Day Trips in Amboseli & Tsavo: 8 That Justify the Spend

1.1 Day trip to Hells Gate and Lake Naivasha From Nairobi

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 332 reviews · from $110Our pick

Leave Nairobi at 7am for Hell’s Gate National Park, where you cycle and walk among zebra, giraffes, gazelle, and more. Guides such as Joash, David, Jaffar, and Reagan are praised for patient help and park knowledge. Add a $25 Lake Naivasha boat ride for hippos and birds. Expect a long, active day with roughly four hours on the road.

“It was wonderful to have a knowledgeable driver to pick me up and drop me off all day long. My driver was Joash. I had a wonderful, safe, relaxing day seeing Kenya. One warning, the climb down at Hells Gate is quite strenuous. Wear good shoRead more”

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2.Day Tour to Amboseli National Park & Maasai Village

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 310 reviews · 12 hours · from $75

Leave Nairobi early in a 4x4 for a five-hour Amboseli game drive, with chances to see elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras, and more. After lunch, visit a traditional Maasai village for dancing, beadwork, and conversation. Guides such as Charles, Harrison, and Jack are praised for careful driving and strong animal spotting.

“Seeing the animals against the beautiful backdrop of Amboseli was a highlight of our trip. Harrison made it even better with his deep knowledge and great personality. He really went above and beyond for us!”

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3.Day Trip: Hell’s Gate Bike Ride & Lake Naivasha Boat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 251 reviews · 9 - 10 hours · from $34Best value

Start with a Great Rift Valley viewpoint, then cycle 16 km through Hell’s Gate National Park beside zebras, giraffes, gazelles, and buffaloes. Walk the gorge, enjoy lunch, and cruise Lake Naivasha for hippos and birds. Guides such as Ruth, Isaiah, and Patrick have earned praise for their care, but park, bike, boat, and lunch costs are extra.

“We had a wonderful experience today exploring Lake Naivasha by boat, enjoying the beautiful wildlife around us. Our visit to Hell's Gate was equally exciting, with fun activities that made the day even more memorable. A special thanks to Ruth and Isaiah, who were incredibly kind and patient throughout, making the experience all the more enjoyable.”

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4.Day Tour to Amboseli National Park

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 222 reviews · from $310

Leave Nairobi at 5 a.m. for Amboseli National Park in an open-roof safari vehicle. Your guide searches for elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras, hippos, and birds, with Mount Kilimanjaro as the backdrop. The day includes park fees, bottled water, a buffet lunch at Oltukai Lodge, and pickup and drop-off in Nairobi or at the airport.

“What an epic and perfect day. Jerry was the best you could ask for. Part expert NASCAR driver. Part tour guide so knowledgeable about Amboseli and part comedian making the day fun. Dozens of elephants, hundreds of zebras, gazelles, beautiful birds and at the very end HIPPOS!!! Lunch at Ol Tukai lodge was the best we’ve had on our trip. I wish we’d thought about staying the night. Driving the road from Nairobi to Mombasa is not for the faint of heart so you better have an expert driver like Jerry. Bring some snacks, the best camera you can, and your energy. Fantastic day!”

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5.Day tour to Hell’s Gate National park and optional Boat ride on lake Naivasha

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 161 reviews · from $125

Leave Nairobi at 7am for Hell’s Gate National Park, where you’ll cycle among zebra and eagles, then walk through volcanic scenery with a private guide. Add a one-hour Lake Naivasha boat ride for bird watching and hippo viewing. Guides may include Stephen, Gaddafi, Charles, Isaac, or Sammy.

“The acces to the Valley have been closed for five years! Its nowhere to be found in the advertising- you even see pictures from the bottom of the canyon- closed for five years now and no signs of opening the years to come”

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6.Amboseli Day Tour from Nairobi

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 84 reviews · from $190

Leave Nairobi around 5 a.m. for Amboseli National Park, arriving about 8:45 for a game drive beneath Mount Kilimanjaro. Expect close elephant sightings, possible lions, giraffes, hippos, zebras, and more. Guides such as Peter, Julius, Evans, Henry, Kim, and Ebhantus have led this trip, with Maasai village visits available for an extra fee.

“Peter, our tour guide, was the most amazing tour guide we'd had in our time in Nairobi. He is incredibly informative and thoughtful of what we wanted to see. Would highly recommend this tour, and consider yourself lucky if Peter is the tour guide!”

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7.Day Tour To Lake Nakuru Park With Optional Boat Ride on Lake Naivasha

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 84 reviews · from $210

Leave Nairobi at 6:00am with a private driver-guide for Lake Nakuru’s flamingos, pelicans, and wildlife, then continue to Lake Naivasha for an optional boat ride with hippo viewing and eagle feeding. Guides such as Festus Kazungu and Samuel have earned praise for their warm, well-informed care. Park fees and boat fare cost extra.

“I was concerned at first booking a trip all day with a stranger as my guide. But Festus Kazungu made me feel welcome and comfortable from the moment I met him. We was very knowledgeable about the area and quickly picked up on what I was interested. I cannot recomRead more”

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8.Day Tour To Hell’s Gate National Park and Optional Boat Ride on Lake Naivasha.

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 78 reviews · from $65

Leave Nairobi at 7am for Hell’s Gate National Park, where a guide helps you cycle about 16 km among zebras, giraffes, warthogs, and dramatic cliffs. Add a Lake Naivasha motorboat ride for hippos, fish eagles, pelicans, and more birds. Drivers such as Calvin and guides including Frank or Gaddafi have led this private day trip.

“El guía nos estuvo mostrando todos los lugares de donde se inspiró la película del rey león, fue muy interesante y me gustó mucho. Tuve guía en español que me platicó y contó todo en hells gate, excelente guía. El chofer fue un poco insisRead more”

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