8-Day Classic Kenya Safari from Nairobi

Who Is This Safari For?

Follow the Amboseli–Rift Valley–Mara circuit with three nights in the Mara at the end. This eight-day itinerary gives two full Mara days between arrival and return, alongside an Amboseli stay and lake activities. It suits travellers who want the classic route with more time for the final wildlife stage.

Private 4x4 safari jeep with a pop-up roof and English-speaking driver-guide. The proposal names each camp or lodge and room category. Confirm location and meal plan for your dates.

Your Safari at a Glance

Duration	8 days / 7 nights
Start	Nairobi; pickup time and hotel or airport location agreed in the proposal.
Finish	Nairobi; the proposed hotel or airport drop-off is confirmed before booking.
Route	Nairobi → Amboseli → Naivasha / Hell’s Gate → Nakuru → Masai Mara → Nairobi
Overnight plan	2 Amboseli, 1 Naivasha, 1 Nakuru, 3 Mara
Transport	Private 4x4 safari jeep with a pop-up roof and English-speaking driver-guide.
Accommodation	The proposal names each camp or lodge and room category. Confirm location and meal plan for your dates.
Meals	As listed in the daily itinerary and confirmed for each overnight stay and transfer day.
Price	USD 2,050 per person.
Price assumptions	Based on two travellers; confirm dates, room arrangements and selected accommodation in your written quote.

Compare the Quote Before Booking

Check the named properties, room types, transport, entry fees and listed meals against the daily route. Optional activities, drinks, tips and personal expenses should be identified separately. Your written proposal confirms availability, payment and cancellation terms before you book.

Safari Highlights

Big 5 Game Drives — daily morning and afternoon game drives in private open-roof 4x4 vehicles

Key Destinations: Amboseli · Lake Naivasha · Hell's Gate · Lake Nakuru · Masai Mara

Quality Accommodation — choice of budget tented camps, mid-range or luxury lodges

Expert Local Guide — Nairobi-based, English-speaking, certified safari guides

Sunrise & Sunset Drives — the best light for wildlife photography and encounters

Maasai Village Visit — authentic cultural experience with the local Maasai community

Boat Safari on Lake Naivasha — spot hippos, fish eagles and waterbirds by boat

Cycling Safari at Hell's Gate — pedal among wildlife beneath dramatic cliffs and gorges

Safari Itinerary

Click each day to expand the itinerary details.

Day 1 — Nairobi to Amboseli National Park

Day 1

Your PMK guide meets you in Nairobi and drives you south towards Amboseli National Park, with the snow-capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro rising over the plains as you approach. After lunch and check-in, head straight out for an evening game drive — Amboseli is prime elephant country, and you can expect large herds moving across the dusty plains as giraffe, zebra and buffalo gather around the marshes. Dinner and overnight at a lodge on the edge of the park with sweeping Kilimanjaro views.

Day 2 — Full Day in Amboseli National Park

Day 2

A full day of game viewing across Amboseli's open plains, swamps and wetlands, in search of the park's famous big-tusked elephants alongside lion, cheetah, buffalo and huge herds of zebra and wildebeest. Rather than returning to the lodge for lunch, stop at a scenic spot for a picnic in the wild, keeping you out among the wildlife for longer. Overnight again at your Amboseli lodge.

Day 3 — Amboseli to Lake Naivasha

Day 3

Leave Amboseli's dusty plains behind for the Great Rift Valley and Lake Naivasha. In the afternoon, board a boat and cruise across the lake's calm channels, approaching pods of hippos while African fish eagles circle overhead, then step ashore for a short walking safari among giraffe, zebra, waterbuck and antelope at the lakeshore sanctuary. Overnight at a lakeside resort on Lake Naivasha.

Day 4 — Hell's Gate National Park & Lake Nakuru

Day 4

Swap the safari jeep for a bicycle at Hell's Gate National Park, cycling beneath towering cliffs and volcanic formations as zebra, giraffe and gazelle roam around you — one of the few places in Kenya where you experience the bush on two wheels rather than through a vehicle window. In the afternoon, continue to Lake Nakuru National Park, one of Kenya's great rhino strongholds, where forests, escarpments and a shimmering soda lake create the habitat for both white and black rhino, buffalo, giraffe, lion and leopard. Overnight at a lodge perched above Lake Nakuru.

