Nairobi – Aberdare National Park: A Mountain Rainforest Adventure (160 km – Approx. 3 hours)

Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner.

08:00 hrs: Your driver/guide will pick you up from your Nairobi area hotel, Nairobi airport, or Nairobi area residence, and we’ll head out in our 4x4 safari jeep for Aberdare National Park.

We’ll journey over the highlands of central Kenya, taking breaks to appreciate the lush landscapes and see vibrant coffee and tea plantations.

There will also be a special treat – a stop at Karatina, the largest open-air market in East Africa, a bustling hub of local culture and commerce.

The landscape of Aberdare Park is a striking deep green, anchored by forested mountains and wild moorlands. You’ll be staying in a unique Tree Hotel, with balcony views of the park and a nearby watering hole, offering a truly immersive experience.

Look out for sightings of magnificent elephants, spotted hyenas, playful baboons and monkeys, sturdy buffalo, and quirky warthogs at the watering hole.

Further afield, the park boasts sightings of the elusive giant forest hog, the beautiful golden cat, and the rare bongo, a large and striking antelope.

Enjoy your evening with a treetop’s view of the diverse wildlife below in this very different and enchanting African wildlife park.

We’ll spend our first safari night at your choice of Treetops Lodge or The Ark, both iconic and unforgettable accommodations. Please note: only overnight bags are allowed at your tree hotel for your comfort and convenience.

Aberdares – Lake Nakuru National Park (180 km – Approx. 4 Hrs)

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

We’ll set out early for the scenic drive to Lake Nakuru National Park, stopping to take in the towering majesty of Thompson’s Falls along the way at Nyahururu.

We’ll continue our journey, viewing picturesque farm country and driving through the dramatic landscape of the Great Rift Valley.

Lake Nakuru Park will bring us up close to a bright assortment of birdlife, including vibrant flamingos, graceful cormorants and pelicans, and colorful kingfishers.

But this park offers so much more – it's home to a significant population of endangered black rhino, the striking Rothschild’s giraffe, plus zebra, hippo, baboon, waterbuck, hyena, and sometimes even lion and cheetah.

We’ll overnight here at your choice of safari lodge or tented camp, enjoying the unique natural beauty of Lake Nakuru.

Lake Nakuru National Park – Masai Mara Game Reserve (220 km: Approx. 4:30 hrs)

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Lake Nakuru is known for its robust birdlife, so let’s rise early to enjoy the morning birdsong and the wildlife emerging from the night.

We’ll have breakfast at our accommodation and then depart for the world-famous Masai Mara Game Reserve, with stops at scenic vistas along the way.

You can always request your driver/guide to make special stops… or not, depending on your preferences.

We’ll arrive at the Masai Mara in time for our first exhilarating game drive over its rolling hills, with picturesque acacia trees adorning the landscape.

While at the Mara, we’ll have plenty of time to track its seemingly endless array of wildlife – keep a keen eye out for lion, as sightings are not uncommon here.

This will be the first of two nights at your chosen Masai Mara accommodation.

Full Day – Masai Mara Game Reserve: Unrivaled Wildlife & Optional Experiences

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Why is the Masai Mara so special? Lots of reasons – the sheer beauty of the landscape with its golds and greens, the great density and variety of wildlife said to be the highest in the region, but also because it’s home to the spectacular Great Migration.

During the months of July through October, vast herds of gazelle, wildebeest, and zebra invade the park over the Mara River searching for sustenance. The numbers of wildlife pouring in over a migrating season can be astonishing – up to 2 million!

We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch down at the Mara River, viewing hippo and crocodile, while in the hills, various predators like lion and cheetah lie in wait, acting out the timeless cycles of life and survival.

Along with thrilling game drives and incredible animal sightings, we offer other optional activities to make your experience here even richer:

• Meet the local Maasai people at their village and learn about their unique culture and their traditional crafts. Perhaps purchase some of their brightly beaded souvenirs, directly supporting the community.
• For a view that few on the planet have experienced, take an early morning hot air balloon safari over the park. You’ll see the dawn breaking on the savannah and hear the first calls of birds and wildlife as the park comes to life below. This is an inspiring and unforgettable moment you’ll be talking about for years. Just ask your driver/guide to make the arrangements.

Overnight: Our final safari night will be spent at your chosen Mara accommodation, providing a comfortable end to an exciting day.

Masai Mara – Nairobi: Safari Conclusion & Departure (265 kms – Approx. 5 hrs)

Meal Plan: Breakfast.

After a leisurely breakfast at your lodge/camp, your dedicated driver-guide will assist you with the checkout process and proceed to Nairobi – Kenya’s vibrant capital city.

On the way, your guide will point out the impressive Longonot extinct volcano, a stratovolcano located southeast of Lake Naivasha in the Great Rift Valley of Kenya. It is thought to have last erupted in the 1860s, and its name is derived from the Maasai word Oloonong’ot, meaning “mountains of many spurs” or “steep ridges.”

You have flexible options for your return:

• You can opt to drive via Naivasha for lunch/excursions (at an extra cost).
• Alternatively, drive straight to Nairobi and pass by Kiambethu Farm for the tea farm tour, inclusive of a three-course buffet lunch (at an extra cost).
• OR, drive straight back to the capital and later transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) for your flight back home.

We’ll comfortably drop you off at your Nairobi hotel, residence, or the airport.

We’ve loved having you as our guest these past 5 days – days filled with exploration and appreciation for the wonders and excitement of the natural world. At Walk With Maa Tours, we thank you for the trust you have placed in us and hope you’ll stay in touch… as friends do.