8 Days Premium New Year Celebration Safari in Kenya

Departure toward the Savannah

Meet our guide between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m. on 29 December at JKIA or a confirmed Nairobi hotel. Travel 255–300 km through the Great Rift Valley and Narok, taking 5½–7 hours excluding lunch, holiday traffic and comfort stops. Discuss your celebration preferences, dietary requirements and confirmed lodge program during the journey.

First Year-End Safari

Arrive for lunch and check into your premium Maasai Mara accommodation. At approximately 3:30 p.m., begin the first game drive across open plains and scattered woodland. Search for elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, antelopes and predators while enjoying the final days of the year in the wilderness. Return around sunset for dinner. The guide will explain the next two days’ safari and celebration schedule before you retire.

Destination:

MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE

Overnight:

Mara Leisure Camp

  premium luxury 5 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Lunch, Dinner

❮ ❯

Savannah Discovery

After breakfast around 6:00 a.m., depart between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m. Explore grasslands, river corridors and seasonal waterways while searching for lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, hyenas and herbivore herds. Wildlife movement determines the route, and no specific sighting can be promised.

Preparing for New Year’s Eve

Enjoy a picnic lunch between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m. and continue exploring until approximately 5:30 p.m. This full safari day provides substantial wildlife time before the following evening’s celebration. After dinner, confirm the New Year’s Eve dress recommendation, dining time and entertainment program with the lodge. Any private cake, proposal arrangement, premium drinks or reserved table should already appear in the booking confirmation.

Destination:

MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE

Overnight:

Mara Leisure Camp

  premium luxury 5 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

❮ ❯

Final Game Drive of the Year

Leave around 6:30 a.m. after breakfast and explore a different Maasai Mara sector. Search for predators, elephants, hippos, crocodiles, antelopes and birds while appreciating the final sunrise and wildlife experiences of the year. Lunch is served around 1:00 p.m. at an approved picnic site or the lodge.

Celebration in the Mara

Return from the afternoon drive between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m., providing enough time to rest and prepare. The lodge’s official program may include a gala dinner, music, a campfire or countdown, but arrangements vary. Alcohol is served only under property rules and is never compulsory. Families remain responsible for children. Respect other guests, lodge staff, wildlife surroundings and the property’s final quiet-time instructions.

Destination:

MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE

Overnight:

Mara Leisure Camp

  premium luxury 5 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

❮ ❯

First Sunrise of the New Year

Begin the year with an optional short game drive around 6:30 a.m. or enjoy a relaxed breakfast after the celebration. The safari provides an opportunity to welcome the new year surrounded by Mara landscapes, although sunrise and wildlife conditions remain unpredictable. Complete check-out between 9:00 and 9:30 a.m.

New Year Journey to Nakuru

Travel 230–270 km through Narok and Mau Narok, taking 5–6½ hours excluding lunch, holiday traffic and road conditions. The transfer introduces highland scenery and changing land use after three nights on the savannah. Arrive near Lake Nakuru during the late afternoon and settle into your premium accommodation. Enjoy a relaxed New Year’s Day dinner and an early night.

Destination:

MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE

Overnight:

Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge

  premium luxury 5 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

❮ ❯

New Year Rhino Safari

Enter Lake Nakuru National Park around 6:30 a.m. for a 3–4-hour game drive through woodland, grassland and lakeshore areas. Search for white and black rhinos, buffaloes, Rothschild’s giraffes, baboons, antelopes and waterbirds. Flamingo concentrations change naturally and cannot be scheduled for the New Year period.

Premium Lakeside Renewal

After breakfast or brunch, drive 75–100 km to Lake Naivasha in 1½–2½ hours. Check into your premium lakeside accommodation and enjoy time to relax after the festive period. A confirmed 60–90-minute boat excursion may provide views of hippos and birds when conditions permit. Wear a life jacket and never approach unprotected shorelines after dark.

Destination:

LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK

Overnight:

Great Rift Valley Lodge & Golf Resort

  premium luxury 5 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

❮ ❯

Peaceful Freshwater Morning

Breakfast begins around 6:30 a.m. Enjoy a boat safari, photograph the lodge environment or rest before the long transfer. The captain may alter or cancel a boat activity because of wind, visibility or water conditions. Guests who prefer to remain ashore can use approved lodge areas.

Journey to Southern Kenya

Travel 310–360 km through Mai Mahiu, Nairobi’s outskirts and Emali. Driving takes 6–8 hours excluding lunch, traffic and comfort stops. Use this transition to reflect on the Mara celebration and prepare for Amboseli’s different ecosystem. Arrive during the late afternoon and check into your premium lodge or camp. Dinner is served after the property briefing and room allocation.

Destination:

LAKE NAIVASHA NATIONAL PARK

Overnight:

Satao Camp

  premium luxury 5 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

❮ ❯

Kilimanjaro and Elephant Plains

Depart between 6:15 and 6:30 a.m. following an early breakfast. Clear skies may reveal Mount Kilimanjaro, although cloud cover remains unpredictable. Explore open plains, acacia woodland and spring-fed wetlands while searching for elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, predators and birds.

A Meaningful New Beginning

Enjoy lunch between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m. at the lodge or an authorized picnic location. Continue through the afternoon, using the safari as a calm and memorable way to begin the year. Optional private sundowners, celebration cakes or renewal ceremonies require advance approval and suitable weather. Return between 5:30 and 6:00 p.m. for dinner and your final premium safari evening.

Destination:

AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK

Overnight:

Satao Camp

  premium luxury 5 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

❮ ❯

Final Amboseli Morning

Join a short game drive around 6:30 a.m. when your Nairobi or flight schedule permits. Enjoy final views of the wetlands and plains before returning for breakfast. Complete check-out between 8:30 and 9:00 a.m., carefully packing cameras, celebration gifts, documents and other personal belongings.

Homeward New Year Journey

Travel 200–240 km through Emali, taking 4–5½ hours excluding lunch and traffic. The private transfer concludes eight days of wildlife, premium hospitality and seasonal celebration. Drop-off is available at JKIA, Wilson Airport or a confirmed Nairobi hotel. International flights should depart late in the evening, allowing sufficient time for road delays, airport security and check-in procedures.