Kenya Wildlife Safari Travel Guide

Kenya is usually the first stop in Africa for wildlife lovers. Aside from fantastic wildlife viewing, it is also quite easily accessible. Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, is a hub for airlines and easily connects to Europe, USA, India and other parts of Asia. You’ll probably be surprised to hear that Kenya is less than 6 hours by air from Mumbai. In other words, you can escape the hustle and frenzy of urban life in less time and with less trouble than you may have thought possible. Indeed, if you put your mind to it, you can soon be listening to the hiss and spit of a crackling campfire as hyenas whoop-whoop in the background. Or you can be sitting in a camp chair on the open-air veranda of your canvas tent, gin & tonic in hand, relishing the colours of an African sky as a blood-red sun sinks dramatically beneath the horizon.

Kenya Safari Holidays

Traditional Maasai dance.

Kenya is one of our favourite safari destinations because there is something for everyone. Whether you are a first-time safari traveller, or if you are returning for your tenth safari, Kenya offers something for everyone. With national parks and game reserves such as the Masai Mara (home to the Great Migration) and private conservancies such a as well as some of the highest densities of big cats anywhere in the world)

• Witness the Great Annual Migration of over one million wildebeest, two hundred thousand zebras and tens of thousands of assorted gazelles and wildlife sightings to dazzle the senses.
• Guided bush walks and drives, night drives, fly-camping, off-roading, walking safaris, chimp walks, rhino tracking, and birding.
• Mount Kenya climbs, trekking, mountain biking, horse riding, helicopter rides.
• Snorkelling, kayaking, swimming, river rafting, laser sailing, para sailing, wind surfing, water skiing, scuba diving, kite surfing, river excursions, beach houses.
• Camel safaris.
• Cultural visits.
• Spas and massages, sauna, yoga weeks, golfing, archaeological site visits.
• Conservation safaris, educational safaris, village & school visits, starbeds, learning bushcraft, cultural immersion programmes, cave explorations etc.

Planning a trip to Kenya? And wondering what time of the year is the best time to visit?

Best Time to Visit Kenya

Kenya can be the perfect destination to visit all year round.

Peak season is usually July to end September when the migration takes place in the Masai Mara Game Reserve. This is also the most expensive time to visit.

There are two spells of rain in the year: November (short rains) and March – May (long rains). During the short rains, it is possible to go on game drives and conduct usual safari activities (with intermittent showers interrupting game drives). However, during the long rains (March-April) several camps do shut down.

Read our full article on when is the best time to visit different regions of Kenya »

The main port of entry into Kenya is usually Nairobi (Jomo Kenyatta International Airport). Most international flights will fly into JKIA. Domestic flights usually depart from Wilson Airport, which is a 30 minutes to 1 hour drive depending on traffic.

Airlines that fly to Kenya

Most leading airlines will fly to Kenya either direct (Kenya Airways) or via major hubs such as Dubai (Emirates), Doha (Qatar), Abu Dhabi (Etihad), Frankfurt (Lufthansa), London (British Airways), Seychelles (Air Seychelles), Addis Ababa (Ethiopian), and more.

Domestic Flights in Kenya

It is possible to do a safari in Kenya both by road (overland) or by flight (fly-in) safari. We usually recommend a fly-in safari as it saves you time and roads are often dusty and bumpy. Our travel specialists will help you decide what is best for your itinerary, and will help you book the domestic flights as well.

All domestic (internal) flights usually leave from Wilson Airport in Nairobi, and connect to various parks and destinations around the country. These are generally “bush flights”, so Cessna Caravans or similar. Popular domestic flight companies include SafariLink and Air Kenya.

Read more about Getting to Kenya »

Fast Facts about the Republic of Kenya