Kenya
Migration · Plains · Coast

The Maasai Mara in August. Amboseli at dawn with Kilimanjaro behind the elephants. Tsavo's impossible red plains. Kenya rewards every kind of traveller, if you're in the right place at the right time.

Open Plains. Legendary Wildlife.

Kenya Wildlife Safari

Kenya is East Africa's most storied safari country, with an extraordinary range of ecosystems spread across 580,000 square kilometres. The Maasai Mara and its ring of private conservancies holds one of Africa's highest concentrations of lion, leopard and cheetah year-round, with the northern end of the great wildebeest migration arriving each July. Amboseli frames the continent's most studied elephant families against the silhouette of Kilimanjaro. On the equator, Ol Pejeta Conservancy protects the world's last two northern white rhinos and East Africa's largest black rhino sanctuary. In the north, Samburu harbours species found nowhere further south. Tsavo's vast red-earth plains shelter some of Kenya's biggest-tusked elephant herds alongside lion, leopard and wild dog, all within parks managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service. The Maasai people are inseparable from this landscape, their conservancy model central to how wildlife protection here actually works.

The Maasai Mara hosts one of Africa's highest concentrations of big cats year-round, and the northern arc of the wildebeest migration between July and October, including the famous Mara River crossings

Private conservancies surrounding the Mara (Naboisho, Olare Motorogi, Ol Kinyei) offer exclusive access with dramatically fewer vehicles per sighting than the national reserve itself

Ol Pejeta Conservancy on the equator is home to the world's last two northern white rhinos and holds East Africa's largest population of black rhinos in a dedicated sanctuary

Amboseli's elephant families are among the most studied in the world, moving between seasonal swamps with Kilimanjaro rising 5,895 metres behind them

Samburu National Reserve hosts the Northern Specials: five unique dry-country species including Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, Beisa oryx, and gerenuk, found nowhere south of here

Kenya's Indian Ocean coast sits within a short domestic flight of every major circuit, making a combined bush and beach itinerary one of the continent's easiest to build

Big Five

All Parks

50+

Reserves

Great Migration

Jul to Oct

5 to 10

Days Ideal

Moody skies before the rains, Maasai Mara

The Wild Places Inside Kenya

Kenya's Parks & Reserves

Maasai Mara NR

Great Migration · Big Five · Big Cats

Kenya's most celebrated reserve holds one of Africa's densest predator populations alongside year-round Big Five. The Mara River crossings between July and October bring the wildebeest migration north from Tanzania in one of wildlife's most dramatic spectacles.

Mara Naboisho

Private Conservancy · Exclusive Access

At 50,000 acres, Naboisho holds the highest lion density of any private conservancy in Africa. Just a handful of camps share this space, meaning off-road driving, night drives, and walking safaris unavailable inside the national reserve.

Ol Pejeta

Black Rhino · Northern White Rhino

On the equator in Laikipia, Ol Pejeta shelters the world's last two northern white rhinos and East Africa's largest black rhino sanctuary. Chimpanzees, lion, elephant and Cape buffalo share the 90,000-acre fenced conservancy with these last survivors.

The Creatures You'll Track

Who Lives on Kenya's Plains

The Big Five

Kenya offers some of Africa's most reliable Big Five sightings. The Mara ecosystem leads the continent for lion and leopard density, while Ol Pejeta shelters one of the most accessible black rhino populations anywhere.

Wildebeest Migration

Vast herds of wildebeest and zebra trace a year-round circuit between Tanzania's Serengeti and the Mara, driven entirely by rainfall. The Mara River crossings between July and October are unpredictable, chaotic, and unlike anything else in wildlife.

Leopards & Cheetah

The Mara's open grasslands and fig-tree thickets make it one of the best places on the continent for year-round leopard sightings. The same plains support large cheetah coalitions, particularly during the dry months when prey concentrates.

Reticulated giraffe at sunset, Samburu Kenya

Northern Specials

Samburu's five signature species are found nowhere south of the equator: reticulated giraffe with their bold geometric pattern, Grevy's zebra with their narrow stripes, Beisa oryx, gerenuk, and Somali ostrich. A separate northern circuit worth building an entire trip around.

Read the Season Before You Book

When to Come to Kenya

Peak season offers optimal wildlife viewing and dry trail conditions. Green season provides lush scenery and fewer crowds.

Jan

Peak

Feb

Peak

Mar

Good

Apr

Off peak

May

Off peak

Jun

Good

Jul

Migration

Aug

Migration

Sep

Migration

Oct

Peak

Nov

Good

Dec

Peak

Peak Season: best wildlife & weather

Good Season: great value, greener landscapes

Off Season: possible but wetter

Tailor-Made for Kenya

Tailor-Made Kenya Safaris

6 DAYS · 5 NIGHTS

6 Days Amboseli Wildlife Safari

Nairobi's conservation treasures and private game drives in Amboseli beneath Mount Kilimanjaro.

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6 DAYS · 5 NIGHTS

6 Days Exclusive Kenya Safari

Nairobi's conservation highlights, then Meru National Park, pristine and far from the crowds.

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6 DAYS · 5 NIGHTS

6 Days Magical Wildlife of Kenya

The Masai Mara for the Big Five and the Great Migration in season, after Nairobi's conservation icons.

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Bespoke African Safaris Awaits

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Serengeti · Ngorongoro · Zanzibar

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Gorillas · Chimps · Wild Africa

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Rwanda

Gorillas · Forest · Savanna

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Kenya

Kenya. The Safari You'll Tell People About for Years.

Tell us which experience you're chasing: the crossing, the elephants, the big cats. We'll build the journey timed around it. First safari or fifth, Kenya keeps surprising.

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+256 707 916 185 | +256 705 129 090

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to see the Great Migration in Kenya?

The Great Wildebeest Migration crosses the Mara River in Kenya's Maasai Mara between July and October. The river crossings, where thousands of wildebeest brave crocodile-filled waters, typically peak in August. However, the Maasai Mara offers excellent Big Five wildlife viewing year-round.

Which national parks should I visit on a Kenya safari?

The top Kenya safari parks are the Maasai Mara National Reserve (Great Migration and Big Five), Amboseli National Park (elephant herds with Kilimanjaro views), Tsavo East and West (red-dust elephants and black-maned lions), and Samburu National Reserve (rare northern species including Grevy's zebra and reticulated giraffe).

Can I combine a Kenya safari with a beach holiday?

Yes. Kenya is one of the few African countries where a safari and beach holiday can be seamlessly combined. After a Maasai Mara or Amboseli safari, a short domestic flight connects you to the Kenyan coast: Diani Beach, Watamu or Lamu, all offering pristine Indian Ocean beaches and warm water.

What is the best time to visit Kenya for a safari?

Kenya's two peak safari seasons are July to October (dry season, best for the Great Migration crossing) and January to March (hot dry season with fewer visitors). The Maasai Mara is excellent year-round, while Amboseli is best visited during the dry months when elephants gather around the swamps.