Looking for the best safari parks in Kenya? You’ve come to the right place.
If you’re looking for the ultimate African safari, look no further than the East African country of Kenya. Kenya’s abundant wildlife is proudly showcased within its 50 incredible national parks. Better yet, Kenya is also blessed with stunning natural scenery of mountains, vast lakes, endless savannahs, a magnificent coastline and a mild tropical climate.
Each of Kenya’s national parks is a gem in its own right, but unfortunately, that can make it difficult for visitors to decide where to visit – especially if it’s your first-ever safari!
Some parks are massive and require multi-day stays to truly appreciate their beauty, while others are small and compact allowing you to view its varied and abundant wildlife on a single game drive.
The good news, however, is that regardless of which Kenya safari park you visit, none will ever disappoint you.
Whether you’re looking to see the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino) or other iconic African animals, like cheetah, hippos, crocs, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, antelope, hyena, you can find them all in Kenya.
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Tips for your Kenya safari holiday
Before choosing where to visit on your Kenya holiday, here are a few tips for planning your trip.
Kenya is a co-host (alongside Tanzania) to the Great Migration, one of the most exhilarating spectacles of nature on our planet when over two million animals take the same path across East Africa. To witness that in Kenya, you can visit the world-renowned Masai Mara National Park.
The best time to view the wildlife in Kenya is during the long dry season, between June and October. During this period, the weather is great, the grasses are short, and foliage is sparse, making it easier to spot the wildlife. During this season, animals are usually never far from the shrinking water holes and river banks. This season is also the time when the Great Migration is in full swing. The downside to that period, however, is that Kenyan safari costs are at their highest and the parks are at their busiest.
Safari game drives usually start at the break of dawn. Despite Kenya being on the equator, it still gets pretty chilly up in the higher altitudes, even during the summer. So, when planning your East Africa packing list, remember you may need to dress warmly and take layers off as the day warms up. The opposite will apply to the afternoon game drives.
Most parts of Kenya are high-risk malaria and tsetse fly areas, with the risk being higher during the summer and wet seasons. You can wear shorts, but it’s advisable to pack some long pants and long-sleeved shirts and as many mosquito repellent sprays as possible. Tsetse flies are particularly fond of bright and dark colours, so avoid them at all costs, especially orange, purple and black clothing.
Kenya is also a yellow fever high-risk area, so a vaccine is recommended and is mandatory if you’re travelling to multiple countries in the region, such as Tanzania, where you’ll be asked for your certificate when you cross the border from Kenya.
Throughout your Kenya safari, be sure to follow your driver or guide’s advice, alongside the guidance of any accommodations you stay at – after all, the goal is to get close to wild animals!
The two golden rules of safari are to never get out of the vehicle unless your guide says it’s okay and never attempt to run away from an animal.
Best safari parks in Kenya
To save you the trouble of trying to work out where the best safari parks in Kenya are, I’ve made your life easier by narrowing your options down to the six best, based on my extensive travels and research of the country.
I know for sure that each of these parks will provide you with an unforgettable safari experience. Let’s get to it.
1. Amboseli National Park
Situated in southern Kenya, beneath the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, which sits in neighbouring Tanzania, Amboseli National Park is a must-see safari destination.
First and foremost, this park has earned the title of “The Home of the Elephant” and it’s impossible to go anywhere without seeing herds of these African icons wandering around. Among the 2,000 or so elephants are some of the oldest and largest in the world. Known as “the Super Tuskers”, their massive tusks almost reach the ground and may weigh up to 50 kilos each!
Although Amboseli does not have all of the Big Five, it has a healthy population of lions, cheetahs and buffalos, plus giraffes, zebras, hippos, hyenas, wildebeest and countless antelope and bird species. Leopard sightings are possible but extremely rare, and rhinos are even rarer.
Having a dense wildlife population and being just under 400 square kilometres in size, it’s possible to drive from one end to the other in a single day whilst being in constant view of wildlife.
The park is made up of a mix of lakes and wetlands, golden savannahs and densely wooded hillsides. The marshlands, in particular, are a magnet for animals, including the iconic elephants. They’re also a haven for birdlife, from fish eagles to kingfishers, pelicans, marabou storks and the elegant-looking crested cranes. In the wet season, you’ll also see vast colonies of flamingos.
Make sure to grab a photo of the park’s epic scenery from atop Observation Hill, a favourite picnic spot for all safari goers. The contrast of the red soil with the blue sky makes Amboseli incredibly picturesque, especially when you have the snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro in the distance as a backdrop.
Amboseli offers many accommodations, both inside and outside the park, from ultra-luxurious to the most basic camping sites. Staying inside the park provides a far more immersive and enjoyable safari experience, and also cuts down on driving time, but costs a little more. Fortunately, there are several mid-range and budget-friendly lodges almost next to the two main gates, allowing for quick access to the park.
Getting to Amboseli from Nairobi requires a drive of 4-5 hours.
2. Lake Nakuru National Park
Lake Nakuru National Park is one of the smallest yet scenic game parks in Kenya.
