The Best Itinerary for a Safari in Kenya

Nairobi

I travelled to Nairobi on a trip of a lifetime with one of my friends. We were keen to go to Kenya specifically to go on a safari trip. We had friends who had been before and gave us some tips and recommendations for accommodation. If you would like any tips with your trip, please contact me! It would have been quite difficult to organise ourselves without the help that we had from friends.

We organised our flights, accommodation and safari ourselves and it worked out to be the most cost effective way. We chose a moderately priced safari lodge in the Lemek conservancy and we stayed in mid-range hotels either side of our safari experience in Nairobi. I had a few quotes from travel companies for our safari trip but I ended up booking everything separately myself. Everything went perfectly but I appreciate that having someone organise the trip for you in an unfamiliar country is probably less stressful!

I could easily go on another safari – it’s such an amazing experience!

Wildebeest Eco Camp

We landed in Nairobi in the evening and easily got an Uber to our camp. We stayed at the Wildebeest Eco Camp for 2 nights. The camp is a 30 minute drive from the airport. Stepping into the camp feels exactly like entering the jungle. There’s trees and greenery everywhere, with tents dotted throughout the resort. There is a pool, bar, restaurant and free Wifi.

We stayed in a deluxe safari tent which was a ‘glamping’ tent with its own bathroom inside. It was fabulous! The room rate included breakfast, which was superb and plentiful.

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

For our first activity in Nairobi, we visited the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. We organised the trip through our camp – they organised a driver for the day to take us the the wildlife trust and the giraffe centre afterwards.

The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust stands as a beacon of hope for Kenya’s vulnerable wildlife, particularly orphaned elephants and rhinos. Founded in 1977, this pioneering organization has dedicated itself to the rescue, rehabilitation, and eventual release of these majestic animals back into the wild.

Through its innovative fostering program and community outreach initiatives, the Trust not only saves individual lives but also works tirelessly to address the root causes of wildlife displacement and habitat destruction. With a steadfast commitment to conservation and a vision of a world where wildlife thrives, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust continues to inspire and educate people around the globe about the importance of protecting our planet’s precious biodiversity.

We arrived to see the playful baby elephants at their morning mud bath. The elephants were roaming freely and but seemed used to wandering over to the paddock in front of the visitors viewing area. It was a humbling experience to witness the love that goes into caring for these elephants. We learned about some of the elephants and how they had been orphaned at a young age due to poachers. I’m happy to have played a small part in supporting the important conservation efforts of the Trust in helping to care and nurture for these elephants and rhinos.

Nairobi Giraffe Centre

On our first full day in Nairobi, we visited the giraffe centre. It is attached to the famous Giraffe Manor. You might have seen this hotel on Instagram – it looks amazing!

Giraffe Manor and Giraffe Centre offer incredible encounters with the giraffes in their care, making them must-visit destinations for animal lovers and adventure seekers alike. We made friends with a giraffe called Dolly who came over for feeding time!

You can see the Giraffe Manor through the trees from the giraffe centre. It is a charming boutique hotel nestled within a 140-acre forest. Guests can dine with the resident Rothschild’s giraffes, who often poke their heads through the windows in search of treats! I’ve seen some cute videos of this on IG – it looks like such a fab experience.

The Giraffe Centre is a conservation sanctuary dedicated to the preservation of the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe species. You can learn about conservation efforts and we even had the chance to hand-feed the giraffes from an elevated platform. I have some amazing memories of feeding these majestic creatures against the backdrop of Nairobi’s natural beauty.

Losokwan Camp

We chose to stay at Losokwan Camp in the Lemek Converancy of the Maasai Mara. Again, this camp had been recommended to us by friends who had already been. There are lots of amazing safari camps in the area and we could have chosen any. They all look so beautiful and provide a really authentic experience.

The Lemek Conservancy, situated in the amazing landscapes of Kenya’s Maasai Mara region, stands as a beacon of sustainable conservation efforts. Spanning over 22,000 acres of pristine wilderness, this community-led initiative is dedicated to preserving the natural habitat and biodiversity of the area while empowering local Maasai communities.

The conservancy provides a sanctuary for a diverse array of species, including wildlife that make Kenya’s ‘The Big 5’ – elephants, lions, rhino, buffalo and leopard. We were lucky enough to see all of these fabulous creatures roaming around in their natural habitat.

Visitors to Lemek have the unique opportunity to experience the wonders of the African savannah while contributing to the conservation efforts that ensure its long-term survival.

Flight from Nairobi to Mara North

To get to the camp, we flew with Mombasa Air from Wilson Airport. This was organised for us by Losokwan Camp after we booked our stay on booking.com. They emailed us to organise our transport.

We paid $340 USD per person for the flights (We went in 2019). We paid through a link that the camp sent us via email.

A few points to mention about the flight and airport:

• The baggage limit is strictly 15kg including hand luggage and has to be in a soft bag. We specifically had a large backpack for this trip due to the restrictions on this flight
• The planes are tiny – they had approximately 10 seats. We were sat directly in the row behind the pilot and co-pilot. There was only 4 other people squashed onto the flight with us and I mean squashed! The plane felt full.
• It is a great experience in itself to fly low in a tiny plane overlooking the plains of Kenya. We managed to spot some rhino as soon as we took off!
• The airport building where you check in is similar to an office building. It was difficult to find and we had to ask a security guard to help us as it was confusing. We had to check in at ‘Block Charlie – Ground Floor’.
• The check in place was simply a small room in this office-like building.
• We were transported to the main ‘terminal’ which was slightly more like an airport. Although again, it was one large room with lots of people sat around like a waiting room.
• When our flight was called, we went straight out onto the tarmac surrounded by all the small planes and shown to the correct one. We had to check that our bags were on the floor next to the plane before we climbed on board.

