6 Days Amboseli,Lake Naivasha and Masai Mara Safari

Kenya’s best-known parks fit into six busy days. This safari links Amboseli’s elephant country, Lake Naivasha and Hell’s Gate, then finishes in the Masai Mara, giving you a strong mix of scenery and wildlife without arranging separate trips. I like the view of Mount Kilimanjaro from Amboseli and the chance to see the Big Five in the Mara, while the open-roof safari van should make photography easier.

I also like the clear lodge plan, with Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge and Mara Simba Lodge named in advance. The main drawback is the pace: long road transfers leave limited time for each park, and the published inclusions list only breakfast even though the daily schedule refers to lunch and dinner. Confirm exactly what meals and drinks are covered before paying the $3,630 per-person price.

Key points to know before booking

• Mount Kilimanjaro frames Amboseli: You get morning and afternoon game drives beneath views of Africa’s highest peak, weather permitting.
• Hell’s Gate adds a change of pace: The Naivasha stop is not another standard game-drive day, with a visit to Hell’s Gate National Park included.
• The Masai Mara gets the final two nights: This gives you an afternoon drive on arrival, a full wildlife day, and an early drive before returning to Nairobi.
• The van has a pop-up roof: With a small group, you can move around the vehicle for photographs, though a full van may feel tight.
• Guide Martin earned special praise: His helpful and professional approach was singled out, making the guide assignment worth confirming.
• The schedule is road-heavy: You leave Nairobi at 7:30 a.m. and return around 3 p.m. on the final day, so this suits you if you accept early starts and long drives.

What the $3,630 price really buys you

At $3,630 per person, this is not a low-cost safari. The value depends heavily on what the operator includes beyond the headline schedule. You are paying for a six-day private activity, park visits, safari transport, game drives, and lodge accommodation, with pickup offered in Nairobi.

The itinerary names Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge for two nights and Mara Simba Lodge for the Masai Mara stay. Named properties are useful because you can check their setting and facilities before departure, rather than booking a trip with vague accommodation promises. The schedule also mentions a swimming pool at Amboseli Serena, giving you a possible break from the midday heat.

The published meal information needs attention. Breakfast is listed as included, while drinks are not. Yet the daily plan says lunch and dinner are served on several days. That may mean the meals are part of the lodge arrangement but were not fully entered in the booking details, or it may mean you pay extra for some meals. Ask for a written breakdown covering lunch, dinner, bottled water, soft drinks, park fees, and any guide or vehicle charges.

The good news is that the trip is private, meaning only your own group is meant to participate. The vehicle may be a safari van with a roof that pops open. This setup works well for viewing animals and taking pictures, especially if only a few people are aboard. If the van fills, space can become a real issue when everyone wants the same side or needs room for camera equipment.

The trip has a five-star overall rating from two submitted ratings, with particularly strong praise for the guide and for the flexible small-group vehicle setup. That is encouraging, but the sample is small. I would treat the price as reasonable only if the listed accommodation, park access, meals, and private transport are all clearly included.

Day 1: From Nairobi to Amboseli beneath Kilimanjaro

Pickup is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. from the Old Mutual House on Kimathi Street in Nairobi. The listed meeting point also gives a Standard Street reference, so check the exact pickup instructions before the morning of departure. If hotel pickup is available for your booking, confirm that too, since the public meeting point is the formal start location.

The drive to Amboseli takes about five hours according to the schedule. That is a substantial first road day, but it brings you to one of Kenya’s most recognizable safari settings: open country with Mount Kilimanjaro rising behind it. The mountain is in Tanzania, and the view can depend on weather and cloud cover. Still, the combination of wildlife below and a snow-capped summit behind it is one of the main reasons to choose Amboseli.

You arrive in time for lunch, followed by an afternoon game drive. This first drive is a useful introduction to the park, though you should not expect the same amount of wildlife time as on Day 2. The schedule gives you an afternoon outing after the long transfer, so the day will feel full.

Dinner and overnight accommodation are planned at Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge. Since the published meal details are not fully clear, confirm whether dinner is included or charged separately. Also ask if the first day’s lunch is covered, as the itinerary refers to it but the inclusion list only names breakfast.

