Kenya Safaris: The main attractions in Kenya are African game safaris and wildlife tours, which draw numerous visitors each year. Kenya manages over 20 national parks and game reserves, providing opportunities to witness some of the country’s most magnificent wildlife, including the famous “Big Five” animals. In fact, the “Big Five” are the primary focus of the majority of safari tours and wildlife expeditions in these parks. Kenya’s most renowned game park is the Masai Mara, bordering Tanzania’s Serengeti plains. Between July and September, visitors can witness the incredible annual wildebeest migration that occurs in the Mara.

Notable places to visit during safaris include the Masai Mara National Reserve, Tsavo East and West, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, Samburu, Buffalo Springs, Shaba National Reserves, and Lake Naivasha, among others. Choosing a travel destination depends on the traveler’s interests, the type of wildlife or birds they wish to see, and their budget. However, the Masai Mara stands out as the most popular wildlife reserve in Kenya, primarily due to its spectacular annual wildebeest migration.

The most budget-friendly national park for safaris in Kenya is Nairobi, with an entry fee of $40 per person per day. Others like Meru, Tsavo West, and Tsavo East charge an entry fee of $52 per day, while the Masai Mara and Amboseli charge $60 for park entry per day.

While booking wildlife safaris in Kenya through game drives is a memorable experience, travelers can also engage in additional activities such as hot air ballooning, horse riding, river rafting, guided nature walks, night game drives, and community encounters, although these experiences may come at an extra cost.

The best time to visit Kenya for wildlife safaris and tours is during the dry season, which runs from late June to October. The wildebeest migration typically reaches the Masai Mara Game Reserve in August and stays until October when they return to Tanzania’s Serengeti. However, wildlife viewing is generally good throughout the year, with some variations depending on the specific park.

In addition to wildlife safaris, Kenya is a top destination in Africa for birdwatching, with over 1,100 recorded bird species. Various endemic and near-endemic species are easily spotted on birding tours in Kenya, and European migrants are present from September to April. Some of the endemic and near-endemic bird species in Kenya include Abbott’s starling, Aberdare cisticola, Amani sunbird, Clarke’s weaver, Grey-crested helmet-shrike, Hinde’s pied babbler, Jackson’s hornbill, Jackson’s francolin, Montane white-eye, Sharpe’s longclaw, Sokoke pipit, Sokoke scops owl, Taita thrush, Tana River cisticola, Taveta golden weaver, and Williams’s lark. Other special birds to spot on birdwatching safaris include Abyssinian crimsonwing, Bar-tailed trogon, Blue-headed bee-eater, Friedmann’s lark, Golden-breasted starling, Golden-winged sunbird, Great blue turaco, Kori bustard, Red-naped bush-shrike, Secretary bird, Somali courser, Somali sparrow, Taita apalis, Turner’s eremomela, Vulturine guineafowl, and Yellow-bellied wattle-eye.

The best birding places in Kenya include the Masai Mara, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, Lake Bogoria, Samburu, Arabuko-Sokoke, and Kakamega Forest. Birdwatching in Kenya is excellent throughout the year, but the best time is from September to April when migratory birds from Europe and North Africa are present, and many resident bird species are nesting and in breeding plumage.