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) for your international departure, carrying memories that feel like you’ve been visiting old friends.

Common Questions, Expert Answers

When is the best time to go on this Kenya safari?

The best time is usually from June to October (dry season), which includes the famous Wildebeest Migration period in the Mara (July to October). However, the “green season” (November to March) offers wonderful light for photography, fewer crowds, and the beautiful sight of newborn animals. All parks offer fantastic viewing year-round.

Absolutely. We specialize in curating experiences from mid-range comfort to high-end luxury. For the mid-range budget, we select high-quality, comfortable tented camps just outside the main reserve boundaries, which often provide a more personal service and better value while still offering excellent access to the park.

The longest single drive on the itinerary is the transfer from Amboseli to Naivasha (Day 4, 5.5–6 hours), and the return from the Mara to Nairobi (Day 7, 5.5–6 hours). The first day’s drive (Day 2) is 4.5-5 hours. By adding the Lake Naivasha stop and having the trip in 8 days, we have successfully eliminated the 8-10 hour non-stop driving day!

It means flexibility and personalized care. If you want to leave 30 minutes later for a game drive, we can. If you want to spend more time with a local community, we arrange it. We don’t stick rigidly to timeslots; our focus is on ensuring your experience is perfect, just as you would treat a friend visiting your home.

The Lake Naivasha area offers a wonderful, peaceful stop in the Rift Valley, serving as a perfect mid-safari reset. It’s famous for its beautiful freshwater lake, lush grounds, and the resident plains game (like zebras, giraffes, and waterbucks) that often graze freely around the lodges. The new schedule allows for a dedicated half-day activity on the lake before you transfer to the Mara.

Can we fly between Nairobi and the parks instead of driving?

Yes, absolutely. We offer road travel as standard because it is more cost-effective and gives you a better view of the country. However, we can easily upgrade any road leg (Nairobi-Amboseli, Mara-Nairobi) to a short scenic flight, which is excellent for saving time and minimizing travel fatigue.

All our safaris use custom-built 4×4 Land Cruisers. These vehicles feature a pop-up roof for optimal game viewing and photography, large windows, and a cooler box stocked with drinks. They are designed for comfort and safety in the bush.

To ensure everyone gets a window seat and space for photography gear, we typically cap our vehicles at a maximum of six guests.

All three areas offer excellent chances of seeing the Big Five (Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Buffalo, and Rhino). Amboseli is perfect for elephants and buffalo. The Mara excels at finding lions and leopards. Rhino sightings are less common but are possible in both parks.
However, note that sightings are not guaranteed since this is nature.

A Maasai community visit is a powerful, optional experience where you can learn about the local culture, traditions, and way of life directly from the people. It usually lasts about 1 to 2 hours in the morning and is conducted with respect for the community’s privacy. Your guide will arrange this based on your preference.

What's Included and Excluded?

Understanding your total trip cost is important, and as your friends, we want to be transparent about what your trip will cover:

Price Includes

  • Accommodation: 7 nights of comfortable accommodation in carefully selected mid-range or high-end camps and lodges (as per your budget).

  • Transport: All airport transfers and ground transport in a custom-built 4×4 safari vehicle with a pop-up roof for optimal game viewing.

  • Guiding: Services of a professional, experienced, and English-speaking Kenyan driver-guide.

  • Park Fees: All entrance fees for Amboseli National Park, Lake Naivasha area, and Masai Mara National Reserve for the duration of the itinerary.

  • Meals: Full board (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) throughout the safari, as specified in the day-by-day plan.

  • Activities: Daily morning and afternoon game drives. The afternoon of Day 4 is a gentle wildlife viewing experience, and the morning of Day 5 is for lake exploration. Day 7 includes a final morning game drive OR a final morning activity, followed by the road transfer back to Nairobi.

  • Water: Complimentary bottled drinking water during game drives.

Price Excludes

  • International Flights: Flights to and from Nairobi (JKIA).

  • Visa Fees: Kenya visa fees.

  • Internal Flight: The optional scenic flight upgrades for any road transfer leg.

  • Optional Activities: Hot Air Balloon safari in the Mara (available on Day 6 or Day 7), cultural village visits (Maasai, available on Day 7), specialized walking safaris, and any boat/walking safaris in the Lake Naivasha area (these are optional extras).

  • Drinks: Alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, and specialty coffees (unless specified by the lodge package).

  • Gratuities: Tips for your guide and lodge staff.

  • Insurance: Travel insurance (highly recommended).

Start Your Flexible Trip

Fill out the inquiry form below to tell us a little more about your travel dreams, your budget, and any specific interests. We aim to get back to you within the same business day to start planning your itinerary.