safaris in kenya africa

• Kenya safaris

Kenya safari guide – where & when to go, and what to see

Kenya safaris rock! Kenya is one of East Africa’s premier safari destinations, with massive open savannah regions hosting a huge breadth and depth of African wildlife. Over 10% of the country is protected in some form or other, and national parks in Kenya rate as some of the best in the world. A safari in Kenya almost guarantees you a sighting of the big five African animals of lion , buffalo , elephant , rhino , and leopard . Alongside these big-hitters are hundreds of other species of African animals, and some of the world’s most diverse bird-life.

Straddling the equator, Kenya is dominated by the Rift Valley – a huge range of valleys strung along a 5,000 km crack in the earth’s crust that runs through East Africa. Within the Rift Valley are Africa’s highest peaks – in Kenya these are the volcanoes of Mount Kenya and Mount Elgon. East of the Rift Valley are the coastal plains, whilst the north of Kenya is made up of arid wastelands. The prime Kenya safari destinations are the Central Highlands and areas within the Rift Valley. The south of the country hosts the great migration of plains animals and their predators each year between June and November. In short, Kenya safaris are up there with the very best in terms of wildlife and scenery.

Self-drive safaris are an option in many national parks in Kenya, though to enjoy full access to the most remote (and tourist-free) areas you’ll need a 4WD car or jeep. If you fancy taking a tour or arranging your own guide and/or driver have a look at our list of safari tour companies in Kenya before arrival in the country.

Alongside safaris and wildlife spotting, a visit to Kenya allows you to easily extend your safari with a visit to a resort on the Indian Ocean coast, or with activities such as trekking, hiking, sailing or diving .

Useful resources

• Book a Kenya Safari
• Kenyan Ministry of Tourism
• Kenya Wildlife Service

Kenya safari highlights

Experience maasai culture.

The Maasai are one of the few African tribes who have retained most of their traditions, lifestyle, and lore – along with their distinctive red robes. Many safari lodges and operators work with local Maasai on community projects. Experiencing some time in a Maasai village whilst in Kenya is a unique cultural experience that will help put your visit in context.

Big five spotting

Big five spotting in Kenya is high on most visitor’s safari checklist, and with Kenya’s superb network of national park gems seeing Africa’s biggest beasts up close and personal is a realistic goal. Destinations rich in lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo are clustered in the south of the country, particularly Amboseli, Masai Mara and East and West Tsavo (for the Tsavo lions !) national parks.

Watch the ‘Great Wildebeest Migration’

Indian ocean beach perfection

Best time to safari in Kenya

The peak tourist season in Kenya is January and February when the weather is consistently warm and dry, with wildlife easy to spot in large concentrations. If you take a Kenya safari in peak season expect to be in company with crowds of tourists, and paying top dollar for your safari. If you’re specifically after catching sight of the annual great migration, June to October is the time to head to the Masai Mara National Park in southern Kenya.

The long rains hit Kenya through March, April and May, and the short rains from October to December. During the short rains, it generally rains only for short periods at a time, meaning your wildlife viewing will not be too disrupted. This is the time you can get some great deals on safari tours, or safari lodges if you’re travelling independently.

Flights To Kenya

Search, track and book flights to Kenya, from anywhere in the world.

Kenya Accommodation

Find safari accommodation in Kenya – from budget campsites to luxury lodges.

Kenya Car Hire

Considering a self-drive safari? Research and book car hire in Kenya.

Activities in Kenya

Search and book things to do in Kenya – tours, excursions and activities.

National parks in Kenya

With a stunning array of wildlife and more than 10% of the country given over to national parks and reserves, Kenya is undoubtedly one of the world’s best safari destinations. Whilst the world-famous Kenyan national parks such as Masai Mara and Amboseli National Parks can be uncomfortably heaving with tourists in January and February, Kenya has plenty of smaller, out of the way national parks that see only a trickle of visitors year-round. As such it’s well worth taking the time to consider whereabouts in Kenya to go on safari if you’re visiting during peak season.

Top Kenya national park picks

Masai mara national reserve.

 Situated in southwest Kenya, the Masai Mara is part of the northern section of the Serengeti National Park, and is generally recognised as one of the greatest wildlife reserves in Africa. The reserve is famous for the abundance of predators – particularly big cats – and the great wildebeest migration to feed these predators, as well as the Maasai people themselves.

• Lake Nakuru National Park

The stunning Lake Nakuru National Park is on the floor of the Great Rift Valley, surrounded by bushy grasslands and woods. There are 56 species of mammal in the park, but the star show are the thousands of flamingos, arriving in their millions some years.

• Amboseli National Park

Crowned by Africa’s highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro, Amboseli is one of Kenya’s most popular parks . The name ‘Amboseli’ comes from the Maasai language and means ‘salty dust’… perfect for the large herds of elephants that roam the park.

• Meru National Park

Meru National Park is a Kenyan park is located 350 km from Nairobi, featuring multiple landscapes including grasslands, swamp, jungle and rivers. It’s a birders paradise with over 427 recorded bird species, in addition to the big five .

All national parks in Kenya

Use the map below to locate all national parks in Kenya. Click the icons for more info.

Get Directions

• Aberdare National Park
• Arabuk Sokoke National Park
• Hell’s Gate National Park
• Kakamega National Park
• Lake Bogaria National Park
• Malindi Watumu National Park
• Masai Mara National Park
• Mount Elgon National Park
• Mount Kenya National Park
• Nairobi National Park
• Saiwa Swamp National Park
• Shimba Hills National Park
• Tsavo National Park

Kenya safari resources

Kenya safari companies.

There are plenty of companies offering safari tours around Kenya. The focus is on the high end, but there are some companies that specialize in mid and budget safaris. Check out our reviews of safari tour companies in Kenya .

Kenya safari lodges

As a tourism-focussed country, Kenya has plenty of choice when it comes to safari accommodation. Lodge standards vary from rustic to modern, from the simple room to extreme luxury with en-suite private plunge pool. Search and book accommodation in Kenya .

For a trip to Kenya, travellers are required to apply for a visa. The easiest, most commonly used visa for going on a safari in Kenya, is the Kenya e-visa . It is valid for 90 days, and can even be extended once to 180 days once you arrive in Kenya. The visa can easily be applied for online and will save you the hassle of having to apply at an embassy or consulate.

Read safari guides to all countries

Botswana safaris , Namibia safaris , Rwanda safaris , South Africa safaris , Tanzania safaris , Uganda safaris , Zimbabwe safaris

Do you have any experience of planning or going on safari in Kenya?

We’d love to hear any feedback or tips you may have – please get in touch , or add to the comments below.

Top countries for safaris

• Botswana safaris
• Namibia safaris
• South Africa safaris
• Tanzania safaris
• Uganda safaris

Safari basics

• Safari animals
• How to find the right safari company
• When to go on safari
• What to take on safari
• Safari clothing – what to wear
• Safari rules & etiquette
• Wildlife spotting tips

Most read articles

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• The world’s fastest land animals
• Apex predators
• 10 Fascinating African tribes
• The biggest animals in the world
• 17 Epic hybrid animals
• The world’s ugliest animals
• Why are flamingos pink?

Africa’s best game reserves

• Chobe National Park, Botswana
• Etosha National Park, Namibia
• Kruger National Park, South Africa
• Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
• Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana
• Okavango Delta, Botswana
• Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

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Kenya Safaris

Kenya invented the safari: with its spectacular wildlife, cultural diversity and breathtaking landscapes, this is an utterly dazzling destination.

“Wonderful, but very hard to describe”: that was one recent traveller’s summary of an Expert Africa safari in Kenya, his first visit to Africa. “The impact is emotional and spiritual as well as literal. Yes, there are many animals and birds and these are real wild creatures in their natural habitat, but it is so much more than that. I will never forget this trip. It was one of the great experiences of my life.” With the Indian Ocean lapping its coral-fringed coast and Mount Kenya rising from the middle of its extraordinarily beautiful natural environment, Kenya is one of Africa’s most rewarding countries to explore. The remarkably diverse scenery, the rich variety of its wildlife and its ever-stimulating social tapestry – from traditionally dressed Maasai herders on the plains to sarong-wrapped Swahili fishermen on the coast – could keep you enthralled for months. Think of Kenya like the Maasai do – as a land formed especially for them by God. Imagine he pulled the land up in the middle – that’s Mount Kenya, with its glacier-covered peaks, dominating the highlands – then tore the east and west apart leaving the great trough of the Rift Valley with its lakes. The Maasai Mara lies in the southwest and its fabled grasslands can reveal scenes that sometimes look like a children’s animal wall frieze, as a dozen or more species of megafauna – from elephants to lions and from buffalos to zebras – mingle on the plains in front of your camera. On the Kenya coast you could be in a different country, with mosques and palm trees, crystal-blue sea and a coral reef. Wherever your trip takes you, Kenya is hard to beat as a country to thrill and impress, whether you’ve been on safari before or it's your first visit to Africa.

Kenya's top safari and holiday destinations

Kenya's key areas for visitors are spread across the country.

In the southwest, bordering the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, lie the Maasai Mara National Reserve and the Maasai Mara Conservancies . This is the land of the Great Migration .

North of Mount Kenya lies Kenya's second best wildlife region, the plateaux and wild bush lands of Laikipia , where you can see hunting dogs and black leopards. Laikipia is also Kenya's rhino stronghold, with all three African species present.

To the east lies Meru National Park , where a tiny handful of camps and lodges in a huge wilderness make for a magical safari.

Further north is the Samburu National Reserve , with its dry-country mammals including reticulated giraffe, gerenuk and Grevy's zebra, and beyond that the deserts and semi-deserts of Northern Kenya , and the largest desert lake in the world, Lake Turkana.

In southern Kenya, head to Amboseli for those fabled views of Kilimanjaro framing "big tusker" elephants, or to Tsavo East for giant landscapes and baobabs or Tsavo West for hilly scenery and a plethora of wildlife – though you may have to look harder for it.

Finally, Kenya's coast is everything you could wish for in a tropical beach - with the bonus of a fascinating cultural tapestry.

Mara Conservancies

28 places to stay

The wildlife-rich private conservancies are the Maasai-owned lands outside the national reserve. They tend to be much less busy than the reserve, but no less rewarding.

Kenya Coast

22 places to stay

Kenya’s coast is an alluring region and – relatively – little developed. As well as beautiful beaches and a coral reef, it has fascinating historical sites and forest safari areas.

25 places to stay

Laikipia is an extensive region of large ranches and rolling, semi-arid savanna and bush country that is growing in importance for wildlife conservation and adventurous and luxury safaris.

21 places to stay

Capital of Kenya and East Africa’s biggest city, Nairobi has large shanty towns and wealthy suburbs, as well as a many green spaces, including the magnificent Nairobi National Park.

Maasai Mara

20 places to stay

The Maasai Mara is the northern extension of the Serengeti-Mara eco-system. Together with the Mara conservancies outside the public reserve, this is Kenya’s most wildlife-rich region.

Northern Kenya

9 places to stay

Northern Kenya – split by giant Lake Turkana – is one of the country's best regions for cultural contact, and the forest-cloaked mountains have local micro-climates and much wildlife.

Amboseli & Chyulu Hills

8 places to stay

This region encompasses one of Kenya's most iconic national parks and a little known district of volcanic hills topped with misty cloud forest.

Rift Valley

4 places to stay

Most visitors take in the Great Rift Valley – embellished by a string of beautiful lakes – during the course of a road safari. It's also possible to use one or two airstrips for a fly-in safari.

2 places to stay

This extensive park of volcanic landscapes encompasses rolling savannah, woodland and streams, and the magnetic attraction of Mzima Springs.

This rejuvenated national park on the well-watered side of Mount Kenya has excellent game-watching, Kenya's best KWS-run rhino sanctuary, and barely a handful of camps and lodges.

This richly rewarding dry-country ecosystem depends on the seasonal Ewaso Nyiro River to support its elephants and many other species.

3 places to stay

The largest park in Kenya is a vast area of dry bush, inhabited by huge herds of brick-red elephants, and dramatically cut through by the Galana River.

Our top ten Kenya safaris and holidays

Every one of Expert Africa's tailor-made itineraries is as individual as the traveller undertaking it.

The itineraries we have put together here are just examples of what is possible, with costs and details included. They are not set plans, or indeed set in stone at all. You can pick any combination of camps and lodges that is logistically possible, and start your trip on any date you like, subject to availability. See all 24 Kenya safari ideas here .

Most of our trips in Kenya are based around Fly-in Safaris , on which you fly by scheduled light aircraft between the different areas on your trip, typically staying for a few days at a camp or lodge in each place, and exploring the area in an open safari vehicle, guided by a seasoned driver-guide based at the camp, accompanied on daily safaris ("game drives") by other guests staying at the camp.

On a Guided Safari , you’ll travel by private closed safari vehicle, with a pop-top roof and sliding windows, led by the same driver-guide all the way.

Our Beach Holidays showcase ideas for stays along the Kenya coast's beautiful beaches.

Call Expert Africa now to speak to a Kenya expert who can address your questions and craft a trip for you that’s perfectly tailored for you.

Black Kite Fly-in Safari

10 days • 4 locations NAIROBI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT

Explore Kenya in-depth with visits to Nairobi and Meru national parks, the Mara Conservancies and Amboseli. Nestled in remoter regions, four camps provide fantastic access to rich game, a range of activities and beautifully diverse landscapes.

US$9,260 - US$11,960 per person

Gabar Goshawk Fly-in Safari

Experience Amboseli, the Maasai Mara ecosystem and Laikipia during this economically priced safari. Two simple camps offer adventure before a stopover in Nairobi and a final stay in the charming, wildlife-rich Il Ngwesi Eco-Lodge.

US$5,800 - US$6,090 per person

Elephant Safari

10 days • 3 locations NAIROBI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT

This example of a mid-range Kenya safari and beach trip explores the wildlife of Tsavo West's volcanic plains and woodlands, Tsavo East's immense plains and the white-sand beaches and lush environment of Diani Beach.

US$5,160 - US$5,820 per person

De Brazza Monkey Fly-in Safari

9 days • 3 locations NAIROBI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT

Enjoy a range of activities in the remote wilderness of northern Kenya before exploring the wildlife-rich plains of the Mara ecosystem. Private vehicles and guides heighten the personalisation of this highly immersive safari.

US$12,310 - US$16,320 per person

Hamerkop Fly-In Safari

8 days • 2 locations NAIROBI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT

Different wildlife, contrasting camps and a whole host of activities, this is a safari for those wanting to get out and about and not just sit in a vehicle.

US$6,350 - US$10,960 per person

Rothschild Giraffe Safari

8 days • 3 locations NAIROBI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT

A example of a luxury Kenyan safari, starting at the iconic Giraffe Manor before fabulous stays on the spectacular Solio Reserve and Sala’s Camp in a remote corner of the Maasai Mara.

US$11,720 - US$16,510 per person

Big Cat Fly-in Safari

Combining two of Kenya’s best wildlife-viewing areas, this slow-paced safari to the Lewa Conservancy and Maasai Mara guarantees iconic wildlife. The long-established, well-rated camps are great value, too.

US$5,010 - US$8,190 per person

Golden Jackal Fly-in Safari

A contrasting safari of a lodge and a tented camp, with action-packed activities in Laikipia and wildlife-filled game drives in the Maasai Mara, offers a consistently high-quality experience.

US$9,730 - US$13,080 per person

Lanner Falcon Fly-In Safari

Three sister camps offer access to wonderfully remote regions across northern Kenya and the Maasai Mara ecosystem. Enjoy an exclusive safari experience focused on great wildlife, superb guiding and considerable comfort, with a range of activities.

US$6,620 - US$8,400 per person

African Finfoot Fly-in Safari

7 days • 3 locations NAIROBI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT

After a unique start in Nairobi National Park, classic, luxurious camps combine for a high-end and exclusive safari in fantastic wildlife destinations.

US$9,900 - US$16,050 per person

View all holidays

Expert Africa's 10 most recent Kenya trip reviews

Feedback from Expert Africa's thousands of travellers is extremely important to us.

The reviews they send us are a real help to future travellers planning their trips. The feedback helps us stay up to date with changes to the camps and lodges we book, and it's also very valuable to our partners across Africa who appreciate that it is guaranteed genuine. It is often very constructive for the management of their properties and guiding operations.

All our Kenya trip reviews are published in full without any edits by Expert Africa. See all 612 Kenya safaris reviews here , or click on a card below to read one of our ten most recent reviews in full.

Arrived 12 Aug 2024, 15 nights

"My Aug 2024 trip - Kenya"

Overall rating: Excellent

Arrived 15 Aug 2024, 7 nights

"My Aug 2024 north kenya adventure"

Arrived 15 Jun 2024, 20 nights

"My Jun 2024 trip"

Arrived 29 Jun 2024, 6 nights

Arrived 4 Aug 2024, 9 nights

"Maasai Mara 2024"

Arrived 14 Jul 2024, 17 nights

"My Jul 2024 trip"

Arrived 16 Jul 2024, 12 nights

Arrived 25 Jul 2024, 4 nights

Arrived 30 Jun 2024, 19 nights

"Extraordinary trip…..perfect in every way"

See all Kenya reviews

Our travellers' wildlife sightings across Kenya

When travelling through Kenya, many of our travellers document their wildlife encounters – be they of lions, leopards or black rhinos – and generously share their records with us.

This "citizen science" gives us a unique picture of the distribution of species, enlightening you on where you have the best chance of seeing a particular species during a Kenya safari ( Learn about this survey's methodology .)

The percentages below signify the average probability of a safari-goer seeing various large mammals where they naturally occur. Note that species with limited distributions, such as the black rhino, can attain high scores in the regions where they reside. For further insights into a specific species, click on its picture below and follow the link in the pop-up window.

For a broader perspective on Kenya's wildlife sightings, explore our interactive wildlife map of Kenya showing the prime locations for encountering various species.

99% success

98% success

93% success

92% success

91% success

88% success

83% success

80% success

79% success

76% success

62% success

53% success

37% success

14% success

10% success

Our travellers’ wildlife sightings in Kenya

The reports our travellers send us of their large mammal sightings can be very useful in assessing the best camps and lodges for seeing some of Kenya's key wildlife .

Whether you're looking for cheetahs , lions , wild dogs , or eastern black rhinos – or any one of a score of other species – our data-driven maps highlight the most likely areas to see each animal.

If you'd like to see a map showing the top camps and lodges for a specific mammal, click on the species below.

Panthera leo

Lions are at the top of the food chain and also most safari wish-lists, but with their numbers falling fast, any encounter with these majestic apex predators always feels like a privilege.

81% SUCCESS

3,246 sightings from 4,022 observations

Where to see lion in Kenya

Panthera pardus

The most numerous of Africa’s big cats, leopard occur across many habitats, from wild tracts to populated areas. Their grace and their elusive nature make them a unique safari drawcard.

47% SUCCESS

2,088 sightings from 4,469 observations

Where to see leopard in Kenya

Acinonyx jubatus

The cheetah is the fastest land animal and the only cat that hunts by pure speed. Found largely in open grasslands, its slim, elegant form is today an increasingly rare sight.

33% SUCCESS

1,106 sightings from 3,400 observations

Where to see cheetah in Kenya

Syncerus caffer

One of the ‘Big Five’, buffalo earned a fearsome reputation in hunters’ tales. By contrast, big herds of these sociable bovids are placid, but mount formidable defences against predators.

83% SUCCESS

2,752 sightings from 3,330 observations

Where to see buffalo in Kenya

Lycaon pictus

African wild dogs are among the continent’s most compelling animals. Much misunderstood, these rare, tie-dyed canids are amazingly efficient hunters with a fascinating social life.

32% SUCCESS

940 sightings from 2,981 observations

Where to see wild dog in Kenya

Spotted Hyena

Crocuta crocuta

The spotted hyena may be thought of as ‘ugly’ and ‘cowardly’. In fact, this versatile and intelligent carnivore is one of Africa’s most fascinating and warrants attention on any safari.

55% SUCCESS

2,321 sightings from 4,253 observations

Where to see spotted hyena in Kenya

Striped Hyena

Hyaena hyaena

The striped hyena is the most widespread of the world’s hyenas, but absent from southern Africa. A rarely-seen nocturnal scavenger, it is shyer and more solitary than its spotted cousin.

14% SUCCESS

130 sightings from 945 observations

Where to see striped hyena in Kenya

Loxodonta africana

By far the biggest of the so-called Big Five – indeed, the largest land animal on the planet – the elephant shapes the very landscape it inhabits and is a defining presence on any safari.

91% SUCCESS

3,921 sightings from 4,319 observations

Where to see elephant in Kenya

Black Rhino

Diceros bicornis

The black rhino is the smaller and rarer of Africa’s two rhino species but has the more fearsome reputation. Shy and heavily persecuted, it tends to stick to cover.

30% SUCCESS

657 sightings from 2,185 observations

Where to see black rhino in Kenya

White Rhino

Ceratotherium simum

The white rhino is the largest and most numerous of the world’s five rhinoceros species. They are larger, easier to see and generally more approachable than the black rhino.

43% SUCCESS

521 sightings from 1,221 observations

Where to see white rhino in Kenya

Taurotragus oryx

Africa’s largest antelope, eland are culturally important from prehistoric rock art to modern game farms. Though widespread, they are also shy so sightings are uncommon and often fleeting.

48% SUCCESS

1,533 sightings from 3,183 observations

Where to see eland in Kenya

Litocranius walleri

With its slender frame and extraordinarily long neck, this unmistakable East African antelope resembles an attenuated impala and often stands on its back legs browse high shrubs.

76% SUCCESS

93 sightings from 123 observations

Where to see gerenuk in Kenya

Giraffa camelopardalis

The world’s tallest land mammal, giraffes are herbivores which have evolved many unique adaptations. Their iconic outlines tower above the bush in many of Africa’s wildlife areas.

86% SUCCESS

3,763 sightings from 4,389 observations

Where to see giraffe in Kenya

Oryx are impressive antelopes, with a powerful physique and elegant markings set off by rapier-like horns. They cut a distinctive dash in some of Africa’s harshest landscapes.

69% SUCCESS

1,414 sightings from 2,047 observations

Where to see oryx in Kenya

Hippopotamus amphibius

The territorial calls of the hippo create a signature soundtrack to Africa’s rivers & wetlands. Despite an endearing smile, this aquatic herbivore has a notoriously aggressive disposition.

89% SUCCESS

2,874 sightings from 3,218 observations

Where to see hippo in Kenya

Sable antelope

Hippotragus niger

Perhaps Africa’s most beautiful antelope, sable are renowned for their combative nature, even holding off lions. Shy and restricted in range, sightings of sable are always special.

23% SUCCESS

503 sightings from 2,209 observations

Where to see sable antelope in Kenya

Connochaetes sp.

Superficially bovine in appearance, wildebeests are known for their spectacular migrations sometimes in huge numbers. These resilient animals are some of Africa’s most successful herbivores.

67% SUCCESS

2,648 sightings from 3,949 observations

Where to see wildebeest in Kenya

The zebra is a quintessential African animal: the horse in stripy pyjamas at the end of every child’s A–Z. There are three species, of which the plains zebra is much the most common.

84% SUCCESS

4,124 sightings from 4,910 observations

Where to see zebra in Kenya

Orycteropus afer

The aardvark is one of Africa’s most bizarre and enigmatic animals. A shy, nocturnal termite-eater, signs of its presence may be scattered about the bush whilst sightings remain elusive.

75 sightings from 3,555 observations

Where to see aardvark in Kenya

Smutsia sp.

Pangolins appear to be more pine cone than animal in their unique armoury of scales. These nocturnal, ant-eating oddities are not only highly elusive but also increasingly rare.

59 sightings from 3,583 observations

Where to see pangolin in Kenya

When to go to Kenya

The earths's climate crisis is making the weather in Kenya increasingly unpredictable. Our month-by-month guide helps you weigh up the options based on the weather you're most likely to get.

