Opt for a game drive through Nairobi National Park aboard an overland truck, scanning grassland and waterholes for wildlife. The unusual setting places open savannah close to the city, with Nairobi’s skyline sometimes visible beyond the plains.

Established in 1946, this is one of Kenya’s oldest national parks. Its mix of urban backdrop and wild habitat makes it a distinctive introduction to safari. This optional experience costs extra and is bookable on tour.

• 3 Lunch (L)
• 4 Dinner (D)
• 5 Breakfast (B)
• 1 Picnic Lunch (PL)

• Nairobi National Park: Yep – and it’s so worth it. After the Free Time Add-On Nairobi National Park game drive, you’ll have the option to swing by the Sheldrick Elephant Nursery. Note, however, that you’ll need to grab your own ticket in advance directly from the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust website. This costs around $20 USD.
• Maasai Mara National Reserve: Hot air balloon rides may be available in the Maasai Marai through independent local operators. While floating over the savannah sounds pretty iconic, this isn’t an activity Contiki promotes, sells or books, as local provider insurance does not meet our required standards. If you’d like to take a hot air balloon ride, you’re free to arrange and pay directly with a local operator while on tour. This is completely independent of Contiki and follows the operator’s own terms, safety standards and insurance cover.
• Amboseli: Premium camping is classic camping, levelled up. Our road crew will set up these tents for you – all with premium facilities like chill-out zones, communal bathrooms and all the creature comforts.
• Amboseli: Nope, you’re all good! All equipment (tents, sleeping bags, etc) will be provided for you.
• Amboseli: You don’t have to. Your road crew will set up camp, cook meals, and clean up afterwards – but you’re always welcome to help!
• Amboseli: You’ll have access to proper bathrooms with real toilets, hot showers and everything you need – just shared with the crew.

• Nairobi: Meet the dedicated team and see for yourself the work being done to help the women and children who live here in the Kibera slum.
   
• Maasai Mara National Reserve: Known for its grassy plains and rolling hills, home to lions, cheetahs, elephants, zebras and hippos, the Maasai Mara is a jewel in Africa’s wildlife crown, so don’t miss your chance to explore it from sunrise to the afternoon, with a picnic lunch in the wild. 
• Amboseli: Get that iconic wildlife shot with the snow-capped peak of Kilimanjaro as a backdrop. 
   
• Amboseli: Get up early in search of the famous elephants in this iconic Kenyan National Park. 

Visit Mirror of Hope in Kibera and meet the team working with women and children in one of Nairobi’s most densely populated neighbourhoods. Hear directly about the organisation’s community-led work and the people it supports.

This hosted community visit offers a perspective on Nairobi beyond its wildlife parks and city landmarks. It centres the knowledge and efforts of local residents, with time to listen and learn about their neighbourhood.

Explore the Maasai Mara on game drives across its grassy plains and rolling hills, watching for lions, cheetahs, elephants, zebras and hippos. A picnic lunch in the reserve keeps you close to the landscape between wildlife sightings.

The Mara is part of a wider ecosystem shared with Tanzania’s Serengeti. At certain times of year, you may encounter herds associated with the Great Migration, though sightings depend on the season and the movement of the animals.

Search for wildlife on Amboseli game drives, including an early outing when animals are often active. Watch for the park’s celebrated elephants, including the large-tusked individuals that sometimes roam its open plains, and look for Mount Kilimanjaro on the horizon.

Amboseli’s marshes, fed by water from Kilimanjaro, draw wildlife into view. On clear days, the mountain’s snow-capped summit provides a striking backdrop for photographs, though clouds and animal movements shape every sighting.

Visit the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant nursery in Nairobi to watch young elephants feed, play and bathe while learning about their rehabilitation. Keepers share the stories behind the calves’ care and the work involved in preparing them for a possible return to the wild.

This is an independently ticketed optional visit at additional cost, available if timing allows. Unlike tour-bookable add-ons, admission must be purchased in advance directly from the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust; the tour information estimates approximately USD 20.

Choose an additional Maasai Mara game drive for another opportunity to search the reserve’s grasslands and riverine areas for wildlife. An extra outing can reveal different behaviour and sightings from those seen on the included drives.

The Mara’s lions, cheetahs, elephants and grazing herds move freely, so no two drives follow the same wildlife script. This optional experience is at additional cost and can be booked on tour.

Visit a Maasai village near the Maasai Mara and meet community members to learn about their traditions and daily life. The hosted encounter offers a chance to hear local perspectives in a region whose name is closely associated with the Maasai people.

Learn about cultural practices from the people who maintain them, rather than viewing the Mara solely through a wildlife lens. This optional cultural visit costs extra and is bookable on tour.

Take on white-water rafting in Sagana, a Kenyan adventure hub known for activities on and around the Tana River. Paddle with your group as the current shifts between energetic stretches and calmer water.

Rafting brings a hands-on view of the river landscape: spray, changing currents and the shared effort of steering through the water. Conditions and available routes can vary. This optional adventure costs extra and is bookable on tour.

Try rock climbing in Sagana as part of the area’s choice of outdoor adventures. Put your balance and concentration to work on a climbing activity, trading the view from ground level for a more physical encounter with the landscape.

Sagana is a base for active experiences in central Kenya, and climbing offers a different pace from the tour’s wildlife drives. The activity is optional, at additional cost, and bookable on tour.

Take aim with an archery session in Sagana, one of the outdoor activities available at the riverside adventure base. Practise your stance, focus on the target and test your accuracy in a challenge that rewards patience as much as precision.

Archery offers a measured alternative to Sagana’s river and height-based activities, while still giving you something active to try with the group. This optional experience costs extra and is bookable on tour.

Glide along a zip-line in Sagana for a burst of speed and an elevated perspective on the adventure area. The activity offers a brief, high-energy change from exploring the landscape on foot or from the water.

Sagana’s mix of river and land-based pursuits makes it a place to choose your own level of adventure. Zip-lining is an optional activity at additional cost and can be booked on tour.

Get active with mountain biking in Sagana, an outdoor pursuit highlighted for this Kenya trip. Riding offers a ground-level way to experience the area’s scenery, with the pace and physical challenge of exploring by bike.

It is an alternative to the river and climbing activities available at the Sagana adventure base. This optional experience is at additional cost and can be booked on tour, subject to local availability.