6 Days New Year Safari Celebration: Mara to Amboseli

Road to the Celebration

Pickup from JKIA, Wilson Airport or an agreed Nairobi hotel takes place at approximately 6:30–7:00 a.m. Travel 250–280 km through the Great Rift Valley and Narok, allowing 5–6½ hours plus refreshment, viewpoint and holiday-traffic stops. Your guide will review the game-drive schedule and any confirmed New Year’s Eve arrangements. Reach the premium Mara camp between 12:30 and 2:00 p.m. for check-in, lunch and rest.

Last Sunset of the Year

Leave around 3:30 p.m. for a 2½–3-hour drive through open plains, acacia country or river habitat. Enjoy the natural final sunset of the year while maintaining reserve rules and respectful distance from wildlife. Return around 6:00–6:30 p.m. for dinner. If this is New Year’s Eve, join only the programme confirmed by the lodge; timing and entertainment differ between properties.

Destination:

MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE

Overnight:

Mara Serena Safari Lodge

  premium luxury 5 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Lunch, Dinner

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First Safari of the Year

Guests who joined a late countdown may begin at approximately 6:30–7:00 a.m., while those preferring sunrise can leave around 6:15 a.m. with prior arrangement. The morning drive lasts about 2½–3 hours and searches nearby habitats according to wildlife movement. Safety and adequate rest take priority; nobody who has consumed excessive alcohol should disrupt the vehicle or other guests.

New Year Brunch and Rest

Return around 9:30 a.m. for breakfast or a confirmed New Year brunch. Spend the midday hours resting, contacting family or enjoying lodge facilities. Lunch timing and special menus vary, but a typical meal is around 1:00 p.m.

Afternoon Renewal

Depart around 3:30 p.m. for another 2½–3-hour game drive. The guide may explore a different nearby section before returning around 6:30 p.m. for dinner and a quieter second evening in the Mara.

Destination:

MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE

Overnight:

Mara Serena Safari Lodge

  premium luxury 5 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

❮ ❯

A Fresh Road Departure

Breakfast is served at approximately 6:00–6:30 a.m., followed by check-out and departure near 7:00 a.m. Travel 235–270 km from the Maasai Mara to Lake Nakuru in about 5–6½ hours. Holiday traffic, rain, roadworks and the chosen reserve gate may affect progress, so the guide will communicate changes and arrange a safe meal or refreshment stop.

New-Year Nakuru Arrival

Reach the premium property in the mid-to-late afternoon. When accommodation is inside Lake Nakuru National Park and arrival occurs early enough, a short introductory drive may be possible; otherwise, settle in and rest for the early morning programme. Birds, buffaloes, giraffes and rhinos occur naturally in the park, but none is guaranteed. Dinner closes the day before the guide confirms the Day 4 game drive and long journey to Amboseli.

Destination:

MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE

Overnight:

Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge

  premium luxury 5 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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A Morning among Woodland and Birds

After breakfast around 5:45–6:00 a.m., check out and begin a 2½–3-hour Lake Nakuru game drive near 6:30 a.m. Explore accessible woodland, open areas and lakeshore habitat while learning about the park’s rhino-protection role and changing lake ecology. Flamingo numbers vary with water depth and food conditions, and sightings remain natural.

Onward to Amboseli

Leave around 9:30–10:00 a.m. for the 390–430 km drive through Nairobi and Emali, allowing 7½–9 hours including lunch, stops and congestion. Holiday traffic can extend the drive. This is the New Year circuit’s longest transfer, and no evening game drive is promised after a late arrival. Reach the premium Amboseli lodge in the early evening for dinner, rest and preparation for the full safari on Day 5.

Destination:

LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK

Overnight:

Elewana Tortilis Camp Amboseli

  premium luxury 5 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

❮ ❯

First-Light Renewal

Depart at approximately 6:15 a.m. with breakfast boxes or after an early meal. Begin the day among Amboseli’s wetlands, open plains and acacia country, observing any elephants, buffaloes, birds, antelopes or predators encountered naturally. The first light of the year can be memorable, while Mount Kilimanjaro may remain hidden behind cloud. Your guide will favour patient observation and responsible positioning rather than rushing between reported sightings.

An Unhurried Year Ahead

Continue for about 8–9 hours, using an authorised picnic area for lunch or returning to the lodge when its location and confirmed holiday programme permit. The afternoon route may explore another section of the park before returning around 5:30–6:00 p.m. Any New Year cake, music, dinner or family activity follows the property’s confirmed schedule. Unauthorised fireworks, lanterns and disruptive noise must not be used. Dinner and a second premium Amboseli overnight complete the celebration

Destination:

AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK

Overnight:

Elewana Tortilis Camp Amboseli

  premium luxury 5 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

❮ ❯

A Quiet Farewell

Have breakfast at approximately 6:00–6:30 a.m. If park access, lodge location and holiday traffic allow, take a short 1½–2-hour farewell drive before check-out near 9:00 a.m. The outing provides a peaceful last view after the complete Day 5 safari without creating pressure to find any particular animal or mountain scene.

Return to Nairobi

Travel 220–240 km to Nairobi in about 4–5 hours, allowing extra time for holiday congestion and a practical refreshment stop. Lunch is arranged according to the road schedule, while the guide keeps you informed about traffic. Expected arrival is approximately 2:00–4:30 p.m. at JKIA, Wilson Airport or an agreed Nairobi address. An evening international flight or an additional Nairobi night offers a sensible buffer at the end of the festive period.