Flying Safari6 Days Kenya Flying Luxury Safari | Amboseli and Masai Mara
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Duration6 Days / 5 Nights
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Group sizePrivate · 2–6
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Activity levelModerate
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AccommodationLuxury Lodge
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Best timeJuly – October (Migration Season)
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DestinationsAmboseli & Masai Mara
About this safari
Two nights beneath Kilimanjaro at a private conservancy camp, a direct scenic flight across the Rift Valley and three nights on the Mara River at one of Africa’s original safari camps.
This itinerary links Kenya’s two most photographed safari landscapes with a single direct flight between them, skipping the Nairobi backtrack that most Amboseli-Mara combinations require. Two nights open at Elephant Gorge Camp, an intimate five-suite lodge in the private ALOCA Conservancy on the edge of Amboseli National Park, with Mount Kilimanjaro filling the horizon and elephants drinking at the waterhole below the lounge. From there, a direct flight crosses the Rift Valley to the Masai Mara for three nights at Governors’ Camp, the first permanent tented safari camp in Africa, set directly on the banks of the Mara River since 1972.
This is a six-day, five-night circuit built for travellers who want depth rather than a checklist: two full days at Amboseli for the elephant herds and the Kilimanjaro backdrop, and three full days on the Mara River for Big Five game drives in one of the most storied wildlife-viewing locations on the continent.
Key Highlights:
- Two nights at Elephant Gorge Camp, an intimate five-suite lodge in the private ALOCA Conservancy with a waterhole beneath the lounge
- Uninterrupted views of Mount Kilimanjaro from camp and from game drives inside Amboseli National Park
- Direct scenic flight between Amboseli and the Masai Mara, no Nairobi backtrack required
- Three nights at Governors’ Camp, Africa’s first permanent tented safari camp, on the banks of the Mara River since 1972
- Three game drives a day available inside the Masai Mara National Reserve
- Wildlife regularly moves through camp itself: elephant, hippo and buffalo along the riverbank
- Great Wildebeest Migration river crossings visible from the Governors’ Camp area (July to October)
- Optional hot air balloon safari over the Mara plains at dawn
Practical Information:
Physical Requirements
This is an easy, low-impact safari. Game drives take place seated in open-sided 4×4 safari vehicles, typically for two to four hours per session, with up to three drives a day available at Governors’ Camp. All transfers are by scheduled light aircraft with a strict baggage allowance of around 15 kilograms per person in soft-sided bags. No walking or technical terrain is required, though optional guided bush walks are available at Elephant Gorge Camp. Guests with mobility concerns should contact us before booking to discuss aircraft and vehicle configuration.
Best Time to Visit
July through October is peak season for both destinations on this route: the Great Wildebeest Migration is active on the Mara River, and Amboseli’s dry-season skies give the clearest views of Kilimanjaro before cloud typically builds by mid-morning. June and the December to February window are also excellent, with fewer vehicles in both parks and strong resident wildlife throughout. Amboseli holds its large elephant herds year-round, so the destination rewards a visit in any season; the Mara’s resident big cat population is likewise consistent outside the peak migration months.
Getting There
This itinerary is entirely air-based. On Day 1, a scheduled flight departs Nairobi’s Wilson Airport for Amboseli Airstrip, approximately 30 to 40 minutes, followed by a road transfer of around 30 to 45 minutes to Elephant Gorge Camp in the ALOCA Conservancy. On Day 3, a direct scheduled flight connects Amboseli to Musiara Airstrip in the Masai Mara, approximately one hour, covering around 285 kilometres and avoiding a return routing through Nairobi. Governors’ Camp is roughly a 15-minute road transfer from Musiara Airstrip. On Day 6, the return flight from Musiara to Nairobi’s Wilson Airport takes approximately 45 minutes to an hour.
Iconic Kilimanjaro Backdrops
Historic Mara River Location
Front-Row Migration Seats
No-Backtrack Direct Flight
Your itinerary
A guide to your journey — we’ll fine-tune every day around you.
