There are lots of information about safari holidays in Kenya; from where to go, when to go, things to do, what to carry, what to expect and so on. Below are helpful information to guide you plan your perfect safari holiday in Kenya. At Kentz Safaris, we combine your safari holiday ideas with our extensive holiday planning experience to hand pick; well tested destinations and luxury accommodation that meet all your specific requirements. We take great pride in planning custom safari holidays in Kenya. Check out some of our safari packages below or contact one of our holiday experts, to structure a safari holiday for you.
Some of the private and secluded conservancy at Masai Mara, a beautiful wilderness full of wildlife.
On the left is a luxury Safari honeymoon accommodation and on the right is a sunset view of the open plains of Mara.
A stunning view of Mount Kilimanjaro peak from Amboseli National Park.
On the left is a luxury safari lodge in Lakipia and on the right is a close view of an Elephant in Samburu National Park.
A nicely secluded safari suite, ideal for family holidays, honeymoons and private weddings.
On the left is the Great Wildebeest Migration at Mara River and on the right is a morning hot air balloon safari flight.
Thousands of pink flamingos on the shallow end of Lake Nakuru, bird watching is one of the major attraction at Lake Nakuru National Park, with over 400 difference bird species visiting every year.
On the Left are the white Rhinos and Buffalo relaxing under the acacia trees, and on the right are the pink flamingos and buffaloes enjoying the shallow waters of Lake Nakuru.
Safari is a Swahili word that means 'journey'; the word is usually used by tour operators to refer to wildlife watching tour in Africa. Safari holiday is no doubt the most popular type of holiday in Africa; millions of local and international tourist visit Africa to experience the beauty of a Safari.
There are two main types of Safaris; that is animal watching safari and bird watching safari. A typical animal watching safari would include visiting major national parks and reserves to watch thousands of wildlife that include the 'Big Five', Gorillas, cheetah, crocodiles, Hippos, wildebeest, Giraffe among many other. Bird watching safari would include visiting lakes, forests and national parks to watch hundreds of different bird species; the two types of safari can easily be combined to one holiday itinerary. While on a safari; you can either choose to use an open roof 4x4 car or truck, or on a guided walking and horse riding safari, or on a luxury flying safari that include; chartered flights, hot air balloon flights and helicopters.
To plan a safari holiday, You can either join a ready prepared group safari or plan your own (Tailor-made safari). Group safaris are usually led by one tour guide and a support staff, accommodation varies from luxury lodges and camps to standard hotels, it is ideal for single travelers who wish to meet other people and avoid the large single supplement cost, the downside is that it has a fixed start/end date, fixed destinations and activities are done as a group.
Most people prefer Tailor-made safari, as they have the option to plan a safari that suits them; you can choose your start date, duration, areas to visit, type of accommodation and activities. The Cost highly depends on what you choose; it could be as cheap as a group safari or expensive as a luxury safari, the choice is all yours. The options to plan your own holiday makes this type of safari famous and ideal for families, honeymooners and special holiday makers.
A well planned safari holiday can be exciting and full of memories that are forever cherished, to plan your safari; You need to pick out your major attractions carefully; what to watch, which game park, when to tour, type of accommodation and the cost.
For example if you want to experience the famous wildebeest migration, you need to know when the migration is at Masai Mara or Serengeti; which Camps or lodges are closer to the river and how much it would cost you. For the Big Five or other lesser known wildlife and birds species, you would need to know when and where to spot them.
Other factors to put into account is the Budget, on this aspect you need to think about the type of accommodation; safari accommodation varies from the luxury 5 star Hotels to budgeted private and public tented camps. Once you identify the type of accommodation prefer, you then need to decide on the mood of transport; whether you prefer flying from one park to the other and using a private open roof 4WD car to move around the park watching wildlife, or you prefer only using a private 4WD car, or a shared group van and a mini bus. According to our own mode of transport analysis; most guest prefer using private 4WD cars just within the park and on short distance transfer, and scheduled or chartered flights on long distance transfers.
The best time to spot most wildlife is on the dry season, animal are easily spotted on the open plains and near rivers or water holes in search of food and water. In Kenya the dry season are between January-March and July-October, this is the best time to spot wildlife. April, May and November are considered to be shoulder season with lesser wildlife compared to the high season. Bird’s watching is best in October - December.
On a normal safari day, you would wake up early for tea/coffee with snacks, before the sun rises head out for a guided wildlife viewing safari; at around 10am, the sun is usually hot and animals go into their hiding places ,so we return to the lodge/camp for breakfast and a brief rest.
