8-Day Kenya Wild Safari Expedition
Overview
Book Kenya Safari with Golden Cat Safaris and discover the country’s most celebrated wildlife destinations on an exciting 8-day journey through diverse landscapes and protected wilderness areas. This carefully designed safari combines Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Lake Nakuru National Park, the Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, and Amboseli National Park, giving you an opportunity to experience Kenya’s wildlife from the highlands of Mount Kenya to the open plains beneath Mount Kilimanjaro.
Your adventure begins north of Nairobi at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, a renowned conservation area where you can enjoy game drives and visit the Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Visitor Centre. The safari then continues to Lake Nakuru, where rhinos, Rothschild’s giraffes, flamingos, lions, leopards, and other wildlife can be encountered.
The journey continues to the legendary Masai Mara, one of Kenya’s finest destinations for Big Five viewing. Spend two nights exploring the reserve through morning and afternoon game drives, with optional experiences such as a Maasai village visit or sunrise hot-air balloon safari available for travelers who want to add a cultural or aerial perspective to their adventure.
From the Mara, travel to the peaceful shores of Lake Naivasha before continuing south to Amboseli National Park. Here, large elephant herds roam across open plains with Mount Kilimanjaro providing one of Africa’s most recognizable safari backdrops.
This safari is ideal for couples, families, friends, photographers, and first-time visitors to Kenya who want to experience several of the country’s leading wildlife destinations in one well-paced itinerary. With comfortable lodges and camps, professional guiding, game drives, transportation, meals, park fees, and airport transfers included, Book Kenya Safari with Golden Cat Safaris offers an exciting way to experience the best of Kenya in eight days.
Tour Plan
Your safari begins with departure from Nairobi as you travel north toward the foothills of Mount Kenya. The journey takes you through changing landscapes, including agricultural areas and highland scenery, before reaching Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
Arrive at Sweetwaters Serena Camp in time for lunch and settle into your accommodation. In the afternoon, head out for your first game drive through the conservancy.
Ol Pejeta is well known for its conservation work and diverse wildlife. During your game drive, look for elephants, rhinos, lions, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, and other species. You will also visit the Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Visitor Centre, where you can learn about chimpanzee conservation and rehabilitation.
Return to camp in the evening for dinner and a relaxing night surrounded by the sounds of the Kenyan wilderness.
Accommodation: Sweetwaters Serena Camp
After breakfast, depart Ol Pejeta and travel south toward the Great Rift Valley and Lake Nakuru National Park. The journey offers scenic views of Kenya's highlands before descending toward the lake region.
After arrival and lunch, enjoy an afternoon game drive through Lake Nakuru National Park. The park is known for its rhinos, birdlife, Rothschild's giraffes, buffaloes, and diverse predator population.
Keep your eyes open for lions and leopards as your guide explores different areas of the park. Depending on the season and water conditions, you may also see flamingos and other water birds around the lake.
Return to your lodge in the evening for dinner and relaxation.
Accommodation: Lake Nakuru Lodge
After breakfast, leave Lake Nakuru and continue through the Great Rift Valley toward the Masai Mara National Reserve. The route takes you through rural landscapes and local communities before reaching Kenya's most famous safari destination.
Arrive at your lodge in time for lunch and take a short rest before heading out for your first afternoon game drive in the Masai Mara.
The reserve is famous for its open grasslands and abundant wildlife. Search for lions, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, cheetahs, and other species as your guide explores the savannah.
As the afternoon comes to an end, return to your lodge for dinner and an evening surrounded by the Mara wilderness.
Accommodation: Mara Serena Safari Lodge
Spend a full day exploring the Masai Mara with morning and afternoon game drives. Alternatively, you can enjoy a full-day safari with a picnic lunch, allowing you to spend more time exploring the reserve without returning to the lodge during the middle of the day.
The Masai Mara offers some of Kenya's best opportunities to see the Big Five. Your guide will follow wildlife movements and search for predators, large herbivores, and seasonal concentrations of animals.
Visit areas around the Mara River where hippos and crocodiles may be seen. Depending on the time of year, the river and surrounding plains can also provide opportunities to witness dramatic wildlife activity associated with the Great Migration.
Optional activities can be added to your safari. A visit to a Maasai village provides insight into local traditions, culture, crafts, and community life. A hot-air balloon safari at dawn offers an unforgettable aerial view of the Mara and its wildlife and is available at an additional cost.
Return to Mara Serena Safari Lodge after your day's adventure.
Accommodation: Mara Serena Safari Lodge
After breakfast, leave the Masai Mara and travel toward Lake Naivasha. The journey takes you through the scenic Great Rift Valley before arriving at the lake.
Check into your lakeside accommodation and enjoy some time to relax. Lake Naivasha offers a peaceful contrast to the busy wildlife viewing of the Masai Mara.
Several optional activities can be arranged at an additional cost. You may take a boat safari toward Crescent Island, where you can experience a walking safari among giraffes, zebras, and other wildlife. Another option is visiting Crater Lake Game Sanctuary.
Travelers looking for outdoor adventure can also explore Hell's Gate National Park, known for hiking, cycling, dramatic cliffs, and geothermal features.
Return to your lodge in the evening and enjoy dinner and a relaxing night beside the lake.
Accommodation: Enashipai Resort & Spa
After breakfast, depart Lake Naivasha and begin the journey south toward Amboseli National Park. This is a longer travel day, taking you across changing landscapes toward the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Arrive in Amboseli in time for lunch and settle into your lodge. After some time to relax, head out for your first afternoon game drive.
Amboseli is particularly famous for its large elephant herds and spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro. As you explore the park, look for elephants, lions, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeest, giraffes, hippos, and a variety of bird species.
When weather conditions are favorable, the snow-capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro provides an unforgettable backdrop for wildlife photography.
Return to the lodge in the evening for dinner and relaxation.
Accommodation: Ol Tukai Lodge
Enjoy a full day exploring Amboseli National Park through morning and afternoon game drives. The park's combination of open plains, seasonal wetlands, acacia woodland, and spectacular mountain views creates excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing and photography.
Large elephant herds are among Amboseli's biggest attractions. You may also encounter lions, cheetahs, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, hippos, and numerous bird species.
Visit Observation Hill for panoramic views across the park and surrounding landscape. From this elevated viewpoint, you can appreciate the scale of Amboseli and, when visibility is good, capture photographs of wildlife with Mount Kilimanjaro in the background.
Return to the lodge between activities for lunch and relaxation before your final afternoon game drive.
Spend your final evening in Amboseli enjoying dinner and reflecting on the experiences of your Kenya safari.
Accommodation: Ol Tukai Lodge
Wake up early for your final game drive in Amboseli. The cooler morning temperatures can provide excellent wildlife viewing opportunities, giving you one last chance to photograph elephants and other animals beneath the dramatic Kilimanjaro landscape.
Return to the lodge for breakfast before beginning your journey back to Nairobi.
Upon arrival in Nairobi, you will be dropped off at your hotel or at the airport according to your onward travel arrangements. Your 8-day Kenya Wild Safari Expedition ends with unforgettable memories of Ol Pejeta, Lake Nakuru, the Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, and Amboseli.
