Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru & Lake Naivasha Safari – Hell’s Gate

We’ll head out early – pickup is at 06:00 am – to ensure plenty of time in the park. As the sun breaks over the African fields, we’ll stop in the town of Narok and take in the dawning light over breakfast. Then it’s on to the Masai Mara where we’ll arrive mid-morning.

Ahead of us is an approximate 5 - 6 hours’ drive to Masai Mara Game Reserve, with stops along the way to stretch and admire the beautiful scenery.

Journeying into the Mara with its broad savannah accented with signature acacia trees, you’ll be looking upon one of the world’s premier viewing spots. Here are the greatest density of lions in Kenya and a healthy population of the other Big Five game as well.

Here, too, is the site of the Great Migration, where millions of roaming creatures cross over from the Serengeti in a cycle that has repeated endlessly since time began.

Our arrival at the Masai Mara tented safari camp/ safari lodge will see us check in, afterwards refresh then proceed to the park for our safari activity.

Return for dinner and overnight at your Masai Mara safari lodge/ tented safari camp.

We begin our African safari vacation with an early morning breakfast and get ready for a full day of unlimited game viewing. We’ll traverse the grasslands and hills on our way to the Mara River.

This is the site of the great crossing, where the migrating herds come in search of taller grasses. It’s also where crocodiles lie in wait – we’ll see them and hippos as well. In all, there are over 90 species of mammals in this great ecosystem, all waiting to be discovered by you.

Another way to take in the totality of the Great Migration is in a hot air balloon safari. There’s nothing like rising above the Mara at dawn and watching the land and the teeming migration come to life. Please ask your guide about this optional excursion.

(Please note the Kenya great migration happens between (July – October)

Being the best Kenya safari destination, our focus will be tracking these wildlife animals as we hope to see frequent actions by various predators. We’ll spend an additional time away from the river in search of lions, leopards, cheetahs and more, with our afternoon game drives giving us an ideal time for follow up on what we didn’t encounter on our previous drives. You can also siesta in your rooms during the break. Dinner and overnight at your Masai Mara tented safari camp/ safari lodge.

Today after breakfast concludes our stay in the Masai Mara Game Reserve. For a more up close and personal safari experience you can take this opportunity to visit the Masai village for some cultural discovery.

At their local village, you’ll get to see their lifestyle, culture and you can also purchase some colorful souvenirs as a memento of your visit.

We’re next off to Lake Nakuru but on the way, we’ll make stops to eat at one of the Kenya safari hotels, stretch our legs and admire some of the more scenic spots we come upon.

During the afternoon hours we can arrange for an optional boat ride adventure at the nearby Lake Naivasha and explore this beautiful lake on an exciting boat safari to view hippos, exotic birds among other wildlife that we’ll come across.

We’ll spend the night here and then rise for an early morning game drive and bird watching.

This will be followed by a return for dinner and overnight at your tented safari camp/ chosen Kenya safari lodge/ safari hotel.

Early morning exit game viewing drives at Lake Nakuru National Park.

Due to some progressive natural factors, the flamingo numbers have been reducing but the park itself remains stunning – one of Kenya’s finest. Great rocky escarpments tower over acacia forest, waterfalls, wooded hills and euphorbia trees dot the lake.

The few quantity of flamingos is accompanied by other birdlife – pelicans, cormorants, kingfishers, ostriches, storks as well as herons and eagles. The scene here is bountiful, busy and full of color.

But that’s only the beginning of what this special park has to offer because the wildlife viewing here is easy and accessible. Lake Nakuru is known for hosting some endangered but beautiful species. You’re sure to see rare Rothschild’s Giraffe along with white rhino, especially along the lakeshore and also watch the lions and leopards.

Later leave the park with lunch enroute and drive back to Lake Naivasha. Upon arrival, check in at your tented safari camp/ safari lodge, your evenings will be spent at leisure then we will follow this with dinner and overnight at your safari lodge.

After breakfast at your Kenya safari hotel, it’s time for a bicycle safari (or hiking if you prefer) to nearby Hell’s Gate National Park to explore its imposing cliffs and canyons. We’ll be biking (or hiking) past the park’s impala, eland, gazelle, and buffalo.

The lake and its surrounding areas are a haven for birds, fish and larger wildlife grazing on the shores. The area is a colorful mix of forests, waterfalls, extinct volcanoes and dramatic towers.

We’ll start out on a bicycle safari at nearby Hell’s Gate National Park. When was the last time you pedaled past zebra and giraffe? Here is the only place one can walk inside the park as there are no wild predators. You will decide if you’ll do the game drive with the safari vehicle or cycle the 11 kms down towards the gorge. At the gorge you will get a guide who will direct you and share information about the rock layers.

This is a place of dramatic cliffs, hot springs, geysers and steaming vents here are dramatic proof of the geothermal activity below ground. But we’ll be gliding along on bicycles past impala, gazelle, zebra, giraffe and baboon. A fitting and joyful way to end a busy day of animal watching.

At the gorge you will get a guide so that he can guide you and share information about the rock layers and about Hell’s gate in general.

But now it’s time for the easy drive back to Nairobi. Over our 5-days Kenya safari you’ve enjoyed many lakes, lots of wildlife and probably lots of birds, including the walking safari encounters. Leave Naivasha with lunch enroute back to Nairobi. We should arrive back in town toward the early evening and will bring you to your hotel, residence or the airport signaling the end of your safari trip in Kenya.