Kenya

Explore What Kenya Has to Offer:

Kenya is home to the original safari. It’s where African safari was born, and to this day remains the ultimate destination for unparalleled game viewing. Kenya is home to an astounding number of different species—around 25,000. Of course, you’ll find Africa’s ‘Big Five’ throughout the country, but those are just a handful of the unique animals found here.

From the forests along the coastline of the Indian Ocean to the lush grasslands and sprawling savanna, Kenya is full of opportunities for cultural interactions with indigenous tribes, exceptional wildlife experiences, and unique activities. A safari in Kenya offers a tremendous diversity of both landscapes and animals. Want to know what it’s like? Check out our testimonials page to hear what our clients think. ually recommend spending eight to 10 days in Kenya—check out all our recommended Kenya safari itineraries here for some inspiration.

We’ll cover:

• Where to go on a Kenya safari
• Who should go on a Kenya safari?
• Booking a custom and luxury Kenya safari
• Our favorite Kenya safari itineraries
• Our favorite Kenya safari accommodations

Where to go on a Kenya safari:

Kenya is perfect for travelers looking for unparalleled wildlife experiences, opportunities for authentic cultural interactions with local indigenous communities, and lots of activities. Many travelers visit two to four different regions within Kenya before retreating to the beaches of the coast on the Indian Ocean in Mombasa.

• Rarely the Maasai Mara isn’t included in a Kenya itinerary—it is second to none in Africa for game-viewing.

• Kenya is a country of varied landscapes, cultures, animals, and activities that make for a wonderfully diverse safari experience. Samburu, Amboseli, and Meru each offer a wonderful mix of those elements.

• We love including the Laikipia area, particularly the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, in itineraries to give you the chance to get out of your game vehicle (if you’re feeling adventurous) and out into the bush on a horse, camel, or on foot.

• There are great opportunities for different kinds of cultural interactions throughout Kenya, particularly in Samburu, Laikipia, and the Maasai Mara.

• A night or two in Nairobi offers a chance to see a bit of the city and get up close and personal with giraffes and elephants while shaking off the jet lag. Because Nairobi is a major African hub, it is easy to combine a Kenya safari with virtually anywhere else in Africa. Many of our clients continue their journey to do a gorilla trek in neighboring Rwanda or Uganda.

Who should go on Kenya safari?

• Couples, honeymooners, families, small groups, and solo adventurers can all find the perfect accommodation be it in a classic tented camp, a quirky family-owned lodge, a rustic wildlife tracking camp, an exclusive-use house, or a top-of-the-line luxury suite.

• Many camps and lodges across Kenya are hosted by their owners, many of whom are from families who have lived on the land for generations. If you enjoy warm, home-hosted hospitality, Kenya is a great choice.

• Kenya is the perfect destination for an active traveler with outdoor adventures including walking safaris, horseback safaris, and hiking for all levels. 

Booking a custom and luxury Kenya safari:

Crafting your custom Kenya safari is what we are best in the world at. We take care of every single detail so that you can immerse yourself in the wonder of Kenya—from the magic of watching the sunrise during your morning game drive with exquisite light over the savannah to going on a bushwalk with the Maasai or Samburu people, or witnessing nature in all its glory as hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, amongst other wildlife, thunder across the plains during The Great Migration. Whatever vision you have in your mind of an African safari, you’ll find it in Kenya and we’re here to make sure it comes to life.

Give our trustworthy team of experts a call and tell us about the trip you’re dreaming of taking—we’re passionate about making that dream a reality. We’re here to listen to what you’re interested in, and from there craft a personalized and extraordinary trip of a lifetime in Kenya. 

Everything we create at Extraordinary Journeys is custom—you won’t find anything ordinary about an adventure planned with us. Simply put, we travel differently, and we’re the best in the world at creating one-of-a-kind luxury and life-changing travel experiences through phone calls and sharing with our experts. Plus, our support doesn’t stop once your trip is booked—we have exceptional service with a hands-on approach, with a designated client liaison, on-the-ground concierge, and a line that’s open 24/7 throughout your entire stay.

