Kenya safari: creating your tailor-made trip

The thunder of hooves as thousands of wildebeest plunge into the Mara River, an elephant strolling past your 4×4 without a glance, Kilimanjaro emerging from the clouds at sunrise: a Kenya safari is often the trip people still talk about years later. You still need to pick the right season, the right parks and the right pace, so that your first encounter with the savannah lives up to what you imagine.

In this guide, I share what makes the difference for a successful Kenya safari: the best time to go, the Great Migration, which parks to combine, the experiences not to miss and my practical tips. And if you would rather be guided, I design your tailor-made Kenya safari, from the very first idea until you are back home.

Why choose Kenya for your tailor-made safari

Kenya is one of the birthplaces of the safari, and it has kept the best of it: wildlife in rare density, landscapes that change at every stop and real expertise in hosting guests in the bush. The country has around fifty parks and reserves, and it is probably the only place where you can watch giraffes against the skyscrapers of the capital, in Nairobi National Park.

It is also a surprisingly varied destination. In ten to fourteen days you can follow the big cats of the Masai Mara, photograph the elephants of Amboseli facing Kilimanjaro, walk among giraffes by Lake Naivasha and finish with your feet in the Indian Ocean. Each park has its own season, mood and distances, which is exactly why a tailor-made trip matters so much: the order of the stops, the choice between road and small planes, and where the lodges are make all the difference between a lovely safari and an unforgettable memory.

On the practical side, Kenya is one of the most accessible safari destinations from Europe: around 8 h 30 on a direct flight from Paris to Nairobi, a time difference of just one to two hours depending on the season, and an electronic travel authorisation to apply for online before you leave. You land without jet lag and head out into the savannah the next day. If you are still weighing it up against South Africa, my comparison of safaris in Kenya and South Africa will help you choose.

When to go to Kenya for a safari

You can go on safari in Kenya almost all year round. What changes from month to month is the rain, the height of the grass, where the big herds are and, of course, prices.

Tip: the Great Migration does not run to a timetable. Wildebeest and zebras usually arrive from Tanzania's Serengeti in July and stay in the Masai Mara until October, but their schedule depends on the rains, and a river crossing can keep you waiting for hours. To give yourselves the best chance, I recommend at least three nights there, in a camp close to the Mara River.

Can you only travel in winter? No regrets: in January and February the grass is short, animals are easy to spot and the lodges are quieter. And even outside the migration, the Masai Mara remains one of the best places in the world to see lions, cheetahs and leopards.

Masai Mara, Amboseli, Samburu: the must-see parks of a Kenya safari

Between the parks there are two ways to travel: by road, with a driver-guide who stays with you from one stop to the next, or by small bush plane, linking Nairobi to the park airstrips in about an hour. The road costs less and lets you see the country, but some legs take six to seven hours. Flying saves precious time on a short trip, and you can easily combine the two. Here is how I approach each park. For a full overview of the country, you can also read my tailor-made Kenya travel guide.

The Masai Mara, the Great Migration and the big cats

The Kenyan extension of the Serengeti, the Masai Mara reserve is the safari as you picture it: vast plains of golden grass dotted with acacias, lions dozing in the shade, cheetahs on the lookout from a termite mound. It is one of the easiest places in Africa to see big cats and, from July to October, the stage of the Great Migration.

Around the reserve, the conservancies are my favourites. These private areas, leased from Maasai families who earn an income from them, limit the number of vehicles: no traffic jams around a lion, and activities often not allowed in the reserve, such as walking safaris and night drives. Allow at least three nights in the Masai Mara, ideally split between the reserve and a conservancy.

Amboseli, elephants facing Kilimanjaro

It is the picture everyone has in mind: elephant families moving across the plain, with the snowy summit of Kilimanjaro behind them. Amboseli, at the foot of Africa's highest mountain on the Kenyan side of the border, is home to more than 1,500 elephants, followed by researchers for over fifty years. Its swamps, fed by water from Kilimanjaro, also draw hippos, buffalo and countless birds.

Tip: Kilimanjaro mostly shows itself early in the morning, before the clouds rise. So I always plan a dawn game drive in Amboseli, and two nights there, to give you two chances to see it.

