Masai Mara & the Beach

If you want a simple but excellent safari and beach holiday in Kenya, but without staying in large hotels, this trip will give you just that. Start with a personal gameviewing experience in the Masai Mara then fly over to the coast for some relaxation on one of Kenya's best beaches.

The Masai Mara has excitement at all times of the year and is especially known for its big cats of course. Indeed lion and leopard sightings are generally very good here. However other wildlife is also prolific, so the Mara really is one of Africa's gems of wildlife viewing.

If you want to see the migration, you want to be here in between about July and October. It is at this time (depending on the rains) that you get the huge herds of wildebeest and other plains animals crossing into the Masai Mara from the Serengeti.

After your time on safari, we fly you across the country to the coast for your time of rest and relaxation on the beach. The beaches near Mombasa are superb, and there are lots of choices of different types of accommodation.

This particular itinerary suggestion has been based on Kicheche Mara Camp and Pinewood Village (see links on left for details), but since we tailor make all our holidays, we can amend this in any way, including changing the accommodations (though of course this will impact on the price).

This is a good value and good quality safari holiday for people who don't want to be with the crowds, but want a more personal wildlife experience, and a beach hotel which is not a huge faceless place.

Gallery and trip information

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Included

Accommodation based on twin share (4 night Kicheche Mara, 5 nights Pinewood Village), full board in the Mara and half board in Pinewood, drinks (excluding imported drinks) at kicheche, transfers, wildlife viewing, Wilson-Mara-Wilson flight, park fees

Not included

International flights (inc Nairobi-Mombasa-Nairobi), visa, insurance, drinks at Pinewood, items of a personal nature, tips.

Is it for you?

This is a holiday for anyone - young or old!

Best time

You could take this holiday at any time of year. However if you want to see the migration it is best from about July to October. As regards the beach, you might want to avoid the rainy times, ie April (mid-March to mid-May, but April tends to be the wettest time) and November.

Getting there

We've based this costing on using Kenya Airways into Nairobi with an add-on to get to Mombasa and home again. Other airlines can be used (eg BA, Virgin), but this will affect the cost as the connection to Mombasa can then not be made as a cheap add-on to the international flight. Please ask for help about this.

Weather and highlights

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- Sunny with Cloud
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- Sunny with Cloud

Min Temp

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Max Temp

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Wildlife viewing in the Masai Mara
Big cat watching
Safari guiding by Masai
Fabulous sandy beaches
Excellent, locally-owned beach hotel with great food

Itinerary

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Duration: 9 nights

DAY 1: Arrive in Nairobi airport. You will be met and transferred to Wilson airport (the domestic airport across town) from where you fly to the Masai Mara (about 1 hour+). When you get here you will be picked up by a safari guide from Kicheche Mara Camp and game drive back to camp. Afternoon game drive.
DAYS 2-4: Wildlife viewing based at Kicheche Mara. It is a semi-permanent tented camp with just 11 tents, and it is in a community-owned conservancy adjacent to the Masai Mara (no fences between). As well as game drives you can also take bush walks, visit local Masai villages and a rhino sanctuary. The camp has excellend eco-credentials and community links.
DAY 5: This morning you will fly back to Wilson airport and transfer to Jomo Kenyatta international airport. (This itinerary has assumed using Kenya airways international flights with an add-on to Mombasa. Using other airlines will affect the itinerary, so please ask). On arrival in Mombasa, you will again be met and transferred to Pinewood village on the gorgeous Galu Beach about 40 kms south of Mombasa.
DAYS 6-9: You have the next 4 days to enjoy R&R on the beach. The hotel is small enough to be personal and quite quiet, but large enough to have a choice of restaurant and some good activities available. There is a good pool too of course.
DAY 10: Transfer back to the airport in time for your flight home (usually a night flight).

Pricing guidelines for Kenya

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We hope the following will give you a rough idea of costs. These are quoted per person based on twin share for two people, without international flights but including internal flights. We’ve used good standard accommodation throughout. There are nearly always ways to spend more money than we’ve suggested (!), but these prices show a good and realistic range for each type of trip.

International flights will add from about £400 to £800 depending on the season and route (unless the airlines have special offers). Kenya combines well with Tanzania or Uganda.

For a specific personal quote based on any tailor made itinerary you have in mind, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help you.

Example tripPrice per person
1 week safari using small good quality lodges or tented campsBetween £2000 and £3000
2 week safari using small good quality lodges or tented campsBetween £4000 and £5000
2 week safari and beach holidayBetween £3000 and £4000
1 week on Lamu IslandFrom about £1500+

Kenya