This itinerary exists in two versions on our site: a Budget option from $1,300pp and a Mid-Range option from $1,400pp. Both follow the exact same 5-day route through Lake Naivasha, Hell’s Gate, Lake Nakuru and the Masai Mara, in the same private Pop-Up Minivan, with the same activities included. The $100pp gap buys you three named, upgraded properties instead of comfortable-but-unnamed camps and hotels — it’s not a different trip. So instead of publishing two near-identical itineraries, we’re covering both here, day by day, and flagging exactly where they differ.
Last updated September 2026.
Budget vs Mid-Range at a Glance
| Budget | Mid-Range | |
|---|---|---|
| From (per person, 2 travellers) | $1,300 | $1,400 |
| Vehicle | Private Pop-Up Minivan | Private Pop-Up Minivan |
| Naivasha stay | Lodge/camp (selected for value) | Avian Court Hotel |
| Nakuru stay | Camp/hotel (selected for value) | Ziwa Bush Lodge |
| Mara stay | Camp (selected for value) | Zebra Plains Mara Camp |
| Nights / route / activities | Identical | |
If you’d rather see the case for paying more across our whole range, not just this itinerary, we’ve written a separate budget vs luxury safari comparison.
Day 1: Nairobi to Lake Naivasha
You’re picked up from Nairobi, JKIA or your hotel and driven roughly 90km northwest into the Rift Valley, arriving at Lake Naivasha in time for lunch. From there you have a choice: a boat ride on the lake followed by a walking safari through the animal sanctuary on its shores (giraffe, zebra and waterbuck wander freely here, with no predators to worry about), or an easy afternoon at your lodge watching hippos from a safe distance. Dinner and your first overnight stay follow — at your selected lodge on the Budget trip, or at Avian Court Hotel on the Mid-Range one.
Day 2: Lake Naivasha to Lake Nakuru (via Hell’s Gate)
After breakfast you head to Hell’s Gate National Park, one of the only reserves in Kenya where you can cycle and walk freely without a vehicle, since there are no lions here. You’ll pedal beneath the towering cliffs that reportedly inspired Disney’s “The Lion King,” through gorges carved by geothermal steam, with a chance of spotting buffalo, zebra and raptors along the way. In the afternoon you continue the drive to Lake Nakuru, arriving in time to freshen up before dinner. Overnight at your Nakuru lodge (Budget) or Ziwa Bush Lodge (Mid-Range).
Day 3: Lake Nakuru to Masai Mara
An early morning game drive inside Lake Nakuru National Park comes first — this is rhino country, with hundreds of black and white rhino inside a fenced sanctuary, plus the chance of flamingos on the lake depending on water levels that year. Afterwards you set off for the Masai Mara, a drive of around five to six hours, arriving in time for lunch and a break before the afternoon’s activity. At 5pm, Maasai Morans collect you from camp for a guided walking safari through the bush, followed by a visit to a traditional Maasai homestead — a genuinely different way to experience the Mara than from inside a vehicle. Dinner and your first Mara overnight follow, at camp (Budget) or Zebra Plains Mara Camp (Mid-Range).
Day 4: Full Day Game Drive in the Masai Mara
This is the day the whole trip is built around. You head out after breakfast with a picnic lunch and don’t come back to camp until evening — no rushing back at midday to break up the game viewing. Your guide works the reserve’s tracks and radio network to find the Mara’s icons: lion, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, cheetah, hippo, and, with some luck, leopard. Visit between roughly July and October and you may also catch part of the wildebeest migration crossing from the Serengeti. Lunch is a picnic out on the plains, then you keep exploring into the softer afternoon light before heading back for dinner and your second Mara night.
Day 5: Masai Mara to Nairobi
An optional early game drive at sunrise (or a lie-in, if you’d rather) is followed by breakfast, checkout, and the drive back to Nairobi. You’re dropped at your hotel, JKIA, or a city-centre location of your choice in the evening.
How Long Are the Drives, Honestly?
This route covers a lot of ground for five days, so it’s worth knowing what’s actually driving time versus safari time before you book.
| Leg | Approx. distance | Approx. drive time |
|---|---|---|
| Nairobi → Lake Naivasha | ~90 km | 1.5–2 hrs |
| Naivasha → Hell’s Gate → Lake Nakuru | ~80 km | 1.5–2 hrs (plus cycling time) |
| Lake Nakuru → Masai Mara | ~265 km | 5–6 hrs |
| Masai Mara → Nairobi | ~270 km | 5–6 hrs |
The Nakuru-to-Mara and Mara-to-Nairobi legs are the ones to plan around — both are half-day drives, partly on rougher road once you’re inside Mara-adjacent territory. It’s normal, and it’s why the Mara days themselves are protected as full days rather than split with more driving.
