If you are planning a trip through Kenya, a good option is to drive yourself by hiring a 4X4 car and enjoy a Kenya wildlife safari road trip. One of the new arrivals to car travel, 4X4 Car Hire Uganda, makes it easy to hire a car from one country and cross into another for a safari, but you need to plan for it adequately.
While a road trip with friends can be an ideal getaway, you may not be able to do it in your own car. But there are plenty of rental car options available around East Africa, but which one should you choose for your next trip? While it’s tempting to simply go for the cheapest option available, it may not pay off in the long run, as you might get an experience that matches the price tag.
Discover the real wild side of Kenya on a wildlife safari; choose an exciting tour that will ensure you have the holiday of a lifetime. Safaris in Kenya have something to offer to everyone. Experience the adventure of budget camping or the opulence of luxury camping safaris. Enjoy a truly memorable lodge safari, or take it one step further and go fly camping. Hunting safaris are also possible.
Some of the best national parks to visit on a safari in Kenya
Masai Mara National Reserve
The Masai Mara is the highlight of safari in Kenya. Famous for its great herds of plains’ game including its exceptional population of Masai lions, African leopards and Tanzanian cheetahs, it’s also the best place to see the Great Migration: the annual movement of zebra, gazelle and wildebeest to and from the Serengeti in Tanzania. It contains many elephants and virtually every other type of wildlife found in Kenya. This park is also known for having the most approachable animals.
An early morning game drive starts just before dawn at around 6 am and normally finishes by 8:30 am when you return for breakfast. Virtually all lodges and camps will have tea, coffee and biscuits etc. available from around 5:30 am, so you can partake of a little light refreshment before you go.
Lake Nakuru National Park
This park is best known for Flamingos. More than a million pink flamingos flock on the shores of Lake Nakuru, along with white rhinos, warthogs, giraffes, zebra, hippos, ostriches and lions. Quintessentially African, Lake Nakuru National Park is only 170 kilometres north-west of Nairobi. Visitors can enjoy the wide ecological diversity and varied habitats that range from Lake Nakuru itself to the surrounding escarpment and picturesque ridges.
Amboseli National Park
The majestic Mount Kilimanjaro is a Kenyan safari must see. The name “Amboseli” comes from a Maasai word meaning “salty dust”, and it is one of the best places in Africa to view large herds of elephants up close. Nature lovers can explore five different habitats here ranging from the dried-up bed of Lake Amboseli, wetlands with sulphur springs, the Savannah and woodlands. They can also visit the local Maasai community who live around the park and experience their lifestyle culture.
Tsavo National Parks
Together, Tsavo’s two national parks create the largest protected wildlife sanctuary in Kenya. Situated in Kenya’s south-west, Tsavo is an enormous wilderness area that has been divided into Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks. Combined, Tsavo is Kenya’s biggest park and, at 22,000 km² (13,671 miles), one of the world’s largest game sanctuaries.
It is particularly well known for its large herds of elephants and captivating landscapes. Tsavo is one of the less populated game areas in Kenya and is perfect for those who want to enjoy a pristine wildlife experience. A highlight of Tsavo National Park is the spectacular Mzima Springs, where crystal-clear water flows through volcanic rock. More remote than Kenya’s other safari parks, the massive area offers vast landscapes to explore. The sight of elephants spraying the blue waters of the Galana River on themselves is one you’ll cherish for life. You can also spot the giraffe, cheetah, lion, serval cat, leopard, oryx, gazelle, buffalo, antelope, stripped hyena, impala and approximately 500 species of birds. Tsavo East is also home to two iconic trees, the baobab and the doum palm.
Samburu Game Reserve
The literal meaning of the word ‘safari’ is ‘journey’, and Samburu is the perfect place to start an adventure. With game drives offering hundreds of elephants, lions, buffaloes and leopards, you will see Samburu’s own ‘Special Five’: the Beisa Oryx, Grevy’s zebra, Somali ostrich, gerenuk and reticulated giraffe. You can also opt for a camel safari – an iconic African adventure you’ll never forget.
Best time to go on safari in Kenya
June – October is the best time to go on a Kenyan Safari. The weather is dry and you can cover spend extensive time enjoying the best of safari ride. It’s also the time when Savannah flourishes and it’s the best time to go explore places like Masai Mara.
