+256 702 400 804 info@intaresafaris.com
Mara sunbeams over acacia dotted plains at sunset
The Great Rift Valley and the Mara plains

Kenya Safari Tours

5 itineraries

The shortest way into classic savannah safari

Kenya is where most travellers picture a safari before they have taken one, and the distances are kind enough that four days is worth doing. The Masai Mara for big cats and, between July and October, the river crossings. Amboseli for elephant herds below Kilimanjaro. Lake Nakuru for rhino and flamingo on the rift floor. Samburu in the dry north for species that do not occur further south. The Mara is forty-five minutes from Nairobi by air, and several of our Kenya routes carry on to Rwanda for gorillas.

All trips to Kenya

Browse all trips

5 itineraries match

What makes our Kenya trips different?

  • A planner who has driven the Mara road We will tell you where the tarmac ends, what the last hour is like in April, and when the forty-five minute flight is worth paying for instead.
  • Reserve or conservancy, explained before you choose The nightly fee, the vehicle limits and whether you may drive off-road all change between the national reserve and the private conservancies around it. We put both in front of you rather than quietly defaulting to the cheaper one.
  • Crossings described honestly July to October is the window, and that is as far as anyone can promise. We build in enough nights in the Mara to give you a real chance of a crossing rather than one morning and a hope.
  • Kenya and gorillas as one trip Nairobi to Kigali is a short scheduled flight and we run the combination often. One planner handles both countries, both sets of park fees and the permit at the Rwandan end.
  • Fixed costs shown as fixed costs Park and conservancy fees, internal flights and permits are quoted at what they cost. What you pay us for is the planning and the support while you travel, and that sits on its own line.
Talk to a Kenya specialist
Elephant family with calf below kilimanjaro
Before you book

Everything you need to know

Timing, the crossings, conservancy fees and entry rules — the Kenya questions we answer most.

When do the wildebeest cross the Mara River?

Typically between July and October, with the most activity in August and September. Crossings cannot be scheduled: a herd may build on the bank for hours and then turn away. If a crossing is the point of the trip, plan three nights or more in the Mara rather than one.

Should I fly to the Masai Mara or drive?

Nairobi to the Mara is five to six hours by road and the final stretch is rough. The flight is about forty-five minutes. Amboseli and Lake Nakuru are comfortable drives, so we usually drive those and put the Mara leg in the air, especially on trips of a week or less.

National reserve or private conservancy?

The Masai Mara National Reserve carries more vehicles and does not permit off-road driving. The conservancies bordering it cap vehicle numbers at a sighting and allow night drives and walking, at a higher nightly fee. It is a straight trade between cost and access, and we quote both so you can make it yourself.

How many days for a first Kenya safari?

Four days covers the Mara and Lake Nakuru. Six adds Amboseli and its elephant herds below Kilimanjaro. Eight to ten lets you slow the pace and reach Samburu in the dry north, where the species list changes noticeably.

Do I need a visa for Kenya?

Kenya has replaced its visa with an Electronic Travel Authorisation, applied for online before departure at USD 30 per person including children. Approval usually takes a few days, so allow at least a week. A yellow fever certificate is required only if you are arriving from or transiting a country where the disease occurs.

Can Kenya be combined with gorilla trekking?

Yes, and it is one of the routes we are asked for most: the Masai Mara and Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park inside eight days, flying Nairobi to Kigali. The gorilla permit and the flight are fixed costs; everything else on that trip is lodge choice.

What drives the cost of a Kenya safari?

Park and conservancy fees, which are charged per person per night and differ sharply between the national reserve and the private land around it. After that it is camp tier and whether you fly. Peak migration months and the Christmas period carry the highest lodge rates of the year.

Is Kenya suitable for families with young children?

Better than the gorilla countries, since game drives carry no minimum age. Individual camps set their own limits and some restrict very young children on shared drives, so tell us the ages early and we will filter the options before you see them.