Top Kenya Tours & Vacations 2024/2025 [reviews & photos]

Kenya Tours & Travel Packages 2024/2025

141 Kenya trips. Compare tour itineraries from 22 tour companies. 409 reviews. 4.8/5 avg rating.

Small Group Kenya Tours

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Top Kenya Attractions & Experiences

Top Kenya Experiences

  • Witnessing the annual Great Migration of more than a million wildebeest, zebras and gazelles across the swift-flowing Mara River, where hungry predators lie in wait.
  • Birdwatching on Lake Nakuru home to a million flamingos, among 450 bird species.
  • Taking a safari at Amboseli National Park, with Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, rising majestically in the background.
  • Hiking up Mount Kenya
  • Taking a sailing trip along Kenya’s coastline
  • Encountering Maasai tribesmen in Maasai Mara dressed in traditional red cloaks herding their cattle as wildlife roam nearby.

Kenya Tours & Travel Guide

Kenya Attractions & Landmarks Guide

Kenya, the heart of the former British East Africa, was the setting for the books and films “Born Free,” “Out of Africa” and many others. As a result, countless Westerners have been inspired to experience a Kenyan safari for themselves. If you’re one of them, Kenya may be the right country for you.

Its modern capital, Nairobi, provides a good transition when flying in and out, but the real action is in the savannahs and valleys of the south, the semi-arid deserts of the north, and the 300-mile-long Indian Ocean coast to the east, with its lovely beaches and intriguing Swahili culture.

Top National Parks in Kenya

Kenya has numerous National Parks, filled with beautiful scenery, botany, and animals.

Check out these parks on your Kenyan Adventure:

1. Mt. Kenya - this is the second tallest mountain in Africa. The surrounding area is filled with lakes, glaciers, dense forest and animals. Activities include mountain climbing, camping, and animal spotting.

2. Amboseli National Park - known as the “home of the African Elephant,” and is one of the best viewing areas to see herds of animals. Sitting by Africa’s highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro, there is a variety of habitats in the National park, including wetlands, savannah, and a dried-up lake bed.

For travelers looking for a local, authentic, cultural experience, visit the nearby Maasai community. Wildlife includes leopards, cheetahs, buffalo, elephants, giraffes, zebras, lions, and crocodiles.

3. Nairobi National Parksitting about an hour outside of Nairobi, this makes for an easy day trip from the city. Experience the wildlife (including black rhinos, leopards, lions, buffalo, and giraffes) running through the wide open grass plains, with the city skyline in the background.

4. Samburu National Reserve - a game reserve that sits on the banks of the Ewaso Ng’iro river in the Rift Valley area of Kenya. The park is noted for being quiet and serene, since it’s distance and inaccessible prevented major tourism for a while. While the park is home to the normal big five, there are rare species that are exclusive to the park, including Grevy’s zebra, and Kenya leopard.

5. Maasai Mara National Park - one of the most famous safari parks in the world, and is known for its high density of lions and leopards. Many visitors come to Maasai Mara to watch the Great Migration that happens during the dry season (July-October). This reserve is also located in the Great Rift Valley. Most visitors of Maasai Mara are likely to see all of the big five because of the abundant wildlife.

Wildlife on a Kenya Safari

Like most African Safaris, there is a good chance that all five of the “big five” will live in the park. The big five include lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo, and rhinos. Other common animals on Kenya Safaris include zebra, the African impala, giraffe, warthogs, and wildebeest.

In July-October, there is the Great Migration, where millions of animals (wildebeest, zebras, and gazelle) move up from Tanzania into Kenya. Of course, visitors will still be able to spot these animals throughout the year, but it’s a magical experience to witness the Great Migration.

No two safaris are the same, even if you go on multiple game drives in one day. Each drive offers an opportunity to see different animals. With that, there is no guarantee you’ll see every animal on every drive.

Regardless, little compares to the serenity and beauty of seeing wildlife roaming free. A lot of animals spend time in the shade midday, as the sun is hot. Consider safaris that offer sunrise and/or sunset tours, which is when most animals are out walking around. If you do go on a safari during the afternoon, keep a lookout under trees, and above branches, as they like to relax in the shady spots.

Luxury safaris in Kenya

For travelers who want to get out and see the animals and the wild, but may be hesitant about “roughing it” or sleeping out in a tent, a luxury safari may be the perfect solution! There are plenty of lodges that have actual bedrooms, viewing decks, provide breakfast, lunch and dinner, and even have spas and pools!

For those who are looking for a bit more of a “tent luxury safari,” consider a stay at the Angama Mara. The individual tents are made up of one glass wall that look over the rift valley. The other three walls, and the roof, are made up of canvas. Walk out the sliding glass door onto the deck incredible views of the valley. Feel the fresh air at night and hear the wild, by sleeping with the sliding door open. There is a mesh door that can be latched for safety.

Luxury safaris can start in the low hundreds (American dollars) per room per night, and can climb into the thousands, per night! Having all meals provided, and safaris with knowledgeable guides included are usually worth the high costs of luxury safaris.

Kenyan Cuisine

One of the best parts about traveling is getting to try new foods!

