Our Kenya vacations & safaris
Kenya has hosted wildlife safaris for decades, and whether you’re bringing the family for a memorable search for the Big Five, or combining Kenya with gorilla safaris in Uganda or a beach break in Zanzibar, responsible vacations here ensure that the focus is just as much on the people as the incredible animals. Guides, porters and drivers are drawn from the surrounding areas, while on village visits you’ll be able to purchase handmade Maasai products. Our Kenya vacations also support community-led conservation initiatives, and give you a deeper insight into Maasai culture by using locally owned homestays and lodges
Our top Kenya vacations
Kenya safari & beach tour
From
£3750
8 days
ex flights
The Great Migration, Masai Mara safaris & beach relaxation
Tailor made
Kenya safari and Zanzibar beach vacation
From
£5450
13 days
ex flights
Safari in the Masai Mara & paradise beaches on Zanzibar
Tailor made
Wildlife safari and beach vacation in Kenya
From
US $1800 to US $3600
11 days
ex flights
Sweeping savannah grasslands and tropical coasts
Tailor made
Kenya big five safari, tailor made
From
US $1955 to US $2355
5 days
ex flights
Enjoy the diverse wildlife in Masai Mara's rich habitat
Tailor made
Gorillas and big game, Nairobi to Kigali tour
From
US $7199 to US $7679
15 days
ex flights
See classic African game
Small group2023: 24 Jun, 19 Aug, 9 Sep, 23 Sep, 14 Oct, 28 Oct, 2024: 18 Jan, 20 Jun, 6 Jul, 1 Aug, 5 Sep, 10 Oct, 26 Oct
Complete Kenya safari
From
£4500
7 days
ex flights
Tailor-made safari in Kenya's best wildlife-watching regions
Tailor made
Kenya & Tanzania safari vacations
From
£5030 to £6030
14 days
ex flights
Some of the best wildlife spots in Tanzania and Kenya
Small group2023: 2 Apr, 14 May, 4 Jun, 2 Jul, 9 Jul, 16 Jul, 6 Aug, 20 Aug, 27 Aug, 3 Sep, 10 Sep, 17 Sep, 1 Oct, 15 Oct, 5 Nov, 19 Nov, 3 Dec, 10 Dec
East Africa and Zanzibar vacation
From
£4735 to £5785
15 days
ex flights
The perfect Small Group contrast of Safari & Beach
Small group2023: 9 Apr, 7 May, 11 Jun, 9 Jul, 16 Jul, 23 Jul, 13 Aug, 20 Aug, 27 Aug, 10 Sep, 17 Sep, 24 Sep, 8 Oct, 22 Oct, 12 Nov, 26 Nov, 3 Dec, 17 Dec
Short Kenya safari, Masai Mara and Nakuru
From
£945
5 days
ex flights
Scheduled Trip to the Masai Mara. Privately Guided Optional
Tailor made
About our Kenya vacations
Must-see places on safari in Kenya
Kenya has some fantastic – and long-standing – lodges for your safari vacation, but there’s also camping, overland tours and safari on foot. Kenya is a great place to see the Big Five, but once you’ve ticked these beautiful behemoths of the natural world off your list, plains game like gazelle and antelopes, might jump for your attention – not to mention the wildebeest, which migrate in the near-millions along the Great Rift Valley from August to October. The Masai Mara and Amboseli, both found in the south, are popular safari destinations.
Masai Mara, Kenya
The Masai Mara National Reserve is world-famous, as much for the Maasai people as it is for the Big Five, which can be seen here all year round. Stretching along the Tanzania border, it’s home to many big cats, while the Mara River becomes a dramatic stage each year as wildebeest make their daring crossing, watching out for crocs as they go. The charismatic Maasai people are nomadic pastoralists and skilled hunters, and stopping at a village – or even using a Maasai guide – can really enhance your experience of the area. Read more in our Masai Mara travel guide.
Family vacations in Kenya
Family vacations in Kenya capitalise on the country’s accessibility. You’ll find that it’s generally cheaper than Tanzania, the driving distances in places like the Masai Heartlands aren’t too daunting for young, easily-tired travelers, and there are plenty of lodges which will welcome kids with open arms. Your children will have their eyes opened wide thanks to patient Maasai guides who can show them how to track, and they won’t dare close them again, for fear of missing the next wildlife spectacle. There are so many animals around when you go on a game drive that you won’t have to fight over the binoculars.
Further afield
Add Tanzania or Uganda to your Kenya vacation, and get even more out of Africa. Though Kenya is a fantastic country in itself, many Kenya vacations throw in time in Tanzania, too, as Amboseli and Masai Mara run along Tanzania’s border. Hop south of the Masai Mara and you have the Serengeti, and just below Amboseli is Mount Kilimanjaro. Inland of Kenya is Uganda – and the chance to see gorillas, which you can’t find in Kenya. Combine a gorilla safari with the Masai Mara – you’ll need more than two weeks, but you’ll get two very different safari experiences in one unforgettable trip.
Types of safaris & vacations in Kenya
Safari vacations are the best way to see Kenya, as there aren't many other destinations in the world where you can so easily tick off the Big Five. Breathtaking and wildlife-packed, they often include a bit of time on the beach at the end, where you can swap lions for lying around. Small group vacations are a great way to meet like-minded travelers – plus a few extra eyes are useful when you’re scanning the trees for elusive leopards. Choose a tailor made trip and you’ll get your own game drive – meaning you can ask all the animal facts you like.
Where to go on vacation in Kenya
Kenya is large, but its southern national parks have a high density of wildlife, so you don’t need to travel far once you’ve reached one. You could spend your time in the Masai Mara, the famous home of Maasai communities and big cat central. Amboseli National Park means elephants; one of its greatest sights is seeing herds of these gentle giants passing under a snow-capped Kilimanjaro. Kenya has its own mountain to rival Kili – Mount Kenya is the second highest peak in Africa. Climb it and you’ll find bamboo forests, and beautiful lakes as you push through a challenging (though manageable) ascent.
[Must-see safaris: WLDavies]
[Masai Mara: Sho Hatakeyama]
[Traveling with kids in Kenya: Erik (Hash) Hershman]
[Further afield: oversnap]
[Types of vacations: Make it Kenya]
[Where to go in Kenya: Regina Hart]
