A Complete 9 Day Kenya Safari Tour

This complete 9 Day Kenya Safari Tour will take you to the country’s finest parks, landscapes, animal sightings, and cultural encounters, with plenty of time for game drives and relaxation as well. You will have the opportunity to discover so much of the country’s wildlife.

 From endangered rhinos to the exciting big cats, you’ll enjoy 9 full days of mountains, rivers, savannahs, and all the big game that inhabit this fascinating natural world. By Jeep, boat, bike, and foot this long-haul adventure will give you opportunities to get up close to dozens of species and deliver memories to last a lifetime.

9 Day Kenya Safari Tour Highlights

  • Sights of dust-red elephant browsing as they stroll majestically in Tsavo
  • Large Elephant herds and other animal species at the amboseli
  • The snow-capped peaks of the highest mountain in Africa at Amboseli
  • Boat ride at Lake Naivasha and visit to Hell’s gate
  • A guided walking safari at the Crescent Island
  • Hundreds of bird species including few flamingoes, pelicans and others at Lake Nakuru
  • See Black and white rhinos at Lake Nakuru
  • The Great Rift Valley escarpment – awesome scenery
  • 2 nights / days at the Masai Mara game reserve
  • Unlimited game viewing drives
  • Tree studded typical savannah terrain and a multitude of Wild animal species and colorful Masai tribesmen at the Masai Mara
  • Masai village visit – (arrange with your driver guide) – Optional
  • Hot air balloon ride at Masai Mara – Optional
3 Day Masai Mara Safari (2)

9 Day Kenya Safari Tour Summary

Day 1: Nairobi – Tsavo East: (340km-Appr 5 hrs)

Day 2: Tsavo East- Tsavo West

Day 3: Tsavo West – Amboseli: 100kms Appr 2 hrs:

Day 4: Amboseli National Park

Day 5: Amboseli- Lake Naivasha – (340 km: Approx. 6  hrs)

Day 6: Lake Naivasha – Hell’s Gate – Lake Nakuru:  (70km:2 hrs)

Day 7: Lake Nakuru – Masai Mara:(300 km: 6 hrs)

Day 8: Full Day – Masai Mara

Day 9: Masai Mara – Nairobi: (265km: 5hrs)

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Nairobi – Tsavo East: (340km-Appr 5 hrs)

Around 6 a.m., your driver/guide will pick you up from your hotel, residence, or Nairobi airport. You’ll travel in a private 4×4 safari vehicle along the Mombasa/Nairobi Highway to Tsavo East, with scheduled stops along the way to stretch and take in the scenic views.

Arriving at Tsavo East you’ll know you’ve come to a huge park, covering over 13,700km² (1,370,000 hectares). Tsavo is home to amazing red elephants but its best known for the folklore tales of Man-eaters, a pair of male lions, nicknamed The Ghost and The Darkness that stalked and killed many labourers during the construction of the Ugandan Railway.  

We’ll kick off our first game drive of the 9 Day Kenya Safari Tour, searching for iconic animals such as the elephants, gerenuks, giraffes, lions, buffalo, zebras, and more, as we explore the vast and rugged landscape. The area is also home to a wide variety of bird species, with over 500 recorded, including the golden-breasted starling, red-bellied parrot, vulturine guineafowl, and Somali ostrich. Your driver/guide will highlight key sights and help you spot the wildlife en route. As the day draws to a close, you’ll enjoy your first of many breathtaking African sunsets.

Accommodation Options

Budget: Ngulia Safari Lodge

Midrange: Kilaguni Serena Lodge

Luxury: Kilaguni Serena Lodge/Salt Lick Safari Lodge/Severin Safari Camp

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Day 2: Tsavo East- Tsavo West

Now that we’re following the safari schedule, we’ll rise early to listen to the birdsong and witness the first light of day break over the park. It’s time for an early game drive to spot wildlife as it starts its day. After breakfast, we’ll head out for another game drive before leaving the park for the short journey to Tsavo West.

