Classic safaris, Rift Valley lakes and Indian Ocean beaches
Kenya is one of Africa's classic safari destinations, home to the Maasai Mara, Amboseli's elephants beneath Kilimanjaro and the lakes of the Great Rift Valley. Nairobi is a modern city with a national park on its edge. After a safari, the Indian Ocean coast offers beaches and Swahili towns like Lamu. It suits wildlife lovers, families and honeymooners who combine bush and beach.
Tap a card or a pin. Add a place to a day of your trip, or look for tours.
Kenya's most famous reserve, with big cats, huge herds and the Great Migration river crossings. It borders Tanzania's Serengeti.
A park known for big elephant herds with Kilimanjaro rising behind them. Swamps attract wildlife in dry months.
A wildlife park on the edge of the capital, with rhinos, lions and giraffes against a city skyline. It is ideal on arrival or departure.
A rescue centre for orphaned elephants, with a short daily visit to watch feeding time. It supports conservation across Kenya.
A conservation centre where you can feed endangered Rothschild's giraffes from a raised platform. It is popular with families.
A Rift Valley lake park with rhinos, flamingos at times and tree climbing lions. It is part of the Kenya Lake System UNESCO site.
A freshwater lake with hippos and birds, and next door Hell's Gate park, where you can cycle among zebras. Crescent Island offers walking safaris.
A dry northern reserve with special species like Grevy's zebra and reticulated giraffe. The Ewaso Ng'iro River draws wildlife.
Two huge parks, Tsavo East and Tsavo West, known for red dust elephants and volcanic landscapes. They sit between Nairobi and Mombasa.
Africa's second highest mountain, with treks to Point Lenana and forests full of wildlife. The Laikipia plateau around it has private conservancies.
A private conservancy with chimpanzees, big game and the last northern white rhinos. It is easy to reach from Nanyuki.
A long white sand beach south of Mombasa with resorts, kitesurfing and colobus monkeys. It is the easiest beach after safari.
East Africa's oldest continually lived in Swahili town, with narrow lanes, donkeys and carved doors. Dhows sail around the archipelago.
A Portuguese fort built in the 1590s guarding Mombasa's old harbour. It is now a museum next to the Old Town.
A coastal village with marine park reefs and nearby ruins of the medieval Swahili town of Gedi. Turtles nest on the beaches.
Everything above is open to read. A Hodolog account lets you build the trip around it: pick cities, add places to days, see the weather for your dates.
Each city with a guide opens its own page: map, where to stay, what to eat.
Capital and safari hub.
gateway, wildlife · Open the city guideGateway town to the Mara.
gateway · Guide comingLakes and walking safaris.
nature · Guide comingBase for Mount Kenya and Laikipia.
wildlife, hiking · Guide comingHistoric port city.
history, gateway · Guide comingBeach resort.
beach, relaxing · Guide comingSwahili island town.
culture, relaxing · Guide comingThe top beach resort area on the south coast.
beach, relaxing · Guide comingBase for Lake Nakuru National Park.
birds, rhinos · Guide comingQuiet beach town with marine park and ruins.
beach, snorkelling · Guide comingCapital with wildlife on its doorstep.
Nairobi National Park, Sheldrick, Giraffe Centre
Classic savanna safari country.
Maasai Mara, Mara conservancies
Lakes, flamingos and volcanoes.
Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, Hell's Gate
Mountains and dry northern parks.
Mount Kenya, Ol Pejeta, Samburu
Kilimanjaro views and vast parks.
Amboseli, Tsavo
Beaches and Swahili culture.
Diani, Lamu, Fort Jesus
Choose how long you have, then add the whole route to a trip as places and nights.
Best: July to October and January to February. Dry seasons offer the best wildlife viewing, and the Great Migration is usually in the Mara from about July to October.
Long rains fall from about March to May and short rains around November; the coast is hot and humid all year.
January. Shoulder season. Good balance of weather and crowds.
81°F daily high, 69°F average, 1.5 in
Average of past years from NASA POWER, worked out at each city's position. A place far from these cities can be quite different.
The US State Department rates Kenya Level 2 (exercise increased caution) for crime, terrorism and other risks, with Level 4 warnings for areas near the Somali border and some coastal and northern counties.
Small planes link safari parks and the coast, while roads are slow and many visitors travel with a driver guide.
Park fees and lodges are expensive, but budget camping safaris are available.
Entry rules depend on your passport. Members see the rules for their own passport here.
Passport and visa rules change often and without notice. Always check the official pages before you book and again before you travel.
| Entry | Check visa and entry rules on the official Kenya eTA website (https://www.etakenya.go.ke/en) and on your own government's travel advice before you go, as rules can change. |
| Plugs | Type G; 240 V |
| Tap water | not safe |
| Tipping | Tips for safari guides, camp staff and restaurant staff are expected, often around 10 percent in restaurants. |
| Payments | M-Pesa mobile money dominates locally, cards work in lodges and cities, and cash is useful for tips. |
| Emergency | 999 |
| Etiquette | Greet people before conversation, and ask before photographing anyone, especially Maasai and Samburu people. Plastic bags are banned. Same sex relations are criminalised, so be discreet. |
| What to wear | Dress modestly in Lamu and other coastal Muslim towns, covering shoulders and knees. |
| Driving | On the left |
| Between cities | Light aircraft from Nairobi's Wilson Airport fly to safari airstrips and the coast. The Madaraka Express train runs between Nairobi and Mombasa. Most road safaris use a driver guide in a 4x4 vehicle. |
| Main airports | NBO, WIL, MBA, UKA, LAU |
| Ride apps | Uber, Bolt |
Kenya's Rift Valley holds some of the earliest evidence of human ancestors. Swahili trading towns grew along the coast, linking Africa with Arabia and India for centuries. Britain colonised Kenya in the late 1800s, and the Mau Mau uprising of the 1950s helped push toward independence in 1963. Today Kenya is East Africa's economic hub.
Researched 2026-10-13. Check official sources and recent changes before you go.