This 12 Days Best of Kenya Wildlife Safari includes visits to Lake Nakuru and the renowned Masai Mara. And for a change of scenery and healing atmosphere, we head to the highlands of Kenya, which are dominated by the massive Mt. Kenya – Aberdare National Park and feature undulating hills and expansive green fields of tea and coffee. Naturally, a Kenya safari vacation package would not be complete without an evening stroll along some of the world’s most exquisite beaches. For this reason, we have included the best beach in Africa, Diani Beach, on our itinerary. Diani provides scuba diving, snorkelling, and even dolphin swimming, making it a pleasure all by itself. The latter is provided on a day trip to Wasini Island as part of this 12-day itinerary that highlights the best of Kenya’s wildlife.
Detailed Itinerary.
Day 1: Fly to Masai Mara National Park
By six in the morning, your designated expert safari guide will come to pick you up from the Nairobi hotel, apartment, or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Don’t worry; you won’t be stuck wondering what to do because our guide will arrive an hour early. The safari guide will give you a ceremonial welcome before making the quick journey to Wilson Airport so you can board your flight at 9.30 am. The flight barely lasts forty-five minutes. You will be picked up by our Masai Mara safari guide upon arrival and driven to the reserve for mid-morning game drives.
The ideal time to check into your Masai Mara accommodation is at noon, when you will continue your game drives in the Masai Mara National Reserve. You will have lunch and unwind for two to three hours at the hotel. We have a game drive this evening at 3 pm since we know you are eager to visit the Masai Mara. Watching the big cats in action as they forage for meals in the evening is a terrific way to experience nature. You could see the king of the jungle in action if you’re lucky. Many other animals will be dining outside as well.
You will travel back to the hotel for dinner and a well-earned rest as the animals start to fade and darkness falls. Rest up, because the second day of your 12-day safari in Kenya is going to be exciting.
Day 2: Full Day in Masai Mara
After breakfast, your second day of safari in the Masai Mara begins. You have a lot to look forward to today, so don’t forget to bring your camera and extra batteries. A full-day game drive with a picnic lunch is offered. As you weave through the expansive Masai Mara forest, the game drive officially begins. With extensive knowledge of the creatures, your safari guide will gladly provide amusing anecdotes and information. Be on the lookout for cheetahs, buffaloes, giraffes, lions, zebras, elephants, and the elusive leopard. Numerous crocodiles lounging around and groups of hippos unwinding in the water can be seen while taking a drive alongside the Mara River. You don’t need to worry if you have a soft spot for birds. In the Masai Mara, nearly 400 different bird species have been identified.
Following an eventful and hectic morning, your guide will select the ideal location for your picnic lunch, somewhere scenic and shaded enough but not too much. Savour the delicious lunch while thinking back on the recent events. Following the picnic lunch, your Masai Mara tours and safaris continue. This time, we’re going to a different area of the Mara so you can see a lot of creatures that you missed in the morning session. Your safari guide will drive you back to the hotel as dusk approaches, giving you just enough time to change and get ready for supper. After supper, enjoy your favourite beverage by the bonfire while you share the day’s stories.
Day 3: Hot Air Balloon Ride – Evening Game Drive
You won’t believe what you see when you see the Masai Mara from above! The Masai Mara is enormous, extending beyond your vision. A safari in a hot air balloon is the ideal way to experience this jungle. It is 5.45 am when you go to the balloon launch location. As you wait for the workers to prepare, you will drink some coffee. The balloon lifts off as soon as everyone boards and floats at the direction of the wind. After almost an hour on the balloon safari, you begin your descent.
When the balloon lands, a team will be ready to serve a champagne brunch with all the fixings. Your safari guide will be prepared to take you on a wildlife drive after breakfast. The safari guide would go where the animals were when you saw them on the hot air balloon expedition. At about 11.30 am, you will gradually leave the reserve and arrive at a Maasai village. The Maasai are an intriguing tribe that, in spite of westernisation and technological progress, tenaciously adhere to their traditions and culture.
Discover how they create their exquisite jewellery and mud dwellings (don’t forget to purchase some souvenirs), and you might even learn how to perform the well-known Maasai leap. The tour leader drives you back to the hotel for lunch and relaxation following this experience. You still have the rest of the day till you go on an evening game drive this afternoon from 3 to 6 p.m. Keep an eye out for further wildlife before returning to the camp for dinner.
Day 4: Morning Game Drive – Transfer to Lake Nakuru National Park
You have one more game drive at the reserve today. Masai Mara game drives help establish the tone for the day. In the morning, prepare your camera to record the activity one last time and bring your bags with you. It’s time to head back to the road after an exciting stay at the Masai Mara. As you travel to Lake Nakuru National Park, you will get to see some of Kenya’s stunning landscape. This journey takes about 5.5 hours, with a lunch break in Narok town. It will be dark when you get in Lake Nakuru National Park, so you have time to settle in and unwind before supper.