Do bear in mind, however, that climate charts apply specifically to the town in question, and not to larger regions or the whole country. And they are based on the annual measurements taken, in the case of Kenya, over roughly the last century. Kenya's weather in the 1950s, was more predictable and regular than it is today.

While the country lies on the equator, temperatures are determined much more by altitude than by season, with the coast and everywhere below around 1000 metres above sea level (about 3,300ft) being hot in the day time and very warm at night all year round. At high altitudes, it may rain at almost any time of year. The northern deserts are largely dry all the time. Western Kenya, including the Maasai Mara region , has a scattered rainfall pattern influenced by Lake Victoria, while the eastern half of the country, and especially the coast , are largely controlled by the Indian Ocean’s monsoon winds – the dry northeast monsoon ( kaskazi ) blowing in from November to March or April and the moist southeast monsoon ( kusi ) blowing in from May to October. The kusi normally brings the heaviest rains to the coast in May and June. As these weather systems move inland, they bring rain to the east facing highlands, but the western slopes can experience a rain shadow effect and much drier conditions.

Broadly, the seasons that apply to most of the safari areas are: a warm, mostly dry season from January to March, getting increasingly humid before the rains break; then warm and wet from April to June (the “long rains” ); slightly less warm and mostly dry from July to October (Nairobians call the relatively cool, cloudy July-August period "winter" , thought it's barely wintry in a sense that people from higher latitudes would recognise; and then warm and wet for a few weeks in November and early December – a period called the "short rains” , which typically fizzle out before Christmas, but can sometimes be prolonged into early January.

Kenya in January

Clear, hot days and warm nights make this high season a popular time for safaris and it’s also good for diving and snorkelling as water clarity is excellent and gets better as the dry season progresses. Most lodges and tented camps treat January after the New Year week is over, as mid-season, making it a good compromise in terms of value for money with reasonably reliable, dry weather and some greenery left in the landscape. Expert Africa bases its description of climate and weather in January, like the other months of the year, on the climate records of roughly the last 100 years, and it's fair to say that the weather and seasons since the beginning of this century have been highly irregular and unpredictable.

• On average, January is the second driest month of the year
• Elephants dig waterholes in the dry riverbed in the Samburu reserve.
• Wildebeest and many antelope have their calving season, to February.
• Migrant birds are seen in huge numbers, especially in the Rift Valley.
• Sea water clarity around the coral reefs generally good.

Fantastic: the very best time to visit

Weather in January

Kenya in February

With the short dry season well established, the grass grazed down and wildlife gathering close to water points, this is still a good time for a safari. Good water clarity in the Indian Ocean's coastal waters makes for excellent diving and snorkelling conditions. Expert Africa bases its description of climate and weather in February, like the other months of the year, on the climate records of roughly the last 100 years, and it's fair to say that the weather and seasons since the beginning of this century have been highly irregular and unpredictable.

• On average, February is the driest month of the year.
• It’s sometimes possible to swim with whale sharks at Diani Beach.
• Migrant birds are still seen everywhere, especially near water.
• This is usually peak calving season for wildebeest and many antelopes.
• This month is often the hottest of the year, especially on the coast.

A very good time to visit

Weather in February

Kenya in March

Hot, increasingly humid weather – with good diving and snorkelling conditions at the start of the month – gives way to rains and lower accommodation costs. Expert Africa bases its description of climate and weather in March, like the other months of the year, on the climate records of roughly the last 100 years, and predicting the seasons since the beginning of this century has been difficult. March is the month when – traditionally – intensely hot conditions build up until a cloudburst finally happens at the end of the month or in early April, to relieve the humidity. As ever, regional variations across the country can greatly impact on visitors' experiences.

• Sea-water clarity is best for diving before the long rains start.
• Visitor numbers are low, though the Easter holidays can be busier.
• Night skies can be scintillatingly clear in early March.
• Cropped down savannah grasses can make it easier to see the wildlife.
• Temperartures climb high, especially at lower elevations.

A good time to visit, with pros & cons

Weather in March

Kenya in April

April sees the full onset of the southeast monsoon wind or kusi, which heralds the long rains. Temperatures drop soon after the rains are established and you’ll often have facilities largely to yourself in this more affordable low season, sometimes known as the "green season". The bush quickly springs to life, with greenery sprouting almost before your eyes. While you're likely to get a fair number of heavy showers, the breaks in the rain can yield sparklingly clear conditions. With the dust settled and bright sun piercing the clouds, conditions can be sublime for photography, especially first thing in the morning or in the late afternoon with another storm brewing. You may be lucky, or you may find conditions very wet and muddy.

• A wet month, the coast often gets more than 300mm (12in) of rain.
• Sunny spells can provide great light for photography.
• Buffalo and zebra calving season often happens in this month.
• Baby crocodiles hatch, for example on Central Island in Lake Turkana.
• Palearctic migrant birds gather to fly north to breeding grounds.

A time to avoid if possible

Weather in April

Kenya in May

While game viewing can be trickier as vegetation runs riot, between the cloudbursts the colours and light are great for photography at this time of year. Expert Africa bases its description of climate and weather in May, like the other months of the year, on the climate records of roughly the last 100 years, and while it's reasonable to expect heavy rains in many parts during this month, especially on the coast, the rains don't always come evenly or in some areas come at all. In an El Niño year, the so-called long rains that normally are established across much of the country by May can be meagre, to the despair of farmers. On the other hand in a La Niña year, the long rains can bring floods. On the coast, the monsoon winds make the climate much more predictable, with heavy rains common throughout this month.

• Frogs breed in the ponds in the Arabuko Sokoke Forest near Watamu.
• Wildebeest, impala and other grazers are in rut (the breeding season).
• Kilimanjaro looks its best as heavy rain falls as snow on the summit.
• There's a sharp peek of rainfall on the coast with many rainy days.
• Accommodation prices are uniformly low, while some camps close.

Weather in May

Kenya in June

The rains give way to cloudy, cooler weather, often making for comfortable conditions by the end of the month, especially in the highlands. Starting from mid-June or the beginning of July and running until the end of October, this is the high season, and accordingly has higher accommodation rates and – at least until early September – higher numbers of visitors. While the early part of June can often be rainy on the coast, it can be a great time to go on safari, with fresh greenery, many young animals and good photographic conditions with clear air.

• The Taru Desert, inland from the coast, is carpeted with flowers.
• The Lake Turkana Cultural Festival is held in Loiyangalani.
• Madaraka Day (commemorating self rule) is 1 June.
• The annual Lewa marathon runs a course through the wildlife.
• The Diani Rules "sports" event rips up the rulebook at Diani Beach.

Weather in June

Kenya in July

Kenya’s “winter" season sets in (winter is a misnomer but locals feel the change), and the highlands can be rather grey. Skies are often cloudy and the days can be surprisingly cool, with an average daytime high in many highland safari areas of 15-20°C and night-time temperatures dropping below 10°C in Nairobi and the highlands. Lower parts of the country and the coast are usually warm and dry, typically reaching highs of around 25°C with lows in the high teens. As this is the start of the high season, coinciding with the usual arrival of the wildebeest migration in the Maasai Mara, July is a busy month. Ask your Expert Africa specialist to advise on how to avoid the crowds, which is not that difficult to do.

• The wildebeest migration usually reaches the Maasai Mara in July.
• Simbi Lake (Kisumu) and Crater Lake (Naivasha) can attract flamingoes.
• Watersports start to pick up and some surfing is possible at Malindi.
• Afternoon thunderstorms are a common feature in the Maasai Mara.
• The sea can be choppy along the coast, making diving difficult.

Weather in July

Kenya in August

The Great Migration fills the plains of the Maasai Mara, and school’s out, so the park roads are full of tourists – ask your Expert Africa specialist for advice on crowd avoidance tactics. Choose a private conservancy rather than a public national park or national reserve for quieter conditions. Like July, August is generally mild and relatively dry in the safari areas, but it can be very chilly in the highlands, even in the middle of the day, and hail occasionally falls above altitudes of around 2,400m (8,000ft). Nairobi can be disappointingly overcast, with low cloud.

• Apart from Christmas holidays, this is the busiest month of the year.
• Late August sees peak wildebeest drama at the Mara River crossings.
• Coastal winds are good for kite- and wind-surfing.
• Few mosquitoes are around at this generally dry time of year.
• The annual Camel Derby takes place in the Samburu capital, Maralal.

Weather in August

Kenya in September

The skies clearing of cloud signals the start of hot, dry weather with little chance of rain – and, after the first few days of the month, far fewer visitors – making the latter part of September a good time for a quieter safari. While early September is often good for dramatic migration crossings along the Mara River, you might consider deliberately postponing your trip until later in the month, when the migration can still be very impressive and visitor numbers fewer. If tourist surges are somewhat predictable, however, the patterns of the wildebeest migration are more volatile, and like all of Expert Africa's climate and weather assessments, they are based on accumulated years of experience rather than guaranteed certainty.

• This is still high season, with prices to match.
• Many river crossings take place on the Mara river in both directions.
• Natural bush fires flush out insects and small animals for predators.
• The Rift Valley Music Festival takes place by Lake Naivasha.
• With school holidays over by early September, late-month is quieter.

Weather in September

Kenya in October

Still hot, mostly dry and not too busy, this is many people’s preferred month for a safari, and it’s also good for diving and snorkelling. The wildebeest and zebra herds of the great migration are often still to be seen, though in dwindling numbers. The swamps of Amboseli attract thirsty wildlife including large herds of elephants. While we wouldn't expect much rain across most of the country this month, the climate has become so unpredictable that you can never say never, and the possibiity of the short rains – usually associated with November to mid-December, starting early, can't be discounted.

• This month sees the tail end of the great migration in the Mara.
• Palearctic migrant birds start to arrive, staying until March.
• Turtle nests hatch at Watamu, until November.
• Amboseli elephants focus on the swamps for their daily water.
• The Indian Ocean monsoon winds turn from southeast to northeast.

Weather in October

Kenya in November

The northeast monsoon wind or kaskazi heralds the start of the “short rains", usually some time in the second half of the month. From November to mid-December, this is the low season, and accordingly has lower accommodation rates and lower visitor numbers. Across most of the country you can expect warm, somewhat cloudy weather, with occasional heavy showers and localised flooding. Expert Africa bases its description of the climate in November, like the other months of the year, on the records of roughly the last 100 years, and it's fair to say that the seasons since the beginning of this century have been highly irregular and unpredictable: some years the short rains don't come at all, or don't reach every part of the country. In an El Niño year, the November short rains can be very heavy, but in a La Niña year, they can fail completely.

• Swimming with dolphins in Lamu can be done from now until April.
• Birders gather at Ngulia in Tsavo West to ring Palearctic migrants.
• The Lamu Cultural Festival takes over the town and Lamu Creek.
• Agricultural shows often take place regional market towns.
• This is low season, so camps can be great value, with special offers.

Weather in November

Kenya in December

In a typical December, the rains usually finish by middle of the month, leaving the landscape looking its best, under clear blue skies, and heralding the start of the second peak tourist season from around 20 December to the first week of January. Our assessment of the likely weather in December, like the other months of the year, is based on climate records, and it's fair to say that the seasons since the beginning of this century have been highly irregular and unpredictable. Christmas can sometimes be wet, but most years the rains have finished a week or two earlier, with the festive season ushering in the perfect combination of clear skies and sunshine by day and starry nights.

• Christmas and New Year are busy, with the lodges and camps full.
• Rates are highest after 24 Dec, with supplements on public holidays.
• Republic Day and Independence day are celebrated on 12 December.
• Good kite- and wind-surfing restarts, with strong northeasterly winds.
• Mango season begins, providing excitement for primates and elephants.

Weather in December

Country guide

A rough guide to Kenya

This short guide includes some useful practical and background information about the country. If you book your Kenya trip with Expert Africa, we’ll send you a free copy of The Rough Guide to Kenya , a detailed travel guide written by Expert Africa’s East Africa Manager, Richard Trillo.

Where to go on a first visit

Local flight transfers, engaging with local culture, kenyan food and drink, kenya’s history, maps of the principal regions for a kenya safari.

These two quite different maps help you to understand the scale and features of Kenya: the GOOGLE MAP shows the country's diverse topography and landscapes: a country more than twice the size of the UK and 50 per cent bigger than California incorporates sweeping plains and highland peaks, arid deserts and an indented, mangrove- and beach-fringed coastline supporting coral reefs. Do click on Google's satellite view as well as the regular "Map" and "Terrain" views. Then our REFERENCE MAP is Expert Africa's own artwork map, clearly identifying Kenya's national parks, national reserves and private and community conservancies.

Need inspiration?

Let our trip chooser narrow down the options for you

Holidays and Safaris in Kenya

Expert Africa knows Kenya better than any other safari operator: our specialists combine decades of experience travelling and living in the country. So when we say we'll guide you to make the best choices for your trip from our own experience we say so with honesty and enthusiasm.

Kenya's key wildlife area is the Mara ecosystem; that includes the Maasai Mara National Reserve and the neighbouring Maasai Mara Conservancies . The majority of travellers include a visit to this region that has an iconic reputation for the Mara River that runs through it and the annual wildebeest migration – that also runs through it. We'll help you decide whether to stay inside the reserve or in one of the conservancies.

Easily reckoned as the second best wildlife area in Kenya, Laikipia consists entirely of private and community conservancies. You can easily see all the "Big Five here, as well as less obvious species such as wild dog and Grevy's zebra. And the region has also become famous among keen mammal-watchers and photographers for its black leopards.

Kenya's other principal safari areas are Samburu National Reserve and neighbouring conservancies, Amboseli National Park and the nearby Chyulu Hills, and Meru National Park (not to be confused with Mount Meru in northern Tanzania). We love them all, and many travellers have favourite camps that they return to year after year.

Please browse through our selection of safari and beach holiday itinerary examples below, then call us , so that one of our Kenya experts can help you to design an individual, tailor-made trip that will suit you perfectly..

The Highlights of Africa

17 days • 7 locations CAPE TOWN AIRPORT TO KIGALI AIRPORT

An epic adventure taking in some of Africa’s most incredible sights and wildlife experiences, from Cape Town to the Okavango Delta, Victoria Falls, the Maasai Mara and an encounter with mountain gorillas.

US$14,480 - US$18,370 per person

Gorillas and Maasai Mara Safari

9 days • 3 locations KIGALI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT

This trip combines two of Africa's most unforgettable wildlife experiences – Rwanda's mountain gorillas and Kenya's Maasai Mara.

US$10,610 - US$13,510 per person

Purple Grenadier Fly-In Safari

6 days • 2 locations NAIROBI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT

Fantastic guiding from intimate, well-run mid-range tented camps, in superb conservancy locations: this safari is all about making the most of the incredible wildlife in Laikipia and the Maasai Mara.

US$5,010 - US$6,600 per person

Striped Hyena Safari

5 days • 3 locations NAIROBI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT

Just one example of a possible itinerary for keen walkers, this safari enables you to experience the sounds and sights of the bush, and its wildlife, in an unusually direct way.

US$5,020 - US$6,470 per person

Martial Eagle Fly-in Safari

9 days • 3 locations NAIROBI AIRPORT TO KILIMANJARO AIRPORT

This stylish fly-in safari visits two of Africa’s most iconic parks, the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya and Tanzania's Serengeti National Park.

US$10,740 - US$17,740 per person

Steppe Eagle Fly-in Safari

7 days • 2 locations NAIROBI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT

Two comfortable tented camps overlooking the Ewaso Nyiro and Mara River put you at the heart of the action. Experience spectacular diversity in species and habitat with safari in Samburu and the Masaai Mara National Reserve.

US$5,680 - US$8,620 per person

African Hawk-Eagle Fly-in Safari

Two luxurious camps provide relatively quiet game-viewing within Laikipia and the Mara ecosystem. Situated on private conservancies, both Lewa Wilderness and Naboisho offer the chance to sight all of the "Big 5" and to enjoy a range of safari activities.

US$8,510 - US$16,430 per person

Kinondo Kwetu Beach Holiday

7 days • 1 locations NAIROBI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT

Enjoy a ‘home away from home’ on a beautiful beach, where you will be exceptionally well looked after by a superb team. This holiday can be as relaxed or as action-packed as you like.

US$3,760 - US$5,540 per person

Greater Kudu Fly-In Safari

Experience a truly authentic bush experience on this safari at two classic tented camps, in Laikipia and the Maasai Mara. These are some of the best places to spot wild dogs and big cats.

US$7,170 - US$8,410 per person

Let us help you customise your trip

All of our holidays on this site are just ideas; none are fixed. All of our trips are tailor-made, so we'll always adapt them to suit you. Talk to an Expert and let us help you to work out your perfect trip.

Talk to an Expert

Call us now! We’ll match you with the Specialist in our team who is best suited to help you. Then together we can start planning your trip.

Set up your itinerary

Based on our experience and your ideas, your specialist will create a detailed, costed itinerary. We’ll refine it together, until we have a trip that you’re perfectly happy with.

Prepare for your trip

The same Specialist will make the seamless arrangements for your trip, send you detailed travel documents, and be available to answer any questions before you depart.

Travel with peace of mind

After you set off, you’ll be cared for by our partners in Africa, most of whom have worked with Expert Africa for decades. And if you ever need us urgently, we’re available 24/7.

When you return

We love to learn about your trip, and so will always be grateful if you’ve the time to give feedback to your Specialist when you return.

Where to stay in Kenya

Ask us for more details of what’s where, and what’s likely to suit you best!

Four Points Nairobi Airport

The Four Points by Sheraton, set within the perimeter of Nairobi International Airport, is ideally located for a first or last night in Kenya.

The Emakoko

The Emakoko is a luxurious, owner-managed safari lodge in a beautiful gorge on the edge of Nairobi National Park.

Kicheche Bush Camp

Kicheche Bush Camp is a smart and intimate tented camp with a relaxed atmosphere and the perfect base in the Mara for keen photographers.

Kicheche Mara

Kicheche Mara Camp has just ten tents and a rustic and comfortable feel. It is set by a stream in a pretty area of the Mara ecosystem's Mara North Conservancy.

Kicheche Laikipia

Kicheche Laikipia is the most luxurious tented camp of the handful of places to stay in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in central Laikipia.

Kicheche Valley

Kicheche Valley is a boutique tented camp in a wooded district of the Mara ecosystem's Naboisho Conservancy, with plenty of wildlife in the area.

The Eka is an affordably priced business-class hotel in a relatively convenient location between Nairobi International Airport and Wilson Airport.

The Ole-Sereni is a modern, stylish hotel neighbouring Nairobi National Park and located 6km from Wilson domestic airport.

Crowne Plaza Nbi Apt

The Crowne Plaza Nairobi Airport (formerly known as the Lazizi Premiere and now part of the InterContinental Hotels Group) is the oldest hotel at Nairobi International Airport.

Macushla House

Macushla House is a very pleasant, small, owner-managed bed and breakfast hotel in a leafy part of southwest Nairobi, very convenient for visiting the Giraffe Centre and Sheldrick's Elephant Orphanage.

Naboisho Camp

Naboisho Camp is one of the most luxurious of the handful of camps in the Naboisho Conservancy. It offers day and night game drives, game walks and full creature comforts in the bush.

Offbeat Mara

Offbeat Mara is a small traditional camp that appeals to safari traditionalists, located in one of the Maasai Mara’s quiet conservancies.

Laikipia Wilderness

Laikipia Wilderness is a rustic owner-managed bush camp, in excellent wild dog territory, offering outstanding guiding.

Elephant Bedroom

Elephant Bedroom is a smart tented camp in the heart of the Samburu National Reserve, offering a good degree of comfort without divorcing you from the beautiful natural environment.

Giraffe Manor

Giraffe Manor is a unique, perennially popular lodge on the outskirts of Nairobi, offering up-close-and-personal encounters with the rare Rothschild giraffes that roam its extensive grounds.

Aero Club of East Africa

The Aero Club of East Africa is a private members' club in the grounds of Wilson Airport, Nairobi, offering offering comfortable rooms and a good restaurant, bar and swimming pool to non-members.

Little Governors'

Little Governors’ Camp sits by a swamp (an old oxbow of the Mara River) in the Mara Triangle sector of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. It has its own balloon-launching site.

Tortilis Camp

Tortilis is a finely situated and well built safari camp located in the private Kitirua Consarvancy just outside Amboseli National Park and with wonderful views of Kilimanjaro.

Rekero is an unpretentious, high-end safari camp, for travellers who take their wildlife watching seriously and are prepared to pay for an exceptional location.

Kinondo Kwetu

Kinondo Kwetu is a small, owner-run, all-inclusive boutique lodge of exceptional quality situated on a remote stretch of beach south of the busier Diani Beach area.

Tamarind Tree Hotel

The Tamarind Tree is a stylish international hotel in a great location next to Wilson Airport.

Saruni Samburu

Saruni Samburu is a top-quality boutique lodge, with one of the most breathtaking locations in Kenya overlooking its own private conservancy.

Sarara is an outstanding safari lodge, with access to a vast wilderness region. Walks, drives and cultural experiences are on offer, all with very good guides.

Lewa Safari Camp

Lewa Safari Camp is a comfortable and homely tented lodge, located in the Lewa Conservancy and offering a relatively exclusive safari away from mass tourism.

Elsa's Kopje

Elsa’s Kopje is the most luxurious option in Meru National Park, with unique rooms built around the natural hilltop environment, and stunning vistas in every direction

Sosian Lodge is a distinctive, estancia-style ranch house on a former cattle ranch, with great opportunities for riding, relaxing and seeing wild dogs and other savannah wildlife.

Elephant Pepper Camp

Elephant Pepper Camp is a small 10-tent bush camp, put together in the traditional "campaign" style, and including a large honeymoon/family tent.

Pinewood Beach Resort

Pinewood Beach Resort is a relaxed resort-style hotel at the far south end of Diani Beach - an area known as Galu Beach.

El Karama Lodge

El Karama is a comfortably rustic, very personal, riverside eco-lodge on a game-rich private ranch in Laikipia, an hour’s drive north of Nanyuki airport.

Encounter Mara

Encounter Mara is located in the private Naboisho Conservancy – a game-rich area of the Mara ecosystem – and offers a contemporary take on the traditional, low-impact luxury safari camp.

Lewa Wilderness

Lewa Wilderness is a comfortable, fenced safari lodge with nine cottages, great views and a huge range of activities.

Serian is a luxury tented camp on the east bank of the Mara River in the Mara North Conservancy. It is the sister camp of Ngare Serian, on the west bank.

Porini Amboseli Camp

Porini Amboseli is a small and homely community-staffed eco-camp located in the Selankay Conservancy.

Karen Gables

Karen Gables is a small, high quality hotel in Nairobi with expansive gardens and only seven rooms.

Tangulia Mara

Tangulia Mara is a rustic and traditional safari camp on the border of the Maasai Mara National Reserve owned by Jackson Looseyia of Big Cat Diary fame.

Mara Plains Camp

Mara Plains is one of the very best camps in the Mara ecosystem. Located in the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, just outside the Mara reserve, it has access to three wildlife-viewing areas.

Governors' Camp

Governors' Camp is a large tented camp on the Mara River and one of the oldest in the Mara region, dating from 1972. Although unfenced, and regularly visited by elephants, the whole compound is always busy with human activity.

Il Ngwesi Eco-Lodge

The community-owned Il Ngwesi Eco-Lodge sits atop a small hill in the remote Il Ngwesi Group Ranch, a two-hour drive north of Lewa Conservancy in north-eastern Laikipia.

Basecamp Eagle View

Basecamp Eagle View is a community-focused safari camp in the Naboisho Conservancy, with a strong emphasis on responsible tourism and a spectacular location.

Satao Camp is a traditionally styled, unfenced tented camp of generously sized tents set under shady trees around one side of a waterhole on a wildlife-rich plain in a remote part of Tsavo East National Park.

