Kenya

About the Destination Photo gallery Accommodations

If you want a wild safari adventure you’ll find it here. If it’s your twelfth safari and you want something completely different, it’s here as well. And Kenya is also an ideal destination for anyone new to Africa. Truly, this country has a safari for everyone.

Plan your trip

Explore Kenya

Wildebeest on a dusty savannah. Black rhinos ambling to a waterhole. Giraffe at your breakfast table. Conspicuous elephants and also leopards hiding in the bush. Safari started in Kenya. Thanks to new accommodation and some incredible recent conservation successes, the safari here is better than ever. Set your expectations far beyond the big five because this is the wild, where an evocative variety of destinations will show you the close-up secrets of Africa’s famous and rare animals.

Getting here and around

You’ll fly into the capital city Nairobi. Qatar, Emirates, KLM, Lufthansa and Turkish all have daily direct flights. Also note the convenient daily flights from Nairobi to Kigali for Rwanda gorilla trekking, Cape Town in South Africa, Mauritius and Zanzibar for the safari beach combo. Inside Kenya we highly recommend scheduled or chartered safari flights. Travel by land and you waste so much time on slow, hot, dusty, bumpy roads. But with scenic flights your safari never stops.

Climate & seasons

April and May see the “long rains” and these months are best avoided, especially as many camps are closed. June to September is dry, mild and perfect for game viewing. July and August are the famous months to see the Mara River crossing, but don’t base your safari around this one, often anticlimactic event. It’s also the peak season and the best camps are booked up long in advance. October to December brings the “short rains,” an underrated time to go with an interesting safari experience. January to March is dusty and hot, but also delivers exceptional safari conditions.

Where to go

The Masai Mara is justifiably world famous, especially its remarkable concentration of big cats. It’s just one story in a country with over 50 protected wildlife areas. Try to explore at least three destinations, because the variety in both wildlife and experience is phenomenal. Laikipia is the best for a private safari adventure, on savannah populated by big game standouts, like black rhinos. Further north, Samburu is an arid and mesmerising safari landscape guarded by the Samburu warriors. Chyulu Hills and Tsavo recently shot to fame on Barack Obama’s Netflix show Our Great National Parks. For a first-time visit that’s plenty, ask us to inspire you more if you’ve visited Kenya before.

What to do

Safari, safari, safari. The best lodges and camps are located in private unfenced concessions, limiting the number of other vehicles and guests. So it’s an exclusive experience and nobody else sees what you see. Combining destinations helps you combine activities as well. Game drives are just one angle. How about a walking safari with Masai warriors? Or a safari on horseback or camelback? We also know fantastic safari programs for children, where they learn animal tracking. And Kenya is a brilliant destination if you want to get your hands dirty with animal conservation.