The Maasai Mara and the great migration, Amboseli’s elephants beneath Kilimanjaro, rhinos at Lake Nakuru and Ol Pejeta, the Rift Valley lakes, the dry north and Mount Kenya: sixteen places on our routes, each with when to go, how it connects and the journeys that visit it.
The questions travellers ask first, answered directly. Each links to more detail further down or in our guides.
There is no single best month. Kenya Wildlife Service treats July to March as its main wildlife-viewing season and April to June, the long rains, as its low season. The Kenya Meteorological Department describes a second rainy season from October to December. If the migration matters most, the Mara Conservancy says the herds usually reach the Maasai Mara around June or July and stay until about November.
Our Kenya safaris run from 2 to 10 days. A Mara-only trip can be as short as two days; most of our Kenya journeys combine the Mara with one to three other regions, and the further north or south-east you go, the more days the drive needs.
You can look for all five, but no sighting can be promised. Rhinos are the hardest: Kenya Wildlife Service describes Lake Nakuru as a sanctuary for black and white rhinos, Ol Pejeta protects more than 165 black rhinos, and Nairobi National Park has four of the five, all but elephants. That is why many routes pair the Mara or Amboseli with a rhino park.
Visitors who are not exempt need an Electronic Travel Authorisation approved before they travel. Citizens of East African Community partner states and nationals of listed countries are exempt for set periods. The official portal recommends applying at least two weeks before travel and says processing usually takes three working days (checked 20 October 2026). Rules change: check the portal for your nationality.
Most visitors do, from 5 October 2026. Kenya’s Insurance Regulatory Authority sells Inbound Travel Health Insurance on the eCitizen portal: with the eTA, or on its own before you fly if you need no eTA, because not needing an eTA does not exempt you. The portal says non-Kenyan visitors staying less than three months generally need it, and its policy lasts up to three months with multiple entries; the law it cites covers stays of under 12 months, the figure the UK’s travel advice uses. Every traveller needs their own policy, including children over three, and a policy from home does not replace it. Kenyan citizens and residents, citizens of East African Community partner states, diplomats and transit passengers who do not enter Kenya are among those exempt. It is health cover, so keep your own travel insurance as well (checked 20 October 2026).
Kenya makes a first safari easy to shape. Nairobi National Park lies on the capital’s edge, so a first game drive can happen on arrival day, and the Maasai Mara appears on 37 of our journeys, including short trips.
Yes. 20 of our journeys cross between Kenya and Tanzania, and some add Zanzibar. None of our catalogue journeys includes the Kenyan coast, but you can ask us whether it can be added to a tailor-made route.
Not unless your quotation says so. None of our catalogue journeys names a village visit, and what a visit includes, and any fee, varies from community to community, so confirm both before you travel.
Kenya’s safari country changes character from region to region. In the Maasai Mara, the wildebeest migration from Tanzania usually arrives around June or July and stays until about November. In Amboseli, large elephant herds graze beneath Kilimanjaro. Lake Nakuru, a Rift Valley lake inside a fenced park, became Kenya’s first government-managed rhino sanctuary in 1987.
Further north, Samburu’s dry country holds the rare dryland species of northern Kenya — the Beisa oryx, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, Grevy’s zebra and Somali ostrich. Mount Kenya, Africa’s second-highest mountain, rises to glaciers and moorland, the Aberdares add misty highland forest, and in the west Kakamega preserves Kenya’s only tropical rainforest. To the south-east, the two Tsavo parks together cover around 22,000 square kilometres of semi-arid country.
Kenya also protects its wildlife in several different ways, and a safari often passes through more than one. National parks such as Nairobi, gazetted in 1946 as Kenya’s first, are run by Kenya Wildlife Service; Samburu is a county-managed national reserve; the Mara Conservancy manages the Mara Triangle within the Maasai Mara; and Ol Pejeta, a private conservancy on a former cattle ranch, protects more than 165 black rhinos.
Kenya’s safari country falls into a handful of regions, and most routes link two or three of them by road from Nairobi. Every place below answers the same questions: what makes it special, what you may see, who it suits, the landscape, when to go, how it connects and what to know before you go.
