About this safari
Balance a deeper wildlife introduction with a longer coastal stay on this 13 day Kenya bush and beach holiday. Two nights at Ol Pejeta are followed by one night near Lake Nakuru and three nights in the Masai Mara. An overnight in Nairobi divides the journey before a scheduled domestic flight to Malindi and five nights at Watamu.
This itinerary is designed for travellers who prefer a substantial beach finish and a flight connection instead of driving the entire safari circuit to the ocean. A private vehicle and driver guide cover the road safari. Your coast arrival is met with a separate private transfer, while the full Watamu days are free for independent leisure and optional excursions.
The included domestic flight, operating airport, baggage allowance and timing are confirmed in your quotation subject to current availability. Your final flight out of Malindi is not included. Explore Ol Pejeta, the Masai Mara and Watamu, then plan your preferred departure.
Why travellers choose this journey
- Two nights at Ol Pejeta for conservation and wildlife viewing
- Lake Nakuru followed by three nights near the Mara
- An overnight in Nairobi before a scheduled coast flight
- Five nights at Watamu with four full leisure days
- Included Nairobi to Malindi flight subject to confirmed availability
Follow your journey through Kenya
A clear look at where the safari begins, the destinations you visit and where the journey ends.
Malindi Airport
How this journey is designed
These categories describe the style of safari you are booking.
Your safari itinerary
Open each day to view the route, activities, meals, transport and accommodation details.
Meet your driver guide in Nairobi and travel toward the Nanyuki area. The route introduces Kenya’s central highland scenery, with comfort stops and an included lunch arrangement. When skies are clear, suitable points along the journey may offer views toward Mount Kenya, although the mountain is not a guaranteed sight.
Check into the selected Ol Pejeta area lodge or permanent tented property for two nights. An afternoon vehicle safari follows if arrival timing permits, introducing grassland and woodland habitats and the conservancy setting. Specialist encounters are not part of this first drive. Dinner is included, with tomorrow kept free for a complete conservation and wildlife day.
Use the morning to explore Ol Pejeta by vehicle with your guide. Look for rhinos and other wildlife while discussing the relationship between protected habitats, conservation work and visitor responsibility. A full day allows time for patient observation without needing to rush to a new destination.
Return for lunch and a midday break before another outing. Special conservancy encounters, behind the scenes activities and any specialist guided experiences require separate bookings, age checks and payments; they are not included in the standard game drive programme. Your guide can explain those options without promising access. Dinner and another overnight are at the same accommodation.
After breakfast, leave the Ol Pejeta area for the Nakuru region, with your guide choosing the practical route for current conditions. Comfort stops and an included lunch break divide the transfer. The landscape changes as the journey moves from the central highlands toward the Rift Valley.
An afternoon vehicle safari in Lake Nakuru is planned where arrival permits, focusing on accessible habitats for rhinos, buffalo, giraffes and birds. Lake conditions influence flamingo numbers, so no particular spectacle is guaranteed. If the road journey runs late, the park visit can be scheduled early the next morning within the confirmed access arrangements. Dinner and overnight are at the selected Nakuru area lodge.
Have breakfast before continuing toward the Masai Mara. If yesterday’s Lake Nakuru visit was delayed, your guide coordinates a short early visit before the onward journey according to the confirmed entry plan. Otherwise, depart directly, with comfort breaks and an included lunch arrangement on the road.
Check into your lodge or permanent tented accommodation for three nights. A first Mara drive is included when arrival timing allows, but it is not promised after a late transfer. Two full wildlife days follow, giving the safari a more settled rhythm. Enjoy dinner and discuss the next morning’s plan with your guide.
Set out after breakfast for your first full Masai Mara wildlife day. Your guide chooses a route based on animal activity, visibility and the areas accessible under the confirmed reserve arrangements. Look for big cats and large herds when encountered, while leaving time for smaller animals, birds and interesting behaviour.
Lunch is included as an agreed lodge meal or a packed meal at a designated picnic location. A midday rest can be discussed where the accommodation’s location makes it practical. Migration herds and river crossings remain dependent on natural movements, not the number of days booked. Return to the same property for dinner and another Mara overnight.
