Day 1: Nairobi – Kenya

As we say in Swahili, “Jambo” … welcome! Your Kenya Beach and Safari Package begins at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. Our representatives will meet you on your arrival and arrange for a transfer to your hotel. Here, you will be briefed on the adventure ahead and meet your driver-guide, who will look after you throughout this Kenya safari package.

The remainder of the day is free to spend relaxing at the hotel or exploring Kenya’s bustling capital city, Nairobi, with its colourful street scenes and its many attractions and restaurants.

Day 2 & 3: Nairobi to Masai Mara – Kenya

After breakfast and a briefing from your guide, hop into your 4×4 safari vehicle and travel to the world-famous Masai Mara National Reserve, the iconic ‘Out of Africa’ Safari destination. ‘The Mara’, as it is fondly known, is home to ‘the greatest wildlife extravaganza on earth’, the yearly migration of over one million wildebeest to the Serengeti Plains in neighbouring Tanzania. See a write-up about the Great Migration at the end of this itinerary.

Arrive in time for lunch at your luxury Sentrim Mara Camp (or similar). After a break to rest and freshen up, head out to spend the afternoon on safari in Kenya’s most popular reserve. The Masai Mara is home to Kenya’s greatest lion prides and elephant populations and you are sure to encounter both. Other predators include leopards, cheetahs, and spotted hyenas, lurking between a host of herbivores, including giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, the vast herds of wildebeest and a variety of antelopes. Hippos and Nile crocodiles can be spotted in the Mara River. Over 550 bird species have been recorded in the reserve, so bird enthusiasts are in for a treat!

Return to camp as the sun begins to dip below the horizon, in time for campfire drinks and a hearty safari supper. As you head to bed for the night, savour the peace of the African bush.

Day 3 of your Kenya Beach and Safari Package is devoted to a full day of game viewing in Africa’s most famous wildlife park. Explore the area’s rich biodiversity and scenic beauty as you cross rolling hills and lush, grassy plains interspersed with acacia woodlands in search of Africa’s Big 5 – lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino – and other wildlife in their natural habitat, set against the stunning backdrop of the gentle slopes, valleys and plains in this beautiful part of Kenya. Your expert guide will look for tracks and signs, and share their vast knowledge of the things that cross your path. Between game-viewing drives, retreat to camp to relax and enjoy delicious food and generous hospitality.

While in the Masai Mara National Reserve, you have the chance to take advantage of the opportunity to fly over the Mara in a hot air balloon (at extra cost) for a breathtaking view of the plains and the game. The balloon package includes a champagne brunch in the wilderness and a chance to observe plentiful wildlife from this unique aerial perspective.

There is also an optional tour to visit a Maasai community for a captivating glimpse into the rich traditions and daily life of the traditional Maasai people, known for their vibrant customs, intricate beadwork, and distinctive attire. Gain an appreciation for their unique heritage and harmonious relationship with their natural environment.

• Included Activities: Game Drives in Masai Mara
• Optional Activities: Hot Air Balloon Safari, Maasai Cultural Tour
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner x2

About Sentrim Mara Camp in Masai Mara National Reserve

Sentrim Mara Camp is a luxury tented camp located just inside the Sekenani entrance gate of Masai Mara National Reserve and offers stunning views of the Ngama highlands. The terrain is hilly and features a mix of grasslands, forests, and riverine ecosystems. The highlands provide a vital catchment area for numerous rivers and streams that feed into major lakes and river systems in Kenya.

The camp spans 100 acres and features 64 well-spaced, deluxe safari tents on wooden platforms that provide seclusion as well as an outdoor area for sitting in quiet amid the woods. Tents have comfy mattresses and mosquito netting, en-suite bathrooms with hot showers, solar electricity, tea/coffee-making amenities, and a private safe.

Walkways link the tents to the main guest area with an indoor restaurant and bar where the friendly staff serve tasty cuisine and refreshments. A swimming pool with an outdoor bar and sun loungers awaits you outside, where you may soak up the sun between game-viewing activities. There are also Spa facilities for luxurious pampering. Evenings are spent around the campfire, telling stories and enjoying the sounds and smells of the wilderness beneath starry skies.

Day 4: Masai Mara to Lake Elementaita – Kenya

After breakfast, it is time to bid Masai Mara farewell as you head northeast to the Great Rift Valley lakes of Lake Naivasha and Lake Elementaita. Arrive in time for a late lunch, followed by leisure at Sentrim Elementaita Safari Lodge (or similar).

There is an optional activity available for the afternoon (additional cost) to take a boat trip to fascinating Crescent Island in Lake Naivasha. Crescent Island is the lip of an extinct ancient volcano that protrudes from freshwater Lake Naivasha and is home to the Crescent Island Game Sanctuary.

