This 7 day Kenya bush and beach safari offers an opportunity to visit Masai Mara national reserve in the rift valley and Mombasa and Diani beach on the Indian Ocean coast. Masai Mara covers 1,510 sq.km area with rolling savanna grasslands dotted with acacia, rock kopjes, and riverine forests along the banks of Mara and Talek rivers.
It has beautiful scenery and rich biodiversity including over 500 species of birds, the Big 5 African mammals which include lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino, and leopard, and the wildebeest migration. The migration contains over 2 million animals including 1.5 wildebeests and hundreds and thousands of zebras, elands, impalas, and gazelles. The animals are in Masai Mara between July and October. Activities to explore nature and wildlife in Mara include game drives, hot air balloon safari, and guided nature walk.
In addition to wildlife, you will also visit the Maasai local community to learn about their culture.
After visiting Masai Mara, you will fly to Mombasa city and take a boat cruise to Diani beach. There you can relax on the beach, indulge in water activities like the historic dhow boat cruise and explore marine wildlife parks such as Bora Bora wildlife park.
Highlights of the 7 days Kenya bush and beach safari
Wildebeest and Big 5 safari in Masai Mara national reserve
Maasai cultural experience
Mombasa city tour
Diani beach
7 days Kenya bush and beach safari – detailed itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at Nairobi capital city
Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta international airport, meet and greet with your guide and drive to the hotel. Check in for dinner and overnight stay. On this day, time permitting, you can go to explore Nairobi city attractions including the Nairobi national museum, Giraffe center, Maasai markets, and Nairobi national park.
Accommodation options:
Fairmont Norfolk (midrange)
Sankara Hotel (luxury)
Day 2: Nairobi to Masai Mara
Following breakfast, you will leave Nairobi early morning and drive to Masai Mara in the rift valley. Arrive late morning and check in for lunch. Thereafter, go for a game drive early in the afternoon in search of wild animals near water holes in Masai Mara national reserve. Elephants, buffaloes, zebras, waterbucks, wildebeests, elands, impalas might be spotted. You will enjoy the sunset view whilst in the park and return to the lodge overnight.
Accommodation options:
Julia’s River Camp (budget)
Kichwa Tembo Camp (midrange)
Neptune Mara Rianta (luxury)
Day 3: Full day Masai Mara
Early morning game drive starts at 5 am with a cup of African coffee and enter into the park before the sunrise. Your guide will ensure to search for predators in hideout places like acacia thickets and rock kopjes that dot the Mara plains. You might encounter hyenas returning to their den as well as lions, leopards, cheetahs, and African wild dogs. By late morning you will return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation. In the afternoon you will visit the Maasai local community outside the park which involves a village walk. You may bring something to donate and get souvenirs. Return to the same lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: flight to Nairobi and to Diani beach
In the morning, you can do a guided walking safari after which you will take a flight from Mara to Wilson airport in Nairobi. Wilson is a 1 hour flight to Ukunda airport located 5 km away to Diani beach. You will be picked up and taken to the resort situated right at the beach. Diani offers white sand beaches, refreshing views of the Ocean, swimming, and seafood.
Accommodation: Bahari Dhow Villas
Day 5: Diani Beach
On this day you may explore some activities such as walking, swimming, and a dhow boat cruise, windsurfing, standup paddle boarding. Other attractions in Diani include Kongo mosque, Kaya Kinodo Sacred Forest home to Digo people. Those intending to get away from the beach, there’s an option to take a day trip from Diani to Kisite Marine Park. The marine protected reserve offers snorkeling and the opportunity to spot marine wildlife including humpback whales, spinner dolphins, sea turtles, and manta rays.
Day 6: Dian Beach
A day to relax on the beach
Day 7: Departure
After breakfast, you will drive to Ukunda airport and take a flight back to Wilson airport in Nairobi city. From there proceed to Jomo Kenyatta international airport for your departure flight. End of 7 days Kenya bush and beach safari.