Straight answers
Bush and beach, answered plainly
Including the month we would tell you not to book.
Shape
Ordering and splitting
Really, does the order matter that much?
Yes. Recovery, weather flexibility and connection timing all point the same way. We will book it the other way round if you want, and we will say once why we would not.
Should we do two parks or one?
With ten nights or fewer, one park properly. With twelve or more, two contrasting ones. Three parks plus a beach needs a fortnight and a tolerance for packing.
Can we skip Nairobi?
You can fly from Jomo Kenyatta to some airstrips directly, but on arrival day it means connecting straight from a long-haul flight onto a light aircraft. One Nairobi night is the cheapest insurance on the trip.
Is April really that bad on the coast?
April and May are the long rains, and on the coast that means many hotels close or run skeleton service. It is the one window we actively steer people away from for a beach half. The parks are cheap and beautiful then; the coast is not the place to be.
Practical
Flights, trains and money
Is the SGR train worth taking?
If you are pairing Tsavo with the coast, genuinely yes. It takes a few hours rather than a day, costs a fraction of flying, and the stations at Voi and Mtito Andei are near park gates. It does not help if your safari is in the Mara.
What are the baggage limits?
Light aircraft to the airstrips commonly limit you to around 15kg per person in a soft bag with no wheels or rigid frame. Camps do laundry, usually daily and usually included, so you need far less than you think. The train and coastal flights are more generous.
How far ahead should I book?
For July to October — the migration months in the Masai Mara — six to twelve months is normal, and the best small camps sell out first. Christmas and New Year book up just as early.
For the shoulder months, three to four months is usually comfortable. Inside eight weeks we can still put a very good trip together, but you are choosing from what is left rather than from everything.
Do you charge for planning?
No. Sending your dates, getting an itinerary and getting a costed quote is free and carries no obligation. Money only changes hands when you decide to hold space at a camp.
Who actually arranges my safari?
This site is a planning guide. When you send an enquiry it goes to Nomad Africa, our partner travel agency in Kenya, who prepare your itinerary and quote and handle the booking, the payments and you on the ground.
You deal with one team from the first email to the airport transfer home.
More from our Kenya guides
Specialist guides across our Kenya network
Each of these is a focused guide we publish. Same Kenya specialist behind every enquiry.
Still working out the shape?
Send us your total nights and your budget. We will propose a split and tell you what it costs — within 24 hours, free.