Route Jomo Kenyatta International or Wilson Airport → Nairobi → Nairobi National Park
Most Kenya safaris begin in Nairobi, and the capital is worth more than a night in transit. Kenya Wildlife Service notes that Nairobi National Park lies close to both Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Wilson Airport, about ten kilometres from the city centre, so a first game drive among lions and rhinos can happen on the day you land, with skyscrapers on the horizon behind the herds.
The city adds two quieter experiences that suit a slow first day. The Giraffe Centre has bred endangered Rothschild giraffes since 1979 and released more than 40 into parks across Kenya, and in Karen, at the foot of the Ngong Hills, the National Museums of Kenya care for the farmhouse where Karen Blixen lived, now a museum with a garden, indigenous forest and a nature trail.
Sources: Kenya Wildlife Service (opens in a new tab); Giraffe Centre (African Fund for Endangered Wildlife Kenya) (opens in a new tab); National Museums of Kenya (opens in a new tab)
Kenya’s capital is also a safari town. Its national park lies on the city’s edge, the Giraffe Centre has bred Rothschild giraffes since 1979, and the National Museums of Kenya care for Karen Blixen’s farmhouse beneath the Ngong Hills.
Kenya’s first national park, gazetted in 1946, about ten kilometres from the city centre: lions and rhinos on open plains, with skyscrapers on the horizon.
Route Nairobi → Lake Naivasha or Lake Nakuru → Maasai Mara
The Maasai Mara is the heart of safari in Kenya: it appears on 37 of our 100 journeys. The reserve is the protected core, and within it the Mara Triangle is managed by the Mara Conservancy, which maintains its roads and ranger stations. Around the reserve, community land is set aside for wildlife in conservancies, partnerships between landowners and tourism partners that share the reserve’s ecosystem.
The migration draws the crowds from about June or July, but the Mara Conservancy is clear that the whole moving landscape, not one river crossing, is the spectacle, and that lions, elephants, giraffes and topi live here all year. Unhurried days reward visitors far more than racing between rumours of a crossing, and the reserve’s rules exist to protect both the herds and the people watching them.
Sources: Mara Conservancy (Mara Triangle, Maasai Mara National Reserve) (The Mara Triangle (opens in a new tab), Wildebeest migration (opens in a new tab)); Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association (opens in a new tab)
Kenya’s share of the Serengeti–Mara ecosystem: rolling grassland, the Mara and Sand rivers and, in most years, the wildebeest migration arriving from Tanzania.
Community land bordering the reserve, set aside for wildlife: the Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association lists 24 member conservancies, each a partnership between landowners and tourism partners.
Route Nairobi → Lake Naivasha → Lake Nakuru → Lake Bogoria and Lake Baringo
North-west of Nairobi, the floor of the Rift Valley holds a chain of very different lakes. Lake Naivasha is fresh water, fringed with papyrus and visited by hippos; Lake Nakuru is semi-alkaline and enclosed in a rhino sanctuary; Lake Bogoria steams with hot springs and can draw lesser flamingos in very large numbers; and Lake Baringo, fresh again, supports the fisheries of its lakeshore communities.
Because the lakes lie between Nairobi and both the Mara and the north, they are the natural place to break a long drive with something different. Lake Nakuru alone appears on 30 of our journeys, almost always alongside the Mara, and two national parks near Naivasha, Hell’s Gate and Mount Longonot, can be explored on foot, a welcome change from a day in the vehicle.
Sources: Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (Naivasha Research Station (opens in a new tab), Lake Baringo Research Station (opens in a new tab)); Kenya Wildlife Service (Lake Nakuru National Park (opens in a new tab), Hell’s Gate National Park (opens in a new tab), Mt. Longonot National Park (opens in a new tab)); Baringo County Government, Kenya Wildlife Service and Endorois Welfare Council (opens in a new tab)
A freshwater Rift Valley lake fringed with papyrus and hippo-grazed grassland, and the gateway to Hell’s Gate and Mount Longonot national parks.
A fenced Rift Valley park around a semi-alkaline lake. It became Kenya’s first government-managed rhino sanctuary in 1987, and it was first protected for its flamingos and other waterbirds.
Kenya’s deepest alkaline lake, ringed by hot springs and geysers, where lesser flamingos can gather in very large numbers. It is part of the Kenya Lake System World Heritage Site and sacred ground for the Endorois community.
