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🇰🇪 Itinerary · Kenya · 14 days

2-week Kenya itinerary 2026: safari and Indian Ocean

The tested combo: Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, the Masai Mara then Diani Beach. 14 days, detailed budget, real distances and advice on the great migration.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

14 days

Stops

6 places

Average budget

€3,000-5,000

Total distance

~1,400 km

Profile

Safari + beach

Season

Jul-Oct

Nairobi 1d · Amboseli 2d · Nakuru 2d · Naivasha 1d · Masai Mara 3d · Diani 4d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Kenya 2-week itinerary map: Nairobi, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, Masai Mara, Diani Beach

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

14 days, day by day

1

~€90/pers

Nairobi · Arrival and prep

  • Morning Landing at Nairobi (NBO), transfer to the city.
  • Afternoon Rest, visit the David Sheldrick Elephant Trust (orphaned elephants).
  • Evening Dinner and briefing with the safari guide.
🛌 🛌 Nairobi · e.g. Hemingways Nairobi (1 night)·🚙 Private 4x4 transfer·Kenya guide →
2

~€210

Nairobi → Amboseli · In Kilimanjaro's shadow

  • 7am Drive to Amboseli Park (240 km, 4 h). Entry $60/day.
  • 3pm First game drive among large elephant herds.
  • Evening Sunset over Kilimanjaro (in clear weather).
🛌 🛌 Amboseli · e.g. Ol Tukai Lodge (2 nights)·🚙 4x4 with open roof
3

~€150

Amboseli · Elephants and Kilimanjaro

  • 6am Morning game drive, Kilimanjaro often clear at sunrise.
  • Midday Break at the lodge during the heat.
  • 4pm Second game drive around the marshes, birds and big cats.
4

~€230

Amboseli → Lake Nakuru · Rift Valley

  • 8am Long drive to Lake Nakuru via Nairobi (350 km, 6 h).
  • 4pm Park entry ($60/day), first loop around the lake.
  • Evening Flamingos and white rhinos at the end of the day.
🛌 🛌 Nakuru · e.g. Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge (2 nights)·🚙 4x4, long drive
5

~€140

Lake Nakuru · Rhinos and flamingos

  • Morning Full game drive: black and white rhino, tree-climbing lions, buffalo.
  • Afternoon Baboon Cliff viewpoint over the lake and its flamingos.
6

~€120

Nakuru → Lake Naivasha · Fresh water and hippos

  • Morning Drive to Lake Naivasha (70 km, 1h30).
  • Afternoon Boat trip among the hippos, walk on Crescent Island.
  • Evening Check-in by the lake.
🛌 🛌 Naivasha · e.g. Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort (1 night)·🚐 Short drive + boat
7

~€250

Naivasha → Masai Mara · The great plain

  • 8am Drive to the Masai Mara (250 km, 5 h of track).
  • Midday Reserve entry ($200/day), first game drive.
  • Evening Sunset over the endless plains.
🛌 🛌 Masai Mara · e.g. Mara Serena Safari Lodge (3 nights)·🚙 4x4, long track
8

~€180

Masai Mara · The migration

  • 6am Morning game drive to the Mara River, wildebeest crossings (Jul-Oct).
  • Midday Bush picnic.
  • 4pm Searching for predators: lions, cheetahs, leopards.
9

~€190

Masai Mara · Full day

  • Day Full game drive across the reserve, optional Maasai village (~€25).
  • Option Sunrise hot-air balloon (~€450, book ahead).
10

~€280

Masai Mara → Diani · Flight to the ocean

  • Morning Last game drive, transfer to the Mara airstrip.
  • 12pm Flight Mara → Nairobi then to Ukunda/Diani (2h30 total, $200-280).
  • Evening Check-in Diani Beach, first dinner facing the Indian Ocean.
🛌 🛌 Diani · e.g. Almanara Luxury Resort (4 nights)·✈️ Domestic flights essential
11

~€60

Diani · Beach and lagoon

  • Morning White-sand beach, swimming in the reef-protected lagoon.
  • Afternoon Snorkeling trip to the reef, or kitesurfing depending on the wind.
12

~€80

Diani · Kisite Marine Park

  • 8am Dhow trip to Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Park (dolphins, turtles).
  • Afternoon Seafood lunch on Wasini Island, back at the end of the day.
13

~€50

Diani · Free day

  • Day Rest, paddleboarding, or a visit to the sacred Kaya Kinondo forest.
  • Evening Last sunset over the Indian Ocean.
14

Flight

Diani → France · Return

  • Morning Transfer to Mombasa (MBA) or Ukunda airport.
  • Afternoon Return flight to Paris via Nairobi, Addis Ababa or Doha.

