International · Kenya
Kenya
Where the Great Migration began — and where it still ends every year.
Ideal length
10–12 days
Bespoke from
₹4.2L / pax
Time zone
GMT +3
Visa
eTA, 3 days
Featured packages
Featured packages for Kenya.
The Place
Kenya is the place to start an African journey. The Masai Mara during the migration, Lake Naivasha in the Rift Valley, and a finishing stretch on the Lamu archipelago — Swahili stone houses, dhows, no cars. We work with conservancies that limit vehicle numbers per sighting.
Language
Swahili, English
Plug
Type G · 240V
Vaccination
Yellow fever from India
Bush flights
Light aircraft, 15kg soft bag
Best time
July – October, January – February
Getting there
Direct flights to Nairobi from Mumbai
Currency
KES
Preferred · Why we go
Three reasons Kenya stays on our atlas.
Preferred · 01
Conservancy stays
Off-road game drives, walking safaris, night drives — none allowed in the public parks.
Preferred · 02
The Great Migration
We book the right camps in the right windows, 12+ months out.
Preferred · 03
Lamu finish
Two nights of sea and silence to end a safari.
When to go
Signature experiences
The reasons you came for, and a few you didn't.
WildlifeMara conservancy game drives
Off-road, after dark, on foot — none of which is allowed in the public reserve.
SunriseHot-air balloon over the Mara
Liftoff at first light, champagne breakfast in the bush, a chase vehicle home.
WalksWalking safari with a Maasai guide
Tracks, plants, and small things you'd miss from a vehicle. Two-hour loops, never alone.
OceanLamu dhow sail at sunset
Stone Town's old harbour, a Swahili sailor at the tiller, no engine. Dinner at Peponi's after.
QuirkyGiraffe Manor breakfast
Rothschild giraffes through the dining-room window — a strange and lovely Nairobi morning.
CultureSamburu cultural day
A village visit on Samburu terms, with a guide whose family lives there.
A possible shape
One way to spend your time in Kenya.
Not a fixed trip — a sketch to argue with. Every Gallivant journey is rebuilt around your dates, pace, and people.
Day 1
Arrive Nairobi
Giraffe Manor or Hemingways. A long lunch and an early night.
Day 2–4
Masai Mara
Three nights at a Mara North or Olare Motorogi conservancy camp. Twice-daily game drives.
Day 5–7
Laikipia or Samburu
Northern Kenya. Walking, fly-camping, conservation work with Lewa or Borana.
Day 8–10
Lamu archipelago
Stone Town nights, dhow days, a north-coast beach house finish.
Day 11
Onward
Direct flight Mumbai or Doha connection home.
Where you'll sleep
Three archetypes, one shortlist.
Cliff-top safari lodge
Angama Mara
Tented suites on the rim of the Oloololo escarpment — the view that 'Out of Africa' opens with.
Owner-run conservancy lodge
Sirikoi, Lewa
Six cottages on a private conservancy. Rhino tracking on foot, conservation talks at dinner.
Swahili island inn
Peponi Hotel, Lamu
Family-run since 1967. White lime walls, dhow harbour at the doorstep.
On the plate
Food, drinks, and the rituals around them.
Nyama choma at a Nairobi shack
Goat ribs on charcoal, ugali, kachumbari — the way Kenya actually eats.
Swahili biryani in Lamu
Coastal Indian-Arab heritage on a plate. We know the family that makes the best one.
Bush breakfast in the Mara
Eggs on a fire, hippos a hundred metres away, no phone signal.
Which season
The year, in four moods.
Long dry · Jul–Oct
Migration window. River crossings July–September. Book 12 months out.
Short dry · Jan–Feb
Calving season in the southern Serengeti spills into northern Tanzania — quiet, predator-rich, fewer crowds.
Long rains · Mar–May
Lush, green, low-season pricing. Some camps close. Coast still good in March.
Short rains · Nov–Dec
Brief afternoon showers, dramatic light. Excellent value.
Field notes
Small things that change the trip.
Practical Kenya knowledge from people who keep going back.
- 01
Conservancy beats public park — always. Fewer vehicles, more freedom, conservation fees feed the community.
- 02
Soft bag only on bush flights. Hard cases get refused.
- 03
Tipping matters and is well-defined: $20 pp/day for guides, $10 pp/day for camp staff.
- 04
Malaria prophylaxis is required for the Mara and Laikipia. Lamu is mostly clear.
- 05
Yellow fever certificate required for re-entry to India.
Questions
What we get asked about Kenya.
Pair this with
Trips we often run alongside.
Begin
Plan your Kenya trip.
No instant quotes. Share a few details and one of our designers will write back within a working day with a thoughtful first sketch.
Direct line · +91 98 1010 1010
Or write · hello@gallivantjourneys.com