A freshwater lake in Baringo County, a Ramsar site alongside Lake Bogoria, whose tilapia and catfish fisheries sustain the communities on its shores.
Our full guide to Lake Baringo is in preparation; this profile states only what we have checked.
Route Nairobi → Amboseli → Tsavo West → Tsavo East
South of Nairobi, the plains open towards Kilimanjaro. Amboseli’s swamps hold large elephant herds and more than 400 bird species, and Kenya Wildlife Service notes a road from Amboseli into Tsavo West through Kimana Gate, which makes the two an easy combination for travellers who want elephants on a grand scale and a sense of real distance.
Tsavo East and Tsavo West together cover around 22,000 square kilometres on either side of the Nairobi–Mombasa highway: red earth, lava flows, Mzima Springs and the Yatta Plateau. On the hills of Taita Taveta County nearby, the Taita Hills forests survive as islands above the plain, home to birds and amphibians that live nowhere else on earth.
Sources: Kenya Wildlife Service (Amboseli National Park (opens in a new tab), Tsavo East National Park (opens in a new tab), Tsavo West National Park (opens in a new tab)); Nature Kenya (BirdLife International partner) (opens in a new tab)
Large elephant herds on open plains and swamps, with Kilimanjaro, across the border in Tanzania, as the backdrop. Kenya Wildlife Service calls it one of Africa’s premier places for close encounters with elephants.
Two vast parks, Tsavo East and Tsavo West, forming a conservation area of around 22,000 square kilometres: red-earth elephant country, lava flows and springs.
Forest islands on ancient hills above the dry plains of south-eastern Kenya, the northern end of the Eastern Arc Mountains, home to species found nowhere else on earth.
Our full guide to Taita Hills is in preparation; this profile states only what we have checked.
Route Nairobi → the Aberdares or Mount Kenya → Ol Pejeta → Samburu
North of Nairobi the country climbs into the cool highlands of the Aberdares and Mount Kenya, then falls away to the Laikipia plateau and the hot, dry north. Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia shelters black rhinos and the last two northern white rhinos, while Mount Kenya, Africa’s second-highest mountain, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with its own trekking routes.
Further north, Samburu’s reserve on the Ewaso Nyiro holds the dry-country species known as the Samburu Five, which the southern parks do not have. Nine journeys in our catalogue visit Samburu, most of them alongside Lake Nakuru, and its central airstrip has scheduled flights to and from Nairobi for travellers who prefer to fly.
Sources: Ol Pejeta Conservancy (opens in a new tab); Kenya Wildlife Service (Mt. Kenya National Park (opens in a new tab), Aberdare National Park (opens in a new tab)); County Government of Samburu (opens in a new tab)
A Laikipia conservancy on a former cattle ranch that describes itself as East Africa’s largest black rhino sanctuary, and the home of the last two northern white rhinos on earth.
Africa’s second-highest mountain, an extinct volcano rising to Batian (5,199 m), Nelion (5,188 m) and Point Lenana (4,984 m), and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.
A cool, misty volcanic range on the eastern wall of the Rift Valley, where elephants and buffalo emerge from thick forest and Princess Elizabeth became Queen at Treetops in 1952.
Northern Kenya’s dry-country reserve on the Ewaso Nyiro, known for high elephant numbers and the “Samburu Five”: Beisa oryx, Somali ostrich, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk and Grevy’s zebra.
Route Lake Nakuru or the Mara → Kisumu and Lake Victoria → Kakamega
Western Kenya feels like a different country from the savannah. Kakamega preserves Kenya’s only tropical rainforest, a remnant of the Guineo-Congolian forest with seven primate species and more than 380 kinds of trees, and the shore of Lake Victoria around Kisumu has an impala sanctuary and an island national park in the Winam Gulf, reached by boat.
Both places appear on one of our journeys, the longest in our catalogue: 19 Days Mt Kenya, Nakuru, Baringo, Kakamega, Lake Victoria, Maasai Mara, Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro Lodge Safari, which shows how much time a route through the west needs. For most travellers the west suits a second visit to Kenya, or a long journey that wants forest and lake alongside the classic parks.
Sources: Kenya Wildlife Service (Kakamega Forest National Reserve (opens in a new tab), Kisumu Impala Sanctuary (opens in a new tab), Ndere Island National Park (opens in a new tab))
Kenya’s only tropical rainforest, the last fragment of the Guineo-Congolian forest that once stretched across Central and West Africa.