Ol Pejeta Bush Camp

Ol Pejeta Bush Camp is a simple camp, with comfortable tents, delivering an authentic wilderness experience backed up by good food and guiding.

Loldia House

Loldia House is a comfortable, country house lodge on the shores of Lake Naivasha in the heart of Kenya's Great Rift Valley.

Kicheche Fly Camp

Kicheche Walking Wilderness Fly Camp is a temporaray dome tent camp set up for participants in Kicheche's two-day walking safari between Kicheche Valley and Kicheche Bush Camp.

Hemingways Nairobi

Hemingways Nairobi is a luxury country-house style hotel, with a spa and gym, in the wealthy suburb of Karen.

Porini Lion Camp

Porini Lion Camp is a pioneering, community focused eco-camp, with excellent guides and game viewing, in the predator-rich, Olare Motorogi Conservancy.

Tawi Lodge is modern, luxury safari lodge on a private wildlife conservancy in the Amboseli ecosystem in southern Kenya.

Asha Boutique Hotel

Diani Blue is a low-key but stylishly comfortable small guesthouse, with high levels of service, in a busy, central part of Diani Beach.

Hemingways Ol Seki

Magnificently located tented lodge on a bluff looking south across the Naboisho Conservancy toward the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Saruni Wild

Saruni Wild is a rustic and traditional safari camp in the Lemek Conservancy, with just three tents and limited electricity.

Serian Nkorombo

Serian Nkorombo is a luxury bush camp in the Musiara sector of the Maasai Mara National Reserve on the east side of the Mara River.

Sarara Treehouses

Sarara Treehouses is a luxurious camp with tents raised up in the forest canopy. Come here for the wildlife, walking and cultural activities, accompanied by excellent local guides.

Porini Mara Camp

Porini Mara Camp is a small, pioneering eco-camp in the first private conservancy in the Mara region, with comfortable accommodation and a range of activities.

Borana is a comfortable and striking lodge on the Borana Conservancy in eastern Laikipia, offering pleasant accommodation with good food and service and a very wide range of activities.

The Norfolk Hotel

The Norfolk Hotel is one of the oldest hotels in Nairobi and has a reputation for its colourful history dating back to 1904.

Selenkay Adventure

Selenkay Adventure Camp is the dome-tent satellite camp of Porini Amboseli Camp, located in the Maasai-owned Selenkay Conservancy, one of the oldest community wildlife conservancies in Kenya.

Porini Rhino Camp

Porini Rhino Camp is a small, simple, well established tented camp, with a keen focus on sustainable and low-impact tourism.

Sand River Camp

Luxury colonial-style tented camp on the banks of the Sand River close to the Tanzania border – a great spot to see the wildebeest migration.

Offbeat Ndoto

Small and intimate, Offbeat Mara is set in a valley above the (often dry) Olare Orok River within the Mara North Conservancy.

Nairobi Tented Camp

Nairobi Tented Camp is the only tented camp located inside Nairobi National Park, making it a great option for a true safari stay close to the city and airports.

The Sands At Nomad

The Sands At Nomad is a good-value, laidback, family friendly resort with lots of Swahili character.

Severin Safari Camp

Severin Safari Camp is a carefully managed and unfenced safari camp, in a game-rich part of Tsavo West, close to Mzima Springs and dramatic nearby lava flows.

Sirikoi is a small, very high-quality safari camp with excellent service and food and a wide selection of activities.

Ngare Serian

The luxurious Ngare Serian and its sister camp Serian face each other across the Mara River on the western side of the Mara North Conservancy

Lewa House is a very comfortable, boutique safari lodge located on the Lewa Conservancy, north of Mount Kenya.

Satao Elerai

The closest camp in Kenya to Mount Kilimanjaro, Satao Elerai is located in its own, private conservancy, the Elerai Conservation Area, just outside Amboseli National Park.

Solio Lodge

Solio Lodge is an exclusive and luxurious bush lodge set in the private Solio Game Ranch in southern Laikipia.

The Palacina is a complex of accommodation options in a quieter part of central Nairobi.

Cottars 1920s Camp

Cottar's 1920s Camp is a classic, luxury tented camp with a 1920s safari theme, located in its own conservancy on the southeast border of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Sala's Camp

Sala’s Camp is a comfortable and intimate tented camp, with seven tented rooms, located on the banks of the Sand River, in the far south of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Water Lovers

Water Lovers is a popular, low-key beach hotel in a central location on Diani Beach on the south coast of Kenya.

Basecamp Leopard Hill

With six beautiful tents, Basecamp Leopard Hill is a smart safari camp in the Naboisho Conservancy in the Maasai Mara ecosystem.

Tassia Lodge

Tassia offers a unique wilderness experience in a remote location: come here for cultural interaction, stunning views and something a bit different.

Kulalu Camp

Kulalu is a small camp on the banks of the Galana River, located on the outskirts of Tsavo East National Park and the Galana Conservancy.

Governors' Il Moran

The smallest and most expensive of the three camps in the Governors’ group, Governors’ Il Moran Camp hugs a meander of the Mara River just 1km north of the main Governors’ Camp.

Campi ya Kanzi

Campi ya Kanzi is a very well integrated, eco-friendly bush lodge and tented camp on the slopes of the Chyulu Hills in its own, 1000-square-kilometre Maasai conservancy.

Kifaru House

Kifaru House is a small, stylish safari lodge in the Lewa Conservancy, with beautiful views across the landscape.

Karen Blixen Camp

Karen Blixen Camp sits on a meander of the Mara River in the Mara North Conservancy, just beyond the northern boundary of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Stylish and luxurious Sasaab has nine rooms with stunning views across the Ewaso Nyiro River to the plains beyond.

Loisaba Tented Camp

Loisaba Tented Camp is a luxury safari base of tented rooms, ranged along a ridge in the Loisaba Conservancy, facing Mount Kenya. The camp was completely rebuilt in 2016.

Oasis Lodge

Oasis Lodge is a basic hotel for adventurous travellers near the east shore of Lake Turkana.

Peponi is a long-established beach hotel, renowned for its good food, located in the village of Shela on the south side of Lamu island.

Saruni Rhino

Saruni Rhino is the only camp in the Sera Conservancy in northern Kenya, where guests are based when tracking black rhino on foot.

The Sands at Chale Island

The Sands at Chale Island is a beach resort offering plenty of activities and beautiful flora and fauna all around.

Loisaba Star Beds

Loisaba Starbeds is a simple camp of 4 rooms with pull-out, open-air 'star beds', located near a dam in the Loisaba Conservancy, in northwestern Laikipia.

Ngari Hill Ecolodge

The 6-room Ngari Hill Ecolodge is the only full-service lodge in Maralal and makes a convenient overnight stay en route from Nairobi to Lake Turkana.

Ngenche Safari Camp

Mara Ngenche is a non-hosted, luxury tented camp with an antique style, which is perfect if you're looking for private dining while staying somewhere small and personal.

Desert Rose

This small, unique mountain lodge – Kenya’s northernmost luxury accommodation – is set amid the towering landscapes of Mount Nyiru, and is a superb place for rest and relaxation.

Angama Mara

Angama Mara is a top-end luxury tented camp on the Siria-Oloololo escarpment of the Maasai Mara ecoystem, just above the Mara Triangle sector of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Sankara is a strikingly built hotel in the bustling central Nairobi suburb of Westlands, primarily used as a business stay, with very good dining and leisure facilities.

Alfajiri Villas

Alfajiri Villas is an exclusive, owner-run, hideaway property consisting of three unique villas in a central part of the north end of Diani Beach.

Karen Blixen Coffee Garden and Cottages

Karen Blixen Coffee Gardens and Cottages is small luxury boutique hotel located in the peaceful suburb of Karen.

Mahali Mzuri

Mahali Mzuri is a strikingly modern tented camp in the Virgin Limited Edition group, in a remote part of the Mara ecosytem's Olare Motorogi Conservancy. It has lovely views and all the luxuries of a five-star hotel.

Mara Expedition Camp

Mara Expedition Camp is a small luxury camp located in a slightly elevated area of bush and woodland, just outside the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Ocean Sports

Ocean Sports is long-established and popular beach hotel right on one of Watamu's famous and beautiful bays.

Mnarani Club

The Mnarari Club is located towards the seaward end of the beautiful Killifi Creek, and is an enduring favourite on the Kenya coast.

Manda Bay is a luxury beach hideaway in a remote corner of an island in the Lamu archipelago, on Kenya's northern coast. It has a huge range of water sports on offer.

Leleshwa was a delightful, boutique safari camp on the picturesque banks of a tributary of the Talek, with an extensive, little visited game area on its doorstep.

Basecamp Maasai Mara

Basecamp Maasai Mara is a family-friendly, award-winning eco-camp on a U-bend on the north bank of the Talek River, on the boundary of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Ilkeliani Camp

Ilkeliani Camp is a smart elegant camp overlooking the Talek River, on the edge of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Lions Bluff Lodge

The community-owned Lion’s Bluff is spectacularly sited at the end of a dramatic ridge, with stunning sunsets and sunrises and good views of Kilimanjaro in clear weather.

Tumbili Cliff Lodge

Tumbili Cliff Lodge is located on a low cliff on the western shore of Lake Baringo, in Kenya's Great Rift Valley.

Karisia Walking Safaris

Karisia Walking Safaris operates camel assisted, multi-day walking safaris from its main camp, Tumaren, set in a remote part of Laikipia.

Hemingways Watamu

Long-established resort hotel with a strong British following and a good reputation for deep-sea fishing.

Basecamp Wilderness

Basecamp Wilderness Camp is a simple, traditional tented camp, set in a remote valley in the Naboisho Conservancy in the Mara ecoystem.

Ololo Safari Lodge

Ololo Safari Lodge and Farm is a luxury property on the southern edge of Nairobi National Park.

Ol Donyo Lodge

Ol Donyo is a luxurious and innovative designer safari lodge with magnificent views and excellent walking, riding and wildlife country in its own private conservancy.

Sweetwaters Serena

Sweetwaters Serena is a large, older tented camp – the largest camp in the Laikipia region – in the eastern part of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy.

Sandai is a pretty, owner-run homestay, set between the Aberdare Range and Mount Kenya, offering a range of activities at extra cost.

Eden Nairobi

One Forty Eight is a very stylish boutique hotel in one of the leafiest corners of the southwest Nairobi suburb of Karen-Langata. The Giraffe Centre at Giraffe Manor is just a 10-minute walk away.

Tipilikwani Camp

Tipilikwani Mara Camp is a larger, mid-range tented camp offering good value from its base on the Talek River just outside the Mara National Reserve.

Charming Lonno Lodge

Lonno Lodge is a boutique hotel on a quiet stretch of Watamu's coastline.

Mara Nyika is one of the newer additions to the Naboisho Conservancy and offers a luxurious and exclusive safari.

Shimba Lodge

Shimba Lodge is a picturesque tree-hotel overlooking a forest waterhole in Shimba Hills National Park, with an aerial walkway and abundant wildlife.

Saruni Mara

Saruni Mara is a luxurious permanent lodge, on the remote northern edge of the Mara North Conservancy, with stunning views, good guiding and very private and comfortable rooms.

Serena Beach Resort

Serena Beach Resort is a large beach hotel on Shanzu Beach, north of Mombasa town, on Kenya's Indian Ocean coast.

Mara Bushtops

Mara Bushtops is a luxury safari hotel on a private concession, outside the Maasai Mara National Reserve, with the emphasis on comfort, relaxation and good food and wine.

Kizingo is an owner-managed, rustic, barefoot beach lodge on the southwest tip of Lamu island.

Larsens Tented Camp

Larsen’s Tented Camp is a relaxed and welcoming camp, with 20 sturdy tented rooms, a good pool and a very engaging team of staff.

Wild Frontiers

Wild Frontiers Camel treks are based in the Milgis River area and run in various parts of northern Kenya between Lake Turkana and Laikipia.

Mbweha Camp

Mbweha Camp is a well-established safari lodge on private land close to the Nderit Gate of Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya's Great Rift Valley.

Mara Serena Safari Lodge

Mara Serena Safari Lodge is a large safari hotel with views of the Mara River, in the Mara Triangle sector of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Lodo Springs

Lodo Springs is a spectacularly located luxury lodge in a remote spot in the Loisaba Conservancy, sister lodge to Loisaba Tented Camp and Loisaba Star Beds.

Tamarind Village

Tamaarind Village is a well managed apartment complex close to Mombasa city, with excellent restaurants, pools and visitor services.

Kitich Forest Camp

Kitich Forest Camp is one of Kenya's most established, remote highland forest camps, offering exciting bush walks and close encounters with big game as well as insects and birdlife.

The Stanley

The Stanley is a large, traditional hotel – the oldest in Nairobi – offering a range of facilities.

Mara Explorer Camp

Mara Explorer is a smart tented camp is in a scenic location on a bend in the Talek River.

Governors' Private Camp

Located on a secluded bend of the Mara River, Governor’s Private Camp has just eight tents and is booked on an exclusive basis.

Design-led, contemporary hotel in the Village Market area of Gigiri, a largely diplomatic and luxury residential suburb 10km north of Nairobi’s central business district.

Sanctuary at Ol Lentille

The Sanctuary at Ol Lentille is an unusual safari lodge in northern Laikipia, consisting of three exclusive villas, and offering a huge range of activities.

Palm Shade Camp

Palm Shade Camp is a simple camp for adventurous travellers near the east shore of Lake Turkana.

Entim Camp is well located in the heart of the Mara National Reserve, offering traditionally styled tented accommodation.

Naibor Camp

Naibor has a great location in the Mara reserve, and offers accommodation to suit different budgets, with stylish high-end tents and some simpler ones too.

Cottars Private House

Cottar's Private House is one of the few truly luxurious, modern private houses in the Mara ecosystem, spoiling its guests with first-rate staff, a swimming pool and wonderful views.

Governors' Mugie House

Governors' Mugie House – a substantial, luxury safari lodge – is one of only two properties in the Mugie Conservancy in northwestern Laikipia.

The Majlis is a modern 27-room resort hotel on the beachfront of Manda island.

Galdessa is Tsavo East National Park’s best safari camp, sitting in a spectacular location on the banks of the broad Galana River.

Angama Amboseli

Angama Amboseli is a luxury safari camp in the long-established Kimana Conservancy, about a 45-minute drive east of Amboseli National Park.

Thomsons Falls Lodge

Thomsons Falls Lodge is a simple hotel dating back to the colonial era, located above the falls of the same name, near the western Laikipia town of Nyahururu.

Ekorian's Mugie Camp

Ekorian's Mugie Camp is a pleasant, family-friendly safari camp in a remote location in northwestern Laikipia.

Swahili Beach

Swahili Beach is one of the biggest resort hotels on Diani Beach, with a spectacular lobby and cascading swimming pool.

Acacia Camp

Acacia Camp is a rustic and affordable safari camp in a wildlife sanctuary a 30-minute drive towards Mombasa from Nairobi’s international airport.

Msambweni Beach House

Msambweni Beach House is a secluded and luxurious boutique hotel on the southern Kenya coast, south of Diani Beach.

Rhino River Camp

Rhino River Camp is a pleasant safari camp nestled in deep forest next to Meru National Park's rhino sanctuary.

Lamu House is a boutique hotel on the waterfront in Lamu town, with a swimming pool, bar and terrace restaurant.

Ishara is a highly luxurious safari camp in the Maasai Mara, located on the Talek River, which is one of the best areas in Kenya for wildlife.

The Maji is a small, well managed beach hotel on the northern stretch of Diani Beach in southern Kenya.

Island Camp Baringo

The birding magnet of Island Camp Baringo occupies a part of Ol Kokwe Island In Lake Baringo, in the Great Rift Valley in Kenya.

Entumoto is a high-end tented camp, with a swimming pool, situated in a very pretty location on the east side of the Maasai Mara ecosystem.

Kenya holiday styles & special interests

From family adventures to romantic breaks, find ideas here for your perfect Kenya safari

Beach holidays

Discover Africa's coast and tropical islands.

Birdwatching

Diverse habitats, discreet hides and superb guiding.

Cultural experiences

Get an insight into Africa's cultures and history.

Family holidays

Hand-picked camps for an incredible family safari.

Romantic safaris and castaway island retreats.

First-class service, scenic vistas and unparalleled comfort await you during these carefully selected luxury holidays. 

Photography holidays

Great holidays to suit the keen photographer.

Private villas & houses

Enjoy Africa with just your friends & family

Riding holidays

Explore Africa's wilderness on horseback.

Solo Travel

Trip ideas ideally suited for a solo traveller.

Explore Africa's most scenic trails on foot.

Walking safaris

Explore Africa's untouched wildernesses on foot.

Wellness escapes in stunning locations

Wildlife safaris

These trips include hard-hitting game and fascinatingly elusive species alike, as well as superb guiding and a variety of diverse ecosystems.

Frequently Asked Questions

At Expert Africa we often get asked the same questions - understandably. It can be hard to imagine how it works when you mix lions and elephants with human beings, or how you'll manage charging your phone out in the bush. Here we try to provide some answers.

Is Kenya crowded with tourists?

Is it safe what about being in an unfenced safari camp or an open-sided vehicle with animals around, i’m not sure about camping. what are the tents like, what plugs does kenya use will i be able to charge my phone and batteries, what about bugs and snakes, is staying in a safari camp less expensive than staying in a more hotel-like lodge, what happens if you need to use the loo/have a comfort break while on safari, expert africa's other destinations in africa.

Expert Africa offers tailor-made itineraries to 12 countries in East and Southern and Africa. Click below to see where else we've been - and where you might choose for your next trip.

You might well consider Tanzania , which borders Kenya to the south. It's a good deal larger than Kenya, with a wide variety of national parks, but few conservancies.

Tucked between East and Central Africa lies Rwanda , with its outstanding opportunities to do walking safaris tracking primates in the forest-clad mountain parks, including to meet a family of mountain gorillas.

Or consider Zambia , which stands out for exceptional wildlife and intimate camps. Malawi , to the east, has little visited parks and the crystal waters of Lake Malawi.

Further south, Zimbabwe offers an experience which can be more rustic, but is enhanced by the quality of its safari guides. Botswana , too, typically offers excellent guiding and and the allure of the Okavango Delta.

For an entirely different kind of safari, consider Namibia . Its vast landscapes allow for self-drive adventures. The same applies in South Africa .

If you're thinking of pairing your safari with diving, snorkelling or seaside relaxation, consider Mozambique , Zanzibar or the Seychelles , all of which are outstanding options.

The choices are vast and varied, so contact Expert Africa to craft your perfect safari, wherever that may be.

With big game, glamorous lodges and one of the greatest unspoilt wildernesses on Earth, Botswana is perhaps Africa's most exclusive safari destination.

With tropical rivers, Rift Valley plateaux, the crystal-clear waters of Lake Malawi and a stunning lakeshore, Malawi invites relaxed exploration.

An ocean paradise protected by world-class marine parks, Mozambique’s idyllic archipelagos offer heavenly hideaways, outstanding diving and laid-back luxury.

Spectacular scenery, diverse wildlife and a rich cultural heritage await discovery by air, with a guide or on a self-drive adventure.

This small, mountainous country offers Africa’s best gorilla treks, other good safari options and a profound human element in every trip.

The ultimate glamorous getaway: the lush islands of Seychelles are enchantingly beautiful and stylish sanctuaries for both wildlife and ocean-lovers.

South Africa

Cosmopolitan Cape Town, world-class wineries, brilliant ‘Big Five’ safaris and spectacularly diverse scenery make South African holidays fabulously exciting and enjoyable.

East Africa’s biggest country has a wide range of parks to explore and some of the Indian Ocean’s best island retreats.

Home to walking safaris, exceptional wildlife, superb guiding and the mighty Victoria Falls, Zambia is Africa at its most alluring.

The ultimate Spice Island: Zanzibar’s mystique, marine life and chic beach retreats make it Africa’s most alluring archipelago.

Stunning national parks teeming with game, plus Africa's finest professional guides and the spectacular Victoria Falls: Zimbabwe is enthralling.

Elephant safari in Linyanti

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Sub regions inside

Broader region.

Incredible Wildlife and Safaris

Kenya is home to some of the most famous national parks and reserves in the world, such as the Maasai Mara, Amboseli , and Tsavo. Visitors can witness the "Big Five" (lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros) and experience the annual Great Migration, where millions of wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles cross the Mara River.

Cultural Richness

Kenya is home to over 40 different ethnic groups, each with its own distinct culture, traditions, and languages. Visiting Kenya allows travelers to engage with local communities, learn about the Maasai, Samburu, Swahili, and other cultures, and participate in traditional ceremonies and crafts.

Beach Holidays

Kenya's coastline along the Indian Ocean is lined with stunning beaches, coral reefs, and marine parks. Popular destinations like Diani Beach, Malindi, and Lamu offer snorkeling, diving, and relaxing opportunities in luxurious beach resorts.

Adventure Activities

For thrill-seekers, Kenya offers a variety of adventure activities, including mountain climbing, hot air balloon safaris, deep-sea fishing, and water sports. The diverse terrain also makes Kenya an excellent destination for hiking, bird-watching, and exploring caves.

Rich History and Heritage

Kenya has a fascinating history, from ancient Swahili settlements to colonial-era landmarks. Visitors can explore historical sites like Fort Jesus in Mombasa, the ancient ruins of Gedi, and the Karen Blixen Museum in Nairobi, which offer insights into the country's past.

Warm and Friendly People

Kenyans are known for their hospitality and friendliness. Visitors often find themselves welcomed with open arms, making their experience in Kenya not only memorable but also personal and enriching.

Kenya's climate is generally pleasant, with warm temperatures throughout the year. The coastal regions are humid and tropical, while the highlands, including Nairobi, enjoy a more temperate climate, making it a comfortable destination year-round.

Conservation and Eco-Tourism

Kenya is at the forefront of conservation efforts in Africa, with many initiatives aimed at protecting wildlife and natural habitats. Visitors can support eco-friendly lodges and participate in conservation projects, contributing to the preservation of Kenya's natural heritage.

Culinary Experience

Kenyan cuisine is a delicious mix of flavors influenced by various cultures, including African, Indian, and Arab. From street food like "samosas" and "nyama choma" (grilled meat) to coastal delicacies, Kenya offers a delightful culinary journey.

Wildlife Safaris

Dry Seasons (June to October & January to February): June to October: This is the most popular time to visit Kenya, particularly for safaris. The weather is dry, making it easier to spot animals as they gather around water sources. This period also coincides with the Great Migration in the Maasai Mara , where millions of wildebeest and zebras migrate from the Serengeti in Tanzania to Kenya.

January to February: Another dry period with good wildlife viewing conditions. Animals are easier to see as they congregate in more predictable areas due to the scarcity of water.

Great Migration:

July to October: This is the best time to witness the Great Migration in the Maasai Mara. The exact timing can vary, but typically, the wildebeest start arriving in the Mara in July and remain until October before heading back to the Serengeti.

Bird Watching:

November to April: During these months, Kenya becomes a haven for bird enthusiasts as migratory birds from Europe and North Africa arrive. This period coincides with the "short rains" (November to December) and the "long rains" (March to May), which make the landscape lush and green, providing excellent conditions for birdwatching.

Beaches and Coastal Activities:

December to March: This is the best time to visit Kenya's coast (e.g., Diani Beach, Malindi, Lamu) as the weather is warm and dry. The Indian Ocean is calm and clear, perfect for snorkeling, diving, and relaxing on the beach.

Climbing Mount Kenya:

January to February & August to September: These are the best months for climbing Mount Kenya, as the weather is relatively dry, and the trails are more accessible.

Avoiding Crowds:

March to May (Long Rainy Season): This is the low season in Kenya due to the heavy rains. While wildlife is still present, it can be harder to spot due to the lush vegetation. However, if you don’t mind the rain, this is a great time to enjoy quieter parks, lower rates, and lush green landscapes.