At mid day, you are free to use the hotel’s activities, or enjoy reading a book, take a nap, relax by the pool with a cold drink. Afternoon activities starts at around 3pm by taking tea/coffee/juice with snacks and then embark on an evening safari, some minutes before 7pm you will return to the camp for a refreshing shower before your dinner at 8pm, after dinner you can choose to go at the bar or around the fire place. Most guests retire to bed at around 10pm.There are numerous Safari activities, this is just to give you a sense of how a normal day on safari could be.
This is an 18 days safari holiday itinerary, taking you through major tourist destinations in Kenya and Uganda. This includes the famous Masai Mara National reserve, Lake Nakuru, Kibale Forest National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Forest, Lake Mburo, Lake Victoria and finally to the white sandy
This an 18 days safari itinerary, taking you through the most finest and famous National parks, Lodges and other top destinations in Kenya and Tanzania. This include the famous Masai Mara National reserve, Samburu National park, Lake Nakuru National park, Serengeti National reserve, Ngorongoro crater, Lake Manyara and
This a 14 days safari and beach holiday, that starts in Nairobi and ends in Zanzibar; the holiday begin with a Nairobi city excursion, then followed by a wildlife watching tour at Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Amboseli and Tsavo national park. After that, transfer to Mombasa for your
This is a 14 days safari holiday itinerary, taking you through major tourist destinations in Kenya and Uganda. This includes the famous Masai Mara National reserve, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, Amboseli national park, Kibale Forest National Park, Bwindi Forest and Lake Victoria. A mixture of this safari tour
This a 14 days safari and beach holiday in Kenya, that begins with a Nairobi city excursion, then followed by a wildlife watching tour to the famous Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, Amboseli and Tsavo national park. After that, transfer to Mombasa (South Coast) -where you will
This is a 12 days wildlife safari holiday, taking you through major wildlife national parks in Kenya and Tanzania. The trip starts in Arusha and heads down to Lake Manyara to watch wildlife, then proceed to Ngorongoro, Serengeti national reserve, Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru and ends up in
This a nine days pure wildlife watching safari holiday in Kenya, that starts and ends in Nairobi; it begins with a Nairobi city excursion, followed by wildlife game watching at the famous Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli national park. On this itinerary, you will have the opportunity
This is a 7 days Safari holiday full of real adventure; the holiday begin in Nairobi, driving down to Samburu national park to watch wildlife, then proceeds to Lake Nakuru for nature and bird watching and finally head down to the famous Masai Mara. On this holiday itinerary,
This a five days safari holiday taking you through major attractions in Nairobi, then followed by a bird watching tour at Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha, before wind up at the famous Masai Mara. On this itinerary, you will have the opportunity to watch thousands of wildlife that
This a 3 days wildlife watching safari at Samburu national park, driving from Nairobi through Nyeri to Isiolo town, down to Samburu national park, where you will spend the three days relaxing and watching the beautiful landscapes full wildlife. A great place for a weekend getaway to enjoy
This is a three days wildlife watching safari at Tsavo National park; The three days activities include watching the beautiful landscapes full of wildlife, going on cultural nature walks, relaxing and enjoying various Spa treatments on offer. A great place for a weekend getaway to enjoy nature and
This a 3 days wildlife watching and nature walk safari holiday at Aberdares national park, driving from Nairobi to Aberdares; where you will spend the three days relaxing, going on game drive and nature walks to watch the beautiful landscapes full of wildlife. A great place for a
This a three days safari holiday that is centered on pure wildlife watching, the holiday starts and ends in Nairobi; it begins by flying to Masai Mara and spending the next two days watching the beautiful landscapes full of animals and birds. Major attractions include watching thousands of
This a 2 days wildlife watching safari at Lake Nakuru National park, driving from Nairobi to Lake Nakuru and spending the two days watching the beautiful lake full of pink flamingos and surrounded by huge acacia trees, white Rhinos, Buffaloes, Antelopes and many others. A great place for
This is a two days wildlife watching safari at Amboseli National park; The two days activities includes viewing Mount Kilimanjaro, tour of the park to watch the beautiful landscapes full of wildlife, going on cultural nature walks, relaxing and enjoying various Spa treatments on offer.A great place for
This a day tour of Lake Naivasha. Driving from Nairobi through the beautiful escapements, down to Lake Naivasha Country Club; where you will spend the day on Lake excursion to watch birds, hippos, giraffes, antelopes, monkeys among other wildlife. its a great place for family weekend getaways, group
