4 Day Masai Mara & Lake Nakuru Safari - Kenya Small Group Safari
Explore one of the greatest valleys in the world and some of Africa's most prolific wildlife reserves in this exciting 4-day Kenya safari. Enter the ancient Great Rift valley, watch flocks of flamingos in the shallows of Lake Nakuru and game drive in the world famous Masai Mara.
Brief Itinerary
Day 1: Great Rift Valley, Masai Mara National Reserve Day 2: Masai Mara National Reserve Day 3: Lake Nakuru National Park Day 4: NairobiTour Highlights
- Great Rift Valley
- Masai Mara National Reserve
- Lake Nakuru National Park
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Great Rift Valley, Masai Mara National Reserve (Lx1 / Dx1)
We depart Nairobi this morning for the Masai Mara. En route, we travel across the Great Rift Valley, descending the steep eastern escarpment wall (fantastic views over the valley below) and cross the Valley floor to the rolling hills of Maasailand and the provincial centre of Narok. Road conditions can be difficult as we continue to the west, driving past the Loita Hills and into the Masai Mara area passing the occasional Maasai manyatta (traditional village) as we go. As we approach the Reserve we may see grazing animals to the side of the road. Eventually we reach the park gate and turning off just before entering the Reserve we arrive at our camp. We should have time to unpack and unwind before our first game drive into the park (or optionally, a visit to one of the local Maasai manyattas). Finally we return to camp for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Masai Mara National Reserve (Bx1 / Lx1 / Dx1)
We spend the whole day in and around the Masai Mara. There is usually time for two game drives (morning and afternoon) with time to relax at camp in middle of the day (when most wildlife is less active). The landscape in the Reserve accords with many people's idea of 'classic' 'Africa, with its rolling grasslands, open vistas, distant horizons, and herds of zebra, antelope, giraffe and other large mammals. The 'Big Five' (elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard) are all found here and we would hope to see at least some of these. If you are travelling between June and October you are seeing the park at its peak and may see one of nature's most inspiring spectacles: the annual migration of thousands of grazing animals (mainly wildebeest and zebra) as they move from the dry southern Serengeti in the south north in search of the fresher greener grasses of the 'Mara'. The number and concentration of grazers attracts predators (lion, leopard, hyena amongst others) hoping for some 'easy pickings'. This is an inspiring sight but whilst it is an annual cycle of animal behaviour the precise time varies slightly from year to year and it is not always possible to be in the Mara at that time. But such is the wealth of the wildlife, the 'Mara' is worth visiting at any time of year, and the day we have here provides an insight into what the park offers.
Day 3: Lake Nakuru National Park (Bx1 / Lx1 / Dx1)
We leave the grasslands of the Mara, drive back past the Loita Hills, through Narok and across the Rift Valley before turning north along the Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru. Although small by African standards Lake Nakuru National Park is a real jewel in Kenya's crown of game reserves. The shallow (alkali) lake dominates the park and is one of a string of such lakes in the Rift Valley. From a game viewing point of view, the lake acts as a magnet for birdlife. The alkali waters of the lake make a perfect habitat for the blue-green algae upon which flamingos feed and at times the birds gather in such numbers that they form a pink 'fringe' to the lake shore. Our game driving encircles the lake giving ample opportunity to view the birds - not only flamingos, the park contains pelicans, storks, ibis, kingfishers, jacanas, rollers, the beautiful glossy starling and many other bird species - as well as the larger game: buffalo, rhino, zebra, impala, baboon, colobus monkey, and the rare Rothschild giraffe. More difficult to spot but nevertheless present are leopard (normally nocturnal) and lion. After game viewing we leave the park and make our way to the nearby Lake Elementeita to our camp for our final night of the tour.
Day 4: Nairobi (Bx1)
After breakfast we drive out of Nakuru, climb out of the Rift Valley over the eastern escarpment and back to Nairobi, where we arrive in the early /mid afternoon and end of our tour.
