Enjoy a quintessential safari adventure in Lake Nakuru and the Masai Mara with fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Patricia Sims
No country, perhaps, is more synonymous with a classic African safari than Kenya. Explore the best safari sites in Kenya led by an expert local safari guide and hosted by award-winning Canadian filmmaker, Royal Canadian Geographical Society fellow and founder of World Elephant Day, Patricia Sims. Whether it’s exploring Lake Nakuru National Park, an excellent small park in the Great Rift Valley, or the emblematic Masai Mara, wildlife is abundant. During the migration season, the Mara (as it is affectionately known) is also home to one of the greatest natural spectacles on the planet: millions of wildebeest and zebra crossing a crocodile-filled river on their journey through the savannah.
Highlights
Stay at four-star accommodation throughout
See the prolific wildlife of the Masai Mara, including lions, elephants, hippos and giraffes
Discover Lake Nakuru, home to black and white rhinos
Enjoy game drives, short nature walks, and optional cultural village and walking excursions
Key Information
Three nights in a tented camp, two nights in a lodge and one night in a hotel
Travel by 4x4 safari vehicle with window seats
Some long drives
Countries visited: Kenya
What's Included
All breakfasts, five lunches, five dinners
All accommodation
All transport and listed activities
Tour leader throughout
What's Not Included
Travel insurance
Single accommodation (available on request)
Visas or vaccinations
People, Places & Planet
We work hard to create trips that improve life for the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. To read more about sustainable travel ethos and practice, click here, and to find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation click here.
People
How this trip helps improve life for local communities.
The use of local guides means our customers will be well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned accommodation and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food, and by supporting other local enterprises.
Places
How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.
Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels.
By travelling in a small group, led by a local guide, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
We have game drives in the Masai Mara National Reserve and Lake Nakuru National Park where park fees go towards community and environmental initiatives in the area.
Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices with regard to working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
We work with our partners on the ground to proactively eliminate or reduce waste, for example eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles and instead providing refills for reusable bottles.
Planet
How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.
Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.
By favouring smaller, locally run campsites, we have a much smaller impact on the surrounding environments.
Most meals use local ingredients which have not had to have been transported long distances.
Tips for sustainable travel on this trip
Extra steps you could take to minimise your impact when travelling.
Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
Plastic waste reduction: Please bring your own reusable water bottle on this trip; filtered water will be provided where tap water is not drinkable.
Itinerary
Nairobi
Nairobi
Depart London
Day
1
Start Nairobi; to Lake Naivasha; optional afternoon nature walk
The adventure begins at our partner hotel in Nairobi (see the Joining Instructions for more information). With the group gathered together, we drive north to the edge of the escarpment over the Rift Valley before descending into the valley and to Lake Naivasha, where we enjoy a morning boat ride. We continue for a further 1hr 30min to Lake Elementaita, where we check into our lodge and enjoy lunch. In the afternoon, there is an optional (additional cost) guided nature walk available.
Arrive Nairobi; to Lake Naivasha; optional afternoon nature walk
On arrival, we meet with those not travelling on the group flight at our partner hotel in Nairobi. We drive north to the edge of the escarpment over the Rift Valley before descending into the valley and to Lake Naivasha, where we enjoy a morning boat ride. We continue for a further 1hr 30min to Lake Elementaita, where we check into our lodge and enjoy lunch. In the afternoon, there is an optional (additional cost) guided nature walk available.
Accommodation: Sentrim Elementaita Lodge or similar
Meals included: Lunch, Dinner
Day
2
Morning and afternoon game drives in Lake Nakuru National Park
It’s an early start today for a 30-minute drive to Lake Nakuru National Park. We enjoy a full day of game drives, with a packed lunch from our lodge to maximise game-viewing time. We hope to see many animals including gazelles, impalas and giraffes. We are also on the lookout for predators as well as unique bird life.
This national park is world-renowned for its (dwindling) flamingo population, made famous by Denys Finch Hatton’s flight over it in the film Out of Africa (1985). Nakuru is also the best place in East Africa for white rhino, and it is not unusual to see at least a dozen in a day. Coupled with this, there is a healthy buffalo population, many other plain animals and frequent leopard sightings.