Kenya’s shore of Africa’s largest freshwater lake, around Kisumu: an impala sanctuary near Hippo Point and Ndere Island National Park in the Winam Gulf.
Route Tsavo East → Malindi and Watamu, or Mombasa and Diani
Kenya’s coast offers the beach half of a safari-and-sea holiday, with marine parks managed by Kenya Wildlife Service from Watamu and Malindi in the north to Diani and Kisite-Mpunguti in the south. Kenya Wildlife Service describes Watamu as home to the country’s “Marine Big Five” and notes that the seasonal humpback whale migration coincides with the wildebeest migration on land.
Our catalogue does not yet include a Kenyan coast journey, and the beach journeys that name a destination all go to Zanzibar. If the Kenyan coast appeals, ask us whether it can be added to a tailor-made route, and we will tell you honestly what is possible for your dates before you commit.
Sources: Kenya Wildlife Service (Watamu Marine National Park & Reserve (opens in a new tab), Diani Chale Marine National Reserve (opens in a new tab), Kisite Mpunguti Marine National Park (opens in a new tab))
White sand and reef-protected lagoons in Watamu Marine National Park and Reserve, which Kenya Wildlife Service calls home to Kenya’s “Marine Big Five”: sea turtles, whale sharks, dolphins, whales and billfish.
Kenya’s south coast in Kwale County: Diani Chale Marine National Reserve’s reefs, mangroves and turtle nesting grounds, and the coral islands of Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park.
Wildlife moves freely, and sightings depend on season and conditions. They are never guaranteed.
In the Maasai Mara, usually from around June–July to November.
Lake Nakuru’s rhino sanctuary, Ol Pejeta’s black and northern white rhinos, and Nairobi National Park.
The herds of Amboseli and the red-dusted elephants of Tsavo.
Samburu’s dry-country species along the Ewaso Nyiro.
Mount Kenya’s peaks — with four treks in our catalogue — the Aberdares and Kakamega’s rainforest.
Hundreds of species: over 400 in Amboseli, around 450 at Lake Nakuru and over 600 in Tsavo West.
Much of the land around the Maasai Mara National Reserve is community land. The Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association lists 24 member conservancies covering about 450,000 acres and bringing together more than 15,000 landowners, each conservancy a partnership between landowners and tourism partners. A Mara safari therefore passes through a living, working landscape where communities and wildlife share the land.
Maasai culture is living heritage, not a performance. In 2018 UNESCO inscribed three Maasai rites of passage, Enkipaata, Eunoto and Olng’esherr, on its List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. The rites lead young men into moranhood and, finally, into eldership, and UNESCO’s committee noted that the spread of farming, land-tenure reform and a changing climate that affects cattle were putting the practice under pressure.
Kenya Wildlife Service points visitors around Amboseli to manyattas and cultural centres that show a pastoral way of life closely tied to conservation, and visits to communities near the Mara may be possible too, depending on your route. A respectful visit is agreed with the community, led by a local guide and paced by your hosts. What it includes varies: you may be welcomed with song, invited into a home or shown beadwork, but none of it should be assumed or demanded.
Sources: Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association (opens in a new tab); UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (opens in a new tab); Kenya Wildlife Service (opens in a new tab)
A safari day is shaped by light and heat. Drives usually start early, when the air is cool and the light is soft, and resume in the late afternoon; the middle of the day is for lunch, a rest or a picnic stop on a longer drive. Kenya Wildlife Service sets gate times from early morning to early evening for parks such as Amboseli and Lake Nakuru, unless you are staying inside, so the last drive of the day ends before dark.
On our road safaris in Kenya you travel in a 4×4 Land Cruiser, and game drives follow the park’s roads. Kenya Wildlife Service asks visitors to stay on established roads, keep at least 20 metres from wildlife and remain in the vehicle except in designated areas, and in the Maasai Mara the reserve forbids standing on the roof or sitting in the window to photograph.
| Time of day | What usually happens | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Early morning | First game drive, sometimes with a packed breakfast | Cool air and soft, low light for watching and photographing |
| Middle of the day | Lunch and a rest at camp, or a picnic on a long drive | The hottest hours; a chance to recharge people and cameras |
| Late afternoon | Second game drive | Warm, golden light before sunset |
| Evening | Back at camp before the park gates close; dinner | Kenya Wildlife Service parks close their gates in the evening |
Full-day drives with a picnic lunch are common in large parks. Ask us how your own itinerary is paced.