Renowned for its classic savanna safaris, Kenya is a beautiful country with deserts, alpine snows, forests, open plains, colorful tribal cultures, freshwater lakes and coral reefs. The wildlife safaris have always been the top attraction in Kenya. This huge wilderness is home to the most impressive wildlife spectacle on earth; The great migration. The great migration is a pilgrimage of millions of wildebeest and zebra in search of new pastures. The herds are followed by vast numbers of predators, including lions, hyenas and cheetahs. Other activities to be experienced in Kenya include trekking Mount Kenya, ballooning over the Masai Mara and snorkeling in Malindi on the Indian Ocean coast.

Masai Mara National Park

The Masai Mara National Reserve is one of the top tourist attractions in Kenya and the country’s most popular game park. Each year the Masai Mara National Reserve is visited by thousands of tourists who come here to watch the exceptional population of game and the annual migration of zebra and wildebeest. The “Great Migration” takes place every year from July to October when millions of wildebeest and zebra migrate from the Serengeti in Tanzania.

Amboseli National Park

Amboseli National Park is a relatively small park located close to the Tanzania border at the foot of Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro. The park is famous for being the best place in Africa to get close to free-ranging elephants. Other wildlife includes giraffes, zebras, cheetahs and hundreds of bird species. ‘Must do’ attractions in the Amboseli National Park include meeting the Maasai people and witnessing the spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Nairobi National Park

Nairobi National Park is just a short drive from the center of Nairobi with only a fence separating the park’s wildlife from the metropolis. It is the only national park in the world to be found within the precincts of a capital city. Nairobi’s skyscrapers can be seen from the park. Despite its proximity to the city and the relatively small size of the park, Nairobi National Park boasts a large and varied wildlife population including the endangered black rhino, lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, buffaloes, giraffes and diverse birdlife with over 400 species recorded.

Malindi is a town on Malindi Bay, in southeastern Kenya. It sits amid a string of tropical beaches dotted with hotels and resorts.Malindi provides a very nice introduction to the coastal tourist attractions in Kenya with its extensive coral reefs and beautiful beaches. There are surfing, snorkeling, deep-sea fishing and other water sports. The Malindi Marine National Park and nearby Watamu Marine National Park have protected areas with beautiful beaches, clear water, turtles and very colorful fish. Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve harbors elephants and more than 200 species of birds.

Mombasa is Kenya's main tourist destination. It is on the eastern coastline of Kenya, bordering the Indian Ocean which has made it a popular destination for its beaches. Mombasa is a place where both history and progress are greatly valued, where a busy harbor existence is lived at its own unique, tropical pace. Mombasa offers a diverse marine life, world-class hotels, and friendly atmosphere. There is a tropical climate all year and it is a great destination filled with activities for all ages.

Mount Kenya

Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second-highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. The mountain is an awe-inspiring sight and is often referred to as the ‘Place of Light’. Its ragged series of peaks are crowned with snow, and its slopes are covered with forest. The 5199 meter (17,057 ft) high summit is a difficult technical climb, several lowers peaks, however, are an easy destination for any fit trekker. The majority of animals live lower down on the slopes of Mount Kenya. Here there is more vegetation and the climate is less extreme. Various species of monkeys, several antelopes, tree hyrax, porcupines and some larger animals such as elephant and buffalo all live in the forest.

Samburu National Reserve

Samburu National Reserve is a very peaceful national park in Rift Valley Province of Kenya. It attracts wildlife because of the Uaso Nyiro River that runs through it and the mixture of forest and grassland vegetation. All three big cats, lion, cheetah and leopard, can be found here, as well as elephants, buffalo and hippos. The Uaso Nyiro River contains large numbers of Nile crocodile. Samburu also offers a sublime birding experience.

Hell’s Gate National Park

Hell’s Gate National Park is a small park named after a narrow break in the cliffs, once a tributary of a prehistoric lake that fed early humans in the Rift Valley. It is unique among Kenya’s wildlife parks, as you are allowed to walk or cycle without a guide. There’s dramatic scenery, with steep cliffs, gorges and basalt columns. The national park is home to a wide variety of wildlife, though many are few in number. Examples of little-seen wildlife include lions, leopards, and cheetahs.

Lamu Island

Lamu Island is a part of Kenya’s Lamu Archipelago and has managed to stay unspoiled and untouched by the mass tourism that has hit much of Kenya’s coastline. As the oldest living town in Kenya, Lamu Town has retained all the charm and character built up over centuries. There are no roads on Lamu Island, just alleyways and footpaths, and therefore, there are few motorized vehicles on the island. Residents move about on foot or by boat, and donkeys are used to transport goods and materials.

Tsavo National Park

Tsavo is one of the oldest and largest national parks in Kenya and in the world. Due to its size, the park was divided into Tsavo West and Tsavo East. The Tsavo West has spectacular scenery with a rolling volcanic landscape while Tsavo East has more open savannah than its western sibling. Tsavo National Park is the ideal destination in Kenya for people who seek solitude and privacy as well as the chance to explore the wilderness. The park is home to most of the larger mammals, vast herds of dust-red elephant, Rhino, buffalo, lion, leopard, pods of hippo, crocodile, waterbucks, Lesser Kudu, gerenuk and the prolific bird life features 500 recorded species.

Lake Nakuru

Lake Nakuru is a very shallow lake in central Kenya. The lake’s abundance of algae attracts vast quantities of flamingos, sometimes more than one million at once. Often called the greatest bird spectacle on earth, the flamingos are one of Kenya’s top attractions. Visitors can enjoy the wide ecological diversity and varied habitats that range from Lake Nakuru itself to the surrounding escarpment and picturesque ridges. Lake Nakuru National Park is ideal for bird watching, hiking, and game drives.

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Sep 20, 2024

Sabi Sands Game Reserve reservations made easy

Made safari reservations with Pascal John. He was very helpful as we had a specific time frame that corresponded with the rest of our Africa trip. Pascal John was professional, sent documents on time, and and with no errors. He responded via email very very quickly. We definitely recommend Safari.com and Pascal John!

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Sep 19, 2024

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We always struggle to make reservations especially since we book for people with disabilities. Heleen is our "go to person" since she is always friendly, helpful and quick.

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Sep 17, 2024

Thanks to Keith!

Keith was prompt, thorough and efficient. He was available as and when needed, answering all the questions I had, and guiding us along the way.

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We have completed the preliminary reservations with this amazing travel firm. Thank God they exist! We would never have been able to figure out how to put the pieces of our trip to AFRICA together without them. They are patient, caring, detailed, and responsive to communications…something you expect, but do not always receive when service is involved. Connect with them via email if you are even thinking about going to Africa. Cheers!

Sep 16, 2024

First time to Cape Town

We are a group of ten friends traveling together to Cape Town for the first time. Safari.com was our top choice for travel agents. Leché and Tracy were incredibly helpful and prompt with our questions and bookings. The trip to Sanbona Wildlife Reserve was fantastic, and everything went off without a hitch. We highly recommend Safari.com for your safari plans!

Sep 15, 2024

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Very responsive, I sent an email and got a response almost immediately (I checked it’s like 11pm their time…on a Sunday)

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Kenya Safari Tours, Package Holidays and Lodges

This is the original "Out of Africa" safari destination.

Magic of the Masai Mara

You know the images from various documentaries - sweeping savannah plains teeming with over a million Wildebeest, the Maasai tribe and Big Cats. Experience it for yourself on a Masai Mara safari tour . Witness the Migration between August and October plus great game viewing opportunities throughout the year.  

Premier Kenya Safari

Classic Kenya Safari

Luxury Kenya Safari

Kenya Beach Holidays

Shaba and Samburu National Park

Great Rift Valley

The Great Rift Valley is the land of Soda Lakes, including Lake Nakuru , renowned for thousands of Flamingos. These luxury Kenya safaris include tours through Samburu, Lake Naivasha and Masai Mara. Experience these diverse national parks which abound with wildlife.  

Amboseli and Tsavo

Mombasa Beach and Island Resorts

Come and relax on one of these beautiful beaches of the Kenyan coast with our Kenya Beach and Island holidays . These elegant resorts and beach lodges offer a wide array of water-sports and excursions. Explore the vibrant culture of Mombasa and the historic Island of Lamu.  

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Compiled by

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6 Days Kenya Budget Tours (with Free Night at Nairobi Hotel)

Amboseli & masai mara budget safari by 4x4 jeep, 5 days masai mara and amboseli wildlife safari, 6 days kenya allround safari - mombasa, 7 days taylor -made kenya luxury safari, 5 days kenya medium range safari for amboseli and tsavo parks from nairobi to mombasa, 5 day kenya flying safari, kenya camping safari, 9 days kenyan dream odyssey, 6 days kenya budget small group safari 2025.

“Well organized safari from start to the end. I enjoyed every minute of it.” Velmah Vidah, traveled in September 2023

• Christmas & New Year
• Experience the thrill of photographing the Big Five.
• Witness the circle of life in action on the African plains.
• Indulge in fine authentic African cuisine.

“We had the best time, everyone on board the 4x4 budget camping safari jeep was friendly. The safari jeep was always clean and tidy and very comfortable.” netssploit, traveled in January 2022

• Morning game drive in Amboseli before Nairobi
• Sunset views from Amboseli's Observation Hill
• Explore Mara North and Southern Masai Mara

“Our 5 day Kenya Masai Mara safari was fantastic. Everything was very good. Good company I can recommend.” RebekahPetinak, traveled in July 2019

• Witness the Great Migration up close
• View Mt. Kilimanjaro from Amboseli
• Explore Masai Mara in a 4x4 Jeep

“Loved the tour overralI. Highly recommend tour rader and will definitely use this company for our future travel needs.” Brigit Bingula, traveled in June 2019

• Get close to elephants in Amboseli
• Explore Mzima Springs and spot hippos
• Drive through Tsavo with a chance to see lions

“This is one of the best tours ever. I just loved the experience.” Stella Marongah ITC, traveled in June 2019

• Witness the Great Migration in Maasai Mara
• Enjoy game drives in Maasai Mara
• Explore the rugged beauty of Samburu

“It was all very easy and well organised. I also found it to be very competitively priced considering the service we received and the standard of accommodation.” EllaCotter, traveled in September 2022

• Stay at comfortable full-board safari lodges
• Explore Tsavo West's Mzima Springs and lava flows
• Enjoy game drives in Tsavo East National Park

“The price was competitive for the level of personal service we received.” S M, traveled in September 2022

• Experience a safari in Masai Mara
• Enjoy breakfast at Masai Mara before departure
• Fly to Amboseli, spot majestic elephants

“Excellent support from the entire GAdventures team. Delicious food from chef Francis.” Johannes Giewald, traveled in August 2022

• Explore Samburu with an afternoon safari
• Spot the Samburu's special five species
• Discover Lake Nakuru's diverse wildlife

“We enjoyed our safari. I appreciate their fast response to emails.” mnaa muti, traveled in March 2024

• Explore Amboseli with elephants and Mt. Kilimanjaro
• Enjoy game drives and cultural visits in Mara
• Climb the observation hill in Amboseli

“We saw 70+ species of wildlife in their natural habitat, to include a cheetah and 4 cubs!” Tina Molden, traveled in November 2023

• Witness an abundance of elephants in Amboseli.
• Bask in the spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro.
• Come face-to-face with the legendary Big Five.

More about Kenya

Discover TourRadar

The Masai Mara in Kenya is nature's epic masterpiece.

A little bit about Masai Mara

Rolling hills, sprawling savannahs, dramatic river crossings and of course... more wildlife and adventure than any movie could ever portray. Welcome to the Masai Mara, home to the lions of ‘Big Cat Diary’, temporary residence of the ‘Great Migration’, mighty Maasai warriors and some of the most luxurious safari lodges on earth.

The Masai Mara features a stunning kaleidoscope of wild and rugged landscapes, warm and welcoming people and an exciting array of creatures – big and small. World famous for hosting the epic Great Migration, the Masai Mara welcomes 1,5 million wildebeests onto its sprawling savannahs each July through October. The Masai Mara National Reserve and conservancies are brimming with life and offer safari travellers a wide variety of activities to choose from. Whether you take to the skies for a high-flying hot-air balloon adventure at sunrise or hit the road for a 4x4 safari, you’re sure to leave the Masai Mara with unforgettable experiences and lifelong memories.

Going on a Masai Mara safari

Part of the fun of going on safari is planning your safari. We’ve been there... and know how it feels. As avid travellers we can imagine you have loads of questions while planning your trip to the Masai Mara. Very few places on earth are as unspoilt, adventurous and authentic as the Mara eco-system.

Reading up on the Masai Mara, finding out what you might encounter, exploring your accommodation options... we've done most of the work for you and created this site to help you find all the answers to any questions you may have. To top it off, we've brought together a top-notch collection of Masai Mara safari lodges and camps for you to choose from. Naturally, we're only an e-mail or message away if you need a little extra help planning your safari.

About the Masai Mara

Known as one of the world’s most famous wildlife areas or ‘the world’s eight world wonder’, the Masai Mara has endless plains, breath-taking vistas and abundant wildlife. Learn more about the Masai Mara here.

Masai Mara special offers

Dreaming of the perfect safari holiday? We’ll help you find your way while planning your trip and provide you with a selection of the best available deals. Check out our latest Masai Mara special offers and discounts.

Getting to Masai Mara

Whether you’re arriving from far, far away or travelling to the Masai Mara from a destination in the region. We’ll guide you through your options for getting to the Mara and for getting around once you’re here.

As newbie safari travellers, we were blown away by our experience of the Conservatory - the animals in abundance; the landscapes; the people; the smells and sounds.

It was an amazing experience to actually see the river crossings, that we had seen so many times on TV during the wildebeest migration.

We saw a leopard on a tree and we were lucky enough to watch four lionesses and three cubs eating a fresh hunt. In the evening safari we were able to explore a massive variety of hippopotamus and a crocodile.

Masai Mara lodges & camps

The Masai Mara is rough and rugged, however you don't have to rough it during your stay. Eco-chic safari lodges with four-poster beds, sundowners with your favourite G&T and infinity pools overlooking the African savanna await.

We’ve selected a variety of warm and welcoming Masai Mara safari lodges and camps for you to choose from during your stay. Each of the accommodation options we’ve selected is known for offering premium safari activities, first-class accommodation and every creature comfort you could wish for during your stay.

All accommodations in Greater Masai Mara

Browse all camps & lodges

National Reserve accommodation

Browse Masai Mara NR accommodations

Mara conservancies accommodation

Browse conservancy lodges & camps

Masai Mara lodges we love

We would like to share a few accommodation options with you for your stay in the Masai Mara. Our safari lodge options come in a variety of price ranges, giving you plenty of possibilities to find the right Masai Mara safari camp for your travel budget.

Keep in mind that the following are simply suggestions. We offer tailor-made safari experiences and look forward to creating just the right mix of Masai Mara safari accommodation and activities based on your personal preferences. We look forward to helping you create the bespoke Masai Mara safari of your dreams.

Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp

lodge location Mara Triangle

Kenyan hospitality meets Maasai-inspired luxury on the lush green banks of the Saparingo River. &Beyond Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp lies on the edge of the Oloololo escarpment, where riverine forest meets the sweeping plains of the Masai Mara.

from US$ 435 per person per night

Cottars 1920s Safari Camp

lodge location Olderkesi

Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp offers guest vintage luxury at its very best. Cream-coloured tents decorated in 1920s epic safari style, professional Maasai safari guides and above all a sense of elegance and class - this classic Kenyan safari camp has it all.

from US$ 1,059 per person per night

Elewana Sand River Camp

lodge location Musiara Sector

Ideally situated in one of the most remote parts of Masai Mara National Reserve, Sand River Camp pays homage to romantic 1920s safaris. Its design reminds guests of the many African adventure themed Hollywood movies created in that time period.

from US$ 670 per person per night

There were lion cubs galore, a baby zebra born in front of my eyes, pretty much everything an avid photographer could hope for.

The Maasai people were extremely welcoming, and were there to make sure our experience was nothing but the best. We will definitely be back.

The Big 5 and more - giraffes, zebras, hippos, lions with their families, cheetahs and hundreds of wildebeests - no shortage of amazing game sightings every day...

Masai Mara highlights

The Masai Mara is a dream come true for everyone who ever watched ‘Out of Africa’ and longed for the adventurous, romantic nostalgia of an African safari in the wild. The Great Migration, big cats and Maasai warriors await.

The Masai Mara is a photographer's paradise. This region is known for pristine riverine forests, dramatic towering escarpments, stunning sprawling savannahs and of course... all the creatures, big and small, that roam the land. Add a visit to a Maasai village to your stay for a cultural immersion and gain some insight in the day-to-day life of your hosts. For an extra special birds-eye view of the African plains, take to the skies during a hot-air balloon safari. When it comes to crafting the safari of your dreams, the sky is the limit.

Balloon safari

View golden plains from above

Maasai people

Extraordinary cultural meetings

Exhilarating wildlife

Wildlife up close and personal

The Great Migration

Wildlife spectacle in the Masai Mara

Safari activities

Drive, walks & more

Masai Mara National Reserve

Kenya's premier wildlife reserve

Luxury accommodation

A luxury safari home from home

Mara North Conservancy

Enjoy the perks of a conservancy

Conservancies in Kenya are the way to go; protecting the extraordinary wildlife whilst giving the local community an income, together with education on the interaction between the two.

Wonderful area for wildlife viewing. Having been there twice both times were awesome experiences! Will return again.

The highlight of our trip to Mara was seeing the migration at the Mara river. A once in a lifetime experience to see the Wildebeest migrating. An amazing scene of nature it was.

Masai Mara video

The best way of understanding what the Masai Mara and its conservancies are about is by seeing some thrilling footage from the area. Watch this video to experience Kenya's Masai Mara, its splendour and to meet some of our celebrity wildlife species.

Be careful, after watching this video you can be sure that you want to travel to Kenya. Today.

We saw 8 lions in one drive, and a hippo pod being circled by a dozen crocodiles that launched into the water, trying to get the baby hippos in the center of the pod. Wow!

I was fortunate that when I was recently in the Mara North Conservancy there were so few tourists. I saw plenty of wildlife. The sightings of big cats were especially good.

The Mara Triangle is the most beautiful, lush area of the Masai Mara. Loads of elephants and all types of wildlife without all the land cruiser traffic found in other areas of the Mara.

Send your enquiry

We hope you have found all information needed to decide that the Masai Mara in Kenya is the perfect place for your next safari adventure. Still have questions? Or maybe you would like some more specific information about the different lodges? Please fill in the contact form and we will get back to you soon!

• Masai Mara National Reserve & conservancies
• [email protected]

• +256 392 176327
• +256 702 805580
• [email protected]

Kenya Safaris - Ultimate First Safari Guide

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Embark on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure with our comprehensive guide to Kenya safaris for first-timers. Our expert travel guide will help you discover the best wildlife reserves, national parks, and accommodation options in Kenya, while providing valuable tips and tricks from experienced safari-goers. From the stunning landscapes of Maasai Mara to the majestic Mount Kenya, our guide covers everything you need to know to make the most of your safari experience in Kenya.

As the pioneer safari destination and one of the leading African safari destinations, Kenya is renowned for its spectacular wildlife shows, making it a top choice for family vacations. Our guide will help you plan an unforgettable adventure in Kenya, outshining other East African destinations. Whether you're planning your first or third safari, our travel guide is packed with the best ideas to help you create memories that will last a lifetime.

KENYA SAFARIS TRAVEL GUIDE

You have made a great decision by selecting Kenya Safaris for your first wildlife adventure in Africa. As the pioneer safari destination and one of the leading African safari destinations, Kenya is renowned for its spectacular wildlife shows , making it a top choice for family vacations and first-time safari experiences in Africa. Our guide is packed with the best ideas to help you create memories that will last a lifetime, outshining other East African destinations.

Kenya is a land of astonishing diversity and extraordinary tourist attractions, perfect for wilderness adventure vacations. Nairobi, the capital, is a bustling city where colonial buildings rub shoulders with modern skyscrapers, while steamy, coastal Mombasa retains its solid Arabic influence and history as Kenya's largest and busiest port. Kenya lies on Africa's east coast, bordered by Uganda to the west, Tanzania to the south, South Sudan and Ethiopia to the north, Somalia to the northeast, and the Indian Ocean to the southeast.

When planning your first-time safari in Africa, Kenya is an excellent destination to explore. It's also a great addition to gorilla trekking in neighboring Uganda or Rwanda. Don't miss out on the coastal beaches, which are a perfect getaway vacation to end your Kenya safari. Let our expert guide help you plan your unforgettable adventure in Kenya safaris as a first-time safari-goer.

• Explore the Great Rift Valley dotted with a string of lakes including Nakuru and Naivasha; fertile highlands with towering peaks such as Mt. Kenya; and a coastline and islands with long pristine sandy beaches and marine parks full of coral reefs and colorful fish. Its two major cities couldn’t be more different.
• The Big Five are all present and seen with various degrees of ease. Elephants, buffaloes, and unusually large lion prides are common. Leopards are more elusive but relatively easy to locate with a local pro guide. Up to three dozen black rhinos still survive. Even outside of the migration season, ungulates are well represented; there’s no better place for close-up views of the eland, the world’s largest antelope. A Kenya safari game drive will likely see giraffe, impala, gazelle, topi, Coke’s hartebeest, reedbuck, Defassa waterbuck, hippo, and warthog.
• Birders will find East Africa’s magnificent savanna birdlife around the Mara triangle, with more than 500 species recorded in and around its borders, including such perennial favorites as Lilac-breasted roller, Superb starling, and Little bee-eater.
• During annual wildebeest migration, wildlife drama eclipses during the multiple river crossings, punctuating the great herds’ three-month tenure in the Masai Mara, from August to October.

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The Great Migration

Over two million wildebeest and zebra cross the Mara river sometime between July and August, and they repeat this every year in larger numbers. It's not just the gnu that would attract you here, but also the healthy number of predators looking for an easy meal. This spectacle is not to be missed, especially if it's your first safari in Kenya.

Why Kenya Safaris Are Great For Your First Safari

Millions of plains game move in an endless cycle of birth and death from Tanzania's Serengeti through Kenya's Mara Triangle. It's like a movie sequence when they cross the Mara River with predators and prey locked in a life or death dance, the most extraordinary wilderness spectacle on earth that should take you to Kenya.

Big Game Viewing

Visiting Kenya’s legendary national parks and game reserves almost guarantees that you’ll see the famous Africa safari's Big Five animal popularised by the colonial white hunters in the early birth of Africa safari. And where there's big game, there are definitely huge herds of plains animals and hundreds of colorful birds.

Mythical Nomadic Tribes

Maasai communities lie within the Maara bounds and other famous game reserves. The tall and dignified red-robed Maasai have held explorers, adventurers, and writers in thrall for centuries. Cultural adventure excursions in Maasai villages to view men herding livestock and women carrying water or firewood are common on safari vacations.

Beach Escapes

Miles of white sandy beaches lined by an azure ocean and water sports galore. From diving and snorkeling to windsurfing, adrenalin sports to simple seaside fun, sipping sundowners, to deep-sea diving, some of the Kenya safari's last magical moments happen at the coastline.

Historical Adventures

Check out ancient history along the coast where Arab traders and Vasco da Gama once sailed. In the tiny UNESCO World Heritage town of Lamu, you’ll find an Arabic way of life unchanged for centuries.

Gorillas Are Near

Kenya is a close neighbor to Uganda and Rwanda, who host the mythical endangered mountain gorillas. It's now simple to connect a Kenya Safari to a Uganda gorilla safari with local flights between the destinations.

COSTS FOR KENYA SAFARIS (USD)

Most Kenya lodges refer to an all-inclusive (full-board) per person rate, including taxes, and assuming double occupancy. A few lodges operate on a half-board rate, and rare ones offer bed & breakfast except city hotels.

