Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi, self-drive to Masai Mara National Reserve

Your 4 x 4 vehicle will be waiting for you outside the Wilson International Airport. So, keys are handed to you, including the car rental agreement for signing. Later, start your self drive tour to Masai Mara National Reserve, leaving the noise from the city towards the breathtaking views of the great river escarpment. Also, observe the culture of the Masai people that inhabit the Masai Mara, near towns like Narok.

You can stop by in Narok at a local restaurant for traditional Kenyan cuisine before accessing the Masai Mara National Reserve gates. Present your park permit, drive towards the Mara triangle to the Mara Serena safari lodge, and be welcomed by the Masaai people. Also spot elephants and gazelles with zebras on the side of the road.

Lastly, check into your suite, and because the journey from Wilson International Airport in Nairobi normally takes 6-7 hours, covering approximately 280km, you will need an afternoon nap. Later, dine at the restaurant in the evening as expert chefs prepare a unique gourmet meal for you. Head back to your cozy bed and get enough rest for the wildebeest migration safari the following day.

Day 2: Morning and afternoon game drives in Masai Mara, witness the Great Migration

Wake up as early as 6 AM and prepare for your first morning game drive through the Masai Mara. By sunrise, drive as you witness the awakening of the wild, as the cheetahs are on top of the termite mounds already, scanning the ground. Also, watch the herbivores while self driving in Masai Mara like the giraffes feeding on the leaves of the acacia trees, while the sunrise complements the beauty of the misty grasslands by adding colors to it. Return to the Mara Serena safari lodge after the morning game drive for your bush breakfast in the open green yard. Additionally, interact with other guests of this lodge as you share your Masai Mara safari experiences so far.

After the meal, self drive again through the dirt tracks of the Mara plains in Kenya, but this time the goal is to witness wildebeests accompanied by the zebras and gazelles crossing over the dangerous Nile crocodile-infested waters, and the thrill intensifies when you also witness a leopard chasing some of these animals, most especially the calves on land. Take your time and observe this awe-inspiring adventure; later, continue with the game drives through the Masai Mara, though in the middle of the day have a packed lunch offered by the Mara Serena Safari Lodge. In the evening, dine at the patio overlooking the now- dark landscape dotted with the stars.

Day 3: Hot Air Balloon Safari in Masai Mara and Afternoon Game Drive

On the third day, wake up by 5 AM and drive to the Mara Triangle, where hot air balloons are launched. Additionally, the advantage of staying at the Mara Serena Safari Lodge is that it offers the balloon safari experience to its guests. So come early and witness the whole hot air balloon launching process, and after you climb onto the basket, as you descend. Watch as the misty ground starts to clear as the sun rises from the Oloololo escarpment. Additionally, see wildebeest herds aligned, racing towards the winding Mara River as dust fumes form in the air.

Also, observe the enchanting Masai Mara plains dotted with more wildlife, whereby from mid-air you see both smaller and bigger species with all geographical landforms within the landscape. After an hour, the captain will descend the balloon and have a celebratory bush buffet meal with accompanied by either wine or champagne. After the meal, drive towards the Musiara marshlands and encounter predators like the cheetahs, hyenas and lions in large numbers. Later, on this day have a packed meal in the evening when you go back to the Mara Serena safari lodge, and enjoy a barbecue around the campfire.

Day 4; Tracking the Kenya big 5 animals in Masai Mara National Reserve.

By 8:30 AM, have a breakfast buffet prepared at the dining area of the Mara Serena Safari lodge. and you’ll track down the big 5 animals in Kenya. The lions and elephants are one of the easiest to spot during your 4×4 self drive in Masai Mara and are found around the Mara triangle, in the central sector of the reserve. Additionally, the elephants are often sighted moving in herds, even crossing one’s driveway while the prides are spotted resting in the shade of the acacia trees.

The buffalos are also commonly seen roaming freely in the savannahs, or on hot afternoons, they are seen wallowing in the muddy areas around the Talek or Mara river.  Drive through the park and observe the rhinos browsing off the leaves and the rarest among the big 5 animals in Masai Mara is the leopard. The latter are usually perched on top of the acacia trees or on top of the kopjes. In the middle of the day, a picnic lunch is prepared for you under the shade of the acacia tree.

