Kenya’s Great Rift Valley holds a chain of genuinely distinct lakes — Naivasha’s boat-based birdlife, Nakuru’s flamingos and rhino sanctuary, Bogoria’s hot springs and geysers — each with its own character, before this itinerary closes with the Maasai Mara’s classic wildlife.
Detailed Itinerary
DAY 1
Your driver-guide meets you at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for the drive into the Rift Valley, roughly ninety minutes, arriving with time for an afternoon boat ride across Lake Naivasha’s calm freshwater for hippos and abundant birdlife.
Nairobi to Lake Naivasha
Accommodation Options
Mid-rangeLake Naivasha Sopa Lodge
LuxurySawela Lodges
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
DAY 2
A morning walking or cycling safari through Hell’s Gate, one of the few Kenyan parks explorable on foot alongside grazing zebra and giraffe, its dramatic red-rock gorge said to have inspired scenes in an animated Disney film. From there, the drive continues to Lake Nakuru, arriving by mid-afternoon.
Hell’s Gate National Park
Accommodation Options
BudgetNaishi House
Mid-rangeLake Nakuru Lodge
LuxurySarova Lion Hill Game Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 3
A full day around the lake’s alkaline shores for flamingos, both rhino species behind the park’s dedicated sanctuary fencing, and Rothschild’s giraffe.
Full Day Lake Nakuru Game Drives
Accommodation
As above
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 4
A drive further north to Lake Bogoria, the Rift Valley narrowing into a genuinely dramatic volcanic setting — steep escarpment walls dropping straight to the lakeshore, where boiling hot springs and geysers send steam rising along the water’s edge, a stark contrast to Naivasha and Nakuru’s gentler landscapes.
Transfer to Lake Bogoria
Accommodation Options
Mid-rangeLake Bogoria Spa Resort
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 5
The longest transfer of the trip, crossing back south through the Rift Valley toward the Mara, breaking up the drive with a lunch stop en route. Arrival with time for an evening game drive.
Transfer to Maasai Mara
Accommodation Options
BudgetEnchoro Wildlife Camp
Mid-rangeSarova Mara Game Camp
LuxuryAngama Mara
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 6
Morning and afternoon game drives across the Mara’s plains for the Big Five and, seasonally, Great Migration herds.
Full Day Maasai Mara Game Drives
Accommodation
As above
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 7
A final morning game drive before the drive back to Nairobi, timed against your onward flight.
Return to Nairobi
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Permits & Costs
| Hell’s Gate park entry | ~$30 per person per day |
| Lake Nakuru park entry | ~$60 per person per day |
| Lake Bogoria park entry | ~$20 per person per day |
| Maasai Mara park entry | ~$80 per person per day |
Who This Itinerary Suits
Travellers with a genuine interest in geology and birdlife alongside classic game viewing, or repeat Kenya visitors wanting to see beyond the standard park circuit.Tour Includes
- Travel in a 4×4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof hatch
- Professional English-speaking driver-guide
- All accommodation per itinerary
- Meals as specified
- Park entry & activity fees
Tour Excludes
- International flights
- Visas
- Alcoholic drinks
- Tips & gratuities
- Travel insurance