TAILOR-MADE KENYA SAFARIS

Family Safari Holiday With Teenagers

8 Days | Best for Teenagers Nairobi, Laikipia & Masai Mara

Masai Mara & Gorilla Trekking Safari

10 Days | Fly-in Kenya & Uganda Entebbe, Bwindi, Masai Mara, Nairobi

Kenya Family Safari Holiday With Kids

10 Days | Best for Kids 4-10 yrs Nairobi, Masai Mara & Mombasa Beach

Classic Kenya Luxury Safari Holiday

13 Days | Pure Luxury Travel Nairobi, Tsavo, Laikipia & Masai Mara

BEST PLACES FOR FIRST SAFARI IN KENYA

Unfortunately, you probably won’t be able to see all the best places for your first safari in Kenya on one trip; they're just too many. Must-See Parks places in Kenya include Masai Mara National Reserve, Amboseli National Park, Tsavo West, and the Laikipia Plateau. The if-you-have-time Parks include Nairobi National Park, Meru National Park, Samburu National Reserve, Lakes Nakuru, and Naivasha. When planning your first safari in Kenya, we advise that you research all of them before you take your pick.

Masai Mara National Reserve

Masai Mara is a world-renowned wildlife paradise and a perfect scene for wildlife photographers. It's the top attraction first-time visitors to Kenya should visit. Easily spot large predators such as lion, leopard, cheetah, and Spotted hyena at close quarters all year round. The reserve truly blossoms between August and October, when the legendary wildebeest migration - perhaps the world's most incredible wildlife spectacle - crosses into Kenya from Tanzania.

Amboseli National Park

Kilimanjaro’s snowcapped peak, massive herds of elephants, and quintessential Kenyan landscape (open plains, acacia woodland, grasslands, bush, and marshland) greet you along the Tanzanian border. Amboseli offers excellent African game viewing, second only to Masai Mara. It is a common choice for wildlife photography safari in Kenya and a great addition to a Mara migration safari.

Tsavo East & West

Tsavo West and East National Parks. Tsavo West and Tsavo East are home to peaceful lion prides and loads of other savannah wild game. Split by the Mombasa Highway, their proximity to the coast makes them a great choice for those who want to combine beach and beasts.

Laikipia Plateau

This region has become one of Kenya's hottest game destinations with some of Kenya's classiest camps and lodges. The nearby Samburu National Reserve boasts unusual dry-country species of animals and birds.

Laikipia safari guide

If you have time, also visit these places

Although the travel reviews go into great detail about the must-see parks in Kenya, there are many other attractions to explore if you have time. Here are a few good ones our travelers typically choose to add on their first Africa safari in Kenya.

Nairobi National Park

The most striking thing about Nairobi National Park, Kenya’s oldest national park (established in 1946), is the very fact that it exists at all. This sliver of unspoiled Africa survives on the edge of a city of more than 3.5 million people. Where else can you get a photo of animals in their natural habitat with a backdrop of skyscrapers?

Meru National Park

This little-visited park (699 square miles) offers some of Kenya’s wildest country but does not feature on the mainstream safari circuit. Meru is where wildlife guardians Joy and George Adamson hand-reared Elsa , the lioness made famous by the 1966 film Born Free .

Lake Naivasha

One of the Rift Valley’s few freshwater lakes, Lake Naivasha is a popular spot for day trips and weekends away from Nairobi. Although the lake is not part of a national park or game reserve, it has pleasant forested surroundings, which are a far cry from the congestion and noise of Nairobi, and there is plentiful wildlife around.

Lake Nakuru

This delightful and compact park covers around 188 square km (73 square miles) and completely surrounds Lake Nakuru on the floor of the Great Rift Valley. Until a few years ago, it was most famous for the hundreds of thousands of flamingos that fed on the algae in the shallows. Nevertheless, Nakuru National Park is still a very rewarding and easy park to visit.

Samburu National Park

“In the far northeast of the Laikipia Plateau, north of Mt. Kenya, is the remote Samburu National Reserve. Lying in the traditional homeland of the Samburu people in hot, arid, and relatively low country on the fringes of Kenya’s vast northern deserts, this reserve is highly regarded by experienced travelers and old Africa hands alike.

East Africa’s economic and logistics hub is Kenya’s capital Nairobi. Because almost every wildlife safari vacation starts and ends in the capital city, it is hard for any traveler to miss Nairobi. Nairobi presents the authentic everyday African urban life, especially the city’s leafy suburbs, where the most exciting attractions are found.

Experience the ultimate safari adventure during the final days of your trip along the Kenya coast.

Holidays at the Kenya coast

Kenya is home to one of Africa's most intriguing and historically essential coastlines, perfect for introducing travelers on their first safari in Kenya to Africa's coastline, away from the safari hooves, canines, and claws. The Kenyan coast stems from extraordinary natural beauty. It is home to marine parks, bustling coral reefs, and bird-filled coastal forests, all of which make for a fabulously diverse holiday after your inland wildlife safari. The southern Kenya coast presents perfect don't-make-me-think beach holidays with Diani, Galu, and Funzi beaches standing out getaways for honeymooners and romantics. Suitable for diving and great for deep-sea fishing, Mombasa is Kenya's beach destination for the younger, more social crowd, which means excellent restaurants, nightclubs, and adventures. And Mombasa's airport means easy combining a Kenya safari with a coastal beach holiday .

Kenya Travel Essentials

How to get there.

Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi and Moi International Airport (MBA) in Mombasa are the two main international airports, with most domestic flights departing from Wilson Airport (WIL) in Nairobi. Kenya has a well-established network of domestic and regional airlines, with airports in major towns and well-maintained airstrips in safari destinations.

Kenya Safaris transfers are typically provided from the airstrip to accommodations, and schedules for safari airlines often work in circuits. Several airlines offer affordable direct flights to Kenya, including Kenya Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and British Airways. Domestic airlines such as Kenya Airways, Jambojet, and Fly540 provide daily flights to several regional destinations. Charters are also available, although more expensive than scheduled flights. Baggage allowance is usually 15 kg per person on small planes, and self-drive safaris are an option, with several car rental companies offering 4x4s and driver services.

Self-drive safaris in Kenya are available for those who prefer road travel, though poor road conditions in some areas can cause longer driving times. Car rental companies specializing in 4x4s typically offer driver services, with rates starting at around $110 per day for a 4×4 and $20 per day for a driver. Major highways connect Nairobi to other towns and cities. Driving from Nairobi to the Masai Mara, a 150-mile/240-km journey takes about five hours. Long-distance travel by bus is available but not recommended for safari travel.

Kenya is a visa-free country from January 2024. To boost tourism and attract more foreign investments to Kenya, the government removed all visa requirements for all foreign nationals visiting and transiting through Kenya starting January 2024.

The vacated visa requirements have been replaced by the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system. Everyone (except East African Community Nationals) must register at https://www.etakenya.go.ke/ before they come to the country; at least 3 days in advance.

• The ETA fee for all is $30
• You will need a valid passport
• Credit or Debit Card to make payment.

Best time for Kenya Safari

Kenya safaris can be enjoyed year-round, and the best time to visit depends on personal preferences, budget, and travel plans. The period between January and March and June to September is generally considered the peak season , with friendly weather conditions and abundant wildlife activity. However, the rainy season between mid-March to June and October to December is also an excellent time to visit if you want to avoid crowds and take advantage of off-season discounts.

If you are interested in witnessing the great migration in Masai Mara , the best time to visit is between mid-August and late October when the wildebeest and zebra herds cross the border from Serengeti National Park . There is no wildebeest movement from January through to June in Masai Mara, so plan your trip accordingly.

Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast is hot and humid all year round, with the possibility of rainfall at any time. However, it is best to avoid the coast between mid-March and late May when temperatures and rainfall are highest.

Ultimately, the best time to visit Kenya depends on your preferences and travel plans. Consider your priorities and consult with a trusted travel agent or local tour operator for more information and personalized recommendations.

Money, Banks & Tipping

The official currency in Kenya is the Kenyan shilling (KSH), with notes available in denominations of 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1,000 shillings and coins available in denominations of 1, 5, 10, and 20 shillings.

Most things in Kenya are priced and paid for in KSH, but some tourist businesses like hotels, safari companies, and airlines may quote prices in both U.S. dollars and shillings. If paying with dollars, make sure to check that you are getting a fair exchange rate.

When exchanging U.S. dollars at a bank or bureau de change, it’s best to bring new and undamaged notes as old, worn, or damaged bills may not be accepted.

Banks in Kenya typically open at 8:30 am on weekdays and close at 4 pm, with some opening at 9 am and closing at noon on Saturdays. Banks are closed on Sundays and public holidays. Many ATMs in Kenya are available 24 hours a day.

Most banks in Kenya offer foreign exchange services or international electronic transfers. It’s best to avoid banks at their busiest times, especially on Fridays at 9 am and from noon to 2 pm, as well as at the end of the month. Major banks in Kenya include Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), Barclays, National Bank of Kenya, and Standard Chartered.

Credit cards are widely accepted in Kenya, but it’s easier to withdraw shillings from an ATM for small amounts like restaurants, shopping, taxi fares, fuel, and tips. Most ATMs in Kenya dispense large denomination notes, so try to break them whenever possible, as taxi drivers and souvenir vendors often don’t have change for large bills.

Major credit cards, such as Visa and MasterCard, are accepted at Kenyan banks and ATMs. Most ATMs accept Cirrus, Plus, Maestro, Visa Electron, Visa, and MasterCard. To ensure safety, it’s best to use an indoor ATM, preferably at the airport, in a shopping mall, or guarded by a security officer.

Tipping in Kenya is not mandatory, but it’s customary to give a tip of 10% in restaurants and to porters. Some hotels, safari lodges, and tented camps have a gratuity box for guests to tip all the staff at the end of their stay. It’s recommended to tip your safari driver and guide approximately US$10–US$15 per person, per day. Tipping taxi drivers is not necessary, as the fare is usually determined before setting off.

Hotels, Lodges & Camps

Kenya offers a wide variety of safari accommodations, ranging from intimate tented camps and luxurious boutique hotels to mid-range safari lodges, beach resorts, local lodgings, and campsites. Lodge prices are usually all-inclusive, covering accommodations, meals, and activities such as game drives and walks. It’s important to find out in advance if park fees (US$40 to US$100 per day) are included. When choosing accommodations in Kenya, consider your budget, travel style, and preferences. Do your research, read reviews, and book in advance to secure your preferred choice.

Nairobi has many hotels, including international chains, charming independent hotels, and older establishments with colonial ambiance. Accommodations on the coast range from luxurious honeymoon hideaways to all-inclusive family beach resorts. On Lamu, some beautifully restored historic Arabic houses have opened as hotels. Standard prices usually include a full English breakfast, and other meals are typically available in the hotel’s restaurant.

Overall, it’s essential to book in advance during high season and look out for specials during the low season or rainy months. When choosing accommodations, keep in mind that hotel rates in Nairobi and other towns tend to remain the same throughout the year, while room prices in wildlife and coastal areas are seasonal. Consider your priorities and preferences and consult with a trusted travel agent or local tour operator for more personalized recommendations.

Travel Safety

Although Kenya is generally a safe country, visitors should take basic precautions to avoid becoming victims of crime.

In big towns, mugging, purse snatching, and pickpocketing can occur. Leave valuable jewelry and watches at home, and keep cameras, camcorders, and binoculars out of sight, unless you’re on safari. Lock your valuables in the hotel or lodge safe, or use a money belt under your clothes. Don’t leave belongings on balconies or terraces, and avoid showing them in a vehicle. If you become a victim of robbery, you’ll need a police report to make an insurance claim, so bring copies of all essential documents and keep them separate from the originals. Carry extra passport photos in case you need new documents quickly.

Take a taxi after dark, and don’t accept food or drinks from strangers. Be aware of street scams and appeals for money. If you’re driving, be polite but firm if stopped by police officers charging an instant fine for a minor infraction. If you ask to go to the police station, charges are often dismissed.

Terrorist zones are in Kenya’s northern and northeastern borders, far from the premier tourism attractions. Exercise increased caution in terrorist strongholds but note that these incidents are also far from popular tourist areas. The Kenyan Government has implemented strict security measures at airports and visible policing in shopping malls and outdoor markets, ensuring it is safe to visit Kenya.

Most visitors fly out of Nairobi to attractions such as Samburu, Masai Mara, and Amboseli. High airport security levels have been reported by staff traveling to Kenya regularly, and some hotels in the capital city have instituted additional security measures for peace of mind.

COVID-19 Restrictions

Starting on May 9th, 2023, travelers entering Kenya will no longer need to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 PCR test, as per the new regulations from the Government of Kenya.

Travelers with flu-like symptoms will be required to undergo a rapid antigen test at their own cost of 30 USD. Those who test positive on antigen RDT will be required to take a PCR test at their own cost of 50 USD and self-isolate as per Ministry of Health guidance on isolation. Those with severe symptoms shall then be allowed to isolate per the prevailing isolation requirements for mild, moderate, and severe disease.

Any traveler entering Kenya with flu-like symptoms will be required to fill out the passenger locator form on the ‘jitenge’ platform:  https://ears.health.go.ke/airline_registration/  and may be asked to undergo a rapid antigen test at their own cost regardless of age or vaccination status.

You can find full details of the Government of Kenya’s entry requirements concerning coronavirus at the  Kenya Civil Aviation Authority website .

Health & Vaccination

Before traveling to Kenya, it is important to ensure that all routine vaccinations are up to date. The risk of malaria is low during the Green Season and very low during the peak season, but higher in rural areas and villages outside the parks and reserves. If you plan to go scuba diving after your trip, be sure to inform your doctor to ensure that the correct prophylactic is prescribed. Check with your healthcare provider to determine if additional vaccinations are required.

Yellow fever vaccination is required for travelers aged one year or over arriving from countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission. The vaccine is generally recommended for all travelers aged nine months or over, except for those whose itineraries are limited to certain areas. Malaria is an issue in certain areas and travelers should consult their healthcare provider well in advance about the best malaria prophylactics to take.

It is recommended to use sunscreen and bug repellent with DEET. HIV infection rates are high, so it’s important to exercise caution. Make sure to have full medical travel insurance that includes repatriation in case of a medical emergency, and ensure that it covers any active pursuits you plan to undertake. Medical bills are often paid upfront in Kenya, so keep all paperwork to make an insurance claim.

The AMREF Flying Doctors service provides air evacuation and transportation between healthcare facilities for medical emergencies in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, or anywhere within a 1,000 km (621 miles) radius of Nairobi. The planes fly out of Nairobi’s Wilson Airport 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Consult your local health authority for up-to-date health recommendations before your trip to Kenya, and know your blood type. Kenya has good medical facilities, especially private ones.

The following private hospitals are great for emergency attention;

• Nairobi Hospital – +254 703 082 000
• Karen Hospital- +254 206 613 000
• Aga Khan Hospital – +254 203 662 000
• M.P. Shah Hospital – +254 204 291 000

Phones & Internet

Local landline and mobile calls are inexpensive in Kenya, but hotels add hefty surcharges to phone calls. Public telephones are no longer widely available since most people carry a mobile phone. If you don’t want to use your mobile phone due to expensive international roaming fees, you can buy a Kenyan pay-as-you-go SIM card from one of the service-provider stores or street vendors. The local providers are Airtel, Safaricom, and Telkom. Coverage is good throughout most of the country but can be patchy in remote areas.

When making a call within Kenya, use the full 10-digit number, including the area code, even if you’re in the same area. City codes are (020) for Nairobi, (041) for Mombasa, (040) for Diani Beach, and (012) for Lamu. To call outside Kenya, dial 000 before the international code. For example, dial 000 (0001) for the United States, 00044 for the UK, and 00027 for South Africa.

Internet is widely available in Kenya, with free Wi-Fi in many public places in Nairobi and Mombasa, such as restaurants and coffee shops, and almost all hotels and lodges. However, remote areas may not have connectivity, so don’t expect to be able to connect at out-of-the-way safari lodges or camps. You can top up your Kenyan pay-as-you-go SIM card with data for internet access.

Restaurants

Kenya prides itself on game meat and seafood, organically grown vegetables, and excellent tropical fruits (such as passion fruit, papaya, and mangoes). When you’re near the coast, sample traditional Indian and Arabic food and look for Kenyan-grown tea and coffee and Tusker beer, a local brew.

“Swahili tea” is very similar to chai in India. You’ll find most cuisines, from Chinese to French to Ethiopian, in restaurants in Nairobi.

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Africa Kenya Safaris

Exit the stress. hit the pause button. come on a kenya safari..

Choose Your East Africa Safari Tour

Looking to safari in Kenya and East Africa? No one can get you onto Kenya safari tours  faster and easier than us!

Join Us for the World’s Best Kenya Safaris

What makes our Kenya safaris the best in the world? It’s all down to the people who take you there. Our Travel Advisors and Driver/Guides   were all born and raised here in Kenya – the wildlife parks  are like their second home. They will design a brilliant Kenya safari or Tanzania adventure embracing all your likes, wishes, and desires. 

Just tell your personal Travel Advisor which Kenya parks or wildlife you want to see (Lions? Giraffes? Everything?) and they’ll have you in one of our custom  4 x 4 safari Jeeps pronto, headed for the best safari in Kenya and beyond.

And on your way to the safari of your dreams.

Our Africa Safaris in Kenya, Tanzania & Zanzibar

Check out our many East Africa safari tours:

NAIROBI EXCURSIONS & DAY TRIPS

Africa Kenya Safaris offers you full and half-day excursions & trips from Nairobi

KENYA SAFARI TOURS FROM NAIROBI

Explore our multi-day Kenya safari adventures ranging from 2 - 12 days from Nairobi - Africa's safari capital

NAIROBI TO DIANI BEACH SAFARIS

Enjoy a Kenya wildlife safari then finish up your holiday at Kenya’s Diani Beach.

DIANI BEACH KENYA SAFARIS

Kenya safaris from beach resorts of Diani - voted Africa's leading beach destination

AMBOSELI KENYA SAFARIS

Explore Amboseli - best place to see large herds of free-ranging elephants and scenic views of Mount Kilimanjaro

KENYA FLIGHT SAFARIS

Book Kenya flight Safaris and explore Masai Mara , Amboseli, Samburu & Lewa Conservancy.

MASAI MARA KENYA SAFARIS

Masai Mara is home of the Great Wildebeest Migration , Big Five of Africa, Big cats, Masai culture etc.

KENYA BEACH TO NAIROBI SAFARIS

Exciting African safaris from the coastal resorts. Shake off the sand and look for some big game excitement

KENYA-TANZANIA SAFARIS

Experience wildlife parks, beaches and mountains of Kenya & Tanzania

KENYA SAFARI & DIANI BEACH

Experience the best of both worlds - a thrilling Kenya safari and a dream Diani beach vacation

KENYA SHORT GROUP SAFARIS

Join our exciting Kenya short Group safari Tours from Nairobi in 4x4 safari jeeps

TANZANIA SAFARI HOLIDAYS

Book Exciting 4x4 Tanzania safaris from Arusha town. Explore Serengeti , Ngorongoro, Manyara, Tarangire e.t.c.

ZANZIBAR BEACH HOLIDAYS

Pre/post your African safari holiday in Kenya & Tanzania, 'escape' to Africa's leading beach destination - Zanzibar!

MOUNTAIN CLIMBING ADVENTURES

Africa mountain climbing adventure tours. Climb Mount Kenya and Mount Kilimanjaro

EAST AFRICA BEACH HOLIDAYS

Enjoy a deserved holiday on the sandy beaches of Mombasa, Diani, Malindi, Watamu, Lamu & Zanzibar

HOLIDAY EXPERIENCES

From the amazing wildlife in the vast savannah to beautiful beaches, Kenya & Tanzania are destinations you won’t want to miss on our African safaris.

We Offer The Very Best Guides & Safari Vehicles For Our East African Safari Tours

A Fully Flexible East Africa Safari

Africa Kenya Safaris offers you dozens of customizable African safari tours for safari in Kenya, and beyond, based on your special wishes.

We work with scores of economy, comfort, and luxury  safari lodge & tented camp providers to bring you every accommodation possibility on our African safari tours.

At  Africa Kenya Safaris we know Kenya safari tours and East Africa safari tours come in all shapes, sizes, and budgets. Let us customize your journey to fit your needs and personal style.

Your ultimate safari adventure is just a  call  or  click  away!

Explore Our Africa

Looking to explore the parks in and around Nairobi? Or is your idea of African safaris discovering great parades of elephants marching before Mt. Kilimanjaro? We offer all kinds of safari tours in Kenya exploring the heart of our country’s great national parks.

Whether a ½ day city jaunt, a one-day safari getaway , an in-depth 9-day safari, or something in between, Africa Kenya Safaris offers you customizable safari tours in Kenya based on your preferences. Check out our selection of multi-day tours here and then personalize our African safaris to your desire.

Let's Plan Your Unique Safari

That’s what we do best – create custom  Kenya safari tours from your wish list – whether it’s adventuring out on the massive savannah, watching the sunset from your own treehouse, working hands-on at a local school, or diving deep into a community project.

At Africa Kenya Safaris , we do things a little differently to deliver you the best safari in Kenya. Immersive. Active. Like we said… personalized just for you.

And we always keep a steady eye on our eco-footprint with everything we do. We are ever mindful of our impact upon the land and follow best practices to protect and improve our fragile environment.

Because there is only one Africa… and it is our home.

Our Guides for African Safaris

Any African Safari is only as good as the people that give it life. And that goes especially for our guides. They don’t just bring years of life experience and training to our Kenya safari tours – their excitement, fun, and support will remind you of your best friend. In fact, by journey’s end, they might just be your new best friend!

Easy, Fast & Flexible Kenya Safari Tours

Want to take a safari in Kenya where you travel and explore at your pace, on your time, in your own way?

We are organized to do just that. Fast, flexible, and quick to respond to your wishes.

Whether you book one of our safari tours in Kenya several months in advance or the day before, we have the experience to make it happen.

Just say the word and we’ll get you into your safari jeep and on the road in no time, where the best safari in Kenya awaits!

Birthday? Honeymoon? Anniversary? Celebrate!

How do you see yourself celebrating that special life event? Standing on a peak overlooking the vast herds of The Great Migration… maybe amongst Kenyan schoolchildren, helping to build their desks… or perhaps hot-air ballooning over the Masai Mara? Or something entirely different. African safaris are all about life experiences.

Let us help you find yours with our unique African safari tours.

Lodge or Tenting for Your Kenya Safari Holiday? Your Choice

Do you want to wrap up your day at a safari luxury lodge? Or would you rather stay closer to the land in a comfortable tented camp? For your safari in Kenya we offer both accommodations in three flavors: economy, comfort, or luxury.

You can even mix them up during our East Africa and Kenya safari tours… depending on your whim.

We work with dozens of informed lodge providers to bring you every accommodation possibility, ensuring the best safari in Kenya and East Africa also have the best accommodation options.

Our special relationship with these skilled hosts is also your portal into all kinds of local cultural, community, and eco-activities. We’ll hook you up with the people, the sights, the tastes, and the moments that you’ll hold as perfect memories.

And All This to Fit Your Safari Holiday Budget

At Africa Kenya Safaris we realize that Kenya safari tours come in all shapes and budgets. Let us customize your journey to fit your needs and your personal style.

We want to hear your thoughts… and your dreams. Then we’ll add in our safari savvy and come up with a plan that checks all the boxes.

You’ve come all this way… don’t you deserve to get everything you wished for? Let us work to make it come true for you. And create the best safari tours in Kenya that you haven’t yet imagined.

Take African Safaris Online or Off – It's Your Choice!

We realize you came to this magical spot for the magic… not the Wi-Fi. Still there are times you may want to connect with the outside world, perhaps to share some incredible moments or images you’ve collected. Our Safari Jeeps used for all our East Africa safari tours have Wi-Fi 75% of the time and most accommodations offer connectivity in the public areas.

