7-Day Kenya Big Five Safari Holiday

Arrival in Nairobi and Transfer to Sweetwaters (Ol Pejeta Conservancy)

Your 7-Day Kenya Big Five Safari Holiday begins upon arrival in Nairobi, Kenya’s bustling capital and the gateway to East Africa’s wilderness treasures. After meeting your professional driver-guide from Otter African Safaris Ltd, you depart on a scenic road transfer northwards towards Ol Pejeta Conservancy, also known as Sweetwaters. The journey takes you through fertile central highlands, where lush plantations of tea, coffee, and pineapples dominate the landscape. Along the way, you may glimpse Mount Kenya’s snow-capped peaks on a clear day, offering a magnificent backdrop to the drive.

On arrival at Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages, you settle into your accommodation, designed to offer comfort within a natural setting. After lunch, you embark on your first afternoon game drive across the conservancy. Ol Pejeta is famous for its pioneering role in conservation, housing the last two northern white rhinos in the world and running the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa. Game drives here bring sightings of elephants, lions, cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, and more. In addition, the conservancy has a protected area dedicated to rescued chimpanzees, the only one of its kind in Kenya.

As the sun sets, painting the landscape in hues of gold and red, you return to the cottages for dinner. The tranquility of the conservancy, combined with its thriving wildlife and conservation significance, makes Ol Pejeta a fitting place to begin your 7-Day Kenya Big Five Safari Holiday.

• Accommodation: Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages
• Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner, Drinking Water

Full-Day Adventure in Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Day two begins with an early breakfast before setting out for a morning game drive. Ol Pejeta offers a rare balance of conservation and tourism, providing travelers with the chance to encounter Kenya’s Big Five in a private, less crowded setting. The conservancy’s vast landscapes include open grasslands, acacia woodlands, and wetlands, supporting an impressive variety of species. During your drive, you may spot elephants foraging, rhinos grazing, or lions lounging in the morning sun. Bird enthusiasts will appreciate the presence of over 300 bird species, from secretary birds to crowned cranes.

Later in the day, a guided nature walk offers a chance to connect more intimately with the wilderness. Accompanied by an expert ranger, you learn to identify tracks, droppings, and plants, gaining insight into the smaller details that sustain the ecosystem. This experience offers a refreshing contrast to the vehicle-based drives and deepens your understanding of the bush.

In the afternoon, photography opportunities abound as the golden light enhances the beauty of the savannah. You may visit the rhino sanctuary to see some of the conservancy’s most famous residents up close, while also learning about the ongoing efforts to protect endangered species. If time allows, you could also explore the chimpanzee sanctuary, where rescued primates thrive in a safe and natural environment.

As evening approaches, another game drive reveals nocturnal activity, with predators becoming more active. After dinner at your lodge, you retire under the African night sky, the sounds of the wild echoing around you.

• Accommodation: Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking Water

Transfer from Ol Pejeta to Aberdare National Park

After breakfast, you set out from Ol Pejeta for a morning drive toward Aberdare National Park, located in the central highlands of Kenya. The drive introduces you to breathtaking landscapes, with rolling hills, forests, and rivers shaping the terrain. On arrival, you check into The Ark Lodge, a unique property designed to resemble Noah’s Ark, with balconies overlooking waterholes and salt licks that attract wildlife throughout the day and night.

After lunch, you enjoy an afternoon game drive through the park’s high-altitude forests, bamboo thickets, and moorlands. Aberdare is known for its cooler climate and distinctive wildlife, including elephants, buffalos, giant forest hogs, and bushbucks. Leopards and hyenas also roam the park, while birdlife is abundant, with species such as the African green pigeon and Hartlaub’s turaco often spotted. The park’s waterfalls, rivers, and misty atmosphere create a magical environment unlike any other safari destination in Kenya.

Returning to The Ark Lodge in the evening, you have a front-row seat to wildlife activity at the waterhole. Elephants, antelopes, and sometimes predators come to drink at night, offering incredible photographic opportunities without leaving the lodge. With dinner served in the cozy dining area and the wilderness unfolding just outside, Aberdare delivers a distinctive 7-Day Kenya Big Five Safari Holiday experience where comfort and adventure meet.

