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9 days · Kenya · Mid-range

9 Days Mara, Nakuru, Naivasha, Amboseli, Tsavo West & Taita Hills Midrange Safari

Nine days on a mid-range lodge circuit covering Kenya's west and south: the Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha, then Amboseli, Tsavo West and the Taita Hills — well placed for continuing to the coast.

  • 9 days
  • Kenya
  • Mid-range
  • Starts Nairobi
  • Ends Nairobi or Mombasa
Zebra wildebeest dust

Safari snapshot

At a glance

The essentials for comparing this journey before you enquire.

Duration
9 days
Country
Kenya
Destinations
Maasai Mara · Lake Nakuru · Lake Naivasha · Amboseli · Tsavo · Taita Hills
Safari style
Mid-range
Price
Price subject upon request
Starts
Nairobi
Ends
Nairobi or Mombasa

Best for

  • Travellers with more time
  • Travellers continuing to the coast
  • Couples

The route

From Nairobi to Nairobi or Mombasa

  1. Stop 1Nairobi
  2. Stop 2Maasai Mara
  3. Stop 3Lake Nakuru
  4. Stop 4Lake Naivasha
  5. Stop 5Amboseli
  6. Stop 6Tsavo West
  7. Stop 7Taita Hills
  8. Stop 8Nairobi

Safari highlights

What shapes the journey

  • Two nights in the Maasai Mara
  • Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha
  • Amboseli beneath Kilimanjaro
  • Tsavo West and the Taita Hills

Day by day

Nine days, day by day.

The plan is a guide: timings may change with road and park conditions and your group's interests. Wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed.

Two young lions on rocks

Day 1

Nairobi → Maasai Mara

Into the Mara

Leave Nairobi for the Maasai Mara, stopping above the Great Rift Valley to take in the view before continuing through Narok. The road descends onto the valley floor and crosses Maasai country, where the grassland gradually opens out. Arrive at your lodge for lunch, then set out on an afternoon game drive across the reserve's rolling grassland, looking for elephant, lion and the plains game they share the Mara with.

Overnight
Maasai Mara · lodge
Main activities
Afternoon game drive

Day 2

Maasai Mara National Reserve

A day of discovery

A full day exploring the Mara, with a picnic lunch in the bush. The reserve's open savannah makes wildlife easy to watch, and your guide will look for lion prides, cheetah on the termite mounds and the leopards of the riverine woodland. From about July to October, migrating herds may be present near the Mara River, depending on the rains.

Overnight
Maasai Mara · lodge
Main activities
Full-day game drive

Day 3

Maasai Mara → Lake Nakuru

East across the Rift Valley

After breakfast, drive east across the Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru, leaving the Mara's grassland for farmland, escarpments and volcanic hills. Arrive in time for an afternoon game drive in the national park, which protects black and white rhino and has a remarkable variety of birdlife along its shoreline. Buffalo, waterbuck and Rothschild's giraffe are often found in the acacia woodland near the lake.

Overnight
Buraha Zenoni, Lake Nakuru
Main activities
Afternoon game drive
Flamingo lake seen during an East African safari

Day 4

Lake Nakuru → Lake Naivasha

Rhinos in the morning, hippos by afternoon

Enjoy a morning drive in Lake Nakuru National Park, when rhinos are often grazing in the open and the escarpment catches the early light. Then continue the short distance to Lake Naivasha. In the afternoon, you can take an optional boat ride among hippos and fish eagles, or simply relax by the lake's papyrus-lined shore. The slower pace makes this a welcome break in a long route.

Overnight
Lake Naivasha · lodge
Main activities
Morning game drive · Optional boat ride

Day 5

Lake Naivasha → Amboseli

South to Kilimanjaro's foothills

Drive south past Nairobi to Amboseli National Park, a long but scenic transfer from the Rift Valley to the open plains of the south. Arrive in the afternoon. A late game drive explores the park's swamps and dusty plains, where elephant herds are a familiar sight and, when the weather allows, Kilimanjaro forms the backdrop. Evening light here can be exceptional for photography.

Overnight
Amboseli · lodge
Main activities
Afternoon game drive
Elephants at sunset

Day 6

Amboseli National Park

Elephants and wide horizons

Spend a full day in Amboseli. Elephants gather in the swamps, and buffalo, zebra, wildebeest and giraffe graze nearby. Lion, cheetah and hyena are also found here, and your guide will watch for their movements across the open ground. Break for lunch in the park, and climb Observation Hill for a panoramic view over the swamps and plains beneath Kilimanjaro.

