10-Day The Best of Kenya

Arrival in Nairobi

Upon your arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO), you will be warmly welcomed by your professional, English-speaking driver-guide. For the next ten days, you will travel in comfort aboard a luxury safari vehicle, exploring East Africa's most remarkable landscapes.

Depending on your arrival time, your first introduction to Kenya begins with a half-day excursion to Nairobi National Park. Unique for being the only national park globally located right next to a capital city, it gives you a rare opportunity to photograph wild lions, black and white rhinos, giraffes, and cheetahs with a striking city skyline backdrop.

Next, you will visit the famous Giraffe Centre, a dedicated conservation sanctuary where you can stand on an elevated wooden platform to look eye-to-eye with and hand-feed the endangered Rothschild's giraffes. You will then continue to the nearby Karen Blixen Museum, the preserved historic farmhouse and gardens once owned by the famous author of Out of Africa, offering a fascinating glimpse into Kenya's colonial history.

Following your day tour, you will check into the Argyle Grand Hotel Nairobi Airport to rest and unwind after your long international flight.

Main Destination:
Nairobi (City)

Accommodation:
Argyle Grand Hotel Nairobi Airport

• Luxury airport hotel featuring modern amenities, fine dining, and convenient transit access just outside the bustling city center

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast included (Lunch and dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

Nairobi to Amboseli National Park

After an early breakfast, you will depart from Nairobi and travel south across the Athi plains, journeying toward Amboseli National Park. As you approach the park boundary, the striking, snow-capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro—Africa's tallest mountain—begins to dominate the horizon, offering a spectacular and iconic backdrop to your safari adventure.

You will arrive at your lodge in time for lunch and a brief rest. In the mid-afternoon, you will set out for an introductory game drive. Amboseli is globally renowned for its massive elephant populations, particularly its famous "giant tuskers." Because the elephants here are well-habituated to vehicles, you will enjoy remarkably close, intimate encounters as family herds graze alongside hippos in the park's lush, glacier-fed swamps.

As dusk approaches, you will chase the golden hour light, tracking herds of wildebeests, zebras, and giraffes moving across the dusty lake beds before returning to your lodge for dinner.

Main Destination:
Amboseli National Park

Common Wildlife Highlights

• African Elephant: Abundant / High Concentration
• Cape Buffalo & Plains Zebra: Abundant
• Maasai Giraffe & Hippo: Common

Accommodation:
Amboseli Sopa Lodge

• Mid-range traditional lodge situated in a spacious, forested garden setting just outside the Amboseli National Park boundary

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Amboseli National Park

Today is dedicated to exploring the diverse habitats of Amboseli National Park with both an early morning and a late afternoon game drive. Setting out at dawn offers the absolute best chance of catching Mount Kilimanjaro free of clouds, when its iconic snow-capped peak rises majestically above the waking savannah—providing an extraordinary backdrop for wildlife photography.

During the cooler morning hours, predators like lions and cheetahs are at their most active. Your driver-guide will navigate through the park's contrasting landscapes, which stretch from dry calcrete lake beds and open acacia woodlands to extensive emerald-green marshes. These wetlands are constantly supplied by freshwater springs filtering directly from Mount Kilimanjaro's melting glaciers, making them a vital lifeline for wildlife year-round.

In the afternoon, when the equatorial heat peaks, you will track massive family herds and impressive bull elephants as they emerge from the bush to submerge themselves in the cooling swamps alongside pods of hippos. You will return to the lodge just after sunset for dinner and a relaxing evening at leisure.

Main Destination:
Amboseli National Park

Accommodation:
Amboseli Sopa Lodge

• Mid-range traditional lodge situated in a spacious, forested garden setting just outside the Amboseli National Park boundary

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Amboseli to Tsavo West National Park (Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary)

Enjoy a morning breakfast before departing Amboseli, driving east across the dramatic volcanic landscapes of the Tsavo basin. Your destination is the private Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, a vital ecological corridor bordering Tsavo West National Park. The scenery changes beautifully as you leave the flat Amboseli plains behind and enter a region characterized by rugged green hills, ancient lava flows, and savannah woodlands.

You will check into the legendary Salt Lick Safari Lodge, famous worldwide as one of Africa's most iconic and photographed properties. The lodge is uniquely built on elevated stilts connected by raised wooden walkways, towering directly above a busy natural waterhole and salt lick. This architectural design provides an immersive, 24-hour wildlife viewing experience.

