The best safaris in Kenya

Meru Wilderness is a traditional style mobile camp with space for just eight guests. It's operated by Laikipia Wilderness, and I know the couple who run it personally. This is the classic, simple safari experience: bucket en-suite showers, drop toilets, meals served in the dining tent or under the shade of a nearby tree. Meru Wilderness pairs nicely with the sister camp in Laikipia.

This is the best lodge in what is, for me, one of the best safari parks in Kenya. Named after Elsa the lion, of Born Free Fame, the lodge sits on an outcrop with simply incredible views over Meru. Owned by Kenya-based Elewana Collection, it’s undeniably pricey – high season rooms start at around USD $950 per night and climb steeply from there – but worth a night or two if your budget can stretch that far.

If that’s beyond your means I can also recommend Meru Camp and there are cheaper options in the nearby town of Maua.

Ikweta Safari Camp is my go-to recommendation for Meru. It’s just 1.5 km from Murera Gate, the main entrance to Meru National Park, so you’re straight into the action without the long morning transfers that many other camps require. It combines comfort, affordability, and genuine hospitality in a way that I find rare this close to the park.

Budget wise, Ikweta is at the upper mid-range. The camp is intimate, only ten tents, and service here feels personal rather than perfunctory. I always feel more like visiting family than a paying guest. A lot of that comes down to the owner, who is hands-on in a way you rarely see in safari camps these days. She’s there every morning making sure you’re well looked after, and her familiar warmth filters through the entire team.

The camp has got half an eye on its green credentials – it runs entirely on solar power and grows a lot of its own food – but then again it does have a swimming pool in a water-stressed part of the world, so it’s not perfect.

There are a few practical details that you won’t find in the marketing: The access road can get bumpy, especially in the rains, so a 4x4 is essential. With only ten rooms, it books up quickly in peak season, so early reservations are wise. And remember that park fees aren’t included in the room rate, budget for those separately.

Ikweta is part of a small network of sister properties across Kenya, which opens up interesting options for linking itineraries, but it never feels corporate or formulaic. Overall it’s a great choice for service, intimacy and authenticity.

The wildebeest migration is one of the world’s greatest natural phenomena, and watching the herds dodge hungry crocodiles as they surge across the Mara River is a staple of Kenya safari.

The migration moves into the Masai Mara from Tanzania’s Serengeti between June and October. This is by far the busiest time and place of the year, so expect crowds, higher prices and limited availability.

If you’d rather see the migration untroubled by crowds, I recommend you look at Tanzania instead.

The Maasai Mara is the most iconic wildlife ecosystem in Kenya, possibly all of Africa. But my biggest tip for visiting the Mara is to stay in one of the conservancies dotted around and adjacent to the Mara. These offer a more exclusive and intimate safari experience, with fewer vehicles and a chance to see wildlife in a more peaceful setting.

The Mara North Conservancy, where Saruni Basecamp is located, offers incredible river views and excellent opportunities to witness the migration.

One of the great success stories of Kenya safari has been the emergence of networks of conservancies, usually adjacent to the better known national parks. These are community-run or privately-operated protected areas, run for the benefit of wildlife and local communities.

In the Masai Mara, the Nashulai Maasai Conservancy is particularly interesting, as it’s the only one that was 100% established by local Maasai and the only one where the Maasai remain in their homes within the conservancy. There are two accommodations in the conservancy, the small and exclusive Wageni camp and the mid-market Oldarpoi. It's also possible to visit as a day visitor, but you must still book ahead.

In the same area I can also highly recommend Mara North, Naboisho, and Ol Dereski; you’ll likely have an amazing time in any of them.

One of my favourite of all the Mara conservancies, Olare Motorogi Conservancy is tiny – just ten tents, making it ideal for those seeking a quieter, more personal encounter with the wilderness. There are five concessions here: Porini Lion Camp, Kicheche Bush Camp, Mara Plains Camp, Olare Mara Kempinski and Mahali Mzuri, all of which are excellent, although Porini Lion Camp probably gets my top vote. You'll struggle to find a quieter, less crowded safari anywhere else in Kenya.

