A considered starting point.
The classic bush-and-beach honeymoon build. Three nights of big-cat game drives in the Masai Mara, two nights among Tsavo West's red-dust elephants and Mzima Springs, then three nights on Diani's white sand with reef snorkelling at Kisite-Mpunguti. Connected by road and the SGR railway so the journey itself becomes part of the safari.
Full itinerary
Nairobi to the Mara
Cross the Great Rift Valley to the Masai Mara with a viewpoint stop, arriving for lunch and a first afternoon game drive on the open plains.
Activities: Rift Valley viewpoint, Narok lunch, afternoon game drive
Stay: Tented camp or lodge in the Mara
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Altitude: 1,500-2,000m
Big-cat country
Full day in the Mara tracking lions, cheetahs and leopards; in migration season the river crossings are the morning's mission. Optional balloon safari at dawn.
Activities: Full-day game drive, Mara River, optional balloon flight
Stay: Same camp, two-night base
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Altitude: 1,500-2,000m
Conservancies and culture
A second Mara day with a slower rhythm: morning drive, a bush lunch, then an afternoon in a neighbouring conservancy for a guided walking safari or Maasai village visit.
Activities: Morning game drive, bush lunch, conservancy nature walk, Maasai village
Stay: Same Mara camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Altitude: 1,500-2,000m
Mara to the SGR rails
Road transfer back across the Rift to Nairobi for lunch, then board the Madaraka Express SGR from Nairobi Terminus to Voi, where your Tsavo West driver meets the train for the evening transfer to your lodge.
Activities: Scenic drive to Nairobi, SGR train to Voi, evening transfer to Tsavo West
Stay: Lodge inside Tsavo West
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Altitude: 200-1,000m
Red elephants and Mzima Springs
A full day in Tsavo West: the Shetani lava flow, Mzima Springs' underwater hippo hide, the Ngulia rhino sanctuary and Tsavo's famous red-dust elephant herds.
Activities: Full-day game drive, Mzima Springs, Shetani lava flow, Ngulia rhino sanctuary
Stay: Same Tsavo West lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Altitude: 200-1,000m
To the Indian Ocean
Morning game drive and brunch, then the road east to Diani Beach (about four hours), arriving in time for a first swim and a sunset dhow cocktail.
Activities: Morning game drive, drive to the coast, Diani Beach sunset
Stay: Beach resort in Diani
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Altitude: Sea level
Reef and dhow day
A full day on the water: dhow trip to Wasini Island and Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Park for snorkelling among dolphins and reef fish, with a Swahili seafood lunch, or a lazy pool-and-palm day instead.
Activities: Kisite-Mpunguti snorkelling, Wasini Island, Swahili seafood lunch, optional old-town Mombasa
Stay: Same Diani resort, two-night base
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Altitude: Sea level
Beach morning, farewell flight
A slow beach morning, then the short flight from Ukunda to Nairobi Wilson or Moi International for your onward connection. Asante sana - and Kenya waits for your return.
Activities: Beach morning, Ukunda-Nairobi flight, departure
Stay: None - journey ends
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: Sea level
Watamu Safaris
Heritawi Safaris field stories from Kenyan Coast.
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