Kenya Safari Holidays: Packages, Parks & What We Include
Holiday to Kenya safari packages typically run 3-10 days and cover parks like Masai Mara, Amboseli, and Tsavo. Masai Mara fees are $200 per person per 12 hours during peak season (July-October), dropping to $100 in low season. KWS parks like Amboseli charge $90 for premium parks and $80 for others, paid online via eCitizen. A 3-day Masai Mara safari starts around £960 per person sharing, while a week-long circuit covering multiple parks runs £2,500-3,500. Dry season (June-October) offers the best wildlife viewing and coincides with the wildebeest migration in the Mara.
We run safaris from Nairobi most weeks. Some clients come for three days, some for two weeks. The wildlife doesn’t change based on budget, but the experience does, and the gap is bigger than most people expect. A couple sharing a private Land Cruiser can sit with a leopard for an hour if they want. A group of eight in a shared minivan moves on after ten minutes because someone’s already seen enough cats. Kenya works well for first-timers. The infrastructure is solid, the guides speak good English, and the distances between parks are manageable compared to Tanzania or Botswana. The Mara is a 45-minute flight from Wilson Airport or about 5-6 hours by road if you leave Nairobi by 7am before the Limuru traffic builds. Amboseli is closer, maybe 4 hours if the Mombasa highway cooperates (it usually doesn’t on Fridays). Tsavo connects easily to the coast, which matters if beach time is part of the plan.
What’s Included in Our Packages
We quote all-inclusive because surprises at the end of a trip aren’t pleasant. When we say a safari costs £960, that covers everything except tips and personal expenses. No hidden fees, no “oh, park entry is extra.”
Included
Transport in a 4×4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof. We cap vehicles at 6 passengers even though they technically seat 7 because everyone needs a window seat and elbow room for cameras. Your driver-guide for the duration, and we’re picky about who we use. All park and reserve entry fees, which have become a significant chunk of trip cost. Accommodation on full board, meaning three meals daily plus tea and coffee. Drinking water during game drives. Pickup from your Nairobi hotel or the airport. We prefer pickups from hotels near Westlands or the city centre; Karen and Langata work too, but if you’re staying way out in Thika or Athi River, that adds an hour to everyone’s morning.
Not Included
International flights. Kenya ETA (about £25, apply online at evisa.go.ke a few days before travel). Travel insurance, which you absolutely should have. Tips for guide and camp staff. Alcoholic drinks. Optional activities like balloon safaris (around £350 in the Mara, and they fill up during peak season). Some camps charge extra for laundry.
Tips
This catches people out every single trip. Budget £15-20 per day for a driver-guide who’s doing their job well, plus a separate envelope for camp staff. Some lodges have tip boxes; others prefer you hand it to the manager who distributes it. Ask your guide what’s customary at each specific place because it varies. We’ve had clients bring too little cash and feel awkward at the end. ATMs genuinely don’t exist in the Mara, the nearest one is Narok town, and even that runs out of cash sometimes. Bring enough from Nairobi in mixed denominations. Small notes matter because nobody can break a $100 bill in the bush.
Sample Package Costs
These are actual rates for two people sharing a private vehicle, valid for travel through mid-2027. Prices shift during peak migration season, and we’ll tell you upfront if your dates fall in a higher bracket.
3-Day Masai Mara Classic
Pickup from Nairobi (we aim for 7am departure to beat the worst of the Westlands traffic), drive to the Mara via Narok, two nights at a mid-range lodge inside or near the reserve, game drives morning and afternoon. From £960 per person sharing Flying instead of driving adds about £180 each way but saves 5 hours of road time and gets you into the bush by lunchtime. We’ve had clients who loved the drive for the scenery through the Rift Valley escarpment, and others who wished they’d flown. Depends on your tolerance for bumpy tarmac. The Mara works well for short trips because you’re not wasting time driving between parks. During migration season (July-October), this itinerary often produces river crossing sightings, though we’ve also had weeks where the herds sat on one side of the river for days without moving. That’s wildlife.
4-Day Amboseli Safari
Nairobi to Amboseli via the Mombasa road (about 4 hours if we leave early, longer if we hit truck convoys near Sultan Hamud), three nights in the park, game drives timed around the mountain. From £1,280 per person sharing Amboseli delivers on elephants. Reliably. The bulls here have tusks you won’t see anywhere else in Kenya. Kilimanjaro is the wild card. Mornings are best because cloud cover builds by 9 or 10am most days. We’ve had clients with perfect mountain views every single morning, and we’ve had clients who saw nothing but cloud for three days. Pack your patience and your camera with a long lens.