On Crescent Island, you may roam freely amid giraffes and herds of wildebeest, waterbuck, zebra, and gazelle while watching hippos wallowing in the waters offshore. They emerge from the lake every evening to feed. The summit of the hill offers 360-degree views of the surrounding countryside, including sights such as Lake Longonot, Hell’s Gate, and the Mau Escarpment in the distance. This vista is particularly lovely in the golden hour before sunset when animals graze against the shimmering lake waters.

Head back on the boat and return to the lodge for a sumptuous dinner. Relax beneath the stars around the campfire, taking in the tranquillity of this lakeside location.

• Optional Activities: Crescent Island Boat & Walking Safari
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

About Sentrim Elementaita at Lake Elementeita

Sentrim Elementaita Lodge is beautifully positioned on the banks of Lake Elementeita, a protected area due to its flamingo and pelican populations. The rooms are spacious and air-conditioned, featuring an en-suite bathroom with shower, flat-screen television, digital safe, small fridge and tea/coffee station. Room service is offered.

This resort provides a peaceful getaway for those seeking leisure and comfort. There is a huge restaurant and bar with stunning views of the lake. Outside, visitors may unwind with a cool drink beneath a sun umbrella, take a stroll around the garden, or catch some rays on the sun terrace next to the swimming pool, with the lake stretching out beyond. Indulge your body and spirit with the fitness facility, steam bath, and spa amenities. There is also a games area with darts and table tennis, as well as a playground for the children. Fast WiFi is provided in public areas.

Day 5: Lake Elementaita to Amboseli National Park – Kenya

This morning your Kenya Safari heads to Amboseli National Park, known for its massive elephant population wandering across broad grassy plains, along with the rest of Africa’s Big 5 (lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino) and a host of Africa’s other popular wildlife. The scene is set against the spectacular vistas of mighty Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain.

Arrive at Sentrim Amboseli tented camp (or similar) in time for lunch and a short siesta. Then head out for an afternoon game-viewing drive around the park. The dry lake bed of Amboseli is a striking feature of the park, characterised by its vast, flat expanse of cracked earth and saline deposits. This desolate landscape, set against the backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro, creates a stark yet beautiful contrast to the surrounding savannah, attracting wildlife seeking water during the wet season and offering a unique, otherworldly scenery for visitors year-round. Travel across this enormous lake bed, frequently dry but occasionally marshy, keeping a lookout for wildlife including cheetahs, buffalo, giraffes, gazelles, and herds of elephants.

Should you prefer, there is an optional tour to a Maasai Village for another chance to learn more about the traditionally nomadic tribe’s way of life and explore their vibrant cultural practices.

• Included Activities: Game Drives in Amboseli National Park
• Optional Activities: Maasai Cultural Village Tour
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

About Sentrim Amboseli at Amboseli National Park

Sentrim Amboseli is a premium tented camp at the Kimana Gate entry to Amboseli National Park. The resort provides spacious and comfortable luxury tents dispersed over the plains for seclusion and stunning views of Mount Kilimanjaro in the distance. Each Meru-style safari tent is equipped with comfy beds, an en-suite bathroom with a hot shower, and an outside space to relax in the gorgeous surroundings. They all are equipped with a tea/coffee station and mini-fridge, a fan, a hair dryer and a safe.

The main part of the camp has a large restaurant, a gift store, a swimming pool with sun loungers and spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro, and a lovely outdoor deck for alfresco eating and lounging around the campfire under the stars. Tembo bar offers a variety of refreshing beverages and exquisite cocktails. There is free WiFi in public areas, as well as Spa & Wellness facilities to treat yourself between game-viewing trips.

Day 6 & 7: Amboseli to Tsavo West National Park – Kenya

Day 6 sees your Kenya Safari Package head further along the Kenya border lands to Tsavo National Park which, at a little over 8,000 square miles, is Kenya’s biggest national park and one of the world’s largest. Because of its immensity, the park is bisected by the Nairobi-Mombasa road, dividing the park into 2 sections: Tsavo West and Tsavo East, to facilitate management.

You will arrive at Ngulia Safari Lodge (or similar), in the northern section of Tsavo West, in time for lunch. The next two days will be spent on safari in Tsavo West. The northern part of Tsavo West is the most developed, featuring spectacular scenery of rolling volcanic hills covered in long grass and dense bush. The area’s biodiversity is remarkable, with the mix of grassland and forest shrub vegetation home to a variety of wildlife, including leopards, cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, antelopes such as waterbuck, klipspringer, impala, and gazelles, along with buffalos, and elephants. The park is also home to a notable population of lions, some descendants of the infamous “Man-eaters of Tsavo.” Other resident carnivores include servals, hyenas, leopards, cheetahs, and caracals. The landscape is dotted with giant baobab trees, which can live up to 1,000 years. Bird lovers are in for a treat with over 600 species recorded, including the vulnerable corncrake and the near-threatened Basra Reed Warbler.

