Best of Kenya: Landscape, Safari, & Beach - 12 days

Day 1: Arrive in Nairobi

After your arrival in Nairobi, the tour guide will drive you to your accommodation. At the hotel, you can relax and recover from any jet lag you may have or you can start exploring the bustling city.

Nairobi, the capital, is also the largest city in Kenya. The name comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nairobi, which translates to "cool water" and refers to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. This busy city, which has an estimated population of over six million people in the metropolitan area, is popularly referred to as the Green City in the Sun. The city was founded in 1899 by the colonial authorities in British East Africa, as a rail depot on the Uganda Railway.

You can spend the afternoon and evening resting or use the time to explore the bustling central hub of Kenya by visiting one of the city's famous flea markets or eating out at an authentic Kenyan restaurant.

Day 2: Transfer to Samburu Reserve & Visit Mount Kenya

After breakfast, you will travel north from Nairobi through magnificent central highlands towards Samburu Reserve. There will be a stop where you can take in some of the beautiful landscapes while enjoying a hot cup of coffee as you get an inside look into the pineapple farms. You will also stop at the foot of the majestic Mount Kenya, which is over 17,000-feet (5,200 meters) above sea level.

The local ethnic people, known as the Kikuyu tribe, are agriculturalists who make use of the highly fertile volcanic soil on the lower slopes. They believe that God, commonly referred to as "Ngai" or "Mwene Nyaga", lived on Mount Kenya when he came down from the sky and that the mountain is Ngai's throne on earth. It is the place where Gĩkũyũ, the father of the tribe, is believed to meet up with God.  

The drive up to the northwest of Kenya includes a 20-minute stop at the equator closing line. At the equator, you can experiment with water and the different ways it moves in the two separate hemispheres. Among local people, it is believed that standing in the middle of the equator for an hour will align your spinal cord and cure back problems.

In the afternoon, you will arrive in time for a game drive to your accommodation in Samburu Reserve.

Day 3: Explore Samburu National Reserve

You will have a full day to explore the famous Samburu Reserve and all the wildlife it has to offer. The reserve was one of the two areas in which conservationists George and Joy Adamson raised "Elsa," the lioness famously known for the best-selling book and award-winning movie called "Born Free". 

Samburu offers a sublime birding experience with coveted endemic and arid specialists such as the Somali ostrich, guineafowl, Hunter’s Sunbird, and William’s Lark as well as a cast of creatures such as gerenuk, reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, Beisa oryx, striped hyena, and much more.

To enjoy a full day of bird watching and animal sightseeing, it is a good idea to bring a packed lunch and drinking water from the hotel.

Day 4: Transfer to Olpajeta Conservancy

Today you'll depart for Olpajeta Conservancy, which is on the equator, west of Nanyuki and between the foothills of the Aberdares and Mount Kenya. You should arrive in time for lunch and an afternoon game drive where you can spot chimpanzees, some of the last remaining northern white rhinos, and the Big Five.

The Ol Pejeta Conservancy, which is 140 square miles, is a non-profit wildlife conservancy that operates in Central Kenya's Laikipia County. The Ol Pejeta Conservancy works to conserve wildlife, provide a sanctuary for great apes, and to generate income through wildlife tourism, as well as create complementary enterprises that focus on reinvesting funds into conservation and community development including health, education, and infrastructure development projects.

The conservancy boasts the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa. In 2013, they reached a population milestone of 100 black rhinos. It also houses the two remaining northern white rhino in the world, who were moved here from Dvůr Králové Zoo in the Czech Republic. On top of this, the conservancy's Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary provides a haven for orphaned, abandoned, and rescued chimpanzees. It is the only place in Kenya where you can view these incredible great apes. During game drives, you may also spot the Big Five among a large selection of other African animals.

Day 5: Visit Mount Kenya

This morning you will depart for Mount Kenya. The forests surrounding this famous mountain offer great birding experiences. Some notable species living in these forests include the Lesser Kestrel, Jackson’s Widowbird, Abbots Starling, Jackson’s Francolin, Hunter’s Cisticola, the Crowned Eagle, African Grass Owl, the Cape Eagle Owl, and many more species.

You will arrive in the late afternoon. After settling in, you can explore the nearby forests and go bird-watching on foot.

Day 6: Visit Lake Nakuru National Park

Depart for Nakuru today, with a stopover at a magnificent view of the Great Rift Valley. You will arrive in Nakuru in time for lunch.