• Accommodation: The Ark Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking Water

Morning in Aberdare and Transfer to Lake Nakuru National Park

The morning begins with a game drive in Aberdare, giving you a final opportunity to spot wildlife moving through the misty forests and open moorlands. The park’s unique environment, with towering cedar trees and hidden waterfalls, provides a refreshing contrast to the savannah landscapes seen elsewhere in Kenya. Keep your eyes peeled for rare species like the bongo, a shy forest antelope rarely seen elsewhere.

After breakfast, you depart Aberdare and head toward the Great Rift Valley, descending into one of the world’s most dramatic geological formations. The drive to Lake Nakuru National Park reveals sweeping views of escarpments, volcanic hills, and fertile plains. Upon arrival, you check into your lodge and enjoy lunch before embarking on an afternoon game drive.

Lake Nakuru is renowned for its birdlife, including flamingos, pelicans, and over 400 other species. The park is also an important sanctuary for both black and white rhinos, offering excellent chances to see these endangered animals. Lions, leopards, and Rothschild’s giraffes also inhabit the park, while the acacia woodlands and rocky cliffs provide a dramatic backdrop for photography.

As the day ends, you return to the lodge for dinner. The stillness of the lake, combined with the calls of birds and distant animal sounds, creates a serene atmosphere. Lake Nakuru is a reminder of the incredible biodiversity that thrives within Kenya’s diverse landscapes.

• Accommodation: The Ark Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking Water

Morning at Lake Nakuru and Transfer to Masai Mara National Reserve

An early morning game drive around Lake Nakuru allows for more encounters with rhinos, giraffes, and large flocks of birds feeding along the shoreline. With luck, you may spot lions on the move or leopards resting in the branches of fever trees. The park’s combination of lakeside beauty and thriving wildlife makes it an unforgettable stop on your 7-Day Kenya Big Five Safari Holiday.

After breakfast, you depart for the world-famous Masai Mara National Reserve, driving through the scenic highlands and into the rolling savannahs that define this wildlife paradise. On arrival, you check into Jambo Mara Safari Lodge, where comfort meets nature. After lunch, you embark on an afternoon game drive, diving straight into the reserve’s rich ecosystem.

The Mara is home to vast populations of wildlife, including the Big Five. During certain months, it also hosts the Great Migration, one of the most spectacular natural events on the planet. Whether it is lions resting under acacia trees, cheetahs stalking gazelles, or elephants roaming across the plains, the Mara promises unforgettable encounters.

As the sun sets, you return to the lodge for dinner and relaxation. The evening offers time to reflect on the day’s sightings, preparing for more adventures in the Mara tomorrow.

• Accommodation: Jambo Mara Safari Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking Water

Full-Day Adventure in Masai Mara National Reserve

This day is dedicated to fully exploring the wonders of the Masai Mara National Reserve. After an early breakfast, you set off for a full-day game drive across the expansive plains. The Mara is a photographer’s dream, with sweeping landscapes and incredible concentrations of wildlife. Herds of wildebeests, zebras, and antelopes stretch across the horizon, while predators such as lions, leopards, and cheetahs patrol their territories.

Guests also have the option of taking a hot air balloon safari, drifting above the savannah as the sun rises and wildlife stirs below. The experience ends with a champagne breakfast in the wild, making it one of the most unforgettable activities in Kenya.

Later in the day, you may take a guided nature walk, offering a different perspective of the reserve. In the afternoon, a visit to a local Maasai community allows for cultural immersion. Here, you witness traditional dances, visit homesteads, and learn about the customs of this proud pastoralist community.

As evening falls, another game drive captures the magic of predators preparing for their night hunts. Returning to the lodge, dinner is served under the stars, concluding a remarkable day in one of the world’s most extraordinary reserves.

• Accommodation: Jambo Mara Safari Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking Water

Return to Nairobi for Departure

Your final day begins with breakfast at the lodge. Depending on your schedule, you may enjoy a brief morning game drive in the Mara, seizing one last chance to encounter its wildlife. Soon after, you begin the road transfer back to Nairobi, driving past scenic landscapes and rural communities.

Upon arrival, you are transferred to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your flight home or onward journey. Though the safari concludes, the memories of lions in the Mara, rhinos in Nakuru, elephants in Amboseli, and cultural encounters with the Maasai will remain with you forever. The 7-Day Kenya Big Five Safari Holiday proves that a week in Kenya is enough to experience the magic of Africa’s wilderness in all its diversity.

• Accommodation: None
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Drinking Water