Kenya

The briefing

Kenya is the template for the African safari - the Masai Mara's vast open plains, Amboseli's Kilimanjaro backdrop, and a coast that closes every trip well. The Masai Mara during the Great Migration from July to October is simply the most watched wildlife spectacle on earth. Wildebeest crossings at the Mara River, lion and cheetah on open plains, and hot-air balloon dawns over the grass. Kenya rewards an early start and a loose afternoon, not a packed checklist.

The Masai Mara during the Great Migration from July to October is simply the most watched wildlife spectacle on earth. Wildebeest crossings at the Mara River, lion and cheetah on open plains, and hot-air balloon dawns over the grass. It lives up to everything ever written about it.

Lamu is the forgotten dimension of Kenya - a Swahili island town largely unchanged since the 14th century, reachable only by boat, where the streets are too narrow for cars. Dhows still fish the channel; the food is extraordinary; the pace is entirely its own.

How to get there

Gateway airports: NBO, WIL. Build the rest of the trip around the arrival.

Book first

Flights - NBO → Stay close to the trailheads, not an hour of extra desert driving in Kenya → Operator - 4WD, permit, or canyon outfitter after the stay