Signature journey · from 6 nights
Mara & the Lakes
Mara & the Lakes is a tailored safari journey through Kenya's Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha, designed by Nobu around the individual traveller — pairing the open plains with the colour and calm of the Rift Valley lakes, available across comfort levels from Essential to Private Collection.
Narrative introduction
First the plains. The Maasai Mara opens wide and golden, the big cats at work in the early light, the land running on to the horizon. Then the descent into the Great Rift, where the country changes entirely and the lakes appear like spilled mercury — Nakuru rimmed pink with flamingos and home to both black and white rhino, Naivasha green and freshwater-fresh, fringed with fever trees and birdsong.
Mara & the Lakes is the journey for travellers who want variety in their week — not the same view twice. Predators and plains one day, a thousand wings rising off the water the next. It moves through some of Kenya's most photographed landscapes, yet keeps the unhurried pace that lets each one land.
This is Kenya met in its full range — wild, watery and beautifully varied — entirely on your terms.
Experience moments
- Dawn with the cats — Roll out before the light in the Mara as lions finish the night's work.
- A pink horizon — Watch flamingos gather and lift at Lake Nakuru, a haze of colour over the water.
- Rhino country — Track both black and white rhino in one of Kenya's great sanctuaries.
- The water's calm — A boat across Naivasha among hippos and fish eagles, the day softening.
- A walk among giraffe — Step out on foot at Crescent Island, plains game grazing all around.
- Firelight and big skies — End each day where the conversation slows and the stars take over.
How you'll travel
From an intimate Essential camp in the Mara to a Private Collection lodge above the lakes, each stay is chosen for the story it adds — a vantage over big-cat country, a veranda above the flamingo line, a fever-tree garden on the Naivasha shore. Yours at the level that suits you, all the way through.
Make it yours
Lift off at dawn over the Mara by balloon. Cycle or walk among wildlife at nearby Hell's Gate, where the canyons are open to foot and bike. Add a guided boat and a walk on Crescent Island. Extend south to Amboseli and Kilimanjaro, or let the coast finish the story by the Indian Ocean.
The rhythm of the journey
- Arrive in the Mara — Fly in by light aircraft; the plains greet you from the air. Settle into camp, an evening game drive as the light turns gold.
- Into big-cat country — Full days following the predators and the herds at your own pace; the migration in season.
- Down to the lakes — Travel into the Great Rift to Lake Nakuru — flamingos along the shore, rhino in the acacia woodland.
- The calm of Naivasha — A freshwater lake of hippos and fish eagles; a boat, and a walk among giraffe on Crescent Island.
- A last morning — One more quiet hour by the water before you fly out, or continue your wider Kenya journey.
Most travellers spend 3 nights in the Mara and 2–3 around the lakes. We'll shape the exact rhythm around you.
What's included
Typically included: all park and conservancy fees · expert driver-guide · 4x4 safari vehicle · accommodation at your chosen tier · meals as specified per camp · internal flights and transfers as routed · drinking water and game drives.
Not included: international flights · visas and travel insurance · premium drinks · gratuities · optional add-ons (balloon, boat, Crescent Island walk). Every journey is quoted in full, with no surprises.
What it costs
Mara & the Lakes is designed bespoke, so the price reflects your journey — not a fixed tier. Your quote is built from live rates, season, group size, routing, guiding, permits and accommodation tier. We'll give you a clear, all-in quote before you commit.
The Mara and the lakes, in context
The Maasai Mara, in south-west Kenya, is the country's flagship big-cat reserve and the northern reach of the Mara–Serengeti ecosystem. East of it, the floor of the Great Rift Valley holds a string of lakes: Lake Nakuru, a soda lake known for flamingos and as a rhino sanctuary, and Lake Naivasha, a freshwater lake rich in hippos, birdlife and lakeshore walks. The route links them naturally — typically six to eight nights — by road through the Rift or by short internal flights. Nobu designs it for variety across a single week, in every season.
Related journeys
- Into the Wild Mara — the Mara at its fullest, timed to your season. → Explore
- Mara & Amboseli Classic — the classic pairing of big cats and Kilimanjaro elephants. → Explore
- Rift Valley Passage — the lakes in full: Nakuru, Naivasha, Elementaita and Hell's Gate. → Explore
Trust reinforcement
A licensed Kenyan tour operator with our own guides and 4x4 fleet, 24-hour on-safari support and financial protection on every journey. The logistics handled quietly, so your week stays effortless.
Common questions
- Dawn with the cats
- Roll out before the light in the Mara as lions finish the night's work.
- A pink horizon
- Watch flamingos gather and lift at Lake Nakuru, a haze of colour over the water.
- Rhino country
- Track both black and white rhino in one of Kenya's great sanctuaries.
- The water's calm
- A boat across Naivasha among hippos and fish eagles, the day softening.
- A walk among giraffe
- Step out on foot at Crescent Island, plains game grazing all around.
- Firelight and big skies
- End each day where the conversation slows and the stars take over.
- Arrive in the Mara
- Fly in by light aircraft; the plains greet you from the air. Settle into camp, an evening game drive as the light turns gold.
- Into big-cat country
- Full days following the predators and the herds at your own pace; the migration in season.
- Down to the lakes
- Travel into the Great Rift to Lake Nakuru — flamingos along the shore, rhino in the acacia woodland.
- The calm of Naivasha
- A freshwater lake of hippos and fish eagles; a boat, and a walk among giraffe on Crescent Island.
- A last morning
- One more quiet hour by the water before you fly out, or continue your wider Kenya journey.
- Why add the lakes to a Maasai Mara safari?
- Variety. The Mara delivers big cats and open plains; Nakuru adds flamingos and rhino, and Naivasha brings water, hippos and walking. Together they show several different Kenyas in one journey.
- Will I see flamingos at Lake Nakuru?
- Flamingo numbers shift with water levels and season, so they can range from spectacular to modest. Nakuru's rhino, plains game and birdlife reward a visit year-round; we set expectations honestly when we plan your dates.
- When is the best time for this safari?
- July to October for the Mara migration; the green season (November to June) for fewer travellers and lush Rift scenery. The lakes reward visits across the year.
- How many days do you need?
- Most travellers spend six to eight nights — around three in the Mara and two to three at the lakes — but we'll shape the length around your wider journey.
- Into the Wild Mara
- the Mara at its fullest, timed to your season. → [Explore](/journeys/into-the-wild-mara)
- Mara & Amboseli Classic
- the classic pairing of big cats and Kilimanjaro elephants. → [Explore](/journeys/mara-and-amboseli-classic)
- Rift Valley Passage
- the lakes in full: Nakuru, Naivasha, Elementaita and Hell's Gate. → [Explore](/journeys/rift-valley-passage)
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