Prepare for your dream African safari

KENYA EVISA REQUIREMENTS & FEES

WHAT TO PACK ON YOUR AFRICAN SAFARI

FREQUENTLY ASKED SAFARI QUESTIONS

Just call , WhatsApp , email us or fill out online enquiry form and one of our friendly travel advisors will have you on the road to adventure – your own personalized safari in Kenya and beyond from our huge range of options for African safari tours.

Our Safari Holiday Reviews

Africa kenya safaris faqs.

Welcome to our FAQ section, designed to provide you with comprehensive answers to all your safari-related inquiries. At Africa Kenya Safaris, we understand that planning one of our African safari tours is an exciting yet intricate process. To ensure that your journey with us is smooth and enjoyable, we’ve curated this resource to address the most common questions that travellers like you often have. Whether you’re curious about our safari tours in Kenya, accommodations, conservation efforts, or any other aspect of your safari experience, you’ll find valuable insights right here. Your adventure begins with knowledge, and we’re here to empower you with the information you need to make your Kenyan safari truly exceptional.

How do I book a safari with Africa Kenya Safaris?

Step 1: choose your safari.

Begin your safari adventure with Africa Kenya Safaris by selecting the safari that best suits your interests and travel preferences. Explore our diverse range of safari tours , from classic game safaris to specialized experiences like photography or cultural safaris. Each package comes with detailed itineraries and information to help you make an informed choice. Whether you’re looking for a short getaway or an extended expedition, we have options to fit your schedule.

Step 2: Contact Us

Once you’ve decided on your safari, reach out to our experienced team of safari experts. You can easily get in touch with us through the provided contact information, including phone, email, or our convenient online inquiry form . Our friendly and knowledgeable staff are here to answer any questions you may have, provide additional details, and assist with customization if needed. We are committed to ensuring that your safari experience aligns with your expectations and interests.

Step 3: Booking Confirmation

After finalizing the details of your safari and receiving a quote, the next step is to confirm your booking. We’ll guide you through the reservation process, including payment options and any necessary documentation. Once your booking is confirmed, you can look forward to an incredible safari adventure in Kenya. We take care of all the logistics, so you can focus on enjoying the stunning landscapes, abundant wildlife, and rich culture that Kenya has to offer. Your dream safari with Africa Kenya Safaris awaits!

What types of safaris do you offer in Kenya?

Africa Kenya Safaris offers a wide array of safari experiences in Kenya, each tailored to cater to the diverse interests of our travellers. Whether you’re a wildlife enthusiast, a nature lover, an adventure seeker, or someone looking to immerse in local culture, we have the perfect safari for you.

Classic Game Safaris

Embark on a classic game safari with us to Kenya’s most iconic national parks and game reserves. Witness the incredible wildlife of the Masai Mara , Amboseli , Tsavo, Samburu , and more. Our expert guides will lead you on thrilling game drives, ensuring you have the chance to spot the Big Five and a myriad of other fascinating creatures.

Specialized Safaris

For those seeking unique and specialized experiences, we offer safaris designed to cater to specific interests. Explore the Great Migration in the Masai Mara , go bird-watching in Lake Nakuru , or engage in cultural safaris that allow you to interact with local communities and learn about their traditions. Whether it’s a photography safari , a honeymoon safari , or a family-friendly safari adventure , our specialized safaris are crafted to make your dream Kenya safari a reality.

No matter which safari you choose, you can trust Africa Kenya Safaris to deliver an unforgettable journey through Kenya’s stunning landscapes and incredible wildlife.

What sets Africa Kenya Safaris apart from other safari companies?

Africa Kenya Safaris stands out as a premier safari company in Kenya due to our unparalleled expertise and in-depth knowledge of the region. With over two decades of experience in the industry, our team of expert safari guides , naturalists, and travel professionals are passionate about showcasing the beauty and wonders of Kenya. We pride ourselves on our ability to provide immersive and educational safari experiences that go beyond traditional wildlife viewing. Our seasoned guides are not only skilled in tracking wildlife but also well-versed in Kenya’s diverse ecosystems, cultures, and conservation efforts. Their expertise ensures that you gain a deep understanding of the natural world and cultural heritage of Kenya.

Tailored Safari Experiences

At Africa Kenya Safaris, we understand that each traveller is unique, and we embrace this diversity by offering tailor-made safari experiences. Unlike one-size-fits-all tours, our safari packages are customizable to your interests, preferences, and time constraints. Whether you’re a wildlife enthusiast, a photographer, a honeymooner, or a family looking for an adventure, we create bespoke itineraries that cater to your specific desires. Our commitment to personalization ensures that every aspect of your safari, from accommodations to activities, aligns perfectly with your expectations. This dedication to customization sets us apart and allows us to craft unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime journeys.

Conservation and Responsible Tourism

Africa Kenya Safaris is deeply committed to the preservation of Kenya’s rich natural heritage. We prioritize responsible tourism practices and actively engage in conservation efforts. Our safari experiences are designed to have minimal impact on the environment while providing opportunities for travellers to appreciate and contribute to conservation initiatives. By choosing Africa Kenya Safaris, you not only enjoy an exceptional safari but also support the protection of Kenya’s unique ecosystems and wildlife. Our commitment to sustainable and ethical tourism sets us apart as a socially responsible safari company that cares about the long-term well-being of the destinations we explore.

Do you offer customized safari itineraries?

Yes, at Africa Kenya Safaris, we understand that no two travellers are alike, and that’s why we take pride in offering customized safari itineraries. We believe in creating safari experiences that match your unique interests, desires, and time constraints. Whether you dream of tracking the Big Five, capturing breathtaking wildlife photography, immersing yourself in local culture, or embarking on an adventurous family safari, we’re here to make it a reality. Our team of experienced travel experts will work closely with you to design a personalized itinerary that aligns perfectly with your expectations. We take into consideration your preferred destinations, activities, accommodations, and budget to craft a safari adventure that’s uniquely yours.

Flexibility and Freedom

When you choose Africa Kenya Safaris for your customized safari, you gain the freedom to explore Kenya at your own pace. Unlike pre-packaged tours, our tailor-made itineraries allow you to dictate the rhythm of your journey. Want to spend an extra day at a particular wildlife reserve? No problem. Eager to try a specific activity, such as a hot air balloon safari or a cultural village visit ? We’ll make it happen. Our flexibility ensures that your safari is not bound by a fixed schedule but rather adapts to your preferences and interests. Whether you’re a solo traveller, a couple, a family, or a group, we’re dedicated to providing you with the ultimate freedom to design your dream safari.

Expert Guidance and Support

Designing a personalized safari can be a complex task, but with Africa Kenya Safaris, you’re in expert hands every step of the way. Our team of seasoned professionals brings extensive knowledge of Kenya’s diverse landscapes, wildlife, and cultures to the table. We’ll offer valuable insights, recommendations, and guidance to help you make informed choices while tailoring your itinerary. From selecting the most suitable safari accommodations to suggesting unique off-the-beaten-path experiences, we’ll ensure that every aspect of your safari is thoughtfully planned. With our support, you can embark on a safari adventure that not only meets but exceeds your expectations. Your dream safari awaits, and we’re here to make it a reality.

What accommodations can I expect during my safari?

Africa Kenya Safaris takes pride in offering a wide range of safari accommodation options to suit every traveller’s preferences and budget. Whether you’re seeking luxury lodges, comfortable mid-range camps, or budget-friendly accommodations, we’ve got you covered. Our safari itineraries feature carefully selected lodges and camps located in and around Kenya’s iconic national parks and wildlife reserves. Expect to stay in well-appointed rooms, tents, or cottages that provide modern amenities and comfortable furnishings, ensuring a restful night’s sleep after exciting days of safari adventures.

Luxury Safari Lodges

For travellers seeking the epitome of luxury and exclusivity, our safari packages include stays at some of Kenya’s most renowned luxury safari lodges. These lodges offer opulent accommodations, gourmet dining, and world-class services in breathtaking natural settings. Imagine waking up to stunning views of the African savannah, enjoying fine dining under the stars, and relaxing in private plunge pools while surrounded by wildlife. Our luxury lodges provide an extraordinary safari experience that combines the best of comfort and wilderness.

Authentic Bush Camps

For those who desire a more immersive and rustic safari experience, we also offer stays at authentic bush camps. These camps are designed to bring you closer to nature, allowing you to hear the sounds of the African night and feel the pulse of the wild. Accommodations in these camps typically consist of comfortable canvas tents with en-suite facilities. While they may offer a simpler lifestyle, they provide a true sense of adventure and a genuine connection to the wilderness. Our bush camps are strategically located to maximize wildlife viewing opportunities and offer a unique way to experience the African bush.

No matter which type of accommodation you choose, rest assured that we prioritize your comfort, safety, and enjoyment throughout your safari journey. Our goal is to provide you with a memorable and rewarding experience, whether you’re lounging in luxury lodges or embracing the authenticity of bush camps in the heart of Kenya’s wildlife-rich landscapes.

What wildlife can I see on your safaris?

When you embark on a safari with Africa Kenya Safaris, you’ll have the opportunity to witness some of Africa’s most iconic wildlife, including the legendary Big Five : lions, elephants, buffalos, leopards, and rhinoceroses. These magnificent animals are the cornerstone of every classic African safari, and our expert guides will take you to the best locations for spotting them in their natural habitats. From thrilling lion prides to massive elephant herds, you’ll be captivated by the beauty and power of these creatures.

A Diverse Tapestry of Wildlife

Beyond the Big Five, Kenya is home to a diverse tapestry of wildlife that populates its varied ecosystems. You can expect to encounter giraffes gracefully browsing the treetops, cheetahs sprinting across the plains in pursuit of prey, and hippos wallowing in serene waterholes. The country’s national parks and reserves are teeming with an array of antelope species, zebras, wildebeests, hyenas, and an impressive variety of birdlife. Our guides are not only experts at tracking and spotting these animals but also passionate about sharing their knowledge and insights with you, enhancing your safari experience.

Great Wildebeest Migration

One of the most awe-inspiring natural spectacles on Earth, the Great Wildebeest Migration , takes place in Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve. This annual migration sees millions of wildebeests, zebras, and other herbivores traveling in search of fresh grazing lands, attracting predators like lions and crocodiles. Witnessing this dramatic event is a bucket-list experience, and our safari itineraries are thoughtfully designed to coincide with the migration’s movements, ensuring you have a front-row seat to this remarkable wildlife phenomenon. Whether you’re a seasoned wildlife enthusiast or a first-time safari-goer, Kenya’s astounding biodiversity promises unforgettable encounters and photographic opportunities.

When is the best time to go on Kenya safari tours?

Choosing the best time for your Kenyan safari largely depends on your preferences and what you hope to experience. Kenya offers excellent safari opportunities year-round, but understanding the seasons can help you tailor your trip to match your interests.

Dry Season – June to October

For many travellers, the dry season, which spans from June to October, is the preferred time for a Kenyan safari. During this period, wildlife congregates around water sources, making it easier to spot animals. The weather is typically dry and cool, with sunny days and cool nights, making for comfortable game drives and outdoor activities. This season also aligns with the Great Wildebeest Migration in the Masai Mara , a spectacle you won’t want to miss.

Green Season – November to May

The green season, also known as the rainy season, runs from November to May. While it may not be the driest time to visit, the lush landscapes, vibrant flora, and the birth of newborn animals make this a unique and beautiful time for safaris. Bird enthusiasts will find this season particularly appealing as migratory bird species visit Kenya. Additionally, accommodation rates are often more budget-friendly during the green season, making it an attractive option for travellers looking for value without compromising on wildlife experiences. Ultimately, the best time for your Kenyan safari depends on your preferences, whether you seek prime game-viewing opportunities or wish to witness Kenya’s natural beauty at its greenest.

How do you support wildlife conservation efforts?

At Africa Kenya Safaris, we are deeply committed to wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism practices. Our mission is to not only provide unforgettable safari experiences but also to actively contribute to the preservation of Kenya’s incredible biodiversity and ecosystems.

Partnerships with Conservation Organizations

One of the ways we support wildlife conservation efforts is through partnerships with renowned conservation organizations. We work closely with local and international NGOs that are dedicated to protecting Kenya’s wildlife and natural habitats. These partnerships enable us to channel funds and resources into critical projects aimed at safeguarding endangered species, conserving vital ecosystems, and combatting poaching and habitat degradation.

Educational Initiatives

We firmly believe that education is key to fostering a culture of conservation. That’s why we actively engage in educational initiatives for both tourists and local communities. During our safaris, our expert guides provide valuable insights into the behaviour and conservation status of the wildlife you encounter. We also collaborate with local schools and communities to raise awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation and environmental stewardship. By supporting education, we hope to inspire future generations to become passionate advocates for Kenya’s wildlife and natural heritage.

What safety measures are in place during safaris?

At Africa Kenya Safaris, your safety is our top priority. We understand that embarking on a safari adventure involves exploring remote and wild landscapes, and we take comprehensive measures to ensure your well-being throughout your journey.

Experienced Guides and Drivers

Our team of expert safari guides and drivers are not only knowledgeable about Kenya’s wildlife and ecosystems but also well-trained in safety protocols. They are equipped to handle any situation that may arise during your safari, from wildlife encounters to navigating challenging terrain. Your guide will provide essential safety briefings and guidelines, ensuring that you have a safe and enjoyable experience.

Well-Maintained Safari Vehicles

We take pride in the quality and maintenance of our safari vehicles . Our 4×4 vehicles are specially designed for off-road adventures, featuring pop-up roofs for optimal wildlife viewing and safety features like seatbelts. Additionally, our vehicles undergo regular safety checks and maintenance to ensure they are in excellent condition for your safari. Rest assured that when you’re on safari with us, you’re in safe hands, and we are prepared to handle any situation to ensure your safety and enjoyment.

What should I pack for a safari in Kenya?

Packing for a safari in Kenya requires careful consideration to ensure you have everything you need for a comfortable and enjoyable experience. Here’s a list of essentials to help you prepare for your adventure.

Clothing and Footwear

• Neutral-Coloured Clothing : Opt for neutral, earth-toned clothing to blend in with the natural surroundings and avoid startling wildlife.
• Lightweight Layers : Kenya’s climate can vary, so pack lightweight layers that can be added or removed as needed.
• Comfortable Footwear : Sturdy, closed-toe shoes or hiking boots are essential for walking safaris and bushwalks.
• Hat and Sunglasses : Protect yourself from the sun with a wide-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.
• Swimwear : If your safari includes lodge or camp accommodations with swimming pools, bring swimwear.

Safari Gear and Accessories

• Binoculars : A good pair of binoculars will enhance your wildlife viewing experience.
• Camera and Accessories : Don’t forget your camera or smartphone for capturing those incredible safari moments. Extra memory cards and batteries are a must.
• Reusable Water Bottle : Stay hydrated by bringing a reusable water bottle and refilling it at lodges and camps.
• Headlamp or Flashlight : Essential for navigating in the evenings and early mornings.
• Charging Equipment : Bring chargers and adapters for your electronic devices, as power outlets may be available at lodges and camps.

Personal Items and Health

• Personal Medications : Carry any prescription medications you require, along with a basic first-aid kit.
• Sunscreen and Insect Repellent : Protect your skin from the sun and insects with appropriate products.
• Toiletries : Travel-sized toiletries, including biodegradable soap and shampoo, are essential.
• Travel Documents : Ensure you have your passport, visa (if required), travel insurance, and any necessary permits.
• Cash and Cards : While many lodges and camps accept credit cards, it’s a good idea to carry some cash in local currency for small purchases or tips.

Remember to pack as lightly as possible, as there are often luggage restrictions on safari flights . Additionally, specific packing requirements may vary depending on the type of safari and the time of year you visit Kenya. Always check with your safari operator for any specific recommendations or requirements for your safari adventure.

Our clients

Driving technology for leading brands, our accreditations and booking security.

Africa Kenya Safaris Ltd is licensed under the Kenya Tourism Regulatory Authority ( TRA ) . It is Bonded member No. AS/720 of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators ( KATO ) , Ecotourism Kenya , East African Wildlife Society, and the African Travel and Tourism Association ( ATTA )

• 3 Days Northern Tanzania Safari
• 4 Days Faru Epic Safari
• 5-Day Tanzania Safari: Explore Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater & Tarangire National Park
• 6 Days Panthera Tour Safari
• 7 Days Endless Plain Excursion Safari In Tanzania
• 10 Days Safari To Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha and Amboseli
• 3 Days Amboseli National Park From Nairobi
• 3 Days Maasai Mara National Reserve Safari From Nairobi
• 4 Days Safari to Amboseli, Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Park
• 5 Days – Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha
• 7 Days Safari to Amboseli, Tsavo West, East and Diani Beach
• 7 Days Safari to Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha and Amboseli
• 3 Days Uganda Safari Gorilla Trekking & Big Game Viewing
• 7 Days Rwanda Safari
• 8 Days Uganda and Rwanda Safari
• 3 Days | 2 Nights Northern Tanzania Safari
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• 6 Days | 5 Nights Panthera Tour
• 7 Days | 6 Nights Endless Plain Excursion
• 3 Days | 2 Nights Amboseli National Park From Nairobi
• 3 Days | 2 Nights Maasai Mara Private Safari From Nairobi
• 4 Days | 3 Nights Amboseli, Tsavo Westand East National Park
• 7 Days | 6 Nights Amboseli, Tsavo West, East and Diani Beach
• 11 Days | 10 Nights Bush Safari to Beach Relaxation

UGANDA & RWANDA

• 3 Days | 2 Nights Uganda Safari
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MOUNT KILIMANJARO TREKKING

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3 Days | 2 Nights Zanzibar Island Excursion

Starts from $440 per person, 4 days | 3 nights zanzibar island excursion, starts from $600 per person.

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Starts from $372, starts from $4882, starts from $700, starts from $440, starts from $1450.

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Kenya safari, embark on a mesmerizing journey into the heart of africa with our kenya safari tours.

At Africa Paradise Adventure, we offer an immersive safari experience that unravels the diverse wonders of Kenya’s landscapes and wildlife.

Our Kenya Safari Tours take you on an adventure through iconic national parks and reserves, including the world-famous Maasai Mara. Witness the spectacular Great Migration, where vast herds of wildebeest and zebras traverse the plains in a breathtaking spectacle. Explore the untamed beauty of Amboseli National Park, with its stunning views of Mount Kilimanjaro, and discover the unique ecosystems of Tsavo East and Tsavo West.

We have experts who guide you during your tour and offer the best Kenya Safari Packages . Our safaris promise an intimate connection with nature, which allows you to observe the Big Five and an array of other wildlife in their natural habitats. Luxurious accommodations, tailored itineraries, and a commitment to sustainable tourism make our Kenya Safari Tours an unforgettable adventure.

Book your Kenya Wildlife Safari with us and immerse yourself in the captivating allure of Kenya’s wildlife, landscapes, and rich cultural tapestry. Your journey into the wild awaits with Africa Paradise Adventure.

Kenya Safari Package

We customize all our tour packages to your exact requirements.

$296 / per pax

• 3 Days | 2 Nights

Amboseli National Park From Nairobi

$372 / per pax

Maasai Mara Private Safari From Nairobi

$406 / per pax

• 4 Days | 3 Nights

Amboseli, Tsavo Westand East National Park

$562 / per pax

• 5 Days | 4 Nights

Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha/Hells Gate

$690 / per pax

• 7 Days | 6 Nights

Amboseli, Tsavo West, East and Diani Beach

$944 / per pax

Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha and Amboseli

$1120 / per pax

• 11 Days | 10 Nights

Bush Safari to Beach Relaxation

Kenya safari tours can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on your preference. The duration of a Kenya Safari Tour can range from 3 to 10 days or more, allowing you to immerse yourself in the Best Safari in Kenya and witness incredible Kenya Wildlife Safaris.

Popular national parks and reserves to visit during a Kenya safari include Maasai Mara National Reserve, Amboseli National Park, Tsavo National Park, Samburu National Reserve, and Lake Nakuru National Park. These iconic destinations offer breathtaking landscapes and abundant wildlife, making them essential stops on your Kenya Safari Tour and the Best Safari in Kenya.

Age restrictions for Kenya safari tours may vary. While most tours welcome travellers of all ages, certain activities, such as walking safaris or specific game drives, may have age restrictions. It’s advisable to check with the tour operator for any age requirements before embarking on your Kenya Safari Tour and experiencing the Best Safari in Kenya.

The best time of year to go on a safari in Kenya depends on your preferences. The dry seasons offer excellent wildlife viewing opportunities from June to October and December to March. However, Kenya’s parks have something to offer year-round. Choose a time that suits you best and embark on an unforgettable Kenya Safari Tour to experience the wonders of Kenya Wildlife Safaris.

The cost of a Kenya safari tour varies based on factors such as duration, accommodation level, and included activities. Prices range from budget-friendly to more luxurious options. To get an accurate cost estimate for Kenya Safari Tours, it’s best to contact tour operators directly and inquire about packages tailored to your Kenya Tourism Packages, Kenya Safari Tours, and Kenya Tours preferences.

Yes, going on a safari in Kenya is generally safe. Kenya has a well-developed tourism industry and takes precautions to ensure visitor safety. Follow the guidance of experienced guides and adhere to safety protocols for a secure Kenya Safari Tour and enjoy the Best Safari in Kenya with peace of mind.

The recommended duration for a Kenya wildlife safari depends on your time availability and interests. A minimum of 3 to 5 days allows for a basic exploration, while more extended tours of 7 to 10 days offer a more comprehensive experience. Choose the duration that suits your preferences and embark on a remarkable Kenya Safari Tour to discover the wonders of Kenya Wildlife Safaris.

Before embarking on Kenya safari tours, consult your healthcare provider about recommended vaccinations or preventive measures. Carry mosquito repellent, sunscreen, and stay hydrated during your safari adventure. Your well-being is paramount during your Kenya Wildlife Safaris, and Kenya Safari Tours prioritizes your health and safety.

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The most revered of Africa’s safari destinations, Kenya is located in East Africa and boasts the Masai Mara National Park, renowned for its abundant wildlife and annual Great Migration.

It is a country brimming with romance, thrill and adventure – nothing says “classic safari” quite like a Kenyan safari.

A Kenyan safari not only boasts spectacular natural beauty in one of the most unspoiled places on earth, but it also brings you up close and personal with Africa’s most sought-after wildlife.

&Beyond ensures that you experience a luxury Kenyan Safari & Tour like no other – no matter what your preference, be it a family-friendly holiday, romantic honeymoon or photographic safari that draws you to the African continent.

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From exceptional offers to not-to-be missed tours and experiences, here are our favourite reasons to explore kenya that matched your preferences, tailormake your stay.

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Safaris in Kenya

Kenya is one of the world's most popular safari destinations. The Maasai Mara National Reserve is the epicentre of the annual great migration of wildebeest and zebra, and the national parks across the country are home to the Big Five, and much, much more.

Sundowners, Elsa's Kopje, Meru

Roadblock, Lewa Wilderness

Bedroom views, Kiboko Starbeds Loisaba Conservancy

Just after the rains, Loisaba Conservancy

A watchful mother, Maasai Mara

Afternoon tea, Mara Bush Houses.

The Great Migration, a perilous journey.

A friendly camp guest coming to greet you in the morning

Keeping our distance, Maasai Mara

Safaris in Kenya, at a Glance

Your day starts with a 6 am wake-up call and freshly brewed coffee . The sun is barely above the horizon; streaks of pink and orange paint the sky. You hear the engine of the jeep splutter to life outside.   

By 8 am, you've already seen elephants, zebras and antelope mingling by the clear watering hole, a cheetah prowling the plains and tall giraffes munching on acacia leaves.

Beneath the shade of a tall tree, you stop for a bush breakfast . You have the choice of eggs, bacon, toast, fruit, cereal, and freshly baked rolls. Soon, you're a back in the vehicle, searching for a pride of lions. 

