Ten days is the sweet spot for a first trip to Kenya: long enough for a proper safari, a lake and a few slow days on the beach, without spending half your holiday in a vehicle.
This route keeps the drives short where it can, spends three nights in the Maasai Mara so you are not rushing, and finishes on the coast. It works best in the dry seasons, from late June to October and from mid-December to March; see the best time to visit Kenya.
Nairobi
Land at JKIA, rest, then a dawn game drive in Nairobi National Park, baby elephants and giraffes.
Maasai Mara and Lake Naivasha
Three nights on safari in the Mara, then hippos and cycling with zebras in the Rift Valley.
Diani Beach
White sand, warm sea and a slow finish on the Indian Ocean coast.
Days 1 and 2: Nairobi
Day 1. Land at JKIA and head to your hotel; Westlands, Karen and Lang'ata are good bases. Keep the first day easy after the flight.
Day 2. Be at the gate of Nairobi National Park for 6 am to look for rhinos and lions with the city skyline behind. At 11 am, visit the baby elephants at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (book ahead on their website), then feed the giraffes at the Giraffe Centre in the afternoon. More in our Nairobi National Park guide.
Days 3 to 5: Maasai Mara
Day 3. Leave Nairobi by 7 am and stop at the Great Rift Valley viewpoint. The drive to the Mara takes five to six hours, so you arrive for lunch and an afternoon game drive.
Day 4. A full day in the reserve, with a picnic lunch. From July to October, this is your best chance of a river crossing; read the migration, month by month.
Day 5. Start with a balloon flight at sunrise if you want a treat, or another dawn drive. Spend the afternoon on a walk with a Maasai guide in one of the conservancies.
Days 6 and 7: Lake Naivasha and Hell's Gate
Day 6. Drive from the Mara to Lake Naivasha, about four hours, for an afternoon boat ride among the hippos and a walk with giraffes on Crescent Island.
Day 7. Cycle through Hell's Gate in the cool of the morning, then drive back to Nairobi, about two hours. See our Rift Valley road trip.
Days 8 to 10: Diani Beach
Day 8. Fly from Nairobi to Ukunda, the airstrip for Diani, in about an hour, or take the SGR train to Mombasa in around five hours and continue by road to the beach.
Days 9 and 10. Swim, snorkel at the reef, or take a dhow trip to Wasini Island. Fly home from Mombasa, or back to Nairobi for your international flight.
Kenya itinerary for 7 days
With a week, drop the beach. Spend one night in Nairobi, three in the Maasai Mara and one at Lake Naivasha, with a last night in Nairobi before your flight. Or swap the Mara for Amboseli and Tsavo West and finish with two nights at Diani, driving the whole way along the Mombasa Road.
Kenya itinerary for 2 weeks
With fourteen days, add the north: two nights at Ol Pejeta for rhinos and Mount Kenya, and two in Samburu for the Special Five, before the Mara. Or go south through Amboseli and Tsavo on the way to the coast.
Travelling with children
Keep drives under four hours where you can and build in a pool afternoon. Nairobi's giraffes and baby elephants, the chimps at Ol Pejeta, a boat ride on Lake Naivasha and the calm water at Diani all work well for families.
Quick questions
How many days do you need in Kenya?
Ten days is ideal for a first trip: two parks, a lake and a few days on the beach. A week is enough for a safari on its own, and two weeks lets you add the north or Amboseli and Tsavo.
What is a good 7-day Kenya itinerary?
One night in Nairobi, three in the Maasai Mara, one at Lake Naivasha and a last night in Nairobi. For beach as well, choose Amboseli, Tsavo West and two nights at Diani instead.
Is it better to drive or fly between parks in Kenya?
Driving shows you the country, keeps your bags with you and lets you stop on the way. Flying saves time on the longest legs, such as Nairobi to the coast. Many visitors drive the safari and fly to the beach.
Can you do safari and beach in 10 days?
Yes. Spend about five days on safari and three on the coast, with time in Nairobi at the start.
Planning your route?
We'll drive you there.
From JKIA to Nairobi, the Mara and the lakes, with a local chauffeur who knows the road.
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