Sources: Kenya Wildlife Service (Amboseli National Park (opens in a new tab), Lake Nakuru National Park (opens in a new tab)); Mara Conservancy (Mara Triangle, Maasai Mara National Reserve) (opens in a new tab)
The “Big Five” are the lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino, and Kenya has all of them, but no park and no operator can promise a sighting: wildlife moves freely and every drive is different. Rhinos are usually the hardest to find, which is why so many Kenya routes include a rhino sanctuary such as Lake Nakuru or Ol Pejeta alongside the Maasai Mara or Amboseli.
Kenya’s range goes far beyond those five. Samburu’s dry country holds northern species the southern parks lack, Kakamega’s rainforest shelters the rare De Brazza’s monkey, and birdwatchers can find several hundred species in a single park, from Lake Nakuru’s waterbirds to Tsavo East’s more than 500 recorded species.
| Wildlife | Places on our routes | What the park authorities say |
|---|---|---|
| Rhino | Lake Nakuru, Ol Pejeta, Nairobi National Park | Nakuru is a sanctuary for black and white rhinos; Ol Pejeta protects more than 165 black rhinos and the last two northern white rhinos. |
| Elephant | Amboseli, Tsavo, Samburu | Kenya Wildlife Service calls Amboseli a premier place for close encounters with large herds; Samburu is known for high elephant numbers. |
| Lion | Maasai Mara, Nairobi National Park, Samburu | The Mara Conservancy describes lions waiting out the heat beneath the acacias; Nairobi National Park has three named prides. |
| Leopard and buffalo | Nairobi National Park, Samburu, Aberdares | Both are listed in Nairobi National Park; buffalo emerge from the Aberdares forest. |
| Northern specialists | Samburu | Beisa oryx, Somali ostrich, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk and Grevy’s zebra. |
| Birds | Lake Nakuru, Amboseli, Kakamega | Around 450 species at Nakuru, more than 400 at Amboseli; Kakamega is an Important Bird Area. |
Sources: Kenya Wildlife Service (Lake Nakuru National Park (opens in a new tab), Nairobi National Park (opens in a new tab), Amboseli National Park (opens in a new tab), Aberdare National Park (opens in a new tab), Kakamega Forest National Reserve (opens in a new tab), Tsavo East National Park (opens in a new tab)); Ol Pejeta Conservancy (opens in a new tab); County Government of Samburu (opens in a new tab); Mara Conservancy (Mara Triangle, Maasai Mara National Reserve) (opens in a new tab)
The Kenya Meteorological Department describes March to May as Kenya’s main “long rains” season, with a second rainy season from October to December, though rain varies by region and from year to year. Kenya Wildlife Service treats July to March as the main season for wildlife viewing in its parks, when shorter grass makes animals easier to see, and April to June as the low season, when some park roads may need four-wheel drive.
Climate also changes with altitude and region: Kenya Wildlife Service describes the coast as warm and humid, the central highlands as cool and humid, and the north and east as hot and dry. The migration follows the rains too: the Mara Conservancy says it usually reaches the Maasai Mara around June or July and continues until November, but the timing shifts every year.
The table sets three calendars side by side, because they do not line up neatly. The weather column follows the Kenya Meteorological Department’s long-term climate statements, the season is Kenya Wildlife Service’s, and the herds follow the rain rather than either calendar. Read across a row to see the trade-off: the long rains bring Kenya Wildlife Service’s low season, while the short rains of October to December fall in its high season and in the last weeks of the herds’ stay in the Mara. Rain varies by region and by year, so treat any calendar as a guide rather than a forecast.
| Months | Weather (Kenya Meteorological Department) | Kenya Wildlife Service season | The migration herds |
|---|---|---|---|
| January–February | Not described in the statements we used | High season; short grass makes wildlife easier to see | Usually in Tanzania, around Ndutu, where they calve |
| March–May | The long rains: the main rainy season | Low season from April; roads may need four-wheel drive | Usually in Tanzania |
| June–August | Dry over most of Kenya and the coolest months; rain still possible in the west, the Rift Valley and on the coast | June is low season; July and August are high season | Usually arriving in the Maasai Mara from around June or July |
| September | Not described in the statements we used | High season | Usually in the Maasai Mara |
| October–December | A second major rainy season in many areas | High season | Usually in the Mara until about November, then heading south |
Herd movements follow the rain and change every year; no crossing or date can be promised.
