Kenya is the safari most people picture first: acacia plains, big cats at dawn and herds crossing a river, with Kilimanjaro floating above the elephants of Amboseli. It is also a country of surprises, from the rhinos of Lewa and Ol Pejeta to the dry north of Samburu, the white beaches of the coast and the snow on Mount Kenya, on the equator.
The Masai Mara is the headline, and its migration season is one of the great wildlife events on earth. Around it sit Lake Nakuru, Amboseli, Tsavo and the private conservancies of Laikipia, each with its own character, and the distances are short enough to combine several in a week, often with short flights.
We shape each trip around what matters to you, often pairing the Mara with a conservancy for walking and night drives, and finishing on the coast, where Diani and Lamu give the trip a slow and beautiful ending.
Kenya has the full range of African savannah wildlife, and the Mara ecosystem is the stage for the migration, with wildebeest and zebra crossing the Mara River between July and October. Amboseli is famous for its elephants, Samburu for northern species found nowhere else, and Lewa, Ol Pejeta and Lake Nakuru for rhinos. Laikipia is also home to wild dog and Grevy’s zebra.
Chance of seeing
Our estimate for a stay of two or three nights with a good guide. Wildlife is wild, so nothing is promised.
Popular activities
Kenya sits on the equator, but much of it is high, so the weather is mild. Nairobi and the highlands are warm by day and cool at night, the Mara is warm, and the north and the coast are hot. Mount Kenya has snow on its peaks.
| Month | Day °C | Night °C | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25 | 12 | 65 |
| Feb | 26 | 13 | 65 |
| Mar | 26 | 14 | 95 |
| Apr | 24 | 15 | 210 |
| May | 23 | 14 | 160 |
| Jun | 22 | 12 | 35 |
| Jul | 21 | 11 | 20 |
| Aug | 22 | 11 | 25 |
| Sep | 25 | 12 | 30 |
| Oct | 25 | 14 | 55 |
| Nov | 23 | 15 | 150 |
| Dec | 24 | 14 | 105 |
Approximate long-term averages. Higher ground is cooler, and forests can rain in any month.
There are two dry seasons: the longer one from June to October and a shorter one from January to February. Days are sunny, nights in the highlands are cold, and the game gathers at the water.
The long rains fall from March to May, with April usually the wettest month, and the short rains come in November and early December. Showers are often heavy but brief, the landscapes turn green, and some camps close.
July to October is the best for the Mara and the migration, and January and February are also excellent and dry. June is quiet and good. The long rains fall from March to May, when some camps close and prices drop, and the short rains come in November and early December. The coast is best from December to March and from June to October.
Best time to visit Jan to Feb, Jun to Oct
Wildlife Reserve & SanctuaryMasai Mara National ReserveBig cats and the Great Migration
National ParkAmboseli National ParkElephants beneath Kilimanjaro
National ParkLake Nakuru National ParkRhino, flamingo and tree-climbing lionsNational ParkHell’s Gate National ParkCycling among giraffe and gorges
Lake & IslandsLake NaivashaBoat safaris and Crescent Island walks
National ParkTsavo West National ParkLava flows, springs and red elephants
National ParkAberdare National ParkHighland forest and night-time game viewing
National ParkMeru National ParkJoy Adamson's wilderness
National ParkNairobi National ParkRhino with a city skyline
Wildlife Reserve & SanctuarySamburu National ReserveThe Samburu Special FivePrivate ConservancyOl Pejeta ConservancyThe last northern white rhinosNational ParkTsavo East National ParkRed elephants on the Galana RiverPrivate ConservancyLewa Wildlife ConservancyRhino, Grevy's zebra and walking safarisRegionLaikipia PlateauPrivate conservancies and wild dogCity & TownNairobiGiraffes, elephants and the Karen suburbsMost travellers arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. Wilson Airport, in the city, is the base for scheduled and charter flights to the Mara, Amboseli, Laikipia, Lewa, Meru and Samburu. Diani and Lamu have their own airstrips, with short flights from Nairobi, and Mombasa has an international airport.
Most visitors need an electronic travel authorisation, which is applied for online before you travel, and we will explain how. Park, reserve and conservancy fees are charged per person per day and are included in our safaris. Please carry a yellow fever certificate if you arrive from a country with a risk of yellow fever.
A yellow fever certificate is required if you arrive from a country with a risk of yellow fever. Please talk to your doctor about vaccinations and malaria prophylaxis, and carry travel insurance that covers medical evacuation. The lodges we use have good first-aid arrangements, and we advise on current guidance for the north and the coast.
Our take
“Pair the plains with a conservancy”
We always suggest pairing the Mara with a conservancy such as Laikipia or Lewa. The Mara gives you the great spectacle, and a conservancy gives you the quiet, the walks and the night drives that the reserve does not allow. Allow three nights in the Mara, two in a conservancy, and keep a few days for the coast if you have them. If the migration is your priority, tell us your travel month early.
Safaris from
US$179 per person
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