For our first wedding anniversary, Brett and I went to Kenya for our first African safari, a bucket list dream come true. As dreamy as it was, arranging your first African safari can feel daunting and like a massive undertaking. If you’re planning your first African safari, I shared my ultimate guide to planning a successful first safari. In this post, I’m spilling all the details of our exact 10-day African safari itinerary, covering all the places we went to and where we stayed.

Day 1-3: Maasai Mara

After staying the previous night in Nairobi, our safari driver picked us up bright and early at our hotel and drove to the Maasai Mara National Reserve as our first stop on our 10-day African safari in Kenya. If I could only recommend one destination, it would be the Maasai Mara.

When we started planning our first African safari, I knew that I wanted to see the Big Five for my first safari experience. The Big Five consists of the lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhinoceros—the term derives from big game hunters referring to the five most difficult animals in Africa to hunt on foot; however, now it’s more commonly used by safari tours. Maasai Mara is one of the best places to see the Big Five, and we did indeed see all five!

It’s important to remember that it is the wild and not a zoo, so although guides work hard to track animals down, you may not see everything you’d like (or anything on one frigid, windy game drive for us). It’s best to have realistic expectations and recognize shows like National Geographic spend years planning, waiting, and filming a documentary, so don’t compare your experience to a highlight reel that took years to make.

Where we stayed: Fairmont Mara Safari Club

Since we had never been on safari, I didn’t know what to expect regarding accommodations. It wasn’t until we stayed at the other properties (all still great, but this hotel was on another level) that I realized how extraordinary this place was.

Things I loved:

• The #1 thing that elevates Fairmont Mara Safari Club from others is the service. The whole staff, from our server to our room attendant, was beyond attentive and kind. On our last day, they brought out a cake for our anniversary and sang to us, and it was so touching.
• Unlike the other lodges we stayed at, which served meals buffet-style, Fairmont Mara Safari Club had a fantastic daily changing menu for lunch and dinner. Not to mention, the food was delicious! To further highlight the exceptional service, we had the same server throughout our stay, who’d ask when we anticipated coming in for our next meal, and then he’d be there to greet us and ask about our day and game drives.

• Located along the Mara River, our tent was unexpectedly directly across from where the hippos lounged daily, so we got to see them up closer than on a usual safari, where we’d probably have to use binoculars.

Things to consider:

• This luxury lodge is in a conservancy, which has pros and cons. The main advantage of staying in a conservancy is that it offers a more exclusive, intimate experience with fewer tourists and safari vehicles as no day visitors are allowed, so only people staying in the conservancy lodges can enjoy wildlife viewing there. However, after only seeing four of the Big Five, we decided to take a day trip to the National Reserve to find the elusive leopard and maybe catch the famous migration river crossings that only happen in the National Reserve (and the Serengeti). While we didn’t see any crossings, we had an incredibly close leopard sighting! I loved staying in the conservancy and then taking a day trip to the National Reserve, and that’d be my recommendation. Plus, the drive is an experience of seeing different towns and villages.
• There is strong Wi-Fi in the main building, but there isn’t service in the tents.
• Our hippo friends could be pretty vocal in the early mornings, but we were always up and getting ready for our morning game drives, so they never affected my sleep; however, it’s something to consider.

Day 4: Lake Nakuru

The next stop on our Kenyan safari was Lake Nakuru National Park. This national park was known for its abundance of pink flamingos; however, the lake’s rising water due to heavy rainfall has reduced their feeding ground, driving them out of the area. We were lucky to see some while there, but don’t expect an overwhelming number. Despite the dwindling population of flamingos, there is still lots of wildlife, including other birdlife.

My favorite encounter in Lake Nakuru was when we pulled up to a lion in a tree and caught her jumping down a few minutes later. Lions aren’t expert tree climbers like leopards, and she was timid when navigating her way back down. I’m so glad I captured the rare moment on video!