Your afternoon will be spent exploring Lake Nakuru National Park. This remarkable park is internationally known for its animal sanctuary which includes both black and white rhino species. While exploring the park, you'll also discover many different bird species including the spectacular pink greater and lesser flamingoes. The park is also home to large flocks of pelicans, waterbuck, leopards, and the endangered Rothschild giraffe.

Day 7: Animal Migration at Maasai Mara Park

Head for Maasai Mara Park today, which is fondly known as "the jewel of Kenya's parks". This world-famous wildlife reserve is teeming with wildlife and birds. You will arrive at Maasai Mara Park in the late afternoon.

The park is an extension of the vast Serengeti ecosystem, which is known for some of the most spectacular game migrations in the world. Every year, over a million animals including wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle migrate from the Serengeti in northern Tanzania across the Mara River and into Kenya in search of fresh feeding grounds. The migration takes place between late June and September. During this crossing, hundreds of animals are swept away by the fast-moving Mara River while others are killed by African Crocodiles—meaning only the fittest make it into Kenya.

Day 8: Cultural Experience & Exploring Maasai Mara

This morning, you can visit a Maasai village to discover the wonderful culture of the indigenous villagers. This visit includes personal interactions with "the Morans". These are the young Maasai men trained as soldiers to protect the Maasai communities. The Morans once had to kill a lion as a rite of passage into manhood.

A traditional dance performed by men and women will welcome you to their village and a guide will lead you through the village as you discover how the Maasai live, as well as learn about their beliefs and traditions. There are also demonstrations of how the Masaai make fire using just sticks and animal dung. You will have the unique opportunity to go into Maasai villagers' houses and witness the full family setup. At the end of the guided tour, you will have a chance to buy some gift items and curios made in their village at the market.

 You will have the rest of the day to explore this spectacular park—pay close attention to the migrating animals and look out for the Big Five. Because of the thriving wildlife activity, a second day in the park gives you the chance to witness the natural behavior of the park's wildlife. This can include a lion killing, a cheetah chase, or the serene activities of elephants grazing and birds building nests. 

Day 9: Game Drive in Maasai Mara

You can choose how to spend your last full day in Maasai Mara.

Most game drives are between two to three hours long. The sheer diversity of wildlife in the park means that going for a game drive is a good idea—since it's more than likely you'll spot different species or witness unique interactions that you didn't see previously. You can opt for a full-day drive which starts at 10 am and ends at 4 pm. Bird watchers may want to get an early start to the day and start the game drive at 6:30 am, for a three-hour game drive, to catch the spectacular birds at sunrise.

Day 10: Transfer to Mombasa Coast

You will depart from Maasai Mara in the morning to catch your local flight to Mombasa. The flight to the Kenyan coast, which departs from the park, offers spectacular views of Maasai Mara and Serengeti Park from the air. 

After arriving in the picturesque Mombasa, known as Kenya's white and blue city, you will have the chance to relax as you enjoy an African beach experience.

Day 11: Visit Diani Beach

Today you'll have the whole day to discover a sunseeker's paradise, Diani Beach, at your own pace. There are a host of water-related activities to choose between as well as plenty of restaurants to try and sights to see. Otherwise, you can enjoy a quiet day suntanning or dipping into the clear turquoise water.

Suggested activities:

• Start the morning with a stroll along the beach.
• Set up camp for a proper lie out and take full advantage of the stretches of dazzling white-sand beach and crystal-clear shallows interspersed with rising sandbars.
• Go for a dip or snorkel to see some of the stellar underwater life which could include spotting wild dolphins.
• If you're feeling adventurous, you can try kitesurfing, rent a jet ski, or arrange to go scuba diving.
• Check out Kaya Kinondo, a forest revered by the Digo people and the only sacred forest open to tourists. You can enjoy a guided nature walk through the small grove, stepping over chunks of ancient coral and tangled roots as you discover medicinal plants and an ancient tree believed to take away fears and worries.
• Visit the 16th-century Kongo Mosque further north. This is Diani's last surviving relic of the ancient Swahili civilizations that once controlled the coast. Consider bringing a packed lunch with you to enjoy a picnic under the baobab trees that are clustered here.
• Join a tour to the Colobus Conservation Center to view the injured or orphaned colobus, Sykes', and the vervet monkeys who are receiving rehabilitation. The center helps protect the Angolan black and white colobus monkey since the species is in decline. You'll be able to spot them crossing the road on rope ladders that were put up by the center's staff.

Day 12: Departure 

When it's time to depart, you will catch a domestic flight back to Nairobi before getting onto your international flight. Depending on your departure details, you may have the chance to soak in some sun on the beach in Diani before heading home.