7 Day Wildlife Safari to Kenya Full Itinerary

On arrival at Jomo Kenyatta international airport, you meet a representative from Umarella Voyage Safaris who will pick you up and drive you to your accommodation in Karen. In fact it is a peaceful suburb to Nairobi, named after one of its former residents, the author Karen Blixen. 

Hotel Rudi is close to several tourist attractions. For example Nairobi National Park, the Giraffe Centre, and the Elephant Orphanage at Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. More so, the Karen Blixen Museum and the Bomas of Kenya. Depending on your time of arrival you can visit these sites today. All activities today are at your own expense.

Journey Time: 30 minutes

Accommodation: Hotel Rudi  

Meal Plan:  No meals included today

As you continue with the 7 Day Wildlife Safari to Kenya, your Umarella Voyage Safaris’ guide will pick you up at the hotel today at 8 am. That’s the safari cycle, early to bed and early to rise, to make the most out of your day!

Today’s destination is Lake Nakuru National Park. The drive is spectacular with scenic stops along the way at Thomson Falls and the Rift Valley view point.

On the floor of the Great Rift Valley, surrounded by wooded and bushy grassland. Further, it  lies the beautiful Lake Nakuru National Park. You will enjoy the ecological diversity and varied habitats that range from Lake Nakuru itself to the surrounding escarpment and picturesque ridges. Lake Nakuru National Park is ideal for game drives, bird watching and hiking.

At the lodge you can enjoy lunch and some relaxation before you head out on an afternoon safari. This is  when the temperatures are slightly cooler and the light at its most beautiful. Be on the lookout for lions, buffalos, antelopes, warthogs and other wildlife.

Journey Time:  4-5 hours

Accommodation: Flamingo Hills Tented Camp

Meal Plan:  Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Note:

Lake Nakuru is well-known for the abundance of flamingos who come to the lake to mate and feed. In later years however, the number of lesser flamingos around the lake have decreased. This is due to water levels rising and the increase of fresh water in the lake. With the lake being less alkaline, the main food group of the flamingo, the spirulina algea, cannot survive which has led to the flamingos moving on to other lakes like Lake Magadi or Lake Natron and Lake Manyara in Tanzania in search of food. There is still plenty of other wildlife that you are sure to enjoy in this national park.

After an early breakfast you will head to the world-renowned Masai Mara Game Reserve. Located in southwestern Kenya, on the border with Tanzania. The Masai Mara is a land of breathtaking views, endless plains and an excellent year-round concentration of wildlife. In the months of July-October it is also home to over two million Wildebeest making their yearly trek north from the Serengeti in Tanzania.

Furthermore, the next three nights you will spend at the sublime Amani Mara Camp. Strategically located in a remote area of the Masai Mara. Again this beautiful lodge promises spectacular views of the surrounding landscapes and possibilities of spotting diverse wildlife. For example herds of wildebeest and zebra to majestic lions and elegant cheetahs.

After lunch

After lunch you will have the opportunity to explore your new surroundings on foot. Led by a professional and highly knowledgeable guide. In fact your nature walk will teach you the intricate workings of the micro ecosystems of the bush, from exotic flora to the region’s plentiful birdlife.

Journey Time: 6 hours

Accommodation: Amani Mara Camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Sunrise is a great time for wildlife spotting as animals are most active during the “golden hours”. This is when the first rays of sunshine come to rest on the savannah. Few predators hunt during the heat of the day. So the early morning is the best time to observe the thrill of the chase, or at least the aftermath of a hunt.

For your safari adventure over the next two days you can decide if you want to take a packed lunch for a full day game drive or come back to the camp for a hot lunch before returning to the bush in the afternoon.

Journey Time: depending on game drive

Accommodation: Amani Mara Camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Want to go on a Hot Air Balloon Safari?

A hot air balloon safari launches in the early morning, just in time for sunrise. For about one hour you’re floating peacefully above the ground. Again with a bird’s eye view of the African bush below. The capacity for this activity is limited making this a very special and exclusive experience. Please note that this activity is weather dependent and needs rescheduled due to poor weather.

The additional cost for this optional activity is USD 490 per person.

Before departing the Masai Mara today you’re invited by the lodge to plant a tree. The nature around the lodge used to be dry and desert like. With sustainable practices and dedication to nature this family-owned lodge has managed to grow a whole forest, eventually bringing water and wildlife back to the area. Planting your own tree is a nice way to give back to the land that has given you a piece of itself over the past couple of days.

After breakfast your journey continues east toward Lake Naivasha. The lake is home to a wide variety of wildlife including a sizeable population of hippos and being a freshwater lake. More so, it also has a healthy fish population. For example Black bass, Tilapia and Crayfish which attract a variety of fish-eating birds such as Long-tailed and Great Cormorants, Fish Eagles, Pelicans, and various types of Kingfishers. You will get the chance to explore the lake and its inhabitants today on a boat safari.

Naivasha Sopa Lodge

Tonight you will spend the night in the beautiful Naivasha Sopa Lodge. Set in one hundred and fifty acres of grassland studded with Acacia bushes and trees. Again,the resort is not only home to the resident giraffe, waterbuck and both Vervet and Colobus monkeys. Furthermore  it is also a nightly stop for hippos who come up to graze on the nice property lawns.

Journey Time: 5 hours

Accommodation: Naivasha Sopa Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Optional accommodation for the history buffs!

Elsamere Lodge is located on the shores of Lake Naivasha and is the former home of Joy and George Adamson, who settled in Kenya in the late 1930’s. Joy later founded the Elsa Conservation Trust, whose work in wildlife education and conservation projects has had a significant impact in the region. The lodge contains a museum housing the Adamson’s collection of books, paintings, and memorabilia from the movie “Born Free” based on Joy’s international bestselling book about Elsa the Lioness. The museum gives a fascinating insight to the lives of the pioneering couple who brought wildlife in Africa to a worldwide audience.

This lodge is a bit off the beaten track and quite unique. Should you want to stay here during your visit to Lake Naivasha, instead of Naivasha Sopa Lodge

Enjoy your last African sunrise today and the tranquility of nature all around you. Depending on the departure time of your international flight, there are sometimes an optional activity near Lake Naivasha or in Nairobi. All activities today are at your own expense. Your driver/guide will take care of your transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Journey time: 3 hours

Accommodation: No accommodation included today

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch

End of your 7 Day Wildlife Safari to Kenya

Thank you for choosing to travel with Umarella Voyage Safaris