Where we stayed: Sarova Lion Hill

Situated atop a hill inside Lake Nakuru National Park, Sarova Lion Hill has charming chalet-style cottages with beautiful views. The staff was friendly and kind, which I consistently noticed at all the properties. Like most lodges, they offer generous buffets with options for everyone. While the food was good, we didn’t realize until now how spoiled we were at Fairmont Mara Safari Club with our three-course lunches and dinners.

Day 5: Lake Naivasha

Lake Naivasha is only a short drive from Lake Nakuru. This stop deviated from our usual game drive with a relaxing boat ride, which was a fun change of pace. Following the boat ride, we stopped at Crescent Island, a preserve where we enjoyed a guided walking safari amongst various animals, including giraffes and zebras. I recommend spending a day here, especially if you are already stopping at nearby Lake Nakuru.

Where we stayed: Great Rift Valley Lodge

I certainly see the allure of this popular lodge. It’s also a golf resort with many locals coming for business conferences and golf tournaments. One of my favorite parts of this property is that all the rooms include private balconies overlooking the spectacular expanse of the Rift Valley with breathtaking views. If we had more time, I would’ve loved to play golf or sit outside on our balcony, just soaking up the views.

Day 6-7: Amboseli

This national park is in southern Kenya, at the border between Kenya and Tanzania. Although much smaller than Maasai Mara, Amboseli is known for its large elephant herds and majestic views of Mount Kilimanjaro (weather permitting).

Before we even went, I wanted Brett to get me an iconic photo of an elephant in front of Mount Kilimanjaro. On our first game drive, the elephant walked closer to our safari vehicle than we anticipated, and with a zoom lens, the elephant couldn’t fully fit into the frame. We tried again the next day and got a perfect shot—even the clouds cooperated better by revealing Mount Kilimanjaro’s peak.

Where we stayed: Ol Tukai Lodge

Ol Tukai Lodge offers a prime location inside the park at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, with spectacular scenery and wildlife. The property is fenced; however, we saw many elephants walking close to the fence, which was pretty cool.

Another top choice for accommodations for us in Amboseli was Elewana Tortilis Camp Amboseli. Unfortunately, they sold out for our dates, so I highly recommend allocating a year to plan and book an African safari if time allows.

Day 8-10: Diani Beach

From Amboseli, we took a high-speed train to Mombasa. After spending the last week on a bumpy, dusty safari, it was an opportunity to relax before the long journey home. Diani Beach is a popular tourist destination filled with resorts and restaurants.

Where we stayed: Baobab Beach Resort & Spa

Brett and I compared notes at the end of our trip and agreed that we prefer Cabo or Cancun. I hate to say this because the staff was beyond kind, but I’m not sure I can recommend this place after staying at resorts in Mexico.

Things I liked:

• The best aspect of Baobab Beach Resort & Spa was the staff, who were attentive and friendly and did their best to make our stay enjoyable. I so appreciated their service and effort to make sure we were comfortable.
• Spa prices are unbeatable, so Brett got a massage while I opted for a hair blowout (that windy safari is no joke!). While the salon was nothing fancy, it was a great value compared to prices in the States.

Things to consider:

• Sadly, the buffets became monotonous after a couple of days. It seemed like they served similar dishes daily at both all-inclusive restaurants, and they couldn’t compare to the diverse options at Mexico’s resorts. We did go to one of the a la carte restaurants, and while it was a nice change of pace and the food was delicious, it took quite a long time between courses. If I recall correctly, it was about a three-hour dinner.

• After checkout, guests must wait in the lobby or pay an additional fee to continue using amenities. Since flight times are beyond guests’ control, it’d be a nice courtesy to allow use of facilities until guests have to leave.
• We didn’t even go, but the beach is easily accessible via stairs during low tide, but there are constant hawkers, which I always find uncomfortable.

There’s a reason Kenya is a top African safari destination. A 10-day safari covers many of Kenya’s highlights and allows you to appreciate the range of wildlife here. I hope my 10-day African safari itinerary helps you plan your dream Kenyan safari. xo

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