Popular Mara + Coast 8 Days
Maasai Mara to Diani: Wild Plains, Barefoot Finish
- ✦ Bush and beach in one journey
- ✦ All internal flights included
- ✦ Premium accommodation throughout
Ready to book
From
$3,250
← All safarisBush & beach
Maasai Mara & Lamu: Safari Sunsets & Island Stories
Maasai Mara · Lamu 8 Days / 7 Nights From $6,470 per person
Overview
The journey
A 8-day safari and beach holiday — one of our Kenya safari and beach holidays. A bush and beach holiday through Maasai Mara and Lamu. The route runs in one direction with no doubling back, and saves the best for last — dhow sailing in unesco-listed lamu.
Why this safari
What makes it different
8 days across 3 camps, every sector flown, with your own guide on the ground.
3 distinct ecosystems in 8 days
Nairobi · Maasai Mara · Lamu — each chosen for a different animal, landscape and light, and ordered so you never double back.
A tight, purposeful route with no wasted days
Every move is planned around game movements and light, so short days still deliver full game-viewing mornings.
Your own 4x4 Land Cruiser and private guide
No shared vehicles and no fixed departure times — you decide when to leave camp, how long to sit with a sighting, and where to have breakfast.
Every transfer flown by private charter
You are in a game vehicle minutes after landing, with luggage handled planeside — the same route by road costs the better part of two days.
Ultra-Luxury is genuinely all-inclusive
All meals, premium drinks, laundry, park and conservancy fees, private guiding and the charter flights are in the price. You should not need your wallet until you tip.
Priced honestly, with fees shown up front
Park and conservation fees, taxes and levies are itemised on your proforma invoice — 50% confirms the booking and the balance is due before travel.
At a glance
Trip essentials
Best season
Jul – Oct (migration) · Jan – Feb (calving & big cats)
Pace & difficulty
Relaxed — long stays, few moves · Easy — suitable for all ages
Group size
Private departure — 2 to 6 guests per vehicle
Game viewing
12–16 hours of guided game viewing across 2 active days
Destinations routed
Nairobi National Park → Maasai Mara National Reserve → Lamu Island
Ideal for
Safari-and-beach combinations · Private departures for 2–6 guests
Day by day
Detailed itinerary
Every day is planned to the hour, with the flexibility to change anything before you confirm.
Route overview
- 1
Nairobi National Park
Day 1 · 1 night
- 2
Maasai Mara National Reserve
Days 2–3–4 · 3 nights
- 3
Lamu Island
Days 5–6 · 2 nights
- 4
Maasai Mara National Reserve
Day 7 · 1 night
- 5
Lamu Island
Day 8 · journey ends
- 1
ArrivalDay 1 · Arrive in Nairobi
Nairobi National Park
Met at Jomo Kenyatta International and transferred to your hotel for a relaxed evening and trip briefing with your Perch Africa specialist.
MorningArrival, immigration assistance and meet-and-greet by your Perch Africa representative
AfternoonTransfer, luggage re-pack for light aircraft, and a full trip briefing with your guide
EveningWelcome dinner and route walkthrough with your safari specialist
Highlights
- Excellent wildlife viewing year-round
- Authentic local culture & guides
- Curated lodges & camps in every tier
Hemingways Nairobi
Dinner
Private airport transfer
Visa/e-TA must be approved before departure — we send the checklist on booking
Standard park/reserve fees apply
Best accessed via light aircraft or 4x4 transfer
Neutral greens and browns for game drives — avoid blue and black (tsetse flies)
- 2
ArrivalDay 2 · Arrive on the Mara plains
Maasai Mara National Reserve
Game driveCultural visitScenic flightLight-aircraft charter to the airstrip to Maasai Mara. Afternoon game drive across the rolling grasslands as lion prides and cheetah stir for the evening.
MorningScheduled light-aircraft flight
AfternoonAfternoon at leisure to recover from the flight before the safari begins
EveningEarly dinner and an early night ahead of tomorrow's dawn departure
Highlights
- Annual Great Migration river crossings (Jul–Oct)
- Highest lion density in Africa
- Resident leopards along the Talek & Mara Rivers
Governors' Camp
All inclusive
Light aircraft + 4x4 game-drive vehicle on landing
Light-aircraft baggage limit: 15 kg per person in a soft bag, including hand luggage
Visa/e-TA must be approved before departure — we send the checklist on booking
Park fees: USD 200/adult/day (high season, non-resident)
Conservancy fees additional — typically USD 100–150/night
Soft-sided bag of 15 kg maximum per person on light-aircraft transfers
- 3
SafariDay 3 · Mara River day
Maasai Mara National Reserve
Great MigrationFull day with picnic lunch along the Mara River — crocodiles, hippo and, in season, the Migration crossings.