This a one day Nairobi City excursion to major attractions in Nairobi; the trip include visiting Nairobi National Museum, Nairobi National Park, the Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Center. It’s a great package, for one day activity and family getaway. This itinerary can be tailored to meet your personal
About Samburu National Reserve Samburu National Reserve is situated on the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River in the dry northern parts of Kenya, on a landscape that combines the semi-arid desert, the green grassland, hills, riveline forest and swamps. The park attracts most wildlife because of the Ewaso
About Lake Nakuru National Park Lake Nakuru National Park is situated approximately 160 kilometers from Nairobi along the Great Rift Valley; the park comprises of a lake surrounded by wooded and bushy grasslands; its main attractions are the pink Flamingos, pelicans, waterbucks and over 400 other bird species. The park
About Aberdare National Park Aberdare National Park is one of the major national parks in Kenya that offer exceptional hiking terrains and stunning views, the park is located between Mount Kenya to the north and the Great Rift Valley on the south, it was named after Lord Aberdare by
About Masai Mara Masai Mara National Reserve is arguably Kenya's top game reserve; located southwest of Kenya, about 270 kilometers from Nairobi (4 to 5 hours’ drive). The national reserve is about 1500 square kilometers and is sometimes said to be the most densely game-populated place on earth. Lying
About Tsavo National Park Tsavo National Park is Kenya’s largest national park, covering an area of 8,034 square miles; it was established on 1st April 1948, located about 200km south east of Nairobi and is the closest large National Park to Mombasa. The park is divided by Nairobi-Mombasa road,
About Amboseli Amboseli national park is about 200km from Nairobi City center; it’s a small park of about 390km² and it’s the second most popular national park in Kenya, after the famous Masai Mara. Besides the great game drive and the beautiful landscapes, Amboseli also offers you the opportunity
Whether it’s a holiday with your family, friends or a business trip; Kenya offers a wide range of luxury accommodation. From the prestige 5 star Hotels, Lodges and Safari Camps, to lesser remote tented camps and hostels. May it be a wildlife safari holiday, a city excursion or a more relaxed beach holiday; there is always accommodation for you. Check out some of the hotels below or contact any of our holiday experts to find you an accommodation that suits you.
There is a couple of Hotels, Lodges, Tented camps and camping sites within and neighboring Aberdare National park. Whether it’s a wildlife watching safari, nature walks, photography tour or birds
Amboseli national park has a wide range of accommodation for holiday makers, from top luxury 5 star hotels, private excluded bush lodges, family villas to budgeted camping sites. Whether it’s
Find your beach holiday accommodation in Kilifi, a less crowded area with top luxury beach-front hotels and resorts for couples, honeymooners, groups friends and families. Kilifi beach offers a wide
Diani Beach is home to a wide range of beach accommodation; from the Luxury 5 star beach hotels, resorts, Lodges, Villas, to budget Camps and Hostels. Whether it’s a family
There are no hotels or Lodges within Hell's Gate National Park, only the traditional camping sites. Alternative accommodation can be found a kilometer away along Lake Naivasha or in Naivasha
Kisumu is home to a wide selection of luxury lodges and resort around Lake Victoria, top hotels within and around the city, family villas, tented camps and hostels; suitable for
Check out some of the popular and luxury beach accommodation in Kiwayu Island; from the secluded private beach lodges and resorts, family villas, to budget hotels and Hostels that offer
Laikipia is home to some of the country’s finest lodges that are nicely secluded within large private wildlife conservancies and national parks; a great place to just lay back, enjoy
Thinking of a luxury resort by the lake, watching birds and other species; Lake Baringo hosts some of the best lake-front hotels and lodges. There are a few nice Hotels
Lake Bogoria is a shallow saline water lake, located north of Kenya along the Great Rift Valley, about 25 km south of Lake Baringo. The lake is well known for
Lake Magadi is one of the soda lakes in Kenya located southwest of Kenya. Although its dry and remote environment, there are a few top luxury Hotels and lodges that
Whether it’s a Lake Naivasha tour, bird watching, photographing tour or mountains climbing you are after; Lake Naivasha has perfect accommodation for that. From the secluded safari lodges, golf resorts,
Enjoy nature, bird and wildlife watching in one of the fine accommodations in Nakuru. Whether it's a business trip, safari holiday, town tour or on transit; Nakuru has an array
Lamu is home to a wide selection of Luxury 5 star beach hotels, family Lodges and Villas, beach resorts, budget Camps and Hostels. Whether it's a Beach holiday, honeymoon, sporting
In Malindi, there is a wide selection of accommodation; from the Luxury 5 star beach hotels, Lodges and Villas to budget Camps and Hostels. Whether it's a Beach holiday, business