Best for: Masai Mara walking safaris

Porini Lion Camp, in the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, is small and delightfully intimate. With just ten tents, it feels very personal, and you really get to know the staff and the area. The camp is great for game drives and walking safaris, and I always find the chances of spotting big cats especially high here. It pairs very nicely with Saruni Basecamp during migration river crossing season – I usually recommend three nights in each.

Best for: uncrowded migration viewings

Located in the Mara North Conservancy, the 17-tent Saruni Basecamp Mara has an amazing position right on the edge of the Reserve on the Talek River and is has some stunning views. The camp achieved world fame in 2006 by hosting Barack Obama during his visit to Kenya, two years before he became US president!

I can’t think of many better places to see the wildebeest migration in Kenya, and during my stay, I was blown away by how close we were to the action, with none of the crowds that mar the experience in busier corners of the Masai Mara.

Ol Derikesi Conservancy, tucked into the remote southeast corner of the Mara region, is Kenyan safari at its best. There’s an incredible amount of wildlife around here – including lots of lions – and just one spectacular camp; Cottars 1920’s Camp, whose 11 tents are presented in a nostalgic 1920s style.

With one of the densest populations of lions in Kenya you’d be hard pushed to go wrong at Olare Motorogi, a simply stunning conservancy. There are five camps here, one of my favourites is Kicheche Bush Camp with six tents spread out under the Acacias. It's a popular spot for photographers; the 4X4s are modified for SLR cameras and extended game drives are the norm.

Naboisho is a ground breaking conservancy working hard to protect wildlife and local communities. The scrubby terrain here is packed with big animals. There are eight camps here, all of which are excellent but Saruni Eagle View is one of my favourites. There are nine tents, making it very small and intimate, and all the usual conservancy activities on offer: night game drives, bush walks and some fascinating Maasai culture talks at night around the campfire.

Mara North is perhaps the best known conservancy in the Masai Mara, and Offbeat Mara is one of my favourite camps in the entire place.

It's a small, un-showy camp of just seven tents including two family tents. In addition to the standard game drives you can do night drives, guided bush walks, horse riding, hot air balloon flights and even do some Maasai running coaching!

In my opinion the best way to experience a safari in Kenya is to ditch the 4X4 and explore on foot. With a good tracker-guide you’ll see all the little things you’d otherwise miss if you’re stuck in a vehicle all day.

Walking is often forbidden within state-run national parks but is usually allowed, even encouraged, in conservancies. If I had to pick a favourite place for a walking safari in Kenya it’d be Loita Hills without question.

Although not far from the Masai Mara, Loita Hills is barely visited by tourists despite boasting superb and varied scenery, a lovely climate, very different wildlife to the lower savannah plains, and fascinating interactions with very traditional Maasai culture.

Also, while Kenya doesn’t really compete with the multi-day Tanzania trekking scene, some organised trekking may be found here, as well as in the Aberdares and around Mt. Kenya.

Naboisho is a good example of what a community-led conservancy can look like when it is given enough space and time to work. It sits next to the Maasai Mara National Reserve and covers around 50,000 hectares, forming part of the wider Mara ecosystem.

The conservancy was established by local Maasai landowners with the aim of restoring degraded land, protecting wildlife and creating a sustainable income stream for the community. Since its formation, grazing pressure has been reduced and habitats have recovered, which has allowed wildlife numbers to increase across the area. Large mammals including elephants, lions, cheetahs, leopards and buffalo are all present, alongside a strong bird population.

Like all private or community managed conservancies, Naboisho is run very differently to the main national park. Access is controlled, vehicle numbers are limited, and activities are structured to reduce pressure on the land. This creates a different dynamic on game drives, with fewer vehicles and more freedom to spend time observing behaviour rather than moving constantly between sightings.

