“You know you are truly alive when you’re living among lions” was penned by Karen Blixen in Out of Africa and these words adequately explain what it feels like to experience your first lions on safari. Kenya is one of the most diverse of safari countries, from the open plains of the Masai Mara with its annual wildebeest migration to the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro for the largest bull elephants on the continent to the Laikipia plateau in the north for its endemic reticulated giraffe and abundant rhinoceros and ending on the pristine beaches on the coast. Kenya has it all and then some.

We love the annual wildebeest migration in the Masai Mara, which numbers more than two million wildebeest and 250,000 zebras, however we also love the serenity of the Masai Mara when the migration is across the border in Tanzania.

Our Take: Combine as many game reserves, national parks and game-rich areas as you can fit into your itinerary. We love the private conservancies in the Masai Mara, which offer off-road driving, few vehicles, premium camps and sustainable conservation practices. We love combining the Masai Mara with Amboseli National Park, where large herds of elephants mingle with Mount Kilimanjaro as their backdrop. The Laikipia plateau is not to be missed, as it delivers a rugged, beautiful and unique environment for stunning landscapes, unique wildlife species and superb cultural interaction.