- Tour code
KENADV02
- Start
Nairobi
- End
Nairobi
- Min. age
16 years old
- Group size
Max 6-16 travellers
- Trip style
Explorer
- Trip pace
Easy
- Language
English
Kenya gives you two very different journeys in one. The first half is the Maasai Mara: rolling grassland, acacia trees and some of the best wildlife viewing in Africa. The second is the Swahili coast at Diani, where white sand meets warm, turquoise water.
After a welcome dinner in Nairobi, you'll cross the Great Rift Valley with a tea-farm stop on the way to a riverside camp close to the Tanzanian border. Two full days of game drives follow, looking for lions, elephants, rhinos, buffalo and leopards, then a day with Maasai residents in a traditional village to hear about daily life from the people who live it.
Then the pace changes. At Diani you'll dine inside a natural coral cave, sail on a traditional dhow with time to swim and snorkel, visit the Shimoni Slave Caves and paddle the Kongo River at sunset before a picnic on the beach. A short flight back to Nairobi sets up a last afternoon in the capital and a final evening with the group.
Your Soca Islands Host is with you throughout, and groups are kept small, from 6 to 16 travelers.
Why This Journey
Four nights in the Mara give you time to slow down on safari: not just ticking off animals from a vehicle, but returning to the same plains morning after morning and seeing how much changes. Spending a day with Maasai families adds the human side of the landscape, which many safaris skip.
Ending on the coast turns a safari into a complete holiday. The dhow day, the Shimoni caves and the coral-cave dinner show a side of Kenya shaped by the Indian Ocean and its trading history, and there's still a free morning to do nothing at all. It suits travelers who want wildlife and beach in one well-paced trip.
Where You'll Stay
Nairobi (2 nights, at the start and end): Sarova Stanley, in the city center. Maasai Mara (4 nights): Sand River Masai Mara, a riverside tented camp in the southern Mara near the Tanzanian border. Diani (3 nights): Leopard Beach Resort & Spa, on Diani Beach. Proposed accommodation (or similar), subject to confirmation. Rooms are based on two people sharing a double room with two beds.
Getting There
International Flights Not Included. International airfare to and from the destination is not included in the package price. Travelers are responsible for arranging their own flights and ensuring their arrival and departure align with the trip itinerary. Fly into and out of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi; arrival and departure airport transfers are included. Please share your confirmed flight details with Soca Islands so we can coordinate applicable arrival and departure arrangements.
What you will see and do
Search for lions, rhinos and the rest of the Big Five on Maasai Mara game drives
Taste Nairobi's food and feel the energy of Kenya's capital
Kick back on Diani's white sand and get to know Swahili coastal culture
What's included
All activities mentioned on the itinerary
Accommodations in double rooms
Experienced Soca Islands Host with you throughout the trip
One farewell group activity when possible
Max 16 travellers per group
Arrival and departure airport transfers
Group transportation
What's excluded
- International flights (travelers arrange their own)
- Travel insurance (required)
- Meals not listed in the itinerary
- Optional activities and personal expenses
- Single room supplement (single rooms on request, subject to availability)
- Extra hotel nights before or after the trip
Group itinerary
Welcome, or karibu, as you'll hear everywhere. Your arrival transfer brings you from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) to your hotel in Nairobi; after check-in, take the afternoon to rest and find your feet.
In the evening the group meets your Soca Islands Host over a relaxed welcome dinner, the first of many shared meals.
Leave the city behind and drop into the Great Rift Valley on the road west, with wide views across the valley floor. A stop at a tea farm explains how Kenya became one of the world's great tea producers, followed by lunch.
By afternoon you're at camp, set beside a river close to the Tanzanian border, with time to settle in before an early dinner. Tomorrow starts early.
With expert guides, spend the whole day crossing the Mara in search of lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard, plus the wildebeest, zebras, giraffes and countless other animals that share this ecosystem.
Evening brings dinner at camp and stories under the stars.
More game drives mean more chances. Every outing on the Mara is different, whether it's a herd on the move, a pride resting in the shade or a predator on the hunt.
Back at camp as the sun goes down, the sounds of the bush carry you into the night.
Today is about people. In a traditional village, Maasai residents welcome you and share their history, customs and everyday routines through conversation, stories and cultural practices.
It's a view of the Mara that goes beyond wildlife, and a chance to ask the questions the game drives leave you with.
Swap savanna for sea as you travel to Diani Beach, south of Mombasa, where the sand is white and the Indian Ocean glows turquoise. After check-in there's time for a first swim.
Tonight's dinner is inside a natural coral cave, set among the rock formations.
Sail out on a traditional dhow for a day on the Indian Ocean, with stops to swim and snorkel over coral reefs full of fish.
Later, visit the Shimoni Slave Caves, a sobering reminder of the coast's history. The day ends ashore with fresh seafood.
Take the morning off: beach, book or a wander along the sand.
In the afternoon, a canoe carries you along the Kongo River as the sun goes down, with mangroves and birdlife along the banks, followed by a picnic on the beach with your group.