MorningDawn departure with coffee in the vehicle — guided bush walks (conservancies only)
AfternoonSiesta through the heat, then maasai village visit
EveningSundowners at a viewpoint, then a bush dinner under the stars
Highlights
- Annual Great Migration river crossings (Jul–Oct)
- Highest lion density in Africa
- Resident leopards along the Talek & Mara Rivers
Governors' Camp
All inclusive
Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-top roof and window seat guaranteed
Approx. 1.5 h on the road
Park fees: USD 200/adult/day (high season, non-resident)
Conservancy fees additional — typically USD 100–150/night
Bring binoculars; one pair per person changes the whole safari
- 4
SafariDay 4 · Balloon dawn & bush breakfast
Maasai Mara National Reserve
Balloon safariOptional hot-air balloon at sunrise with champagne breakfast, then an afternoon tracking leopard in the riverine forest.
MorningDawn departure with coffee in the vehicle — maasai village visit
AfternoonSiesta through the heat, then photographic hides & sundowners
EveningSundowners at a viewpoint, then a bush dinner under the stars
Highlights
- Annual Great Migration river crossings (Jul–Oct)
- Highest lion density in Africa
- Resident leopards along the Talek & Mara Rivers
Governors' Camp
All inclusive
Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-top roof and window seat guaranteed
Approx. 1.5 h on the road
Park fees: USD 200/adult/day (high season, non-resident)
Conservancy fees additional — typically USD 100–150/night
A warm fleece for pre-dawn drives — it is genuinely cold before sunrise
- 5Beach
Day 5 · Lamu by dhow
Lamu Island
Boat experienceScenic flightSundownersLight-aircraft charter to the airstrip to Lamu. Fly to Manda and cross by boat to Lamu, then a sunset dhow sail through the channel.
MorningSunrise swim followed by a guided walk along the tide line
AfternoonOptional deep-sea fishing, kite-surfing lesson or a spa treatment
EveningDhow sundowner cruise followed by dinner under the stars
Highlights
- Excellent wildlife viewing year-round
- Authentic local culture & guides
- Curated lodges & camps in every tier
The Majlis
Breakfast, Dinner
Light aircraft + 4x4 game-drive vehicle on landing
Scheduled light-aircraft flight
Light-aircraft baggage limit: 15 kg per person in a soft bag, including hand luggage
Standard park/reserve fees apply
Best accessed via light aircraft or 4x4 transfer
Reef-safe sunscreen, a wide-brim hat and a swimsuit for the coast
- 6Beach
Day 6 · Lamu Old Town
Lamu Island
Guided walkWalk the car-free alleys of the UNESCO Old Town, the fort and museum, with a Swahili lunch.
MorningMorning dhow sail with fresh fruit and coffee on board
AfternoonVillage and spice-market visit with your local guide
EveningBeach bonfire, Swahili tasting menu and live taarab music
Highlights
- Excellent wildlife viewing year-round
- Authentic local culture & guides
- Curated lodges & camps in every tier
The Majlis
Breakfast, Dinner
Private road transfer; boat and dhow for excursions
Standard park/reserve fees apply
Best accessed via light aircraft or 4x4 transfer
Spare camera batteries and double the memory cards you think you need
- 7Beach
Day 7 · Shela dunes & beach
Maasai Mara National Reserve
Beach leisureLong, empty Shela beach and the dunes, then dinner on a rooftop above the harbour.
MorningSlow breakfast on the terrace, then the reef at high tide — snorkelling over the coral gardens
AfternoonFree afternoon: paddleboards, kayaks or a book in the shade of the palms
EveningSunset cocktails on the sand, then a seafood dinner grilled to order
Highlights
- Annual Great Migration river crossings (Jul–Oct)
- Highest lion density in Africa
- Resident leopards along the Talek & Mara Rivers
The Majlis
Breakfast, Dinner
Private road transfer; boat and dhow for excursions
Park fees: USD 200/adult/day (high season, non-resident)
Conservancy fees additional — typically USD 100–150/night
Neutral greens and browns for game drives — avoid blue and black (tsetse flies)
- 8Departure
Day 8 · Departure
Lamu Island
Scenic flightA final morning at Lamu, then a charter flight to connect with your onward or international flight.
MorningFinal sunrise game drive or a slow breakfast, then check-out and pack
AfternoonScheduled light-aircraft flight
EveningAssisted check-in for your international flight home
Highlights
- Excellent wildlife viewing year-round
- Authentic local culture & guides
- Curated lodges & camps in every tier
Accommodation confirmed on booking
Breakfast
Light aircraft + 4x4 game-drive vehicle on landing
Scheduled light-aircraft flight
Light-aircraft baggage limit: 15 kg per person in a soft bag, including hand luggage
Standard park/reserve fees apply
Best accessed via light aircraft or 4x4 transfer
Soft-sided bag of 15 kg maximum per person on light-aircraft transfers
You leave Nairobi National Park with the sound of the plains still in your ears — and a standing invitation to come back for the season you missed.