We have a beautiful, bumpy drive (approximately five hours including comfort stops) to the Mara. We arrive in the early afternoon in time for lunch (not included) and check in afterwards. Departing at 4pm, we enjoy the first of several game drives in this remarkable area. Returning to the lodge for dinner, we enjoy a relaxed evening in beautiful surroundings.
During time off, you can rest in your private tents, the lounge tent or watch the animals from the deck of your tent. If you fancy a lie-in one day or an optional nature walk, this can easily be arranged.
The Masai Mara is one of the most famous ecosystems in the world. This vast grassland is teeming with life: wildebeest, gazelles, topis, zebras and buffalo abound in the rolling savannah, and never far away are the predators: cheetahs, lions and hyenas. Between mid-August and late October, one of the greatest spectacles on Earth takes place in the Masai Mara – the annual migration of thousands of wildebeest, gazelles and zebras trampling across the long grass. Nothing is guaranteed on safari, but with the help of our brilliant guides you should see and learn a huge amount about the Masai Mara wildlife during our game drives. As a climax, there is also the option of taking a sunrise balloon ride over the African plains (subject to weather conditions and availability).
Accommodation: Mara Kimana Camp (or similar)
Day
6
Early morning game drive or optional walk; transfer to Nairobi
After a final early morning game drive, we leave after breakfast and return to Nairobi. A picnic lunch is taken en route. We spend our last night in Nairobi.
The trip ends today in Nairobi and we begin our return journeys home. If you’d like more time to explore the capital of Kenya, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.
Meals included: Breakfast
Fly to London
Fly to London
Meals included: Breakfast
Post-trip Extensions
Zanzibar
If you are keen to end your trip on a (very) relaxed note, Zanzibar is a place to walk on the beach, explore the colourful offshore reef, or simply soak up the sun. You can choose to add as many extra nights to your trip as you wish; your time on the island will be at leisure. We transfer to Nairobi Airport and fly to Zanzibar; on arrival we transfer to the southwest coast of the island. The accommodation used, Fumba Beach Lodge, is far from other developments, the peace is all encompassing and there is a long strip of private beach, pool, spa, diving centre and spacious rooms. Please note, on Zanzibar you will be met and transferred between the airport and hotel but you are not escorted or guided. If you choose to take advantage of this opportunity then we can arrange flights for you to Zanzibar and book the hotel on half board and include all the transfers needed. We can provide you with a price once we know your requirements.
We can also book other hotels for you on the island including Kichanga Lodge and Tembo Hotel.
Please contact your sales representative for details.
Essential Info
Is this trip for you?
This trip is rated Activity Level 1 (Leisurely) with a Wildlife Rating of Five. Visit our Activity Level Guidelines page for more on our trip gradings or our Wildlife Holidays page for more on our Wildlife Ratings.
It is a small-group safari in 4x4 Toyota Landcruisers with two long drives. Most of the roads are reasonably good, other than the access road from Narok to the Masai Mara (two hours) and some roads within the national parks. Driving in the reserves can be quite rough and is often on dirt roads. In wet weather, driving conditions become more difficult and a little patience may be required at times.
As well as some very exciting game drives, there is the opportunity for a short nature walk in the Masai Mara. There are many chances of seeing countless animals and birds, including rare and endangered creatures.
January to March brings warmer weather and fewer tourists to the area. From March to April, the rainy season offers the opportunity for unique sightings, such as wildebeest and other animals calving in anticipation of the rains.
Joining Instructions
Key Information
Normal meeting point for transfer to our lodge near Lake Nakuru: Sarova Panafric Nairobi, Kenyatta Ave, Nairobi Airport: Nairobi Airport (NBO)
Joining the trip
Our first lodge near Lake Nakuru is approximately a 3hr 30min drive from Nairobi Airport. It is difficult to reach on your own and a private transfer is expensive. Therefore, please make sure you meet the group at our partner hotel in Nairobi (normally Sarova Panafric Nairobi) to be collected by the group transfer. You may join this transfer at no extra cost, provided you can be at the partner hotel before the transfer leaves. The pick-up time will be advised on the Final Joining Instructions sent to you approximately two to three weeks before departure.