Day1
Fly Nairobi to Amboseli, Kilimanjaro Arrival
🍽 Lunch · Dinner
Fly Nairobi to Amboseli, Kilimanjaro Arrival
🍽 Lunch · Dinner
A scheduled morning flight from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport touches down at Amboseli Airstrip in around 30 to 40 minutes, with Kilimanjaro visible from the air on a clear day. A road transfer of around 30 to 45 minutes brings you to Elephant Gorge Camp, set in the private ALOCA Conservancy on the edge of Amboseli National Park, where the double-storey open-air lounge sits above a waterhole regularly visited by elephant, giraffe and zebra. Settle in over lunch, then head out on an afternoon game drive in the conservancy, with Kilimanjaro forming a near-constant backdrop through the golden afternoon light. Return to camp for sundowners and a bush dinner beneath the stars.
Day2
Full-Day Amboseli National Park Game Drive
🍽 Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Full-Day Amboseli National Park Game Drive
🍽 Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
A full day inside Amboseli National Park, entering in the cool of the morning when the mountain is typically clearest, before cloud builds through the day. Amboseli holds one of the largest and best-studied free-ranging elephant populations in Africa, with several resident bulls carrying exceptionally long tusks, alongside strong populations of lion, cheetah, buffalo and over 400 recorded bird species across the park’s swamp, savannah and dried lakebed habitats. Picnic lunch is taken in the park. In the afternoon, an optional guided bush walk with Maasai guides from camp covers the surrounding conservancy on foot, a contrast to the vehicle-based game drives inside the park itself.
Day3
Fly Amboseli to the Masai Mara, Mara River Arrival
🍽 Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Fly Amboseli to the Masai Mara, Mara River Arrival
🍽 Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
A final early game drive at Amboseli before breakfast, then a direct scheduled flight from Amboseli Airstrip to Musiara Airstrip in the Masai Mara, approximately one hour and around 285 kilometres, crossing the Rift Valley without a Nairobi stopover. A short road transfer brings you to Governors’ Camp, tucked into riverine forest directly on the banks of the Mara River and operating on its original site since 1972, making it the first permanent tented safari camp in Africa. Arrive in time for lunch in the open-sided mess tent overlooking the plains, then head out on your first Masai Mara game drive in the late afternoon, in territory known for consistent big cat sightings and, seasonally, for herds crossing the river in view of camp. Return for a campfire evening by the river, where hippo calls carry through the night
Day4
Full-Day Masai Mara National Reserve Game Drive
🍽 Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Full-Day Masai Mara National Reserve Game Drive
🍽 Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
A full day inside the Masai Mara National Reserve, with up to three game drives available: at sunrise, in the late morning and again in the afternoon. Governors’ Camp sits adjacent to the Musiara Marsh, an area of permanent water that supports resident wildlife year-round and has made this stretch of the Mara one of the most filmed locations in Africa, once home base for the BBC’s Big Cat Diary. Picnic lunch is taken in the bush. Between July and October, afternoon drives can be positioned toward the nearby river crossing points for a chance at the Great Wildebeest Migration.
Optional upgrade: hot air balloon safari at sunrise over the Masai Mara, landing for a champagne bush breakfast. Book at the planning stage.
Day5
Masai Mara Conservancies and Cultural Visit
🍽 Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Masai Mara Conservancies and Cultural Visit
🍽 Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
The second full game drive day can extend beyond the national reserve into the surrounding conservancies, where activities such as guided bush walks and cultural visits to nearby Maasai villages are possible, options not permitted inside the national reserve itself. Expect large elephant herds, dense buffalo concentrations and excellent predator density where multiple prides overlap. Guests who prefer to stay inside the reserve can instead spend the day tracking the resident big cat population that has made this stretch of the Mara famous, with three game drives again available.
Day6
Fly to Nairobi
🍽 Breakfast
Fly to Nairobi
🍽 Breakfast
After early morning breakfast and check-out, embark on a short road transfer bringing you to Musiara Airstrip for the scheduled flight back to Nairobi’s Wilson Airport, approximately 45 minutes to an hour. From Wilson, we arrange onward transfers according to your international flight time. The six-day journey closes having covered two of Kenya’s most iconic safari landscapes, Kilimanjaro’s elephant herds and the Mara River’s Big Five, connected by a single direct flight rather than a return trip through the capital.
