3 Days Masai Mara & Lake Nakuru Safari

Safari Duration: 3 days

3 Days Masai Mara & Lake Nakuru Safari

Where wild instincts meet still waters — and time pauses long enough for you to feel it

Itinerary Overview

This isn’t a race through Kenya. It’s a well-paced story with two acts — one full of raw, untamed motion, the other calm and feathered with color. In just three days, you’ll look a lion in the eye. You’ll hear silence break as hooves charge across the plains.

And by the time you reach Lake Nakuru, you’ll feel how peaceful the wild can be. This safari gives you space to experience both sides of nature — the thrill and the stillness.

Tour Summary

Destinations: Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru
Duration: 3 Days / 2 Nights
Start/End Location: Nairobi
Activities: Game drives, birdwatching, scenic Rift Valley travel
Best For: Curious travelers, couples, short-stay adventurers, photographers

Itinerary Gallery

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Nairobi to Masai Mara – Afternoon Game Drive

Before the city wakes, your wheels are already rolling as you drive out of Nairobi just as the sun lifts above the skyline, casting long shadows across the Great Rift Valley.

You’ll stop to stretch, take in the silence, and watch the land fall away beneath you — vast and wild.

By early afternoon, you arrive in the Masai Mara. After lunch, the real journey begins. The game drive is slow, intentional and very rewarding. You scan the horizon and suddenly — movement. A lioness lifts her head.

Zebras gather near a stream. Elephants cross the track with the confidence of kings. This isn’t a documentary. This is you experiencing it firsthand.

The light softens. The air cools. And as you return to camp, you realize the day has given you more than sightings. It’s given you awe and memories you will never forget.

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation Options:

Budget: Rhino Tourist Camp
Mid-range: Jambo Mara Safari Lodge
Luxury: Mara Serena Safari Lodge / Ashnil Mara Camp

Day 2: Sunrise in the Mara – Transfer to Lake Nakuru

The bush doesn’t sleep and so, this morning, you will feel that. At first light, you’re out again and prepare for the early morning game drive in search of the wild attractions of Maasai Mara.

After the encounter of many sightings, it’s time for breakfast. After that, begin the drive to Lake Nakuru begins. The rhythm changes. Hills roll past your window.

Maasai villages give way to acacia-covered valleys. You arrive at Lake Nakuru by mid-afternoon and enter the park.

In Lake Nakuru National park, the mood is calmer here but, you begin your afternoon game viewing as you drift slowly along the lake’s edge. Pink flamingos shift in wide lines. A black rhino grazes just meters away, unconcerned. It’s not loud.

It’s not busy. But it’s moving — in a quiet kind of way and just like that, your day goes. You also have the opportunity to choose from a nature walk or boat safari instead of today’s game drive.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation Options:

Budget: Lake Nakuru Lodge
Mid-range: Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge
Luxury: The Cliff Nakuru / Mbweha Camp

Day 3: Final Game Drive – Return to Nairobi

On your final morning, you take one last drive. There’s no need to rush. The air is cool. Birds chatter in the treetops. You might spot a giraffe walking slowly through mist. Or a troop of baboons starting their day. It’s simple. But unforgettable.

After breakfast, you begin your journey back to Nairobi. The conversations are softer. The landscape familiar now. You arrive in the city with dust on your boots and something quieter — but much bigger — in your chest.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Travel Notes

Distance Overview:
Nairobi to Masai Mara: 5–6 hours
Masai Mara to Nakuru: 4–5 hours
Nakuru to Nairobi: 3 hours

What to Bring:
Comfortable shoes, a good camera, light layers, and space in your mind

Optional Extras:
Balloon safari over the Mara (highly recommended)
Night game drive at Lake Nakuru (if overnighting inside the park)

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