Kenya safari planning with wide landscapes

Plan Your Kenyan Safari

A Map-First Planning Tool For Independent Safari Travelers

Kenya Safari Map Is Built For Self-Planning Travelers.

Instead of jumping straight into bookings, this site helps you first understand how Kenya actually fits together — safari regions, distances, transport options, and the trade-offs that matter when you’re moving between places.

Start with the map. Turn layers on and off, explore routes, and use it to shape a realistic itinerary before locking anything in.

🗺️ Interactive planning map ✅ Toggle layers 🧩 Build realistic routes

Tip: Open the Layers menu (top-left of the map) to toggle regions, parks & conservancies, balloon operators, airports & airstrips, the SGR rail line, and key towns/border crossings.

Kenya Travel Tips For Planning A Safari

These practical Kenya travel tips are written for independent travelers planning their own safari. They focus on regions, transport, pacing, and decision order — the things that most affect how a safari actually feels on the ground.

1. Consider your transportation before locking in a Safari region.

Safaris in Kenya are often planned around a single safari vehicle and driver who collect guests at the airport and remain with them for the entire trip. While this works well for many travellers, self-planners often prefer a more flexible, modular approach.

Using Uber or Bolt for city travel, the Madaraka Express (SGR) for longer distances, and arranging safari vehicles only for the safari portions of the journey can be more convenient, more comfortable, and often more cost-effective. Thinking about transport first makes it clearer which regions fit naturally into your route — and helps avoid long, tiring transfers later.

2. Match regions to your trip goals.

Different parts of Kenya suit different travel styles. Trips combining beach, mountain views, and safari often work best in eastern Kenya, where regions are closer together and easier to connect by road, rail, or short flights. The Great Migration in western Kenya takes place during a relatively short season each year and typically involves longer distances and more limited transportation options.

3. Don’t overschedule your Safari.

Safari travel is more tiring than it looks on a map. Long drives, early mornings, and game viewing add up quickly. Most travelers enjoy a safari area far more by staying three to four nights in one place.

4. Choose accommodation after your route is clear.

Once you’ve decided how far you want to travel and how you’ll move between regions — road, air, or rail — choosing accommodation becomes much easier. Kenya has a wide range of lodges and camps in every safari area.

Final Tips Before You Lock In Your Itinerary

A few last checks that can make the difference between a smooth safari and unnecessary stress.

Use the Kenya Safari Map to understand your route. Tourism itineraries don’t always follow the most direct path, and some stops or routes are incentivised rather than time-efficient. By using the map to understand distances and directions, you can plan a more efficient route and avoid unnecessary detours. You’re free to discuss routing in advance and arrange activities — such as balloon safaris or transfers — directly with operators.
End your trip at the beach if you can. Many travellers like finishing in Mombasa, Diani, or Watamu for a few rest days. Safari travel involves early mornings, long drives, and bumpy roads — beach time helps you recover.
Check park and conservancy entrance fees. Fees vary by park versus conservancy and can change. Always confirm whether your accommodation includes entrance fees and game drives, or if these are paid separately.
Review vaccine requirements for your routing. Check requirements based on your nationality and travel route. If you are transiting between Tanzania and Kenya, proof of yellow fever vaccination may be required.
Build buffer time into your itinerary. Avoid stacking tight connections like a long drive immediately after a flight or train. One buffer night can prevent a small delay from disrupting the entire trip.
Confirm domestic flight baggage limits. Safari flights often have strict weight limits and typically require soft duffel bags. This catches many first-time safari travellers off guard.
Understand tipping expectations in Kenya. Tipping is appreciated but not mandatory, and is most common for guides, drivers, and lodge staff. It’s usually given per day or at the end of a service rather than at every stop. As a general guide, safari guides or drivers are often tipped around KES 1,000–2,000 per day, while lodge staff typically receive a pooled tip of around KES 500–1,000 per night, adjusted based on service and group size. Cash in Kenyan Shillings is widely accepted, but digital tipping via the M-PESA network is also practical and secure — services like Tando allow travellers to tip in KES without carrying cash.

Contact

Suggestions, corrections, or ideas for new layers are welcome — this map is built collaboratively.

kenyasafarimap@gmail.com →

If the form doesn’t work on your device, use the email link above.

About this site

Kenya Safari Map is a map-first planning tool for independent travellers. The goal is to make distances, routes, and trade-offs obvious before you book anything.

© Kenya Safari Map