In the afternoon, you will head out for a game drive across the sanctuary plains to look for lions, cheetahs, and zebras. Returning to the lodge, your safari continues into the evening right from your room. Large herds of elephants, cape buffaloes, and various antelopes frequent the waterhole both day and night. At night, powerful floodlights illuminate the waterhole, allowing you to watch the animals quietly arrive to drink and socialize from the comfort of your private viewing balcony.

Main Destination:
Tsavo West National Park / Taita Hills Sanctuary

Accommodation:
Salt Lick Safari Lodge

• Luxury stilted lodge situated inside the private Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, bordering Tsavo West National Park

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Journey to Lake Naivasha via the Great Rift Valley

This morning, you will travel into the heart of the Great Rift Valley, a massive geological trench that slices through Kenya from north to south. As you descend the steep escarpment, you will be treated to sweeping panoramic views of the valley floor, a dramatic landscape defined by volcanic cones, arid plains, and a chain of unique lakes.

Your destination is Lake Naivasha, a beautiful freshwater lake nestled at the valley's highest elevation. Upon arrival, you will trade your safari vehicle for a motorized boat to enjoy a scenic water safari. You will glide past submerged acacia trees and large pods of resident hippos wallowing in the shallows. Keep an eye out for the African fish eagle, famous for its distinct, evocative call and dramatic diving hunting style, alongside dozens of other bird species lining the shore.

The boat will drop you off at Crescent Island Game Sanctuary, a private island conservatory. Because there are no large predators on the island, you can safely explore the plains on foot. Walking freely alongside grazing giraffes, zebras, waterbucks, and wildebeests offers an intimate, immersive wildlife perspective and incredible photography angles that are impossible to get from an enclosed safari vehicle. Afterward, you will check into your lakeside lodge to relax for the evening.

Main Destination:
Lake Naivasha (Naivasha)

Accommodation:
Lake Naivasha Simba Lodge

• Mid-range lodge featuring extensive manicured lawns that roll down to the lake's edge, frequently visited by wild zebras and giraffes at dusk

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Lake Naivasha to Lake Nakuru National Park

Following breakfast, your safari continues north deeper into the Great Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru National Park. The drive takes you past the towering rim of the Menengai Crater, one of the largest calderas in the world, before descending into the rich acacia woodlands and rocky escarpments that enclose Lake Nakuru.

This park is an ecological gem, globally famous for the vast flocks of lesser and greater flamingos that feed along its alkaline shores, turning the shallows into a vibrant brush of pink. You will enjoy a morning game drive focused on the lake's edges, where elevated viewpoints like Baboon Cliff offer unmatched panoramic sweeps of the water and the thousands of feeding waterbirds below.

Beyond its incredible birdlife, Lake Nakuru is a highly successful, heavily guarded sanctuary for endangered rhinos. This is one of the premier locations in East Africa to spot both grazing southern white rhinos along the grassy floodplains and the more elusive black rhinos browsing in the dense fever-tree forests. Keep your eyes trained on the branches as well, as the park supports a healthy population of leopards and endangered Rothschild's giraffes. After your afternoon game drive, you will head up into the hills to check into your lodge, which overlooks the entire valley basin.

Main Destination:
Lake Nakuru National Park

Common Wildlife Highlights

• White Rhino & Cape Buffalo: Common
• Rothschild's Giraffe & Plains Zebra: Common
• Hippo & Waterbuck: Common
• Black Rhino & African Leopard: Occasional / Trackable

Accommodation:
Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge

• Mid-range lodge positioned on a range of hills overlooking the park, providing spectacular panoramic views of the entire lake basin

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Lake Nakuru to Maasai Mara National Reserve

After a morning breakfast, you will depart Lake Nakuru and head south across the floor of the Great Rift Valley, ascending the western escarpment into the expansive plains of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Spanning roughly 650 square miles, the Mara seamlessly borders Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, creating one of the most stable, diverse, and famous wildlife ecosystems on Earth.

You will arrive at your tented camp in time for lunch before setting out on your first afternoon game drive. The Maasai Mara is famous for its rolling, gold-toned savannahs and unparalleled predator concentrations. It is a premier location for spotting big cat prides resting in the shade or scanning the horizon for prey. The reserve supports healthy populations of elephants, buffaloes, topis, and giraffes year-round.

