Kenya safari holidays

Kenya is the iconic location of the Great Migration. Between July and October every year, the Masai Mara fills with thousands of grazers, as they journey from the Serengeti in search of water and fresh grasslands. The migration usually starts between late-July and early-August but, as this show is run by Mother Nature, timings can vary.

During the Great Migration, it’s thought that 1.5 million wildebeest, 400,000 zebra and 300,000 gazelles travel to the Masai Mara. If you plan your Kenya safari for July, you’ll be able to watch dramatic river crossings, as the animals dodge strong currents and lurking crocodiles. During August and September, meanwhile, the wildebeest creatures make themselves at home on the plains, eagerly watched by big cats and hyenas. In October, the rains return to Kenya – and by November, the wildebeest begin their journey back to the Serengeti.

The Masai Mara is the ultimate destination for a Kenya safari holiday. Located in the southwest of the country, tucked inside the Great Rift Valley, this incredible grassland covers nearly 600 square miles. And it shares an unfenced border with Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, allowing animals to move freely between the two.

There’s never a bad time to go on safari in the Masai Mara, as there are excellent wildlife-watching opportunities all year around. Its diverse population includes the ‘Big Five’, as well as giraffes, hippos, zebras, and hundreds of bird species. And you’ll have a brilliant chance of seeing cheetahs, as the Masai Mara is one of the best places in the world to see them.

Make sure you also spend some time learning about the Maasai people. Instantly recognisable by their iconic red robes and impressive shields – which you can also see on Kenya’s national flag – the Maasai Tribe continue to uphold many of their traditional customs.

Although Amboseli National Park only covers about 150 square miles, its wide-open landscape makes for an easy safari holiday. In fact, it’s the best place in Africa to get close to large herds of wild elephants, as more than 1,000 of these gentle giants call this place home. But that’s by no means all you’ll see. Besides big cats and grazing herds, Amboseli National Park has more than 400 bird species, including dozens of birds of prey. 

The southern boundary of the park is dominated by Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain. Clouds can sometimes render Kilimanjaro invisible, but fantastic photo opportunities are available when this clears – usually around dawn or dusk. The combination of wildlife and incredible views makes Amboseli National Park a great choice for your safari holiday in Kenya.

Kenya safaris don’t come much more picturesque than by Lake Nakuru. Its combination of bushy grassland, acacia trees and rocky escarpments is breathtakingly beautiful. And, as the name suggests, the park’s defining feature is a large, shallow lake.

Over two million flamingos used to congregate around Lake Nakuru to feed, turning the whole area awash with pink. Their numbers dropped between 2014 and 2019 but, in recent years, these colourful birds have started to return. You’ll also be able to see other bird species, including pelicans, cormorants and kingfishers. While there aren’t any elephants in Lake Nakuru National Park, it is home to both black and white rhinos, and the endangered Rothschild's giraffe.

If you’re after a Kenya safari holiday that combines wildlife with a city break, look no further. Just six miles south of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi National Park is the country’s most accessible game reserve. In fact, it’s the only game reserve in the world that borders a capital city. The savannah is home to a large and varied wildlife population – and, in certain places, you can even view the animals against a backdrop of Nairobi’s nearby skyscrapers. 

Although the absence of elephants means it can’t be classified as a ‘Big Five’ reserve, Nairobi National Park is one of the best places in East Africa for spotting black rhinos. Other residents include giraffe, zebra, ostrich, buffalo, and more than 400 bird species. Cheetahs, lions and leopards also roam here, but they’re not seen all that often – you’ll need a bit of luck and patience to see one of these infamous creatures.