Best Luxury Kenya Safaris

The best times to visit Kenya are December through March (when the climate is mild, mostly dry and the game viewing is at its finest) or during the dry season from late June to October (when the Great Migration is at its peak in the Masai Mara). The main rainy season typically lasts from April to May with a shorter wet season during November. These rainy seasons draw fewer crowds while fostering abundant vegetation for grazing species. February marks the calving season for mammals such as antelope, affording a front row seat to the newborns’ first steps and interactions.

The Great Migration is the largest animal migration in the world. Each year, more than two million animals (wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle) migrate in a clockwise direction across the ecosystems of the Serengeti (Tanzania) and the Masai Mara (Kenya). While this cycle continues throughout the year, August and September are the best times to see the Great Migration in Kenya and your chances of witnessing a river crossing are generally much higher. Come early October, the rainy season in Tanzania will commence, and the herds will embark on their return journey back to the Serengeti.

Kenya offers world-class wildlife viewing in legendary game reserves such as the Masai Mara National Reserve. Kenya’s most popular safari destination, the Mara boasts the country’s highest concentrations of lions, wildebeest and elephants. Kenya’s Samburu Game Reserve is home to several rare northern species, such as Somali ostrich and Besia oryx. Renowned for its prolific elephant herds, Amboseli National Park also harbors an abundance of giraffes, zebras and cheetahs. Chyulu Hills National Park is known for its distinctive volcanic terrain, boasting one of the longest lava tubes in the world. Private conservancies like Oj Pejeta and Lewa Wildlife afford exclusive safari experiences, such as tracking lions with a research expert and after-dark game drives.

The term “Big Five” refers to the five African animals on the must-see list of every safari adventure throughout Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana and South Africa. They include the lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and Cape buffalo. The Big Five aren’t simply Africa’s topmost predators, but rather the continent’s five most challenging animals to track.

While Kenya is geographically smaller than Tanzania, its diversity of landscape and culture affords a wide range of activities including interactive conservation experiences and community visits to local tribes such as the Maasai. Kenya’s mountainous interior and arid northern regions harbor unique species found nowhere else. Tanzania’s majestic Mount Kilimanjaro, coffee plantations, tropical coastline and island paradise of Zanzibar distinguish it from its neighbor to the north. Broadly speaking, Tanzania’s climate tends to be more tropical than Kenya’s, with more lush, green landscapes. Given their proximity and intersection of the Great Migration, these two countries are often combined into one journey.

Yes, an Electronic Tourist Visa (eVisa) is required for U.S. and Canadian passport holders. To apply online, visit evisa.go.ke/evisa.html.

Choose comfortable and casual clothing in natural, breathable fabrics that can be layered as the temperature fluctuates. For game viewing, wear neutral colors (but not camouflage, which is outlawed in game parks). Black, navy blue and other dark colors tend to attract insects. Smart casual attire is appropriate for evenings. Formal clothing is not necessary.