Our favorite Kenya safari accomodation

Accommodation in Kenya varies greatly from the storied Giraffe Manor just outside of Nairobi (the perfect place to start your Kenya safari before heading off to camps, luxury tented suites, or remote wildlife tracking camps). When we say there’s something for everyone in Kenya—we mean it when it comes to accommodation budget and style.

For travel to the Maasai Mara, we advocate staying in one of several private concessions or group conservancies that border the park. These private conservancies have more rules about protecting wildlife (including no more than five vehicles near an animal) and you’ll likely see a maximum of three other vehicles at a time versus the main reserve where you will see a multitude. Conservancies also help generate revenue for the local communities. In addition, they can offer bush walks, night drives, and off-road driving—activities not allowed in places such as the main Mara Reserve.

In Samburu, we love the rustic and casual Elephant Watch Camp, owned by the same family—the Douglas-Hamiltons—who spearheaded the Save the Elephants Project. For a more upscale safari experience, we recommend Sasaab, a luxury tented camp on a hillside in the Samburu National Reserve with Moroccan-style rooms and private plunge pools. The unique Saruni Rhino Camp is a remote camp in partnership with the Sera Community Conservancy in northern Kenya with a stellar rhino tracking experience. You trek on foot and have an opportunity to have a face-to-face encounter with one of Africa’s most iconic animals—the reason to come and stay.

In Amboseli, you can’t beat a stay at Ol Donyo Lodge—Kenya’s first Relais & Chateaux property, whose suites have private plunge pools and views of Mount Kilimanjaro. It’s situated on the Maasai-owned Mbirikani Group Ranch, meaning that it generates revenue for the local community and helps to preserve a key migration corridor for animals between Amboseli and Tsavo. Tortilis Camp is a great option that sits on the edge of the national park with unbeatable views of Mount Kilimanjaro.

In Laikipia and Lewa, the family-owned Borana Lodge sits on a working ranch that offers gorgeous stone-thatched cottages that overlook a local watering hole and rolling green hills—a very family-friendly destination with lots of activities. Sirikoi is the most luxurious property in the region set in lush gardens with various accommodation types and excellent game viewing. Ol Malo Lodge & House is a treasure of a property that’s owned and run by the Francombes, a multi-generational Kenyan family. Soak in the infinity pool with views out over the dramatic hills and valleys of the Laikipia plateau. Family-owned Lewa Wilderness Lodge is a great option for families in a beautiful hilly setting in the Lewa Wilderness Conservancy.

In Meru National Park, Elsa’s Kopje is an award-winning private safari lodge within the national park that has played an important role in promoting conservation and tourism in a park that was once plagued by poaching. Now known as one of the best places for rhino viewing in Kenya, the main lodge is one of our favorites, and the open-fronted luxury cottages are fun and private. 

The Matthew’s Mountain Range—also known as Kenya’s Northern Frontier—is a mountain forest that is a stronghold for a wide range of species with natural rock pools, crystal clear mountain streams, prehistoric cycad palms. Sarara Camp is a comfortable and intimate camp with luxury tents on the Namunyak Wildlife Conservation Trust. The main attraction of staying here is the opportunity for cultural interactions with the Samburu people, a group of semi-nomadic pastoralists who are close cousins to the Maasai.

Tsavo National Park—about halfway between Kenya and Mombasa—is nearly 8,500 square miles making it the largest national park in Kenya and one of the largest in the world. It’s known for having the highest population of elephants in Kenya and is home to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s holding centers where adolescent elephants are slowly reintroduced into the wild. Kipalo Hills is a beautiful and remote safari camp with 12 tented suites situated on the edge of Tsavo West National Park in the 12,000-acre private Mbulia Conservancy.

Our favorite Kenya safari itineraries

Looking for more information on where to stay in Kenya? Check out this story on properties where culture is king in Kenya.