Tour Gallery
Overview
This 4-day budget camping safari offers an adventurous and cost-effective way to explore two of Kenya’s most famous wildlife areas: the Masai Mara National Reserve and Lake Nakuru National Park. It's designed for travelers seeking an authentic African experience, good wildlife sightings, and the camaraderie of a group tour, all while staying in basic but clean budget tented camps.
Tour Suitability:
- Traveler Profile: Ideal for budget-conscious explorers, solo travelers, students, and young adventurers looking for an affordable Kenyan safari.
- Pace of Travel: Action-Packed, focusing on maximizing game viewing opportunities in both parks.
- Interests: Big Five viewing in Masai Mara, rhino sightings and flamingo viewing (seasonal) at Lake Nakuru, experiencing basic camping in the African bush, and meeting fellow travelers.
- Comfort Level: Budget Camping, utilizing shared facilities at basic tented camps.
- Focus: A value-for-money group safari emphasizing wildlife encounters and an authentic, no-frills camping experience.
Key Tour Highlights
- Masai Mara Adventure: Extensive game drives in the world-renowned Masai Mara, with chances to see lions, elephants, leopards, buffalos, and rhinos.
- Lake Nakuru's Diversity: Explore Lake Nakuru, famous for its rhino sanctuary, Rothschild's giraffes, and (seasonal) flamingo flocks.
- Budget-Friendly Camping: Experience the thrill of camping in the wild at affordable, basic tented camps with shared facilities.
- Scenic Rift Valley Drive: Journey through the Great Rift Valley with a stop at a viewpoint for photos.
- Group Safari Experience: Share the adventure with a small group of like-minded travelers, guided by a local expert.
Accommodation Style
Accommodation is in budget tented camps, such as Lenchada Tourist Camp (Masai Mara) and Golden Palace Resort (near Lake Nakuru), or similar basic establishments. These camps provide walk-in tents with beds and often have shared bathroom facilities, offering an authentic and economical way to experience the safari.
Featured Destinations & Attractions
- Masai Mara National Reserve: Famous for its abundant wildlife, including the Big Five, numerous plains game, and the Great Wildebeest Migration (seasonal).
- Lake Nakuru National Park: A sanctuary for black and white rhinos, also known for its flamingos (seasonal), diverse birdlife, and other animals like waterbucks and baboons.
- Lake Naivasha (optional): A brief stop or optional boat ride might be possible depending on the itinerary flow.
- Great Rift Valley Viewpoint: A scenic stop for photography.
Itinerary
You will be picked up from your Nairobi hotel or a designated meeting point around 8:00 AM. Drive southwards along the Great Rift Valley, with a stopover at a viewpoint offering spectacular sights. Arrive at your budget camp near the Masai Mara in time for lunch. Later, proceed for an evening game drive in the rich, tree-studded grassland and rolling hills of the Mara, renowned for its great herds and predators. (Meals: All meals included, Drinks not included)
Accommodation: Lenchada Tourist Camp or similar budget tented camp.
After breakfast, depart for a full day of game viewing in the Masai Mara reserve, with a picnic lunch provided. Your game drive will take you towards the Mara River, an area with a high concentration of wildlife. Enjoy your picnic lunch while watching for crocodiles, hippos, and other animals. There's an optional opportunity to visit a Maasai village in the afternoon (extra cost, arranged locally). (Meals: All meals included, Drinks not included)
Accommodation: Lenchada Tourist Camp or similar budget tented camp.
Enjoy an early morning game drive before returning to the camp for breakfast. After breakfast, depart for Lake Nakuru National Park, with a picnic lunch en route. You will arrive in the evening. If time permits, there might be a brief stop near Lake Naivasha, potentially for an optional boat ride (extra cost). (Meals: All meals included, Drinks not included)
Accommodation: Golden Palace Resort or similar budget hotel/camp near Lake Nakuru.
After an early breakfast, spend the morning on a game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park. Here you will see many flamingos (seasonal) and other birds (about 350 species recorded). Nakuru is a sanctuary for endangered species like the black and white rhinoceros. You may also encounter Columbus monkeys, leopards, giraffes, and various plains antelopes. Depart for Nairobi with a picnic lunch on the way, arriving in the late afternoon for drop-off at the airport or your hotel. (Meals: Breakfast & Lunch, Drinks not included)
Accommodation: No accommodation (End of tour).
Inclusions and Exclusions
Inclusions
- Professional guide
- Activities (as written in the itinerary)
- Entry fee
- Taxes
- A bottle of drinking water
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Exclusions
- Meals and drinks
- Personal expenses
- Tips and gratuities
- Visas