Day 5 — Lake Nakuru to Masai Mara National Reserve

Day 5

A morning game drive through Lake Nakuru National Park, searching the woodland and lakeshore for its resident rhino, buffalo and giraffe, before hitting the road for the Masai Mara. En route, stop at a traditional Maasai village to meet members of the community, learn about their customs and warrior traditions, and watch a traditional dance performance. Continue into the Masai Mara as the plains open up ahead. Dinner and overnight at your tented camp inside the reserve.

Day 6 — Full Day Game Drive in the Masai Mara

Day 6

A full day in the Mara with your guide free to follow the wildlife rather than the clock — tracking lion prides, watching cheetah from termite mounds, and following elephant and buffalo herds across the golden plains. A picnic lunch out in the bush keeps you in the heart of the action rather than back at camp. This is prime Big Five territory, home to some of the densest lion populations in Africa. Eland antelope standing in the grasslands, Masai Mara National Reserve

Eland antelope standing in the grasslands, Masai Mara National Reserve

Day 7 — Another Full Day in the Masai Mara

Day 7

Your final full day in the Mara is yours to explore, with your guide reading the wildlife and following fresh leads — perhaps a pride waking from the night's hunt, or cheetah tracks across the open grass. Head towards the Mara River, where hippos wallow and crocodiles bask along the banks, before a picnic lunch in the bush and an afternoon exploring a different corner of the reserve. Sundowner drinks over the plains before your final dinner and overnight at camp. Rhino mother and calf grazing, Masai Mara National Reserve

Rhino mother and calf grazing, Masai Mara National Reserve

Day 8 — Return to Nairobi

Day 8

After breakfast, transfer back to Nairobi for your onward flight or drop-off at your hotel, bringing your 8-day Kenya classic safari to a close.

What's Included & Excluded

✓ Included

Private 4x4 safari jeep with pop-up roof
Professional English-speaking guide/driver
All park entrance fees
Accommodation as per itinerary
All meals (full board) at camps
Drinking water during game drives
Airport/hotel pick-up and drop-off
PMK 24/7 support throughout

✗ Excluded

International flights
Kenya visa fees
Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
Tips for guides and camp staff
Personal expenses & souvenirs
Hot air balloon safaris (optional add-on)
Alcoholic beverages

Why Choose This 8-Day Kenya Safari?

Kenya’s Classic Wildlife Route

Combine Amboseli elephants and Kilimanjaro views, the Rift Valley lakes and Big Five game drives in the Masai Mara.

Private 4x4 From Nairobi

Travel from Nairobi in your own pop-up-roof safari vehicle with a professional local guide and no shared vehicle timetable.

Balanced 8-Day Itinerary

Enjoy wildlife, a Lake Naivasha boat experience, Hell’s Gate scenery and two rewarding days in the Masai Mara without rushing.

8-Day Safari Booking FAQs

Is this a private safari?

Private 4x4 safari jeep with a pop-up roof and English-speaking driver-guide. The quoted safari vehicle and guiding arrangements are for your travelling party. Flight services, park activities and permits are confirmed separately.

What is the price based on?

USD 2,050 Based on two travellers; confirm dates, room arrangements and selected accommodation in your written quote.

What does the extra day add compared with seven days?

The eight-day outline has three Mara nights and two full Mara days. The seven-day itinerary has two Mara nights and one full Mara day.

Is the Naivasha walk at Crescent Island?

The narrative describes a lakeshore walking activity without establishing the exact site. Ask the team to name the walking destination, access arrangement and charge before booking.

Can a family skip the cycling activity?

Discuss ages, preferences and alternatives before booking. The team can revise the activity plan and any price difference without assuming every traveller will cycle.

Can I change the lodges or route?

Yes. Share your dates, group size, budget and priorities with Kariuki and the PMK team. The revised itinerary and quote confirm availability, the named properties and any price changes.

8-Day Private Classic Kenya Safari from Nairobi