Landing at Mara North

The landing strip at Mara North is just sand surrounded by fields and some animals roaming around in the distance! There is no airport – just a hut with a toilet in it. We got off the plane, but the other 4 people stayed on it and carried onto their destination, like a bus.

Our driver, Peter, from Losokwan Camp was already waiting in the jeep to welcome us! We landed at 11am and went on a game drive straight away before heading to the camp. We booked full board at the camp so we had all meals included. The camp made lunch for us as soon as we arrived.

We happened to be the only guests staying at the camp for the entire 3 days we were staying there! Guests had just left the day before and they had some more arriving after we left. We were greeted by the staff when we pulled up the camp. They lined up outside to welcome us and introduce themselves. It was really nice although we were quite overwhelmed when we found out we were the only guests for the next 3 days. They made us feel really welcome and gave us a tour of the camp.

Losokwan Camp – Tent & Food

We booked a Luxury tent with a mountain view on booking.com. We paid $1670 USD altogether for 3 nights and full board. Our tent faced outwards towards the mountains and across the savannah. There was a full bathroom at the back of the tent. It was gorgeous!

We had a walkie-talkie in the room for a few reasons. We had to radio to ask for the hot water to be turned on for a showers and to be collected from our tent every time we wanted to leave and walk the short distance to the main camp! The walk was only a few minutes through the trees on a path which was well lit at night. However, there was a possibility of lions or other animals being right outside the tent as there are no barriers around the camp.

We were not allowed to leave our balcony – just in case there was a predator around!

We had a nap one afternoon and woke up to a zebra just outside our window, chomping away on the grass and flapping its ears. It was so cool!

Included in the room price was:

• Lemek Conservancy fee $70 per adult per night
• One bush breakfast
• Drinking water in the room
• Airstrip transfers
• Laundry
• Wifi

Here is the list of the prices for game drives and additional activities (2019):

• Shared game drives – $30 per person per game drive
• Night game drive – $30 per person per game drive
• Bush walk – $80 per person
• Balloon Safari $450 per person

You can also do a full day game drive to the Maasai Mara National Reserve. This is where you can see ‘the Great Migration’ of the Wildebeest migrating across the river, however this only happens at a specific time of year.

The Great Migration of wildebeest in the Maasai Mara National Reserve is a spectacle unlike any other, drawing travelers from around the world to witness nature’s grandest procession. Each year, millions of wildebeest, along with zebras and gazelles, embark on their journey across the plains of East Africa in search of greener pastures. As they brave treacherous river crossings and navigate the savannah’s unpredictable terrain, the dramatic scenes of predator-prey interactions unfold before spectators’ eyes.

The Maasai Mara plays host to a critical chapter of this awe-inspiring migration, offering visitors a front-row seat to one of the most remarkable wildlife events on the planet. Whether witnessing the thundering hooves of the wildebeest as they stampede across the Mara River or observing the majestic predators that lie in wait, experiencing the Great Migration is an unforgettable testament to the power and resilience of the natural world.

Kenya Safari Game Drives

The game drives were the main event of the trip and the best experience ever! We had 5 game drives in total, including 1 full day trip to the Maasai Mara National Reserve. The rest of our game drives were around the Lemek Converservancy, where the camp is based.

We were so lucky to see all the wildlife you could possible hope to see on safari in Kenya! The wildebeest were everywhere. There were multiple lion prides and even some lion cubs. We tracked a few leopards too, which are quite rare to see according to our guide. Giraffes, hyenas, hippos, buffalo, elephants, antelope, zebra… the list goes on!

We went to the big river in the Maasai Mara reserve and saw lots of hippo lazing around. This is the same river where the Great Migration happens with the wildebeest once per year. We ate our lunch sat on the banks of the river watching the hippo – far away from predators!

Here is our game drive and meals itinerary:

Day 1

• Land in Mara North then short game drive
• Lunch and check in
• Evening game drive, watching the sunset on the plains and then back to camp for our evening meal

Day 2

• Woke up to watch the sunrise over the savannah, then breakfast
• Full day game drive to the Maasai Mara Reserve – approx. 3 hours drive
• Visit to a small village to pay the Mara fees
• Lunch with the hippos
• Drive back, watch the sunset in the savannah then back to camp for our evening meal

Day 3

• Breakfast and then morning game drive
• Back to the camp for a chilled afternoon, lunch and a nap
• Our final evening game drive! Back to the camp for our evening meal and then getting ready to leave in the morning!

We had the best time at Losokwan Camp! Te game drives were incredible, the food was gorgeous and we basically had a private camp all to ourselves for our trip. We saw all the animals you would want to see on safari – I can’t imagine having a better safari experience!

Nairobi – Villa Rosa Kempinski Hotel

We flew back at 10am to Nairobi. Our jeep took us to the airstrip and sat with us waiting for the plane to arrive. When we saw it landing, we got out of the jeep to meet it and climb aboard. No airport, just hop on and off like a bus!

We decided to stay in a luxury hotel to end our trip just because we had stayed in camps and tents for the rest of the time. We chose the Villa Rosa Kempinski hotel as it looked really nice and also had a rooftop pool!

Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t great when we arrived so we decided to go out and do some sightseeing in Nairobi. We went to the Nairobi National museum which was just across the road from the hotel. I like to visit museums, especially to learn about the history of the city and country that I’m visiting. The Nairobi museum was good and worth visiting! In the afternoon, we had a few hours around the pool and then ate our evening meal at a Tambourin in the hotel which is a middle eastern restaurant.