Rift Plains the Reef
The journey, one day at a time
A freshwater pause
Drive from Nairobi to Lake Naivasha and take an evening boat among hippos, pelicans and fish eagles.
To the lake of flamingos
Continue by road to Lake Nakuru for an afternoon drive — rhino on the grassland and flamingo strung along the water.
Into the Mara
Continue by road into the Maasai Mara and head out on a first game drive as the light softens — plains game, elephant and the first cats on the way to camp.
Full day on the plains
Morning and afternoon drives with a Maasai guide, routed by where the predators are moving, with the long midday hours to rest at camp.
Deeper into the reserve
A full day further afield — river lines, kopjes and open grassland — with a picnic lunch out in the bush.
Dawn from the air
Lift off over the waking plains and land to a bush breakfast, then an afternoon drive once the heat eases.
Down to the coast
Fly down to the coast into Diani on the Indian Ocean — the rest of the day is for the beach, the reef and doing very little.
A day on the sand
Snorkel the marine park, swim, or simply move between sea and shade — the unwound close to a safari.
Homeward from the coast
Transfer to Moi International in Mombasa for your flight home — or onward to the next chapter.
The season changes what you see.
The migration window
The wildebeest are in the Mara and the river crossings are on — the headline months, and the busiest. Book well ahead.
Resident game, green plains
The Big Five never leave. Fewer vehicles, lower rates, newborns in the grass and clean light for photography.
Where this journey goes
Hand-picked camps & lodges
Alfajiri Villas
Three clifftop villas with private pools and butlers — the byword for barefoot luxury on Diani.
Kinondo Kwetu
A Swedish-run boutique on a quiet stretch of beach — personal, stylish and family-friendly.
Loldia House
A characterful colonial farmhouse on the lakeshore — gracious, personal, and run by the Governors' family.
Chui Lodge
A secluded stone lodge on a private wildlife sanctuary above the lake, intimate and quietly luxurious.
The Cliff
A bold boutique perched above the park, with glass-walled suites overlooking Nakuru's flamingo-fringed lake.
Ilora Retreats
An intimate, design-led tented retreat in the heart of the Mara, built around quiet luxury and private guiding.
Make it yours.
Add nights, swap a park, extend to the coast — this route is a starting point, not a fixed menu. Tell us how you travel and we'll route the rest.