If you would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative.
Catching your return flight
There’s a group departure transfer to Nairobi Airport for customers who Exodus booked onto a chosen flight to London, UK. Please speak to your sales representative if you wish to join. If the group departure transfer does not suit your flight time, speak to your sales representative to arrange an alternative transfer.
Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.
Location start: Nairobi Location end: Nairobi
Vaccinations and Health
Kenya
There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include hepatitis A, polio, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, meningococcal disease, rabies, tuberculosis and yellow fever. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.
Malaria prophylaxis is essential and we suggest you seek advice from your doctor or travel clinic about which to take. Additionally, dengue fever, a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes, is a known risk in places visited. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.
Visa
Kenya
Travellers from the UK, US and EU need an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) to enter Kenya. Please note, requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required eTAs/visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.
Some local governments provide guidance on entry requirements for their citizens. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.
Recent passport picture OR a selfie picture taken during application process
Contact details (home address, telephone, email)
Travel information and flight itinerary (arrival flight number, date of departure of initial flight in case of connecting flights)
Proof of booking for the hotel you will be staying at (if staying with friends, a letter of invitation is accepted)
Yellow fever vaccination certificate if coming from endemic countries (please check the World Health Organization website for the updated list of countries)
Credit/debit card information for payment, if applicable
Food & Drink
All breakfasts, five lunches and five dinners are included.
Meals are generally taken at the lodge or camp but we may take pack lunches with us depending on the planned activities and game drives on a particular day.
Breakfasts are generally a selection of fruit, cereal, yogurt and bread, and, potentially, some cooked elements.
Lunches and dinners are normally a variety of European and local dishes.
There is also tea served before the late afternoon game drive in the Masai Mara.
Vegetarians are well catered for but please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests.
Water
Purified water is provided by the guide throughout your trip from large drums carried on top of the vehicles, so you need only bring a reusable water bottle. In the lodges, generally, one bottle of water is provided free of charge so we suggest you fill your water bottle before you leave the vehicles for the evening. Otherwise, you can purchase water at the lodge bar.
Weather
Kenya straddles the equator, so showers can occur at any time of year; however, the wettest period is April and May (we have no departures then). Due to the altitude of both Elementaita/Nakuru (5,250ft/1,600m) and the Masai Mara (5,085ft/1,550m) the night-time temperature is beautiful, cool yet not cold. Daytime temperatures can get as high as 30C (86F) but with low humidity. There can be light rains at the end of the year, which cuts down the dust and brings out the colours. In the wet, the roads can become difficult and a little patience (and pushing!) may be required. Please be aware, in recent years weather patterns have changed and are now somewhat unpredictable.
Lodge, tented camp and hotel
On this classic safari adventure in Kenya, we stay in a trio of four-star properties. Below are the places we typically use on this trip.
Lake Elementaita: Sentrim Elementaita Lodge (nights 1-2)
Our first two nights are spent by the vast Lake Elementaita with a stay at Sentrim Elementaita Lodge. It’s well placed for our exploration of Lake Nakuru National Park, which is just a 30-minute drive away; when we’re not on safari, enjoy views over Lake Elementaita from the year-round pool (or one of the loungers next to it) and discuss your day’s adventure at the bar.
Masai Mara: Mara Kimana Camp (nights 3-5)
Our Masai Mara camp is on the banks of the Sekenani River, where wildlife regularly comes to drink. We stay in permanent tents with private bathrooms, each linked by walkways among ancient jackalberry trees. We sleep on proper beds and there is electricity in the tents plus hot water for showers.
Nairobi: Sarova Panafric (night 6)
Our last night is spent at the Sarova Panafric in Nairobi, just a five-minute drive from the CBD. Though it’s close to the action there’s plenty to keep you entertained here, including a temperature-controlled pool, next to which you’ll find The Deck bar and lounge. There’s also the Flame Tree Restaurant and Bar, which serves Pan-African, Continental and Pan-Asian dishes and has a hidden garden.
*Please note any date & price adjustments will be displayed on the next step of booking. You will be able to revert back to booking without flights if the options aren't suitable for you.