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Kenya Safari Inspiration

Luxury Kenya Safaris

It is said that the concept of the safari holiday experience started life in Kenya. The word ‘safari’ itself even stems from local Swahili dialect for ‘journey’. However Kenya safari holidays are no ordinary journey, here wildlife roams the grassy open plains in front of majestic snow-capped mountains, savage nature contrasts with absolute luxury and adventure combines all too well with a relaxing stay at the beach. 

It’s the combination of wildlife, natural beauty and value that has seen Kenya flourish spectacularly to justify its position as one of the best-known safari holiday destinations in the world. 

  • Beautiful Beaches: the Kenyan coastline sits right on the Indian Ocean and has beautiful turquoise waters and white sandy beaches.
  • Concession Conservation: Kenya is leading the way in terms of private concessions which focus on the needs of the communities and the wildlife.
  • Daphne Sheldrik Trust: Home to a large number of orphaned elephants this is a great place to visit if you have any spare time in Nairobi. The Masai Interact with Africa’s most famous tribe who dominate the tribal landscape in southern Kenya.
  • The Great Migration: Watch this river explode into life around August to September as the herds make their way north from Tanzania. Exclusive Wilderness Staying on private game reserves enjoying a variety of different activities.
Masai Mara Wildebeest Migration | © Shutterstock Gudkov Andrey

your kenya journey

The type of itinerary on offer in Kenya has evolved somewhat. Following its independence in 1963, a modest tourism industry grew, which had generated from the Big Game hunters in earlier years. This developed rapidly during the 80's and 90's to such an extent that the various parks became overcrowded. This has been remedied in recent years with new circuits and new community backed conservancies being founded that are developing a key role in conservation, resulting in the pressure being taken off certain hotspots. This enables us to use first-hand knowledge to tailor Kenya holidays that steer clear of the mass market and take you to some of the most authentic low-key lodges in which to truly enjoy the sights and sounds of this magical country

The hit BBC series “Big Cat Diary” was filmed exclusively in the Maasai Mara Reserve and the team based themselves at Governors Camp for the duration of the filming.

This is classic big cat country and if you want to meet some of the 'stars' of the show, this is the place to be.

Elephants in Samburu National Park | © Shutterstock Michele B

Why we like Kenya

One of the best wildlife destinations in Africa, this is the best place to capture the traditional romance of an African safari.

Wildlife and Beach combinations

Not only is there some of the best wildlife viewing in Africa, but that can be combined with Kenya’s stunning beaches too.

The ultimate safari destination

The home of the safari, Kenya has had time to perfect its offerings. Safaris are seamless and the memories, completely timeless.

Stunning wildlife

See some of the most impressive wildlife in Africa, from big cats to big five, to coming face to face with giraffes!

Masai Mara Lion | ©Shutterstock Maggy Meyer

The Masai Mara and Masai Culture

Located in the heartland of the Masai in southwest Kenya the Masai Mara National Park, covering over 1,000 square miles, is undoubtedly one of the world’s greatest and most infamous reserves, offering great concentration of wild game. Opportunities for first-timers to Africa to view the ‘Big Five’ and the big cats remain some of the best on the African continent. The park is also centre stage for one of the world’s greatest animal spectacles, the Great Migration, where herds of in excess of 1.5 million wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, gazelle and more begin their epic journey from the Serengeti plains to the lush grasslands of the Mara, under the watchful eye of hungry predators, from crocodiles to lions. This is a sight to behold for any safari-goer, seasoned or not, as these wild animals sprawl the plains and cross dangerous rivers on their 500km round trip between the Southern Serengeti and north edge of the Masai Mara.

The tribal culture of the Masai is another highlight of a Kenya safari. Mainly situated in the southwest of the country, the Masai are characterised by their distinctive red robe costume, jewellery and beading. Their traditional life as nomadic cattle herders, who shun the modern world and live a much more primal existence, is a fascinating insight to any inquisitive traveller. Relying on animals for food, the men herd cattle whilst the women are responsible for cooking, collecting sticks for the fire, and building the home.

They are traditionally a proud and independent tribe and the sense of community and togetherness you feel when around them is awe-inspiring, to say the least. Joining in with their dances and singing is a privilege and not to be missed by anyone with an interest in other cultures and lifestyles.

“The Masai Mara is home to some of the most impressive wildlife spectacles on the face of planet earth.”

Cta Grid

Why book with us

We are destination specialists

Our team of specialists have extensive on-the-ground knowledge and have all lived, guided or explored in great detail the destinations that they sell.

We are wildlife specialists

As a leading specialist operator we have excellent partnerships with naturalists and conservationists. We know our wildlife and do what we can to preserve its natural habitat.

We really care about our destinations

We frequently monitor the social, economic and environmental impact of our travel operations to ensure our trips are sustainable and ethical.

