Best places to visit in Kenya

Aberdare National Park is the land of high-altitude moorlands, ancient forests with towering waterfalls and mountain streams filled with brown trout.

The park rises from 1,829m to 4,001m and is perfect for hiking, birdwatching, fly fishing, and game driving.

The east is home to stunning waterfalls 300 meters tall and surrounded by forests, with trees adorned with beard moss. Additionally, resident wildlife species include buffalos, forest elephants, and rare species like the Eastern Bongo and Black Leopards.

The west features vast moorlands offering numerous hikes, including trekking to Mount Stima - Kenya’s third-highest mountain.

Amboseli National Park is the land of elephants and views of Mount Kilimanjaro. During the rains, the landscapes turn green, unveiling stunning mountain panoramas.

Amboseli is situated on a prehistoric lakebed and receives only 350mm of rain annually. However, the park has a saving grace.

Numerous vein-like swamps stretch into the landscape and are fed by snowmelt from Mount Kilimanjaro. The constant water source attracts innumerable species of birds and animals, making for superb wildlife spotting.

Elephants are the stars of the show in this beautiful park; however, four of the Big Five can be seen.

Hell's Gate National Park encourages you to explore the ochre-coloured gorge on foot, bike, or even while rock climbing. You’ll soon discover why this ruggedly beautiful park has inspired several films, including The Lion King.

Located near Lake Naivasha, with four campsites, numerous trails and plenty of rock faces, it offers numerous activities during a stop-off on a northern safari.

While cycling along a trail, you can spot giraffes, buffalo, zebra and more. Meanwhile, birdwatchers can scan the cliffs to see nesting places of rare birds such as Ruppel’s, Hooded, and White-backed vultures or even spot rare visitors, like Lammergeiers.

Lake Naivasha offers a quintessential Kenyan experience on the shores of a picturesque freshwater lake.

Naivasha is one of a network of north-south lakes in the Rift Valley. Despite not being a national park, it is home to numerous birds and animals, which can be spotted among the Yellow Fever trees and on boat trips.

One of the best places to spot wildlife is walking among waterbucks, giraffes, zebras, and even hippos on Crescent Island while the Fish Eagles call overhead. Nearby, you can trek to the summit of Mount Longonot for a unique climb surrounded by wildlife.

Lake Nakuru National Park is a small but stunning park where flamingos and pelicans can be seen in large numbers.

Numerous animals, except elephants, can be seen on the lake's shoreline. Highlights include rhinos, lions, leopards, buffalos, and rare Rothschild's giraffes, making for rewarding game drives. It is also a birdwatching paradise, thanks to 450 recorded species.

Finally, the park is beautiful. If a palette of colours had been used to paint the world, Lake Nakuru would have been the starting place, as it is adorned with rich and vivid colours, making it a stunning ecosystem.

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in northern Kenya will leave you feeling inspired and full of hope. This former cattle ranch became a haven for rhinos during the poaching crisis and now conserves one of Kenya's largest populations of these endangered animals.

Lewa also funds community development initiatives, ensuring a future where all Kenyans cherish, safeguard, and prosper from the natural world.

With stunning views of Mount Kenya, this private conservancy is home to the Big Five and much more. As visitors' numbers are limited to conserve the ecosystem, guests are rewarded with a secluded feeling, even during the high season.

The Masai Mara Game Reserve is home to one of the world's largest concentrations of wildlife and the annual wildebeest migration. Therefore, if you want to see as many species as possible in a beautiful savannah landscape, then the Masai Mara is the perfect destination.

While exploring this abundant ecosystem on a Masai Mara Safari, you can see numerous elephants, big cats, and other species.

Bordering private conservancies like Mara North, Olare Orok, Naboisho, and Enonkishu offer intimate experiences in this popular reserve.

The Masai Mara is one of the most popular and best places to visit in Kenya for a safari.

For the ultimate experience, you can also enjoy a cross-border safari into Tanzania to experience the Serengeti National Park.

Meru National Park, in northern Kenya, allows you to connect to nature in a remote wilderness. Often overlooked, this park is for those who prefer to take the road less travelled. It offers stunning landscapes and exceptional wildlife viewing while avoiding the crowds.

You can see the Big Five, the Northern Five, and 427 bird species. While at the rhino sanctuary, White and Black rhinos await.

Its secluded location ensures a unique safari with minimal human traffic, making it the perfect destination for seasoned safari-goers. This park is a true gem that will reward the curious with incredible experiences.

You can leave the world behind at Mount Kenya National Park, as it is an unknown gem where few have travelled.

Like an isolated island, the park is home to fauna and flora only found here. Moreover, waterfalls, moorlands, and high-altitude forests combine to form a magical landscape you can explore on foot.

For those with summit ambitions, you can trek to one of its peaks - Batian (5,199m), Nelion (5,188m), and Point Lenana (4,984 m), the easiest and most popular trek.

Multiple other hiking treks for those without summit ambitions will make you want to return repeatedly. It is truly one of the best places to visit in Kenya.