Is It Really “Two Full Days” in the Mara?
Our own Mid-Range listing advertises “two full days in the Masai Mara” in its highlights, and we want to be straightforward with you about what that means in practice. Day 3 is a travel day: a five-to-six-hour drive from Nakuru, arriving around lunchtime, followed by an afternoon walking safari and cultural visit rather than a vehicle game drive. Day 4 is the one full day dedicated entirely to game driving from morning to evening. So in practice this itinerary gives you one full game-drive day plus an activity-rich Mara evening on arrival — not two full days of game drives. It’s still a good amount of Mara time for a 5-day trip, and the walking safari is a genuinely worthwhile addition rather than a consolation prize, but if what you actually want is two full days of game drives, our 7-day itinerary gives you a full Mara day plus extra time, and our 4-day Mara & Nakuru itinerary is a faster, more Mara-focused alternative if you want to skip Naivasha and Hell’s Gate entirely.
What’s Included
- Private Pop-Up Minivan for the whole safari
- Professional English-speaking guide/driver
- All park entrance fees (Lake Nakuru, Hell’s Gate, Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha)
- Accommodation as per itinerary (4 nights)
- All meals (full board) at camps/hotels
- Boat ride on Lake Naivasha
- Cycling safari at Hell’s Gate National Park
- Maasai cultural village visit
- Drinking water during game drives
- Airport/hotel pick-up and drop-off
- PMK 24/7 support throughout
What’s Excluded
- International flights
- Kenya visa/eTA fees
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Tips for guides and camp staff
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
- Hot air balloon safaris (optional add-on)
- Alcoholic beverages
Best Time to Go
This route works year-round, but the Masai Mara portion is at its best from July to October, when drier ground pulls wildlife toward permanent water sources and the wildebeest migration is often crossing the Mara River. Lake Nakuru’s rhino sightings and Hell’s Gate’s cycling conditions hold up well in any season. For the full seasonal breakdown, including what to expect month by month, see our best time to visit the Masai Mara guide. Whichever month you travel, pack for both dust and cold mornings — our what to wear on a Kenya safari guide covers it.
Ready to Book?
Both versions of this safari run on request, with dates built around your travel plans. See full day-by-day details and get a quote on the Budget 5-Day Naivasha, Nakuru & Masai Mara Safari page, or the Mid-Range 5-Day Naivasha, Nakuru & Masai Mara Safari page if you’d rather have the named, upgraded properties from day one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between the Budget and Mid-Range 5-day Naivasha, Nakuru & Mara safari?
The route, vehicle (private Pop-Up Minivan), included activities and number of nights (4) are identical on both. The difference is accommodation: the Budget trip uses comfortable, unnamed camps and hotels selected for value, while the Mid-Range trip stays at three named, upgraded properties — Avian Court Hotel, Ziwa Bush Lodge and Zebra Plains Mara Camp. The Mid-Range option costs $100 more per person.
Is 5 days enough to see the Masai Mara properly?
You get one full day of game driving in the Mara (Day 4) plus an afternoon walking safari and cultural visit on arrival (Day 3). That’s a solid introduction to the Mara alongside Naivasha, Hell’s Gate and Nakuru, but if the Mara itself is your priority, our 7-day or 4-day Mara-focused itineraries give you more dedicated game-drive time.
How much driving is involved in this safari?
More than a Mara-only trip, since this route covers four destinations. The two longer legs are Lake Nakuru to the Masai Mara and the Masai Mara back to Nairobi, each around five to six hours. The Nairobi-to-Naivasha and Naivasha-to-Nakuru legs are shorter, at under two hours each.
Will I see flamingos at Lake Nakuru?
It depends on the lake’s water levels in a given year, which affect the algae flamingos feed on. Nakuru is reliably good for rhino, and flamingos are a possible bonus rather than a guarantee — your guide will know current conditions.
What’s included in the cycling safari at Hell’s Gate?
A guided cycling safari through the park’s gorges and beneath its cliffs, plus a walking safari section, both included in the safari price. Hell’s Gate is one of the few Kenyan parks where you can explore on foot and by bike without a vehicle, since it has no resident lions.
What should I pack for this safari?
Layers for cold early mornings and warm afternoons, comfortable closed shoes for the Hell’s Gate cycling and walking sections, and swimwear if you plan to use lodge pools. See our full packing guide for a complete list.
Do I need a visa to visit Kenya for this safari?
Most nationalities need an eTA (electronic travel authorisation) to enter Kenya, applied for online before you travel. See our Kenya visa requirements guide for the current process.
Can this itinerary be customised?
Yes — both the Budget and Mid-Range versions can be adjusted for extra nights, different accommodation, or add-ons like a hot air balloon safari over the Mara. Get in touch with your preferred dates and we’ll tailor a quote.
Leave a Reply