The conservancy model also shapes how people interact with the landscape. Revenue from tourism supports land leases and local livelihoods, which in turn underpins the long-term viability of wildlife protection here. For visitors, that context matters, because it explains why the experience feels calmer and more deliberate than in more heavily trafficked parts of the Mara.

I recommend Kicheche Mara because it delivers the Mara experience in a way that stays calm, personal and properly grounded in the landscape. It sits within the Mara North Conservancy, which immediately changes the rhythm of a stay: fewer vehicles, more freedom of movement, and the ability to explore beyond standard daytime game drives.

The camp itself is small and deliberately low-key. With just nine tents spaced well apart, it offers privacy and a sense of quiet that matters to me in such a wildlife-rich area. The tents are simple, comfortable and unfussy, with good beds, proper en-suite bathrooms and verandas that look out into the surrounding woodland. It feels like a classic safari camp, without unnecessary ornamentation.

But the chief reason I recommend Kicheche is for its calibre of guiding and excursions. You usually stay with the same guide throughout, and all guides are either Silver-level KPSGA qualified or working towards it. Vehicles are fully open and limited to four guests, which makes a real difference to the quality of sightings and the overall experience. Night drives and guided bush walks are also permitted within the conservancy, adding depth to time spent here.

If you prefer to stay within Amboseli National Park, I'd recommend Ol Tukai Lodge which is fairly luxurious but at around USD $300 per person per night it's decent value – you can also see Mt Kilimanjaro from the bar! It's a good choice for families and they offer a range of packages including transfers from Nairobi.

If elephants are your thing, you can’t do much better than Amboseli where herds of these magnificent beasts graze in the shadow of the equally magnificent Mt. Kilimanjaro.

By far the best place to stay is not in the park itself but 30km away at Campi ya Kanzi in the Kimana Community Wildlife Sanctuary, situated between Amboseli and Chyulu Hills.

It’s a very high-end Maasai-run camp that was set up to aid the local community and conservation projects. Its excellent location means you can see wildlife in the conservancy, Amboseli and Chyulu all from one base.

I can highly recommend Maili Saba. It has a picturesque location overlooking the Great Rift Valley and volcano region, with lovely permanent tents each with en-suites and balcony, and all very nicely decorated. There is a communal pool and outside gazebos for relaxing. The main dining room and lounging area is stunning with striking cathedral ceiling and beautiful decor.

The food is absolutely outstanding and the staff are warm, friendly and go out of their way to assist their guests.

The first time I visited was a complete surprise organised by my Kenyan partner, and I've included it in our tour itineraries ever since.

Multiple award-winning Finch Hatton’s is the most exclusive accommodation within the park. Assuming you've got the budget (high season rates start at around $1,300 per person per night) you can't really go wrong here.

In Tsavo West most of the accommodation is fairly expensive (unless you have your own camping gear in which case there are three spartan public campgrounds). A reasonably-priced option is the Kilaguni Serena Lodge – it’s far from a budget offering but the Serena collection is generally pretty good value. If you have the budget to blow, Finch Hattons is the most exclusive camp in the park, with an eye watering price tag to match.

A more affordable and utterly delightful option is Kitani Safari Lodge, which offers simple self-catering cabins in a wilderness setting.

In Tsavo East there’s a more comprehensive range of accommodation, including the spectacular Galdessa Camp with a prime riverfront setting frequented by hippos and elephants.

Lewa, in the Laikipia plateau area, is perhaps the most famous of all Kenya’s conservancies. And for good reason: this is safari to order. Want to see a black rhino? No problem. One of the superb guides will manage to find one. Lions, cheetah, elephant. They are all found here in abundance.

And it’s not just the wildlife that’s outstanding. The landscape is cinematic in its scope. Rolling sun bleached grasslands, table flat acacia trees, meandering rivers and a backdrop of the glinting glaciers of Mt Kenya.

The other great thing about Lewa (and this is common to all the Laikipia area conservancies) is exclusivity. If you’re not a guest of one of the handful of lodges then you can’t go on a safari here.

