The Best 10 Day Kenya Itinerary!

ByLéon Kopijn
Governors Camp

Looking for that perfect 10-day itinerary in Kenya? Look no further. We’ve made an itinerary for you to get the most out of your travel experience in Kenya with culture, safari and relaxing time on one of the most beautiful beaches of Kenya.

This 10 day Kenya Itinerary is a unique roundtrip where you’ll visit the highlights of Kenya. It includes a safari, you might be able to spot the big five! A citytrip to Nairobi, and days of relaxing at the Kenyan Beaches!

  • Nairobi – 1 day
  • Kenya – 1 day 
  • Lake Nakuru & Lake Naivasha – 2 days
  • Maasai Mara Game Reserve – 3 days
  • Mombasa (Diani Beach) – 3 days

Kenya will have you falling in love with the landscape, wildlife and culture the moment you step off the plane. It’s the best safari destination in the world, but Kenya has so much more to offer than just wildlife. So let’s get started!

Zanzibar Kenya Itinerary

Make sure to read are other blogs about Kenya:

10-day Kenya Itinerary

1. Nairobi – 1 day

The first stop on your 10-Day Kenya Itinerary is Nairobi. Typically, when you fly into Kenya, you will fly into Nairobi International Airport. Or you fly into Mombasa the exotic town at the coast of Kenya with stunning beaches. It’s what you prefer. Nairobi is closer to the best safari parks and ending your trip in Mombasa is what we advise you to do.

So while already in Nairobi, why not make the best of it for a day before you head out to your first destination. Stay the night at Giraffe Manor and have breakfast with giraffes. An alternative is to visit the Giraffe Centre close by where you be able to feed the endangered Rothschild Giraffes. And learn more about this endangered giraffe species. Or visit the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust to get close to orphaned elephants and rhinos.

A few top places add to your Kenya Itinerary is visiting the Parliament Building, the City Market with local produce and craft markets in Nairobi and get some cultural history at the Nairobi National Museum. And if you are a carnivore you should definitely eat at the famous Nairobi restaurant: Carnivore.

Nairobi is the gateway to your Kenya safari and an excellent place to learn more about the culture and people of Kenya. Another tip is to check the events before you travel to Kenya. A great event to experience the local vibe is the Blankets and Wine Event that’s every first Sunday of the month.

The best venue to catch some live music is at the Live at the Elephant. It’s the perfect location in Nairobi to relax and enjoy listening to some local live Kenyan music.

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Kenya

2. Mt. Kenya – 1 day

The Mount Kenya National Park is the second stop in your Kenya Itinerary. Mt. Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second highest mountain in Africa (highest: Kilimanjaro). The highest peaks are covered with snow and it’s the perfect backdrop for a safari filled with elephants. Well, hopefully, because the surroundings of Mt. Kenya are perfect for spotting the beautiful African elephants. So make sure to go on a walking or 4WD safari when you’re in the area.

Unfortunately, in this 10-day itinerary, there isn’t enough time to climb Mt. Kenya, but that’s a great activity to do when you come back for another time in Kenya. In this itinerary there sure is enough time to hike around Mt. Kenya and sit back and relax on the porch of the many lodges in the area. Having a cold beer overlooking the beautiful landscape and spot great wildlife is also enough for a day. And a great start to the rest of your trip through Kenya.

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Mount Kenya

3. Lake Nakuru/ Lake Naivasha – 2 days

Lake Nakuru

The third stop on your 10-Day Kenya Itinerary is Lake Nakuru. Here you will want to spend a couple of days, with all there is to see. Lake Nakuru National Park is located in central Kenya and is the perfect spot to see a wide variety of African wildlife. It is a beautiful natural escape you will fall in love with, which is why it is noted in this Kenya Itinerary. It’s a destination in Kenya you won’t want to miss.

You can explore the national park and see beautiful animals such as rhinos, hippos, leopards and many others. One unique thing that makes this location a top spot in your Kenya Itinerary is that it is the best spot to see the Lesser pink flamingos. The algae in Lake Nakuru is what attracts these flamingo’s to this lake in is the reason why the lake and flamingo have a pinkish colour. It is a beautiful site and one of the highlights of your Kenya Itinerary.

There are several safari resorts and lodges right in the National Park so you can wake up amidst the natural beauty of wildlife surrounding you. Or you can stay in the town, Nakuru, nearby so you can get the local town feel.

Due to dry periods in the past in Kenya Lake Nakuru shrinks from time to time. The abundance of water depends also if you’re visiting Lake Nakuru during the rainy or dry seasons of Kenya.

Kenya has two rainy seasons. The long rain season is from April to June and the short rainy season is from October to December. The hottest period in Kenya is in February and March. 

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Lake Nakuru

Lake Naivasha

The other option in your Kenya Itinerary is to visit Lake Naivasha instead of Lake Nakuru. Both are nearly close to each other so it’s up to you. If you’re a quick traveller and driver maybe you can do both.

Lake Naivasha is a freshwater lake and is a totally different experience to Lake Nakuru. You can spot crocodiles and hippo’s coming out of the water every evening and this lake is a recreational area to many Kenyans. So there are a lot of activities to in and around Lake Naivasha. Go on a boat safari and spot an incredible variety of bird species. And at Hell’s Gate National Park you can go on walking or horseback riding safari and spot wildlife like giraffe, buffalo, Colobus monkeys, hartebeest and many more.

