International · Kenya
Kenya
The greatest wildlife theatre on earth
Overview
Overview
Kenya is where safari was invented, and it still does it better than anywhere. The Masai Mara between July and October holds the densest concentration of predators on the continent, and the Great Migration crossings at the Mara river are as overwhelming as travel gets.
We place guests in conservancies rather than the main reserve wherever possible — fewer vehicles, night drives permitted, walking safaris allowed, and your conservation fee goes directly to Maasai landowners.
Plan your Kenya journey
Use our private Kenya migration safari as a starting point, explore signature journeys, or speak to a travel designer about a route tailored to your dates and interests.
When to go
Best time to visit
July to October for the migration; January to March for excellent general game, green landscapes and lower rates. April, May and November are the rains.
Migration
Jul – Oct
River crossings, maximum predator action. Book 10–12 months out.
PeakGreen season
Jan – Mar
Newborn game, dramatic skies, superb photography, better value.
GoodLong rains
Apr – May
Many camps close; roads become difficult.
AvoidShort rains
Nov – Dec
Short afternoon showers, lovely light, quiet camps.
ShoulderPractical
Visa, currency, weather and flights
Visa
Kenya has replaced its visa with a mandatory Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA), applied for online before departure. Approval usually arrives within three working days. Yellow fever vaccination is required if arriving from or transiting certain countries — we confirm the current position for your exact routing.
Full visa guide →Currency
Kenyan Shilling (KES). Camps bill in US dollars and take cards. Carry clean, recent USD notes for guide and staff gratuities.
Weather
Altitude keeps the Mara pleasant year-round — warm days, genuinely cold dawn game drives. Pack a fleece even in July.
Flights
Non-stop from Mumbai and Delhi to Nairobi in about 6h 30m. From Nairobi, a 45-minute light-aircraft flight into the Mara airstrips is the only sensible way in — the road transfer takes six punishing hours.
| Period | Temperature | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jan – Mar | 14–30°C | Warm, dry, excellent game |
| Apr – May | 13–26°C | Long rains |
| Jun – Oct | 11–27°C | Dry, cool mornings, migration |
| Nov – Dec | 13–28°C | Short rains, green and quiet |
| Mumbai → Nairobi | 6h 30m non-stop | Kenya Airways |
| Delhi → Nairobi (1 stop) | 9h – 11h | Emirates, Qatar, Ethiopian |
| Nairobi → Masai Mara | 45m light aircraft | Safarilink, AirKenya |
Where to stay
Hotels we recommend
Masai Mara · Suspended lodge
Angama Mara
Tented suites on the edge of the Oloololo escarpment, floating above the Mara.
Olare Motorogi · Virgin Limited Edition
Mahali Mzuri
Twelve tents in a private conservancy with exceptional guiding.
Laikipia · Art and conservation
Segera Retreat
Sculpture, a botanical garden and rhino tracking on 50,000 acres.
Nairobi · Iconic
Giraffe Manor
Rothschild giraffes at the breakfast window. Book a year ahead.
Diani Beach · Private villa
Alfajiri Villas
The Indian Ocean beach finish every safari deserves.
Highlights
Things to do
Mara river crossing
Positioned before dawn with a guide who reads the herds, not the radio chatter.
Hot-air balloon over the Mara
Lift off in the dark, land to a champagne breakfast in the grass.
Walking safari with Maasai guides
Tracking on foot in a conservancy — the detail you miss from a vehicle.
Rhino tracking in Laikipia
On foot with rangers, contributing directly to monitoring data.
Sheldrick elephant orphanage
A private visit to the nursery in Nairobi, away from the public hour.
Suggested route
Our suggested Kenya journey
- 1
Arrive Nairobi
Overnight at Giraffe Manor or Hemingways.
- 2
Fly to the Mara
Light aircraft to the conservancy. Afternoon game drive.
- 3
Masai Mara
Full day with a picnic breakfast in the bush; sundowners on the escarpment.
- 4
Migration and balloon
Dawn balloon flight, afternoon at the river crossings.
- 5
Fly to Laikipia
Rhino tracking, horseback or camel safari, night drive.
- 6
Laikipia
Conservation morning with the research team; walking safari.
- 7
Diani or Lamu
Fly to the coast for two nights of Indian Ocean quiet.
- 8
Depart
Fly Mombasa–Nairobi and connect home.
Gallery
Kenya in pictures
Questions
Frequently asked
Guest stories
What our travellers say
Three river crossings in four days. Our guide at Angama read the herd movement two hours before anyone else moved. Extraordinary.
Karan & Simran Bhatia
Gurugram · Kenya Migration Safari, 8 nights
I photograph birds seriously and was placed with a guide who understood exactly what I needed. Nothing was generic.
Prof. Malini Desai
Pune · Kenya & Laikipia, 9 nights
You may also like