Sources: Kenya Meteorological Department (Climate outlook for the March–May 2026 “Long Rains” (NCOF12 statement), including the 1991–2020 climatology (opens in a new tab), June–July–August 2026 seasonal forecast, including the 1991–2020 rainfall and temperature climatology (opens in a new tab), October–November–December 2026 seasonal outlook, including the 1991–2020 rainfall climatology (opens in a new tab)); Kenya Wildlife Service (opens in a new tab); Mara Conservancy (Mara Triangle, Maasai Mara National Reserve) (opens in a new tab); Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (opens in a new tab)
Most Kenya journeys follow one of a few shapes. Each is illustrated only with real journeys from our catalogue, so you can open them and compare; the places are listed, not the order in which a journey visits them.
Includes Maasai Mara
Short trips focused on one reserve, from a two-day budget safari to a four-day photography journey.
Includes Maasai Mara · Lake Nakuru · Lake Naivasha
The most common Kenya route in our catalogue: lakes on the way to or from the Mara, at every comfort level.
Includes Maasai Mara · Lake Nakuru · Lake Naivasha · Amboseli
Adds Amboseli’s elephants and Kilimanjaro views; usually six or seven days.
Includes Samburu · Ol Pejeta · Mount Kenya · Lake Nakuru · Maasai Mara
Rhinos at Ol Pejeta and Samburu’s northern species, often finishing in the Mara.
Includes Amboseli · Tsavo · Maasai Mara
Longer budget journeys that add Tsavo’s red-earth elephant country.
Includes Maasai Mara · Serengeti · Ngorongoro
Follow the ecosystem across the border: 20 journeys combine the two countries.
All 38 journeys in our Kenya collection, not counting cross-border trips. Big Time picks first.
Big Time pick
Maasai Mara · Lake Nakuru · Lake Naivasha
Budget nights at Miti Mingi Eco Camp (Maasai Mara), Buraha Zenoni (Lake Nakuru) and Leisure Apex (Lake Naivasha).
Big Time pick
Maasai Mara · Lake Nakuru · Amboseli
Budget nights at Miti Mingi Eco Camp (Maasai Mara), Buraha Zenoni (Lake Nakuru) and Nyati Safari Camp (Amboseli).
Big Time pick
Maasai Mara · Lake Nakuru · Lake Naivasha · Amboseli
Budget nights at Miti Mingi Eco Camp (Maasai Mara), Buraha Zenoni (Lake Nakuru), Leisure Apex (Lake Naivasha) and Nyati Safari Camp (Amboseli).
20 journeys in our catalogue cross between Kenya and Tanzania, joining places such as the Maasai Mara and Amboseli with the Serengeti and Ngorongoro. They are listed separately below, so they are never mistaken for Kenya-only safaris. Where each journey crosses the border is something Big Time confirms when you plan, and entry requirements for both countries should be checked on their official government websites before you travel.
Big Time pick
Maasai Mara · Serengeti · Ngorongoro
Budget nights at Miti Mingi Eco Camp (Maasai Mara), with camp or lodge stays at the other stops.
Big Time pick
Maasai Mara · Lake Nakuru · Amboseli · Serengeti · Ngorongoro
Budget nights at Miti Mingi Eco Camp (Maasai Mara), Buraha Zenoni (Lake Nakuru) and Nyati Safari Camp (Amboseli), with camp or lodge stays at the other stops.
Big Time pick
Maasai Mara · Lake Nakuru · Amboseli · Lake Manyara · Serengeti · Ngorongoro
Budget nights at Miti Mingi Eco Camp (Maasai Mara), Buraha Zenoni (Lake Nakuru) and Nyati Safari Camp (Amboseli), with camp or lodge stays at the other stops.
Kenya suits almost every kind of traveller, but not every route suits every traveller. These notes are honest about what our catalogue does and does not include.