An easy day trip from Lake Naivasha is to climb Mt. Longonot. It’s an adventurous 4-5 hour hike into the crater of Mt. Longonot where you can spot buffalo, antelopes and maybe even leopards. If you’re lucky ;).

Another great activity is to visit Elsamere. Visit the beautiful lodge with an amazing view over Lake Naivasha, have a delicious cup of tea and learn more about The Joy Adamson Story. The women who raised the lion cub, Elsa, and successfully released her into the wild many years later. Her best-selling book, Born Free, is definitely something you want to read while you travel through Kenya.

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Kenya Hippo

4. Maasai Mara Game Reserve – 3 days (Best stop in the Kenya Itinerary)

The next stop on your 10-Day Kenya Itinerary is the Maasai Mara Game Reserve and the most exciting one. You haven’t travelled to Kenya if you haven’t visited the Maasai Mara, so put this for sure in your itinerary. In this park, you will have the ultimate safari experience as you have seen on the National Geographic channel and dreamed about after watching.

We recommend spending a good three days in this stunning location. This is the picture perfect destination to get your full safari experience and see the big five on your game drive.

What is the big five? It’s a bit outdated but the big five is actually an old hunting term. It refers to the five most difficult animals in Africa to hunt on foot: the rhino, leopard, buffalo, elephant and lion. Now it’s used as a safari term by African tour operators.

Masai Mara Kenya

Best Game Reserve to visit in Kenya

The Maasai Mara is one of the best game reserves in the country due to its abundance in wildlife. This will mean that your chances of seeing all the magnificent animals you want to catch a glimpse of are much more likely than in other areas or parks in the country. And you need three days to give you a chance to spot them all (if you’re very lucky) and make the most out of your African safari experience. There is such a variety due to the vastly different terrains all located in this reserve. You will want to get your camera ready!

And visiting a Maasai village is a must-do as well. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime-experience you must add in your Kenya Itinerary. This tribe has become the symbol of Kenya and is one of the more traditional tribes of Kenya. Known for the tall men jumping very high in the air wearing red clothes. We wrote an article about the Masaai Trib that you might find interesting:

Governors Camp

Whether you take a bush walk or go on a game drive, you will be amazed at the landscape and the beautiful animals surrounding you in their natural habitat. Where else would you be able to have a lion or rhino walk right up beside the vehicle you are sitting in. It is one of the prettiest places to explore in Kenya, thus making it a top destination in your Kenya Itinerary.

The most extravagant way to experience the Maasai Mara is to book a hot air balloon safari. You will be picked up before sunrise and just as the sun is coming up you will fly in the air to spot the wild animals at their most active time of day. Oh, and when you land in the middle of the savanne there will be a champagne breakfast waiting for you……

The best time to watch the annual migration of wildebeest and zebra in the Masai Mara is between June and September right after the long rain season.

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Beaches in Kenya

5. Mombasa (Diani Beach) – 3 days

The last stop on your itinerary for Kenya is Mombasa. This is the perfect destination for a little relaxation after your exploration of Kenya’s National Parks. Kenya’s beaches are quite stunning and a stop is definitely worth multiple days. So you have enough time to relax and process al the amazing experiences and memories you’ve made in Kenya.

Diani beach, in particular, has a little bit of everything. Located on the Southern portion of Kenya’s coast, Diani Beach is about an hour South of Mombasa. There are plenty of resorts along the beach that will provide perfect accommodations for your stay.

During the day you have the crystal-clear waters and sandy beaches to dip into. Lined with coconut palm trees the beach offers great snorkelling and marine life. You can even spot whale sharks. In the evening, you will be able to peruse the different shops and boutiques. There are several restaurant options for when meal time comes around. If the nightlife is your scene, there is a lively nightlife scene surrounding Diani Beach as well. Since your schedule is packed with so much to do, Diani really is the perfect beach option. You can relax and still having plenty to explore. It is the perfect stop in your Kenya Itinerary!

There are many stunning beaches along the coast of Kenya. We’ve made a list of the 10 most beautiful beaches in Kenya. So you can make the best decision to end your trip in Kenya.

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Additions and Alternatives for Your Kenya Itinerary

  • Visit Amboseli National Park instead of the Masai Mara. It’s near the border of Tanzania and during your safari, you’ll have an amazing view of the Kilimanjaro in the background. It’s a lot smaller than the Masai Mara but the view of the Kilimanjaro makes up for it.
  • Go to Aberdare National Park instead of Mt. Kenya and spot beautiful waterfalls like the Karuru Falls, Thomson falls or the Chania Falls.
  • Explore Tsavo National Park as an additional safari experience. It’s one of the oldest and largest national parks of Kenya. The park lies between Nairobi and Mombasa. Instead of flying to Mombasa from Masai Mara or Nairobi you can drive to Mombasa and you will drive through Tsavo National Park. Or take the train from Nairobi to Mombasa and you can spot wild animals from the train.
  • Fly to Zanzibar (Tanzania) for the last few days relaxing in the sun at the end of your Kenya Itinerary. It’s a beautiful and exotic island of the coast of Tanzania with beautiful white sandy beaches, turquoise water and a lot culture to explore in Stone Town.

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