7-Day Kenya Wildlife Circuit
Masai Mara (3 nights), Lake Nakuru or Lake Naivasha (1 night), Amboseli (2 nights). This covers the major ecosystems and gives breathing room between destinations. From £2,720 per person sharing The connecting drives take time, but that’s not wasted time. The Rift Valley views between Nairobi and Nakuru are spectacular, and the landscape shift from highland to savannah to semi-arid scrub tells a story about Kenya’s geography. Lake Nakuru has rhinos and sometimes flamingos depending on water levels (they’ve been unreliable lately). Naivasha works if you want to add a boat ride or visit Hell’s Gate on bikes.
Where We Go
Kenya has dozens of parks and reserves. These are the ones we book most often.
Masai Mara National Reserve
The Mara is where most Kenya safaris go, and honestly, for good reason. Lion prides are common, leopards show up regularly in the riverine areas near Talek and the Mara River, and cheetahs hunt on the open plains where you can watch the whole chase unfold. During migration season, the wildebeest crossings are unlike anything else in Africa. The reserve is managed by Narok County, not Kenya Wildlife Service, which is why the fee structure looks different. Peak season (July-October) costs $200 per person per 12-hour period. Low season drops to $100. That 12-hour window matters: if you enter at 6am, you’re covered until 6pm, but staying for a night drive or entering again the next morning is a second fee. Operators handle payment directly with the county, usually at the gate, and queues at Sekenani Gate during busy season can run 30-40 minutes. Vehicle numbers can be high. We’ve seen a lion sighting attract 20+ vehicles in August. The private conservancies bordering the reserve (Olare Motorogi, Naboisho, Mara North) offer strict vehicle limits but cost more and require staying at specific camps. For first-timers, the main reserve is still the best value. Masai Mara Safari Packages
Amboseli National Park
Elephants with Kilimanjaro behind them. That’s the shot everyone wants, and Amboseli can deliver it, but the mountain has its own schedule. We tell clients: mornings before 9am are your window. After that, clouds roll in from the Tanzania side and you’re photographing elephants against a grey wall. Amboseli is a KWS premium park. Entry is $90 per adult per 12 hours, paid via KWSPay. The park is relatively small compared to the Mara, which means vehicles cluster when something interesting happens. A good guide will know the less-trafficked areas and the times when certain elephant families tend to appear near the swamps. But the elephant herds here are genuinely special. Researchers have studied some of these family groups for over 40 years. The matriarchs know the vehicles, they’ve been seeing them their whole lives, and they’re remarkably calm. We’ve had vehicles surrounded by 30+ elephants feeding within metres. That doesn’t happen in parks where humans and animals have a more wary relationship. Amboseli National Park
Tsavo East and West
Tsavo is huge, properly huge. Combined, the two parks cover more area than the Mara and Amboseli put together. The landscape is drier, the vegetation sparser, and the famous red elephants (coated in iron-rich dust that turns them terracotta) are unlike what you’ll see elsewhere. Entry is $80 per adult per 12 hours for both parks. Wildlife density is lower than the Mara. You might drive an hour between sightings, which some people find peaceful and others find frustrating. We ask clients upfront which type they are because Tsavo isn’t for everyone. What Tsavo does well: it feels wild. Fewer vehicles, bigger skies, more space. The game viewing requires patience, but when you find lions here, you’ll probably be alone with them. The Galana River in Tsavo East attracts hippos and crocodiles, and Mzima Springs in Tsavo West has an underwater viewing chamber where you can watch hippos from below (weird, wonderful, and unlike anything else in Kenya). Tsavo connects well with beach holidays. The Mombasa road runs straight through Tsavo East, so we often build itineraries that do 2 nights Tsavo East, then continue to Diani or Watamu. Tsavo East National Park
Lake Nakuru National Park
Rhinos. Both black and white rhinos live here in reasonable numbers, making it one of the most reliable places in Kenya to tick that Big Five box. The lake used to be famous for millions of flamingos, but water levels have changed and flamingo numbers now fluctuate unpredictably. Entry is $60 per adult per 12 hours. The park is small and close to Nairobi (about 3 hours), making it useful as a day trip or overnight stopover between Nairobi and the Mara. Lake Nakuru National Park
Samburu National Reserve
Different wildlife from southern Kenya. The “Samburu Special Five” includes species you won’t see in the Mara or Amboseli: Grevy’s zebra (finer stripes), reticulated giraffe (geometric pattern), gerenuk (stands on hind legs to browse), Beisa oryx, and Somali ostrich. The Ewaso Nyiro River runs through the reserve, drawing elephants to its banks. The landscape feels properly northern Kenya, drier and more dramatic than the green Mara highlands. Entry is $70 per adult per 12 hours, and getting there takes about 5-6 hours from Nairobi, so Samburu works better as part of a longer itinerary. Samburu National Reserve
Questions We Get Asked
“Will we definitely see lions/leopards/the Big Five?”
