Luxury safaris in Kenya

Upgrading to a luxury Kenya safari buys you solitude. It means that when an elephant clumps into view, your jeep isn’t jostling for space with several others. It means that the nervous gazelle wandering around near your private veranda, while you watch from a hammock, is not going to be startled off by the sound of half-a-dozen jeeps starting their engines at once. It means that on a bush walk you can have long and involved chats with your Maasai guide, really getting to know them and about their ways of life rather than having to wait your turn to ask a question.

Kenya has decades of tourism experience. There is a staggering range of safaris and they run super smoothly. But the downside of that is you can expect crowds in the most popular wildlife viewing areas such as Amboseli National Park and the Maasai Mara, famed for the spectacular wildebeest migration.

Luxury safaris will often stay outside these highly sought-after protected areas in one of some 140-plus conservancies that are in many cases jointly owned by foreign investors, conservation charities and local communities.

These conservancies are dedicated to preserving the natural environment within them and the wildlife that depends on it, while ensuring that profits from safaris benefit local people. There’s much less of the overcrowding that affects some areas such as the Mara, where the expectations of some guests as to sightings are leading to the welfare of the animals being put at risk. Too many vehicles, too much noise, and getting too close, can cause stress to the wildlife, which affects their natural behaviours and can even lead to them having fewer young.

Accommodation is limited in conservancies, and game drives and other safari activities are only available to those staying in the camps based within their boundaries. By staying in a private conservancy on a Kenya luxury safari, you’re automatically traveling responsibly, and you’re also going to enjoy a much more peaceful experience.

It’s very easy to tie on a few days on a gorgeous beach to the end of a Kenya safari. Kenya’s south coast and islands are (ssh) relatively little-visited, and they promise magnificent white-sand beaches. You may rub shoulders with the odd celebrity too, in eco-conscious coastal resorts that employ local people, locally sourced materials and furnishings, and low energy initiatives.

You can also find Kenya safaris that cross over the border into neighbouring Tanzania and the Serengeti, which is slightly less developed for tourism, but means an even greater range of amazing safari experiences become available.

Our responsible safari vacations use accommodation that works alongside local communities to provide satisfying tourism experiences that aid conservation. Many lodges and camps employ significant numbers of people from surrounding villages, which ensures that safari tourism is viewed favourably.

In terms of what to expect from the amenities, Kenya safari accommodation have had decades to develop, so there is plenty of variety to suit every budget. While there is certainly glitz and glamour if that’s what you’re after, our partners typically look for properties that wear their luxury with a lighter touch. Expect simple, rustic but high-quality furnishings that are comfortable without being showy.

Luxury camps and lodges in Kenya will often aim to differentiate themselves with the level of service they can provide. That might mean a private vehicle and guide, rather than sharing their expertise with other guests. It might mean gourmet dining experiences with guest chefs, or experiential dining such as bush breakfasts and cocktails brought to you at a spectacular sunset viewpoint. Communal dining and sharing stories of sightings is one of the great safari traditions, but if you want a private meal that can often be arranged.

“Amenities such as Wi-Fi access in your tent and infinity pools are all achievable – even in some unusual and remote locations,” says Tom. “Furthermore, you will find that levels of service and culinary expertise are right up there with any five-star hotel you’ve experienced.”