Trip Info
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4WD. Minivan
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Mid-range, shared tour
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Can start any day
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Not for single travelers
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Pre and post tour accommodation can also be offered but at an extra cost
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5
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80
Overview
For the best wildlife viewing and bird watching safari lovers, this is the best safari that shall fulfill your dream. You will get to see almost all the big cats, including lions, cheetahs, leopards, you will see giraffes, buffaloes, elephants, rhinos and so on, the two maor parks in Kenya are home to more than 500 bird species.
Highlights
- Mid-range tour
- Shared tour
- Can start any day
- Cannot be customized
- Not for single travelers
- Minimum age of 5 years
Itinerary
Clients will be brought from their hotel or airport this morning and proceed to do a road trip through the Great Rift Valley point then to the Masai Mara National Reserve. This large reserve is in fact a part of the expansive Serengeti plains famous for the great wildebeest migration and is a habitat of the big five: lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and rhino. Lunch at the lodge and then go for the afternoon game drive. The Masai Mara National Reserve is widely considered as one of the seven new world wonders in terms of natural wilderness. These are more numerous and can be viewed in large numbers easily. Wild animals include; Masai giraffes, buffalos, elands, thousands of plains game such as; impalas, zebras and both Thomson’s and Grants gazelles.
Main Destination:
Masai Mara National Reserve
Ideal timing to visitJune to October (For most of the wild animals Safari ) August to October (To see the wildebeest migration)
High SeasonJune to October and December to March
Best WeatherJune to October (Sunny, but not too hot)
Wildlife in Masai Mara NR
Elephant, Giraffe, Lion, Cheetah, Zebra, Wildebeest
Accommodation:
Jambo Mara Safari Lodge
- A mid-range resort situated right on the edge of Masai Mara NR is not fenced.
Meals & Drinks:
- Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included)
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Spend a whole day to watch the great predators and discover the high density of wild animals in the park. On the plains are large herds of grazing animals, cheetahs lurking in the shadows of acacia trees, leopards too. While being there, we will also have a chance to attend the performance of the Maasai in their singing and dancing which are an inseparable part of their everyday activities and ceremonies. As I discovered their homes and their kind/way of living, it was such a feeling like no other. Your meals are served in the evening and the accommodation is in the lodge.
Main Destination:
Masai Mara National Reserve
Accommodation:
Jambo Mara Safari Lodge
- A mid-range resort situated right on the edge of Masai Mara NR is not fenced.
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Spend the day on a morning game drive followed by a breakfast break at the lodge. Afterwards, depart for Lake Naivasha. A stop is made at the Narok Town to shop for curios and handicrafts at the aromatic, active Maasai markets. Have lunch at the hotel. In the afternoon, take a boat ride in this freshwater lake with the objective of seeing the hippos. This is a fresh water lake that is 12.8km round with huge papyrus banks but the lake is shallow with average depth of only 5 meters. These shores are frequented by a great range of game as they border a lake. One can opt for an extra day trip to Hell’s Gate National Park or Crescent Island. Your meals are served in the evening and the accommodation is in the lodge.
Main Destination:
Lake Naivasha (Naivasha)
Accommodation:
Naivasha Kongoni Lodge
- The NAivasha mid range lodge stands in the astonishing region of Naivasha, with the jungles of Africa as its backdrop.
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Take breakfast at the lodge and then proceed to the Lake Nakuru National Park. Spend your time having lunch at the lodge then take an afternoon game drive. This shallow Soda Lake has long been identified as home to flamingoes and although these birds have not been as dominant here as in the past, more than 400 varieties of bird life can still be viewed in these regions. You should be able to disembark at the edge of the shore of the lake for a better view of the birds. Jasper’s cliffs can be located nearby and it is a perfect place for watching baboons, birds of prey, hyraxes that run around these cliffs, and stunning views of the park. This park has an area of 180sq km and has warthogs, water bucks, buffaloes, reed bucks, leopard occasionally plus white and black rhinoceros which were introduced into the park some years back. Your meals are served in the evening and the accommodation is in the lodge.
Main Destination:
Lake Nakuru National Park
The best times for visiting is from June to February when wildlife is more visible due to no rain.
Peak seasonJuly to February (Many people visit the park during this period)
Best WeatherJune to February (Little rainfall)
Wildlife in Lake Nakuru NP
Giraffe, White Rhino, Buffalo, Zebra, Hippo, Black Rhino
Accommodation:
Merica Hotel
- It is private mid-range hotel and it is situated within 1 hour drive from the Lake Nakuru NP.
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Spend much of the morning engaged in a game drive in the Lake Nakuru National Park. Then proceed to Nairobi arriving in the evening.
Main Destination:
Nairobi (City)
Accommodation:
No accommodation (End of tour)
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
End of tour
- For an extra fee there will be option to rent additional accommodation if needed.
- You will be transferred to the airport.
