Kenya itineraries: 1 week, 2 weeks and 3 weeks

Match the route to the days you actually have. Kenya's parks are far apart, so each extra stop costs a travel half-day or a light-aircraft hop.

Day 1 lands in Nairobi: one night near Wilson Airport or Karen, and if the flight arrives early, the Giraffe Centre or the elephant orphanage (booked visits) fills the afternoon. Day 2 drive to Lake Naivasha, about 2 hours on good tarmac, for boats, Crescent Island walks and Hell's Gate cycling. Day 4 continue to the Masai Mara, roughly 5–6 hours from Naivasha, or fly if you would rather not lose the day.

Three nights in the Mara gives you a full day of game drives plus a morning and an evening on either side. Fly back from a Mara airstrip to Wilson on the last day and keep the final night in Nairobi so a delayed flight cannot cost you the international connection.

This route works because Naivasha breaks the drive and adds walking and water between two game-viewing blocks. If you only have 5 days, cut Naivasha, not the Mara.

Ten days is the shortest trip that fits both a second park and the coast without rushing. Fly Nairobi–Mara on day 2, take three nights there, then fly back through Nairobi to Amboseli for two nights under Kilimanjaro. From Amboseli, fly to Ukunda for Diani, or drive to the SGR at Emali or Voi and continue by train toward Mombasa.

Four nights at Diani gives you three full beach days and a buffer. If you would rather skip the coast, swap Diani for Samburu or Laikipia and keep the whole trip in the bush.

Two weeks lets you see two different ecosystems and still rest. Start with one night in Nairobi, then three nights in Samburu or Laikipia for northern species and conservancy walking. A scheduled light aircraft links Samburu and the Mara via Nanyuki, so you avoid a wasted day on the road.

Three nights in the Mara follows, then one night in Nairobi, the SGR train to Mombasa, and five nights at Watamu or Lamu. Lamu is the slower choice: a car-free stone town, best October to March. Watamu suits marine-park snorkelling and the Gedi ruins.

If you have 21 days, add Mount Kenya (4–5 nights to Point Lenana) or Tsavo (2 nights) between the Mara and the coast, and give the beach a full week.

Build the trip around the dry seasons: July to October and January to February for game viewing, with the migration in the Mara from July to October. The long rains fall roughly March to May, when some camps close and tracks turn heavy.

Flying beats driving when your trip is short. Wilson Airport handles the safari flights; Mombasa and Ukunda are the coastal airports. Light-aircraft baggage is usually limited to a soft bag of about 15 kg; confirm the allowance with your operator.

Book Mara and Amboseli lodges and park fees well ahead for July–October and the late-December holidays; those weeks sell out and prices rise. Keep one buffer night in Nairobi before flying home, and file your eTA at least a week before departure.