7-day Kenya: Go South – Diamond

‘Jambo!’ As you walk out of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, your personal Africa Safari Trips guide greets you with a big smile on his face. ‘Karibu Kenya – welcome to Kenya!’

Our Africa Safari Trips guide takes you straight from the airport to your hotel, which gives you the first impressions of the vibrant city of Nairobi. You take in the skyscrapers, the traffic with the motortaxis and colourful matatu’s (local public transport), and the hussle and bussle of people living their every day life…

Ask your guide anything that comes to mind, because he knows all about Kenyan life and culture. But not only that; he also gladly tells you everything about the beautiful national parks you are about to visit. So ask whatever you want – he will do his utmost best to answer all your questions…!

Today you make the beautiful six hour drive through Kenya’s Rift Valley to the Masai Mara National Reserve. Be ready for a  jawdropping sensation when you arrive on the amazingly beautiful savannah plains of the Masai Mara…!

After a late lunch you will get your first impression of these plains with its abundance of wildlife. The Masai Mara borders Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park and together they are home to Africa’s best known natural wonder: the annual great migration. Over 2,5 million animals roam the plains of Serengeti and the Masai Mara together, following the rains in search of green pastures.

The Reserve is named Masai Mara in honour of the Masai people. The Masai (also spelled Maasai) have lived in this region since they migrated from the Nile Basin centuries ago. Mara means spotted in the Maa language and refers to a landscape marked by many short bushy trees scattered all over the outstretched savannah.

The Masai Mara is known for its abundance of wildlife, and today you have a full day to try and spot them all! The National Reserve is home to more than 95 animal species and over 400 species of birds. From mid September to mid October the great migration arrives here. This means that huge herds of wildebeests, zebras, gazelles, antelopes and impalas can be seen trying to cross the Mara River.

In other months you can still spot the famous Big Five in the Masai Mara, as well as cheetahs, servals, hyenas, bat-eared foxes, black-backed or side-striped jackals, hippos, crocodiles, baboons, warthogs, topis, elands, waterbucks, oribis, reed-bucks and many, many more…!

The mesmerizing Lake Naivasha lies in the Kenyan Rift Valley at 1,884 meters above sea level and is the highest lake within the Great Rift Valley . Today you drive in four to five hours from Masai Mara National Reserve to this 139 square kilometers large freshwater lake.

In between 1937 and 1950, Lake Naivasha was a landing place for Imperial Airways planes. They flew from Durban to Dublin at a time when this took a several days of flying. Nowadays the lake forms a popular daytrip for Nairobi residents due to its proximity to the capital.

Nestled in between swamps, forests and rock formations, Lake Naivasha is the perfect place for an amazing boat safari in between groups of hippos and flamingos! On the shores, you might see zebras, wildebeests and giraffes. After that you experience walking amongst them as you take a guided walking safari on Crescent Island (the ‘hidden gem of Naivasha’) in the middle of the lake. It is as truly atmospheric place, where you might find some familiar settings as it was the primary filming location for the 1985 romantic drama ‘Out of Africa‘.

Amboseli National Park lies on the border between Kenya and Tanzania at a seven to eight hour drive from Lake Naivasha. You arrive here just in time for an afternoon gamedrive at sunset…!

Amboseli is almost 400 square kilometers in size and offers a magnificent view of the beautifully snowcapped Mount Kilimanjaro. The park is home to many animals but foremost famous for its large groups of free-roaming elephants. Here you will have the chance to take some iconic pictures of elephants in front of the Africa’s highest lone-standing mountain.

Up until 2020 the park was a safe haven to an incredible bull elephant named Tim (see picture). This mighty leviathan quickly became one of Amboseli’s major attractions because of his size and iconic tusks that reached the ground. He was around 50 years old at the time of his death in February 2020.

Today we advise you to get up early, and take the chance to do a gamedrive at sunrise – the time when animals are most active.

This day is reserved completely for game drives, which allows you to explore Amboseli to the fullest. It stretches over an area of 392 square kilometers and is dominated by acacia woodland, rocky thorny bush, swamps marshland and a Pleistocene lake. The usual safari suspects roam around here in good numbers: giraffes, zebras, buffalos, elephants of course and big cats like lions, cheetahs and leopards.

The Masai live close here and are actually the ones who gave the park its name: Kioko Lake is a lake in the middle of the park that often completely dries up during the dry season. The ashy earth that remains is called amboseli by the Maasai people. This is where the park’s name came from. During your time to Amboseli, you can also discover Maasai culture by visiting one of their villages.

Take in the beauty of Amboseli one last time, because this is the last day of your safari…! If you still want more, it is possible to add some national parks to your safari. Otherwise you can drive back to Nairobi for your flight back home.

However, we advise to hop on for an adventurous train ride to Mombasa to catch your flight there. Or to continue your holiday… on the beach!

Kenya has some amazing tropical beaches to help you unwind after your safari. We at Africa Safari Trips especially like the stunning stretches of beach in the south of Kenya. There is the beautiful Diani Beach 20 kilometers south of Mombasa, and lively Bamburi Beach north of the city. Think crystal blue oceans, sandy white beaches, endless pools and colourful cocktails. As a plus, historical Mombasa is just around the corner…!