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Zebra and wildebeest mingling on rolling plains

Kenya · 5 days · Budget

5 Days Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru & Lake Naivasha Budget Safari

Kenya's classic budget circuit: two nights in the Maasai Mara, a night on the shores of Lake Naivasha and a night at Lake Nakuru, with a rhino-sanctuary game drive before returning to Nairobi.

Duration
5 days · 4 nights
Countries
Kenya
Starts
Nairobi
Ends
Nairobi
Tier
Budget
Format
Group joining

Per personUSD 840 pp

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01 / Overview

The journey in brief.

Kenya's classic budget circuit: two nights in the Maasai Mara, a night on the shores of Lake Naivasha and a night at Lake Nakuru, with a rhino-sanctuary game drive before returning to Nairobi.

This 5-day budget itinerary starts in Nairobi and ends in Nairobi. Accommodation: Miti Mingi Eco Camp + Buraha Zenoni + Leisure Apex.

Ideal for
First safaris · Budget travellers · Group joining
Safari style
Budget · Group Joining

Destination guides: Maasai Mara · Lake Naivasha · Lake Nakuru

Route

  1. Nairobi

    Start

  2. Maasai Mara

    Stop 1

  3. Lake Naivasha

    Stop 2

  4. Lake Nakuru

    Stop 3

  5. Nairobi

    Finish

02 / Highlights

What stays with you.

  1. 01

    Two nights and a full day in the Maasai Mara

  2. 02

    Lake Naivasha's hippos and optional boat ride

  3. 03

    Rhino sanctuary game drive at Lake Nakuru

  4. 04

    Fixed budget properties throughout

03 / Day by day

Travel it day by day.

5 days · driving times are approximate

  1. Day 1 · Approx. 5–6 hours by road

    Nairobi to the Maasai Mara

    Your driver-guide collects you from your Nairobi hotel or the airport in the morning for a short safari briefing. The road climbs to a viewpoint over the Great Rift Valley before descending to Narok, where there is a stop for lunch. You reach the Maasai Mara in the afternoon and head out on your first game drive as the light softens across the plains.

    • Great Rift Valley viewpoint
    • Afternoon game drive
    Meals
    Lunch · Dinner
    Overnight
    Maasai Mara — Miti Mingi Eco Camp
    Leopard resting in tall reeds, watching from the grass

  2. Day 2

    Full day in the Maasai Mara

    A full day of game viewing across the Mara's rolling grasslands. The reserve's track network allows your guide to follow recent sightings of lion, cheetah, elephant and plains game. You carry a picnic lunch, often taken near the Mara River where hippo and crocodile gather. Between July and October the reserve also hosts the Great Migration herds, and resident wildlife is present all year.

    • Full-day game drive
    • Picnic lunch in the reserve
    Meals
    Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
    Overnight
    Maasai Mara — Miti Mingi Eco Camp
    Leopard draped along the branches of a tree
    Sun setting behind a lone acacia tree on the horizon

  3. Day 3 · Approx. 4–5 hours by road

    Maasai Mara to Lake Naivasha

    After breakfast and a final game drive, leave the Mara with a picnic lunch and drive to Lake Naivasha, arriving in the late afternoon. A boat ride on the lake can be added.

    Meals
    Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
    Overnight
    Lake Naivasha — Leisure Apex
    Aerial view of the crater of Mount Longonot

  4. Day 4 · Approx. 1.5 hours by road

    Lake Naivasha to Lake Nakuru

    An optional morning walk in Hell's Gate's gorges with a guide, then drive to Nakuru past views of Mount Longonot. Afternoon at leisure before dinner.

    Meals
    Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
    Overnight
    Lake Nakuru — Buraha Zenoni
    Great white pelicans gathered on the water

  5. Day 5 · Approx. 3–4 hours by road

    Lake Nakuru game drive and return to Nairobi

    After breakfast, a morning game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park. Lake Nakuru National Park is known for its rhino sanctuary, where both black and white rhino live, as well as Rothschild's giraffe, buffalo, waterbuck and lions. Flamingo numbers on the lake vary with the season and water levels. Drive back to Nairobi with lunch en route, arriving in the early afternoon for drop-off at your hotel or the airport.

