Governors' Safari

It’s all about big cats and the Big Five on this classic 7-day safari.

It’s all about big cats and the Big Five on this classic 7-day safari. Explore two of the Great Rift Valley lakes, a haven for colourful birdlife and endangered black rhino. Then fly across rolling plains to a luxury tented camp in the unparalleled Maasai Mara. Once reserved for Kenya’s colonial governors, now it’s the realm of the world’s most spectacular wildlife.

Itinerary
7 days
7 nights from Nairobi , Nairobi: 1 night , Lake Naivasha: 2 nights , Maasai Mara: 4 nights
Safari

£4,325 - £6,495pp including international flights

Itinerary overview

Day 1

Arrival in Nairobi

Welcome to Kenya. Upon arrival in Nairobi, a local representative will be waiting at the airport ...

Day 2

Nairobi & Lake Naivasha

After breakfast, start your adventure with a 2-hour 4x4 drive to the north-western shores of Lake...

Day 3

Lake Naivasha

Today we recommend a visit to nearby Lake Nakuru National Park, a full-day excursion that’s inclu...

Day 4

Lake Naivasha & Maasai Mara

After breakfast, enjoy a scenic flight by light aircraft to Musiara airstrip, followed by a 15-mi...

Day 5

Maasai Mara

The Maasai Mara is home to one of the highest concentrations of wildlife in the world and today y...

Day 6

Maasai Mara

During your stay at Governors’ there’s the opportunity to take a thrilling hot-air balloon safari...

Day 7

Nairobi & Departure

After breakfast, fly back to Nairobi. Alternatively, if you’re travelling on to Kenya’s coast, yo...

Day 1

Arrival in Nairobi

Welcome to Kenya. Upon arrival in Nairobi, a local representative will be waiting at the airport to transfer you to your comfortable hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax ahead of your safari adventure. Overnight at Fairmont The Norfolk.

Day 2

Nairobi & Lake Naivasha

After breakfast, start your adventure with a 2-hour 4x4 drive to the north-western shores of Lake Naivasha in the Great Rift Valley. Your base for the next two nights is Loldia House, an original farmhouse on a private 6,500-acre farm. It is perfectly placed to explore the surrounding lakes and mountains, as well as the varied wildlife that reside here. Guests can enjoy a boat ride on a nearby lake, a vehicle tour of the ranch, or even a night drive with the chance of spotting leopard out hunting. Returning to the house you may well hear hippos grazing on the lawn. Overnight at Loldia House.

Day 3

Lake Naivasha

Today we recommend a visit to nearby Lake Nakuru National Park, a full-day excursion that’s included in your stay at Loldia House. Lake Nakuru is famous for its flocks of pink flamingos who feed on the blue-green algae that thrives here. The surrounding national park is home to lion, leopard, buffalo, zebra, impala, and endangered black rhino. It’s a fantastic place for a game drive. Returning to the farmhouse, there’s time to relax in the beautiful infinity pool or indulge in a massage or treatment at the poolside spa room. Overnight at Loldia House.

Adrenaline-Pumping Great Rift Valley

Great Rift Valley Lakes

There’s plenty of adrenaline-pumping activities to try near Lake Naivasha, from climbing volcanoes to cycling through geothermal landscapes. If you like to hike, then climbing Mount Longonot, a dormant volcano in the Great Rift Valley is a must. You’ll leave Loldia House at about 7am with a guide for the two-hour climb, which is slightly shorter on the way down. While it isn’t a difficult trek, you need to be aware of the altitude, which reaches 2,776 metres at the peak, and go slowly. At the summit of Mount Longonot, you can see right into the huge crater rim, which is filled with thick forest. Then, sit back with a picnic and take in views of Lake Naivasha and the Great Rift Valley, which is home to herds of buffalo and game, predators and lakes known for their huge flocks of flamingos. It’s a beautiful view and when guests return, they’re always excited to tell me about it. Loldia House also offers a popular day trip to Hell’s Gate National Park, which is special for its geothermal activity, including geysers and bubbling sulphur pools formed by volcanic activity. You’ll get the chance to cycle through this unusual landscape with a naturalist guide, who’ll teach you about the geological features, including the obsidian caves which were formed when molten lava and water collided. Along the way, you’ll spot wildlife such as baboons, vervet monkeys and sometimes even rare colobus monkeys.

