10 Days Climbing Mount Kenya, Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, and Naivasha

10 Days Mount Kenya Climbing, Masai Mara Safari, Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha Adventure

Mount Kenya, Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha

This 10-day hiking and safari adventure takes you to some of the most magical spots Kenya has to offer. From experiencing the beauty of Chogoria route while climbing Mount Kenya and the flamingo spectacle of Lake Nakuru to the majestic wildlife of the Mara, each day brings something new to do and see. This neat 10-day odyssey will take you from the highest point in Kenya to true fiery depths and show you some hidden gems in Kenya.

Our journey will begin by trekking Mount Kenya and seeing the breathtaking views of Mackinder’s – Teleki Valley. The last few days will be spent enjoying a serene Maasai mara safari. In between, we’ll visit two of Kenya’s most beautiful lakes: Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha.

10-day Safari Adventure – 5 Days Mount Kenya Climbing, 5 Days Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, and Naivasha Itinerary

Day 1: Nairobi – Mt. Kenya Bandas (2,900m), 10km, 680m Ascent

We begin our journey from Nairobi to Mt Kenya by driving to Chogoria town. The three-and-a-half-hour drive will take you through some of Kenya’s industrial towns and agriculturally rich countryside. We stop at Chogoria town for Lunch and take an off-road vehicle to the starting point of our Mount Kenya trek.

Our climb begins by trekking through the lush rainforest and dense bamboo forest. While climbing Mount Kenya the terrain will slowly transition from forest to moorlands. We reach Mount Kenya Bandas for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 2: Mount Kenya Bandas – Lake Ellis Campsite (3,600m) 9km, 700m Ascent

The day begins with a longer walk towards Lake Ellis camp. After breakfast, we have a choice to make: take the path via Lake Ellis or Ontulili River. Each path has something unique to offer.

If we go Mount Kenya trekking through Lake Ellis path, we’ll get to see the scenic Muga hill, Giant’s Billiards Table, and Ithanguni. You can also catch glimpses of Batian and Nelion peaks; two of Mount Kenya’s highest peaks. On the other hand, climbing Mount Kenya through the river path offers a serene hike through beautiful vegetation. This path also has a lot of wildlife and will allow us to refill our bottles with clean mountain water.

We have a picnic lunch at a scenic spot and continue hiking Mount Kenya until we reach Lake Ellis camp. We have dinner and an overnight stay at camp.

Day 3: Lake Ellis Camp – Minto’s Camp (4,200m) 12km, 600m Ascent

After an early breakfast, we start a 4-hour Mount Kenya trek by following a rocky path up a ridge. 3 hours into the trek, we rejoin the normal Chogoria route and continue upwards through the Gorges Valley.

The views from Gorges Valley are breathtaking. Ahead, we’ll be able to see the peaks while behind we’ll see the Mugi hills and Giant’s Billiards Table from a new perspective. Further into the trek, we’ll have spectacular views of Lake Michaelson and The Temple.

We reach Minto’s hut later in the Afternoon, have lunch, and spend the rest of the day relaxing. At this point, you can take a 10-minute trek to explore the Temple where you can see Lake Michaelson from high up. We have dinner and an early rest at Minto’s camp.

Day 4: Minto’s Camp – Pt. Lenana (4,985m) – Old Moses Camp (3,300). 24km 785 Ascent, 1,685 Descent

At 3 am, we wake up, grab a quick snack, and start climbing Mount Kenya to Point Lenana. The day starts at the witching hour so we can make it to the peak to watch the African sunrise. We continue climbing through a rocky path and steep slopes until we reach the peak. Watching the sunrise bathe the mountain and vast lands below makes the trek so far worth it.

We descend by following the Mount Kenya Sirimon route to Shipton’s camp. We have breakfast at this camp, rest for a while, and continue trekking Mount Kenya. The 6-hour trek takes us through the open heathland of the Liki North area. We cut through Mackinder’s valley where the giant lobelias dominate the landscape. Dinner and an overnight stay at Old Moses camp.