If you are traveling between July and October, the plains come alive with the legendary Great Migration. During this time, millions of wildebeests and plains zebras cover the open grasslands in search of fresh grazing pasture, moving predictably across the landscape and navigating perilous river crossings. As the sun sets, you will drive to your safari camp positioned along the plains for dinner around the campfire.

Main Destination:
Maasai Mara National Reserve

Common Wildlife Highlights

• Plains Zebra & Wildebeest: Abundant (Massive seasonal migration influx)
• African Elephant & Maasai Giraffe: Common
• African Lion & Cheetah: Common / High Density
• African Leopard & Black Rhino: Occasional / Trackable

Accommodation:
Zebra Plains Mara Camp

• Mid-range luxury tented camp situated inside the main reserve boundaries, featuring elevated views of the plains and regular wildlife activity nearby

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Full-Day Wilderness Exploration in the Maasai Mara

Today is dedicated to an immersive, full-day game drive across the breathtaking savannahs of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Because the Mara is unfenced and forms a single massive, contiguous ecosystem with Tanzania's Serengeti, wildlife roams completely free of artificial barriers. This open landscape gives you an unmatched opportunity to witness ancient, uninterrupted natural cycles firsthand.

You can choose to start your morning with an optional, unforgettable dawn hot air balloon safari. Floating quietly above the plains as the sun breaks over the horizon offers a spectacular bird's-eye view of elephant herds and winding rivers below, concluding with a traditional champagne bush breakfast. Alternatively, you will head out early by 4x4 safari vehicle when predators like lions, leopards, and cheetahs are at their most active.

Equipped with a picnic lunch packed by the lodge, you will spend the entire day exploring remote corners of the reserve, from rocky kopjes where lions lounge to the life-giving Mara River. This extended schedule maximizes your chances of tracking down all members of the famed "Big Five" (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino). After a full day of world-class wildlife viewing, you will return to camp as the sun sets over the golden grasslands.

Main Destination:
Maasai Mara National Reserve

Accommodation:
Zebra Plains Mara Camp

• Mid-range luxury tented camp situated inside the main reserve boundaries, featuring elevated views of the plains and regular wildlife activity nearby

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included (Picnic breakfast and lunch options available for full-day tracks)
• Drinks not included

Maasai Mara to Nairobi & Cultural Exploration

Enjoy a final breakfast at your safari camp before departing the Maasai Mara for your return journey to Nairobi. As you leave the wilderness behind and transition back into the urban energy of Kenya's capital, your day shifts toward discovering the city's deep cultural heritage and vibrant contemporary life.

Your urban exploration begins at the Nairobi National Museum, beautifully housed in an imposing building surrounded by lush, leafy botanical gardens. The museum offers an excellent, comprehensive introduction to East Africa's paleontology, ethnic histories, diverse birdlife, and local contemporary art. Following your museum visit, you will embark on a curated city driving tour to experience the distinct character, historic landmarks, and bustling street markets of downtown Nairobi.

In the evening, you will celebrate your final night in Kenya with an authentic cultural dining experience. You will head to the Nyama Choma Ranch at the Safari Park Hotel for a traditional, slow-roasted Kenyan barbecue feast paired with vibrant local side dishes. While you dine, you will be treated to an energetic performance by the famed Safari Cats acrobats and dancers, whose colorful choreography provides a spectacular and memorable conclusion to your journey before you check into your airport hotel.

Main Destination:
Nairobi (City)

Accommodation:
Argyle Grand Hotel Nairobi Airport

• Luxury hotel strategically located near Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, offering upscale amenities and a smooth transfer for international departure flights

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast included
• Lunch and dinner not included (Evening cultural dinner experience at Nyama Choma Ranch billed separately)
• Drinks not included

Departure Day: Farewell to Kenya

Following breakfast at your hotel, your professional driver-guide will provide a private transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) for your international flight home. We hope your journey through the landscapes of Kenya has been as inspiring as the wildlife you've encountered along the way.

Thank you for choosing to explore East Africa with us. Safe travels, and we look forward to welcoming you back on safari soon!

Main Destination:
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (Nairobi)

Accommodation:
No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast included
• Lunch and dinner not included
• Drinks not included