Tips for planning a safari to Kenya

Kenya is known as the home for safaris and one of the top tourist attractions in the world. If you are a wildlife enthusiast, then you will want to organize a safari to Kenya but there are things you need to think about first like where to go, when to go, what to look out for and where to start. There are so many options and this can be overwhelming especially if this is your first safari to Kenya. In this article, we are going to discuss the tips on how to plan a safari to Kenya and below are some of the most important tips.

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Do extensive research about the destination

Kenya is an all-year-round safari destination with more than ten destinations in the different parts of the country and one of the ways in which to know the best way to know which destination to visit is by researching about them.  Kenya has about 23 national parks and some of the safari destinations in Kenya include Masai Mara National Park, Samburu National Park, Meru National Park, Amboseli National Park, and the coastal beaches, Mountains and Tsavo West and East National Park among others. The activities that you wish to participate in during your safari determine the safari destination to choose from. Some of the things that you need to look into when researching about destination include the location, transport costs, park entrance fees, accommodation costs for the different types of accommodation which include basic, mid-range and luxury accommodation facilities, the safari activities offered and the cost of each safari activity, and the best time.

You also need to plan and find out whether you are going to visit a national park or a conservancy. This is extremely important to understand before you get to know the experience and rules in each depending on which you choose to visit.

Decide on national parks, conservancies or Reserves

Before listing down the popular safari destinations, you need to know the difference between national parks, conservancies and reserves in Kenya. Understanding the difference makes it easy to plan your holiday to Kenya.

National Parks in Kenya: National parks are vast public lands that are gazetted off to protect wildlife and conserve ecosystems.  This is public land and no one including the locals living around the protected areas is permitted to live there and carry out the different activities. Tourists can visit the National parks throughout the year following strict rules and after prior booking, planning and payment of the entrance fees.

Conservancies: Conservancies are usually land owned by communities either privately owned or in partnership with the surrounding local communities. Although it is still a wildlife reserve, people from the local communities still get to use the land although in small and managed portions. The money from the conservancies goes back to the communities to support their different developmental projects.

The land is not owned by the government and since they are not under the control of the Kenyan government, there are fewer rules and regulations to follow and some activities that are not allowed in national parks can be carried out in conservancies like guided walking, off-road drives and night drives. The pros of visiting conservancies are that you get a much closer feel to the wildlife and there are few visitors as compared to the national parks.

Reserves: Reserves are similar to national parks and the only difference is that the land is owned by the community but managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service and the county government of Kenya. The main purpose of reserves is to conserve wildlife but there are a few human activities that are carried out with controlled management.

Where to stay/accommodation

Once you have decided on which places to visit, the next step is to think about the different accommodation facilities you might prefer and below are some options.

Safari lodges in Kenya: a safari lodge is an accommodation facility that is located within or close to the national parks or conservancies allowing visitors to have close interaction with the wildlife which sometimes can be seen loitering around the lodge. Safari lodges vary in size, have upscale amenities and facilities, spacious rooms, price and comfort vary from budget to luxury lodges.

Mobile safaris: Mobile safaris in Kenya are a thrilling way to get closer to nature and these are mostly used by tourists watching the wildebeest migration in Masai Mara National Reserve. Unlike fixed camps, the mobile safaris move every few days to a new location to properly see the wildlife and the different landscapes around the park. It allows tourists to visit the unreachable areas of the park, unlike fixed camps.  Mobile camps usually consist of comfortable walk-in tents with en-suite facilities and beds. The pros of mobile safaris are that tourists get to experience the real experience of nature since it is also fully catered.

Tented camps: These have a similar layout with lodges and are found right in the heart of the bushes in the different national parks. The difference between safari lodges and Tented camps is that the Tented camps are a bit larger, and have fixed tents and en-suite bathrooms. Most of the tented camps in Kenya are luxurious however there are some simple ones that are still comfortable.

Campsites: There are several public campsites in Kenya and all you need to do is bring your tent, car cook your meals and enjoy the nature around the national parks. Some campsites are located within national parks whereas others are in conservancies which means that you might encounter wild animals at any given moment. Facilities in camps are minimal; some facilities are shared and are not for the faint-hearted. Get in touch for assistance in booking your accommodation.

