Which parts of Kenya should we visit on our safari?

If a safari lodge is outstanding, it’s worth a decent length of stay. Three or four days gives your family a chance to settle in, fully explore the area and get to know your guides. There is a lot to do and see and some lodges even offer sleep-outs. If you are devoting 10 to 14 days to your Kenya holiday, three or four contrasting safari locations is a good starting point. If you want to visit the coast and only have around a week for your safari, we suggest choosing two places rather than trying to fit in three.

At any time of year the Masai Mara has to be up there simply for its sheer abundance of animals and iconic landscapes. From June to October, the plains are filled with migrating wildebeest, zebra and gazelle. This combines beautifully with the drier, hilly northern regions like Laikipia and Samburu where there are superb private conservancies, offering a wide variety of activities. Amboseli in the south creates another dimension with spectacular views of Kilimanjaro. Meru, Tsavo, the lakes and remote semi-desert regions each have a unique appeal.

We know some excellent small lodges in Laikipia where you can ride horseback, jump in rivers and quad bike. You can walk the hills with Maasai and their camels, camp out overnight and mountain bike. These are great ways to get to know the land, its people and wildlife. It’s completely removed from looking through the windows of a minibus! We know all of the best places throughout Kenya where you can get out and be active in the wild.

There are several categories of protected land set aside for conservation. National parks are administered by governmental bodies and activities are mainly by vehicle. Most large lodges are in national parks. Private reserves are often former commercial and tribal farmland that has been allowed to recover to its natural state, teeming with wildlife, and where the local people are partners in the safari lodge. On private reserves you are free to explore in more active ways.