Day 5: Full Day in Lake Nakuru National Park
You will travel to the lake after breakfast, where thousands of flamingos are already hard at work searching for food. The pink appears to go on forever, making this a sight to behold. This hour also brings with it a crisp, fresh air. Around 10 or 11 am, you’ll observe that the flamingos begin to fly away. Actually, most of them will be gone by midday. After spending enough time here, it’s time to move on and explore the park’s other attractions. Lake Nakuru is home to four of the Big Five: buffalo, lions, leopards, and rhinos. Large herds of rhinoceros will be visible to you, along with armed guards stationed nearby. This is to keep poachers away from them. With nearly 300 species, this park is a haven for birdwatchers. This is where you will go after lunch to see some amazing waterfalls. You’ll get back to the hotel early in the evening so you have time to unwind before your next road adventure begins tomorrow.
Day 6: Transfer to Aberdare National Park
On the sixth day of your 12-day safari in Kenya, you set off early to reach Nyahururu by 9 am, where you will spend a brief visit to see the well-known Thomson Falls. In order to reach Aberdare National Park before midday, you will continue your safari. After lunch, you will check into the hotel, get changed and get ready for the 3 p.m. evening game drive. You can witness Aberdare National Park when it sleeps and the animals leaving for meals during the evening game drive.
Day 7: Full-Day Game Drive in Aberdare National Park
With her beauty and charisma, Aberdare National Park is an empress who defies ordinary, attracting suitors from all over the world. She is the pinnacle of paradise for early morning game drives. Her diverse array of animals, which includes the Big 5, cheetahs, servals, hyenas, bat-eared foxes, black-backed and side-striped jackals, and hippopotamuses, will astound you. Crocodiles, baboons, warthogs, topi, elands, Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles, impalas, waterbucks, oribi to the reed-buck, and zebras are some of the other animals. as well as more than 400 different bird species.
The greatest moment to photograph carnivores pursuing their prey or a leopard carrying its kill up a tree is during an early morning wildlife drive. Before the sun becomes too scorching, you can also see a lot of mammals emerging from their sleeping chambers for breakfast. The early game drives will soon give way to afternoon ones. You will only go back to the accommodation in the evening after having lunch in the jungle.
Day 8: Transfer to JKIA – Fly to Diani
It’s time to spend some time at Diani Beach away from the bush. You leave Aberdare National Park and proceed to JKIA to catch your next aircraft to Nairobi. While it’s acceptable to doze off while travelling, don’t neglect to soak in the stunning Kenyan landscape. After travelling for almost three hours, you will finally be diving into the crystal-clear, serene seas off the coast of Kenya. It just takes 45 minutes to get from Nairobi to Diani, and when you arrive at the Ukunda airstrip, our staff will be ready to transport you to the hotel.
Day 9: Wasini Day Trip – Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park
Your ninth day in Kenya will undoubtedly be an exciting one at Diani. You will take pleasure in a Fun Dive Day at Kisite Marine Park on Wasini Island, swimming with dolphins, and scuba diving. Following a quick introduction, the teacher takes you underwater. Throughout the dive, the teacher holds your hand. In addition, the location provides some of the best views of Africa’s underwater life, including corals, tropical fish, and turtles. It provides snorkelling with life jackets and a ring for people who cannot swim. On a dhow, you may also savour soft beverages, fresh tropical fruit, and snacks here. We return to the hotel after an action-packed day so we may either visit the Resort or take advantage of the nightlife there.
Day 10: Rest Day – Diani Beach
You deserve to rest today, so go ahead and do so. You need time to think after admiring the breathtaking vistas of the Kenyan jungle. There’s nothing that shouts “reflect” like reclining on a beach bed with your favourite cold drink in hand after a massage and watching boats vanish into the deep blue ocean beyond. You can spend the entire day lying here if you’d like, as your waiters will be at your disposal. But, we advise you to set aside some time to take a barefoot stroll down the beach at dusk as the sun sets.
Day 11: Mombasa and Mamba Village Day Trip
You will see Mombasa town and the well-known Mamba Village in Nyali. Today’s capture is the biggest crocodile farm in East Africa, which shows the length, weight, and age of the animals. Along the tropical garden route, you can also witness hatchlings up to the 5-meter-long “big daddy,” the man-eating monster, lazing in the sun. Every day, the crocodiles are fed, and you can watch as they leap into the air to break off the flesh.
Savour lunch at Mamba Restaurant, a distinctive “a la carte” eatery that offers game meat including ostrich and crocodile, which is located above the crocodile pond. They also feature a lovely assortment of flowers and plants, with an emphasis on aquatic and orchid flora. There are snakes, marine aquariums, and predatory animals on exhibit. It is simple to combine a tour of Mombasa’s town with the Mamba safari. This is where you may see Fort Jesus and discover the history of the town. You’ll return to the Resort to recover after the day.
Day 12: Return to Nairobi – Departure
You will spend the day at the hotel or beach and then check out in the afternoon. You will catch a local flight to JKIA, connecting with your international flight.
End of the 12 Days Best of Kenya Wildlife Safari.
The 12 Days Best of Kenya Wildlife Safari includes;
- Transportation in a 4×4 safari vehicle.
- Accommodation and meals as per the itinerary.
- Bottled water in the car.
- Domestic Flights as indicated.
- Park entrance fees.
- Wildlife Game Drives.
- Services of an English-speaking tour guide.
- Government Taxes.
However, the tour excludes; International Air fare, Visa fees, Travel Insurance, personal shopping bills, laundry services, tips to local guides, items of personal nature such as alcoholic drinks, cigarettes, souvenirs etc.