Kenya · 6 days · BudgetTop Pick
6 Days Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru & Lake Naivasha Budget Safari
Our unhurried budget version of Kenya's classic circuit: two nights in the Maasai Mara, a rhino game drive at Lake Nakuru and two nights on Lake Naivasha with time for a boat ride and Hell's Gate.
- Duration
- 6 days · 5 nights
- Countries
- Kenya
- Starts
- Nairobi
- Ends
- Nairobi
- Tier
- Budget
- Format
- Group joining
01 / Overview
The journey in brief.
Our unhurried budget version of Kenya's classic circuit: two nights in the Maasai Mara, a rhino game drive at Lake Nakuru and two nights on Lake Naivasha with time for a boat ride and Hell's Gate.
This 6-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 Nakuru · Lake Naivasha
Route
Nairobi
Start
Maasai Mara
Stop 1
Lake Nakuru
Stop 2
Lake Naivasha
Stop 3
Nairobi
Finish
02 / Highlights
What stays with you.
- 01
Two nights and a full day in the Maasai Mara
- 02
Maasai village visit option on the way out
- 03
Rhino sanctuary drive at Lake Nakuru
- 04
Two relaxed nights at Lake Naivasha
03 / Day by day
Travel it day by day.
6 days · driving times are approximate
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
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
Day 3 · Approx. 5 hours by road
Maasai Mara to Lake Nakuru
After breakfast there is an optional visit to a Maasai village to learn about daily life and customs. Then leave the Mara region for Nakuru, with lunch en route and views of Mount Longonot and Lake Naivasha from the highway.
- Meals
- Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
- Overnight
- Lake Nakuru — Buraha Zenoni
Day 4 · Approx. 1.5 hours by road
Lake Nakuru to Lake Naivasha
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. After lunch, drive to Lake Naivasha for a relaxed evening by the lake.
- Meals
- Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
- Overnight
- Lake Naivasha — Leisure Apex
Day 5
Lake Naivasha
A day at a gentler pace. Choose a boat ride among Naivasha's hippos and fish eagles, a guided walk or cycle through the gorges of Hell's Gate National Park — one of the few Kenyan parks where you can explore on foot — or simply rest.
- Optional boat ride
- Optional Hell's Gate walk or cycle
- Meals
- Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
- Overnight
- Lake Naivasha — Leisure Apex
Day 6 · Approx. 2 hours by road
Lake Naivasha to Nairobi
After breakfast, the short drive back to Nairobi for drop-off at your hotel or the airport.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Overnight
- End of safari
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
- Lake Nakuru1 night
Buraha Zenoni
- Lake Naivasha2 nights
Leisure Apex
Quick planning facts
- Duration
- 6 days · 5 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
06 / Pricing
Honest, complete pricing.
Prices are per person, in US dollars, for the complete 6-day package — not per day.
| Option | Complete package |
|---|---|
| Low season, per person | USD 830 |
| High season, per person | USD 1,030 |
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
- Seasonal prices: low and high season dates are confirmed with your quotation.
- Vegetarian, non-vegetarian and special meals can be arranged on request.
- 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?
From USD 830 pp for the complete 6-day package (low season usd 830 · high season usd 1,030). 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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Ready to make this journey yours?
Tell us your dates, group size and travel style and our Nairobi team will tailor the safari.