    Meals
    Breakfast · Lunch
    Overnight
    End of safari
    Zebra on the grassy shore with flamingos crowding Lake Nakuru

04 / Where you stay

Budget camps and hotels.

Named properties are the budget stays we use on this route. Where the itinerary says “overnight at the camp/lodge”, your quotation confirms the exact stay.

  • Maasai Mara2 nights

    Miti Mingi Eco Camp

    Tented rooms among trees at Miti Mingi Eco Camp, Maasai MaraBed inside a tented room at Miti Mingi Eco Camp
  • Lake Naivasha1 night

    Leisure Apex

    Leisure Apex Resort building on the Moi South Lake Road, NaivashaDouble room at Leisure Apex Resort, Naivasha
  • Lake Nakuru1 night

    Buraha Zenoni

    Buraha Zenoni Hotel & Resort in Nakuru with its pool and gardensTwin room at Buraha Zenoni Hotel & Resort, Nakuru

Quick planning facts

Duration
5 days · 4 nights
Countries
Kenya
Starts
Nairobi
Ends
Nairobi
Tier
Budget
Format
Group joining
Accommodation
Miti Mingi Eco Camp + Buraha Zenoni + Leisure Apex
Best for
First safaris · Budget travellers

05 / What’s included

Clear from the start.

Included

  • Pick-up and drop-off at your Nairobi hotel or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
  • Transport in a 4x4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof for game viewing
  • Services of a professional English-speaking driver-guide
  • Accommodation as listed in the itinerary
  • Meals as listed day by day
  • Park and reserve entry fees for the parks visited
  • Game drives as listed in the itinerary
  • Drinking water in the vehicle (1 litre per person per day)

Not included

  • International flights and visa fees
  • Travel and medical insurance (strongly recommended)
  • Tips and gratuities for guides and camp staff
  • Alcoholic and soft drinks unless stated
  • Items of a personal nature such as laundry and phone calls
  • Optional activities not listed as included
  • Accommodation in Nairobi

06 / Pricing

Honest, complete pricing.

Prices are per person, in US dollars, for the complete 5-day package — not per day.

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Package price per person in US dollars
OptionComplete package
Per personUSD 840

Optional extras (not included)

  • Maasai village visitPaid directly to the community; price confirmed when you book.
  • Hot-air balloon safari over the Maasai MaraEarly-morning flight with bush breakfast; quoted on request.
  • Boat ride on Lake NaivashaAround one hour on the lake looking for hippo and birdlife.
  • Walk or cycle in Hell's Gate National ParkPark fees and bicycle hire quoted on request.

07 / Good to know

Questions, answered.

Important notes

  • Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed. Your guide will adapt the day to recent sightings, weather and road conditions.
  • Driving times are approximate and depend on road conditions, stops and wildlife encountered along the way.
  • Park and conservancy fees are set by the authorities and may change; any change is passed on at cost.
How much does this safari cost?

USD 840 pp for the complete 5-day package (per person, complete package). Prices are per person in US dollars. The pricing section lists exactly what is included.

Where does the safari start and finish?

It starts in Nairobi and finishes in Nairobi.

Is this a private or group-joining safari?

This itinerary usually runs as a group-joining safari, sharing the vehicle with other travellers to keep costs down. It can also be quoted as a private trip.

What accommodation is used?

The accommodation pattern is: Miti Mingi Eco Camp + Buraha Zenoni + Leisure Apex. Each night is listed in the day-by-day itinerary.

Can this itinerary be changed?

Yes. Dates, pace, accommodation level and the order of stops can usually be adjusted. Tell us what you have in mind when you enquire.

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5 days · Kenya

USD 840 pp

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