Rift Valley and Mara Classic

5-Day Rift Valley and Mara Classic Safari

$1420-2180 USD

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Safari summary

A great safari doesn't need a six-figure budget — this five-day private circuit through Kenya's southern wildlife corridor proves it. Three of Kenya's finest parks, four nights in the award-winning Sopa Lodges collection, and expert local guides, all priced to be genuinely accessible across every travel season.

Beginning on the freshwater shores of Lake Naivasha — where hippos graze the hotel lawn and fish eagles call at dawn — the route moves through Lake Nakuru's flamingo shallows and white rhino woodland before reaching the Masai Mara National Reserve for two full days of Big Five game drives.

All Sopa Lodges sit inside or immediately adjacent to their parks, game drives begin the moment you step into the vehicle, and the level of service consistently exceeds what you'd expect at this price point. Ideal for families, first-time safari visitors, and anyone who wants the full Kenya experience without the premium price tag.

About this tour

	Tour type	Custom, tailor-made, private
	Main focus	Game drives
	Activity level	Easy activity
	Best months	All months
	Countries	Kenya
	Parks	Lake Nakuru Masai Mara

Fine details

Safari highlights

Photography safari—with professional guide

What’s included?

Accommodation
Meals
Park fees
Private vehicle and driver

What’s not included?

Alcoholic beverages
Hot air balloons
International flights
Laundry
Spa treatments
Tips and gratuities
Visas

Itinerary

Nairobi – Lake Naivasha

Drive from Nairobi through the Kikuyu Escarpment into the Great Rift Valley (approx. 1.5 hours) to Lake Naivasha. The Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort sits on the lake's southern shore with direct water frontage An afternoon guided boat ride takes you among floating hippo pods, pelicans, cormorants, kingfishers and over 400 recorded bird species. Optional: Crescent Island walking safari — a predator-free sanctuary where you walk freely among giraffe, zebra and wildebeest.

Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort

Lake Naivasha – Lake Nakuru

Lake Nakuru

Drive north to Lake Nakuru National Park (approx. 1 hour). One of the Rift Valley's most rewarding parks, compact, richly stocked & utterly distinctive. The alkaline lake hosts lesser flamingo colonies that can number hundreds of thousands, turning the shallows pink. White rhinos are frequently spotted at close range in the woodland sanctuary, and Rothschild's giraffes — one of Africa's rarest subspecies — browse the fever trees with unhurried elegance. Full afternoon game drive.

Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge

Lake Nakuru – Masai Mara

Masai Mara

Drive southwest to the Masai Mara National Reserve (approx. 3.5 hours). The Masai Mara Sopa Lodge sits inside the reserve — game drives begin the moment you step into the vehicle. Two full days provide ample time to experience the Mara at its own pace.

Masai Mara Sopa Lodge

Masai Mara National Reserve

Masai Mara

Morning drives capture predators still active from the night's hunt; afternoon drives reveal buffalo herds, elephant families and the changing light of the savannah. Big Five sightings — lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and black rhino — are regularly achieved within these two days. Between July and October, the Great Wildebeest Migration is the dominant event, with river crossings accessible within minutes of camp.

Masai Mara Sopa Lodge