Kenya has everything we image Africa to be: Savannah plains teeming with grazers and predators, views of the snow-capped peaks of Kilimanjaro, palm-fringed beaches, sweaty jungles and a vast inhospitable desert. With the oldest safari industry on the continent, the Kenyans run a smooth operation and most tourists seem to walk away happy and fulfilled.
It is easy to see a big variety of animals in Kenya. The people that enjoy Kenya most are those who have a strong personal connection with the country, or particularly positive associations with aspects of its history and ethnic make-up or its popular culture.
So, one of the most popular types of travel safari is the self-drive safari. A self-drive safari is simply a safari where you have your own private rented 4×4 car and will drive yourself across Africa. It’s one of the most rewarding and satisfying ways to travel Africa. You are literally in the driver’s seat of your holiday.
You could be traversing across miles of open road or game driving through wildlife regions; it all depends on where you want to go and what you want to do. Driving around can be a good way to meet the locals too, if that’s what you’re in search of when you travel.
Below are the 5 reasons why you should go on a self-drive safari in Kenya.
- Affordable
If you’re on a budget, Kenya is affordable with a self- drive safari option, then a guided tour. Make sure to choose a car-hire option with limited mileage, as unlimited mileage, costs far more. Think practically if you have a large family, rather rent a car that can accommodate everyone easily you want comfort and space at the end of the day. An average car rental will cost you from.
- You’re in control
Most guided tours will have schedules that cannot be interrupted and spotting an Antelope family might not be high on their priority list, so a self-drive safari allows you to choose which animal sightings to spend time at. You be in control of your safari time.
- Flexibility
There is nothing worse than seeing a beautiful animal or a breathtaking view and being unable to stop or appreciate it. This happens a lot with group travel where there is a strict travel schedule or sometimes guided travels when they are on schedules. But with self-drive safari, you control where and when you go because there are no fixed dates or times. Should any unexpected events or weather rain on your day, you can easily plan around it as you decide what to do and where to go next.
- Comfort and privacy
With self-drive safari you will feel comfortable when choose your own type of vehicle and have privacy with your family. Meeting new people can be daunting, so traveling with strangers and sharing the confined space of a vehicle with them, might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Feeling comfortable on a safari can make or break the experience for you, so if you prefer exploring Africa in your own time with your own people, a self-drive safari is the way to go.
- Better Game Viewing
Stopping next to the road in a secure game reserve or national park, means first come first serve. With a self-drive safari, you stop when and where you want. If you arrive on a site first, you can stay there until you have taken that perfect shot, and then continue your game drive however you choose. But it will be up to you which route you take, how long you stay to watch those lions on a kill, and how long you stop for lunch.
That freedom comes with a sense of responsibility if something happens, you’re the one who’ll need to deal with it. But help is never more than a satellite phone call away and it’s a small price to pay for the sort of safari holiday that you’ll never forget.