Here are some of the must try foods for anyone visiting Kenya:

1. UgaliKnown as Kenya’s most common food staple, Ugali is often made from cornmeal that is mixed with boiling water. The cornmeal is heating until it forms a block of cornmeal paste. It’s heavy and feels like a grainy dough. Ugali is often eaten with mixed vegetable or stew.

2. Irio - another famous dish in Kenya. Green peas and potatoes are boiled and mashed up before mixing with corn. Combine the mixture with some roasted nyama choma meat and serve. For vegetarians, substitute the meat for some stew.

3. Wali wa Nazi - a more popular food found on the coast along the Indian Ocean. White rice is cooked with grated coconut, giving it a fun hint of flavor. This food is often served with fish, chicken curry, vegetables, or stew.

4. Nyama Chomaalso known as roasted meat, is another popular food choice in Kenya. While the most common forms of nyama choma is goat and beef meat, there are also chicken and fish options. The roasted meat is combined with salt for a little bit of extra flavoring. Some places offer an option for the meat to be “fried” rather than roasted.

5. Chips Mayai - also known as a French fry omelet, is a combination of French fries that are mixed with beaten eggs. Pop the “fries” (or chips) in the pan, cover with the beaten egg, and cook.

This dish is often served with chili tomato sauce. Tomato sauce and fries are a popular combination in Kenya. Other options include KenyanBajias (French-fries with tomato salsa) or MasalaChips (French-frieds with tomato and chili sauce, herbs, and whatever other foods the chef decides to throw in.

6. Mandazi - this makes a great snack, breakfast, or dessert option. This deep fried dough is basically a Kenyan doughnut. Any doughnut lover should be on the lookout to try Mandazi when in Kenya

Masai and Merchants

Kenya is diverse: scattered among the most populous native tribespeople (such as Kikuyu, Luo, Meru, Samburu), you’ll find Masai warriors in their red tribal garments the far south, black-robed Muslim women on Lamu Island, merchants from China and east India along the coast, British expats in Nairobi, and global archaeologists and anthropologists out in the field. The only thing excluded from that list are the visitors from around the world who come to view and photograph some of the most remarkable wildlife on earth -- they can be found nearly everywhere.

If you book with an experienced safari operator, you can expect to see all or most of these creatures in their natural settings: lions, elephants, giraffes, Cape buffalo, rhinos (both white and black), hippos, leopards, cheetahs, zebras, wildebeest, hyenas, warthogs, ostriches, flamingos, and many more.

While it’s not necessary to visit a half-dozen different game parks to see most of the animals you want to see, tours that take you to several distinct parts of this fascinating country have the advantage of allowing you to drink in views of some of the most extraordinary landscapes on earth. The volcanic, lake-pocked Rift Valley, the vast sprawling savannahs, the red-tinged soils and desert sands of the interior, the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean – all combine to create magical backdrops that are doubly enhanced by glimpses of giraffes galloping by the roadway or the sounds of elephants marching and trumpeting in the distance.

The Great Migration

While most everyone would like to be in Kenya in late summer and early fall for the Great Migration of wildebeest, zebras and Thomson’s gazelles racing north from Tanzania’s Serengeti Plains into Maasai Mara National Reserve , don’t overlook the quieter pleasures of game-viewing at Meru National Park or Samburu National Reserve in northern Kenya. Other great spots can be found in the wide-open spaces of vast Tsavo East and West national parks to the south.

The January-February dry season is ideal for these parks, but even during the spring rainy season game viewing can be productive and rewarding, especially in the hands of expert guides. To help you find those guides, Stride offers an ever-expanding list of reputable safari tour operators who respect the environment and know how to find the animals and the best angles for photographing them.

With a wide selection available, you’re sure to find the right Kenyan safari to suit your level of adventurousness and budget. And before you know it, you’ll be starring in your own production of “Into Africa.”

Kenya Reviews & Ratings

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Anonymous

Mar 2018

Provided byExodus Travels

Great trip!

It was a great trip, wonderful to see the animals in their natural habitat. Some long days of driving but well worth it in the end. Erellah was great leader, poi...

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Anonymous

Mar 2018

Provided byExodus Travels

Kenya & Tanzania safari adventure Aug 17

Saw all the infamous National parks & so much awesome wildlife, too numerous to mention. Great group, relaxing tour pace & even the camping was great! The w...

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Anonymous

Mar 2018

Provided byExodus Travels

Kenya & Tanzania Safari Adventure Aug 17

Although we had previously visited Kenya six years ago (on the Gorillas and Masai Mara trip) we had never seen the wildebeest crossing so I had really hoped to be ...

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Anonymous

Jan 2018

Provided byExodus Travels

A trip of a lifetime!!

This trip was a once in a lifetime trip and the memories we made will last a lifetime!! Hot air ballooning over the Masai Mara was incredible and the large numbers ...

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Anonymous

Jan 2018

Provided byExodus Travels

Unbelievable adventure

Well where to begin in reviewing this trip? I guess at the start and it certainly is as advertised an adventure, and an adventure you will never forget. From the v...

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