Answered honestly

July to October is the classic window: dry, excellent game viewing, and the wildebeest migration in the Maasai Mara. January to March is the other strong period — green, quieter, good rates and superb predator viewing with young animals. April to early June is the long rains, when some camps close and tracks deteriorate, but prices drop considerably and the country is beautiful.

Seven to ten nights is the realistic minimum for a first Kenyan safari. That allows two parks at a sensible pace, or one park plus the coast. Under five nights and you spend a disproportionate share of the trip in transit. Two weeks lets you add a third, less-visited region such as Laikipia or Samburu.

No, and treat anyone who guarantees it with caution. The herds move in response to rainfall, not a calendar. River crossings are most likely between late July and early October, but they can happen days apart or several times in one afternoon. We position you where the odds are best and are honest about the rest.

For July to October travel, nine to twelve months ahead. The best small camps have very few rooms and sell out first. For green season travel, three to six months is usually sufficient. We can occasionally place late bookings, but the choice narrows sharply.

A typical structure is a 30 per cent deposit to confirm and hold camp space, with the balance due eight weeks before travel. Some camps in peak season require more. We set the exact terms out in writing before you commit to anything, and we do not take payment before you have seen them.

Most visitors now apply online for electronic travel authorisation before departure rather than obtaining a visa on arrival. Requirements change, so check the official Kenyan government portal close to your travel date. We will remind you in your pre-departure pack, but the application is yours to make.

Fly, in almost every case. Nairobi to the Maasai Mara is 45 minutes by light aircraft against five hours on rough road. The exception is a short Amboseli or Tsavo trip where the drive is scenic and the saving meaningful. Luggage on light aircraft is limited to soft bags, usually 15kg.

Kenya is a malaria-risk country, and prophylaxis is normally recommended for safari areas and the coast. Yellow fever certification may be required depending on your route. This is medical advice, so please consult a travel clinic six to eight weeks before departure rather than relying on us.

Safari areas and the main coastal resorts are well-established and generally trouble-free, and camps take guest security seriously. Ordinary urban precautions apply in Nairobi and Mombasa. Check your own government's current travel advice, which is updated regularly and covers regions we would not send you to anyway.

A common guideline is roughly USD 20–30 per guest per day for your guide, and USD 10–15 per guest per day for general camp staff, placed in the communal box. Tipping is genuinely discretionary. We include current guidance in your final documents so you are not guessing on arrival.

International flights, visas, travel insurance, premium drinks, spa treatments and gratuities sit outside our quoted prices. Everything else — internal flights, park fees, accommodation, guiding and listed activities — is included and itemised. Each safari page lists its own inclusions and exclusions explicitly.

An early start, usually around 6am, for the best light and animal activity. Back to camp mid-morning for a proper breakfast, then a long, slow middle of the day while the wildlife rests too. Out again around 4pm until sunset, sometimes later in private conservancies where night driving is allowed. Dinner is usually around eight.

Neutral colours, layers for genuinely cold mornings, a fleece, a wide-brimmed hat, decent binoculars and more camera storage than you think. Avoid blue and black, which attract tsetse flies. Soft-sided bags only if you are on light aircraft. Laundry is included at most camps, so pack considerably less than instinct suggests.

Most camps have wifi in the main areas, and mobile coverage across much of the Mara and Amboseli is better than visitors expect. Northern Kenya and parts of Tsavo are patchier. Many guests deliberately treat that as a feature rather than a problem.