Overnight
Amboseli · lodge
Main activities
Full-day game drive

Day 7

Amboseli → Tsavo West

Lava flows and clear springs

After a morning drive, head east to Tsavo West National Park, a rugged landscape of volcanic hills, lava flows and acacia bush that feels very different from Amboseli's open plains. Visit Mzima Springs, where clear water rises from underground and hippos can sometimes be seen, before a late game drive in search of Tsavo's red-dusted elephants. It is one of Kenya's largest and wildest parks.

Overnight
Tsavo West · lodge
Main activities
Morning game drive · Mzima Springs

Day 8

Tsavo West → Taita Hills

Into the Taita Hills

Continue to the Taita Hills area, where private wildlife sanctuaries lie between the Tsavo parks and green hills rise above the dry plains. Game drives here explore bush and open ground frequented by elephant and plains game, and the lodges overlook waterholes that animals visit to drink. Watching the waterhole as evening falls is a quiet, rewarding way to spend the last night of the safari.

Overnight
Taita Hills · lodge
Main activities
Game drive
Elephants under storm clouds

Day 9

Taita Hills → Nairobi or Mombasa

Onward to the city or coast

After an early game drive and breakfast, set off from the Taita Hills. Continue to Mombasa for a beach extension on the Indian Ocean coast, or return to Nairobi. Either way, the journey closes a route that ran from the Mara through the Rift Valley lakes, Amboseli and Tsavo West. Your planner will confirm the transfer to suit your plans and any onward flights.

Main activities
Early game drive

Recommended accommodation

Where you stay.

Named properties are the ones used for this package. Nights listed by category are confirmed with your quotation, subject to availability.

Accommodation category

Overnight at the lodge

Mid-range · Maasai Mara · 2 nights

Package accommodation

Buraha Zenoni

Mid-range · Lake Nakuru · 1 night

Accommodation category

Overnight at the lodge

Mid-range · Lake Naivasha · 1 night

Accommodation category

Overnight at the lodge

Mid-range · Amboseli · 2 nights

Accommodation category

Overnight at the lodge

Mid-range · Tsavo West · 1 night

Accommodation category

Overnight at the lodge

Mid-range · Taita Hills · 1 night

What’s included

Inclusions are itemised in your quotation.

Park fees, meals, transport and accommodation depend on the final plan, so your planner lists exactly what is and is not included before you book.

Flexible pricing

A clear quote for your journey.

The final price depends on when and how you travel: season, group size, accommodation level and private or shared transport.

Pricing

Price subject upon request

We quote this journey individually because travel dates, group size and accommodation availability change it significantly.

What affects the final price?

  • Travel dates and season
  • Group size
  • Accommodation availability
  • Private or shared vehicle
Request Exact Quote Ask on WhatsApp (opens WhatsApp)

Made around you

Make this safari yours.

Where operationally possible, a local planner can help adapt the journey without losing the route’s natural rhythm.

  • Travel dates and pace
  • Adding or removing nights where the route allows
  • Accommodation choices, subject to availability
  • Combining with another destination
Customise This Safari

Optional experiences

Add a different perspective.

Availability, location, age limits and extra costs are confirmed for your final itinerary.

Hot-air balloon safari over the Maasai Mara

Optional · extra cost · pre-arrangement required

Maasai village visit

Optional · extra cost

Verified guest voices

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External review source

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Read our reviews on SafariBookings

External review source

Tripadvisor

Read independent traveller feedback at its original source. Ratings and review totals remain on Tripadvisor, where they stay current.

Read our reviews on Tripadvisor

Before you travel

Safari questions, answered clearly.

How much does the 9 Days Mara, Nakuru, Naivasha, Amboseli, Tsavo West & Taita Hills Midrange Safari cost?

The 9 Days Mara, Nakuru, Naivasha, Amboseli, Tsavo West & Taita Hills Midrange Safari is quoted individually (price subject upon request), because travel dates, group size and accommodation availability change the cost. Share your dates and a planner will send an exact quotation.

Where does this safari start and finish?

It starts in Nairobi and finishes in Nairobi or Mombasa. Your planner can advise on arrival and departure arrangements.

Where will I stay?

The package uses Buraha Zenoni. Other nights are listed as “overnight at the lodge”: the specific property is confirmed with your quotation, subject to availability.

Is the day-by-day plan fixed?

Not yet. The plan shown is a suggested outline for this route; the final day-by-day itinerary, activities and timings are confirmed with your quotation.

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Travel planning

Start planning with a local expert

Your safari starts with a conversation.

Tell us your dates, travel style and what matters most. A Nairobi-based planner can shape the details with you.

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PricingPrice subject upon request
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