Flamingo lakes, Tsavo red earth, dhow sails to Wasini. Ten days through the Kenya I grew up in.
Security personnel, briefings before every activity, and a 24-hour on-call contact throughout.
Nyama choma in the highlands, coconut-and-tamarind Swahili cooking, seafood on the coast.
Licensed guides, maintained vehicles, and a pace that lets you see things.
Both routes are fully all-inclusive — international flights, transport, accommodation, park fees, guides and meals as marked. Only eTA (USD 30) and personal travel insurance are separate.
Rift Valley highlands & lakes → south coast & marine reefs. The complete arc — three national parks, Kilimanjaro on the horizon, and the Indian Ocean at the end.
Safari through Tsavo → south coast marine sanctuary. Built for travellers who want wildlife and coastal culture without the highland leg.
The Full Loop covers all three. The Coastal Express picks up from Mombasa for the savanna-to-reef leg.
Arrival hub and Lake Nakuru — rhino sanctuary and flamingo-lined shores.
Lake Naivasha boat rides, Hell's Gate gorge, and Rift Valley escarpment views.
Elephants with Kilimanjaro behind them — one of Africa's iconic vistas.
Red-earth savanna, Mzima Springs, and the Madaraka Express viaduct.
White-sand south coast, dhow crossings, dolphins and reef snorkelling.
Swahili old town, coastal food, and departure — or your starting point on the Express.
A realistic pace — no two-hour park visits squeezed between transfers. Times flex with weather, road conditions and tides.
Land at Jomo Kenyatta, transfer to our Nairobi base. Evening welcome dinner with your guide — route run-through, packing check, questions answered.
Drive north-west into the Rift Valley for a full game drive at Lake Nakuru — rhino sanctuary, tree-climbing lions, and lake edges pink with flamingos.
Hell's Gate is one of the few parks in Kenya you can walk or cycle through — red cliffs, a gorge on foot, zebra and giraffe at eye level. Afternoon boat ride among hippos and fish eagles on the lake.
Drive south into Amboseli. First glimpses of the elephant herds and the savanna opening up beneath the mountains.
Early morning is when Kilimanjaro clears of cloud: Africa's highest peak behind herds of elephant crossing the plain. Game drives through marshes and open grassland — time to stop and watch.
Board the Madaraka Express — Kenya's Standard Gauge Railway through Tsavo's wilderness on elevated viaducts, with elephant and giraffe regularly spotted from your seat. Alight at Voi and transfer into Tsavo.
Tsavo West in full — Mzima Springs' underwater hide, volcanic lava fields, and the park's red-dust elephants, dyed by the soil they bathe in.
Transfer from Tsavo to Diani — first sight of the Indian Ocean after a week inland. Evening free on the beach.
Drive south to Shimoni, dhow across to Wasini Island. Dolphin watching, reef snorkelling, and a full seafood lunch island-style — coconut, tamarind, chilli.
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Morning in Mombasa's old town — Fort Jesus, carved Swahili doors, coastal pilau. Fly from Moi International or connect back to Nairobi.
Land at Moi International, settle in. Afternoon in the old town — Fort Jesus, spice markets, Swahili-Arab-Portuguese layers. Evening welcome dinner and briefing with your guide.
Board the Madaraka Express at Mombasa Terminus and ride inland through Tsavo on elevated viaducts — elephant and giraffe regularly spotted from your seat. Alight at Voi, transfer to our Tsavo base.
Tsavo West in full — Mzima Springs' underwater hide, volcanic lava fields, and the park's famous red-dust elephants. Time to watch rather than rush.
Transfer from Tsavo down to Diani — white sand and the Indian Ocean after two days in the bush. Afternoon free to swim, walk or decompress.
Free day on the south coast — swim, snorkel, explore the markets or rest. A Shimba Hills walk or sunset dhow can be arranged locally.
