Kenya
The migration, and a capital with real nightlife
The honest version
Timed right, the Mara in migration season is unmatched. Timed wrong, it is still excellent and half the price. Nairobi is worth two nights on either end rather than a transit stop.
On the ground in Kenya
Places our team has checked against their own sources. We hold the table, book the guide and split the cost across the crew.
When to go
Same country, four different trips. Pick the one you actually want.
Short dry
Jan – Mar
Hot and dry, good general game viewing.
Half the price of August for most of the animals.
Long rains
Apr – Jun
Heavy rain, some tracks impassable.
Green and empty if you do not mind mud.
Migration season
Jul – Oct
Dry, cool mornings, dust in the afternoon.
Mara camps sell out a year ahead.
Your countdown
Counted back from the day you fly. Lock dates in the planner and these become real calendar entries.
- Coming up3 months before you fly
Book flights
The 90 day mark is usually the floor for long-haul economy. Peak season windows want more like 150.
- Coming up3 months before you fly
Lock accommodation
Group-sized villas and adjoining hotel rooms are the first thing to disappear.
- Don't miss2 months before you fly
Check visa and passport
Confirm entry requirements for every passport in the group, and that nobody expires within six months of the return date.
- Don't miss6 weeks before you fly
Yellow fever and malaria
Yellow fever certificate for arrivals from endemic countries; start malaria prophylaxis before you travel.
Source - Don't miss4 weeks before you fly
Final group payment
Collect the balance from everyone before the supplier deadlines land.
- Good to know7 days before you fly
Pack for the season
Check the forecast against what this season actually does, not what the month sounds like.