An acacia tree silhouetted against the sunset in the Maasai Mara

East Africa

Kenya

The home of the classic safari — from the Maasai Mara's plains to the arid north and the Swahili islands.

Photo: Henrik Hansen / Unsplash

Kenya gave the world the word “safari” — in Swahili it simply means a journey. On the Maasai Mara, morning mist lifts above the acacias, guides read lion tracks in the dust, and in the evening stories are told around the fire that have been handed down for generations.

Around the national reserve lie private conservancies, run by Maasai landowners in partnership with the camps. There are fewer vehicles, walking and night drives are often allowed, and every stay helps keep the land open for wildlife. Further north, the Laikipia plateau and Samburu offer an entirely different landscape — drier, emptier and more remote.

Kenya suits a first safari just as well as a return to Africa. Nairobi is an easy gateway, light aircraft link the parks in about an hour, and the journey can end on the Indian Ocean coast, where Lamu's narrow lanes still live largely without cars.

Why go

01
The Maasai Mara and its conservancies
Open plains famed for big cats and, often in the second half of the year, for the migrating herds. In the private conservancies the safari is quieter and more personal, with walks, night drives and breakfast under an acacia.
02
Amboseli beneath Kilimanjaro
Wide swampy plains where large elephant families graze and, on a clear morning, Kilimanjaro's snow-capped summit rises beyond the Tanzanian border. Cloud often hides the mountain, so at least two nights here is worthwhile.
03
Laikipia and Samburu
A plateau at the foot of Mount Kenya, where community and private conservancies protect rhino and the rare Grevy's zebra. Further north, in the dry lands of Samburu, live species found only in this part of Kenya — reticulated giraffe, beisa oryx and gerenuk.
04
Lamu and the Swahili coast
Lamu's old town, with its coral-stone houses, donkeys in the narrow lanes and dhows sailing between the islands. A slow, peaceful ending after safari — with seafood and long evenings on rooftop terraces.

Ways to travel

Ways to experience it

Ways to travel aren't separate paths — the best journeys often bring several together.

Wildlife & nature
Safari in the Maasai Mara, Amboseli and Samburu with guides who have known these lands since childhood.
Exceptional stays & escapes
Small tented camps in the conservancies, family-run lodges in Laikipia and houses with rooftop terraces on Lamu.
Culture & discovery
Time with the Maasai and Samburu communities who own the conservancies, and with Swahili culture on the coast.
Adventure & active travel
Walking with local guides, riding by horse or camel in Laikipia and a hot-air balloon flight over the Mara.
Family journeys
Camps where children learn to track and to recognise birds, with short flights saving long hours on the road.
Honeymoons & special journeys
Private breakfasts on the plains, a night under the open sky and a few slow days on Lamu or the Diani coast.

Kenya

Journey inspiration

Illustrative ideas for how a tailor-made journey could look. Not bookable packages: no prices, dates or inclusions are implied.

0110–14 days
Classic Kenya
Amboseli with its view of Kilimanjaro, the Laikipia plateau and several nights in a Maasai Mara conservancy — travelling by light aircraft.
Wildlife & nature · Exceptional stays & escapes
Plan something like this
0212–16 days
From the northern drylands to the ocean
Samburu and Laikipia, walks with local guides and, to finish, slow days on Lamu.
Adventure & active travel · Culture & discovery
Plan something like this
039–12 days
A first family safari
Family-friendly camps in Laikipia and the Mara, short transfers and time to rest by the Indian Ocean.
Family journeys · Wildlife & nature
Plan something like this

Planning your journey

When to go

The drier months — roughly June to October and January to February — are often considered the most rewarding for safari. The migrating herds are usually in the Maasai Mara from mid-summer into autumn, though their timing and route vary each year. The long rains generally fall in April and May and the short rains in November, when the parks are quieter and the landscape green.

How long to allow

We suggest at least 7–9 nights on safari across two or three areas; with the coast, two weeks is natural. The fewer transfers, the more time in the wild.