8 Day Kenya Safari: Mara, Nakuru, Naivasha and Amboseli

An 8 day Kenya safari is the most popular way to see Kenya’s best known parks without rushing. It gives you lakes, the Mara and Amboseli in one smooth loop from Nairobi.

You travel in a private pop up roof 4×4 with one driver guide. Three nights in the Masai Mara mean you can chase the big cats properly, and two nights in Amboseli give you elephants with Kilimanjaro behind them.

This page lays out the plan day by day, the price for each tier and group size, and the details that decide whether the trip feels easy or tiring.

Highlights

• Three nights in the Masai Mara with two full game drive days
• Two nights in Amboseli for elephants and Kilimanjaro views
• Lake Nakuru rhino and Lake Naivasha boat ride on the way
• One driver guide and one vehicle from start to finish
• Budget, mid range and luxury tiers to match your wallet
• A Nairobi hotel night built in to break the long drives

Day by day plan

1. Day 1

   Nairobi to Lake Naivasha

   You set off at 8 am and reach Lake Naivasha in about 90 minutes, with a stop at the Rift Valley viewpoint. After lunch you take a boat ride among hippos and fish eagles. You can swap this for a Hell’s Gate cycling trip if you prefer something active. You sleep beside the lake and rest for the longer days ahead. This gentle start is why many people like an 8 day Kenya safari, because the first day is short and easy.

2. Day 2

   Lake Nakuru and on to the Mara

   After breakfast you drive an hour to Lake Nakuru National Park for a morning game drive. Rhino, Rothschild giraffe, buffalo and flocks of waterbirds are the targets. You eat lunch at the lodge and then drive on to the Mara, about 5 hours. You reach camp at sunset, ready for a hot dinner and an early night.

3. Day 3

   First full day in the Masai Mara

   Your first full Mara day starts at first light. The guide heads for the plains where lion prides rest and cheetah hunt. You break for breakfast or a packed lunch in the bush. In the afternoon you follow elephant herds along the Mara River. Back at camp, you have a drink by the fire and dinner, then compare sightings with your guide while the camp quietens.

4. Day 4

   Second full day in the Masai Mara

   Today is for repeat visits and longer waits. You can return to the river crossings between Jul and Oct, or look for leopard in the riverine trees. Some guests add a balloon flight at dawn. Others visit a Maasai village in the afternoon. The extra day often gives the best sightings of the trip, and it is the main reason an 8 day Kenya safari beats shorter Mara trips.

5. Day 5

   Mara morning and drive to Nairobi

   A short final game drive at dawn, then breakfast and the road to Nairobi, about 5 to 6 hours. You stop for lunch at Narok or Mai Mahiu and reach your Nairobi hotel in the late afternoon. A hot shower, a proper meal and a real bed are waiting.

6. Day 6

   Nairobi to Amboseli

   The drive to Amboseli takes 4 to 5 hours on mostly tarmac. You arrive for a late lunch at camp and go out on an afternoon game drive. Large elephant herds wade through the swamps, and Kilimanjaro often appears as the day cools, and your guide stops for photographs at the best angles. You sleep in a camp inside or beside the park.

7. Day 7

   Full day in Amboseli

   You leave at dawn for the clearest views of Kilimanjaro. Morning drives cover the plains and swamps, where elephants, buffalo, hippo and flamingos feed. In the afternoon you climb Observation Hill for a view over the park. A late game drive finishes the day before sundowners at camp.

8. Day 8

   Amboseli to Nairobi

   A last short game drive at sunrise gives you one more look at the elephants, then breakfast and the 4 to 5 hour drive back to Nairobi. You arrive by mid afternoon in time for an evening flight. We drop you at your hotel, JKIA or Wilson Airport, whichever suits your plans.

8 Day Kenya Safari, guide price per person sharing, USD, low season

• Guide price per person sharing, confirmed in writing on WhatsApp before any payment
• Low season (Apr to Jun, Nov) shown, with Mara fees at USD 100 per day
• Jul to Oct and Dec add about USD 300 to 500 per person for higher Mara fees and camp rates
• Christmas and New Year dates carry a surcharge, confirm at booking

Get my exact price on WhatsApp

Why Choose an 8 Day Kenya Safari

Eight days sits in the middle for a reason. It is long enough to get two full days in the Mara, where luck matters most, and short enough to fit most annual leave.

If you want one day less, our 7 day Kenya safari follows the same circuit with two Mara nights. If you want Tsavo too, see the 8 day Mara, Nakuru, Amboseli and Tsavo safari.

How Much Does an 8 Day Kenya Safari Cost?

Prices start at USD 2,050 per person for six people sharing a budget tier in low season. Two people in mid range pay about USD 3,190 each, and two people in luxury pay about USD 3,750.

The price covers your vehicle, guide, 7 nights, meals and park fees. For other lengths compare our Kenya safari packages and prices.

Fees are about one fifth of the cost of an 8 day Kenya safari. They are charged per adult per day for non residents and are already in our price.

• Masai Mara: USD 100 a day Jan to Jun, USD 200 a day Jul to Dec
• Lake Nakuru: about USD 90 a day
• Amboseli: about USD 90 a day
• Lake Naivasha boat ride: about USD 25 to 30 per person, or Hell’s Gate at about USD 50

Best Time for an 8 Day Kenya Safari

The dry months of Jun to Oct and Jan to Feb give the easiest roads and the best game viewing. Jul to Oct is also the Great Migration season in the Mara, so prices rise.

