Plan Your Kenya Trip

Start with the shape of your trip

Most first-time visitors try to fit too much in. Kenya rewards a slower pace — two or three locations, each given enough time to actually settle into. A common and reliable shape is four nights on safari in the Masai Mara or Amboseli, three nights on the coast at Diani or Watamu, and a night at either end in Nairobi for arrival, departure, and a half-day at a giraffe or elephant sanctuary.

If this is your only trip to East Africa for a while, resist the urge to add a fourth region. Travel between parks eats a full day each time, and the parks themselves are large enough that two full days inside one reserve usually outperforms one day each in two reserves.

Decide on timing first — everything else follows from it

Kenya's seasons split the year into four practical windows, and the one you choose will shape your route, your budget, and what you actually see. The short version: July through October is peak wildlife season, driven by the Great Migration river crossings in the Mara. January and February offer drier weather and big cat sightings without migration crowds. March through May is the long rains — cheaper, quieter, and lush, but with some lodge closures and muddier roads. November is the short rains, brief and usually manageable.

For a full breakdown of what each month is actually like on the ground, see our Best Time to Visit Kenya guide.

Build your itinerary in this order

What it actually costs

Safari pricing in Kenya is driven almost entirely by camp choice, not by the country being inherently expensive. A mid-range tented camp in the Mara runs roughly $250–450 per person per night, full board with two game drives daily. Luxury camps with private guiding and premium locations run $600–1,200+. Budget travelers can find simpler lodges and group game drives from around $120–180 per night, though availability in peak season is limited.

On top of accommodation, budget for park conservancy fees (typically $60–100 per person per day in the Mara, varying by reserve), internal flights ($150–300 per leg), and your Kenya ETA processing fee.

Pack for sharp temperature swings

Safari mornings start cold — game drives often begin before sunrise when temperatures can sit in the low teens Celsius. By midday on the savanna it's commonly 28–32°C. Layering beats anything else: a fleece or light jacket for the early drive, breathable cotton or technical fabrics for midday, and a warm layer again for evening. Neutral colors (khaki, olive, tan) are standard for safari; avoid bright white, black, or camouflage patterns, which are restricted for tourists in some areas.

Health and entry essentials

A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required if you're arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission — check your specific routing. Malaria prophylaxis is strongly recommended for most safari regions; discuss options with a travel clinic at least a few weeks before departure. Your passport should have at least six months' validity remaining from your arrival date, and you'll need your Kenya ETA approval confirmed before boarding your flight.

Where to go deeper

This page is the planning overview. For destination-specific detail, our Masai Mara Travel Guide covers conservancies, game drive timing, and migration crossing points in depth, and our Kenya Travel Information page covers visas, currency, connectivity, and safety in full.