Kenya Multi-Day Trips by Length of Stay
Kenya trips are easiest to plan by the number of nights you can spare. Three nights buy the Mara, five days buy a circuit, and a week adds the coast.
Three nights: the Mara
Plan 2 to 3 nights. The road from Nairobi is 225 to 260 km, 5 to 6 hours each way, and the last 65 km past Narok is rough. The alternative is a roughly 45-minute flight from Wilson Airport to a Mara airstrip. The gate fee is US$100 a day for non-resident adults from January to June and US$200 a day from July to December, with ages 9 to 17 at US$50. Three August days therefore cost US$600 per adult in fees. Narok County sets the fee, and gates mostly take cash. Tickets cover roughly 12 hours, and conservancies charge separately. Herds arrive from about the third week of July, and crossings peak mid-August to late September, depending on rain. Browse Masai Mara safari packages to compare transport and lodging.
Five days: Amboseli and Lake Nakuru
A circuit pairs Amboseli, with Kilimanjaro behind its elephant herds, and Lake Nakuru, with flamingos and white rhinos. Both charge US$90 per adult and US$45 per child per day. Pay in advance on the eCitizen KWS portal rather than at the gate. Kenya Wildlife Service tariffs are at kws.go.ke .
Five days on Mount Kenya
Point Lenana, at 4,985 m, is the trekking summit. The route climbs through bamboo forest, moorland with giant groundsels and lobelias, and glacial moraine, with a sunrise finish. The park fee is roughly US$70 to US$80 a day, plus camping around US$35, so confirm current rates on eCitizen. Licensed guides are required, and altitude is the real hazard, so allow time to acclimatise.
A week: Nairobi to Mombasa and Diani
The Madaraka Express leaves Nairobi at 08:00, 15:00 and 22:00 and takes about 5.5 to 6 hours. Fares are KES 1,500 economy, KES 4,500 first and KES 12,000 premium, and tickets are sold at metickets.krc.co.ke . From Mombasa, continue to Diani Beach for sand, reef and a sunset dhow cruise. Watamu is another beach stop.
Putting it together
For a 4-day plan, see the 4-day Kenya itinerary , and for a longer stay, the 7-day Kenya itinerary . Entry needs an eTA, about US$30, from etakenya.go.ke . Avoid routes through the northern and Somali-border counties.
Tip: put the Mara first, while your energy is high, and the beach last.