The Ol Pejeta Conservancy is famous for its black rhinos and as the guardian of the last northern white rhino anywhere on earth. Despite lying on the equator, its 1,900 metre elevation gives it a cooler highland climate that contrasts with the surrounding arid landscapes.

I find it a wonderful complement to places like Samburu, especially if you want to see a different side of Kenya’s diverse ecosystems. The conservancy’s cooler early mornings and evenings mean you’ll want to dress in layers. One of my favourite spots there is Morani’s restaurant, named after a rhino, which offers a unique dining experience within the conservancy itself. The intimate camps Porini Rhino and Kicheche Laikipia offer wonderful opportunities to get close to rhinos and other wildlife, all while avoiding crowds.

Laikipia is known for its rhino conservation, but my own personal highlight in this area wasn’t the rhinos. Rather it was the day I spent with a biologist in very close proximity to around 200 habituated baboons. Having a huge male baboon shove its way past you as it bares its teeth was an experience easily on a par with gorilla and chimpanzee encounters in East Africa. The other nice thing about this particular experience is that it doesn’t involve staying inside an expensive conservancy but rather you are hosted by a grassroots Maasai womens’ project. And hardly anyone – even other Kenyans – know about it!

Kicheche Laikipia, with only six tents, offers an incredibly intimate experience. It’s a great spot if you’re looking for a quieter, more personal safari. The wildlife here is abundant, and what I love about this camp is the chance to see not just the big cats, but also the incredible birdlife and other species unique to the area. The camp’s location allows for both excellent game drives and walking safaris.

Best for: Rhino conservation

With just seven tents, Porini Rhino Camp is wonderfully intimate and it’s situated in a fantastic location for rhino sightings. The fact that it’s within the expansive 90,000-acre Laikipia Conservancy means you're surrounded by incredible wildlife but without the crowds. And their efforts for rhino conservation is especially rewarding: during my stay, I had the privilege of seeing both black and white rhinos up close, and it’s always one of those moments that sticks with you. It’s not just about the rhinos, though; there’s a great variety of wildlife here, and the camp is in the heart of it all.

I tend to include these walks because they avoid many of the problems that come with rushed, performative “cultural” excursions. They are not set up as a spectacle, and they are not confined to a fixed script or timetable.

The walks are led by Mr Kariuki, a legendary guide at Olepangi Farm, who lives locally and brings a strong grasp of the area’s social history as well as its present-day realities.

Rather than focusing on ceremony or display, the time is spent talking through how people live here, how the area has changed, and how local concerns connect to wider regional and global issues. The tone is conversational, and the emphasis is on explanation rather than presentation.

There is flexibility built into how the walks run. They can be short or extended, depending on interest and energy, and they tend to follow discussion rather than a prescribed route. That makes them feel responsive rather than staged, and allows space for questions that would be difficult to explore on a more formulaic visit.

What matters most is that these walks are rooted in everyday context. They offer insight into contemporary life in Laikipia without reducing it to a checklist of cultural markers, and without the sense of intrusion that can accompany more commercial village visits.

The Lolldaiga Hills conservancy is a real hidden gem in Laikipia – a little unpolished and unpredictable, but I think destined for the forefront of Kenya's tourism and conservation efforts. Set at the base of Mount Kenya, this is a high-altitude private conservancy where snow-capped peaks give way to arid ground, rocky outcrops and one of the country’s largest remaining cedar forests.

What defines Lolldaiga for me is scale and diversity. At around 49,000 acres, it is large enough for wildlife to move naturally across different habitats rather than concentrating around fixed areas, giving the place an unpredictability that makes it feel real and raw.

The conservancy supports a wide range of wildlife, including four of the Big Five: lions, leopards, elephants and cheetahs. It is also known for species that are increasingly difficult to see elsewhere, such as Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, striped hyena, gerenuk and aardwolf. The ecological overlap created by altitude and habitat variation means that encounters here are often unexpected.