Activities to do on a safari in Kenya

One of the other important things that you should consider is what activities you want to do on your safari while in Kenya. While game drives and wildlife watching are the main reasons for the safari, there are several other activities that are carried out and below are a few options:

Game drives: Game drives are the main activities carried out on a Kenyan safari and you will want to do these a lot during your safari. Most of the national parks offer two game drives one in the morning and the other in the evening and there are a few that offer night drives. Game drives are carried out in 4x4 safari vehicles and many of these carry a maximum of 6 people.

Cultural trips: As part of enjoying a Kenya safari, you can also enjoy the cultural part by visiting the nearby communities and learning more about the culture of the people in Kenya. Most of the lodges are in contact with the villages and cultural trips can easily be organized. The Masai villages are the most visited however there are over 40 tribes in Kenya.

Guided nature walks: There are some safari destinations that offer guided walks or walking safaris and this allows tourists to explore the flora and fauna with experienced guides. This is a better way to get closer to nature and spot all the different and smaller things that you might have missed out on during the game drive.

Hot air balloon rides: This activity is not for the faint-hearted but one of the activities that should be ticked off on your bucket list. Mostly carried out in Masai Mara, hot air balloon rides are another way of enjoying the wildlife but from a different perspective (above) and after the one hour of balloon rides, you get to enjoy a bush breakfast with champagne.

Other activities that are carried out in Kenya include bird watching, photography safaris, Hot air balloon safaris, hiking, bush dinners and breakfast, research experiences and boat rides among others. Contact us for more information.

Sustainability on a safari

Asking the right questions when planning a Kenya safari is the responsibility of the tourists and you need to think about this during your safari planning. There are so many questions that you need answers to, especially about being able to afford the safari. Traveling to Kenya can be entertaining but it can also be destructive so before choosing the right safari company, do some due diligence and do extensive background checks on the company before you book.

Below are some of the questions that you need to think about and ask your tour company as you plan your safari to Kenya.

Sustainability: you need to find out whether they can provide correct information about the safari destination, and do they follow the conservation rules and guidelines like waste reduction and using fuel efficient vehicles among others.

Your budget: Make sure that the tour company you are working with puts your budget into consideration. Feel free to discuss your current budget with the operators so that they can fully advise you on what to expect with your estimated budget.

The weather in Kenya: Kenya has two distinct weather patterns which are the dry and wet seasons. There are two dry seasons: the long dry season from June to October and the short dry season from December to February. The two wet seasons are the short season experienced from mid-October to November and the long rain season from March to May. The dry season is also the peak season but note that the rains are unpredictable and can be experienced at any time of the year. Get in touch with us.

How to get around Kenya

There are several ways in which you can get around Kenya on your safari and transportation is one of the most important aspects when it comes to planning a Kenya safari, you need to think about this and below are the best ways to get around Kenya.

By road: This is the most commonly used mode of transport to get around Kenya. The road network in Kenya is good allowing tourists to travel to the safari destinations that are located in the different parts of the country with little discomfort due to the long distance. Road transport is mostly used because it is cheaper and also provides beautiful scenery to tourists.

By plane: Tourists who have limited time on their safaris and have a lot of safari destinations prefer to fly to the different safari destinations. There are several airstrips that are connected using local flight companies including Mombasa Air and SafariLink. They are however expensive as compared to driving.

By train: These are rarely used especially when travelling using a tour company but if you are traveling solo, There are trains that run between Nairobi to Naivasha, Nakuru and Mombasa and travel by road to your destination the rest of the way.

Tips on how to go on a safari in Kenya

To easily help you properly plan for your Kenyan safari, here are some important personal tips that you can use to properly plan for your safari.

• Charge your camera and bring extra camera batteries and lenses. Although smartphones can take extremely good photos, they are not as good as the old-fashioned safari cameras that take lovely safari photos. Make sure that you bring
• Pack right because this is one of the best ways in which tourists get to enjoy their safaris. Check out our website for the right packing list however some of the things that you need to carry include proper clothing, binoculars, hike boots, travel documents and many more.
• Invest in a good tour operator to have the best safari experience in Uganda.
• Make sure that all the travel documents are valid and grant you access to Kenya and the different safari destinations.
• Do not forget about travel insurance because you are traveling to a new location.
• Look at your budget and get to know the different activities you can carry out, the best time to travel and the different accommodation facilities to choose from.

The best Kenya safaris are a result of your budget and the tour operator you have chosen. Get in touch with us at Encounter Africa Safaris to help you plan your safari for you.