Day 5: Old Moses Camp – Lake Nakuru

Our last day on Mount Kenya sees us trekking from Old Moses camp to Sirimon Park gate. We rejoin the lush forest and continue trekking Mount Kenya until we find a vehicle waiting for us at Sirimon Park gate. We say goodbye to the mountain and head on to our next adventure.

After lunch, we have a 3-hour drive to Lake Nakuru National Park. The drive takes us past Nanyuki town at the equator through the Aberdare mountain ranges of Nyahururu to the lively town of Nakuru. We reach the park and go on a late afternoon game drive with the help of our guide.

We head back to our lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 6: Exploring Lake Nakuru National Park

After breakfast at our lodge, we head out for an early morning Lake Nakuru safari. We get clearance at the gate, meet up with our guide, and embark on a game-viewing safari.

Lake Nakuru is also called ‘an ornithological paradise’ due to its wealth of bird species and the world’s famous flamingo spectacle. But before getting to the birds, we drive around and view rhinos, lions, giraffes, buffaloes, and waterbucks among other wildlife species. Our Lake Nakuru National Park safari brings us to the soda lake where we view a multitude of greater and lesser pink flamingos. This spectacle is mesmerizing enough to make an avid birdwatcher out of anyone.

We spend the rest of the day exploring the hilly landscape of Lake Nakuru National Park. A trip to Makalia Falls is recommended. Dinner and overnight stay at our lodge to end the day.

Day 7: Lake Nakuru – Lake Naivasha

We have an early morning breakfast and drive to Naivasha for a full-day adventure at Hell’s Gate Park and Lake Naivasha. It is a relatively short drive as both lakes were formed thanks to the Central Rift Valley.

We begin our Lake Naivasha safari by adventuring in Hell’s Gate Park. There are tons of things to do in Hell’s Gate National Park; from game drives and cliff climbing to trekking through deep gorges. This park is also the only place in Kenya where you can cycle while viewing wildlife. We visit notable sites like Fisher Tower, Ol Jorawa Gorge, and Obsidian Caves.

We take a short drive mid-afternoon to Lake Naivasha for a Lake Naivasha boat safari. Dinner and an overnight stay at our lodge.

Day 8: Lake Naivasha – Maasai Mara

After breakfast, we leave the green and agriculturally rich lands of central Kenya for the semi-arid and savannah landscape on the Southwestern side. Along the way, we’ll view Mount Longonot and the escarpments of the Rift Valley as we head towards Narok for our Maasai Mara safari.

We reach Maasai Mara National Park, settle into our lodge, and have lunch before starting our safari. Maasai Mara is famous for having a high population of Africa’s most majestic wildlife. If you missed some animals during our Lake Nakuru safari, a Masai Mara safari will ensure you see them. We go for an afternoon game drive until dusk.

We have dinner and an overnight stay in the Mara.

Day 9: Exploring Maasai Mara National Reserve

We wake up early morning shortly before the sun rises and head out for a game drive. This is the best time to view game as a lot of animals are active; going on hunts, foraging for food, or escaping from predators. The goal for this day is to see all the Big 5; Lion, Buffalo, Leopard, Elephant, and Rhino. We continue with our Maasai mara safari viewing various animals, driving through the rolling hills of the savannah, taking pictures, and occasionally stopping for rest and interactions with rangers.

In the afternoon, you have the option of visiting the Maasai villages or going on a Maasai mara hot air balloon trip. We return to our lodge later in the evening

Day 10: Maasai Mara – Nairobi

After breakfast, we pack our bags and leave Maasai Mara National Park for Nairobi. We can revisit the Maasai village on our way out. Along the way, we can stop at Narok town to buy more artifacts or go shopping at the mall.

We end our journey in Nairobi after a 10-day adventure-filled safari across some of Kenya’s most scenic sites.