Trip details

In a world where so many hotels claim "luxury" status, this is one that delivers. The staff are welcoming and keen to oblige (you are even assigned a butler), the suites are grand and the setting is so tranquil and lovely it's hard to imagine you're in the middle of a traffic-congested city. There's not a murmur, apart from the birds and the fountains. And there's something other-worldly about the view of Karen Blixen's green hills from your balcony. The food is top-notch too – carnivores come miles for the steak!

Nairobi hides many an interesting pastime under it’s not-so-shiny reputation and, if you find yourself in the city, you may even wish you had a few more nights to spare.

Most of the action happens in the luxurious garden suburb of Karen. A typical day might include a morning with the orphaned elephants at the David Sheldrick Trust, time at the Karen Blixen museum (and a coffee and a slice of cake), and end with a giraffe ‘kiss’ at the centre at Giraffe Manor. We recommend hiring a driver to take you around the sights, and perhaps adding a dinner stop at one of the up-and-coming restaurants.

Beautifully stylish canvas rooms, spectacular 270 degree views and a truly fabulous location in the heart of the Mara Naboisho Conservancy, just outside the Masai Mara Reserve, are just a few of the reasons that we love Ol Seki. And then there’s the activities. The private conservancy is yours to explore as you wish and the game drives, night drives and walking safaris, all led by a team of fantastic local guides in their traditional red shukas, are intimate and private. And with only four other camps in 200 square kilometres, you see hordes of game, not hordes of tourists – just as it should be.

You will have 2 shared game drives in Naboisho Conservancy per day topped with a shared bush breakfast per stay in weather permitting conditions and a shared night drive per stay in the Naboisho conservancy.

Two hours’ drive north of Mombassa on Kenya's central coast, the newly renovated Hemingways Watamu is a boutique beach hotel that combines the old-time charm of a fisherman's paradise, with a fresh injection of luxury. Its hunting- and fishing-loving patron saint, the eponymous Ernest Hemingway, is said to have visited in search of some big game fishing, but allegedly never left the bar! Take this anecdote as an allegory - feel free to be as busy or static as you like. From sailing, deep-sea fishing and diving, to golfing and sunset cruising, there is plenty to keep you entertained, but the sandy beaches and open-plan grounds with two swimming pools are there for lazing and lingering. Whatever your aim, Hemingways Watamu is a gem.

Located north along the coast from Mombassa, the blinding-white beaches of Watamu sit within a world-class marine park, where coral reefs provide a home for 500 species of tropical fish, sea turtles and other creatures of the deep. Naturally, snorkelling and diving is at the top of the list, with scenes below the surface rivalling those above.

Head further out by boat for a day of deep sea fishing, where you could hook a marlin or sailfish between November and April. There are watersports aplenty including kite and board surfing, stand-up paddleboarding and scenic sails - and you can’t get better than being on a dhow at sunset.

Explore the tangled mangroves and tidal wetlands in a kayak, your eyes peeled for birdlife, or head inland to the fascinating Gedi Ruins - no one has ever figured out why they were abandoned.