Lions are common in the Mara and Amboseli. A 3-day safari usually produces multiple lion sightings. Leopards are harder because they’re solitary and often nocturnal. The Mara has resident leopards around Fig Tree and Talek that show up maybe 60% of trips. Rhinos are genuinely difficult outside Lake Nakuru and Ol Pejeta Conservancy. We don’t guarantee specific animals. We’ve had guests see all Big Five on their first morning and others who spent four days without a leopard.
“Is it safe?”
Kenya has decades of safari industry experience. The parks are safe. Follow your guide’s instructions, stay in the vehicle unless told otherwise. Nairobi has normal urban issues like any large African city. Keep your camera strap on in town, use hotel taxis at night rather than flagging random cars. The lodges and camps are secure with 24-hour staff.
“We’re travelling with children. Is that possible?”
Yes, with caveats. Some camps don’t accept children under 12 because game drives start at 6am. Others welcome families with specific activities: bush walks, Maasai visits, tracking lessons. Kids under 5 often get free or discounted park entry. Lodges with pools help because children need breaks from vehicles. Kenya Family Safari
“The prices seem high. What are we paying for?”
Park fees have increased significantly and represent a big chunk of any trip. A day in the Mara during peak costs $200 per person just for entry. Add accommodation, vehicle, guide, and fuel. The difference between budget and mid-range is vehicle exclusivity and accommodation comfort. Mid-range to luxury is about private conservancies, vehicle limits, and service level. Kenya Safari Cost
Timing
Dry Season (June-October)
Best wildlife viewing because animals concentrate around water and grass is short. The wildebeest migration is in the Mara from roughly July through October, though exact timing shifts year to year. This is peak season with higher prices and busier parks. The Mara during August feels different from November. Book months ahead for specific camps during migration, especially August-September.
Wet Season (November-May)
Lower prices, fewer tourists, green landscapes. The “short rains” in November-December are usually afternoon showers that don’t disrupt drives. The “long rains” March-May are different: some roads become difficult, a few camps close. We’ve done April safaris that worked fine and others where we spent more time pulling vehicles out of mud than watching animals. Best Time to Visit Kenya
Migration Timing
The wildebeest don’t check calendars. They’re generally in the Serengeti December-June and cross into the Mara July-October, following rains and grass. River crossings are most likely August-September but not guaranteed. We’ve had clients sit at crossing points watching herds approach the river, stare at the water, and turn around. We’ve had others arrive at the exact moment thousands plunged into crocodile territory. Anyone who promises you a specific outcome is lying. Wildebeest Migration
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Kenya safari cost? A 3-day Mara safari starts around £960 per person sharing. Week-long circuits run £2,500-3,500 depending on accommodation and parks. Budget group safaris cost less; fly-in luxury costs significantly more.
What’s the best month? July through October for migration. January-February has lower crowds and good weather. June and November are shoulder months with decent viewing at better prices.
How many days do you need? Minimum 3 days for one park. 5-7 days for multiple destinations without feeling rushed.
Can you combine safari with beach? Yes. The Kenya coast (Diani, Watamu) connects via short flights or road through Tsavo. We often build 4-5 days safari plus 3-4 days coast. Kenya Safari and Beach Holiday
Start Planning
We’ve been running holiday to Kenya safari trips for years. Tell us your dates, budget, and what matters to you. We’ll tell you what’s realistic and put together an itinerary that makes sense.
Planning Resources
For more information on specific destinations and trip types:
Peter Munene, KPSGA Bronze Guide | 10+ years guiding across Kenya | Edited by Trevor Charles