Back at camp, relax on your private veranda and soak up the afternoon sun , before heading out for an evening game drive and sundowners.

Popular Safaris in Kenya

The tours below showcase just some of what is possible. Use these itineraries as starting points, or to draw inspiration. Then get in touch, and let our expert team help craft the perfect itinerary for you.

Kenya and Tanzania Combined

The ultimate East African adventure. Starting in the Maasai Mara in Kenya, work your way south through the Serengeti towards Ruaha National Park in Tanzania. Close out your trip with a couple of days on the island paradise of Zanzibar.…

Kenya Luxury Safari

A luxury safari combining two of Kenya's most impressive parks. Spend a night in the world-famous Giraffe Manor before heading out into the great Kenyan countryside. The combination of Samburu with the Masai Mara offers wonderful contrast, and you'll be…

Discover the Maasai Mara

Explore the Maasai Mara, one of Africa's greatest safari destinations. From the Naboisho Conservancy on its fringes to the heart of the reserve, experience the best the Mara has to offer over the course of 7 days.…

Maasai Mara & Zanzibar

Combine two very different sides of East Africa. Head to the Maasai Mara for a few days of safari, before crossing the border and heading south-east to the island paradise of Zanzibar. …

The Great Wildebeest Migration

This 7-day safari combines two of Tanzania's most impressive safari destinations: the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti. You'll stay in luxury tented camps throughout your trip. If you travel between July and October, you'll have the opportunity to witness a…

Kenya Explored

The ultimate Kenyan adventure. Explore Amboseli National Park, Lewa Conservancy, and the Maasai Mara over ten days, before heading east to the border between Africa and the Indian Ocean.…

Kenya Family Adventure

The perfect family safari in Kenya. Explore the beautiful Lakipia region of northern Kenya and the Olare Motorogi Conservancy near the Maasai Mara further south. Stay at some of the best family focused lodges on the continent.…

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What makes a safari in Kenya special?

Diversity. Kenya has several national parks and reserves, each with something unique to offer, from the Maasai Mara  (the site of The Great Migration ), to Amboseli National Park and Ol Pejeta Conservancy , Kenya's wilderness areas are some of East Africa's most beautiful and important.   

You don't have to stick to a game drive either. Head for the skies via hot air balloon , or head out on foot or horseback.

There are 23 national parks and several conservancies to explore. Kenya has a fantastic domestic flight network that makes it easy to combine several national parks or conservancies, and you can even head to the coast for a beach holiday to close out your adventure. 

Which safari is right for me?

For the bucket lister.

The Maasai Mara is one of Africa's most incredible safari destinations, and one of Africa's most famous. The Mara River is a dramatic stop along the Great Migration route. The park has outstanding wildlife densities , including the Big Five , and there are several ways to explore the park, including hot air balloon, on foot and on horseback.

There is no shortage of accommodation choices for those wishing to have the ultimate safari experience, from luxury lodges to simple camps. 

For the conservationist

Kenya is a great example of how conservation and environmentalism can work hand-in-hand with tourism. Ol Pejeta and Lewa Conservancy  have played vital roles in protecting endangered species. 

Many safari camps and lodges are becoming increasingly eco-friendly, with initiatives to stay local, reduce waste, and use renewable energies. Tortilis Camp, in Amboseli National Park, is the largest eco-lodge in Kenya. 

For those short on time

With a great domestic flight network and national parks situated relatively close to Nairobi, there are plenty of options if you're strapped for time.

Nairobi National Park, located just 7 km outside of Nairobi, close to Jomo Kenyatta International  Airport, is home to four out of the Big Five. Visitors can spot lions, leopards, rhino, and buffalo without venturing too far from the capital city. This is a great option if you want to squeeze in one last mini safari before flying out. 

Against the looming backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro ,  Amboseli National Park, often referred to as 'land of the giants' due to its thriving elephant population, is another fantastic choice.

For the beach enthusiast

While Kenya is best known for its epic safaris, it is also home to some of the world's best beaches. If your travels take you to Tsavo East or Tsavo West , (halfway between Nairobi and the Coast), you needn't choose between the two. 

For the great outdoors lover

Fly camp in the Mara Naboisho Conservancy , or sleep on beds that wheel out onto a private veranda under the night sky in Loisaba Conservancy

Walking safaris and horseback riding is available in many of the country's reserves. 

Types of Safari in Kenya

Game drives.

Driving an open-top Land cruiser through savannah plains, game drives are the quintessential safari experience .

A lot of game drives in Kenya take place in the early morning, typically starting at 5-6 am.

Wildlife is often more easily found at this time of the day thanks to the cooler temperatures, and the sunrise provides the perfect backdrop for cruising around the national parks.  

Walking Safaris

Walking safaris are only possible in certain conservancies in Kenya (and not allowed in the national parks). 

Certain game sanctuaries and wild areas offer walking safaris, for example Lake Naivasha where you can walk amongst the local giraffes, zebras and more at Crescent Island.

Curious wildebeest, Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Safaris by Air

Take to the skies for a bird's eye views of the landscapes and animals in the national parks. 

Air safaris provide access to all areas of the national parks, which often means more wildlife sightings as you are not limited by the ground access routes. 

Of course, air safaris are more expensive than traditional game drives , but can be well worth it if you want to see as much of wildlife in the parks as possible, not to mention the unmatched views. 

Safaris on Horseback

Horseback safaris are possible at certain conservancies and parks, but most famously in the Maasai Mara .  

If you have previous horse riding experience , you can ride amongst giraffes, elephants, zebras and wildebeest on horseback.

Horse riding can either be done as a half-day/day excursion, or over the course of a few days from a mobile luxury tented camp.  

Horseback safari, Lewa Wilderness

Best time to go on safari in Kenya

The best time to go on safari in Kenya is from June to October , or December to January.

The months of June to October guarantee the best weather and the greatest chance of wildlife sightings , but the lodges will be busier and rates higher as this is peak season. 

Weather from December through to January is great, and there will be fewer visitor numbers at this time of year. 

Outside these months, wildlife is less visible due to migration patterns, and there is a good chance of overcast skies and rains. 

What wildlife will I see on safari in Kenya?

Kenya has immense diversity in wildlife .

All the Big Five: lion , leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo can be found, along with giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, and a wide variety of bird species.

It's important to set your expectations - just because all of these animals can be found in Kenya, doesn't mean that you will see all of them. The national parks are big, and much of the time on a game drive is spent looking for the animals.

To some extent, the best safari experiences come down to being in the right place at the right time.

The effort to protect rhinos is an important one

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We'll place a 24 hour hold on your preferred option - without obligation - whilst we talk through the details.

Whatever your budget, group size, length of stay, preferred activity or appetite for adventure, we can help.

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17 Best Safaris in Kenya

Denhum Holidays is your ultimate venue to collect the best Kenya safari tour packages. As the leading safari tour planner, we will organize the Kenya safari tours from Nairobi, Mombasa, Diani, Malindi, Watamu, and Lamu. All our tours are tailor-made which can be customized on request. We also deploy the most well-maintained safari vehicles along with the most professional driver guide for you so that Kenya safari tours from Nairobi can become more enjoyable and productive for you.

2 Days Weekend Break from Town Hustles

This departs from Nairobi to the famous Lake Nakuru National Park and best for people who are in Nairobi

2 Days Beach Break to Experience Raw Nature In Tsavo

This one of best safaris in Kenya for beach holidaymakers who would wish to do a short safari from their hotel for an overnight safari

2 Days Enjoying The Astounding Tsavo West National Park Safari

This best safari for beach holidaymakers who would wish to do a short safari from their hotel for an overnight safari

In 11 days Explore Kenya Wildlife Safari & Uganda Primate Safari

Combining safaris in Kenya, a leading safari destination in Africa while Uganda is known for the mountain gorillas.

3 Days Flying Over Expecting Pristine Wilderness & Abundant Wilderness

This is a 2 Nights safari to Masai Mara and departs daily from either Mombasa, Ukunda, or from Nairobi

7 Days of Discovering Africa Wildlife & Sandy Beaches

Looking to extend an awesome Africa experience safari and beach holiday combination? Then these seven days

7 Days of Unlimited Bush Safari Across Kenya

This seven-day tour of Kenya includes all the classic safari highlights as well as a few lesser-known encounters

7 Days Exploring Classic Highlights & Cultural Tour

Kenya for many years has been voted as one of the best safari destinations in Africa.

In 6 Days Explore The Amazing Aberdare Ranges & Scenic Kenya Parks

This is a family tailor-made safari which is best for all holidaymakers as it combines the best places

For 7 Days, Uncovering Great Kenyan Wildlife Safari & Amazing Local Cultural Activities

There’s nothing better than a week of wildlife watching in Kenya. This tailor-made tour has been designed to combine

4 days Nairobi to Mombasa safari over-looking Mt. Kilimanjaro

If you’re short on time or just looking to extend an awesome Africa experience combined which combines

4 Days Face-off with Africa Big 5 at Masai Mara Safari

This four-day safari tour of the Masai Mara is ideal for travelers who are short on time but still want to experience

3 Days Kenya Masai Mara Safari from Nairobi

Best known as “weekend outing”, this is the best short safari one can do with a limited time

In 3 Days Explore The Amazing National Parks Of Kenya

For 3 days, you will have a chance to enjoy a “Great break” from beach holiday at the Kenya Coast during your safari.

10 Days Journey Through East African Following Wildebeest Migration Routes

Explore the exquisite and never disappointing safaris in Kenya & Tanzania following the wildebeest migration routes which provides a unique and exciting experience.

12 Days of Seeing The Best Of Kenya's & Tanzania's Wilderness

Kenya and Tanzania are a must for travelers wishing to take life by the scruff of the neck.

In 15 Days Get The Best Of An African Safari

Marrying the best-loved locations of both countries provides a unique and exciting experience

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Kenya Wildlife Safari

8 days | spot the big five on an overland journey and spend a night with the maasai warriors.

Immerse yourself in the animal kingdom on this eight-day trip through Kenya. Veer off the beaten track to seek out elephants, hippos, leopards and lions against the impressive backdrop of the Great Rift Valley and Lake Naivasha. Then, staying in the world-famous Masai Mara, deepen your understanding of Kenyan culture by experiencing tribal life in Loita Hills as you’re welcomed into the homes of the Maasai warriors and their proud village community. Take early morning game drives, optional hot air balloon rides and join a cooking class to learn how to make some traditional fare. Join this perspective-shifting journey of unforgettable moments and memorable wildlife encounters.

Trip overview

• Venture into the incredible Masai Mara National Reserve for a full-day game drive in an open-top 4WD, looking for lions, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes and more.
• Cruise along Lake Naivasha on a boat ride with an experienced local guide. This lake is home to hundreds of protected hippos and you might also spot some giraffes, zebras and the many species of birds that call this lake home.
• An early morning game drive through Lake Nakuru National Park might be your best chance of seeing black and white rhinoceroses in the flesh.
• Spend the night in a Maasai village to learn about life from community elders, visit a widows’ community and maybe even learn to throw a spear.
• Take a cooking class in a small village and learn some Kenyan recipes, then share your creations at a camp dinner under the stars.
• This is an overland trip. That means you’ll be travelling with a group in a purpose-built vehicle, visiting remote communities, setting up your own tent and getting the best possible views of the Big Five. While the trucks don’t have air conditioning, they do have drop-down windows, which let in the breeze and make it even easier to take spectacular snaps of the local wildlife. The drive days can be long, but it’s as much about the journey as the destination, and half the fun is the camaraderie. For more info on this style of travel, see our Africa overland page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/africa/overland
• In Loita Hills you will stay in a secure bush camp with basic facilities and cold showers. There is no wi-fi or upgrades available but the rewards of experiencing Maasai culture should more than make up for the lack of creature comforts.
• As the early bird catches the worm, the early camper sights the animals. There will be many early starts either to make use of the better safari time or beat the morning traffic on long travel days.

View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2024 - 31 December 2024

Jambo! Welcome to Kenya. Your trip begins in Nairobi with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. If you arrive with time to spare, consider getting to know the city on an Urban Adventure like the ‘Nairobi Experience’. This optional 4-hour tour is a great way to get a feel for Nairobi and includes lunch at a local restaurant. After the meeting, maybe join your new travel companions for an optional group dinner and get to know each other better.

• Hotel (1 night)

There are no meals included on this day.

• Nairobi - City Experience Urban Adventure - USD55

It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

Unfortunately, petty crime has become common in Nairobi and recently arrived visitors to the capital can often make for tempting targets. Your trip leader will verse you in a few worthwhile precautions at the welcome meeting, but generally, you should get local advice on where to walk and keep valuables in a neck wallet or money belt at all times. Stay aware even when inside, as thieves and pickpockets have been known to operate indoors. There's no need to be paranoid, but appearing vigilant is a great deterrent to would-be thieves.

Drive north-west past splendid views of the Great Rift Valley, Lake Naivasha and Elementaita to Lake Nakuru National Park. Situated in the heart of the Great Rift Valley, Lake Nakuru National Park is a great location for spotting wildlife, which you’ll get a chance to do on an early morning game drive tomorrow. For now, head to a nearby village with your leader. This is a fantastic opportunity to interact with the local folk and get a feel for everyday life here. Take a cooking class and return later in the evening to share the results for dinner.

• Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
• Lake Nakuru - Village Walk & Cooking Class

Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.

Your camp outside the park, is well-situated and has flush toilets and showers. Accommodation upgrades and wi-fi are not available.

Wake early for a light breakfast this morning and head into the Lake Nakuru National Park for a game drive in the overland vehicle. Lake Nakuru is home to rhinos, and there will be a good chance of spotting and photographing one of these magnificent beasts. Return to camp for lunch, then drive to Lake Naivasha. One of the few freshwater lakes in the Great Rift Valley, Lake Naivasha has floating islands of papyrus reeds and a border of flat-topped acacias. It's also home to a healthy population of hippos and a huge variety of birds.

• Lake Nakuru - Overland Vehicle Game Drive

Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.

There will be an opportunity to access an ATM and visit a market today to stock up on items for the remainder of the trip. Your campsite tonight is basic, with showers and flush toilets. There are no upgrades available at our campsite this evening. Wi-fi is available at the bar.

Today, you’ll head out for a boat trip across Lake Naivasha – the best way to take in the atmosphere of this lush area. With your experienced guide, look out for the numerous hippo that live here, as well as kingfishers, fish eagles, herons, giraffes, zebras and waterbucks. Set against a backdrop of the Eburru volcanic mountain range and lined by acacia trees, this lake is one of the most renowned in the area. After, you have a free day to choose from a variety of optional activities. Maybe opt for a trip to Hell's Gate National Park, which boasts beautiful cliffs, gorges, rock towers, volcanoes and a range of geothermal phenomena, or hire a bike for the day and make some of your own discoveries, venturing beyond the cacti and olive trees.

• Lake Naivasha - Boat trip
• Lake Naivasha - Bike hire - USD12
• Lake Naivasha - Game Walk in Crater Lake Game Sanctuary (entrance fee) - USD50
• Lake Naivasha - Hell's Gate NP (Game Drive) - USD65

The Crater Lake game walk, Hell's Gate National Park and bike hire optional activities will also incur a USD 50 transport fee per vehicle.

The Lake Naivasha crater lake game sanctuary walk will also incur a guide fee of USD 25 per guide.

The bike hire will also require an additional USD 26 fee to enter the National Park plus an additional 250 Kenyan shillings to be permitted to ride the bike within the park.

Depart Lake Naivasha, making a short stop in Narok for food shopping. Continue to Loita Hills, home of the Maasai people, stopping for lunch on the way. You’ll be camping at Tepesua Village, which is known for championing Maasai women’s health and education. When you arrive, be welcomed by traditional Maasai warrior song and dance, then your host will explain the details of Maasai warrior training. Take a walk to the community village, founded to alleviate the poverty of Maasai widows, who traditionally are not allowed to inherit property. The village offers support, safety and economic growth through the Tepesua Widows Income Project. Spend the evening around a campfire and learn more about their age-old culture and traditions as you share stories with Maasai warriors into the night.

• Camping (with basic facilities) (1 night)
• Loita Hills - Cultural talk and village visit

Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours.

Hot bucket showers are available in the morning. Wi-fi is not available and only minimal upgrades are on offer at tonight’s bush camp.

Today, you’ll travel from Loita Hills to Masai Mara. Most of the road there is tarmacked, but the final 5 km is dusty when dry and muddy when wet. The Masai Mara, with its sparse open plains, dramatic skies and some of the world's most tremendous animals, is the quintessential African experience. After setting up camp, sit down for some lunch. Then, it's time to jump in 4WDs and go for a game drive through the wilderness of the Mara, looking out for all your wildlife favourites form the Lion King – think wildebeest, lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffalo, elephants and rhino.

• Masai Mara - 4x4 Game Drive

Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours.

Your camp tonight does not have wi-fi. Room upgrades are possible, subject to availability, and should be paid for in Kenyan Shilling. Please speak to your leader for more information.

This morning, maybe take an optional balloon ride over the Mara at sunrise. If you’ve pre-booked this activity, you’ll be picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site for a safety briefing from your pilot. You’ll then glide through the skies, sometimes at tree height, for some amazing photo opportunities. After landing, you'll be treated to a bush breakfast before meeting up with the rest of the group. Today you’ll venture into the Masai Mara National Reserve with expert local driver guides for a day-long 4WD game drive. You'll explore this diverse environment and most likely see a multitude of wildlife.

• Masai Mara National Reserve - Balloon ride (from price) - USD625

The balloon ride is offered as a pre-booked service which will guarantee you a place. If you would rather wait and try to get a better price by booking this locally on the ground, you’re welcome to, but keep in mind that this is a popular activity, and places are limited. If you participate in this activity, you will miss the morning half of the included game drive. Please speak to an Intrepid booking agent if you are interested in booking a balloon ride.

Say goodbye to the open expanses of the African bush and return to the bustling metropolis of Nairobi. When you arrive, you'll be dropped at a centrally located hotel and you’re free to leave at any time. If you would like to extend your stay in Nairobi, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.

Your travel time today will be approximately 6 hours.

It's important not to book any outgoing international flights for earlier than 6 pm today.

7 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 6 dinners

Overland vehicle, 4x4 safari vehicle

Camping (with facilities) (5 nights), Hotel (1 night), Camping (with basic facilities) (1 night)

Dates and availability

Important notes.

1.A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information. 2. This trip finishes upon arrival in Nairobi on Day 8. Please do not book any flights until after 6pm this evening. 3. An optional sunrise balloon ride over the Masai Mara is possible on this itinerary. Please see Days 6-7 for full details of this activity. As the balloon only holds 16 people, places are limited and we recommend that you book in advance. Please inquire when booking your trip to book this optional activity.

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

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20 of Kenya’s Best Safari Camps and Lodges

Antoinette van Heerden

Safari Travel Planner

Author: Antoinette van Heerden

Published: 1 October 2022

Last Update: 30 January 2024

Kenya is often thought of as the ultimate safari destination , and it’s easy to see why. The country is home to an incredible diversity of wildlife, including lions, elephants, and rhinos. Not only does Kenya have some of the best safari camps , but it also has many lodges, hotels, guest houses and accommodation options.

Kenya’s safari landscape includes everything from snow-capped mountains to palm-fringed beaches. Its vibrant culture is on display in bustling cities and traditional villages. Whether you’re looking for an African adventure or a relaxing beach vacation, Kenya has something for everyone.

In this post, we’ll take a look at twenty of the best accommodation options in and around Kenya:

1. Tortilis Camp, Amboseli National Park

This luxury Kenyan safari camp in the shade of beautiful acacia tortilis trees has stunning views of snow-capped Kilimanjaro  and Mount Meru in Tanzania. It offers guests roomy tents set well apart ensuring privacy, making it ideal for couples and honeymooners. However, there is a family tent as well.

The  luxurious Tortilis Camp  tents have comfortable beds, gorgeous ensuite bathrooms and private verandas. The beautiful swimming pool area, with tempting loungers invitingly set out, simply compels relaxation.

The safari camp has a private entrance to Amboseli National Park  renowned for its magnificent elephant herds. Mouthwatering Italian cuisine and superb service makes a stay at Tortilis unforgettable!

2. Ol Donyo Lodge, Chyulu Hills

Situated between Tsavo East and Amboseli National Parks,  ol Donyo  (meaning ‘large mountain’) is located on the Masai-owned Mbirikani Group Ranch. It nestles picturesquely in the foothills of the  Chyulu Hills  in Kenya’s renowned Amboseli National Park.

The lodge combines Masai culture and contemporary design to create the perfect setting for a luxury safari. Guests stay in six-roomy ensuite villas with well-appointed lounges, verandas and private plunge pools. Roof terrace star beds allow you to sleep out under the stars in a peerless experience of nature. An executive chef and his skilled team ensure fine cuisine matched with hand-picked wines and impeccable service!

The open-air hide ensures fantastic wildlife viewing. Horseback and mountain bike excursions, and expertly guided nature walks complete this unparalleled wildlife experience.  

3. Alfajiri Villas , Diani Beach

Condé Nast Traveller rated Alfajiri Villas amongst the most luxurious in the world, and they offer the ultimate in relaxation, comfort and personalised pampering. Located on stunning Diani Beach, washed by the balmy waters of the Indian Ocean, these villas ensure a magical beach holiday . Vibrant  Mombasa  is just 30km north.

All three of the exclusive-use villas come with their own personal butler service, meals tailored to your taste, and private swimming pools. A masseuse is on hand for daily massages, and the owner will personally arrange all your activities, like snorkelling, kite surfing, golf and skydiving. And you’ll enjoy some of the most delicious and freshest sea-to-table seafood you’ve ever tasted!

An excellent choice after staying at one of Kenya’s best safari camps.

4. Kinondo Kwetu , Galu Beach

If barefoot luxury in a relaxed setting is your style, Kinondo Kwetu is the place for you! Located on the pristine Indian Ocean shoreline just south of Diani Beach, this beautiful hotel is the only one on private Galu Beach.

It is surrounded by verdant coastal forests and offers water activities like swimming, sailing, boating, diving and snorkelling. Beach and forest horse riding, tennis, yoga, golf and wood-fired saunas are also on offer. You can enjoy a romantic dinner on the beach, take in a cultural visit to a local village, or book a boat trip to Paradise Lost Island.

Or just ensconce yourself in a hammock under some whispering palms with a drink or a book while the balmy Indian Ocean breezes gently waft your cares away …  

5. Loisaba Tented Camp, Laikipia

There can be few better views than Loisaba’s across Laikipia’s marvellous landscape all the way to Mount Kenya, over the 56 000-acre private conservancies. And nowhere are the views better than from Loisaba’s  magnificent infinity pool! Relax in the pool with a delicious sundowner whilst watching families of elephants forage below the camp.

Large, high-ceilinged, and airy tents all feature huge floor-to-ceiling windows and doors and windows. The sophisticated decor stylishly combines African influences with modern state-of-the-art lighting systems and showers. The service is impeccable, the food delicious, and a night in your private outdoor star bed will create an indelible memory.

Camel treks, horse riding and mountain biking excursions are all on offer, as are expertly guided bush walks to see rare species like Grevy’s zebra and wild dogs.  

6. Segera Retreat, Laikipia

Located on the rim of the Great Rift Valley,  Segera Retreat  is a sanctuary for numerous species, including endangered African wild dogs, the patas monkey and rare Grevy’s zebras.

Established by  conservationist and art collector Jochen Zeitz , this retreat offers luxury, privacy and stunningly beautiful surroundings and gardens. Coupled with excellent service, delicious cuisine, fine wines, ‘sleep-outs’ under the stars, and an indulgent spa, this unique retreat has it all.