Day 4

Lake Naivasha & Maasai Mara

After breakfast, enjoy a scenic flight by light aircraft to Musiara airstrip, followed by a 15-minute game drive to Governors’ Camp. Your home for the next 3 nights will be a classic safari tent at this exclusive camp, set on the banks of the Mara River in a wildlife-rich corner of the Maasai Mara Reserve. The camp is unfenced so grazing animals often pass through. Your plans for the following days are incredibly flexible with two or three games drives per day, depending on your preference. You’ll be allocated an expert driver/guide who you’ll get to know well during your stay. They will know the very best places to spot wildlife and even know all the local lion by name. Overnight at Governors’ Camp.

Day 5

Maasai Mara

The Maasai Mara is home to one of the highest concentrations of wildlife in the world and today you’ll begin to discover it. The region is deservedly famous for its big cats but is also a fantastic place to experience other wildlife including elephants, giraffe, zebra, antelope, impala, hyenas, and warthogs. Visit during the dry season between June and October and you’ll witness The Great Migration, when over two million wildebeest thunders across the plains in search of lush grasslands. The Community & Conservation programme is also highly recommended during your time here. Visiting local Maasai villages known as Manyattas, you’ll experience the traditional way of life of the Maasai. Between game drives you can relax at the camp and enjoy excellent meals in the dining tent, or al fresco. Overnight at Governors’ Camp.

Day 6

Maasai Mara

During your stay at Governors’ there’s the opportunity to take a thrilling hot-air balloon safari to gain a whole new perspective of the Maasai Mara. Wake early and watch as the balloon is prepared, then take flight and drift upwards as the sun rises. The bright pink-orange haze is visible for miles across the vast savannah, as wildlife roam below. The memorable flight is followed by an impressive Champagne breakfast that will be set up as your balloon comes into land. This is our most popular optional experience in Kenya. The rest of the day is spent on further game drives into the heart of this wildlife-rich reserve with your expert driver/guide. Overnight at Governors’ Camp.

Governors’ Balloon Flight

Maasai Mara

Take to the skies on the Governors' hot air balloon safari, where you’ll watch the sunrise over the Maasai Mara and get an aerial view of African wildlife. You’ll lift off around 6am in time to see the sunrise from the balloon, painting the sky in buttery shades of orange. At that time of day, the grazing animals are just waking up. Elephants are munching in the forest, hippos are heading back to the river, and the trees are filled with birds. It’s particularly busy during the Annual Great Migration when massive herds of wildebeest roam the plains. Governors’ has the best flight path in the region, drifting along the Mara River above beautiful riverine forest where rhinos graze, before ending in the open savannah where you might see giraffe, zebra, and lion. Guests love the serenity of the balloon ride and the fantastic opportunities for photography. You’ll also have the chance to drop seedballs from the balloon, as part of a conservation scheme to replant indigenous African olive trees. At the end of the hour-long flight, the balloon will land near a bush breakfast site where tables are set up under trees in the middle of the savannah. Here you’ll enjoy a lavish breakfast spread including eggs, sausages, pancakes, fruit, muesli, and of course Champagne! It’s a laid-back, picnic-style feast where your pilot will share bush stories and explain the history of ballooning in the Mara.

Day 7

Nairobi & Departure

After breakfast, fly back to Nairobi. Alternatively, if you’re travelling on to Kenya’s coast, you can fly directly from the Mara to Mombasa in the afternoon.

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Guide price information

Low Season

01 Apr - 31 May

£4,325pp

Mid Season

01 Jan - 31 Mar, 01 Jun - 30 Jun

£4,995pp

High Season

01 Nov - 15 Dec

£5,375pp

Peak Season

01 Jul - 31 Oct, 16 Dec - 31 Dec

£6,495pp

Guide price information is based on the included flights from London, accommodation, transport and experiences detailed in the itinerary above. Guide prices do not include optional things to do. Call us for up to date prices – the cost of your holiday depends upon the time of year you travel, how long you go for, preferred departure airport, airlines, hotels and things to do. Based on 2 people sharing.

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