Rift Valley Lakes and Maasai Mara Eco-tour

Today will see you journey to Nakuru National Park, a drive of approx. 3 hours from Nairobi. You’ll stop along the way at a pleasant forested setting, where you'll enjoy a delicious farm lunch, guided bird-watching walk and a visit to a tea and coffee farm. You can also try your hand at picking tea and coffee if you choose. In the evening, check-in at Lake Nakuru Lodge, inside Nakuru National Park, for dinner/overnight.

Lake Nakuru National Park also contains nearly 400 recorded bird species within its borders, among them the thousands of flamingo that decorate the lake edge with their shimmering pink plumage. Other birds include pelicans, ostrich, marabou, ibis, eagles, vultures, woodpeckers, and turacos.

After exploring the park and stopping for a picnic lunch, begin the journey to Lake Naivasha (1½ hours’ drive). En-route, stop at Lake Elementaita, another soda lake on the floor of the Great Rift Valley, for afternoon tea at a farmer’s home – you'll have time for a tour of the farm before continuing to the lake. Explore Lake Elementaita, where there are thousands of pelican breeding nests, hot springs and eroded ash cones with fascinating shapes. A further short drive brings you to Lake Naivasha, where you overnight in chalets right by the lake.

Take an early morning boat trip to view the wildlife, disembarking at an animal sanctuary mid-way to walk amongst giraffe, zebra, impala, gazelle and waterbuck. Leave mid-morning for Maasailand, stopping for lunch en-route near hot springs where you can take a dip. Then, drive on to a secluded camp in the Maasai Mara, with plenty of time for game-viewing en-route.

In the evening, drive part-way up Naunare Hill to enjoy a memorable sundowner outing in the bush with time to watch the sun go down over the Mara – keen walkers can hike to the top of the hill for a fabulous view of the Mara below. End the day with a night game drive in the Siana wildlife conservancy (adjoining the Masai Mara Game Reserve) for a chance to observe nocturnal wildlife –there is no extra cost for the night game drive but please advise us in advance if you would like to take part. Dinner and overnight in a comfortable permanent tented safari camp with en-suite facilities.

Embark on a full-day safari into the Maasai Mara, Africa’s most famous safari reserve. Considered by many one of the foremost natural wonders of the world, the Maasai Mara is a land of breath-taking vistas and varied landscapes, from vast rolling plains, acacia woodlands, and dense thickets of scrub, to the riverine eco-system of the Mara River. Its savannah plains—an extension of the Serengeti plains—teem with endless herds of grazing game, and their respective predators. You will travel with an experienced guide in a sturdy vehicle, ensuring that you have the best chance of seeing all that the park has to offer.

On arrival in Nairobi, stop at Rock House for a home-cooked lunch before proceeding with your onward travel arrangements.