4 Days, 3 Nights Kenya Safari to Naivasha & Masai Mara - Itinerary & Price

The Detailed, 4 Days Masai Mara and Lake Naivasha Safari from Nairobi Itinerary 

The 4 Days Kenya safari itinerary gives you enough time to explore the wonders of the best reserve in the world and have ample time for non-game drive safaris. Here is what you can expect to get during your Hell’s Gate, Lake Naivasha, Crescent Island, and Masai Mara safari. 

Day 1:Pickup from JKIA, Cycling at Hell’s Gate, Boat Ride at Lake Naivasha, & Walking Safari at Crescent Island 

Your designated professional safari guide will be waiting at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to welcome you to Kenya. We recommend you book a flight that lands in Kenya in the morning to ensure you start the safari immediately.

Our safari guides arrive at the airport at least 1 hour before your designated arrival time. So, rest assured there will be a friend waiting for you. After greeting you, the guide will brief you about your 4 Days Kenya Safari and welcome you to your exclusive 4×4 safari land cruiser. 

The road trip to Naivasha starts now. Today you will explore the best of Naivasha, including Hell’s Gate National Park, the lake, and Crescent Island. You will check in the hotel and run in between these activities. 

The road trip to Naivasha will see you stop at the Great Rift Valley Viewpoint to take in the breathtaking sceneries below, buy a few treasures, and interact with the locals. From here, the guide will head straight to Hell’s Gate National Park.

There is something about this park that you can’t get enough of. It could be the surreal volcanic gorge, its gigantic volcanic towers, hot springs, and geysers, or it might just be the way it bonds you with nature.  That’s why we have included Hell’s Gate National Park in your Lake Naivasha to Masai Mara itinerary. 

Bird watchers will also get their fill with the unlimited species available at this place. If you can’t climb rocks, you can hike up the gorge and enjoy a spectacular view of the Great Rift Valley.

If time allows, you can swim in Olkaria Geothermal Spa with its hot springs and natural minerals. It’s like a therapeutic spa day for your tired bones. The best activity here is cycling, and you might come across wildlife like giraffes, zebras, antelopes, monkeys, and even buffalos.

At around midday, the safari guide will take you back to Naivasha, only 40 minutes from Hell’s Gate. You will head to the hotel, check in, take lunch, and then head to Lake Naivasha and Crescent Island in the late afternoon.

As they say, “there is only one Crescent Island Game Sanctuary.” It is the lake’s best-kept secret in the rift valley. It is a beautiful island surrounded by water, meaning that you take a boat to access it from the West or East side.

The boat ride is a fun activity by itself; you get to spot some aquatic animals like hippos, waterbucks, and others. The island shores host different bird species also, like fish-eagles, cormorants, and pelicans. 

There is more wildlife on the island per acre than in any other park in Kenya. These include zebras, gazelles, waterbucks, and wildebeest. Hippos also come to graze here at night, often sighting hyenas and buffalos.

Day 2: Transfer to Masai Mara & Afternoon Game Drive at the Reserve 

After breakfast, you start the 5-hr drive to Masai Mara. Should you wish to fly to the Mara, the safari guide will take you to Wilson airport for a local flight that takes only 45 minutes. 

For the road trip, you will be checking in the Masai Mara accommodation five hours later. The guide will leave you to freshen up, take lunch, and relax for a while. Masai Mara camps and lodges offer options for meals: vegan, vegetarian, and options for meat lovers.

After that, you will get ready for the afternoon game drive, which starts at 3 pm and lasts 3 hours. You don’t want to miss this game drive. The first time I went to the Mara, I figured I could miss this one and go for the morning one to give myself time to rest, but I’m glad I dragged my tired self to the safari land cruiser.

The late afternoon is when every habitat of the Mara comes out to hunt, seeing as the sun is going down and the parents need food for the family. Monkeys are putting on a show while the mighty elephant starts the journey back to its sleeping quarters.

Lionesses and cheetahs are on their best hunting game as their playful cubs cheer momma on. Gazelles, zebras, and other herbivores of the Mara are in full survival mode, one race after the other. Don’t be surprised if you forget to film the whole ensuing drama. It is spectacular.

The drive is also the perfect time to experience the orange rays of the African sun as it goes down to meet the mountains. If you are like me, you will get lost in the glory of those rays and only notice when it’s too late that you did not capture the most alluring sunset.

Dinner in The Mara is a romantic affair.  You will have a wide selection of organically grown vegetables, all types of meat, including wild game, and drinks (both local and international).

The night is only starting when the bonfire is lit, and Maasai warriors arrive with their spears. They invite you to jump with them as they serenade you with their traditional songs and exaggerated stories of how they got their scars.

It’s also the perfect time to catch up with fellow travelers, but you also want to get to bed early for your next day morning’s drive (and optional hot air balloon ride).