Drive to Shimoni, dhow across to Wasini in the Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Sanctuary. Dolphin watching, reef snorkelling, seafood lunch cooked island-style.
Transfer back to Mombasa. Time for a final walk through the old town before your flight from Moi International.
Places we've stayed at or have our eye on. Not confirmed bookings — availability decides the final list, but a fair read of the standard we're aiming for.
On the edge of Nairobi National Park — skyline one side, savanna the other.
Stone-and-acacia lodge above Lake Naivasha, overlooking its own waterhole.
Stilted rooms around a floodlit waterhole in Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary.
Right on Diani's white sand — our tentative base for the south coast leg.
Dinner inside a 12,000-year-old coral cave open to the night sky.
Traditional Swahili guesthouses in Lamu's old town, carved doors and all.
November is short-rains season across Kenya — warm days, brief afternoon showers, green landscapes and fewer crowds. Figures are long-term averages, not forecasts.
Kenya's capital and our start/end point. Cool evenings by East African standards — pack a light layer.
Soda lakes that shift colour with the flamingo populations feeding on them. Mornings are best for game viewing.
One of Africa's largest protected ecosystems — famous for red-dust elephants. This trip covers Tsavo West; Taita Hills offers a cooler, greener break above the plains.
Where I'm from. Humid, tropical, and unmistakably Swahili — coral-stone architecture, carved doors, and food built on coconut, tamarind and fresh catch.
Safety isn't a line in the small print here — it shapes the route, the vehicles and the pace.
Every driver-guide is certified by the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association, with years on these specific routes.
Pop-top safari vans, seatbelts, first-aid kits and radio contact between vehicle and base at all times.
Insurance, security, food, accommodation and travel between stops are all handled and built into the trip.
A dedicated number for the whole trip — not a call centre. Answered by someone who knows exactly where you are that day.
Cycling at Hell's Gate, snorkelling at Wasini, walking near wildlife — each gets a proper safety briefing, no exceptions.
Guidance on Mombasa's old town, respectful photography, and beach safety specific to each coastal stop.
Kenya's food changes as the landscape does — highland grills in the Rift Valley, coconut-and-spice on the coast.
The highland classic — slow-grilled goat or beef, eaten with your hands, kachumbari salad on the side. Expect this around Nairobi and the Rift Valley.
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Spiced slow-cooked rice — a Swahili coast staple, served with kachumbari and fried mutton or fish.
The everyday staple — maize meal alongside braised collard greens, usually with a simple stew. Filling and everywhere.
Plus Wasini's island seafood, mahamri (coconut doughnuts) on the coast, and fresh tropical fruit throughout. Vegetarian and dietary requirements are easy to accommodate — tell us when you book.
Kenya uses an eTA rather than a visa — most visitors need one before departure, applied online at etakenya.go.ke (around USD 30, processed in a few days). EAC passport holders are generally exempt. Check the portal for your nationality closer to the date.
A yellow fever certificate may be required depending on your routing — check current guidance. We recommend a travel health consultation a few weeks before departure to cover malaria prevention and routine vaccinations.
Moderate. Hell's Gate is the only active day — cycling or walking the gorge at an easy pace. Everything else is game drives, boat trips and walking around towns.
November 2026. Join the waitlist and we'll send confirmed dates and full pricing before October.
Layers. November mornings are cool, afternoons warm — bring a light rain jacket for the short rains. The coast is hot and humid year-round; light breathable clothing and something modest for Mombasa's old town. Sunscreen, repellent and a hat for every leg.
Kenyan shillings; cards work in cities and resorts, less so in markets and smaller towns. M-Pesa (mobile money) is ubiquitous locally — you won't need it but you'll see it everywhere. We'll share a cash guide before departure.
Cameras, yes — this route is built for them. Drones need a KCAA permit and are restricted in most national parks; we'll advise if you're planning to bring one.
Next departure November 2026. We'll be in touch with confirmed dates, group size and what to prepare.
Great Rift Tours