Lake Naivasha, a break in the Rift Valley

Between the Masai Mara and Amboseli, Lake Naivasha is the gentle stop that breaks up the journey. In the heart of the Rift Valley, you take a boat out among hippos and fish eagles, then walk among giraffes, zebras and wildebeest on Crescent Island, a small reserve with no predators. After days in a 4×4, being on foot in the savannah is a striking moment.

Right next door, Hell's Gate National Park is one of the few parks in Kenya you can explore on foot or by bike, among zebras and giraffes. The outing ends in its gorge, carved into the volcanic rock: a lovely active half-day between two 4×4 safaris, and one that children love.

Samburu, Kenya's wild north

For a second safari, or if you have two weeks, I suggest looking north. The more arid Samburu reserve is home to the "Special Five", species you will hardly see anywhere else: Grévy's zebra, the reticulated giraffe, the beisa oryx, the Somali ostrich and the gerenuk, the antelope that stands on its hind legs to browse. You meet far fewer vehicles than in the Masai Mara, and the culture of the Samburu, cousins of the Maasai, is still very much alive. It is about an hour from Nairobi by small plane.

Ending on the Swahili coast, between Diani and Watamu

After the dirt tracks and dawn wake-up calls, a few days by the Indian Ocean are the most beautiful way to end a safari. South of Mombasa, Diani Beach stretches for miles of white sand sheltered by a coral reef. Further north, Watamu is known for its marine park and turtles. And in Mombasa, Fort Jesus, a UNESCO World Heritage site, tells more than four centuries of Swahili, Arab and Portuguese history.

To reach the coast there are domestic flights, but also an option I really like: the express train between Nairobi and Mombasa, in first class, through the vast landscapes of Tsavo. From Amboseli, you can even board it at Emali station, the closest to the park. I recommend three to four nights on the coast to really enjoy the beach.

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Experiences to share on a Kenya safari

Beyond the wildlife, it is often a handful of special moments that stay with you. Here are the ones I love to weave into a Kenya safari.

Flying over the Masai Mara in a hot-air balloon at sunrise

You set off before dawn, in the silence of the savannah. The balloon rises gently over the plains and herds for about an hour, and the adventure ends with a champagne breakfast served out in the bush. It is an expensive experience, but it is often the one travellers tell me about first when they get back. Places are limited in high season: it is one of the first things I book once your dates are set.

A dawn game drive and a sundowner facing the savannah

The best times to watch wildlife are the very start and end of the day, when predators are active and the light is golden. A good safari is built around those hours: out before breakfast, a break at camp during the heat, then out again until sunset. In many camps the day ends with a "sundowner": a drink facing the savannah while the sky catches fire.

Meeting the Maasai, with respect

The Maasai live around the Masai Mara and Amboseli, and a visit to a traditional village, the boma, is often part of a safari. To keep it a genuine encounter rather than a show, I favour visits organised with the conservancy communities, where the income goes straight to the families. And always ask before taking someone's photo.

The moment everyone waits for is the adumu, the jumping dance of the Maasai warriors: one after another, they leap as high as they can, carried by the group's chanting. Visitors are often invited to join in, and children happily throw themselves into it.

The baby elephants and giraffes of Nairobi

People tend to skip Nairobi, yet the capital holds two lovely surprises before or after the safari. At the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, you watch feeding time for the orphaned baby elephants taken in by the foundation, before they one day return to the wild. At the Giraffe Centre, you get very close to Rothschild's giraffes, an endangered subspecies. Two ideal visits on arrival day or before your flight home, which I book ahead for you.

A meal among the giraffes, in Diani

On the south coast, near Diani, Bora Bora Wildlife Camp offers an experience I love to add at the end of a safari: Bush Dining with Giraffe Feeding. You sit down at a table laid out in the forest, and the camp's giraffes lean their heads over the guests to ask for their leaves. You feed them by hand between courses: a funny and moving moment, especially as a family.

It is often the children's favourite memory, and a lovely way to end a trip to Kenya after the wide-open spaces of the parks. Places are limited, so I book your table as soon as your dates in Diani are set.

Hot-air balloon, nights in a conservancy, meeting the Maasai, a meal with the giraffes, a few days on the beach: tell me what you dream of and I can build these moments into your safari, in the right place and at the right time.