Lolldaiga is also an important elephant dispersal zone, which gives it real conservation value beyond tourism. Wildlife is not confined or managed for viewing density, and that lack of artificial concentration is exactly what gives the area its character.

As a place to spend time, Lolldaiga suits travellers who are interested in landscape as much as wildlife, and who appreciate that some of the most rewarding safari experiences come from areas that are still finding their rhythm rather than performing to expectation.

A multi-day expedition safari in Laikipia is one of the most original and unfiltered experiences you can have as a visitor to Kenya. I recommend this to anyone who wants to get beyond the typical game-drive style safari trip.

This is a camel-supported trek through the landscapes of Tumaren Ranch, a large wildlife conservancy in northern Laikipia. Trips typically last around three days, with roughly four to five hours of hiking per day. Compared to viewing wildlife from a vehicle, this is quiet, tentative, contemplative and so much more thrilling.

The operation is small and family-run, and that scale matters. Camps are mobile, with fly-camp set-ups moved each day by an experienced local crew. Accommodation is simple but well organised, with classic walking safari tents, freshly prepared long-drop toilets at each camp, and bucket or shower-tent washing facilities. The emphasis is on practicality and comfort without losing the sense of expedition.

Guiding is central to the experience. The Laikipia Maasai team not only manage the logistics of moving camp and handling the camels, but also share an intimate understanding of the land, wildlife behaviour and local ecology. Time on foot naturally opens space for tracking, reading signs and understanding how animals move through this environment.

A walking safari also allows meaningful interaction with local culture. You spend time with the Maasai team and learn directly from people whose lives are closely tied to this landscape.

Borana is a useful place to visit if you want to understand how conservation, livestock and tourism are being managed together in Laikipia. It is a private conservancy of around 32,000 acres on the northern foothills of Mount Kenya, sitting at roughly 6,500 feet above sea level, where the landscape shifts quickly from fertile highlands to more arid ground.

What defines Borana is its role within a much larger conservation picture. In 2013, the fences between Borana and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy were removed, creating the Lewa–Borana Landscape, a combined area of more than 90,000 acres. This has allowed wildlife to move freely across a far broader range than would otherwise be possible, particularly black and white rhino. The area is now recognised as one of Kenya’s Key One rhino populations, supporting a significant proportion of the country’s remaining animals .

Rhino conservation is central here. Borana introduced black rhino in 2013 and has invested heavily in security, veterinary care and ranger training, working closely with Lewa on anti-poaching operations. That work shapes how the conservancy functions day to day and gives real context to time spent on the ground.

What is often overlooked is that Borana still operates as a working landscape. Managed grazing is allowed in partnership with neighbouring communities, generating income for local herders while improving grassland health through livestock movement. It is a pragmatic model rather than a purist one, and it reflects how conservation is being approached in this part of Kenya.

Solio is a useful stop when the aim is to understand how private conservation can work at a very practical level. It is a privately run reserve in Laikipia with a long-standing focus on rhino protection, and that focus shapes the entire experience.

The reserve covers around 17,500 acres between Mount Kenya and the Aberdare range, with a mix of wooded grassland and wetlands. This relatively contained landscape supports one of the highest densities of black rhino in Africa, the result of decades of sustained breeding and protection efforts. As a result, sightings here are frequent and unforced, without the need to range widely or wait for chance encounters.

Solio is also home to a broader spread of wildlife, including lion, leopard, cheetah, buffalo and zebra, but it is the rhino population that defines the reserve and gives it its purpose.

What Solio demonstrates clearly is how conservation priorities influence tourism. The reserve is tightly managed, access is controlled, and the emphasis is on protection rather than spectacle.

There’s only one lodge within the Kalama conservancy, immediately to the north of Samburu Reserve, and it’s likely going to be one of the most spectacular places you’ll ever stay. Built into, around and onto a huge granite outcrop, Saruni Samburu is almost invisible from a distance but the stunningly turned out rooms offer a cliff side view over what feels like half of northern Kenya.