Nowhere else can you witness a lion strolling the horizon with the skyscrapers of the country's capital looming in the background. You can explore the park on a day trip with one of our guides.

On Nairobi’s southern outskirts, you can experience wildlife viewing as good as, if not better than, other African countries. You can see four out of the Big Five, except for elephants, and numerous other species.

Moreover, adolescent elephants can be seen being bottle-fed at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's orphanage.

The burning of tons of illegally hunted ivory in the 1990s turned the park into a symbol against poaching, drawing attention to its devastating impact. Visitors to the ivory burning site are reminded of the harm caused by poaching.

Ol Pejeta Conservancy is home to the Big Five and endangered species like African Wild Dogs, Black Rhinos, and the world's last two Northern White Rhinos. It also has a high concentration of predators, set amidst stunning views of Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Mountain range.

It is a private conservancy promising intimate experiences, so if you want to avoid busy sightings during the high season, consider Ol Pejeta. It is one of the best places to visit in Kenya for a safari.

Ol Pejeta is another inspiring conservancy that directs funding into numerous conservation and community projects, which offers an exciting future for Kenya’s wildlife and people.

In northern Kenya, Samburu National Reserve is characterised by beautiful scenery and large herds of elephants. Samburu is one of our favourite places to visit in Kenya on a remote northern safari.

The Ewaso Nyiro River flows along the park’s southern border, with Mount Kenya providing a stunning backdrop. Game drives along the riverbanks allow you to see a variety of wildlife, including lions and leopards.

From the shade of the Doum Palms and Acacia trees, you can watch herds of elephants come and go from the river, allowing you to observe family dynamics.

Samburu is also home to the Northern Five including the Reticulated Giraffe, Beisa Oryx, Somali ostrich, Grevy’s zebra and Gerenuk.

Shaba National Reserve has a lower wildlife population, but the compensation is stunning landscapes far from the crowds.

It is among the most northerly reserves in Kenya and allows seasoned safari-goers to unwind in the wild. Game drives along the Ewaso Nyiro River will allow you to see lions, elephants, cheetahs and the 'Northern Five'.

Additionally, the reserve borders Buffalo Springs National Reserve and Samburu National Reserve, which offer excellent wildlife spotting opportunities and are great places to visit in conjunction with Shaba National Park.

Solio Game Reserve is a sanctuary for rhinos where up to forty rhinos can be seen at one time in a fenced sanctuary. Lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffaloes, zebras, giraffes and 300 birds also reside here.

Located between Aberdare National Park and Mount Kenya National Park, Solio is a perfect stopover on a northern safari.

A highlight is the opportunity to explore on foot, bike, and even while horse riding. Consequently, charming hospitality and unique experiences will make you want to return time and again.

Tsavo East National Park is Kenya’s largest park, home to an ancient landscape with twisting rivers, unique rock formations, lava flows, and Stone Age art.

It is home to Kenya’s largest elephant population, a high density of big cats, numerous endangered species, and around 500 bird species. Moreover, its vast semiarid landscapes make you feel alone even during the high season.

Situated halfway between Nairobi and the coast, visiting Tsavo East allows you to conclude your safari on the tropical beaches of the north or south coast - enabling you to relax and recharge before your journey home.

Tsavo West National Park's defining feature is its beautiful landscapes. 

Along the Tsavo River, you can enjoy superb wildlife viewing. However, as you venture away from the river, you’ll discover dense vegetation that can make viewing wildlife challenging. Nevertheless, the stunning landscapes with conical hills, lava flows, rich ochre and black soils will make up for it.

A highlight of the park is a year-round oasis called Mzima Springs that transforms the surrounding landscape into a green paradise. Here, visitors can enter a glass-panelled underwater chamber to observe hippos, crocodiles, and shoals of fish in the crystal-clear water.

Diani Beach, located 35 km south of Mombasa, offers beachfront accommodations, restaurants, bars, and various activities along its 17-kilometer-long palm-fringed beach.

Diani is one of the best places to visit in Kenya for a beach holiday after your safari.

It is easily accessible via the Dongo Kundu highway bypassing Mombasa City. Alternatively, you can fly into Ukunda. Once there, you'll be greeted by the warm turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean.

The area features coral reefs, small islands, marine parks, ancient forests, the historic town of Shimoni, and numerous water sports.

Alternatively, you can relax on the beach, board a dhow, or rest by the pool with a good book. When you're ready to leave, you can conveniently fly out from Mombasa.

Kenya’s North Coast is a stunning tropical destination, the ideal place to recharge before your journey home. Travelling north, you will discover Mombasa, Kilifi, and the jewels —Watamu, Malindi, and Lamu.

The coastline has beautiful tropical beaches, with accommodations just meters from the water's edge. Here, you can savour delicious seafood and exceptional hospitality.

On the North coast in Kenya, you can explore ancient history, visit charming fishing villages, observe coastal wildlife, or discover an incredible underwater world.

The turquoise Indian Ocean features barrier reefs that provide habitats for various corals and fish, much of which is protected within Marine National Parks.

Experience an unforgettable post-safari getaway, and fly home from Mombasa Airport.