Kenya
Big cats and the Great Migration in the Masai Mara, elephants beneath Kilimanjaro and Indian Ocean beaches, five hours from Dubai.
In this guide
When to go
The Great Migration usually arrives in the Masai Mara in July and stays until October, with dramatic Mara River crossings most often in August and September. January and February are dry and warm, with fewer vehicles and plenty of young animals. The long rains in April and May make some roads muddy and close a few camps; the short rains in November are lighter.
UAE summer holidays fall in peak migration season, so camps book up six to nine months ahead. Nights in the Mara are cool all year, around 12°C, and early morning drives are colder still.
Where to stay and how to plan the route
Our Masai Mara safari includes a night in Nairobi and four nights in a tented camp, with a light aircraft flight into the reserve that saves a five to six hour drive. Conservancies bordering the reserve limit vehicle numbers and allow walking safaris and night drives.
With more time, add Amboseli for elephants against Kilimanjaro, Lake Nakuru for rhinos and flamingos, or finish on the beach at Diani or Watamu. Daniel Okafor leads our Africa planning and knows which camps sit closest to the river crossings.
Things to do
- Game drives in the Masai Mara, at dawn and late afternoon
- Sunrise hot air balloon over the Mara with a bush breakfast
- A Maasai village visit with a local guide
- The elephant orphanage in Nairobi at the late-morning feeding
- The Giraffe Centre in Karen
- Nairobi National Park, with the city skyline behind the lions
- Amboseli's elephants and Kilimanjaro views
- Diani Beach on the south coast
Food, money and practical tips
Nairobi and the coast have large Muslim communities, so halal food is available, and safari camps prepare halal meals on request when told in advance. Pack neutral colours, warm layers for cold early drives and soft bags, as light aircraft limit luggage to around 15 kg. Ask your doctor about malaria tablets and yellow fever vaccination. Cards work at camps and Nairobi hotels; carry small US dollar notes or shillings for tips, given to guides and camp staff at the end of your stay.
Rules change; we confirm the current requirements before you apply.
Kenya holidays from Dubai
Visa services for Kenya
Kenya: questions we are asked
Do UAE residents need a visa for Kenya?
What is the best month for a Kenya safari?
How many days do we need?
Is a Kenya safari suitable for children?
Is it safe to go on safari in Kenya?
Can we combine Kenya with Seychelles?
Travellers back from Kenya
Applied for the electronic travel authorisation for our safari. Imran spotted that my son's passport had less than six months' validity and warned us in time to renew it. That alone saved the trip.
Family of four with kids of 10 and 13. Lions on a kill, a cheetah with three cubs and a river crossing in August. The short flight from Nairobi was booked so we avoided the long road. Our visit to a Maasai village was moving and very respectful.
A combined safari for our photography club, twelve people with heavy camera bags. Daniel arranged two open-sided vehicles with beanbags, extra luggage allowance on the light aircraft and long game drives at dawn. The Amboseli elephants with Kilimanjaro behind were the shot of a lifetime.
