Amboseli, Tsavo West & Tsavo East – 5 Days Kenya Safari

Start with an early morning game drive, when wildlife is most active and the soft light is best for photographs, often with Kilimanjaro clear behind the herds. You explore different parts of the park looking for elephants, lions, cheetahs, hyenas, giraffes, buffaloes and antelopes.

You return to camp for a hearty breakfast and some free time, then lunch, before heading out again for an afternoon drive into other sections of the park. A highlight is Observation Hill, a small volcanic hill with a short climb to the top and a panoramic view over Amboseli's swamps and plains, the animals moving across them and Kilimanjaro beyond. Back to camp in the evening for dinner.

At a glance: Time needed: ~6 hrs game drives · Travel: All within the park · Pace: Moderate

Schedule

• Morning (around 6:30–9:30 AM): Early morning game drive, about 3 hrs.

• Late morning: Breakfast at camp and free time to relax.

• Noon: Lunch at camp.

• Afternoon (around 3:00–6:30 PM): Afternoon game drive including Observation Hill, about 30–45 min at the top.

• Night: Dinner and overnight at camp.

Travel for the day

• Game drives within Amboseli National Park by 4x4 vehicle.

Tips & what to carry

• Observation Hill is one of the few places you can get out of the vehicle. Wear shoes with grip for the short, rocky climb.

• Midday is hot; rest in the shade and drink water regularly.

• Keep voices low near elephant families with calves.

• Wear neutral colours; avoid bright white and camouflage prints.

Included today

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

• 4 x 4 Vehicle with English speaking guide

Overnight: Amboseli

After an early breakfast you enjoy a final morning game drive in Amboseli before leaving for Tsavo West National Park, a drive of about 1.5 to 2 hours. You check in at your lodge, have lunch and take some time to rest.

In the afternoon you explore Tsavo West, a park of dramatic volcanic scenery. The Shetani Lava Flow is a wide field of black, jagged lava from an eruption a few hundred years ago. At Mzima Springs, crystal-clear water bubbles up from under the Chyulu Hills into pools where hippos and crocodiles can sometimes be watched through the water, and there is a short nature trail around them. Keep an eye out for elephants, lions, leopards, buffaloes and the rhinos the park protects. Dinner at your lodge.

At a glance: Time needed: ~5 hrs game drives · Travel: ~1.5–2 hrs driving · Pace: Full

Schedule

• Morning (around 6:30 AM): Early breakfast and a final morning game drive in Amboseli.

• Late morning: Drive to Tsavo West, about 1.5–2 hrs.

• Noon: Check in at your lodge, lunch and rest.

• Afternoon (around 3:00–6:30 PM): Game drive with the Shetani Lava Flow, Mzima Springs (allow about 1 hr) and views of the Chyulu Hills.

• Night: Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

Travel for the day

• Amboseli → Tsavo West ~1.5–2 hrs by air-conditioned vehicle; some park roads are unpaved.

Tips & what to carry

• At Mzima Springs you walk with an armed ranger. Stay on the path and keep well back from the water's edge.

• Lava rocks are sharp; wear closed shoes if you step out at Shetani.

• Tsavo West's lodges often overlook floodlit waterholes; worth staying up for after dinner.

• Tsetse flies in parts of Tsavo are drawn to dark blue and black clothes. Light neutral colours and insect repellent help.

Included today

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

• Air-Conditioned Vehicle

• English Speaking Driver

Overnight: Tsavo West

Start the day with an early morning game drive in Tsavo West during the best viewing hours, then return to your lodge for breakfast before checking out and driving to Tsavo East National Park, about 2 to 2.5 hours.

You arrive at your lodge in time for lunch and some rest before an afternoon game drive. Tsavo East feels completely different: wide, flat plains of red earth and scattered baobabs, where the elephants are famously red from dusting themselves with the soil. Look for lions, leopards, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes and ostriches, and dry-country specialists such as gerenuk. You return by evening to freshen up before dinner.

At a glance: Time needed: ~5 hrs game drives · Travel: ~2–2.5 hrs driving · Pace: Full

Schedule

• Morning (around 6:30–8:30 AM): Early morning game drive in Tsavo West.

• Morning: Breakfast at the lodge and check out.

• Late morning: Drive to Tsavo East, about 2–2.5 hrs.

• Noon: Check in, lunch and rest.

• Afternoon (around 3:30–6:30 PM): Afternoon game drive in Tsavo East.

• Night: Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

Travel for the day

• Tsavo West → Tsavo East ~2–2.5 hrs by air-conditioned vehicle.

Tips & what to carry

• Tsavo East is hot and exposed. Wear a wide-brimmed hat and reapply sunscreen.

• Red dust stains light clothes; keep a set you do not mind getting dusty.

• Carry a power bank and snacks for the drive between parks.

• Tips for guides are not included; it is customary to tip at the end of the safari.

Included today

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

• Air-Conditioned Vehicle

• English Speaking Driver

Overnight: Tsavo East

Enjoy one final early morning game drive in Tsavo East as the animals become active with the rising sun, an excellent last chance for sightings and photographs across the red plains.

You return to the lodge for breakfast, check out and start the drive back to Nairobi, about 5 to 5.5 hours through rural Kenya. You arrive in the afternoon and are dropped at your hotel or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

At a glance: Time needed: ~2 hrs game drive · Travel: ~5–5.5 hrs driving · Pace: Full

Schedule

• Morning (around 6:30–8:30 AM): Final early morning game drive in Tsavo East.

• Morning: Breakfast and check out.

• Noon: Drive to Nairobi, about 5–5.5 hrs, with a lunch stop.

• Afternoon: Drop-off at your Nairobi hotel or the airport.

Travel for the day

• Tsavo East → Nairobi ~5–5.5 hrs by road.

• Roads between the parks and Nairobi are generally well-maintained highways, with some park access roads unpaved and occasionally bumpy.

Tips & what to carry

• Wear comfortable clothing for the long drive and keep drinking water handy.

• If flying home today, book an evening or night flight.

• Keep your passport and yellow fever card in your hand luggage.

Included today

• Breakfast & Lunch

• English Speaking Driver

• Airport Transfers