Safaris in Kenya

In those Southern and East African countries that are home to abundant wildlife, safari tourism has developed at different rates, but Kenya was certainly one of the first out of the blocks. It has been open to visitors seeking an up-close experience of Africa’s big game and wondrous landscapes for decades. The famous Treetops Lodge in Kenya’s Aberdare National Park was where Queen Elizabeth stayed in 1952, climbing the ladder to her room a princess and descending the next day as a queen, after her father King George VI died overnight. By the time she visited, though, the Lodge had already been open to visitors for 20 years – back in 1932 it charged £10 per bed, per night.

From those early colonial days, Kenya has developed its safari options, and become the go-to choice for many people seeking a classic African wildlife experience. As a result, it’s no longer as exclusive as when Her Majesty first vacationed there, but it does offer incredible choice, with safaris to suit almost all budgets. There are luxury lodges, simple campsites, chic tented camps and family friendly accommodation staffed with expert guides who can engage and enthuse little ones – pretty much something for everyone.

Kenya is one of Africa’s richest wildlife viewing areas, with a huge diversity of species inhabiting its plains, lakes and forests. The Big Five is large and in charge here, with both black and white rhino present in several of the parks, including Lake Nakuru and Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Amboseli has a huge concentration of elephants and the compact Masai Mara is one of the best places to see lions and leopards in Africa, which is why the BBC filmed its Big Cat Diary here for so many years. Cheetahs and spotted hyenas are also present, while huge pods of hippos splash about in the Mara River, alongside gigantic Nile crocodiles. Kenya also has astonishing birdlife – over 1,000 species – with everything from rare lammergeyers wheeling above Hell’s Gate National Park to mega flocks of pink flamingos on Lake Nakuru.

Tailor made safaris provide the greatest flexibility in Kenya and there are plenty to choose from. The most luxurious options make use of high-end lodges or swish tented camps on small private reserves, where you’re paying not only for the quality of accommodation but it’s exclusive location, away from other tourists and in the midst of the wildlife. The more you spend, the more comfortable you can expect to be, of course, with superb food and service, and in-house facilities such as a pool and spa. Top end accommodations also offer additional excursions and treats, too, from horse riding to hot air balloon rides over the plains (often with champagne, just to ramp up the fun).

Tailor made trips that take in a handful of Kenya’s parks and reserves often rely on domestic flights to keep travel times to a minimum and journeys comfortable. Trimming out these expensive domestic flights is something safaris at the more budget end of the spectrum typically do, and small group tours that travel overland in a dedicated safari vehicle are always less expensive than something tailor made. Kenya’s road network is pretty good, particularly in the south, and here many of the parks are within a three or four hour drive of each other, so this is definitely not as gruelling as traveling overland in, say, Botswana.