A short flight returns you to Nairobi, where the afternoon takes in some of the capital's lesser-known spots, such as local markets and cultural venues.
In the evening you'll sit down together for one last group dinner.
It's time for goodbyes. Your departure transfer takes you to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) for your flight out, with Kenya's wildlife, coast and culture fresh in your mind.
Accommodations
Here's a glimpse of the hotels we selected for this adventure.
Sarova Stanley
Nairobi's oldest hotel, opened in 1902, on the corner of Kenyatta Avenue and Kimathi Street in the city centre. Its Thorn Tree Café, long a meeting point for travellers crossing East Africa, is where Ernest Hemingway once wrote.
It works well as a starting point for an overland journey: rooms are well equipped, there are meeting rooms for a group briefing, and the central location makes it easy to find for arrivals at different times.
Rooms are 23–39 m² (248–420 ft²), with twin or double beds.
Hotel websiteSand River Masai Mara
A tented camp on the banks of the Sand River in the southern Maasai Mara National Reserve, close to the border with Tanzania's Serengeti. Its position puts game drives straight into the reserve's open plains, where the big cats and large herds are often seen.
The camp's canvas tents have private bathrooms and verandas facing the river, and meals are served in a main mess tent, with a pool for the middle of the day.
Leopard Beach Resort & Spa
A beachfront resort on Diani Beach, south of Mombasa, set in tropical gardens along the white sand. Ukunda airstrip, the coral-cave restaurant and the Kongo River at the northern end of Diani are within a short drive.
It has several pools, restaurants and bars and a spa, and its size makes it straightforward for a group to stay together.
Rooms
You'll stay at Trip Hotel.
- Included
Shared double
Shared with the person you book with, or a fellow traveller of the same sex.
- +$2,310 per person
Single room
A room to yourself, subject to availability.
Room prices are per person for the Jul 23, 2027 departure and can differ on other dates. You choose your room when you book.
Tour FAQS
Fly into and out of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi (NBO).
Proposed accommodation is Sarova Stanley in Nairobi (Nights 1 and 9), Sand River Masai Mara in the Maasai Mara (4 nights) and Leopard Beach Resort & Spa in Diani (3 nights), or similar, subject to confirmation.
International Flights Not Included. International airfare to and from the destination is not included in the package price. Travelers are responsible for arranging their own flights and ensuring their arrival and departure align with the trip itinerary. Please share your confirmed flight details with Soca Islands so we can coordinate applicable arrival and departure arrangements.
Yes. Arrival and departure airport transfers between Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) and the Nairobi hotel are included. Please share your confirmed flight details with Soca Islands so we can coordinate applicable arrival and departure arrangements.
The trip includes 9 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 8 group dinners, as described in the itinerary. Other meals are at your own cost.
Extra nights can be requested, subject to hotel availability; contact our Customer Experience team for a quote.
There are no scheduled activities on the final day, so feel free to book your departure at your own convenience.
We recommend arriving before 3 pm on Day 1 to make it in time for the welcome event. But don’t worry no matter when you land, we’ll have an airport transfer ready for you.
Please Refer to your government’s travel advice or consult your local consulate. Remember, passport and visa requirements can change, so make sure to stay updated.
Excluding alcohol, we suggest budgeting around USD $40.00 per day for extras.
While we’re not medical professionals, we want to help you prepare for a safe and healthy adventure. Here are some tips:
- Consult with a healthcare professional: Schedule an appointment with your travel nurse or doctor at least eight weeks before your adventure to get any necessary vaccines or medications.
- Up-to-date medical advice:
- US residents: Check the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
- UK residents: Visit the NHS Fit For Travel website.
- Australian residents: Refer to the Smart Traveler Health website.
3. Government travel advice:
- US residents: Consult the US Department of State Travel Advice.
- UK residents: Check the FCDO Travel Advice.
- Australian residents: Visit the Smart Traveler website.
4. Medication tips: If you take prescription medication, bring enough to last the entire trip, plus a few extra days in case of delays. Carry a copy of your prescription in case you need to visit a clinic abroad.
We hope this helps you prepare for a safe and enjoyable adventure.
Please keep in mind that our itinerary, activities, and hotels might change. These adjustments could happen with little notice due to factors like availability, weather conditions, seasonal shifts, or other circumstances beyond our control. Rest assured, we always aim to minimise any impact on your experience. Occasionally, we may tweak the itinerary to try out fresh ideas and keep the adventure exciting.
We believe solo travelers shouldn’t have to pay extra to explore the world. That’s why our group trips are designed around shared accommodation and do not include a single supplement. Solo travelers joining our group trips are paired in twin or multi-share rooms with another traveler of the same sex for the duration of the trip.
Some of our Independent trips are structured differently. For these itineraries, solo travelers will need to book at the single occupancy rate.
Tips are not included in the cost of this tour. Remember, tipping is entirely at your discretion and based on what you feel comfortable with.
Would you like to learn more or customise our The Kenya Trip trip?
Have questions about accommodations, accessibility, group preferences, or dietary needs? Complete the form below and our team will get back to you shortly.
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