You will visit Mzima Springs where fifty million gallons of pure water, originating from subterranean streams in the adjacent Chyulu Hills, spill out of the lava rock. There is a pool with a unique underwater observation hide to view the wallowing of hippos and crocodiles in their watery domain. The water catchment is separated into two pools, where hippos occupy the top pool, and crocodiles occupy the bottom.

You will also visit the rhino sanctuary located adjacent to the lodge, where the majority of Tsavo’s surviving rhinos, as well as a handful of other vulnerable animals, have been relocated. Between safari drives, you are free to relax at the lodge, enjoy hearty meals, soak up some sun by the swimming pool and take in the sweeping views, or pamper yourself with a spa treatment or two.

• Included Activities: Game Drives in Tsavo West, Rhino Sanctuary Visit, Mzima Springs Visit
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner x2

About Ngulia Safari Lodge in Tsavo West National Park

Ngulia Safari Lodge, located in Tsavo West National Park, is perched on the edge of the Ndawe Escarpment offering magnificent vistas over the rhino sanctuary below and expansive plains beyond. The Nguila Rhino Sanctuary was established in 1986 for the breeding and recovery of black rhino populations in Tsavo.

Ngulia Safari Lodge offers 52 modern-style rooms, each featuring an ensuite bathroom with bath & shower, sitting area, workstation, and a balcony overlooking the forested vistas and floodlit water holes. The rooms are equipped with amenities including electrical fans, hair dryers, wireless internet connectivity and complimentary mineral water.

The main restaurant has a spacious open-air design with beautiful views over the floodlit waterholes where guests can watch animals coming and going. All meals are served buffet-style. The lodge has two bars that serve a host of delicious refreshments and outside you can relax by the swimming pool with a great view of Tsavo National Park. The lodge offers high-speed internet and a large pair of binoculars for looking out over the park and Rhino Sanctuary. Between game drives, you can pamper yourself with a spa treatment too!

Day 8 to 10: Tsavo to Diani Beach – Kenya

Day 8 of your Kenya Beach and Safari Package marks the conclusion of your wildlife safari in Kenya as it is time to head to the beach. Take a last safari drive as you head out of Tsavo West National Park keeping a lookout for any final animals that cross your path. You then rejoin the Nairobi-Mombasa highway and make your way to the tropical Indian Ocean coastline. You are headed to Diani Beach, located just south of Mombasa. Spend the next four days enjoying some beach time at the Diani beach resort, Papillon Lagoon Reef Hotel (or similar). It is perfectly located on stunning Diani Beach, a lengthy expanse of white sand, mild turquoise waves, and palm-lined lanes.

Your days at the Diani beach resort are free to spend as you choose. Relax on the beach and swim in the balmy ocean. Take advantage of all the activities offered at the resort, or try one of the many watersports on offer, from scuba diving or snorkelling to kayaking, jet-skiing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, or paddleboarding. Deep-sea fishing trips are available, but the availability of fish depends on the season and is best between September and April.

The ocean is teaming with life. Remember to bring your underwater camera! Green and Hawksbill turtles, which are endangered, call these waters home. Kenya is also one of the few areas where reef sharks are commonly spotted. For those who prefer to stay dry but still want to experience the vast marine ecosystem, a glass-bottom boat tour is an incredible day out as schools of colourful fish swim beneath you.

Kitsite-Mpunguti Marine Park, just 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Diani Beach, is a protected sanctuary of coral reefs and small islands inhabited by dolphins, turtles, birds and myriads of fish. Shimba Hills National Reserve is a small rainforest park located just 15 kilometres (9 miles) away. Papillon Lagoon Reef is a 10-minute drive to Diani’s shops and 38 kilometres from Mombasa, which lies to the north.

• Optional Activities: Diving, Snorkelling, Watersports, Glass bottom boat, and more
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner x3

About Pappilon Lagoon Diani Beach Resort

Our Diani beach resort is Papillon Lagoon Reef, located next to the white sand beaches of Diani Beach on the shores of the balmy Indian Ocean. This Diani beach resort features an outdoor pool, beach bar, and a restaurant with a patio, all looking out over the beach.

The lodge is designed in traditional Swahili style and offers comfortable air-conditioned rooms with a balcony or patio overlooking the gardens or ocean. Each room has an en-suite bathroom, free Wi-Fi, in-room safes, a coffee/tea station and a hairdryer.