Start with the Mara and one contrasting region: the Rift Valley lakes or Amboseli. Fewer places with more time in each makes for a calmer first trip.
Nairobi’s Giraffe Centre and national park make a gentle start. Our one family-labelled journey crosses Kenya and Tanzania and adds a beach; ask about minimum ages and child prices when you enquire.
A private safari keeps the vehicle and the pace to your own party. Ask which of our Kenya journeys can run privately for your dates.
11 of our Kenya journeys publish a price, all at budget level, with camps and campsites named on each journey.
Our catalogue’s one honeymoon journey is in Uganda. In Kenya, couples can compare our seven luxury journeys or ask for a tailor-made route.
The 6 Days Safe for Women Safari - Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru & Amboseli visits the Mara, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli.
The 4 Days Maasai Mara Photography Luxury Safari is built around the reserve; Amboseli, Lake Nakuru and Lake Bogoria add very different light and subjects.
Hell’s Gate can be explored on foot or by bike, Mount Longonot’s crater rim is a classic hike, and our catalogue includes four Mount Kenya treks and a Samburu walking safari.
Entry, health and park rules change. Each panel names the authority that sets them; these facts were checked on 20 October 2026.
Sources: Kenya Wildlife Service (Nairobi National Park (opens in a new tab), Amboseli National Park (opens in a new tab), Lake Nakuru National Park (opens in a new tab), Mt. Kenya National Park (opens in a new tab), What is the weather pattern in Kenya? When is the best time to visit your parks and reserves? (opens in a new tab)); County Government of Samburu (opens in a new tab)
Sources: Republic of Kenya, Directorate of Immigration Services (Electronic Travel Authorisation: general information and exemptions (opens in a new tab), Electronic Travel Authorisation: how to apply (opens in a new tab)); UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (opens in a new tab); Insurance Regulatory Authority of Kenya, on eCitizen (opens in a new tab); World Health Organization (opens in a new tab); US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (opens in a new tab)
Sources: Kenya Wildlife Service (Amboseli National Park (opens in a new tab), Lake Nakuru National Park (opens in a new tab)); Mara Conservancy (Mara Triangle, Maasai Mara National Reserve) (opens in a new tab); County Government of Samburu (opens in a new tab); Ol Pejeta Conservancy (opens in a new tab)
The reserve is the protected core; the Mara Triangle within it is managed by the Mara Conservancy. The conservancies around it are community land, set aside for wildlife in partnerships between landowners and tourism partners, and their rules and activities differ from the reserve’s.
Sources: Mara Conservancy (Mara Triangle, Maasai Mara National Reserve) (opens in a new tab); Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association (opens in a new tab)
Kenya Wildlife Service notes that the humpback whale migration off Watamu coincides with the wildebeest migration on land. Our catalogue has no coast journey yet, so the two would be combined on a tailor-made route.
They are different rather than better or worse. The Mara is open grassland with lions all year and, usually from around June or July to November, the migration; Amboseli is built around swamps where Kenya Wildlife Service describes large elephant herds, with Kilimanjaro on the horizon when the cloud allows. You do not have to choose: ten of our Kenya journeys include both.
Sources: Mara Conservancy (Mara Triangle, Maasai Mara National Reserve) (opens in a new tab); Kenya Wildlife Service (opens in a new tab)
Kenya Wildlife Service gives about 156 km to Lake Nakuru on the A104, and about 204 km to Amboseli via Emali or 220 km via Namanga. Nairobi National Park is on the city’s edge. We have no official distance to quote for the Maasai Mara; ask us how your route is paced, including any stop at Lake Naivasha or Lake Nakuru on the way.
Sources: Kenya Wildlife Service (Lake Nakuru National Park (opens in a new tab), Amboseli National Park (opens in a new tab), Nairobi National Park (opens in a new tab))
In some places. Hell’s Gate can be explored on foot or by bike, and Mount Longonot’s crater rim is a classic hike. In the Maasai Mara reserve you may leave the vehicle only at designated points.
Sources: Kenya Wildlife Service (Hell’s Gate National Park (opens in a new tab), Mt. Longonot National Park (opens in a new tab)); Mara Conservancy (Mara Triangle, Maasai Mara National Reserve) (opens in a new tab)
Facts on this page were checked against these sources in October 2026. Park rules, fees and conditions change, so always check the latest before you travel.
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