Kenya

Mount Kenya to the Masai Mara

A perfect first-time itinerary to Kenya which includes the dramatic landscapes of Mount Kenya and the Great Rift Valley lakes, as well as spectacular wildlife viewing in Lake Nakuru National Park and the Mara Naboisho Conservancy. Travel by road in a 4x4 safari vehicle accompanied by a professional guide, and at the end of your journey, you’ll fly in to the Masai Mara to enjoy game drives, walks, and cultural visits.

Day 1: Overnight: Hemingways Nairobi

Arrive at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport today, where a Penwell driver will meet you and transfer you by private vehicle to your overnight hotel. We can offer a range of activities in Nairobi if you have a full day or afternoon and wish to do some sightseeing – please ask your Penwell consultant for details.

Hemingways Nairobi

Located in the peaceful Karen district of Nairobi, this is a luxurious and stylish hotel with 45 rooms and suites. Guests can enjoy the pretty landscaped gardens, swimming pool, spa and the excellent service, which includes a butler service for each room.

Day 2: Overnight: Mount Kenya Safari Club

Your Penwell safari guide will meet you after breakfast this morning, and you will depart in your private 4x4 safari vehicle for the lower slopes of Mount Kenya. The drive will take approximately 4 hours, depending on traffic in Nairobi, passing coffee plantations and farmland on the way. Arrive in time for lunch at Mount Kenya Safari Club where you’ll stay the next two nights. This afternoon, you can relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings and views of Mount Kenya, perhaps swimming in the pool before enjoying afternoon tea, or if you prefer, enjoying a birding walk with one of the resident guides

Mount Kenya Safari Club

Part of the Fairmont Hotels group, this resort has 120 rooms and facilities including a swimming pool, spa, gym, tennis courts, and 100 acres of landscaped gardens. The resort is a popular starting off point for a safari, offering the chance to enjoy some spectacular scenery while recovering from longhaul flights in comfort and style.

Day 3: Overnight: Mount Kenya Safari Club

There are plenty of activities to enjoy during your stay here (some at additional cost, payable locally). You can visit the William Holden Animal Orphanage nearby which is home to rare species such as mountain bongo and white zebra as well as cheetah, black and white colobus monkeys and more. Horse riding and mountain biking are also possible.

Day 4: Overnight: The Cliff

Depart after breakfast with your driver-guide, driving through the Great Rift Valley and stopping on the way to enjoy a picnic lunch, reaching Lake Nakuru in the early/mid-afternoon. Settle into your accommodation and spend the rest of the afternoon unwinding and enjoying the spectacular views from the hillside position of your lodge.

The Cliff

A stylish lodge, perched on a cliff overlooking Lake Nakuru, with ten stylish tented rooms, each with a bathtub on the deck and modern interiors. Guest facilities include a spa, gym and infinity swimming pool.

Day 5: Overnight: The Cliff

Taking a picnic lunch with you, head out with your safari guide in your private vehicle in the early morning on a full day game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park. The park is home to an impressive population of white and black rhino, the rare Rothschild giraffe, and of course plentiful flamingos and pelicans on the shore of the lake, an iconic East Africa sight.

Day 6: Overnight Naboisho Camp

Enjoy breakfast in camp before you depart for the Naivasha Airstrip, an hour away, where you will say goodbye to your driver-guide. From here, you will fly to the Masai Mara by light aircraft, a flight of approximately 45 minutes (soft bags required, 15kg luggage limit per person), arriving on the beautiful Naboisho Conservancy of the Greater Masai Mara where your safari concludes. A guide will meet you here, and drive you back to camp, stopping to enjoy any wildlife sightings on the way and arriving in time to enjoy some lunch in your new surroundings. There’s time for a siesta during the heat of the day before afternoon tea is served and you can go out on an afternoon game drive (these drives are operated by the camp, and are in open vehicles and are shared with other guests in camp). The Naboisho Conservancy is home to a spectacular array of wildlife including good populations of lion, leopard and cheetah, herds of elephant and buffalo, and much more.

Naboisho Camp

A stylish safari camp with nine spacious tents, raised up to maximise views. It is located in a prime position in the wildliferich Naboisho Conservancy, with strong links to the local communities. Expect high standards of guiding as well as incredible walking safaris, delicious food and superb hosting.

Days 7 & 8

Enjoy morning and afternoon shared activities from your camp, exploring the Mara Naboisho Conservancy. Game drives, walking safaris and cultural visits to the local Maasai community are included and it’s also possible and really rewarding to visit one of the camp’s partner charities, the Maa Trust which works to empower local communities through various projects, and the Kenya Wildlife Trust which studies and conserves predators in the Greater Mara region.

Day 9

There is time for a final morning game drive in camp before you transfer to the airstrip for your light aircraft flight to Nairobi’s Wilson Aerodrome (soft bags required, 15kg luggage limit per person). Here, you will be met and transferred to the international airport, a drive of approximately 1 hour depending on traffic, drawing an end to an incredible Kenyan safari.