In the evening, enjoy a sundowner on top of a kopje all offered by the Mara Serena Safari Lodge. Later, head back to your room and prepare for the next day’s Kenya self drive trip to Lake Nakuru National Park.

Day 5: Transfer from Masai Mara to Lake Nakuru – Cultural and Scenic Drive

At 9:00 AM, after your last breakfast at the Mara Serena Safari Lodge, say your farewell to the people as you leave the Mara plains. So, drive towards Narok; that will be your stop point to grab refreshments on the way to Lake Nakuru National Park. Observe the scenic view as you transition from the Maasai Manyattas to the highland areas of the Mau Narok region in Kenya.

Continue on the gravel roads, transcending the astounding Great Rift Valley views towards the Lake Nakuru National Park. Additionally, this trip to Lake Nakuru from Masai Mara by self drive takes between 6-7 hours, depending on the number of stopovers one is to take, covering over 190km.

After clearing with the main gate’s authorities, enter the Lake Nakuru National Park, and your eyes might meet an olive baboon that is up in the acacia tree. Additionally, as you continue self driving in the park, observe the black and white rhinos grazing alongside the elands. Then, reach the Lake Nakuru lodge, where the staff will warmly welcome you with a fresh drink, and later check into your room. In the evening, you will be served one of the Swahili cuisines of your choice, of course, with entertainment from the different cultural groups of Kenya, like the Luhya.

Day 6: Walking Safari and Birdwatching at Lake Nakuru

By 9 AM, prepare yourself physically by eating the buffet with international cuisines at the restaurant of the Lake Nakuru lodge. Then, head for your first morning game in the Lake Nakuru National Park. As you leave the lodge, drive past the riverine acacia forests and observe various baboons. Also, continue towards the Southern floodplains; observe rhinos in large numbers roaming freely through the plains, but the most outstanding moment is when you witness the sunrise over the captivating shorelines of Lake Nakuru, painted by the pink flamingos.

In the afternoon, after you have had a meal at the restaurant of the Lake Nakuru lodge, go for a walking safari following the Makalia trail. You will be mesmerized by the stunning waterfall, and you will have an up-close observation of the warthogs and other bird species like the long-tailed widowbirds, the pelicans, the lessees, and the greater flamingos before you return to the lodge for a multi-course dinner and rest.

Day 7: Self drive Journey to Amboseli – Mount Kilimanjaro Views

After your last buffet morning meal at the Lake Nakuru lodge by 10:00 AM, begin your Kenya self drive tour to Amboseli National Park. Also, observe the views on the road to this park; they are unparalleled as you observe the shimmering waters of Lake Naivasha, Lake Elmenteita, and other rift valley features. Stop over at Eagle’s Steak House for a heavy lunch and continue your journey, and the first scenic feature that you see as you get to Amboseli is the glaciers on top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

So, this is one of the most spectacular views in Kenya, and after going through the Kimana gate, drive to Kibo Sanctuary. You will be welcomed in by staff wearing Maasai clothing and still be given a welcome drink before being checked in to your ensuite tent, where you will have a refreshing shower since the journey is tiresome. Also, spend the rest of the evening at the lounge relaxing as you await your dinner and head back to your room so that you can prepare for the next day to self drive in Amboseli.

Day 8: Morning Game Drive in Amboseli and Return to Nairobi

By 7:30 AM, the chefs at Kibo Sanctuary will have prepared a heavy breakfast and then gone for a half-day game drive in Amboseli National Park. Your eyes will meet enormous elephant herds with huge tuskers moving around the verdant grasslands of Ol Tukai. Also, catch the beautiful sunrise over Mount Kilimanjaro, observe the hippos, wildebeests, gazelles, and bird species like the fish eagles along the sparkling waters of Lake Amboseli.

After the game drive, head back to Kibo Sanctuary for lunch and then drive back to Wilson International Airport in Nairobi for your airport transfers in Kenya to your home country. Additionally, the self drive trip takes up to 5 hours to get to Nairobi from Amboseli National Park, and you will suggest your area to drop off the 4×4 rental in Kenya. After dropping off the car rental safely and giving it to one of the people from the car rental company, you will board the plane back home. So, this marks the end of your 8 day Kenya self drive safari in Lake Nakuru, Amboseli and Masai Mara.