Where you’ll travel
Nairobi → Amboseli → Masai Mara → Nairobi
Nairobi
Amboseli
Masai Mara
Nairobi
What’s included
✓ Included
- Scheduled flight, Nairobi Wilson Airport to Amboseli Airstrip
- Airstrip transfers
- 2 nights full board accommodation at Elephant Gorge Camp, ALOCA Conservancy
- All Amboseli National Park game drives and entrance fees, plus private conservancy game drives
- Direct scheduled flight, Amboseli Airstrip to Musiara Airstrip, Masai Mara
- 3 nights full board accommodation at Governors’ Camp, Masai Mara National Reserve
- All Masai Mara National Reserve game drives and entrance fees
- Scheduled flight, Musiara Airstrip to Nairobi Wilson Airport + JKIA transfer
- Bottled water throughout
✕ Not included
- International flights and visa fees
- Travel insurance (highly recommended)
- Tips and gratuities
- Hot air balloon safari over the Masai Mara: optional upgrade, booked at planning stage
- Guided bush walks at Elephant Gorge Camp and cultural village visits in the Mara
- Alcoholic beverages and premium drinks beyond camp inclusions
- Personal items, laundry and souvenirs & Spa treatments
- Excess baggage beyond the 15kg domestic flight allowance
What guests say about this safari
5
★★★★★
Based on 63 verified reviews · SafariBookings & TripadvisorWM
★★★★★
William M
TripAdvisor · February 2026Fantastic safari, a trip of a lifetime I recommend Afrikan Accent Adventures very highly, it truly was a trip of a lifetime. They were professional and responsive from initial contact all the way through to departure and the level of service they provided has been absolutely stellar. To provide a comprehensive review, I have covered each element of the trip below. Booking process Following our initial contact, Hellen worked with us to create a bespoke itinerary that had the perfect balance of safari adventure and beach relaxation. The itinerary was fully customisable and could be tailored to fit our specific requirements and budget. Hellen set out a number of add on options that we could choose from and we were able to adjust these as much as we wanted. All of this was done prior to any obligation to pay, which was much appreciated as Hellen clearly put a lot of work in to making the perfect itinerary for us. Once the itinerary was decided, we were provided with a comprehensive digital itinerary to check everything was in order before we confirmed our booking. This was a really handy document as it included a lot a background details and the accommodation which was useful for us to refer back to when getting ready for the trip. Furthermore, I let Hellen know that I was planning to propose to my girlfriend during the safari trip. Hellen and the team did everything they could to ensure that this was special and a moment to remember. The proposal itself was fantastically organised (a simple sundowner in the Masai Mara) and the team even arranged a special meal with our safari lodge that evening to finish off the day. More importantly, Hellen and Nico (our driver) were very discreet about the proposal plans which meant it came as a very happy surprise to my girlfriend! Arrival and Nairobi When we arrived we were picked up straight outside of the airport and dropped off at our hotel by our dedicated driver. The process was super easy which is exactly what you need after a long flight. Hellen met us the next day for the formal briefing to start our trip. This was very useful and included lots of practical guidance (including Kenyan culture on tipping and bartering in souvenir shops) which was invaluable for first time visitors to the country who didn’t necessarily know the ‘tricks of the trade’. We were then driven to David’s Nairobi city tour which was exceptional. This was organised in the afternoon so we had the morning to relax and recover from our flight at the hotel. The tour was comprehensive and featured some of the main sights as well as a tour around the areas lesser explored by tourists which gave an authentic experience of life in Nairobi. The following day, it was time to start our safari. The Safari As part of our trip, we arranged a c.10 day safari trip covering the Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, Amboseli and Tsavo regions of Kenya. We were collected from our Nairobi hotel and were greeted by Hellen and Nico. They provided us with some free gifts (safari hats, personalised metal water bottles and Masai blankets) which were a great touch and helped us get into the safari mood. The vehicle itself was a customised Toyota Land Cruiser and we had exclusive use of this throughout our trip. The vehicle was spacious, comfortable and more than a match for the rough terrain we encountered on safari. It’s worth noting that the vehicle could reach areas that some of the other vehicles we saw on safari (e.g. minibuses) could not which meant we could get a better view of the animals. The vehicle featured all the creature comforts including a drinking water dispenser, cool box and fully reclining seats, useful for a quick nap on the drives between parks. The real star of the show was our driver, Nico, who made our trip