How much

Itinerary budget (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€3,000

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €700
  • 🏕️ Camps and budget lodges: €80/night
  • 🚙 Shared group safari: €1,100
  • ✈️ Domestic flight Diani: €200
  • 🏖️ Beach guesthouse: €40/night
Recommended

Comfort

€4,000

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €850
  • 🏨 4★ lodges: €170/night
  • 🚙 Private 4x4 safari + guide: €1,600
  • ✈️ Domestic flight Diani: €250
  • 🏖️ Beach resort: €120/night

Premium

€7,500

per person

  • ✈️ Business flight: €1,800
  • 🏨 Luxury camps: €500/night
  • 🚙 High-end private safari: €3,000
  • 🎈 Masai Mara balloon: €450
  • 🏖️ 5★ Diani resort: €300/night

Shorter, longer

Other possible durations

1 week

1 week

Short safari circuit or Masai Mara + 2 nights Diani.

You're here

2 weeks

2 weeks

Full Rift Valley safari then Diani Beach.

1 month

1 month

The grand tour: big parks, wild north (Samburu) and Swahili coast.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

The safari is done in a 4x4 with a driver-guide. One or two domestic flights link the Masai Mara to the Diani coast to avoid a road day. Count ~€250 for those flights, versus 12 h of road plus train.

🚙

4x4 with driver-guide

Included in the safari package · open roof

🛥️

Boat on Lake Naivasha

~€20 · hippos and birds

✈️

Flight Masai Mara → Diani

$200-280 · Safarilink / AirKenya · via Nairobi

⛵

Dhow to Kisite Marine Park

~€50 · dolphins and snorkeling

🚐

Airport transfers

~€30-40 · depending on hotel

Adapt by season

The great migration from July to October

The Masai Mara hosts the great migration from July to October: it's the best window to see the wildebeest herds cross the Mara River. The dry season (June-October and January-February) stays ideal for all parks: low vegetation, concentrated animals. Avoid the long rains of April-May, difficult tracks. Diani Beach stays warm and swimmable year-round, with a flat sea outside the June-July monsoon.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In August 2024, in the Masai Mara, waiting an hour on the bank of the Mara River before a wildebeest herd crossed in front of us: patience is the key to the migration, one good vantage point beats a chase after animals.
  • • Keep 3 nights in the Masai Mara: a single day isn't enough for the migration.
  • • The domestic flight to Diani rather than road plus train: a day saved.
  • • Sunrise at Amboseli when Kilimanjaro clears: not to be missed.
  • • The dhow trip to Kisite, underrated: dolphins almost guaranteed in the dry season.

⚠️ Would change

  • • Drop a night at Nakuru to add a night in the Masai Mara outside migration season.
  • • Prefer a private conservancy bordering the Mara (Mara North) for off-road game drives.
  • • Avoid April-May: long rains and difficult tracks.
  • • Book the balloon at least 1 month ahead in high season.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Can you self-drive in Kenya during the safari? +
It's possible in theory but not advised: difficult tracks, complex navigation and a guide spots animals far better. Most travelers book a package with a driver-guide.
What budget should I plan for 2 weeks in Kenya? +
Count about €3,000 on a budget basis, €4,000 in comfort and €7,500 in premium, per person, flight from Paris included. The safari and park fees (Masai Mara $200/day) make up most of it.
Do I need antimalarial treatment? +
Yes, Kenya is a malaria zone, including the coast. See a vaccination center. Yellow fever is required if you arrive from an at-risk country.
What's the best period to see the migration? +
July to October, when the wildebeest herds cross the Mara River. The dry season (June-October) stays ideal for all parks. Avoid April-May, the long rains.
How do I link the parks to Diani Beach? +
The fastest is flying: one or two domestic flights via Nairobi ($200-280) land at Ukunda/Diani in 2h30. By road plus the Nairobi-Mombasa train, count a full day.
Is this itinerary family-friendly? +
Yes from age 6, but the long tracks tire children. Prefer a private safari to adjust the pace, and Diani's calm lagoon beach for kids.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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