Day 2: A full Amboseli day with elephants and birdlife

Day 2 gives Amboseli the attention it deserves. After breakfast, you take a morning game drive, return for lunch, and then have the choice of another afternoon drive or time at the lodge swimming pool.

I like this split because it recognizes that safari days can be tiring. The morning drive offers cooler conditions and good light for photographs. The afternoon drive gives you another chance to find animals, while the pool provides a sensible rest option if you have been on the road since early morning.

The park is presented as a place for the Big Five, elephants, and prolific birdlife. You might see lions, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, and other animals, but no safari can promise a fixed list. Wildlife moves freely, and Kilimanjaro may be hidden by cloud for part of the day.

The roof-opening van is important here. You can stand or sit beneath the raised roof for a wider view than you would have through ordinary windows. The small-group arrangement also lets you shift position for photographs. If your group is large, ask how many people the vehicle holds and how seats are arranged.

You spend a second night at Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge. That avoids another hotel change and gives you a better chance to enjoy the property. The schedule specifically mentions the pool, so this is your clearest rest period during the six days.

Day 3: The Great Rift Valley and Hell’s Gate

After Amboseli, the route continues toward Lake Naivasha, with scenic views of the Great Rift Valley along the way. This is another major transfer day, so you should expect less time for relaxed sightseeing than the destination names might suggest.

Arrival is planned in time for lunch, followed by a visit to Hell’s Gate National Park. The park gives the trip some variety. Instead of spending every day inside a vehicle looking for animals, you get a different type of national park experience. The schedule does not specify the exact activity inside Hell’s Gate, so ask what the visit includes and how long it lasts.

Lake Naivasha is a useful middle stop because it breaks up the journey between Amboseli and the Mara. The lake setting also changes the feel of the trip after the dry, open spaces around Amboseli. Do not confuse this stop with a full Lake Naivasha boat excursion, since no boat ride is listed.

The day’s meal plan again needs checking. Lunch is mentioned in the schedule, but only breakfast appears under included items. Drinks are specifically excluded, so budget for them unless the operator gives you different written terms.

Day 4: Driving into the Masai Mara

After breakfast, you drive to the Masai Mara, described in the program as the land of vast migrating animals. Arrival is planned around lunchtime, followed by an afternoon game drive.

This is a long-distance transition between two of Kenya’s major safari areas. You gain access to one of the country’s most famous wildlife reserves, but you lose a large part of the day to the road. The afternoon drive should still give you a first look at the Mara, particularly if arrival is on schedule.

The Masai Mara is known for open grass country and large numbers of grazing animals. The schedule lists lions, rhinos, hippos, crocodiles, giraffes, wildebeest, zebras, buffalo, warthogs, hyenas, jackals, wild dogs, leopards, antelopes, and elephants as possible sightings. That is an impressive range, but treat it as the park’s potential rather than a guarantee for one afternoon.

Dinner and overnight accommodation are scheduled at Mara Simba Lodge. As with Amboseli, confirm what the lodge package includes. Drinks are not included in the published terms, and extra charges can add up quickly at a safari lodge.

Day 5: The main Masai Mara wildlife day

Day 5 is the heart of the trip. You have a full day in the Masai Mara, with the schedule allowing about five hours for game viewing. That is enough time for a meaningful drive, but it is not an all-day outing from dawn to dusk.

The Mara is a strong choice for your final full day because it offers variety. You may look for big cats in open country, watch herds move across the plains, or stop near water where hippos and crocodiles can be found. The reserve is also associated with the annual movement of millions of wildebeest and zebras.

Timing matters. The migration is seasonal, and no fixed departure date is provided here, so you should not book this trip solely on the assumption that you will see a river crossing or a huge moving herd. The Mara remains worthwhile outside migration periods, but the exact animal activity will always depend on the season and local conditions.

The guide has a major role on this day. Martin was praised for being helpful and professional and for helping his group find the Big Five and additional wildlife. I would request Martin by name if he is available, while understanding that guide assignments can change.

A private tour gives you a better chance to discuss the pace with your guide. You can ask to spend longer with an interesting sighting or move on when the area is crowded with vehicles. The exact flexibility depends on park rules, animal behavior, and the guide’s judgment, but a private setup is generally more adaptable than a large scheduled bus.

Day 6: One last drive, then back to Nairobi

The final morning begins with an early game drive. You then return to the lodge for breakfast before driving to Nairobi, with arrival planned around 3 p.m.

