5 Day Big Five Safari | Lake Nakuru National Park & Maasai Mara

Experience a classic introduction to Kenya on a five day private road safari through Lake Nakuru National Park and the Maasai Mara.

Travel from Nairobi through the Great Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru, where rhinos, abundant birdlife, and a compact wildlife rich landscape offer a rewarding start to your safari. From here, continue to the Maasai Mara for three nights among its sweeping savannahs and remarkable concentration of wildlife.

Your own private safari vehicle and dedicated guide remain with you throughout the journey, giving you flexibility along the way and the opportunity to experience Kenya’s changing landscapes by road.

Why We Designed It This Way

Choose this journey if you have five days and want a classic first safari without trying to see too much.

Rather than adding another park simply to cover more ground, we dedicate three nights to the Maasai Mara. This gives you more time for game drives and wildlife sightings, while Lake Nakuru adds a distinctly different ecosystem and the opportunity to see rhinos.

Keeping the entire journey privately guided by road also means you travel with the same guide and vehicle from Nairobi until your return, creating an easy and personal introduction to safari.

Journey Highlights

• Spend three nights in the Maasai Mara

• Explore Lake Nakuru National Park, one of Kenya’s best known areas for rhino sightings

• Search for the Big Five across two distinct wildlife regions

• Travel through Kenya’s Great Rift Valley

• Enjoy your own private safari vehicle and dedicated guide throughout

• Experience the changing landscapes between Nairobi, Lake Nakuru, and the Maasai Mara by road

All that remains is for you to experience Kenya.

At Tourwithpipi, we don’t just plan safaris we curate stories worth remembering. Every journey is crafted with heart, care, and authenticity.

From handpicked lodges to seasoned guides who know every secret corner of the savannah, we bring you closer to the true essence of Africa.

Expect seamless service, immersive experiences, and the kind of warmth that feels like traveling with family.

After breakfast, depart Nairobi by road and travel through the Great Rift Valley towards Lake Nakuru National Park. The journey takes you through changing landscapes as you make your way towards the park, known for its scenic escarpments, lake environment, rhino population, and diverse birdlife.

After lunch, head out for your first game drive across Lake Nakuru National Park. Explore the acacia woodlands, open plains, and areas surrounding the lake, with opportunities to encounter black and white rhinos, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, lions, and a variety of birdlife. Continue to Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge for dinner and a relaxed evening overlooking the park.

Overnight: Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge

After breakfast, depart Lake Nakuru by road and continue south towards the Maasai Mara National Reserve. As you travel, the landscape gradually changes from the Great Rift Valley to the open grasslands and rolling plains of the Mara.

After lunch, begin your first game drive in the Maasai Mara, exploring the reserve in search of lions, elephants, buffalo, cheetahs, giraffes, and other wildlife. Continue your game viewing into the afternoon before arriving at Sarova Mara Game Camp for dinner and your evening in the Mara.

Meals: Full Board

Overnight: Sarova Mara Game Camp

After breakfast, set out for a full day of game drives across the Maasai Mara, exploring its vast savannahs and wildlife-rich landscapes. With a full day in the reserve, there are opportunities to search for the Big Five, including lions, elephants, buffalo, leopards, and rhinos, along with the many other species found across the Mara.

Enjoy lunch during the day before continuing your game drives through the afternoon, exploring different areas of the reserve and experiencing the changing landscapes and wildlife activity. Return to Sarova Mara Game Camp in the evening

Meals: Full Board

Overnight: Sarova Mara Game Camp

Enjoy another full day exploring the Maasai Mara on game drives. The additional time in the reserve allows you to explore more of its open plains and search for the wildlife that makes the Mara one of Africa's most celebrated safari destinations.

Continue looking for lions, elephants, buffalo, leopards, and other wildlife, while experiencing the diverse landscapes of the reserve at a relaxed pace. Return to Sarova Mara Game Camp after your day's game viewing for your final evening in the Mara.

Meals: Full Board

Overnight: Sarova Mara Game Camp

After breakfast, depart the Maasai Mara by road and begin your journey back to Nairobi. Travel through the Kenyan countryside, enjoying the changing landscapes as you leave the Mara behind.

Arrive in Nairobi and continue with your onward arrangements, bringing your five-day safari through Lake Nakuru and the Maasai Mara to an end.

Meals: Breakfast