Kenya is where it all began :
Home to the original safari holiday and still one of the most popular destinations for safaris in the world.

Famous not only for its 'Out of Africa' scenic beauty, diverse cultures and abundant wildlife, Kenya also boasts superb footprint-free beaches and warm tropical waters, thus ensuring a complete Kenya safari holiday experience.

Above all it's the wildlife that attracts the safari traveller to some Africa's best-known national parks, including the Masai Mara, Tsavo, Amboseli and lake Nakuru, naturally it's the incredible Great wildbeest migration that is the biggest attraction of them all.

The ebb and flow of hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebra from the Serengeti, in Tanzania, to Kenya's Masai Mara and back is a phenomenal, once-in-a-lifetime sight - and well worth the effort to witness it.

Timing your trip to coincide with the migration is important - the exact moment when the herds pass through a specific area depends on highly unpredictable factors such as when the rains fall.

Masai Mara
South Western Kenya is the heartland of the Maasai. The Maasai are a strongly independent people who still value tradition and ritual as an integral part of their everyday lives. They regard themselves not just as residents of this area but that they are as much a part of the life of the land as the land is part of their lives.

Traditionally, the Maasai rarely hunt and living alongside wildlife in harmony is an important part of their beliefs. Lions and Wildebeest play as important a role in their cultural beliefs as their own herds of cattle. This unique co-existence of man and wildlife makes this Maasai land one of the world’s most unique wilderness regions.

At the heart of these lands is the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, widely considered to be Africa’s greatest wildlife reserve. The Mara comprises200 sq miles of open plains, woodlands and riverine forest Contiguous with the plains of the Serengeti, the Mara is home to a breath taking array of life. The vast grassland plains are scattered with herds of Zebra, Giraffe, Gazelle, and Topi.

The Acacia forests abound with Bird life and Monkeys. Elephants and Buffalo wallow in the wide Musiara Swamp. The Mara and Talek rivers are brimming with Hippos and Crocodiles. Each year the Mara plays host to the world’s greatest natural spectacle, the Great Wildebeest Migration from the Serengeti.

From July to October, the promise of rain and fresh life giving grass in the north brings more than 1.3 million Wildebeest together into a single massive herd. They pour across the border into the Mara, making a spectacular entrance in a surging column of life that stretches from horizon to horizon.

At the Mara River they mass together on the banks before finally plunging forward through the raging waters, creating a frenzy as they fight against swift currents and waiting crocodiles. The wildebeest bring new life to the Mara, not just through their cycle of regeneration of the grasslands, but for the predators who follow the herds.

The Mara has been called the Kingdom of Lions and these regal and powerful hunters dominate these grasslands. Cheetah are also a common sight in the Mara, as are Hyena and smaller predators such as Jackals.The Mara is an awesome natural wonder, a place where Maasai warriors share the plains with hunting lions, a place of mighty herds and timeless cycles of life, death and regeneration.

The Mara is probably the best serviced of all Kenyan Parks and Reserves with a wide range of Accommodation for any budget. The Reserve is a popular attraction with Safari operators. The reserve is ideal for game drives, and some lodges and camps offer walks and balloon safaris.

Wildlife moves freely in and out of the reserve, and through neighbouring Maasai lands. Outside the boundaries of the reserve there are many other small camps and lodges, some of which offer walking,horse riding and other safari options. The Loita Hills and the Nguruman Escarpment, both considered sacred to the Maasai, offer high forest trekking opportunities for the adventurous traveller.

Getting there...
The point of road access to this region is Narok, a 3 hour drive from Nairobi. There are regular buses and matatus to Narok from Nairobi and other destinations. Some people choose to Fly to the Mara, which is serviced by 2 airstrips.

There are daily scheduled flights from Nairobi, and the coast. Private Charters also use these strips. Accessing the Mara area is difficult without private transport. Most visitors come to Maasai Mara as part of a Safari package from Nairobi or in a Hire Car.

The park has well established internal roads and tracks. Accessing areas outside the reserve is only possible using basic public transport, and finding your way around can be difficult.Several Safari operators can arrange specialized tours, treks or hikes in this area.

Where to stay
Maasai Mara has a range of accommodation to suit all budgets, tastes and interests.  There are very basic campsites where you can pitch a tent and sleep under canvas in the wild, well appointed safari lodges, luxury tented camps with large, fully furnished tents, small private camps for your exclusive use and much, much, more.

AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK
Amboseli is a land of giants. This is a place of wide dry plains, where the horizons stretch into the furthest distance and become one with the sky.

