Skip to content
Sun setting behind a lone acacia tree on the horizon

Kenya · 9 days · Budget

9 Days Maasai Mara, Nairobi, Lake Naivasha, Amboseli & Tsavo Safari

Nine days across southern Kenya on a budget: the Maasai Mara, Lake Naivasha, a night back in Nairobi, then Amboseli beneath Kilimanjaro and the wide red-earth landscapes of Tsavo West and Tsavo East.

Duration
9 days · 8 nights
Countries
Kenya
Starts
Nairobi
Ends
Nairobi or Mombasa
Tier
Budget
Format
Private safari

Price on request

Request This SafariWhatsApp Us

01 / Overview

The journey in brief.

Nine days across southern Kenya on a budget: the Maasai Mara, Lake Naivasha, a night back in Nairobi, then Amboseli beneath Kilimanjaro and the wide red-earth landscapes of Tsavo West and Tsavo East.

This 9-day budget itinerary starts in Nairobi and ends in Nairobi or Mombasa. Accommodation: Miti Mingi Eco Camp + Leisure Apex + Nyati Safari Camp + Other stops: overnight at the camp/lodge.

Ideal for
Longer budget trips · Seeing a wide variety of parks
Safari style
Budget

Destination guides: Maasai Mara · Lake Naivasha · Nairobi · Amboseli · Tsavo

Route

  1. Nairobi

    Start

  2. Maasai Mara

    Stop 1

  3. Lake Naivasha

    Stop 2

  4. Nairobi

    Stop 3

  5. Amboseli

    Stop 4

  6. Tsavo West

    Stop 5

  7. Tsavo East

    Stop 6

  8. Nairobi or Mombasa

    Finish

02 / Highlights

What stays with you.

  1. 01

    Two nights in the Maasai Mara

  2. 02

    Lake Naivasha and Hell's Gate

  3. 03

    Two nights in Amboseli

  4. 04

    Tsavo West and Tsavo East

03 / Day by day

Travel it day by day.

9 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
    Male lion looking along a sandy track through tall 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
    Wildebeest leaping into the river during a migration crossing
    Dense herd of wildebeest crossing a river

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

    Maasai Mara to Lake Naivasha

    An early game drive and breakfast, then drive to Lake Naivasha. Afternoon free for an optional boat ride among hippos and fish eagles.

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

  4. Day 4 · Approx. 2 hours by road

    Hell's Gate and Nairobi

    An optional guided walk in Hell's Gate National Park in the morning, then drive to Nairobi. The afternoon is free to rest or visit city sights such as the Nairobi National Museum.

    Meals
    Breakfast
    Overnight
    Nairobi — Overnight at the camp/lodge
    Zebras grazing in Nairobi National Park below city towers

  5. Day 5 · Approx. 4 hours by road

    Nairobi to Amboseli

    Drive south to Amboseli National Park, arriving for lunch and an afternoon game drive among the park's elephant herds.

    Meals
    Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
    Overnight
    Amboseli — Nyati Safari Camp
    Elephants at dusk beneath the silhouette of Kilimanjaro

  6. Day 6

    Full day in Amboseli

    A full day of game drives across Amboseli's swamps and plains, with Kilimanjaro on the skyline when the clouds lift.

    Meals
    Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
    Overnight
    Amboseli — Nyati Safari Camp
    Elephant in the marsh with egrets and Kilimanjaro on the skyline
    Elephant herd moving across the open Amboseli plains

  7. Day 7 · Approx. 3–4 hours with game viewing

    Amboseli to Tsavo West

    Early game drive and breakfast, then continue to Tsavo West National Park with game viewing on the way. Afternoon game drive among the park's volcanic hills.

    Meals
    Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
    Overnight
    Tsavo — Overnight at the camp/lodge
    Red-dusted elephants of Tsavo gathered on the plains

  8. Day 8 · Approx. 3 hours by road

    Tsavo West to Tsavo East

    Morning game drive, then drive to Tsavo East, arriving for lunch. Afternoon game drive across the open plains.

    Meals
    Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
    Overnight
    Tsavo — Overnight at the camp/lodge
    Lesser kudu with spiral horns among dry bush

  9. Day 9 · Approx. 3 hours to Mombasa · 5–6 hours to Nairobi

    Tsavo East to Nairobi or Mombasa

    A final early game drive and breakfast, then transfer to Mombasa or the Kenyan coast, or drive back to Nairobi.

    Meals
    Breakfast · Lunch
    Overnight
    End of safari
    Zebra on a red-earth track through Tsavo scrub

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
  • Nairobi1 night

    Overnight at the camp/lodge

  • Amboseli2 nights

    Nyati Safari Camp

    Raised cabins at Nyati Safari Camp with Kilimanjaro in the distance
  • Tsavo2 nights

    Overnight at the camp/lodge

Quick planning facts

Duration
9 days · 8 nights
Countries
Kenya
Starts
Nairobi
Ends
Nairobi or Mombasa
Tier
Budget
Format
Private safari
Accommodation
Miti Mingi Eco Camp + Leisure Apex + Nyati Safari Camp + Other stops: overnight at the camp/lodge
Best for
Longer budget trips · Seeing a wide variety of parks

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.

This safari is priced on request. Your quotation covers the complete 9-day package, with the inclusions and exclusions shown on this page.

Request This SafariWhatsApp

Price on request

Pricing depends on your dates, group size and accommodation. We will send a clear quote for the complete package.

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

  • This package is quoted 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?

This 9-day safari is priced on request because rates depend on your dates, group size and accommodation. Send us your details and we will reply with a full quotation for the complete package.

Where does the safari start and finish?

It starts in Nairobi and finishes in Nairobi or Mombasa.

Is this a private or group-joining safari?

This itinerary is quoted as a private safari with your own vehicle and driver-guide.

What accommodation is used?

The accommodation pattern is: Miti Mingi Eco Camp + Leisure Apex + Nyati Safari Camp + Other stops: overnight at the camp/lodge. 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.

You may also like

All safaris

Ready to make this journey yours?

Tell us your dates, group size and travel style and our Nairobi team will tailor the safari.

Ask About This SafariWhatsApp

9 days · Kenya

Price on request

Request
WhatsApp — chat with our Nairobi team (opens WhatsApp)