7-Day Kenya Big 5 Safari from Nairobi

Track Africa’s Big Five across four iconic Kenyan parks — Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, and Amboseli — on a 7-day circuit safari departing from Nairobi.

Overview

This Kenya Big 5 safari 7 days itinerary covers four of East Africa’s most celebrated parks in a single seamless circuit from Nairobi. You begin in the Maasai Mara, Kenya’s most legendary reserve, where vast open savannah stretches to the horizon and lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, and rhino roam year-round. A full day in the Mara chases all five and — from July to October — the spectacle of the Great Wildebeest Migration, when over 1.5 million animals pour across the Kenya-Tanzania border with Mara River crossings attended by Nile crocodiles and hippos.

From there the circuit continues north to Lake Nakuru, a Rift Valley soda lake ringed by acacia woodland and one of Kenya’s most reliable parks for both black and white rhino sightings. Rothschild giraffes, leopards, and flamingos are resident year-round. Lake Naivasha follows — a freshwater haven where hippos surface alongside the boat and African fish eagles call from the fig trees lining the shore. A morning at Hell’s Gate National Park trades the 4×4 for a bicycle, rolling through volcanic gorge scenery alongside zebras, buffalos, and giraffes.

The Kenya Big 5 safari circuit closes at Amboseli National Park, where massive elephant herds roam beneath the snow-dusted silhouette of Mount Kilimanjaro rising 5,895 metres above the Tanzania border. A full day in Amboseli gives you the best chance in Africa of photographing elephants with Kilimanjaro as a backdrop. Seven days. Four parks. One of Africa’s most complete wildlife experiences.

Trip Highlights

Track the Big Five — lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino — across the open Maasai Mara savannah
Witness the Great Wildebeest Migration Mara River crossings between July and October, one of the world's most dramatic wildlife events
Spot both black and white rhinos at Lake Nakuru, one of Kenya's most reliable rhino-viewing parks
Cycle through Hell's Gate National Park on a biking safari alongside free-roaming zebras, giraffes, and buffalos
Explore Lake Naivasha by boat and observe hippo pods, pelicans, and African fish eagles at close range
Photograph massive elephant herds against the snow-capped backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro in Amboseli
Drive the floor of the Great Rift Valley with a scenic stop at the panoramic viewpoint above Narok

Day 01 :

Nairobi to Maasai Mara

Depart Nairobi in the morning for the Maasai Mara, stopping at the Great Rift Valley viewpoint to look across one of Earth’s most dramatic geological formations, with the dormant craters of Mt. Suswa and Mt. Longonot visible on the valley floor below. After a 5–6 hour overland drive, arrive at camp in time for lunch. At 4:30 p.m., your certified wildlife guide leads your first game drive through the Mara Reserve — 1,510 square kilometres of open savannah where lion prides and cheetahs are active in the golden afternoon light. Return to camp by 6:30 p.m. for dinner and an early rest.

Lunch + Dinner

Day 02 :

Full Day in Maasai Mara

After breakfast at 7:00 a.m., embark on a full-day game drive targeting the Big Five — lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and black rhino — across the Mara’s open grasslands and riverine forest. From July to October, the Mara hosts the Great Wildebeest Migration: over 1.5 million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebra funnel through the reserve, with Mara River crossings attended by enormous Nile crocodiles. A picnic lunch inside the reserve keeps you in prime game-viewing territory through midday. Continue exploring through the afternoon and return to camp for dinner and overnight.

Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner

Day 03 :

Maasai Mara to Lake Nakuru

After breakfast and checkout, you have the option to stop at a traditional Maasai village along the route ($20 per person, optional) to witness the adumu jumping ceremony and learn about Maa culture and pastoralist life. Drive north to Nakuru (approximately 4–5 hours), with a lunch stop at a roadside restaurant en route. Arrive at Buraha Zenoni Hotel in the afternoon — a comfortable 3-star property with a pool, situated a short drive from Lake Nakuru National Park. Freshen up, relax by the pool, or explore the hotel grounds. An early start is planned for the morning game drive at the park.

Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner

Day 04 :

Lake Nakuru Game Drive, then Lake Naivasha

Rise early for a 3–4 hour morning game drive inside Lake Nakuru National Park. This fully fenced 188 km² park is Kenya’s most dependable destination for both black and white rhinos, and is also home to Rothschild giraffes, leopards, hippos, and resident flamingos that wade the alkaline lake shore. After lunch en route, drive south to Lake Naivasha (approximately 1.5 hours). Board a 1-hour boat safari on the freshwater lake for close-range views of hippo pods surfacing beside the boat, pelicans, cormorants, and African fish eagles perched in lakeside fig trees. Optional evening add-ons: Crescent Island walking safari ($35) or a 2-hour horse ride at Sanctuary Farm ($70). Dinner and overnight at Astorian Grand Hotel, a 3-star property in Naivasha town.

Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner

Day 05 :

Hell's Gate National Park, then Amboseli

Check out by 7:00 a.m. and drive 15 minutes to Hell’s Gate National Park — Kenya’s only park where you can cycle freely among wildlife. Your guide leads a biking safari through the park, where zebras, buffalos, Maasai giraffes, and antelopes move alongside you on the open trails. After the ride, explore the narrow walls of the Ol Njorowa Gorge, past geothermal hot springs and volcanic rock columns formed by ancient rift activity. After lunch in Naivasha, drive southeast to Amboseli National Park (approximately 6 hours), arriving at camp in the early evening. Settle in and enjoy dinner under the stars.

Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner

Day 06 :

Full Day in Amboseli

Spend the entire day exploring Amboseli National Park — 392 km² of open swampland and dusty plains at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro, which at 5,895 metres is Africa’s highest peak and frames every game drive with an iconic Tanzanian backdrop. Amboseli hosts some of Africa’s largest and most studied elephant herds, tracked here since 1972 in one of the world’s longest wildlife research programmes. Lions, cheetahs, hyenas, zebras, and wildebeest are all present. Take a picnic lunch at Observation Hill for a panoramic view across the park floor. Spend the afternoon on a second game drive and return to camp for dinner and overnight.

Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner

Day 07 :

Amboseli to Nairobi

Rise early for a final 6:00–8:00 a.m. game drive targeting predators active before the midday heat. Return to camp for breakfast, check out, and begin the 4-hour drive back to Nairobi via the Nairobi-Mombasa highway. Arrive in Nairobi by early afternoon with drop-off at your hotel or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, marking the end of your 7-day Kenya Big 5 safari.

Breakfast