Watch the Mara river crossings
Wildebeest and zebra crossing crocodile-filled water is the single most photographed moment of the migration: never guaranteed on a given day, but reliable across the season.
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East Africa
Things to do in Kenya
Open savanna, a migration measured in millions, and a hospitality that runs deep.
Explore Kenya on the map →Budget$$
Best for7-10 days
CapitalNairobi
VisaeTA required online before boarding: no visa on arrival, about $30
CurrencyKenyan shilling (KES)
LanguagesSwahili, English
InternetGood in cities
Typical lodging$30–$90/night
Driving sideLeft
Power & voltage240V / 50Hz (Type G plug)
Time zoneUTC+2 to UTC+3
Emergency number999 or 112
Dialing code+254
★★★★★ Wildlife★★★★★ Adventure★★★★★ Photography
Visa rules and emergency numbers can change without notice. Confirm the specifics for your nationality and dates before you travel.
Travel smart
Bottled or purified water only. 10% at restaurants; guides and drivers appreciate a daily tip.
Kenya sits directly on the equator, which keeps its seasons driven by rainfall rather than temperature: the same warm weather runs most of the year, and it's the wet or dry months, not hot or cold ones, that decide where the animals and the crowds are. The Maasai Mara is the northern half of the same ecosystem as Tanzania's Serengeti, so the migration simply walks back and forth across an invisible border.
When to go
Long dry seasonJune–October
The classic safari window: wildlife concentrated around water, and from July the wildebeest herds arrive in the Mara with dramatic river crossings through September.
Short dry seasonJanuary–March
Mild, mostly dry, with newborn wildlife on the plains and generally easier photography light than the peak months.
Long rainsMarch–May
The heaviest rain of the year: some camps close, roads get difficult, but rates drop sharply and the landscape turns green.
Short rainsNovember–December
Brief afternoon showers rather than all-day rain, lower prices than peak season, and a quieter, greener Mara.
20 things to do
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Wildlife & nature
10Go on a dawn game drive in the Maasai Mara
Lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant and buffalo all present year-round, with the light and animal activity both at their best in the first hours after sunrise.
Track rhino in Lake Nakuru or Ol Pejeta
Both black and white rhino are protected in fenced or heavily patrolled conservancies, a rare chance to see a species that's disappeared from most of its former range.
Meet the last northern white rhinos
Ol Pejeta Conservancy is home to the two remaining northern white rhinos on earth, both female, kept under guard as science looks for ways to save the subspecies.
See flamingos on the Rift Valley lakes
Lake Nakuru and Lake Bogoria draw huge flocks depending on algae levels, which shift year to year: sometimes a thin pink line on the water, sometimes a solid one.
Walk with a Samburu guide in the north
Samburu National Reserve holds species not found further south, Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, in a drier, more remote landscape than the Mara.
Track chimpanzees at Ol Pejeta's sanctuary
The only place in Kenya to see chimpanzees, a sanctuary for animals rescued from the pet and bushmeat trade elsewhere in Africa, not a native population.
Visit the Giraffe Centre in Nairobi
A conservation centre for the endangered Rothschild's giraffe, with a raised platform that puts visitors at head height with the animals.
Feed an orphaned elephant
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi hand-raises orphaned elephant calves for eventual release back into Tsavo, public visiting hours are brief and popular.
Go on safari in Amboseli, under Kilimanjaro
Kenya's answer to postcard Africa, elephant herds crossing open plains with Kilimanjaro's snowcap behind them, clearest at dawn before clouds build.
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Culture & history
2
Visit a Maasai village
Community visits arranged through the village itself, not a drive-by, offer a look at a culture still built around cattle, age-set traditions and a pastoralist life that persists alongside the safari industry.
Spend a day at Lamu Old Town
A UNESCO World Heritage Swahili town on an island off the north coast: no cars, carved wooden doors, dhows in the harbour, and thirteenth-century trading roots.
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Food & markets
2
Eat nyama choma
Grilled meat, usually goat, cooked over an open fire and shared straight off the board, the default centrepiece of a Kenyan weekend meal.
Spend a morning in a Nairobi market
The Maasai Market rotates locations through the week, selling beadwork, carvings and fabric direct from makers, good for bargaining and better for conversation.
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Adventure & outdoors
3
Take a hot air balloon safari
A sunrise float over the Mara plains, finishing with a champagne breakfast set up in the bush below: one of the more expensive mornings you can spend in Kenya, and one people rarely regret.
Climb Mount Kenya$150–200
Africa's second-highest peak, with routes that don't require technical climbing to reach Point Lenana, moving through five distinct climate zones on the way up.
Take a walking safari
A handful of conservancies allow armed-guide walking safaris: slower, quieter, and focused on tracks, dung and smaller life the vehicles drive past.
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Coast & water
2
Snorkel or dive Watamu Marine Park
Coral gardens, turtles and reef fish just off a coastline most safari visitors never reach, with a slower, beach-town pace than the parks inland.
Kitesurf or relax on Diani Beach
White sand and warm water on the south coast, with a well-established kitesurfing scene alongside straightforward beach time.
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Slow days
1
Watch the sunset over the Mara plains
No specific site: just find a high point in camp or on a drive as the light goes gold, which is when a lot of the wildlife starts moving again.
Common questions
▾Is Kenya safe for tourists?
Established safari circuits, the Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, and the main coastal resorts, see heavy tourism and are generally safe with a reputable operator. As with any destination, check current travel advisories for specific regions before you go, particularly near the Somali border.
▾How much does a Kenya safari cost?
Budget camping safaris start around $150-200 per person per day; mid-range lodge safaris run $300-500; luxury tented camps can exceed $1,000 per day. Park fees, which fund conservation, are a fixed cost layered on top regardless of comfort level.
▾When is the best time for the wildebeest migration?
July through October, with the dramatic river crossings into the Maasai Mara concentrated in August and September. The migration is a year-round cycle across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, but this window is when the herds are in Kenya specifically.
▾Do I need a visa or eTA for Kenya?
Yes. Kenya requires an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) for nearly all visitors, applied for online before you fly. There is no visa on arrival anymore, so this has to be sorted before you board, not after you land.
▾How many days do you need for a Kenya safari?
A focused Maasai Mara safari works in 3-4 days. A week to ten days lets you combine the Mara with Amboseli or Lake Nakuru and add a few days on the coast at Diani Beach afterward.
▾Is Kenya expensive?
It sits in the middle: safari park fees and lodges push costs up, but Nairobi and the coast are affordable by comparison, and budget camping safaris make the classic experience accessible without a luxury-trip price tag.