All six thatched and superbly appointed villas have a villa attendant who takes personal care of guests during their visit. Pathways link the villas to tempting daybeds, swimming pools, and bar and lounge areas. Private decks overlook the savannah and the stunning Sculpture Garden. Guided game drives, helicopter excursions, and hidden hides ensure guests have excellent game viewing.

7. The Sanctuary at Ol Lentille, Laikipia

Snuggled into the lush hills of Laikipia’s northern escarpment, the  Ol Lentille Sanctuary combines unsurpassed views with privacy, seclusion, and opulent luxury. Its four uniquely designed, butler-served villas are ideal for honeymooners or couples on safari .

Guests can explore 40 000 acres of pristine wilderness through jogging, quad biking, horse riding, cycling and camel trekking. Guided game drives and bush walks are available, as are kayaking and river-rafting excursions for more adventurous souls.  International cuisine, fine wines and a sumptuous spa and wellness centre put the final seal on this Kenya safari tour of a lifetime!

8. Loldia House, Lakes District

Situated on one of Kenya’s earliest farms near Hell’s Gate National Park, Loldia is a luxury safari lodge that has it all – dormant volcanoes, serene lakes, mind-boggling canyons, and even hot springs!

Ideal for couples and families, it offers luxurious accommodations, fine cuisine, and flawless service. Its relaxed colonial ambience calls more relaxed and gracious times to mind where playing croquet on a velvety lawn and evenings spent talking before a fire was the norm.

A paradise for bird-lovers, Loldia has stupendous views of Lake Naivasha and the extinct volcano, Mount Longonot. Guests can see millions of flamingos on the nearby lakes, rare colobus monkeys, endangered black and white rhinos, lions, leopards, and many other species. You can enjoy boat excursions, horse riding, golf, tennis, fishing, swimming and yes, of course, croquet! And evenings soaking up the peace in front of the fire.

9. Manda Bay, Lamu Archipelago

Part of the Lamu Archipelago, Manda Island lies just off Kenya’s north coast. This gorgeous island is tailor-made for visitors looking for a far-from-the-madding-crowd escape, or a fabulous end to their African safari tour .  

Manda Bay is a tranquil boutique beach resort that offers frequent sightings of humpback whales, dolphins and turtles. A wealth of activities like swimming, waterskiing, scuba diving, deep-sea fishing, windsurfing and dhow safaris is on offer. Enjoy some of the delicious food, indulge in a massage, or just relax and soak up the peace.

10. Kifaru House , Lewa

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy’s 62,000 acres lie in the foothills of majestic Mount Kenya, and is an internationally acclaimed success story of collaborative conservation between tribal communities. Luxury lodge Kifaru House is an oasis of incredible views and sweeping lawns overlooking a popular waterhole.

Home to some of  East Africa ’s most thriving populations of black and white rhinos, Lewa also houses the Big Five, cheetah and endangered Grevy’s zebras and black rhinos. Activities include game drives, walking safaris guided by Samburu rangers and an enchanting canopy walk and picnic in Ngare Ndare forest. Horse riding, camel trekking and instructive visits to local Samburu homesteads or  manyattas  will make your eco-safari even more memorable.  

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11. Lewa Wilderness Lodge, Lewa

Dating back to 1924, this innovative luxury Lewa Wilderness Lodge  is centred around the original family farmhouse of the Craig family who still run this conservation-centric resort. Guests sleep in nine beautiful, thatched cottages.

Fireplaces, inviting lounge areas and private verandas with incredible views all add to this resort’s unique ambience. Couples, families and ecotourists will all love it. Dining is either private or communal; your choice.

Activities include night and day game drives, guided walks, fly camping, tennis, swimming, horse riding, camel trekking or a visit to the gym. You can have a flight in a vintage bi-plan, or enjoy a magical canopy walk in Ngare Ndare Forest with its numerous waterfalls. A visit to Il NGwesi village will inspire you, as will meeting the anti-poaching dogs that protect this ‘safe house’ for rhinos.

12. Angama Mara, Masai Mara National Reserve

Aptly meaning ‘suspended in midair’ in Swahili,  Angama Mara’s two ultra-luxurious safari camps sit atop two koppies on the edge of the Great Rift Valley. Each enormous tent has a 10-metre-wide glass front that assures unrivalled vistas and game viewing. This includes the crocodile-dense Mara River, the scene of many a drama-filled river crossing during the yearly Great Wildebeest Migration  from August to November!

There’s a magnificent swimming pool, and you can have a massage or a workout in the gym. The camps also have Wi-Fi connectivity, childminders, and laundry facilities.

Guests enjoy game drives, guided walking safaris, hot-air ballooning and delicious cuisine and wines. Birdwatchers will be ecstatic with more than 570 recorded bird species! Photographers will love the onsite photography studio.

13. &Beyond Bateleur Camp, Masai Mara National Reserve

Bateleur Camp  enjoys a superlative location with its stunning infinity pools seeming to do just that – look out on infinity! Its two camps sit at the foot of the massive rock walls of the Oloololo Escarpment and a primaeval riverine forest. Each has nine sumptuous suites tucked away among the trees.

Each ensuite tent is furnished with fine antiques and handcrafted artefacts and has its own shaded deck with chairs and a table. You’ll even be supplied with a pair of Swarovski Optik binoculars to use during your stay, and a personal butler will look after you. Guests enjoy outstanding cuisine, candlelit dinners in a forest clearing, sumptuous bush breakfasts, guided bush walks and hot-air balloon safaris.

An ideally placed deck with tempting armchairs is so inviting that monkeys and warthogs drop in from time to time! &Beyond’s staff are renowned for their excellent service and attention to detail, making this one of the finest safari camps in Kenya.

14. Sanctuary Olonana, Masai Mara National Reserve

Intimate, luxurious,  award-winning Sanctuary Olonana Lodge  nestles scenically in a forest on a private stretch of the iconic Mara River. Apart from excellent game viewing all year round, it guarantees you easy access to the greatest wildlife spectacle on the planet – the Great Wildebeest Migration.

You’ll have the best seats in the house to see thousands of wildebeest and zebra cross the Mara with its gauntlet of Nile crocodiles. The large numbers of predators that stalk them add to the excitement.

Olonana offers family-friendly accommodation in 14 spacious en-suite glass-sided suites with private decks. Game drives, sundowners, delicious dinners in the bush, cultural visits to a Masai village, scenic flights and magical hot-air balloon excursions are all on offer. There’s even a mini spa to help you relax!

15. Elsa’s Kopje, Meru National Park

This luxurious, romantic and award-winning lodge is named after  Elsa , conservationists Joy and George Adamson’s beloved lioness of  Born Free  fame. The camp is crafted into rocky Mughwango Hill just above the original campsite where the Adamsons raised Elsa in Meru National Park.

The Park is real lion and elephant country, and is famous for rhino conservation. Guests can watch game drinking at a waterhole just below the lodge.

All the ensuite cottages have incredible 360° views from their private decks with romantic outdoor bathtubs. You can enjoy bush dinners or breakfasts, picnics, guided 4X4 game drives with sundowners, and rafting on the Tana River. Or have a swim or a relaxing massage, or browse the gift shop or library. And those essentials, wi-fi and a laundry service, have not been forgotten!

16. Giraffe Manor, Nairobi

Want to have dinner with somebody  really  tall, utterly beautiful, and gentle? Then you must stay at  Giraffe Manor in Kenya’s capital , Nairobi. Built-in 1932, it’s a small boutique hotel modelled on a Scottish hunting lodge, so plenty of old-world charm!

The Manor is world-famous for its commitment to conservation and its resident herd of Rothschild’s giraffes. You can feed the giraffes from your breakfast table, or from the window of your second-storey bedroom.

But you will have to book well in advance – the Manor has only 12 much-in-demand bedrooms! Some of the famous people who have stayed here over the years include Brooke Shields, Johnny Carson, Richard Chamberlain, Richard Branson, Ewan McGregor and Walter Cronkite. The latter even had a resident warthog named after him! Now that’s fame for you!

17. Saruni Samburu, Samburu National Reserve

Built into a massive volcanic rock face ensuring spectacular views from its open-air cliff-top reception area,  luxurious Saruni Samburu  is known for its avant-garde design, architecture and décor. Each of the six stunning villas are unique and offer the last word in comfort.

Guests can go on both morning and evening game drives to view Samburu’s Special Five – the endangered Grevy’s zebra, the Somali, or reticulated, giraffe, the Somali ostrich, the East African or beisa oryx, and the graceful long-necked gerenuk gazelle. You can explore the ancient rock art and abundant wildlife of the region on nature walks with Samburu rangers.  Children will love the junior rangers programme, and scrumptious picnics and bush dinners can be arranged. Saruni Samburu is simply one of the best safari camps in the region.

18. Sasaab Camp, Samburu National Reserve

Sasaab luxury tented camp  has a stylish Moroccan ambience and offers riveting views of the endless plains of the Laikipia Plateau and Mount Kenya. Nine uniquely styled tents offer guests deluxe four-poster beds, spacious seating areas, en suite luxury bathrooms, ceiling fans, wi-fi, and roomy verandas with plunge pools.

A spa is available for indulgent pampering, as are in-room beauty treatments and massages. Guests are spoilt with twice-daily game drives, spotlit night drives, guided walking safaris, mountain biking, cultural excursions, camel treks, fly-camping and all-day trips to the Samburu Reserve. Superb Moroccan-styled cuisine is served, and the camp is famous for its pizzas!

19. Lentorre Lodge , Southern Rift Valley

Secluded, sumptuous and serene, Lentorre Lodge is ideal for that breakaway far from the madding crowd. Situated on the Nguruman Escarpment in the remote Southern Rift Valley, Lentorre is the only lodge on the  Olkiramatian Conservancy .  

A natural spring behind the lodge ensures a constant supply of pristine water. It also sustains a historic grove of tamarind trees where elephants still come to feast on the ripe fruit.

With exclusive access to the Olkiramatian Conservancy, guests enjoy day and night drives with unrivalled game viewing. Scenic helicopter flights are on offer, as is the opportunity to join in herding livestock with traditional Masai villagers. You can meet some baboons as they go about their daily activities, or float down the Ewaso Ng’iro River on an innertube!

20. Finch Hattons Luxury Tented Camp, Tsavo National Park

Named after Robert Redford’s  Out of Africa  alter ego, aristocratic safari leader  Denys Finch Hatton , Finch Hattons is a top-rated tented camp in Tsavo National Park, Kenya. The Kenya safari camp overlooks a freshwater spring that’s a potent draw-card for animals ensuring incomparable game viewing, including elephant sightings right outside the camp.

The camp has only 17 superbly appointed luxury suites with private viewing decks with heated plunge pools. Facilities include a yoga room, fitness centre, spa, home theatre and children’s entertainment room. Daily game drives, crater climbs, and scenic fights are on offer.

The sumptuous Karen Blixen Lounge simply demands relaxation, as does the library. Then add a lookout tower, a magnificent palm-fringed infinity pool, a cushion- and rug-strewn star-gazing terrace, superlative food and wine… Wow!

Choosing from Kenya’s best safari camps and safari lodges

Kenya is a land of stunning natural beauty and diverse wildlife. From the grassy plains of the Serengeti to the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kenya , there is something for everyone. And of course, Kenya is home to some of the best safari parks in Africa, where visitors can see lions, elephants, and other iconic animals in their natural habitat.

Reach out to our expert team today to plan your Kenyan safari experience at one of Kenya’s best accommodations.

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The Best Time to Go on Safari Is Not When You’d Expect

Going on an african safari in the off season rewards travelers with fewer crowds and gentler prices. here’s how to do it right..

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Natural Selection’s North Island camp in Botswana is near the Okavango Delta’s northwestern panhandle.

Courtesy of Natural Selection

Viral images of traffic jams in the Serengeti offer the impression that there are too many tourists in Africa’s wild places. But looks can be deceiving. The issue isn’t the number of overall visitors: It’s the fact that too many people go on safari to the same places at the same time, whether that’s Botswana’s Okavango Delta during its flood or during East Africa’s seasonal Great Migration of wildebeest, which cross the Mara River at the risk of becoming a crocodile’s lunch. Seasoned safarigoers know traveling outside of peak times yields far fewer crowds but equally compelling wildlife experiences. While you’ll need to watch the weather, traveling off-peak also translates into lower nightly rates and better availability at top camps and lodges.

We’ve put together a region-by-region guide to off-peak safaris in sub-Saharan Africa’s most popular destinations. With a little careful planning, you can experience these wild spaces while often having them practically all to yourself.

Kenya and Tanzania

A bedroom at Nyasi Tented Camp in Tanzania’s Serengeti

Courtesy of Nyasi Tented Camp

High season: July to October is peak season in the northern Serengeti and the Maasai Mara. During this period, the rains draw the Great Migration, millions of wildebeest along with zebra and Thomson’s gazelles roaming in search of fresh grazing. While herd crossings through the crocodile-rich Mara River are dramatic, travelers pay much higher prices and are likely to run into hordes of vehicles vying for the best vantage points along the river.

When to travel off-peak: The migration is cyclical, and the herds generally follow the rains clockwise through Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park and Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve. In November, the herds leave and so do the tourists. Until June, visitors will have quieter viewings of the northern Serengeti’s glorious landscapes and abundant wildlife, including coppery topi, defassa waterbuck, and smaller herds of resident wildebeest. But try to avoid April and May, when the long rains make game drives more difficult.

“The migratory bird movement is also a major highlight during the low season,” says Gina Ferguson of safari travel specialist Roar Africa . “Many species of birds migrate to East Africa during this time, including the endangered lesser flamingo.”

Also expect to pay considerably less by avoiding the peak of the migration. “During the green season, prices drop significantly,” notes Hagai Zvulun, founder of Tanzania’s Entara Lodges & Camps . “You can save between 20 and 40 percent on overall safari costs by booking outside the peak season.”

Or head south. While you won’t see the famous Mara River crossings, discovering the migration as it moves into southern Tanzania from December to January is a remarkable experience. From February to March, the calving season begins, with the abundance of young antelope drawing numerous predators. Calving soon gives way to rutting, which sparks plenty of mating battles between males competing for females.

The heart of the action is on the Ndutu Plains, where Legendary Expeditions runs the charming Nyasi Tented Camp , nine suites under canvas with double beds, private loungers, and en-suite bathrooms. At Nyasi, exclusive-use vehicles come standard, allowing you to set the pace of your safari. Remember that temperatures in February and March can be hot (84°F and above during the day), with a higher likelihood of rain as you head toward March/April.

Jack’s Camp is an iconic retreat in Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pans.

High season: June through September is Botswana’s busiest season for tourists. During this time, the Okavango Delta is in the middle of its seasonal flooding, bringing abundant wildlife with it, while the dry days of winter drive wildlife to the Chobe River up north. Although there isn’t a great migration event to concentrate crowds into specific areas of the delta, prices spike and availability dries up.

When to travel off-peak: Peak season in the Okavango Delta is all about witnessing the floods, but by visiting the Okavango Delta from March to May, when the vegetation is still green from summer rains and the floods begin to trickle south from Angola, you can still enjoy excellent game viewing but with gentler prices. Head for camps near the delta’s northwestern panhandle, like Natural Selection’s North Island Okavango , a contemporary feeling four-suite camp, if you want to ensure water activities such as mokoro (canoe) trips down hippo channels and speedboat safaris.

Another benefit of traveling in the green season is that “the wildlife are all having their babies, so it’s a superb time to see the young ones being born,” says Daniella Ponter, founder of Vancouver-based Sikeleli Travel & Expeditions . And while game viewing takes a little extra work when the landscape is green, the rainy season from “September to March is the most spectacular time of year for birding in Botswana,” she says.

Visit the Makgadikgadi Pans—the iconic Jack’s Camp was fully rebuilt in 2021 in February and March to marvel at the annual zebra migration. It’s the longest mammal migration in Africa, with thousands of zebra arriving from Chobe and the Okavango Delta and plentiful predators in tow.

South Africa

Guests of andBeyond view a lion in South Africa’s Sabi Sand game reserve.

Courtesy of andBeyond

High season: Peak season in South Africa is driven as much by the Northern Hemisphere summer holidays as it is by the climate. July to September is the high season in the Lowveld and in Kruger National Park, and it coincides with the dry months of winter. Less vegetation means easier game-viewing, and animals are drawn to the waterholes, occasionally delivering thrilling predator encounters.

When to travel off-peak: The Southern Hemisphere summer months (November to March) bring dramatic afternoon thunderstorms and short, sharp downpours that wash the dust from the air and turn the bushveld into a green canvas. They also spark the arrival of myriad migratory bird species. From November the trill of woodland kingfishers is the soundtrack to any safari in the Kruger National Park and adjoining private reserves.

The green season in South Africa has “plenty of exciting and possibly unexpected benefits,” adds Daryl Dell, an experienced private guide and travel specialist with andBeyond , which has just reopened Ngala Tented Camp after a major rebuild. “There is a much higher chance of seeing young animals like zebra foals, wildebeest calves, and impala lambs . . . [and the] gorgeous greens of summer provide guests a real understanding of what the bush looks like in full flourish. You can identify more of the tree and plant species. It really helps to show off the diversity of the Lowveld.”

Keep a close watch on the heat and humidity, as temperatures often spike above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Opt for the early-morning game drives and find a shady pool lounger in the heat of the day.

A guest room at Wilderness Chikwenya Camp in Zimbabwe

Courtesy of Wilderness

High season: The dry days of winter (June to September) are peak months in Zimbabwe (and much of Zambia), again coinciding with the Northern Hemisphere holidays. It’s also the best time to spot game because the vegetation is sparse and wildlife is drawn to the waterholes. If you want to see Hwange’s famous elephants, dry season is the best.

When to travel off-peak: In Mana Pools National Park, where people go for magnificent wildlife sightings framed by the wide Zambezi River, the shoulder season in September and October brings warmer days, the chance of dramatic afternoon thunderstorms that clear the dust and create spectacular sunsets, and the best fishing for tiger fish in the Lower Zambezi River. In late September, the Albida forests surrounding Wilderness Chikwenya Camp are full of nutritious seed pods, attracting herds of hungry elephants, baboons, and eland quarreling over the tasty pods. Remember that many camps in the area close from November to April, when the rains make roads impassable.

Hwange National Park is the largest (and oldest) national park in Zimbabwe, famous for its huge elephant herds and large prides of lions. Camps here are usually open year-round, and summer rains turn the Ngamo Plains into “a mini-Serengeti” of wide grasslands dotted with a diversity of species, says Graham Simmonds, operations and trade manager for Wilderness Zambezi. “Many animals give birth during this time so there will always be sightings of baby animals [and] it’s possible to see many migrant bird species as well.”

The New Safari Launches To Have On Your Radar

The Ultra-Luxe Villa:

Singita milele, tanzania.

With luxury lodges and villas dotted around Africa, Singita offers some seriously chic safari accommodation options. The newest addition to its collection is Singita Milele, which opened its door a few months ago in the heart of Tanzania’s Serengeti. Offering an exclusive luxury safari experience within the Singita Grumeti reserve, the villa accommodates up to ten guests in five suites inspired by Africa’s wildlife. The villa has panoramic views, a private infinity pool, Jacuzzis, a fitness centre and a cinema room. Designed to blend seamlessly with nature, Singita Milele offers viewing spots of the great migration and guests can look forward to bespoke safari adventures, wellness treatments and private dining experiences. Perfect for special group or family trips.

Visit SINGITA.COM

The Conservation Site:

Mara toto tree camp, kenya.

If you want to do a safari holiday once and get it right, Great Plains has a range of conservation-led camps across Botswana, Kenya and Zimbabwe. New for this season is Mara Toto Tree Camp, a luxury, eco-friendly site in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve. There are four spacious tree-canopy tented suites, each home to private lounges, en-suite bathrooms, decks with views of the surrounding landscape, and a range of amenities. Each one also has a professional camera set, which guests can use throughout their stay, while a team of on-site chefs prepare all meals using local ingredients. Guests can book everything from private game drives to hot air balloon rides in order to spot wildlife like lions, leopards and elephants. The camp is powered by an impressive solar farm, and guests can arrange cultural experiences throughout their stay, including meeting local Maasai communities.

Visit GREATPLAINSCONSERVATION.COM

The TV-Inspired Trips:

Yellow zebra safaris.

Yellow Zebra Safaris has curated four itineraries inspired by the BBC’s new wildlife documentary  Big Cats 24/7 . The tailor-made journeys take guests to filming locations across Africa, offering encounters with lions, leopards and cheetahs. Travellers can look forward to private game drives and expert-led tracking experiences, while staying at luxurious lodges. Choose from expeditions to find black leopards in Kenya, spot big cats and wildebeest migration herds at Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, and see rare white lions in South Africa. There’s also a trip where guests can stay in the same camp (Mokolwane in Botswana) as the filmmakers.

Visit YELLOWZEBRASAFARIS.COM

The Sleep-Out Experience:

Tsodilo hills sleep-out camp, botswana.

Last week Desert & Delta Safaris opened a sleep-out camp in Botswana’s sacred Tsodilo Hills, a Unesco World Heritage Site famed for its ancient rock art. Set beneath Zambezi teak trees, the camp has three eco-friendly canvas pods inspired by traditional bushman dwellings. Perfect for a back-to-basics experience away from the luxury camps, each pod has adjoining outdoor bucket showers and toilets. Guests can experience cultural storytelling sessions around the campfire, learn about the spiritual rituals of the local bushman community, and enjoy sunsets overlooking Male Hill, the highest peak in Botswana. You can also embark on a sunrise hike to Male Hill’s summit for views of the Kalahari Desert and Okavango Delta, followed by a guided tour of the area’s historic rock paintings.

Visit DESERTDELTA.COM

&Beyond x Swarovski Optik Smart Binoculars

Conservation-led travel company &Beyond has partnered with Swarovski Optik (maker of great bird-watching tools) to create the world’s first AI-powered binoculars. Launched earlier this year to celebrate Swarovski Optik’s 75th anniversary, the AX Visio uses cutting-edge tech to identify birds and animals in real time, capture high-quality photos and videos, and even share discoveries with others via a clever intuitive display. You can invest in a pair for your next safari trip or visit &Beyond Phinda Forest Lodge in South Africa to try them during a trip. 

Visit ANDBEYOND.COM

The Eco Opening:

Lemala osonjoi lodge, tanzania.

Due to open in March, Lemala Osonjoi Lodge is set on the dramatic cliffs of Tanzania’s Great Rift Valley, with views of the Ngorongoro Crater. This eco-conscious retreat will feature 20 luxury suites with private plunge pools and sweeping vistas of Lake Eyas, which is home to numerous bird species and other wildlife. Positioned just 250m from the Ngorongoro Crater floor, guests can enjoy exclusive access to the Unesco World Heritage Site via the less-travelled Lemala road. Activities include guided game drives, nature walks, and cultural visits to local communities. The lodge also has a wellness centre, where guests can unwind with spa treatments after a day of exploring the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to see lions, elephants and rare black rhinos.

Visit LEMALACAMPS.COM

Flash Pack's South Africa Garden Route

Group tours can be tricky to get right. This is where Flash Pack comes in with its high-end tours for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s. The group has created a 12-day itinerary along South Africa’s Garden Route, one of the world’s most scenic coastlines. The journey includes hikes through national parks, whale watching in Hermanus, and visiting the lush winelands. Guests can also expect activities like bungee jumping, canoeing and shark cage diving, while the FP team will cover all the logistics.

Visit FLASHPACK.COM

The Cheetah Experience, South Africa

Launching next month, Aardvark Safaris' cheetah trail is an exciting three-night adventure in South Africa’s Samara Karoo. Guests will track wild cheetahs on foot, covering 10-15km daily, guided by expert trackers sharing insights into cheetah behaviour. The trip includes luxury off-grid tented accommodation, with one night in a mobile fly camp under the stars. Priced from £1,434pp, the experience includes guided bush walks, game drives, all meals and drinks.

Visit AARDVARKSAFARIS.COM

Ross Couper

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