One of its main attractions is the picturesque seasonal Lake Nakuru itself, which takes up most of the 188-square-kilometre game park. The shores are surrounded by dense woodlands, lush grasslands, hills, steep rocky ledges and waterfalls, with many excellent picnic sites to view the stunning scenery.
With the exception of elephants, most other animals found in Kenya are here, including over 100 of both black and white rhinos. You can see lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffalos, Rothschild giraffes, zebras, hippos, warthogs, waterbuck and impalas here without having to travel long distances.
In and around the dense forests and rocky ledges you’re most likely to find the elusive leopards, although any sighting of these secretive cats is never guaranteed. Meanwhile, amongst the rocky cliffs live some of the biggest pythons in Africa, as well as troops of baboons and other monkey species.
The lake itself is a haven for birds, attracting hundreds of endemic and migrant species. You may spot African fish eagles, Goliath herons, crowned cranes, kingfishers, pelicans and large colonies of flamingos.
Aside from the usual game drives and hiking, boating safaris are also popular. Travelling across the lake gives you a fantastic vantage point of the water birds, hippos and other game that line the shallows.
A wide variety of lodging is available in the park, ranging from up-market lodges right down to basic campsites, and these can be accessed through any of the three entrance gates.
3. Masai Mara National Reserve
If you can only choose one safari park to visit in Kenya, the Masai Mara should be it.
Within this world-renowned park lives the widest range of animal species and the densest population of wildlife in Africa, including the highest concentration of big predators like lions, leopards, cheetahs and hyenas. Animals here include all the Big Five, although sightings of rhinos are rare.
The Masai Mara is situated on the southwestern corner of the country, and its 1,510-square-kilometre landscape forms part of the Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem. Due to the Masai Mara’s proximity to Lake Nakuru, it’s very possible to include these two parks in a single Kenyan safari itinerary.
The park’s vast landscape consists mainly of golden grasslands sprinkled with flat-topped acacia trees, making spotting animals easy, especially during the dry months from June to October.
December until February is another exciting period when thousands of newborn herbivores arrive on the plains. This brings out the big predators, so it’s the best time for visitors to witness a kill at close range. These months are also the nesting season when birds are in their brightest plumage and are performing their courting rituals.
Perhaps the Masai Mara’s greatest claim to fame is the Great Migration, which reaches its climax when migratory herds of wildebeest, zebras and antelope cross the hippo and crocodile-infested Mara River. To witness this truly awesome spectacle, you’ll have to visit the park from around late-July to October.
The only downside of visiting during the Great Migration is that the park gets crowded, and it’s not uncommon to see convoys of safari trucks encircling a pride of lions, which at times can spoil the experience.
Fortunately, there are about 20 conservancies around the Masai Mara which restrict the number of visitors, providing far more authentic and enjoyable safaris. One of the best conservancies to witness the Great Migration in a relatively peaceful manner is the Mara Triangle, which lies along the banks of the Mara River. You’ll have a fantastic view of where dramatic river crosses are made. Booking well ahead is a must.
There’s no shortage of accommodation options in the Masai Mara, ranging from luxurious lodges to basic and rustic campsites, both in and outside of the park, and also in the conservancies. Staying inside the park is more expensive, but provides a far more immersive safari experience and saves driving time in the morning.
Getting to the Masai Mara from Nairobi takes some doing, with the 225 or so kilometres taking more than six hours to cover. Avoid using minibus taxis, known as matatus, as they are normally overloaded and accident-prone, and also avoid driving after dark.
It’s always best to book your safari through a local operator who can arrange your transport from the airport to your lodge. For those wanting to avoid long road journeys, the park has several airstrips with regular flights.
4. Samburu National Reserve
With the recent reintroduction of rhinos, Samburu National Reserve how has the Big Five, plus most of the other popular animals found in Kenya, like cheetahs, hippos, crocs, hyenas, jackals, warthogs, olive baboons, elands, waterbuck, various gazelles and over 400 bird species. Samburu has a large concentration of big cats and over 900 elephants!
But that’s not all that makes Samburu one of the best safari parks in Kenya. It also hosts some of the country’s most rare and endangered wildlife species, which are not often seen in the bigger, more well-known parks.
Here, you can see rare Grévy’s zebras, reticulated giraffes, the strange blue-fleshed Somali ostrich, Beisa oryx, and the weird but so cute gerenuk, often called giraffe gazelle. Packs of endangered African wild dogs also roam free in their natural habitat, and in large numbers, too.
Despite the dense population of wildlife, Samburu remains a low-key safari destination, so it’s ideal if you want to experience the African bush without being overwhelmed by hordes of tourists. The Samburu landscape consists mainly of vast, open semi-arid plains, rocky hills and valleys, which make it easy to spot the wildlife from long distances.
Ample accommodation is provided by several private houses, safari lodges and tented camps, which all offer a wide range of safari experiences. These include nature hikes, cultural tours to the Samburu tribes, meals or sundowners out in the open bush, and even one of the most unexpected modes of safari – camel trekking!
