4-Day Budget Safari - Naivasha & Maasai Mara

• You'll be collected from the airport.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Nairobi to Lake Naivasha

Hippos, Boat Rides & Rift Valley Scenery

Your safari begins with an early morning pickup from your Nairobi hotel or hostel around 7:30 AM. Meet your driver-guide and fellow travelers (group joining) and depart for Lake Naivasha, a scenic 1.5-2 hour drive through the Great Rift Valley with a photo stop at the viewpoint. Arrive at your budget camp or lodge in time for lunch and check-in. After lunch, enjoy an included boat ride on the freshwater lake—getting up close to hippo families, watching fish eagles dive for prey, and observing cormorants, pelicans, and herons. Unlike midrange itineraries, the optional Crescent Island walking safari is available at extra cost (approximately $30 per person) for those who wish to add it. Return to your budget accommodation for dinner and overnight. Basic but comfortable en-suite rooms with hot showers await.
Accommodation: Lake Naivasha Crescent Camp
Meals: Lunch & Dinner.

Main Destination:

Naivasha (City)

Accommodation:

Lake Naivasha Crescent Camp

• Mid-range tented camp located at Lake Naivasha (Naivasha)

+7 Photos

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Naivasha to Maasai Mara

Journey to Africa's Greatest Wildlife Theater
Enjoy breakfast at your lakeside accommodation, then check out and depart for the world-famous Maasai Mara National Reserve. The drive takes approximately 5-6 hours through the Great Rift Valley, with lunch en route (packed lunch or at a local stop). Arrive at your budget camp or lodge in the late afternoon. After checking in and freshening up, head out for your first Mara game drive (around 4:00-6:00 PM). The Mara's endless plains teem with wildlife—expect to see elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, and possibly lions or cheetahs. Return to camp as the sun sets over the savannah. Enjoy dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Miti Mingi Eco Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner.

Main Destination:

Masai Mara National Reserve

Best Time To Visit June to October (For general wildlife viewing) and July or August to October (For wildebeest migration)

High Season June to October and December to March

Best Weather June to October (Sunny, but not too hot)

Wildlife in Masai Mara NR

ElephantCommon

GiraffeCommon

LionCommon

CheetahCommon

ZebraAbundant

WildebeestAbundant

Show more

BuffaloCommon

HippoCommon

HyenaCommon

LeopardOccasional

Black RhinoRare

Wild DogVery Rare

White RhinoNone

Accommodation:

Miti Mingi Eco Camp

• Budget tented camp located just outside Masai Mara NR

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Full-Day Masai Mara National Park

Big Five Search & Optional Village Visit
Rise early for a sunrise game drive (around 6:30 AM)—the best time to see predators returning from a night hunt or beginning their morning patrols. Return to camp for breakfast, then head out for a full day of exploration with a packed picnic lunch. Your guide will search for the Big Five—lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino—as well as cheetahs, hyenas, giraffes, hippos, and countless antelope species. If visiting between July and October, you may witness the dramatic river crossings of the Great Migration. Enjoy your picnic lunch at a scenic spot, perhaps at a hippo pool. Continue your exploration through the afternoon, maximizing wildlife sightings. Optional: Visit a traditional Maasai village (Manyatta) in the late afternoon to learn about their customs and jumping dances (extra cost: $20-30 per person). Return to camp for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Miti Mingi Eco Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch (Picnic), & Dinner.

Main Destination:

Masai Mara National Reserve

Accommodation:

Miti Mingi Eco Camp

• Budget tented camp located just outside Masai Mara NR

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Maasai Mara to Nairobi

Final Game Drive & Farewell
Enjoy one final early morning game drive (6:30-9:30 AM) for last wildlife sightings and photography in the golden morning light. This is often the most rewarding time as animals are active and fresh. Return to camp for breakfast, check out, and begin the scenic drive back to Nairobi (approximately 5-6 hours). A stop is made for lunch en route (included). You'll arrive in Nairobi by mid-afternoon and be dropped off at your hotel, hostel, or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) for onward travel, marking the end of your affordable budget safari adventure.

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Final Experience: Morning game drive, farewell to the Mara.

Main Destination:

Nairobi (City)

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• You'll be dropped off at the airport.