Tsavo East, Amboseli and the Taita Hills
- How long
- 4 days / 3 nights
- Starting from
- Collected from your resort, ending in Watamu
- Parks
- Tsavo East · Amboseli · Taita Hills
The 3-park version of the coastal safari, and the one that gives each place enough time to be worth the drive: Tsavo East for the red elephants and the space, Amboseli for the herds under Kilimanjaro, the Taita Hills for Salt Lick.
A night in each, an afternoon drive at each, and a morning drive on the way out of each. Nothing is done at a run.
Day 1
The coast to Tsavo East
The drive inland, into the park by mid-morning, and an afternoon drive that runs to sunset.
- 06:00
Departure from your resort
We collect you at around 06:00 after a light breakfast and head for Tsavo East National Park, one of the most important natural areas in Kenya.
There is a lot of flora to look at as well as game — scrub, baobabs, and stretches of genuinely lush vegetation — alongside elephants, zebras, giraffes, baboons, lions, cheetahs and leopards.
- 10:00
Into the park
We expect to reach the gate at about 10:00 and start the first game drive, looking for animals in their own country rather than at the edges of it.
- 12:00
Lunch and the hot hours
On to the lodge at around midday for lunch and to drop your bags, then a pause until about 15:30.
- 16:00
Afternoon game drive
The jeep and your guide meet you at the lodge at 16:00 and the drive runs through to sunset.
Late afternoon is the most rewarding part of the day to be out: the animals become more active as it cools, and you may well see hunting behaviour.
- Evening
Dinner at the lodge
Back after sunset for dinner and the night inside the park.
Day 2
Tsavo East to Amboseli
A drive out of Tsavo, the crossing to Amboseli, and an afternoon towards the lake.
- 06:00
Breakfast, then a drive out
Breakfast at 06:00 and out on a game drive, leaving Tsavo East and heading for Amboseli National Park — known the world over for the landscapes it sets under Kilimanjaro.
We game drive along the way where the timings and the road allow it.
- 12:30
Camp and a buffet lunch
Arrival at the tented camp or lodge at about 12:30. Settle into the room, then meet in the restaurant for a buffet lunch.
The afternoon is for the pool or the room.
- 16:00
Towards Lake Amboseli
Out again at around 16:00, working towards the Lake Amboseli area and looking for game across the park.
- Evening
Dinner at camp
Back to camp at the end of the drive for dinner and the night.
Day 3
Amboseli to the Taita Hills
The crossing to the Taita Hills, then Salt Lick — a lodge on stilts over its own waterhole.
- 06:00
Breakfast and away
Breakfast at 06:00, then we leave Amboseli for the Taita Hills reserve, game driving on the way where the timings allow.
- 11:30
Sarova Salt Lick Game Lodge
We arrive at about 11:30 at Salt Lick, which is built up on stilts so that you can watch the game from the building itself.
Room, then a buffet lunch, then the pool or your room for the afternoon.
- 15:45
Afternoon game drive
Out again at around 15:45, through to sunset.
- 20:00
A night drive, if you want one
The Taita Hills runs a night game drive accompanied by a qualified ranger, usually starting around 20:00 and lasting about an hour.
It shows you the species that only move after dark, and with luck the hunting that goes with them. There is a supplement and it is not included in the safari price.
Day 4
The Taita Hills to Watamu
A last drive out, an optional Maasai village, lunch at Voi, and Watamu by late afternoon.
- 06:00
The last game drive
Breakfast at 06:00 and out for a final drive, working towards the exit of the reserve.
- Morning
A Maasai village, if the timings allow
Where the itinerary and the clock permit, there is an optional visit to a Maasai village nearby.
You see the manyatta houses, hear about the community and its traditions, and can buy crafts and souvenirs in a way that supports the village directly. Entry is not included in the price.
- 13:00
Lunch at Voi
Out of the reserve and on to the town of Voi, where we stop for lunch and a break.
- 15:30
The road to Watamu
We set off again at about 15:30 and arrive in Watamu in the late afternoon. End of the safari.
The times in this itinerary are indicative. Roads, traffic, weather, what the animals are doing and the practicalities of running a safari all move them. The shape of the day holds; the clock bends around it.
Where you sleep
Subject to availability, and confirmed when you book.
Tsavo East
- Sentrim Tsavo Camp
- Voi Safari Lodge
- Voi Wildlife Lodge
- Manyatta Luxury Camp
Amboseli
- Sentrim Amboseli Camp
- An equivalent property if it is full
Taita Hills
- Sarova Salt Lick Game Lodge
What the price covers
- All transfers in a 4x4 safari vehicle fitted out for photography, with an opening roof
- Game drives in the parks and reserves on the itinerary
- Entrance to Tsavo East National Park
- A buffet lunch in the town of Voi, drinks excluded
- Bottled mineral water throughout every game drive
- A licensed, registered local guide working in Italian — ask us for English
- A professional local driver qualified for game driving
- Comprehensive safari insurance, including a replacement vehicle and rescue assistance
What it does not
- Drinks with meals
- Breakfast on the morning you leave, where the property does not serve it
- Tips and gratuities
- Personal expenses
- Entrance to a Maasai village
- The night game drive in the Taita Hills, which carries a supplement
- Anything not written down under what the price covers
Worth putting in the bag
- Light summer clothing
- A hat or cap
- Something warm for the evening and the early starts
- Tropical insect repellent
- High-protection sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Swimwear
- A power adapter
- Binoculars
- A camera or a phone you like taking photographs with
And an adventurous spirit, obviously.
Ask about this trip
The price moves with the lodges and camps you pick and with how many of you are travelling. Send us your dates and we will come back with a figure.