7-Day Classic Kenya Safari

Because the mountain dictates it. Kilimanjaro is clearest at dawn and usually clouds by mid-morning, so Amboseli rewards early starts while you are fresh. It also builds the Mara is the stronger finish.

It is the one substantial transfer six to seven hours from Amboseli to Naivasha, skirting Nairobi. We break it properly, and the escarpment viewpoint is worth the stop. Every other transfer is under five hours.

Roughly July to October, though it varies with the rains and no operator can promise crossings on specific dates. The Mara is exceptional year-round resident game is dense, and the green season brings calving and far fewer vehicles.

Amboseli is USD 100 per person per 24 hours and the Masai Mara USD 200, both set annually. All fees are included in your rate and together they are the largest single line in the cost of a Kenyan safari.

Yes Crescent Island on Lake Naivasha is a peninsula with no predators, and you can walk unfenced among zebra, giraffe and waterbuck with a ranger. It is a genuine highlight and costs about $40 extra.

Kenya has replaced visas with an electronic travel authorisation (eTA), applied for online before travel. Most nationalities are eligible.