Tsavo West is more developed than Tsavo East and is located near the snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro – Africa’s tallest mountain. The park is geologically intriguing, with dramatic mountains, inselbergs, and steep cliffs formed by ancient (and relatively recent) tectonic shifts and volcanic eruptions. It is home to all the Big Five. We’ll visit the Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary to track these fascinating, though often elusive, creatures.

Accommodation Options

Budget: Ngulia Safari Lodge

Midrange: Kilaguni Serena Lodge

Luxury: Kilaguni Serena Lodge/Salt Lick Safari Lodge/Severin Safari Camp

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Day 3: Tsavo West – Amboseli: 100kms Appr 2 hrs:

We begin our day early with a morning game drive, watching the African sunrise as the natural world comes to life in the cool morning air. 

Our next stop is Mzima Springs, a major attraction in Tsavo West. Beneath the volcanic Chyulu Hills, water naturally seeps through the porous rock, emerging at these springs as clean, filtered water. At the springs, you can enter a glass viewing chamber to observe the vibrant underwater life, including schools of fish, crocodiles, and resident hippos. The area is surrounded by dense date and raffia palms, along with various fruiting trees, which attract numerous bird species and primates.

From Mzima, we shall visit the Shetani lava flow. ‘Shetani’ means ‘devil’ in Kiswahili: the flows were formed only a few hundred years ago and local peoples believed that it was the devil himself emerging from the earth. This vast expanse of folded black lava spreads for 50 sq km across the savanna. It is inhabited by nimble klipspringers and ubiquitous hyraxes.

From Tsavo, we proceed to the spectacular Amboseli national park for an afternoon game viewing drive. Game viewing here shall be a leisurely activity.

Accommodation Options:

Midrange: Amboseli Sopa Lodge/ AA Amboseli Lodge/ Sentrim Amboseli Camp

Luxury: Amboseli Serena lodge/Oltukai lodge/ Kibo Safari Camp

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 4: Amboseli National Park

Amboseli National Park is home to some of the biggest elephants in Africa. And if you and looking for that iconic safari photograph of elephants with Mount Kilimanjaro in the background, Amboseli is the place to snap it. Today, you will enjoy unlimited game drives in the park, guided by experts who will reveal all the wonders of Amboseli’s unique ecosystem. 

We’ve also included time for relaxation. The day will start with an early morning game drive, followed by breakfast. Afterward, we’ll embark on a mid-morning drive. After a leisurely lunch, we’ll head out again for a late afternoon game drive.

Accommodation Options:

Midrange: Amboseli Sopa Lodge/ AA Amboseli Lodge/ Sentrim Amboseli Camp

Luxury: Amboseli Serena lodge/Oltukai lodge/ Kibo Safari Camp

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Amboseli- Lake Naivasha – (340 km: Approx. 6 hrs.)

We have an exciting day ahead, so we will rise early and bid farewell to the majestic mountain as we head toward the Great Rift Valley, taking in its dramatic towers and gorges. Our destination is Lake Naivasha, a large freshwater lake nestled in the rift valley, surrounded by grassy shores and olive trees. Take a boat cruise the lake, watching for hippos and buffalo; and peer through your binoculars to spot lovebirds, ibis, pelicans and fish eagles. Step ashore at Crescent Island—a peaceful wildlife sanctuary located in the middle of the lake— and enjoy a guided stroll in search of wildebeest, waterbucks, zebras, and giraffes.

Accommodation Options:

Midrange: Elsamere Lodge/Naivasha Crescent Camp

Luxury: Lake Naivasha sopa/ Chui Lodge/ Lake Naivasha Country club

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6: Lake Naivasha – Hell’s Gate - Lake Nakuru: (70km:2 hrs)

Hire bikes and cycle to the nearby Hell’s Gate National Park. If you’re a Lion King fan, you’ll be impressed that the rock formation at Hell’s Gate Gorge is what inspired Pride Rock. Explore the park on foot, strolling past grazing buffaloes, giraffes, impalas and zebras.

