6 Days Abarderes, Nakuru, Naivasha and Masai Mara safari.
Overview
The tour takes you through best of Kenya’s wildlife parks; Aberdares National park, Lake Nakuru - a sanctuary for black rhinos, and Masai Mara Wildlife Reserve. This itinerary put together offers the best of wildlife viewing including wildebeest migration and big 5 mammals sighting and photography opportunities.
Highlights
- Great big cat sightings
- Wildebeest migration
- Big five mammals
- Crescent island boat ride – Lake Naivasha
- Masai village visits
- Bird watching opportunities
Tour Itinerary.
Day 1: Nairobi - Abarderes National Park
You will meet and greet with your tour guide/driver at the hotel in Nairobi early morning. Depart and transfer through picturesque tea plantations to Aberdares National Park about 4-hour drive. Upon arrival, check in your lodge and have lunch.
Aberdares National Park, located in the Aberdares mountain ranges with an elevation of 3,999 m has become popular as one of Kenya’s best wildlife parks to spot the big five mammals. Although, lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and black rhino are the favorites, other mammals in the park include bushbucks, hyena, bongo, forest hog, bush pig, spotted genet.
Being mountainous in the north, much of the wildlife are attracted to the thickets, streams and waterholes in the south at the park’s lowest elevation point.
Your afternoon game drive provides a chance to spot wildlife at the water holes till evening when you return to the lodge.
Day 2: Abarderes – Lake Nakuru National Park.
Early morning game drive safari in Abarderes up to mid-morning. Later, drive to Lake Nakuru National Park making a stopover along the way visit Thomson waterfalls. The journey approximately 4hour drive takes you through the great East African rift valley landscapes. Arrive early afternoon and settle for lunch.
Lake Nakuru is perhaps the best park in Kenya for spotting leopard and black rhino. Other wildlife attractions include Rothschild giraffe, water bucks, buffalo, elephant and over 450 bird species recorded. It is also among the most scenic and beautiful parks. The most stunning feature of the park is Lake Nakuru and the beautiful rift valley escarpments. This alkaline lake attracts thousands of flamingos and lots of water birds.
Afternoon/evening game drive in search of wildlife.
Day 3: Lake Nakuru – Lake Naivasha
Rise at 6 o’clock for a hot cup of African tea followed by early to mid-morning game drive to maximize wildlife spotting. You will have African breakfast in Lake Nakuru and thereafter transfer to Lake Naivasha National Park for evening game drive.
Different from other parks of Kenya, Lake Naivasha national park will offer you a boat ride and walking safari on Crescent game island sanctuary. The park is home to large mammals such as buffalo, giraffe, elephant, zebra, wildebeest, hippo and several antelope species such as Thompson’s gazelle, chandler’s reedbuck, klipspringer, waterbuck. It’s also great for bird watching with over 100 bird species.
Evening game drive searching for wildlife and exploring the park’s natural features including geothermal hot springs and gorges.
Day 4: Naivasha – Masai Mara Wildlife Reserve
You will leave Naivasha after a morning game drive and transfer to Masai Mara Wildlife Reserve.
In this park, you will have one of Africa’s spectacular wildlife encounters – the great wildebeest migration. June to October is generally considered the best time for wildlife viewing in Masai Mara particularly the migration of about 1.5 million wildebeests. These animals move in circles and the most stunning moments is when the herds are crossing the Mara River.
This park is best habitat for big cats, so the chance of spotting lion, leopard, cheetah, African wild dog, and hyena is higher than in other of the parks of the country.
Your afternoon/evening game drive takes through the grasslands looking for wildlife. Large mammals include elephant, buffalo, Masai giraffe, zebra as well as antelopes such as topi and impala. Birding in this park is also spectacular with over 500 bird species.
Day 5: Masai Mara full day experience
Full day in Masai Mara Wildlife Reserve, you have the option to do Masai community visit and hot air balloon ride in addition to safari game drives.
Hot air balloon ride takes you to the sky where you spend 1-hour soaring above areas which are literally to reach by vehicle. You get aerial views of landscape and wildlife. The ride will end with champagne and breakfast in the bush.
Your game drives will be focused on wildebeest at Mara River crossing where you will spend some time and have lunch from the banks to get you close to nature.
Day 6: Departure
Early morning game drive for final moments of game viewing in Masai Mara Wildlife Reserve. Thereafter, transfer to Nairobi. On arrival, connect to Nairobi international airport for your flight departure.
End of tour.