Manda Island offers a wide range of romantic honeymoon beach hotels, secluded family Villas, Lodges and resorts; Check out some of our recommended beach hotels below or contact one of
There are plenty of Hotels, Lodges, Tented camps and Camping sites in Masai Mara National Reserve; from luxury 5 star hotels, private excluded bush lodges and camps to budgeted camping
Mombasa is home to array of luxury beach hotels, lodges, villas, tented camps and hostels; There are a couple of nice hotels within the city center, along the beach and
Main activities around Mount Elgon, is wildlife and mountain viewing, nature walks and mountain climbing. There are a couple of nice huts and camping sites along Mount Elgon hiking routes
Main activities around Mount Kenya, is wildlife and mountain viewing, nature walks and mountain climbing. There are a couple of nice huts and camping sites along Mount Kenya hiking routes
Main activities around Mount Longonot, is wildlife and mountain viewing, nature walks and mountain climbing. There are a couple of nice huts and camping sites along Mount Longonot hiking routes
Whether it's a business trip, safari holiday, a city tour, family vacations or on transit; Nairobi has an array of luxury hotels, lodges, villas, tented camps and hostels just for
Enjoy nature at its best in one of the luxury hotels, Lodges or Tented camps in Samburu National park , viewing wildlife in their natural habitat or just relaxing and
Tiwi beach offers a wide range of beach-front holiday accommodation; offering a wide range of beach activities and pure relaxation. Check out some of our recommended hotels below or contact
Tsavo comprises of two national parks, namely Tsavo East and Tsavo West; there are plenty of Hotels, Lodges, Tented camps and Camping sites at Tsavo National park; accommodation ranges from
Watamu is a small beach town with top diving and snorkeling destination and a wide range of beach holiday accommodation. From the Luxury 5 star beach hotels, Lodges, resorts, family
It is true that Budgeting for a safari holiday can be a hustle and painful. We at Kentz Safaris have broken down the cost in three categories (accommodation, transport and destination); to make it easy for you while calculating your safari holiday. The three categories determine the cost of a safari holiday and can vary quite substantially depending on what you choose.
The choice of a Safari accommodation is the most paramount factor when deciding on your holiday budget; the cost would vary from the class of hotel, its location, how secluded and private it is, how close it is to major attraction points, its reputation and services offered; hotels and lodges located inside national parks and private conservancy tend to cost more, because they have easy and more access time to watch wildlife. The other group is the small secluded lodges that accommodate small groups of friends, honeymooners and families; these groups of hotels tend to cost more because they are secluded and on less populated areas.
Destination is also a paramount issue; the parks entry fee vary from park to park, for example if you want to view the Big Five all at one place, the best place to tour is Masai Mara, it's a huge national park with lots of wildlife and thus making it more expensive compared to birds watching at Lake Baringo or Gorilla trekking at Bwindi national park. Other places that would cost more are the private conservation compared to public national parks.
On the mode of transport, you are likely to pay more on luxury mode of transport like fly in safari and private 4WD cars compared to shared minibuses and vans or on an overland safari. And finally the high or low season would influence the cost of a safari; for example going to Serengeti or Masai Mara at the height of the Great wildebeest Migration or on summer will cost you more than going at other times of year.Traveling on low seasons or last minute can also help you save some money and still view a great range of wildlife.
Packing for your safari holiday can be a difficult task, below are some tips to help you out while preparing for your dream safari holiday. First, you need a small bag (about 15kgs) to use while on safari, excess baggage can be stored in the hotel.
Cloths and shoes
Clothing colors are important while on a safari, we recommend you avoid bright and camouflage colors, put on neutral colors like khaki and olive. Good walking shoes and socks are a must to avoid discomfort and injury. Make sure you try them before your travel.
Trousers and Long sleeve T-shirts can be won in the early mornings and evenings when its cold and can also prevent you from the mosquitoes; the shorts and short sleeve T-shirts are best during the day when its hot and sunny; a swimming suit, a sunhat, sunglasses and a waterproof/windproof jacket.
Supplies
Besides the personal supplies, other important supplies would include painkillers, Sun cream, insect repellents, a wildlife book, if you love reading (to read on your free time during the day), spare camera batteries and memory cards. For families with kids, you can park some games for the kids to play during the free time.
Equipment
To make sure you enjoy your safari holiday, we recommend that everyone to have a binocular and a camera with all its appropriate extras such as lenses and cleaner.
To ensure we get exactly what we require, we strongly advice all our guest to make early arrangements at least 6 months in advance