The extra Mara day lets your guide respond to yesterday’s sightings or explore a contrasting habitat. You can spend longer watching a favourite species, focus on photography or simply enjoy a varied wildlife route without packing for another lodge. The private vehicle makes those preferences easier to accommodate within reserve rules.
Lunch is included in the agreed form, and a lodge break can be arranged if the day’s route supports it. Ballooning and cultural visits are optional services with separate fees and suitability requirements. No particular sighting is guaranteed. Dinner and your third Mara overnight complete the wildlife portion before the journey returns to Nairobi.
After breakfast, leave the Mara region for Nairobi with comfort breaks and an included lunch arrangement. There is no extra reserve game drive planned this morning, helping keep the return practical around traffic. Your safari vehicle service ends after the agreed Nairobi hotel drop off.
Check into the selected city hotel for one night and enjoy an included dinner at the confirmed venue. This overnight provides a pause between the road safari and tomorrow’s flight, rather than relying on a tight same day connection from the Mara. Confirm the departure airport, transfer time and airline baggage allowance with the team before preparing your flight luggage.
Enjoy breakfast and take the arranged private transfer to the Nairobi departure airport specified in your quotation. Board the included scheduled domestic flight to Malindi, with the airline, baggage allowance and timing confirmed subject to availability before booking. The flight is a scheduled passenger service and is shared with other travellers.
On arrival, meet the coast transfer service and continue privately to your selected Watamu hotel or resort for five nights. This avoids an all day road journey from Nairobi to the coast. Check in, relax and follow the property’s advice about tides and swimming areas. Dinner is included at the accommodation; lunch is separate on this flight and arrival day.
Begin with breakfast and enjoy a full day without a departure timetable. The standard programme leaves space to rest after the safari and flight, settle into the beach accommodation and enjoy the ocean setting when local conditions are suitable. No guide or vehicle is retained for leisure time.
You can discuss optional outings with the team, but there is no need to add an activity simply because a day is free. Any excursion, extra transfer or hotel service is confirmed and paid separately. Lunch and drinks are outside the half board plan. Enjoy your included dinner at the property and another overnight in Watamu.
Have breakfast before deciding whether to stay at the accommodation or request a separately arranged marine outing. Boat trips and snorkelling depend on weather, tides, suitable equipment and the operator’s assessment of each traveller. Marine park fees and excursion transport are not included in the standard beach stay.
If you choose an outing, confirm the complete cost and return arrangements before booking it. Marine animal sightings are never guaranteed, and a relaxed day at the property remains a complete alternative. Lunch is separate, while dinner is included at your hotel or resort. The five night stay gives you time to enjoy the coast without fitting everything into one day.
Enjoy breakfast and choose how to spend the day. You may prefer time at the beach accommodation or ask about a separately booked visit in the wider Watamu area, such as a nature or heritage experience. The itinerary stays flexible rather than promising an excursion that has not been confirmed.
Any offsite visit requires its own arrangements for transport, entry and guiding where relevant. Suitability and current access should be checked before departure, especially for walks or activities affected by tides. Lunch is not included in the standard half board plan. Return for the included dinner and another restful night at Watamu.
Start with breakfast and use your last complete beach day for the activities you most enjoy. A longer coast stay makes it possible to repeat a favourite experience or do very little, rather than feeling obliged to fill the day. Follow current local swimming advice and leave room for a relaxed final evening.
Lunch, drinks, spa services and any additional excursion remain separate purchases unless your quotation says otherwise. Dinner is included at the selected property. Confirm tomorrow’s Malindi Airport transfer time, prepare your luggage and check your onward flight documents so the departure morning can remain straightforward.
Enjoy breakfast and check out before your private transfer to Malindi Airport. Collection is arranged around the onward flight details supplied during planning, with allowance for the selected property’s location and airport arrival requirements. If your flight is early, ask the hotel about breakfast arrangements in advance.
The package ends at the airport drop off. Unlike the included Nairobi to Malindi flight earlier in the itinerary, your final onward flight or return ticket to Nairobi is not included. Lunch, extra accommodation and further transfers are also separate. A longer Mombasa Airport departure transfer can be quoted before confirmation if that better fits your travel plans.
Know before you go
How the private safari works
Your road safari has a vehicle and driver guide reserved for your party. The safari vehicle is not retained during beach leisure days. Coastal airport transfers are separately arranged private services. Park access covers the scheduled visits only; private conservancies and special encounters are not included.