Transparent pricing
Park & conservation fees included
| Destination | Type | Per adult / day | Days | Per adult |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nairobi National Park | Park entry fee | $50 | 1 | $50 |
| Maasai Mara National Reserve | Park entry fee | $200 | 4 | $800 |
| Total statutory fees per adult | $850 | |||
Children under 12 pay 50% and infants under 3 are free. Your proforma invoice itemises 16% VAT, the 2% catering levy and the 2% service charge separately.
What's included
- All accommodation as listed, on the meal plan shown for each day
- Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-top roof, window seat guaranteed
- Professional English-speaking driver-guide throughout
- Scheduled light-aircraft flights on the internal legs shown in the itinerary
- All game drives and activities named in the itinerary
- All park, reserve and conservation fees for the routed destinations
- Airport meet-and-greet plus all transfers in the itinerary
- Drinking water in the vehicle and camp laundry where offered
- Flying-doctor evacuation cover (AMREF) for the safari days
- 24/7 in-country support line and a proforma invoice with every quote
- Beach transfers and one guided marine excursion at the coast
Not included
- International flights and airport departure taxes
- Visa / e-TA fees and travel insurance (both mandatory)
- Premium drinks, champagne and imported spirits
- Optional extras: hot-air balloon, private guide, spa, diving
- Tips for guides, camp staff and drivers (guidance provided pre-departure)
- Personal shopping, telephone and anything not listed as included
What to pack
- ✦Neutral safari clothing — greens, browns, khaki (avoid blue and black)
- ✦Warm fleece and windproof layer for early-morning drives
- ✦Wide-brim hat, polarised sunglasses, high-SPF sunscreen
- ✦Binoculars (one pair per person) and a zoom lens if you shoot
- ✦Insect repellent with DEET, plus antimalarials as advised by your doctor
- ✦Soft duffel bag of 15 kg per person for light-aircraft legs
- ✦Universal adaptor and a power bank — camp power is generator-timed
- ✦Copies of passport, insurance and yellow-fever certificate where required
Health & safety
- ✦Malaria prophylaxis is recommended for all safari areas — confirm with your doctor
- ✦Yellow-fever certificate required when entering from an endemic country
- ✦Camps are unfenced: always walk with an askari escort after dark
- ✦Never stand up or lean out of the vehicle during a sighting
- ✦Comprehensive travel insurance including medical evacuation is mandatory
- ✦Flying-doctor evacuation cover is included for your safari days
Good to know
- ✦Kenya e-TA is applied for online and usually approved within 72 hours
- ✦Park fees are payable in USD and are included in your quoted price
- ✦Conservancy camps allow night drives and walking; the reserve itself does not
- ✦M-Pesa is universal for small payments — ask us how to load it
- ✦16% VAT, 2% catering levy and 2% service charge are itemised on your proforma invoice
- ✦Book 6–9 months ahead for July–October and the festive season
- ✦Drones are prohibited in national parks without a written permit
- ✦A deposit of 50% confirms your dates; the balance is due 45 days before travel
Guest reviews & credentials
Why travellers trust us with the Maasai Mara & Lamu: Safari Sunsets & Island Stories
“Our guide read the plains like a book — we were the only vehicle at a leopard sighting twice. Every transfer, camp and park fee was exactly as quoted.”
Maasai Mara · 6 nights
“Travelling with a 6-year-old and grandparents could have been chaos. Perch planned the driving days around nap times and picked family tents with connecting rooms.”
Amboseli & Tsavo · 5 nights
“The migration timing advice was spot on. When one camp went full they moved us to a better one in the same conservancy at no extra cost, same day.”
Serengeti & Ngorongoro · 8 nights
KPSGA silver & gold guides
Every driver-guide is Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association certified, with 8+ years in the parks on your route.
Licensed tour operator
Registered with the Tourism Regulatory Authority (Kenya) and TALA-licensed operations in Tanzania.
AMREF Flying Doctors cover
Air-evacuation cover for every guest for the full duration of the safari, included in your rate.
Vehicle & safety standards
Serviced 4x4 Land Cruisers with pop-up roofs, first-aid kits, satellite comms and daily driver check-ins.
Transparent proforma pricing
Park fees, conservancy levies, 16% VAT, 2% catering levy and 2% service charge itemised before you pay.
4.9 / 5 guest rating
Across 380+ reviewed departures, with a 62% repeat-and-referral rate from past travellers.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
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