Your tailor-made Kenya safari by Lisa

A safari takes more preparation than most trips: lodges are few, the best ones fill up early, and every park has its own distances and seasons. My role is to take that load off your shoulders, so all that is left for you is to choose and to dream.

My tips for a successful Kenya safari

• Don't try to see everything: three parks are plenty for a first safari, with at least two to three nights in each.
• Plan ahead: for the Great Migration in July and August, the best camps are often booked almost a year in advance.
• Compare road and air: the road is cheaper, flying saves hours, and you can combine the two.
• Travel light: on small bush planes, luggage is limited to 10 kg per person, in a soft bag.
• Leave plastic bags at home: they are banned in Kenya, and carrying them can mean a heavy fine.
• Pack neutral colours (beige, khaki, green) and a fleece: mornings are cool in open 4×4s.
• Pack binoculars, sunscreen, mosquito repellent and a UK-style plug adapter.
• To stay connected from the moment you land without roaming charges, get an eSIM before you leave: my code NEWHORIZONS gives you 15% off Saily (partner link).
• On insurance: since 5 October 2026, Kenya requires health insurance taken out with a Kenyan insurer, purchased online with the eTA. As there is no feedback from travellers on this new cover yet, I recommend also keeping a proven policy, such as Chapka, plus AMREF Flying Doctors medical evacuation cover. My advice on choosing your travel insurance can help.
• As a rough budget guide, allow from €5,000 per person, international flights included, for a private safari, or from €3,500 per person, flights included, for a shared safari with 6 travellers in total. Park entry fees are included in these prices.

To go further, I have also gathered the travel-planning mistakes to avoid.

What I bring to your safari

I design every safari from A to Z, based on your wishes, your budget and the way you like to travel. In practice:

• an itinerary built around your dates and the season, with parks, roads, domestic flights and beach nights in the right order
• lodges and camps chosen for their location, atmosphere and the quality of their guides, from tented camps to lodges overlooking the savannah
• the experiences that matter, balloon flight, conservancy, Maasai visit, a meal with the giraffes, booked at the right time
• if you wish, booking your lodges, domestic flights and activities
• a line-by-line budget, with no hidden fees
• a clear travel booklet with all your bookings and my recommendations
• a single point of contact, reachable 7 days a week during your trip

They trusted me with their safari

Astrid and her family trusted me with their Kenya safari, from Lake Naivasha to Amboseli and on to the giraffes of Diani. Here is what she says.

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FAQ: your Kenya safari questions

How many days should you plan for a Kenya safari?

Allow at least a week on the ground for a first safari: for example three nights in the Masai Mara, one at Lake Naivasha and two in Amboseli. With 12 to 14 days, you can add Samburu or a few nights on the coast. With less than six days, it is better to focus on the Masai Mara, flying in from Nairobi.

Kenya or Tanzania: where to see the Great Migration?

In both! The migration follows a great loop between the Serengeti in Tanzania and the Masai Mara in Kenya. From July to October the herds are mostly on the Kenyan side, in a more compact reserve where you spend less time driving. The rest of the year you need to look for them in Tanzania, especially from January to March, during the calving season in the southern Serengeti. For a big trip you can also combine both countries: I cover this in my tailor-made Tanzania travel guide.

Can you go on safari in Kenya with children?

Yes, and it is often an unforgettable trip for them. Some lodges only accept children from 6 or 8 years old, and balloon flights and walking safaris also have minimum ages, so I choose places to stay according to your children's ages, with family rooms and shorter outings. Lake Naivasha and Diani Beach also make lovely breaks for them. My tips for planning a family trip can help.

What are the entry and health requirements for Kenya?

French, Belgian and Swiss travellers do not need a visa, but an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) is mandatory. It is applied for online before departure, on the Kenyan government's official portal, and costs 30 dollars per person. Since 5 October 2026 you also need the mandatory health insurance from a Kenyan insurer, purchased online with the eTA: keep a full travel insurance policy as well, as explained above. Finally, your passport must be valid for at least six months after your date of entry. The yellow fever vaccine is recommended, but only required if you arrive from a country where the disease is present. Discuss malaria prevention with your doctor or a travel clinic. These rules can change, so check them a few weeks before you travel with your government's official travel advice, such as GOV.UK for British travellers or France Diplomatie.