SIGNATURE SAFARI SERIES

Kenya Luxury Safari — Ol Pejeta, Lake Elmenteita & Masai Mara

Rift Valley to the Mara

8 Days / 7 Nights

Overview

Rift Valley to the Mara traces the overland route generations of Kenya safaris have followed: north from Nairobi across the Equator to Ol Pejeta’s rhino sanctuary, down into the Great Rift Valley’s soda lakes at Elmenteita and Nakuru, then a short flight into the wildlife density of the Masai Mara.

  • Arrival and departure airport transfers
  • Accommodation and meals as specified in the itinerary
  • Park entrance fees and game drives
  • Transport and transfers in a safari 4×4 Landcruiser with a pop-up game-viewing roof hatch
  • One litre of mineral water per person per day in the vehicle while on safari
  • The services of an experienced English-speaking driver-guide
  • Emergency Air Evacuation Cover (excludes hospitalisation and medical bills)
  • The scheduled flight from Naivasha’s Loldia airstrip to the Masai Mara to Wilson Airport

  • Meals not specified in the itinerary
  • Beverages
  • International and local flights
  • Supplements for vehicle upgrades
  • Tips and gratuities
  • Entry visas and fees
  • Medical and travel insurance (clients must arrange their own)
  • Any other items of a personal nature not mentioned above

The Journey – Your Itinerary

Our experts have designed this gold-standard itinerary to inspire you, featuring our pick of the best hotels and experiences in every thrilling destination.

1 Night · Bed & Breakfast

An easy arrival night before the road trip north begins.

THE STAY — EMARA OLE SERENI HOTEL

Emara Ole Sereni occupies one of Nairobi’s more unusual settings: a full-service luxury hotel looking directly towards Nairobi National Park.
Met on arrival by a Travel Wild representative and transferred for check-in.
Overnight stay at the hotel.

1 Night · Full Board

East Africa’s largest black rhino sanctuary, crossing the Equator en route.

The drive north to Ol Pejeta runs via Nyeri and Nanyuki, crossing the Equator and tracing green tea plantations with Mount Kenya’s glacier-clad peaks on the horizon.
Ol Pejeta is East Africa’s largest black rhino sanctuary and home to some of the last northern white rhino on Earth, alongside a sanctuary for rescued chimpanzees.

THE STAY — SWEETWATERS SERENA CAMP
Sweetwaters Serena Camp sits around a waterhole in Ol Pejeta Conservancy, so wildlife is part of the backdrop even when guests are not out on a game drive.

Arrive for check-in and lunch. Dinner and overnight stay at the camp.

DAY 3
Lake Elmenteita – 2 Nights · Full Board

A photogenic Rift Valley soda lake, with a full day at Lake Nakuru’s rhino sanctuary.

The drive south into the Rift Valley passes a chain of freshwater and soda lakes before reaching Lake Elmenteita.
Soysambu Conservancy is the only East African nesting site for great white pelicans, sheltering over 450 bird species and 15,000 wild animals, including a safe breeding haven for Rothschild giraffe.

THE STAY — LAKE ELMENTEITA SERENA CAMP
Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp is a small, intimate tented camp on the shores of Lake Elmenteita, surrounded by golden-barked acacias and the landscapes of Soysambu Conservancy.

Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.

Day 4
Breakfast at the camp, then depart for a full day game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park — a flagship sanctuary for both black and white rhino and one of East Africa’s premier birdwatching destinations. Lunch is at Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge, returning to camp for dinner and overnight.

DAY 5
Masai Mara National Reserve – 3 Nights · Full Board (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Home to the Great Migration each July to September, when roughly 1.7 million wildebeest cross from Tanzania’s Serengeti onto the Mara’s grasslands. Elephant, lion, leopard and buffalo roam its savannahs, hippopotamus and crocodile inhabit the Mara River, and more than 450 bird species have been recorded here.

A short scheduled flight from Lake Naivasha’s Loldia airstrip crosses into the Masai Mara on arrival.

THE STAY — ASHNIL MARA CAMP
Ashnil Mara Camp sits directly on the banks of the Mara River within the reserve itself, offering the pinnacle of refined wilderness living just steps from the water.

A shared game drive across the plains and rolling hills on arrival.

Day 6
A full day of shared game drives across the reserve, watching for elephant, black-maned lion, leopard, buffalo and cheetah alongside a wealth of hoofed species.

Day 7
Time for cultural visits, sundowners and bush dining between game drives, with balloon safari arrangements and wellness treatments also on offer.

Breakfast at the camp, then transfer to the airstrip for the onward flight to Nairobi, departing at 10:00 am. On arrival at 13:00, met by a Travel Wild representative and transferred for the flight home.

Where You Will Stay

  • Emara Ole Sereni

    A Nairobi hotel overlooking Nairobi National Park, where you can watch wildlife from the terrace before or after a safari.

  • Sweetwaters Serena Camp

    A comfortable tented camp around a floodlit waterhole in Ol Pejeta, with Mount Kenya on the horizon.

  • Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp

    A small, intimate tented camp on the shores of Lake Elmenteita, surrounded by golden-barked acacias and the landscapes of Soysambu…

  • Ashnil Mara Camp

    A rebuilt tented camp on the banks of the Mara River, in the heart of the Masai Mara National Reserve.

Why ChoosE TRAVEL WILD?

Journeys designed around you, never off the shelf

Access to experiences few others can offer

Hand-selected luxury hotels in every destination

Guides who know this land as home

Airport meet and greet with private transfers