The early drive is a smart use of the last morning. It gives you one more chance to see animals before leaving the Mara, and morning light can be good for photographs. Still, the return trip is another long road transfer, so do not plan an important flight or fixed appointment immediately after the scheduled arrival.

The final description contains a reference to an Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, and Masai Mara safari, even though the six-day plan visits Lake Naivasha and Hell’s Gate. Treat that as a wording error, but confirm the route before booking. The stated end point is back at the Nairobi meeting point.

The vehicle, guide, and group setup

The strongest practical feature may be the safari van. A roof that pops open gives you a wide view and lets you take photographs from different positions. One detailed account praised this arrangement for a small number of people but warned that a full van could feel crowded.

Ask three simple questions before departure:

• How many people will share the van?
• Is the vehicle reserved only for your party?
• Can you request Martin as your guide?

The activity is described as private, while the vehicle feedback refers to small-group operation. These descriptions can both make sense if the operator uses a van only for your booking but accepts several people in your party. Get the maximum group size in writing so you know what to expect.

Most people can participate, and the meeting point is near public transportation. The tour offers a mobile ticket and pickup is available, adding convenience in Nairobi. No special physical requirements are listed, but the long drives and early starts still call for reasonable stamina.

What to pack and what to clarify

Pack light enough for a safari van, with clothing that works for warm days and cooler mornings. Bring sun protection, a camera or phone with enough storage, and any personal drinks you need, since drinks are not included.

Before paying, confirm:

• The exact meal plan for lunch and dinner
• Which park fees and admission charges are included
• The maximum vehicle capacity
• The confirmed accommodation for every night
• The pickup method and meeting point
• The identity of your guide, including Martin if possible
• The exact Day 3 activity at Hell’s Gate
• The final route, given the stray Lake Nakuru reference

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted, and poor weather or failure to reach the minimum number of participants may lead to a different date, an alternative experience, or a full refund.

Who should book this six-day safari?

I would recommend this trip to you if you want Kenya’s major safari names in one organized package and do not want to plan each transfer yourself. It suits people who value a private or small-group vehicle, lodge accommodation, and a guide-led schedule more than a slow, unhurried pace.

It is also a good fit if Mount Kilimanjaro views matter to you, and if you want more than repeated game drives. Hell’s Gate and Lake Naivasha provide a change of scenery before the Masai Mara finale.

I would hesitate if you want long stays in each park, guaranteed migration sightings, or a clearly itemized all-inclusive price. Six days is enough for a strong first safari, but the route covers a lot of ground. The $3,630 price deserves careful comparison with similar packages, especially after you confirm meals, drinks, park fees, and group size.

FAQ

Where does the safari start?

It starts at Old Mutual House on Kimathi Street in Nairobi, with a listed reference for Standard Street. Pickup is offered, so confirm whether the operator will collect you from your Nairobi hotel.

How long is the safari?

The experience lasts approximately six days. Departure is scheduled at 7:30 a.m. on Day 1, and the return to Nairobi is planned for around 3 p.m. on Day 6.

Which parks and destinations are included?

The route includes Amboseli National Park, Lake Naivasha, Hell’s Gate National Park, and the Maasai Mara National Reserve. The schedule does not clearly include Lake Nakuru, despite one reference to it in the final-day description.

Is accommodation included?

The itinerary names Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge for the first two nights and Mara Simba Lodge for the Masai Mara stay. Confirm the full accommodation plan and what is included in the price before booking.

Are meals and drinks included?

Breakfast is listed as included, while drinks are not. The daily schedule refers to lunch and dinner, so ask the operator to clarify whether those meals are included or charged separately.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time for a full refund. Cancellations and changes made less than 24 hours before departure are not accepted for a refund.

Should you book it?

Book this safari if you want a high-impact six-day route through three of Kenya’s best-known wildlife areas, with Kilimanjaro views, Hell’s Gate, and two substantial Masai Mara game days. The van setup and the praised guide service add real value, especially if your group is small.

Before you commit, settle the meal question, vehicle capacity, park fees, and Lake Naivasha versus Lake Nakuru wording. If those details are favorable, this can be a strong, efficient first Kenya safari. If you want a slower trip with fewer road transfers, choose a longer itinerary instead.