Includes/Excludes
Cost Includes
- • Park fees (For non-residents)
- • All activities (Unless labeled as optional)
- • All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
- • A professional driver/guide
- • All transportation (Unless labeled as optional)
- • All Taxes/VAT
- • Roundtrip airport transfer
- • Food/Meals (in accordance to the day by day section)
- • Drinking water (On all days)
Cost Excludes
- • International flights (From/to home)
- • Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
- • Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
- • Personal effects (T-shirts and other clothing, insured trip, visas, etc.)
- • Change in the tax and/or park fees set by the government
FAQs
While on your 5 days expedition to the Masai Mara National Reserve and the Lake Nakuru Park, the following are some of the attractions you are likely to spot; It is home of numerous animals like lions, leopards, elephants, buffalos, rhinos, wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles, and the wildebeests migration (July-October). It also has breathtaking views of the savannah plains and cultural encounters with the Maasai tribes.
You will see thousands of flamingos forming pink belt around the shores of the Lake Nakuru in Lake Nakuru Park. This park also has black and white Rhino, giraffe, baboon, hippo, and several varieties of birds. The combination of Masai Mara plains savannah and Lake Nakuru forests and soda lake make this safari an exciting and unique one.
Deciding when to visit Masai Mara National Reserve and Lake Nakuru Park greatly depends on tourists’ preferences. The best time for wildlife sighting is from July to October when the animals migrate from the Serengeti in Tanzania to the Mara in search of water and fresh pastures. This time of the day provides amazing opportunities to observe the predator and prey behavior as well as take photographs.
The rainy seasons for Masai Mara National Reserve and Lake Nakuru Park, which are from March to May and November have a few people and green scenery. This is when you can have discounted rates on the wildlife safaris, get to see newborns and excellent bird watching at Lake Nakuru National Park. The best seasons for game drives are during the dry seasons which is from June-October and December-February because most animals tend to cluster around the water sources in order to quench their thirst.
A number of camps and lodges are available in Masai Mara National Reserve and Lake Nakuru Park, from self-catering and budget to luxury camps and lodges.
For instance, in Masai Mara National Reserve, tourists have options of luxury lodges like Mara Serena Safari Lodge, mid-range like Fig Tree Camp and the budget option like Enkorok Mara Camp. In other accommodations are within the reserve while others are situated nearby the edge of the reserve close to the extensive game drive tracks.
Tentative accommodation facilities within the surrounding areas include; Lake Nakuru Lodge, Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge for more luxury accommodation, and several hotels for budget tourists in Nakuru town. While you can be adventurous and take a high-end trip with sophisticated facilities, then be catered for in style in the lodges of Masai Mara National Reserve, then you can also opt to be accommodated in an affordable, rustic style accommodations in the Lake Nakuru Park.
The distance between the Masai Mara National Reserve and the Lake Nakuru Park is approximately 5-6 hours by a car, when the road and weather conditions are standard. The distance is approximately 250 km (155 miles) and the views include the great rift valley.
Many 5 day safari itineraries involve a game drive in the morning to Maasai Mara then proceed to the Lake Nakuru National Park in the afternoon. One can also fly to other airstrips within Kenya like the ones in Naivasha or Nairobi then take a short road trip to Lake Nakuru. Despite the fact that the road might be rough in some parts, the experience is always a thrill due to the beautiful scenery of the savannah landscapes as well as the wild animals and birds that might be seen on the way.
There are various activities that would complement your 5-day Maasai Mara National Reserve & Lake Nakuru Park safari.
Other activities in Masai Mara National Reserve include game viewing drives, hot air balloon conservation that offers aerial view of the outlook, cultural visits to Masai villages, and nature walks in the conservancies around the reserve. Night game drives can be arranged in the private conservancies around the reserve giving an opportunity to view the nocturnal wildlife.
They include; game viewing in which visitors get to view animals such as the flamingos and the rhinoceros at Lake Nakuru, bird watching that enables tourists to view over 400 species of birds in the park, and Scenic view especially the Baboon Cliff , which offers a vantage view of the lake. The itinerary allows visitors explore and participate in activities of both the Masai Mara National Reserve and the Lake Nakuru Park.
What to pack correctly for your five days of safari in Masai Mara National Reserve and the Lake Nakuru Park is a critical factor to observe in order to make the most out of your trip. Other requirements include clothes for game drives which should be light and in dull colours, a warm layer of clothing for early mornings and evenings, walking shoes, hat, sunglasses and sunblock.
Camera that has extra batteries and memory cards are important when taking wild life photos in Masai Mara National Reserve and the beautiful sceneries of Lake Nakuru Park. Availabilities like binoculars improve the viewing of the wildlife particularly when watching birds in Lake Nakuru Park. Other essentials are insect repellent, personal medication, a flash light and a reusable water bottle. All the lodges have limited charging points hence it would be advisable to carry along a power bank.
Doing so will ensure you are well equipped for your Maasai Mara National Reserve and Lake Nakuru Park 5-day safari adventure.