unforgettable. He was extremely knowledgeable about the various animals, birds and plants we saw on our trip. His clear passion for his job was infectious and we learned so much about the animals, the landscape and Kenyan culture during our time with him. He also played his role in the proposal perfectly, setting up the sundowner and acting as our personal photographer and DJ whilst I did the proposal. We’ll never forget his choice of ‘smooth music’! We saw all of the Big Five animals and even more including Cheetahs, hippos, crocodiles and flamingoes. Nico had a particular skill of parking the jeep to get the best view of the animals and line up the perfect photos. The accommodations were also top tier and Hellen was clearly working hard behind the scenes to secure us room upgrades throughout the trip. A particular highlight was Zebra Plains River Camp where the staff were exceptionally friendly and welcoming, nothing was too much trouble for them. The team also arranged some additional activities which were varied and made a nice change of pace to the standard game drives. Particular highlights included the nature walk in the Masai Mara, the Crescent Island boat trip / walking safari, and the bike ride in Hells Gate National Park. I’d also highly recommend the visit to the Masai Village to learn more about the traditional Masai culture. The people were so welcoming and even let us take shelter with them during a particularly sudden downpour! Beach break Finally we spent 3 days at the Neptune Paradise Resort at Diani Beach. We were driven there directly from Tsavo East by our guide and Afrikan Accent even arranged airport transfers for us to the Diani Beach airport for our flight back to Nairobi. The whole process was smooth and efficient. I would recommend arranging the beach extension directly through Afrikan Accent as they dealt with all of the logistics which meant we could focus on relaxing at the end of the safari. There are also various optional activities (including dolphin sighting trips and Mombassa city tours) which the team can arrange. We didn’t have time on this occasion to do any of these, but it was good to have the option. Summary Overall, Afrikan Accent Adventures did everything they could to make our safari holiday an unforgettable experience. They dealt with pretty much every aspect of our holiday excluding flights and the process couldn’t have been smoother. The price was also very competitive. I highly recommend them if you are looking to do an East African safari.
Frequently asked questions
Can you fly directly between Amboseli and the Masai Mara without going through Nairobi?
Yes. This itinerary uses a direct scheduled flight between Amboseli Airstrip and Musiara Airstrip in the Masai Mara, approximately one hour and around 285 kilometres, which avoids the more common routing of flying back into Nairobi and out again between the two destinations.
Why does this itinerary use Elephant Gorge Camp instead of a lodge inside Amboseli National Park?
Elephant Gorge Camp sits in the private ALOCA Conservancy just outside the park boundary, which allows activities such as guided bush walks and night-time wildlife viewing from an unfenced lodge that are not possible inside the national park itself. Guests still enter Amboseli National Park for game drives on Day 2, so the itinerary combines both the conservancy’s exclusivity and the park’s core wildlife areas.
What makes Governors’ Camp different from other Masai Mara camps?
Governors’ Camp has operated on its original riverside site since 1972, making it the first permanent tented safari camp in Africa. Its location directly on the Mara River, adjacent to the Musiara Marsh, supports year-round resident wildlife and has made the surrounding area one of the most consistently productive game-viewing zones in the Mara, previously the filming location for the BBC’s Big Cat Diary.
When can we see the wildebeest migration on this itinerary?
The Great Wildebeest Migration Mara River crossings occur between July and October, with the heaviest activity in August and September, coinciding with the three nights this itinerary spends at Governors’ Camp. Outside this window, the Mara’s resident big cat population and Amboseli’s elephant herds remain strong year-round.
Is this itinerary suitable for photographers?
Yes. Amboseli is one of Africa’s most reliable locations for photographing elephant herds against a mountain backdrop, particularly in the clear early morning light before cloud builds around Kilimanjaro. Governors’ Camp’s riverside position and three-drives-a-day structure give repeated opportunities to work a single sighting through changing light across a single day.
Is the hot air balloon safari worth adding to this itinerary?
For most guests, yes. The balloon launches at dawn inside the Masai Mara, drifts over the plains for around 45 minutes and lands for a champagne bush breakfast. It fits naturally into Day 4 or Day 5 and should be booked and paid before arrival, as availability is limited, particularly in peak migration season.
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