Nairobi & Southern Kenya

The capital Nairobi and the national parks of Amboseli and Tsavo in the south; elephant herds against snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro are one of Kenya's most classic scenes.

This region is defined by whole counties and includes Nairobi County, Kajiado County where Amboseli lies, Taita-Taveta County where Tsavo East and West lie, and the counties of Machakos, Makueni and Kitui to the east. Taita-Taveta formerly belonged administratively to the Coast Province, but because it connects with Amboseli on safari routes, it is grouped into this region.

Highlights: Nairobi National Park (giraffes and rhinos against the city skyline), the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, the Giraffe Centre and the Karen Blixen Museum; Amboseli's swamp elephant herds and the reflection of Mount Kilimanjaro; in Tsavo West, Mzima Springs and the Shetani lava flow, and in Tsavo East, the "red elephants" and the Galana River; and the Chyulu Hills.

Classic itinerary: 1–2 days in Nairobi, 2 days in Amboseli and 2–3 days in Tsavo, then continue by standard gauge railway or road to the Mombasa coast, or head north to the Maasai Mara.

Getting around: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is East Africa's main hub, and Wilson Airport has small planes flying directly to the various reserves. Note: avoid walking in Nairobi at night; views of Kilimanjaro are mostly in the morning.

Destinations

• Nairobi
• Amboseli
• Tsavo National Parks

Itineraries

• Mara, Rift Valley Lakes & Amboseli – A classic four-destination Kenyan loop: Maasai Mara, Nakuru, Naivasha, and Amboseli.
• Amboseli, Tsavo & Diani Beach – A southern safari route combined with a Madaraka Express train ride to the coast, connecting savannah and beach without…
• Kenya & Tanzania Cross-Border Loop – Depart from Nairobi on a grand loop connecting the Maasai Mara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Amboseli.
• Nairobi to Maasai Mara Round-Trip – Drive from Nairobi to the Maasai Mara, stay near the Talek Gate, and spend two nights searching for big cats and wildeb…
• Self-Drive from Samburu to Maasai Mara – Head south from the semi-arid northern reserves through Laikipia and the Rift Valley, ending in the Maasai Mara.
• Mount Kenya: Sirimon to Chogoria Traverse – Traverse Mount Kenya from the northwest slope to the eastern slope, summiting Point Lenana at 4,985 meters.