7-day Kenya: More Between Mombasa and Nairobi – Platinum

‘Jambo!’ As you walk out of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, your personal Africa Safari Trips guide greets you with a big smile on his face. ‘Karibu Kenya – welcome to Kenya!’

Our Africa Safari Trips guide takes you straight from the airport to your hotel, which gives you the first impressions of the vibrant city of Nairobi. You take in the skyscrapers, the traffic with the motortaxis and colourful matatu’s (local public transport), and the hussle and bussle of people living their every day life…

Ask your guide anything that comes to mind, because he knows all about Kenyan life and culture. But not only that; he also gladly tells you everything about the beautiful national parks you are about to visit. So ask whatever you want – he will do his utmost best to answer all your questions…!

Amboseli National Park lies on the border between Kenya and Tanzania at a four hour drive from Nairobi. You arrive here just in time for lunch and an afternoon gamedrive at sunset…!

Amboseli is almost 400 square kilometers in size and offers a magnificient view of the beautifully snowcapped Mount Kilimanjaro. The park is home to many animals but foremost famous for its large groups of free-roaming elephants. Here you will have the chance to take some iconic pictures of elephants in front of the Africa’s highest lone-standing mountain.

Up until 2020 the park was a safe haven to an incredible bull elephant named Tim (see picture). This mighty leviathan quickly became one of Amboseli’s major attractions because of his size and iconic tusks that reached the ground. He was around 50 years old at the time of his death in February 2020.

Today we advise you to get up early, and take the chance to do a gamedrive at sunrise – the time when animals are most active.

This day is reserved completely for game drives, which allows you to explore Amboseli to the fullest. It stretches over an area of 392 square kilometers and is dominated by acacia woodland, rocky thorny bush, swamps marshland and a Pleistocene lake. The usual safari suspects roam around here in good numbers: giraffes, zebras, buffalos, elephants of course and big cats like lions, cheetahs and leopards.

The Masai live close here and are actually the ones who gave the park its name: Kioko Lake is a lake in the middle of the park that often completely dries up during the dry season. The ashy earth that remains is called amboseli by the Maasai people. This is where the park’s name came from. During your time to Amboseli, you can also discover Maasai culture by visiting one of their villages.

With green hills, savannah, water and lavarocks from nearby volcanos, the landscape of Tsavo West National Park is very diverse. With its 9,065 square kilometers it is huge and home to all of the Big Five. They roam the land together with giraffes, zebras, antilopes and many different birds.

Tsavo West is famous for the Shetani Lava Flows, where fifty square kilometers of volcanic black rock spread over the land. Also the Mzima Springs are worth a visit; a series of four natural springs with fifty million gallons of crystal clear water that gushes out of from under parched lava rock. Hippos and crocs love the clear, fresh water of Mzima Springs, which means they are easy to spot…!

Founded in 1948, the Tsavo brothers are two of the oldest parks in Kenya. They are seperated from each other by the high- and railway that connect the coastal town of Mombasa to the capital, Nairobi. From Amboseli it’s a mere three hour drive to Tsavo West, which you then cross en route to Tsavo East.

Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary and the Lumo Conservancy area privately owned parks close to each other, on the edge of Tsavo West National Park.

A green mountain range and open grassy plains full of wildlife make Taita Hills definitely worth a visit. Part of the beautiful Eastern Arc Mountain Range, Taita Hills is among the oldest mountain ranges of Africa with many endemic species on its 110 square kilometers. Kenya’s most threatened birds live here: the Taita Apalis and Taita Thrush. But also the Taita Hills Purple-glossed Snake, the Taita Blade-horned Chameleon, the Taita Falcon, the Taita White-eye and the Southern Banded Snake-eagle have their home here. The usual suspects of the African wildlife are also present: African bush elephants, lions, cheetahs, buffalos, leopards, hyenas, giraffes and zebras.

Also Lumo Conservancy is great for game drives and in one day you can drive through both parks. In Lumo it’s also possible to do an exciting night gamedrive for an additional fee.

The Tsavo East National Park at a four hour drive from Taita Hills is impressive and huge with its 13,000 square kilometers in size. It’s mostly famous for its many lions and elephants. Here you cruise the outstretched savannah of the Yatta Plateau, while large groups of elephants walk these red dusty plains. En route you pass a spectacular amount of other animals. All members of the Big Five live here, together with zebras, African wild dogs, cheetahs, antilopes, impalas and more.

There are a few spots in Tsavo that are perfect for admiring wildlife: Madunda Rock, Lugard Falls and the Aruba Dam. The 1,6 kilometers rock formation of Madunda allows for great viewing of animals drinking below. Lugard Falls is not an actual waterfall but a series of rapid waters that are filled with hippos and crocs. Last but not least, the Aruba Dam creates a waterbassin in the Voi River that is a favorite drinking spot for many animals. Tsavo East National Park basically has it all!

Take in the beauty of Tsavo one last time, because this is the last day of your safari…! If you still want more, it is possible to add some national parks to your safari. Otherwise you can drive back to Nairobi for your flight back home.

However, we advise you to hop on the adventurous train ride to Mombasa to catch your flight there. Or to continue your holiday… on the beach!

Kenya has some amazing tropical beaches to help you unwind after your safari. We at Africa Safari Trips especially like the stunning stretches of beach in the south of Kenya. There is the beautiful Diani Beach 20 kilometers south of Mombasa, and lively Bamburi Beach north of the city. Think crystal blue oceans, sandy white beaches, endless pools and colourful cocktails. As a plus, historical Mombasa is just around the corner…!