On Safari in Kenya — Self-Launched

Land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, pick up a Safaricom SIM with data at the arrivals hall (~£8), and take an Uber or Bolt into the city (~£8–12, 45 mins). Base yourself in Westlands or Kilimani, where hostels and budget guesthouses cluster. Spend the afternoon acclimatising: walk to the Nairobi National Museum (~£10) or just sort your onward transport at the Riverside bus offices. Confirm tomorrow's driver and your eTA (Kenya's electronic travel authorisation, ~£25) is approved.

🚌Uber/Bolt from JKIA to city centre (~£10)

🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Westlands/Kilimani, dorm or private room (~£18–25)

• →Buy Safaricom SIM card
• →Nairobi National Museum (optional, ~£10)
• →Organise onward shuttle tickets

Book a shared day tour or hire a driver-guide for a half-day Nairobi National Park game drive (~£70–90 per person shared, including park fees of roughly £35). Head to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage for the public 11am visiting hour (book online in advance, ~£15) and then the Giraffe Centre in Karen (~£15, feed the Rothschild's giraffes from the platform). Lunch at a Karen cafe or the Karen Blixen coffee garden (~£10). If you want the museum, it's ~£10 entry and 30 minutes from the Giraffe Centre by Bolt (~£4).

🚌Shared safari van ~£15 + Bolt hops in Karen ~£8

🛏Same hostel/guesthouse in Nairobi (~£20)

• →Nairobi National Park game drive (~£75 shared incl. fees)
• →Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage public visit (~£15)
• →Giraffe Centre (~£15)
• →Karen Blixen Museum (optional ~£10)

Take a matatu or shared shuttle from Nairobi's Country Bus Station or the Nanyuki-bound matatus to Nyeri (~£5–8, 3–3.5 hrs) and on to your lodge near Solio. Budget guesthouses and bandas around Nyeri and Mweiga run £20–35. In the afternoon, join a game drive into Solio Game Reserve — Kenya's private rhino sanctuary, best booked through your lodge or directly with Solio (~£60–80 incl. conservancy fees). Solio is where you'll see black and white rhino up close.

🚌Matatu/shared shuttle Nairobi–Nyeri (~£7), local taxi to lodge (~£5)

🛏Budget guesthouse or banda near Nyeri/Solio (~£28)

• →Afternoon game drive in Solio Game Reserve (~£70 incl. fees)

A morning game drive in Solio with an armed ranger guide is the highlight — rhino, buffalo, giraffe and good birding on the Laikipia plains. Book through your lodge the night before. Afternoon free: hike a bit of the Aberdare foothills, visit a local market in Mweiga, or just rest. Ask your guesthouse to arrange a shared vehicle to split the cost with other travellers — the single biggest saving versus a coach tour.

🚌Shared 4x4 game-drive vehicle (~£15 local transfer share)

🛏Guesthouse near Nyeri/Solio (~£28)

• →Morning game drive in Solio (~£70)
• →Local market visit

Travel by matatu from Nyeri to Nyahururu (~£3, 1.5 hrs) and stop at Thompson's Falls, a 74m waterfall a short boda-boda ride from town. Then continue by matatu to Nakuru (~£3, 2 hrs). Check into a budget hotel or hostel in Nakuru town (£15–25). In the afternoon, head into Lake Nakuru National Park for a game drive — book a park guide/driver in town or through your hotel (~£60–75 including park fees of about £45). Look for flamingos, white rhino and tree-climbing lions.

🚌Matatus Nyeri–Nyahururu–Nakuru (~£7 total), boda-boda to falls (~£2)

🛏Budget hotel in Nakuru town (~£22)

• →Thompson's Falls (free entry)
• →Afternoon game drive in Lake Nakuru NP (~£65)

Two game drives today — an early morning one (best light, active wildlife, and the baboon cliffs viewpoint) and an afternoon one toward the southern end of the park. If you're travelling solo, post in a Nakuru backpacker group or ask your hotel to pair you with another visitor to halve vehicle costs. Evening: cheap local nyama choma or a fish dinner in town (~£8).

🚌Shared game-drive vehicle (~£10 share)

🛏Budget hotel in Nakuru (~£22)

• →Morning game drive, Lake Nakuru NP (~£65)
• →Afternoon game drive
• →Baboon Cliff viewpoint

Take a matatu or shared shuttle from Nakuru to Narok (~£4, 2 hrs) and on to the Mara (~£6, another 2–3 hrs), or book a seat on one of the daily Nairobi–Mara shuttle services that pass through. Base yourself in a budget tented camp or banda just outside the reserve (£25–40 per night, some dorms cheaper). Afternoon game drive into the reserve with a lodge-arranged guide (~£80–100 including reserve fees of roughly £70 in peak season).

🚌Matatus/shuttle Nakuru–Narok–Mara (~£10)

🛏Budget tented camp or banda near the Mara (~£32)

• →Afternoon game drive in Maasai Mara (~£90 incl. fees)

Full day in the reserve with morning and afternoon game drives, tracking the Big Five across the Olare Orok and Musiara areas. If you're there July–October, ask your guide about crossing points on the Mara River for the wildebeest migration. Optional add-ons: a sunrise hot-air balloon flight (book ahead, £350–450 — this is the one big-ticket item, skip it to keep the budget low) and a Maasai village visit (agree the fee upfront, typically £15–25).

🚌Shared game-drive vehicle (~£10 share)

🛏Budget tented camp or banda near the Mara (~£32)

• →Morning and afternoon game drives (~£90 combined incl. fees)
• →Optional Maasai village visit (~£20)
• →Optional balloon flight (~£400)

A long travel day and the one most people underestimate. Take the early shuttle back to Nairobi (~£12, 5–6 hrs), then an afternoon bus or shared shuttle down to Emali/Loitokitok and on toward Amboseli (~£10, 3–4 hrs), or arrange a direct lodge transfer if you can share it. It's a tiring day but perfectly doable if you leave the Mara by 6.30am. Arrive at a budget camp near Kimana Gate (£20–35) with Kilimanjaro views in the evening.

🚌Mara–Nairobi shuttle (~£12) + Nairobi–Emali–Amboseli buses/matatus (~£10)

🛏Budget camp near Kimana Gate, Amboseli (~£25)

• →Travel day — Kilimanjaro sunset views from camp

Morning and afternoon game drives in Amboseli, famous for big elephant herds walking against the backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro. Park fees are around £45–60 per day; a shared vehicle with guide adds £30–50. Best photo light is early morning and late afternoon, so plan a siesta at camp midday. Afternoon alternative: browse the local Maasai craft market near the gate (~£10 for a small souvenir) or lounge by the camp pool if there is one.

🚌Shared game-drive vehicle (~£15 share)

🛏Budget camp near Kimana Gate (~£25)

• →Morning game drive, Amboseli (~£60 incl. fees)
• →Afternoon game drive
• →Maasai craft market

Early breakfast, then a shared vehicle or matatu back to Emali and a bus to Nairobi (~£10, 4–5 hrs). If your flight is late evening you have time for one last meal in Westlands or a quick souvenir stop at the Maasai Market (daily pop-ups around the city). Head to JKIA, allowing at least 3 hours before an international flight — Nairobi traffic is real.

🚌Matatu/shared vehicle to Emali + bus to Nairobi (~£10), Bolt to JKIA (~£10)

🛏None (departure day)

• →Maasai Market souvenir shopping (optional)