As the birthplace of safaris, Kenya and its people know a thing or two about making a trip as unique, rewarding and unforgettable as possible. If you’re planning on travelling solo, there are plenty of intimate properties where each day is tailored just for you, and you can rest assured that you’ll be taken care of by fantastic hosts and guides every step of the way. And alongside time on your own to reflect and take in the magnitude of your surroundings, there will also be opportunities to enjoy the company of others, sharing experiences around the camp fire and swapping tales over morning coffee. Read on to hear all about our favourite trips for solo travel in Kenya – and none of them cost an arm and a leg either.
Spot unique & amazing wildlife
This week-long trip will introduce you to some of Kenya’s most thrilling wildlife destinations, and all are within a picturesque and animal-filled drive of one another. After touching down in Nairobi, you’ll join your guide and set off for Laikipia. Once mostly farmland, Laikipia is now a haven for endangered wildlife and one of Kenya’s greatest conservation triumphs. In fact, you’ll be staying in one of the most iconic conservancies, Ol Pejeta, East Africa’s largest black rhino sanctuary and home to the only northern white rhino on Earth. Ol Pejeta’s Safari Cottages are completely private and equipped with their own kitchens, chef and huge verandas where elephants often parade right past. Each day is built entirely around your interests, whether it’s birdwatching on foot or game drives to spot rare species like Grevy’s zebra, Jackson’s hartebeest, and reticulated giraffe.
Next, your journey will take you south to the Sunbird Lodge, high above the glinting Lake Elementaita. Over breakfast at the cliff’s edge, the incredible lake views hint at what’s to come, and you’ll spend the majority of your time exploring the shores on game drives, spotting great herds of Cape buffalo, rare Rothschild’s giraffe and slinking cats on the prowl. By the water, you’ll spot guffawing, boulder-like hippos, and a majestic variety of birds, including breeding giant pelicans and around 400 other species. There’s also the option to take it all in from the basket of a hot air balloon, where you can scan the impressive waters of Lake Nakuru and surreal Hell’s Gate too.
Your final destination is Ilkeliani, a charming camp on the Talek River. A suspension bridge leads straight into the Masai Mara from camp making it possible to enter the park before anyone else at dawn. Of course, when the swarms of wildebeest of the Great Migration are in the area (between late-July and October), you couldn’t be closer to the action, but there’s plenty to see throughout the year too. On guided walks, and day and night drives, you’ll spy herds of elephant and buffalo, giraffe and a host of predators including lion, cheetah, leopard and elusive serval. Ilkeliani Camp promises total flexibility, where each day is led by you – and nature, of course.
Wildlife watching & island bliss
You’ll experience the different sides of Kenya on this trip that will take you between bucket list safari spots to the scrumptious coast.
At Lake Elementaita, settle into one of the Sunbird Lodge’s private cottages and enjoy the vistas across the pristine waters of the lake itself. In the morning – and after a piping-hot cup of Kenyan coffee – depart on a game drive round the lake or further afield to Lake Nakuru, spotting buffalo, elephant and black and white rhino as you go. On a boat, glide past pods of hippo and fluttering birdlife and enjoy an entirely different perspective of the lake and plains beyond. As the day ends, enjoy sundowners and canapes as watch as the wildlife begins to change shift for the night.
If you thought wildlife encounters couldn’t get any better, think again as you arrive in the Masai Mara. There are close-up moments with nature’s smaller details on a bush walk, or get your binoculars ready for a game drive amongst endless lines of wildebeest (between mid-July and October), track big cats to their shady napping spot or scan the river for hippo and crocodile. Share the memories of the day over a delicious dinner at Ilkeliani Camp before retiring to your spacious tented suite, the sounds of Africa filling the air.
Wrap up your Kenya adventure with a little leisure and sunshine on tiny Chale Island off the coast of Diani. Lush florets of trees hide a secluded stretch of lounger-filled, white sand that melts into the turquoise Indian Ocean. And your room is just a few sandy footsteps away… Activities-wise, the bay offers a wealth of choice from kayaking and glass-bottom boat rides to snorkelling and scuba diving among the lively coral reefs, sea turtles included. Dreamy doesn’t begin to cover it – and if you’re looking for the last word in ‘private’, the Suite on the Rock is your answer.