This camp in the Sera Conservancy, just north of the Samburu Reserve in northern Kenya occupies a stunning location in the semi-desert. Their specialism is a thrilling rhino tracking walking safari, probably my favourite place to see rhinos in all Kenya. I spent five days here and by the end still couldn’t decide if coming within ten metres of the steamroller-like rhinos was thrilling or simply terrifying!

The bulk of the accommodation is located within Samburu National Reserve and there’s plenty of choice. I can highly recommend Elephant Watch Camp, which is run by renowned elephant experts, the Douglas-Hamilton’s. It's a pricy, "eco luxury" tented camp but is exceptional for its populations of wild elephants.

Just outside the Samburu reserve entrance, and on the edge of Archer’s Post village is the Umoja Village Camp. A very simple riverside campsite that also has some traditional cottages to rent, it’s part of a womens’ help NGO. Superb bush walks can be organised from here.

Just to the west of Samburu Reserve, Westgate Conservancy is a continuation of the same landscapes, but with just one dreamy camp, Sasaab, which is operated by The Safari Collection and whose huge ‘tents’ have a distinctly Moroccan touch.

Best for: authentic cultural experiences

In my opinion, Sabache Eco Camp is probably the most interesting and authentic experience in Samburu and beyond. The camp is run by the local Samburu community with a welcoming, down-to-earth atmosphere. The tents are spacious and comfortable with en-suite bathrooms, though if the water’s not working, it’s usually because the monkeys have been tampering with the stopcocks…

I’ve stayed here several times, and I always enjoy the peace. The best rooms are just above the dining area – a bit of a climb but with great views. On one of my visits, I had the incredible experience of seeing a small herd of elephants quietly moving through the camp under the cover of night. It was surreal, catching glimpses of these enormous creatures by the light of our head torches.

For a real adventure, I’d recommend fly camping at the summit of Mount Ololokwe. Watching the sunrise over the Mathews Range and Mount Kenya is unforgettable. Plus, the vultures soaring past on thermal currents are a sight to behold.

If you have time, visit the nearby Reteti Elephant Sanctuary. It’s a short drive from Sabache, and you can watch the Samburu team feed orphaned elephants and see how they prepare the milk formula for them.

Best for: wildlife enthusiasts and unique experiences

I usually recommend the authentic and intimate Elephant Bedroom camp for visitors coming to Samburu.

The camp is set in a perfect location, right on the Ewaso Nyiro River, with sweeping views that are hard to beat. The tented rooms are raised on stilts, which gives you an extra sense of being immersed in nature. It’s one of the few places where you can hear the sounds of elephants right outside your tent, as they often wander through or graze near the camp, and since it’s unfenced, you’re really part of the wilderness.

One of my most memorable moments was when we were having lunch below the main terrace by the river and had to quickly abandon it when an inquisitive elephant came to join us. It's those kinds of moments that make this place special.

Sundowners after the afternoon game drive are always a delight, as you reflect on the day while surrounded by the sounds of the bush.

A world away from the African safari image of savannah grasses and drooling sunsets, the Aberdares consists of two different ecosystems. A high, cold and often bleak moorland and, below that, dense tangled montane jungle.

The wildlife here is a little different and a little harder to spot. But elephants are very common as are big grumpy buffalo. There are also montane species you won’t see anywhere else including bongo antelope, bush pigs and melanistic leopard and serval.

Unusually among Kenyan national parks, you can also get out of the vehicle here and enjoy long, lonely hikes over the moorlands: I have really enjoyed the sensation of trudging across the bleak moorlands in cold afternoon drizzle while always keeping a beady eye out for roaming buffalo.

The park also has some history. In 1952, a young English lady named Elizabeth was staying at the famed Treetops Lodge here (today’s version is actually a reconstruction of the original) when it was announced that her father had died. And so it was, that on a remote Kenyan mountain slope, that young lady became Queen Elizabeth II. Many years later her eldest grandson, and future king, proposed to Kate Middleton in a small wooden fishing cabin in a spot not so far away from where his grandmother became Queen.