Talk to a Destination Specialist
  • Oliver was an awesome Destination Specialist. He listened to me when I described the trip I wanted and he followed through by planning exactly what I wanted to experience with my family. NWS did such an exemplary job of creating the perfect adventure that I never had to worry about a single detail.
    5 out of 5
  • Ellen was excellent and very easy to work with. She did a great job of following up with me prior to the trip and was very quick to sort out the few issues that we ran into while on the trip. She made our experience more relaxing and enjoyable by removing any concerns or potential issues quickly.
    5 out of 5
  • Every trip provided by NWS has been an incredible one and I would be more than happy to travel with NWS again. They have provided a personalised itinerary based on your interest. Throughout the whole experience from planning, purchasing and going on your trip, you're well informed. It's very well organised and at every step of your travel there's always someone informing you of your next steps. NWS also provides an app that you can access important contact details and other information (online/offline) which is a great idea as this helps consolidate all the content into one place.
    5 out of 5
  • Everywhere we went we were met and looked after, nothing was too much trouble including especially cooking food for our fussy 7-year-old grand-daughter (and her fussy daddy too sometimes) as well as veggie grandma. Organisation was excellent, we were met at every point, everyone was very friendly and helpful so we all had a wonderful time. The App was great - easy to use, loved the maps and weather. Our once-in-a-lifetime holiday for three generations was wonderful and exceeded expectations.
    5 out of 5
  • The planning and execution of the details to make our smaller flights and transfers from airports and hotels really made the trip less stressful and easy to relax, just to wait to be picked up or have someone with our names ready. The quality of the camps, people and food exceeded our expectations and the pacing of the overall vacation was ideal. By the end of the safari we were ready to go to the beach, by the end of the beach we were ready to go home. It was timed perfectly.
    5 out of 5
  • Our trip was really well organised and both Kicheche camps were beautiful, with incredibly personalised service and very good guides. They are hugely recommendable and I would go there again immediately. All worked really well with NWS, who offered very friendly service.
    5 out of 5
  • We just got back from our Kenyan honeymoon and loved every minute of it! Our Destination Specialist Ellen was great and created the perfect itinerary for us! Overall the safaris were amazing, especially at the Naboisho Conservancy. It is very vast and diverse so we had plenty to see on all four of the nights there. We also enjoyed relaxing on the beach after a long safari, where our hotel was beautiful inside and out, and the food was very good. NWS are the most incredible safari experts! Thank you so much for this once-in-a-lifetime experience!
    5 out of 5
  • Everything on safari was absolutely wonderful, and we fell in love with Kenya. The Elewana properties and team are amazing, and the wildlife-viewing was spectacular. We’d love to travel with you again because you set up an amazing safari with every detail attended to – you truly know your market!
    5 out of 5
  • Amazing! Everything was thought through brilliantly. We met some lovely people and saw some incredible sights and didn't want to come home.
    5 out of 5
  • Excellent communication and NWS went the extra step to provide us with options that met our needs. Very easy to communicate with and NWS also has access to favourable discounted rates that we can take advantage of. NWS was very helpful as always
    5 out of 5
  • Holiday of a lifetime! Fantastic gorilla trekking in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and safari at Little Governor's Camp in the Masai Mara. We have been with NWS twice and the lodges, accommodation and trips have been superb each time.
    5 out of 5
  • I wasn't exactly sure what to expect with a mobile camp and it exceeded my expectations. We were impressed with the knowledge of the places being visited and everything went well. All camps were excellent and very impressive…
    5 out of 5
  • Wonderful experience. All arrangements were handled seamlessly – difficult to do on a two-month journey!
    5 out of 5
  • We were extremely impressed by Miahy [our guide]. He was professional, patient, helpful and very knowledgeable in all aspects. Roland at Isalo was also very knowledgeable and helpful. Although we have no immediate plans for further safari-type holidays at present, we would definitely look at whatever NWS has to offer if and when we do consider another trip like this.
    5 out of 5
  • It was wonderful. We had a few questions while travelling and Oliver was super responsive and helpful! We felt very comfortable that he was only an email away, and that every detail was cared for. The guides in Kenya were phenomenal, especially Mika at Kicheche Valley Camp, who was very knowledgeable and explained everything that we were witnessing.
    5 out of 5
  • Our Destination Specialist, Virginia, was excellent. Patient with our many questions and very knowledgeable. NWS did a great job – loved the app and the efficiency of all involved.
    5 out of 5
  • All camps were excellent and very impressive. Slightly preferred the feel of Rekero and Olakira as they were a bit more rustic whilst being extremely comfortable. Kenneth, manager at Olakira dealt with a very tricky situation very well and that was much appreciated. Excellent guiding!
    4 out of 5
  • NWS was very helpful as always and ensured the trip he organised met my requirements. The information he provided on the two camps I stayed at was completely spot on. Very enjoyable Kenya holiday!
    5 out of 5
  • We enjoyed the whole trip. Safety and security were a big plus and we were in good hands the whole time. We have been very impressed...
    4 out of 5
  • Guide used (as requested) - Julius Kisasi. He was excellent, unbelievable ability to spot animals at vast distances. [NWS have a] good choice of camps and knowledge to tailor trips to suit individual clients requirements.
    5 out of 5
  • All of the accommodations were great and the service was amazing. The guides can make or break a trip, but we had guides that were informative, friendly and loved their jobs. We spent a lot of time in Madagascar on our patio, enjoying the lemurs and other animals that came around, and we saw every species imaginable in Kenya (including the Big Five within 24 hours). Also, our Destination Specialist (Oliver) was the best! He answered all of our questions and was always available. The logistical arrangements were fantastic and everything worked like clockwork.
    5 out of 5
  • In Lewa safari camp the guide Festus was superb. He was welcoming, friendly knowledgeable and made everything seem effortless. He was polite, interesting to talk to and had so much information to share that even driving around looking for game was enjoyable. I would recommend this park and Festus as a guide to all my friends.
    5 out of 5
  • Excellent, really amazing trip, couldn't fault any part of it.
    5 out of 5
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