Amboseli is renowned for its elephant populations and large herds, including some impressively tusked bulls are drawn to a series of large, lush swamplands. But the most impressive giant of all is Mt Kilimanjaro. Africa's largest mountain lies just over the border in Tanzania, but the most impressive views of its snow-capped peak are to be found in Amboseli. The early light of dawn turns the mountain a dark hue of purple, and its snows into an ethereal pink. The sight of Kilimanjaro high above herds of elephant crossing the plains of Amboseli is a timeless African image.

This area is home to many Maasai communities, centred around the Amboseli National Park. The park is 400 sq kms, with its southern boundary along the Tanzanian border. The park is home to more than just Elephants, and herds of wildebeest, zebra and impala graze on the open plains.. There are areas of acacia forest that make for good birding, and are home to many small mammals. Cheetah are also often sighted here.

The park is centred around a large hill, with fantastic views of the surrounding plains, often crossed by whirlwinds that send winding columns of dust into the sky. This open country is good walking territory, and many camps and lodges organise game walks, or trips to spend time in local Maasai villages.

Getting Around - Amboseli is a 4 hour drive from Nairobi. The nearest town is Namanga, on the Kenya/ Tanzania border. There are regular buses and matatus to Namanga from Nairobi and other destinations. There are also regular private shuttles from Nairobi to Arusha in Tanzania, which pass by Namanga.

There are daily scheduled flights from both Nairobi and the coast. Amboseli has a central airstrip. Private Charters also use this strip. Accessing Amboseli National Park is difficult without private transport. Most visitors come to here as part of a Safari package from Nairobi or in a Hire Car.

Those bringing their own vehicle should be prepared for dusty driving conditions, although the park has well established internal roads and tracks.

Kenya Wildlife Safari :
The boundless wilderness and big game of this region has long attracted adventure seekers from all over the globe.

Kenya offers the visitor a chance to experience a natural world unchanged by the passage of time. The Kenyan wilderness is home to an endless array of ecosystems, the staging ground for natural cycles of life, death and regeneration as old as the planet itself. This great range of natural habitats means that there is plenty to explore, and plenty of species to encounter. This is a land of endless potential for the wildlife enthusiast. From great migratory herds of the open savannah to an incredible abundance of birdlife, from the depths of a tropical rainforest to the depths of the Indian Ocean teeming with fish, this is a world of natural wonders.

A safari into the wilds of Kenya is a journey into nature at its purest. Everywhere you

Balloon Safari in Kenya
A balloon is the perfect safari vehicle able to glide silently across the plains without disturbing the herds below, and at the flick of a hot air burner the basket can be whisked from a high altitude viewpoint to skim low across the grasslands.

For a truly unique perspective on this spectacular wilderness, dawn Balloon safaris, carried out daily from several lodges, can be booked through most Safari companies. This incredible once in a lifetime experience offers the visitor a fantastic view of Kenya's scenic beauty,  and the chance to drift unobtrusively over the wildlife below.

The Maasai Mara is Kenya’s most impressive landscape - its great game rich plains are iconic Africa at its best. For any visitor to the Mara, the best way to appreciate the Mara is from above, on a dawn balloon flight. The Mara has long been considered the ultimate ballooning location by hot air enthusiasts- and it’s easy to see why. Perfect flying conditions are matched by expansive big sky, incredible views to enjoy whichever you turn, and Kenya’s world famous big game below the basket.

A balloon flight means rising earlier than the usual time for a morning game drive- but it is an early start that is richly rewarded. Guests are driven to meet their balloons which are inflated with the gradual release of hot air from the burners, the balloon slowly taking shape and rising high above the darkened plains, their illuminated core matched by the first rays of sunrise on the horizon.

The Great Rift Valley is one of the most awe-inspiring sights on earth, but the best way to see the rift is from above, and a balloon safari will literally give you a birds eye view of the valley as you join flocks of flamingo soaring high across lakes, volcanoes and forest. The Rift valley is one of nature’s wonders, easily visible from outer space. The valley stretches 6000 kms from Jordan to Mozambique, with its width varying from between 30 to 100 kms.

The valley is at its most spectacular in Kenya, its floor studded with dormant volcanoes and fresh water and soda lakes, attracting a wide range of big game and bird life. When exploring the rift, it is difficult to gain a clear perspective of the scale and sheer size of the valley, which is where a balloon comes in handy. Rising from the floor, you can appreciate the entire Rift, both its vast entirety and the many natural elements and ecosystems that bring the valley to life.

The launch site is within easy reach of safari lodges and hotels in the Naivasha and Nakuru region, making this an ideal morning excursion for anyone spending the night in this area. The balloon safari over the rift valley launches at dawn, rising with the sun over the sprawling plains of Delamere before skimming low across the shores of Lake Elmenteita.