Samburu is situated about 320 kilometres northeast of Nairobi. It can be reached by road, which takes around six hours or by air flying from Wilson Airport in Nairobi to the various airstrips scattered around the park. Flights take approximately 1½ hours.
5. Tsavo National Parks
Totalling over 22,000 square kilometres in size, the Tsavo National Parks are the largest in Kenya and among the largest in Africa.
They’re also among Kenya’s most picturesque parks and are teeming with animals, but are less visited than the better-known parks such as the Masai Mara, so these are great options if you want to avoid the crowds.
Separated only by the highway and railway, both Tsavo East and Tsavo West national parks hold a similar range of wildlife including the Big Five, as well as cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, hippos, crocs, wild dogs, oryx, and all the other usual suspects. They also have over 500 species of birds.
One of the highlights here is the elephants, who love rolling around in the red, dusty soils. So much so that they’ve earned the nickname of “red elephants” These red elephants make a very unique photo, especially when coupled with the blue African sky and mountains beyond!
As for rhinos, you can find them at the Nguila Rhino Sanctuary – it’s one of the best places in East Africa to see endangered black rhinos in the wild.
A unique feature of Tsavo East is the Yatta Plateau – at around 300 kilometres, it is the longest lava flow in the world.
As for Tsavo West, it’s mostly similar but a bit more rugged and has some unique water features, including Mzima Springs. These springs include an underwater viewing room from where you can see hippos, crocs, and fish swimming from below!
Tsavo is easily reached by road from Nairobi but is closer to Mombasa, making it an ideal park to combine a bush and beach getaway – perfect if you have time for a 7-10 day Kenya safari itinerary. Several airstrips provide faster access to the many lodges and tented camps in both sectors of Tsavo National Park.
6. Laikipia County
If you want to see rare species, as well as the Big Five, Laikipia County is for you.
Situated beneath the north-western foothills of Mount Kenya, Laikipia has several conservancies, all of which play a major role in the protection of several rare and endangered animal species. It is also home to almost half of Kenya’s black rhino population, many of which roam in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
Ol Pejeta is the smallest conservancy in Laikipia but is the closest place to Nairobi where you can view the Big Five without needing to drive for hours. While seeing rhinos is a rarity in most parks across Africa, here they are everywhere. Alongside an abundance of black and white rhinos, Ol Pejeta is also home to the world’s last two remaining northern white rhinos.
Apart from the Big Five, other species in abundance are cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, hippos, hyenas, eland, impalas, plus the rare Grévy’s zebra, oryx and African wild dogs. It’s an ideal place to self-drive, as Ol Pejeta has well-kept roads, great infrastructure and excellent animal visibility.
Meanwhile, Ol Jogi Conservancy, situated a little to the north, is a haven for over 100 rhinos thanks to their successful breeding programme. It also has large numbers of cheetahs, wild dogs, and the largest population of Grévy’s zebras in Africa. You can also spot lions, leopards, elephants, buffalos and most other iconic species.
Further north-west, the Mugie Conservancy is another beautiful place to visit. Here, you’ll find spectacular scenery and a diverse and dense concentration of wildlife. Animals commonly sighted here include lions, cheetahs, hyenas, elephants, buffalos, giraffes, elands and other antelope, alongside hartebeest, Grévy’s zebras and packs of wild dogs.
A vast lake here attracts 280 bird species, upon which canoe safaris provide an extra dimension to game viewing.
As for accommodation, tons of lodging options for all tastes and budgets are available, all of which arrange a wide range of safari and cultural activities for their guests.
Laikipia County is about a 3-hour drive north of Nairobi. At an altitude of over 1800 metres above sea level, it’s one of the few malaria-free zones in Kenya. The scenery in virtually every conservancy is stunning, with views of Mount Kenya in the background.
Summary: Which Kenya safari park should you choose?
Despite narrowing it down to just six destinations, you may still be a little undecided as to which safari park to visit and which ones to leave out.
If visiting them all is out of the question, you could try grouping the parks which are closest to each other, as this cuts down on travelling time and costs.
Safari parks in Kenya can be grouped into three circuits:
- Northern Circuit consists of Samburu, Lake Nakuru National Park and Laikipia County Conservancies.
- Western Circuit consist of the Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru
- Eastern Circuit consists of Amboseli, Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks.
I hope the information above makes it easier for you to choose the right safari parks for your trip. Regardless of where or when you go, I do not doubt that every one of these parks will provide you with some of the most memorable experiences of your life!
About the author
Ella McKendrick is the founder of ellamckendrick.com, a blog that covers everything you need to know about going on safari in Africa. Passionate about nature and wildlife, she’s visited almost a dozen African countries and been on countless safaris.
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Related posts
Before you go… you might like these other East Africa travel blogs:
- Epic 2 Week Kenya Itinerary: Plan the Trip of a Lifetime
- East Africa Packing List: What to Wear on Safari and Beyond
- A Unique 2-Week Tanzania Itinerary: Adventure, Safaris and Beaches
- A Wildlife-Packed Uganda Itinerary: One Week in the Pearl of Africa
- Gorilla Trekking in Uganda and Rwanda: What You Need to Know
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