Nov and Dec bring short rains and green landscapes, with fewer visitors than peak season. Apr and May are the wettest months, with lower prices and quieter parks. See the Great Migration calendar to time your Mara days.

Accommodation, Drive Times and Comfort

Budget tiers use simple tented camps and small lodges with shared or private bathrooms and good meals. Mid range uses larger tents or lodge rooms with a pool and a bar.

Luxury tiers use upscale tented camps in the Mara and Amboseli, with fine dining and a higher staff ratio. On an 8 day Kenya safari, the Mara camp matters most, so we choose it first and fit the rest around it.

You spend about 20 hours in the vehicle over eight days. The longest drives are Day 2 and Day 5, at 5 to 6 hours, and your guide plans stops for lunch, toilets and photos.

If you want less driving, we can fly Mara to Nairobi for a supplement. Many guests who book an 8 day Kenya safari also ask for an extra rest day mid trip, which we can add at the Nairobi hotel or the lakeside lodge. See Kenya fly in safaris for the cost.

Why Three Nights in the Mara Is Worth It

The Mara is huge, and sightings are never guaranteed. Three nights give you two full days on the plains, so a slow first morning is no disaster.

If you want the river crossings, plan for Jul to Oct and stay at least two days. For more on the timing, read how many days you need in the Maasai Mara.

The Amboseli Leg

Amboseli is flat, dry and open, which makes it the best park in Kenya for elephants. Herds of more than 50 are common, and tuskers walk close to the vehicle.

Kilimanjaro shows best at sunrise and sunset. If cloud hides the peak on day one, you have a second chance on day two. Our 2 day Amboseli safari shows what this park looks like on its own.

What to Pack and Prepare

Bring layers, because Mara mornings are cold and Amboseli afternoons are hot. Pack soft bags rather than hard suitcases, since they fit better behind the seats of a safari vehicle. Bring neutral colours, a hat, binoculars and sunscreen.

You need a Kenya ETA before travel and malaria cover is advised. Use our Kenya safari packing checklist for the full list.

Wildlife You Can Expect on This Route

An 8 day Kenya safari gives you a different cast at every stop. Lake Naivasha has hippos, fish eagles and colobus monkeys. Lake Nakuru adds rhino, waterbuck and big flocks of birds.

The Mara brings lion, cheetah, leopard, hyena and the wildebeest in season. Amboseli is the place for elephants, with giraffe, zebra and buffalo around them. Read our Kenya safari animals guide for what to look for in each park.

Tipping, Cash and Daily Costs

Bring small US dollar notes or Kenya shillings for tips. A fair guide tip is about USD 15 to 20 per day for the vehicle, and a smaller shared tip for camp staff.

Mpesa works in most towns, but camps and parks prefer cards or cash. Read our Kenya safari tipping guide and our money in Kenya guide before you fly.

Booking an 8 Day Kenya Safari

Send your dates, group size and tier to us on WhatsApp at +254 720 731957. We reply with a written quote and a camp shortlist the same day.

For Jul to Oct we suggest booking four to six months ahead. Low season trips often work with a few weeks of notice. Compare other lengths on our all safari itineraries page.

How to book your 8 day Kenya safari

Booking your 8 day Kenya safari with us takes about five minutes of your time. The rest is our job. Here is exactly what happens, step by step, so there are no surprises along the way.

1. Send your dates. Message us on WhatsApp with your travel dates, how many people are coming and the ages of any children. Tell us if you have a budget in mind. We plan with it, not around it.
2. Get a written quote. We reply with a clear price per person, what it includes and what it does not. No hidden park fees and no vague extras. If a cheaper camp or a shorter route makes more sense, we say so.
3. Tweak it until it fits. Change a camp, add a night or swap a park. Ask as many questions as you like. Changes cost nothing until you confirm.
4. Confirm with a deposit. A deposit holds your vehicle, guide and rooms. You get a written confirmation with every detail and the date the balance is due.
5. Travel day. Your driver guide meets you at your hotel or the airport with a name board. You have their number and ours for the whole trip.

What every trip with us includes

Every 8 day Kenya safari plan we put together comes with the basics done properly. You ride in a safari vehicle with a pop up roof, with a professional driver guide who knows the parks. Water is in the cooler box, and park fees are sorted in advance so you do not stand in a queue at the gate.

We also stay reachable. If something changes on the road, a flat tyre, a closed route or a sudden storm, we sort it and keep you posted on WhatsApp.

Paying safely

We share payment details in writing only, and every payment gets a receipt. The payment options and the balance date sit on your written quote, so nothing is left to memory or a phone call.

Why book with a Nairobi team

We live here. We drive these roads all year, we know which camps are honest about their photos, and we know when a park is too busy to enjoy. That local knowledge is what turns a good 8 day Kenya safari into a great one. Our Google rating sits at 5.0 from 46 reviews, and we plan to keep it that way.

Ready when you are. Send us a message and we will put a plan together for you shortly.

Questions people ask

Official information: Kenya Wildlife Service.

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