Luxury & Private Kenya Safaris
When the mind’s eye dreams of an African safari, chances are, it’s a portrait of Kenya. It’s where the modern safari was born and to this day, remains the ultimate destination for wildlife viewing. From tropical forests that hug the Indian Ocean and open savannah to arid shrubland and Rift Valley lakes, Kenya’s appeal is as diverse as its kaleidoscope of landscapes. Layered upon its dramatic scenery are wonderful opportunities to connect with Indigenous peoples, a pleasing climate well suited to year-round travel, streams of wildlife moving with the Great Migration, and sumptuous safari lodges and tented camps. Sharing a border with Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, the iconic Maasai Mara National Reserve is Kenya’s most famous safari destination—and it’s got the wildlife to back up its legendary reputation. Casting an eye further north, exciting safari adventures await on the Laikipia Plateau and in Samburu County—each meriting a visit. South of the Mara, venture into the heart of Maasailand in Amboseli and the Chyulu Hills, where elephant herds gather in the shadow of formidable Mount Kilimanjaro. Across the country, Kenya’s collection of private conservancies are writing biodiversity comeback stories. For travelers staying in a conservancy, the upside is three-fold: exclusivity away from mass market crowds, knowing tourism dollars cycle directly into conservation and local communities, and a wider diversity of activities not possible in Kenya (or Tanzania’s) national parks and reserves. When you’ve raised your last sundowner on safari, make an easy transfer to a Lamu Island beach or relax into the serene, forested foothills of the Matthews Range.
What to Expect on a Luxury Safari in Kenya
For the most part, luxury safaris in Kenya focus on game drives as the primary mode of wildlife viewing. Days are typically scheduled around an early morning and an afternoon drive. Sunset is observed with sundowners in-hand—a gin and tonic is the tradition, but you might pick a tipple from a tailgate mini bar—served in a scenic spot. Depending on your camp or lodge, a gourmet, multi-course dinner can be taken convivially with other guests, privately in your room or al fresco in the bush. After dark, you might gather round an outdoor fire, stargaze, enjoy a night game drive (depending where you are), lay out on a star bed, or simply retreat to your room to rest for the next glorious day on safari.
Activities like hot air ballooning (in the Mara), guided bush walks, community or conservation project visits, horseback riding, camel safaris, mountain biking, fishing, scenic flights (and so much more) add diversity to the day. Kenya has no shortage of luxurious tented safari camps and lodges spanning a diversity of landscapes ranging from open savannah to acacia woodlands, grassland and coastal beaches, and broadleaf forest.