The buffet-style Baobab restaurant, with its thatched canopy, serves a mix of Kenyan and international cuisine. There is a bistro-style restaurant by the pool that offers breakfast, lunch, and snacks with poolside service. There are plenty of activities to keep guests busy at the Diani beach resort when they are not on the beach, including a gym, tennis courts, a gaming area with pool, darts and table tennis, and an indoor play area for children. Entertainment is laid on, from water volleyball, giant board games, and invigorating aqua aerobics to evening shows. The Dive Centre offers free demos and daily dives along the stunning coastline. You can also book pampering massages.

Day 11: Diani Beach to Nairobi – Kenya

Today is the final day of your epic Kenya Beach and Safari Package. After breakfast, you will be collected for a transfer to Mombasa Railway Station for a first-class train to Nairobi. This train journey is a perfect end to your Kenya adventure.

As you depart Mombasa, the train passes through rural Kenya, past villages and farmlands, offering a glimpse of locals going about their daily lives, tending to crops and livestock. You then climb the Great Rift Valley and are treated to breathtaking views of the valley floor below, with its patchwork of farms and villages, passing by Mount Kenya in the distance and eventually arriving back in Nairobi, Kenya’s bustling capital city. Here your Kenya Safari draws to a close as you are transferred to the airport for your flight home.

A Typical Kenya Safari Day

• Before dawn: Wake up to hot coffee or tea as the cool morning air surrounds you.
• Morning game drive (sunrise to around 9 am): Bundle up and hop into the open vehicle with your camera ready. Your expert guide will navigate the bush, seeking out lions, elephants, giraffes, and other animals as the sun rises and paints the landscape. Every turn promises a new discovery, perhaps a pride of lions with cubs, a majestic herd of elephants, or a cheetah on the hunt. The drive lasts about two hours but can vary depending on the sightings.
• Breakfast (around 9 am): Return to the lodge and enjoy a delicious breakfast to refuel after your exciting adventure.
• Relaxation time (mid-morning): Take some time to relax after the early start. You can unwind by the pool, catch up on sleep, or participate in optional activities offered by the lodge, such as nature walks, cultural visits to nearby villages, or bike rides.
• Lunch (around 1 pm): Lunch is usually served at the lodge or camp. However, if you’re on a full-day game drive, you’ll enjoy a picnic lunch amidst the wilderness.
• Afternoon game drive (late afternoon): As the day heats up, head out again on another game drive, searching for animals you might have missed earlier. Your guide’s expertise will help you spot a variety of wildlife.
• Sunset and return to camp (evening): As the sun dips below the horizon, creating a breathtaking spectacle, return to the camp for a refreshing shower and refreshment.
• Dinner and evening relaxation: Indulge in a delicious dinner, followed by drinks and conversation around a crackling campfire, sharing stories of your safari adventures. Retire early, well-rested and filled with anticipation for the next day’s exploration.

Throughout your Kenya safari journey, your knowledgeable driver-guide will be your companion and resource. They’ll share their expertise on the local wildlife, traditions, and history, ensuring a safe, comfortable, and unforgettable experience.

Flexibility: While the schedule offers a general structure, your guide will consider your preferences and adjust the timings whenever possible. The priority remains adhering to park regulations and ensuring safe travel within the time constraints. Your Kenya guide will provide expert recommendations but is always open to hearing your interests.

Kenya Safari Tour Notes

All Kenya Beach and Safari Packages are conducted on a private departure basis. A minimum of 2 clients is needed to guarantee a departure.

The accommodation listed in this itinerary is subject to availability. Should the listed establishment not be available, a similar lodge of the same standard will be booked. This will be conveyed to you at the time of booking.

The cost of any optional activities in Kenya will be confirmed on request.

Talk to one of our friendly travel experts if you would like us to arrange accommodation before and/or after your Kenya Beach & Safari tour.

For more details contact African Budget Safaris.

Wildebeest Great Migration Explained

Please note that the Wildebeest Great Migration of Kenya’s Masai Mara & Tanzania’s Serengeti is seasonal. As a natural wildlife phenomenon, it is fluid and unpredictable. For this reason, it must be understood that seeing the Great Migration cannot be guaranteed.

The wildebeest and other wild herbivores migrate between Masai Mara in Kenya and Serengeti in Tanzania. These herds move in a massive circular route covering some 1200 miles (1931km). It is a continuous movement of wildlife that can be seen in different areas at different times of the year. During certain phases of this annual trek, the animals disperse or slow down, whilst at other times the migration picks up speed, with the herds becoming larger and denser. Not only does the Wildebeest Great Migration vary from place to place and season to season but the movement of these large wildlife herds varies from year to year.

Please talk to a travel expert from African Budget Safaris about seeing the Wildebeest Great Migration on your safari to find out more. Also, check out our detailed article about the Great Migration in Serengeti and Masai Mara.