Kenya is a destination reborn. With new safari lodges and successful wildlife conservation, it’s one of the coolest destinations to be in 2023.
Throughout 2022 we’ve seen the trends towards sustainable travel, authentic destinations and private experiences. This is Kenya. And then you add the wildlife ans safari.
Kenya was the original safari destination, yet from 2002 – 2013 it suffered from some security issues and a lack of investment. Kenya became old news. These problems are gone. Kenya feels new now.
Kenya has reinvented itself for the demands of today’s luxury traveller.
An Introduction to Kenya
If you’re new to Africa then Kenya is an ideal starting point. It’s easy, comfortable, luxurious and full of unique experiences. It’s also a very big country, offering something for those who have done many safaris before.
Poaching? Poverty? That’s old news. Animal numbers are increasing all across Kenya, especially of rare animals like rhinos and cheetahs. The protected conservation areas for safari have multiplied. Safari is better than it has been since the 1960s.
Private safari concessions mean you won’t have dozens of vehicles crowding around a single animal sighting. You can enjoy a very exclusive safari in Kenya.
There isn’t only one way to go on safari. Imagine doing a game drive at night? How about a walking safari with zebra and giraffe? You can safari on an ATV, a hot air balloon, a mountain bike or on horseback.
Kenya is brilliant at delivering diverse safari experiences. You not only get close to the animals, you are immersed in their world, their behaviour, their stories.
Kenya Has Incredible New Lodges, Camps & Planes
Move over Livingstone and the explorers of old. Leave your khaki at home. Kenya is ditching safari cliche for contemporary African design and eye-catching modern luxury.
The leather Chesterfields and stuffed buffalo heads have been replaced with biophilic architecture and interiors inspired by Kenya’s culture and craftsmanship. Angama Mara is a great example.
Kenya has redesigned the look, feel and experience of being on safari. There are some remarkable places to stay, truly among the best in the world.
The service and style has been updated for the modern discerning traveller as well. At the best lodges you have a private guide, personalising each experience to your mood. Plus a private butler and host, perfecting your stay when on property.
Improvements in aviation have made the safari experience seamless. You fly between two dusty animal-surrounded airstrips in modern light aircraft, so the safari never really stops.
Planning a Kenya Holiday
Getting to Kenyan capital Nairobi is a two-leg flight from Prague, taking approximately 12 hours. There are options with Emirates, Qatar, KLM, Lufthansa and Air France, Turkish takes a couple of hours longer.
Light aircraft, like Cessna Grand Caravans, are used for both scheduled and charter flights to get around the country. These scenic flights maximise your time and are part of the travel experience, as you can land directly inside the safari destinations. The pilot first does a flyover to check the runway for stray elephants and other animals.
You can have an incredible Kenya holiday in just one week. There’s a lot to experience in two or three weeks, plus the option of combining Kenya safari with gorilla trekking in Rwanda.
- Nairobi is home to Giraffe Manor and a national park with 100 rhinos; you usually need to layover here.
- The Masai Mara is Kenya’s best safari destination and the best place in Africa to experience the big cats; allow at least four days as there’s a lot to explore.
- Laikipia is a vast wilderness of private game reserves, most of them unfenced; each has a specialism and overall it’s the best destination for a very private safari.
- Kenya has 650 kilometres of prime Indian Ocean coastline; consider Diani Beach or the island of Lamu, which is like Zanzibar before mass tourism.
- For longer holidays there are another 20 wildlife and adventure destinations; consider a helicopter adventure to combine some of these.
Kenya is a year-round destination, except for the long rains of April and early May. June to September is the most famous time to visit, due to the great wildebeest migration.
Will You Explore Kenya in 2023?
For many years Africa suffered from an image problem. It was a destination for safari and adventure, not for a luxury holiday. Kenya, like Botswana and South Africa, is completely transforming this image.
You can’t even imagine the stories here. And in an era when we’re all searching for unique experiences, there’s nowhere to rival Kenya.
You can visit the same place in the same season year after year, and always have a different experience. That’s the beauty of going on safari in Kenya.
So will you explore Kenya in 2023?