From Hell, a short 1 hour drive will take us to the Lake Nakuru, known for harbouring flocks of pink flamingos and a rich variety of bird species. Arrive at our safari lodge inside Lake Nakuru National Park in time for lunch, and seek out the resident black rhinos, white rhinos, giraffes, lions, and leopards on a late afternoon wildlife drive.

Your Accommodation Choice:

Midrange: Lake Nakuru Lodge/ Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge/ Sarova Woodlands

Luxury: Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge/ Cliff Nakuru Lodge/ Flamingo Hill Tented Camp

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 7: Lake Nakuru – Masai Mara: (300 km: 6 hrs)

Start the day with an early game drive as you leave Lake Nakuru National Park and head to the Masai Mara National Reserve. With its sparse open plains, dramatic skies and some of the world’s most tremendous animals, the Masai Mara is the quintessential African experience. After setting settling down in your lodge or camp, enjoy lunch. Then, it’s time to jump in 4×4 and go for a game drive through the wilderness of the Mara, looking out for all your wildlife favourites form the Lion King – think wildebeest, lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffalo, elephants and rhino. In the evening, unwind at the camp, taking in the stunning views of the expansive plains.

Accommodation Options:

Midrange: Jambo Mara Safari Lodge/ Mara Sopa Lodge/ Mara Leisure Camp

Luxury: Mara Serena Safari Lodge/Mara River Camp/Ashnil Mara Camp

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 8: Full Day – Masai Mara

Today shall be a game viewing extravaganza! Masai Mara remains one of the most exciting wildlife eco-systems on Earth. It is host the highest and most varied concentration of wild animals than any other wildlife park in Africa. The scenic appeal of the tree studded savannah plains, the moderate climate and diversity of wild game species makes it a one stop shop for game viewing activities.

We shall traverse the Mara on a full day of unlimited game drives in search of the Big 5 and other remarkable wildlife encounters. During the migration season (July – October), witness the Great Migration. It’s been called the greatest natural spectacle on the planet and with good reason. Each year from July to October, as many as 1.5 million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebras and gazelles make a dramatic crossing of the crocodile-infested Mara River to feed on the lush grasses of the Masai Mara.

The flood of animals filling the open savanna includes herds of elephants and giraffes, and trailing this sea of prey are lions, leopards, cheetahs and hyenas. Needless to say, there is never a shortage of drama during the Great Migration.

Accommodation Options:

Midrange: Jambo Mara Safari Lodge/ Mara Sopa Lodge/ Mara Leisure Camp

Luxury: Mara Serena Safari Lodge/Mara River Camp/Ashnil Mara Camp

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 9: Masai Mara – Nairobi: (265km: 5hrs)

Say goodbye to the African bush and return to the bustling metropolis of Nairobi. When you arrive, you’ll be dropped at a centrally located hotel and you’re free to leave at any time.

*Please note: Extensions to Tanzania, Uganda or Rwanda can easily be organized. Please don’t hesitate to ask for our expert assistance.

Accommodation: Not Included

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch

End of the 9 Day Kenya Safari Tour

Inclusions

  • Courtesy Pick up / Drop off at Nairobi Airport
  • Courtesy Pick up / Drop off at Nairobi Hotel or Residence
  • Transport in a customized pop up top 4 x 4 Land Cruiser jeep
  • Services of an experienced English or other language speaking safari tour guide/driver.
  • Stay in midrange or luxury lodges / tented camps (please pick your choice).
  • Private game viewing drives in a 4×4 pop up top Land Cruiser jeep
  • Boat safari at Lake Naivasha
  • A guided walking safari at the Crescent Island
  • Bicycle hire/ride/walking safari at Hell’s Gate National Park
  • Park entrance fees
  • All meals on safari
  • Bottled drinking water in safari vehicle
  • Government taxes and local levies

Exclusions

  • International flights from/to home
  • Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
  • Tips
  • Personal items like souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
  • Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees