6 Day Amboseli and Masai Mara Safari

Our Amboseli and Masai Mara safari brings together Kenya's two most iconic wildlife destinations in six unforgettable days. You start with elephants beneath snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro in Amboseli, break the journey with a boat ride and walking safari at Lake Naivasha, then finish among the lions, cheetahs and vast plains of the Masai Mara, before returning to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

This Amboseli and Masai Mara safari is ideal for first-time visitors who want the classic Kenya experience, for photographers chasing Kilimanjaro and big cats in one trip, and for families and honeymooners looking for variety. Prices for 2, 4 and 6 guests sharing a double room are shown in the table above for low, mid and peak season.

In This Guide

• Safari at a Glance
• Day-by-Day Itinerary
• Where You Stay
• The Destinations
• Wildlife You Can Expect
• What Is Included
• Seasons and When to Go
• Tips for Your Safari
• Frequently Asked Questions

Amboseli and Masai Mara Safari at a Glance

• Duration: 6 days, 5 nights
• Route: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Amboseli (2 nights), Lake Naivasha (1 night), Masai Mara (2 nights), JKIA
• Accommodation: Amboseli Sopa Lodge, Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort and Masai Mara Sopa Lodge, all on full board
• Vehicle: private 4x4 pop-up roof Land Cruiser with a professional English-speaking driver-guide
• Highlights: elephants and Kilimanjaro, a Lake Naivasha boat ride, a Crescent Island walk, big cats in the Masai Mara and a Maasai village visit
• Group sizes priced: 2, 4 or 6 guests sharing double rooms
• Best for: first-time visitors, photographers, families and honeymooners

Amboseli and the Masai Mara lie on opposite sides of Nairobi, so a stop at Lake Naivasha on the way between them makes the journey far more comfortable. It also adds a completely different experience to your Amboseli and Masai Mara safari: a boat ride among hippos and a walk among giraffes and zebras.

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Nairobi (JKIA) to Amboseli

Your driver-guide meets you in the arrivals hall at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, loads your luggage into the Land Cruiser and heads south towards the Tanzanian border. The landscape opens into dry bush and Maasai grazing land, and on a clear day the snowy summit of Kilimanjaro appears long before you reach the park.

You arrive at Amboseli Sopa Lodge in time for lunch. In the afternoon you drive into Amboseli National Park for your first game drive, where elephant families walk in long lines towards the swamps and the mountain often emerges from the clouds at sunset. Return to the lodge for dinner.

Meals: lunch and dinner. Overnight: Amboseli Sopa Lodge.

Day 2: A Full Day in Amboseli

Early morning is usually the clearest time to see Kilimanjaro, so your guide may head straight for a viewpoint where elephants graze with the mountain behind them. The day continues around the green swamps of Enkongo Narok and Longinye, where elephants wade belly-deep and hippos rest in the water, and across the plains in search of lions, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras and wildebeest.

A climb up Observation Hill gives you a panoramic view of the swamps, the dry lake bed and the mountain. Lunch can be enjoyed as a picnic in the park or at the lodge, followed by an afternoon game drive. Return to the lodge for dinner.

Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight: Amboseli Sopa Lodge.

Day 3: Amboseli to Lake Naivasha

After an early breakfast with a final view of Kilimanjaro, you drive north past Nairobi and down into the Great Rift Valley to Lake Naivasha, arriving at Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort for lunch. In the afternoon, a boat takes you across the lake past hippos, fish eagles and drowned acacia trees to Crescent Island. Here you walk with a guide among giraffes, zebras, wildebeest and waterbuck, a refreshing change after two days in the vehicle. Dinner and overnight at the resort.

Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight: Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort.

Day 4: Lake Naivasha to the Masai Mara

After breakfast, you continue south-west through Narok to the Masai Mara, arriving at Masai Mara Sopa Lodge for lunch. In the afternoon you set out on your first game drive in the Masai Mara National Reserve, searching for lions, elephants and herds of zebra, topi and gazelle in the golden evening light. Return to the lodge at sunset for dinner.

Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight: Masai Mara Sopa Lodge.

Day 5: A Full Day in the Masai Mara and a Maasai Village Visit

Spend the whole day exploring the reserve with a picnic lunch. Your guide follows the latest sightings in search of lions, cheetahs, leopards, buffaloes and elephants. Between July and October, you may visit the Mara River in the hope of witnessing a wildebeest crossing during the Great Migration. In the late afternoon you visit a Maasai village, where your hosts share their songs, dances and way of life. Return to the lodge for dinner.

Meals: breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner. Overnight: Masai Mara Sopa Lodge.

Day 6: Masai Mara to Nairobi (JKIA)

After breakfast, you check out and drive back to Nairobi, stopping for lunch en route. Your Amboseli and Masai Mara safari ends with a drop-off at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in time for your onward flight.

Meals: breakfast and lunch en route.

Where You Stay

Amboseli Sopa Lodge (2 nights)

Amboseli Sopa Lodge sits in peaceful gardens and acacia woodland on the eastern side of the Amboseli ecosystem, with cottages, a swimming pool, a restaurant and a bar. The lodge is outside the park, so park fees are charged for each day you enter the park on game drives, and both days are included in your price.

Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort (1 night)

Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort lies on the lake shore in lawns shaded by yellow fever trees, with spacious cottages and a swimming pool. Hippos often graze on the lawns at night, and staff escort guests after dark.

Masai Mara Sopa Lodge (2 nights)

Masai Mara Sopa Lodge stands on a hillside near the Oloolaimutia gate, with thatched round cottages and terraces overlooking the hills. The reserve management treats the lodge as part of the reserve, so reserve fees apply for each night you stay, and these are included in your price.

All meals are on a full board basis throughout your Amboseli and Masai Mara safari, so breakfast, lunch and dinner are taken care of at every lodge.

The Destinations

Amboseli National Park

Amboseli National Park covers about 392 square kilometres at the foot of Kilimanjaro. Managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service, it is the core of a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Springs fed by the mountain's snowmelt create swamps that attract large herds of elephants, among the most studied in the world. Read our guide to attractions in Amboseli National Park.

Lake Naivasha

Lake Naivasha is a freshwater lake in the Great Rift Valley, home to hippos and more than 400 bird species. Crescent Island, a private sanctuary on the lake, is reached by boat on this package, and both the boat ride and island entry are included. Read our guide to Lake Naivasha and Crescent Island.

The Masai Mara National Reserve

The Masai Mara National Reserve covers about 1,510 square kilometres of grassland, managed by Narok County Government, with the western Mara Triangle run by the Mara Conservancy. It is famous for big cats and the Great Migration. Read our guide to the Masai Mara safari and our comparison of Masai Mara vs Amboseli.

Wildlife You Can Expect on an Amboseli and Masai Mara Safari

• Elephants: large herds in Amboseli, often photographed with Kilimanjaro behind them, and family groups in the Mara.
• Big cats: lions and cheetahs in both parks, with leopards possible in the Mara.
• Buffaloes and hippos: in the Amboseli swamps, Lake Naivasha and the Mara River.
• Giraffes, zebras and wildebeest: on the plains of both parks and on foot at Crescent Island.
• Antelopes: gazelles, impalas, topis, elands and waterbucks.
• Birds: fish eagles, pelicans, crowned cranes, kingfishers, secretary birds and hundreds more.

Combining these two parks gives you an excellent chance of seeing four of the Big Five, as well as a wide range of other species. See our guide to the Big Five in Kenya and 10 animals in the Masai Mara.

What Is Included in Your Amboseli and Masai Mara Safari

Included

• Airport pick-up and drop-off at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
• All accommodation: 2 nights at Amboseli Sopa Lodge, 1 night at Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort and 2 nights at Masai Mara Sopa Lodge, sharing a double room
• Full board meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner, including a picnic lunch on the full Mara game-drive day
• En route lunch on the last day before your airport drop-off
• All park and reserve entry fees for Amboseli National Park and the Masai Mara National Reserve
• Activity fees: Lake Naivasha boat ride, Crescent Island walking safari and Maasai village visit
• Transport in a private 4x4 pop-up roof Land Cruiser
• Services of a professional English-speaking driver-guide
• Drinking water in the vehicle during the safari

Not Included

• International and domestic flights
• Kenya Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) and travel insurance
• Drinks at the lodges, tips and items of a personal nature
• Optional activities such as a hot air balloon safari
• Room upgrades, suites and festive or Easter season supplements

Before you travel, apply for your Kenya eTA and read our Kenya visa guide.

Seasons and When to Go

The price table at the top of this page shows rates for three seasons, based on the dates used by the lodges:

• Low season: 1 April to 31 May, the green season during the long rains.
• Mid season: 2 January to 31 March, 1 to 30 June and 1 November to 21 December.
• Peak season: 1 July to 31 October and 22 December to 1 January.

Masai Mara reserve fees are higher from July to December, so guests travelling between 1 November and 21 December pay a small supplement per person, shown in the note under the price table. An Amboseli and Masai Mara safari is rewarding all year: July to October brings the Great Migration to the Mara and dry weather to Amboseli, January to March is warm and dry, and April to May offers lush landscapes and quieter parks.

See our guides to the best time to visit Kenya and the best time to visit the Masai Mara.

Tips for Your Amboseli and Masai Mara Safari

• Get up early in Amboseli: Kilimanjaro is usually clearest at sunrise.
• Protect your camera from dust: Amboseli's plains can be dusty in the dry season.
• Wear closed shoes: for the walk on Crescent Island.
• Pack layers: mornings are cool, while afternoons can be hot.
• Bring a zoom lens and binoculars: for distant elephants, big cats and birds.
• Use soft luggage: it fits more easily into the Land Cruiser.

For a complete checklist, read our Kenya safari packing list and our Kenya photography safari tips.

Why Choose This Amboseli and Masai Mara Safari

Many travellers struggle to choose between Amboseli and the Masai Mara. This Amboseli and Masai Mara safari means you do not have to: you see elephants beneath Africa's highest mountain and the big cats of the most famous reserve in Kenya, all in under a week. The overnight stop at Lake Naivasha turns a long transfer into a highlight of its own.

A private Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof gives everyone a clear view, and your driver-guide stays with you from airport pick-up to drop-off. Two nights in each main park allow for a full day of game viewing in both, rather than rushed drives.

The trip also includes cultural and walking experiences that many safaris leave out, giving you a richer picture of Kenya's people and landscapes.

Amboseli and Masai Mara Safari: Two Parks Compared

Every Amboseli and Masai Mara safari shows you two very different sides of Kenya. Amboseli is open and flat, with permanent swamps and the towering backdrop of Kilimanjaro. It is the place for close encounters with elephants and for wide landscape photographs. The Masai Mara is rolling savannah crossed by rivers and dotted with acacias, with some of the highest densities of predators in Africa.

In Amboseli you will often see elephants within metres of the vehicle, while in the Mara your guide may spend time tracking a pride of lions or waiting for a cheetah to hunt. Amboseli tends to be drier and dustier, while the Mara is greener for much of the year. Together, they give an Amboseli and Masai Mara safari a balance of scenery and wildlife that is hard to match elsewhere.

Guests often tell us they could not choose a favourite park at the end of their Amboseli and Masai Mara safari, which is exactly why we combine them. If you can only visit one, read our guide to Masai Mara vs Amboseli, but if time allows, an Amboseli and Masai Mara safari is the best of both worlds.

Perfect for Honeymooners and Photographers

The contrast between Amboseli and the Mara makes this one of the most photogenic routes in East Africa. In Amboseli, elephants walk in front of Kilimanjaro's snowy summit, and the dusty plains glow at sunset. At Naivasha, the drowned trees, fish eagles and boat ride offer reflections and close-ups. In the Mara, big cats on termite mounds and open skies create classic safari scenes.

For couples, the mix of game drives, lakeside relaxation and quiet evenings under the stars makes an Amboseli and Masai Mara safari a romantic choice. Ask us about room upgrades, honeymoon suites or adding a few days on the beach. Read our Kenya honeymoon safari guide for ideas.

A Note on Driving Times

Every Amboseli and Masai Mara safari by road involves some long drives, and this route is planned to keep them manageable. The drive from the airport to Amboseli takes about four to five hours, from Amboseli to Lake Naivasha about five to six hours via Nairobi, from Naivasha to the Mara about four to five hours, and from the Mara back to the airport about five to six hours. Your guide will stop for comfort breaks and viewpoints, and drinking water is always on hand in the vehicle.

If you prefer less driving, we can include a scheduled flight between the Mara and Nairobi at extra cost. Just ask when booking your Amboseli and Masai Mara safari.

Extend Your Safari

• Add Lake Nakuru's rhinos with our 7 Day Kenya Safari: Amboseli to Masai Mara
• Add the wild north with our 10 Day Kenya Safari: The Grand Sopa Circuit
• Finish on the beach using our Kenya safari and beach holiday guide
• Add a sunrise hot air balloon safari over the Mara

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the Amboseli and Masai Mara safari stop at Lake Naivasha? Amboseli and the Mara are on opposite sides of Nairobi, so Naivasha breaks the long journey and adds a boat ride and walking safari.

Is the boat ride included? Yes. Crescent Island is reached by boat on this package, and both the boat and island entry are included.

Can children join this safari? Yes. The lodges offer reduced rates for children sharing with adults. Contact us for a family quote.

Will we see Kilimanjaro? The mountain is often visible early in the morning and late in the afternoon, although cloud can hide it, especially in the rains.

Is the vehicle private? Yes. Your group has its own 4x4 pop-up roof Land Cruiser and driver-guide throughout.

Book Your Amboseli and Masai Mara Safari

Ready for elephants beneath Kilimanjaro and big cats on the Mara plains? Check the price table above for your travel dates and group size, then send us a booking request using the form below, or contact us with any questions. You can also browse more Kenya safari packages.