Kenya

Kenya invented the modern safari, and in the last few decades it has reinvented it. The conservancy model — local landowners leasing land to a limited number of camps — has created some of the best safari experiences in Africa.

The Maasai Mara and its conservancies

The Maasai Mara National Reserve is Kenya’s most famous wildlife area and hosts the great migration from about July to October. It can be busy in peak season. Bordering it, conservancies such as Mara North, Olare Motorogi and Naboisho limit the number of beds and vehicles, allow off-road driving, walking and night drives, and pay landowning Maasai families directly. For most travelers, a conservancy camp is the better choice.

Laikipia

North of Mount Kenya, Laikipia is a patchwork of ranches and conservancies with an exceptional record in rhino protection and community conservation. Activities go well beyond game drives: walking, camel trekking, horse riding and community visits.

Samburu

Hot, dry and dramatic, Samburu and its neighbouring reserves are home to the “Samburu Special Five”: Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, beisa oryx, gerenuk and Somali ostrich — species you won’t see in the Mara.

When to go

July to October for the migration in the Mara; January and February are also dry and excellent. The long rains, around April and May, bring green landscapes and lower prices. See when to go.