Accommodation and meal plans
Hotels, lodges and permanent tented rooms are selected during quotation. Properties, room types, beach access and any child rules are confirmed in writing before booking. Pools, sea views, family rooms and premium facilities are not promised unless specified. Safari days include the meals listed in the itinerary. Full beach days use half board, meaning breakfast and dinner; lunch, drinks and snacks are separate.
Road timing and arrival
Driving hours are estimates before rest stops, wildlife viewing, traffic or weather delays. Long transfer days may have no game drive on arrival. The itinerary begins with morning collection in Nairobi, so a late arriving flight may require an additional Nairobi overnight.
Coastal activities
Beach days are for independent leisure. Water sports, boat trips, snorkelling, heritage outings, marine park entry, spa services and extra transfers are optional additions. Their availability depends on operator arrangements and current conditions. Follow local swimming advice and use a suitable operator for any marine excursion.
Wildlife and weather
Wildlife sightings, migration herds, river crossings, flamingo numbers and mountain views depend on natural conditions and cannot be guaranteed. Beach conditions and tides also vary. Discuss the season and your priorities when choosing dates.
Children and personal requirements
Provide children’s ages, room preferences, dietary needs and mobility requirements before confirmation. Child arrangements depend on the selected suppliers and activities. No universal free child policy or fixed minimum activity age is set for these packages.
Departure and flight connections
The final coastal airport drop off is the package end point. Final onward flights and a return to Nairobi are not included. Send your flight plans before booking so departure transfers and connection time can be checked. Any alternative airport or extra night is quoted separately.
Included flight for this itinerary
The Nairobi to Malindi scheduled economy flight is included in this programme, subject to availability before confirmation. The airline, operating airport, flight time, fare conditions and baggage allowance are specified in the written quotation. This flight is shared passenger transport. Your final flight out of Malindi is separate.
What is included
- A private 4x4 safari vehicle with a viewing roof, fuel and an English speaking driver guide during the road safari portion.
- 12 nights in the accommodation confirmed in your written quotation, including 5 nights at the selected beach hotel or resort.
- Standard entry fees for the scheduled visits to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Lake Nakuru National Park, Masai Mara National Reserve, based on the ages and residency details supplied for quotation.
- Game drives and safari road transfers described in the daily programme, within the confirmed entry arrangements and park opening times.
- Safari meals and transfer day meals exactly as listed in the daily itinerary, including lunch and dinner on day one.
- Breakfast and dinner on full beach leisure days and breakfast on the final departure day.
- Morning collection from an agreed Nairobi point and the coast arrival service described in the itinerary.
- One scheduled economy flight from Nairobi to Malindi, including the confirmed fare taxes and the baggage allowance stated in your quotation, plus private airport transfers on that flight day. Subject to availability before booking.
- A private departure transfer from your beach accommodation to Malindi Airport.
- Drinking water carried in the safari vehicle during the road safari.
- Accommodation booking and coordination of the confirmed safari and coast services by Esperanza Tourism.
What is excluded
- International flights and final onward flights from the coast, including any return ticket to Nairobi.
- Domestic flights other than the included Nairobi to Malindi sector, excess baggage, premium seats and flight upgrades.
- Entry authorisation or visa charges, passports and personal travel documentation.
- Travel insurance, personal medical expenses and emergency services not expressly included in the written quotation.
- Nairobi accommodation before the itinerary starts and extra nights after the coastal stay.
- Lunch on the Nairobi to Malindi flight and coast arrival day.
- Breakfast before the first morning collection, lunches on full beach days, and meals after the final included breakfast.
- Alcohol, soft drinks, snacks and other beverages apart from drinking water carried in the safari vehicle.
- Balloon flights, cultural visits, Naivasha boat trips, guided walks and special conservancy encounters.
- Coastal excursions, marine park entry, snorkelling, diving, water sports, equipment hire and spa treatments.
- Beach day vehicles, private guiding and transfers beyond the itinerary’s included coast transfer services.
- Tips, gratuities, laundry, souvenirs and personal purchases.
- Accommodation upgrades, premium room categories, extended stays and alternative airport transfers unless added to the quotation.
