The Classic Big Five Safari

Airport pickup — meet your safari guide and transfer to your hotel. Freshen up and enjoy a welcome breakfast briefing covering your 7-day adventure.

David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage — visit rescued baby elephants during their public feeding hour. One of Nairobi's most moving experiences, especially for families.

Giraffe Centre — hand-feed endangered Rothschild giraffes on an elevated platform and learn about the conservation breeding programme.

Karen Blixen Museum — explore the colonial-era farmhouse that inspired Out of Africa, set in the leafy Nairobi suburb of Karen.

Welcome dinner at the legendary Carnivore Restaurant — Kenya's most iconic dining experience, serving a spectacular spread of roasted meats.

Depart Nairobi after an early breakfast. Your 4x4 safari vehicle heads southwest through the Great Rift Valley escarpment with stunning panoramic viewpoints en route.

Arrive at camp — check in to your tented lodge on the Mara. Enjoy lunch and a brief rest before heading out into the reserve.

First game drive — your introductory afternoon drive through the open grasslands, tracking lion prides, elephant herds, cheetah, and resident hippo pods along the Mara River.

Sundowner on the plains — your guide stops at a scenic viewpoint for drinks as the sun sets over the savannah, painting the sky gold and amber.

Bush dinner at the lodge — lantern-lit outdoor dining with the sounds of the African night around you.

Dawn game drive — depart at 6:00 AM to catch predators active in the cool early morning. Lion, leopard, and cheetah are most active at first light.

Bush breakfast — your guide sets up a full hot breakfast in the bush, surrounded by nothing but open savannah and birdsong. A classic safari highlight.

Continue tracking — search for leopard in riverine trees, locate rhino in the Mara Triangle, and observe buffalo herds crossing the plains.

Mara River crossing point — spend time at the famous crossing point watching hippos and waiting for wildebeest activity (season permitting).

Maasai village visit — meet a local Maasai community, witness traditional jumping dances, bead-making, and learn about the warrior culture.

Campfire dinner — enjoy storytelling around the fire with your guide sharing knowledge of wildlife behaviour and Maasai legends.

Final dawn drive in the Mara before checkout — one last opportunity to spot the Big Five before departing.

Depart for Amboseli — scenic drive south through Narok and the Rift Valley floor toward the foot of Kilimanjaro. Watch for roadside Maasai herders and wildlife crossing.

Arrive Amboseli — check in and enjoy lunch at your lodge with the first views of Kilimanjaro dominating the horizon on clear days.

Amboseli afternoon game drive — immediately head out to encounter Amboseli's famous large elephant herds crossing the dusty plains against the Kilimanjaro backdrop — one of Africa's most photographed scenes.

Kilimanjaro sundowner — watch the mountain turn pink and purple at dusk from your lodge deck or a private viewpoint.

Sunrise game drive — the best time to see Kilimanjaro before clouds gather. Elephant families move across the swamplands as the mountain glows gold behind them.

Observation Hill — hike the short trail to the top of Observation Hill for a sweeping panoramic view across the entire Amboseli basin, swamps, and the mountain beyond.

Lunch & rest — enjoy lunch at the lodge during the midday heat while the wildlife rests in shade.

Swamp drive — explore the permanent Enkiama and Longinye swamps, teeming with hippos, buffalo, lion, and hundreds of waterbirds including pelicans and herons.

Lion and cheetah tracking — Amboseli's open plains make it one of the best parks in Kenya for spotting cheetah and lion in the hunt.

Cultural dinner — enjoy a traditional Kenyan meal at your lodge with local dishes including ugali, nyama choma, and sukuma wiki.

Depart Amboseli after breakfast — a short scenic drive north-east into the vast Tsavo ecosystem, Kenya's largest national park.

Arrive Tsavo West — check in at your lodge set against dramatic volcanic hills and lava flows. Tsavo's rugged, wild character is instantly striking.

Mzima Springs — visit the magical freshwater springs fed by underground volcanic aquifers. An underwater observation chamber lets you watch hippos and crocodiles from below the waterline.

Red elephant game drive — Tsavo's famous red-dusted elephants are a sight unlike anywhere in Kenya. Also look for large lion prides, buffalo, lesser kudu, and gerenuk.

Chaimu Crater walk — a guided walk up Chaimu volcanic crater offers sweeping views across Tsavo's lava desert as the sun sets behind the Chyulu Hills.

Dinner at the lodge — your penultimate safari dinner with campfire stories and a night game spotlight from the lodge grounds.

Final sunrise game drive — one last morning out in the wild. Tsavo mornings are spectacular — cool, quiet, and full of activity at the waterholes.

Checkout and depart for Nairobi after a leisurely farewell breakfast at the lodge. Your guide shares final highlights and wildlife photography tips on the drive.

Arrive Nairobi — stop at the Nairobi National Museum or Maasai Market for last-minute souvenirs and gifts if time allows before heading to the airport.

Airport transfer — farewell and departure from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, carrying 7 days of unforgettable memories.