Kenya: The Safari That Reminded Me Why I Love Travel

There are holidays you enjoy, holidays you remember, and then there are trips that completely remind you why you fell in love with travel in the first place. Kenya was one of those trips for me.

After more than 30 years working in travel, I’m fortunate enough to have visited some extraordinary places around the world. But every now and again, a destination comes along that genuinely surprises me.

Kenya did exactly that.

More Than Just a Safari

When most people think of a Kenya safari holiday, they naturally think about wildlife — lions, elephants, giraffes and the great plains of the Masai Mara.

And yes, the wildlife is every bit as spectacular as you imagine.

But what surprised me was just how much more there is to Kenya.

The landscapes change dramatically as you travel through the country, the people are incredibly welcoming, and there is something quite special about waking up in the African wilderness with virtually nothing between you and nature.

It’s an experience that’s difficult to describe until you’ve actually done it.

The Magic of Loisaba

One of the highlights of my trip was spending time in the Loisaba area.

This is a very different safari experience from the classic images you might have of the Masai Mara. The landscapes feel huge, wild and wonderfully remote.

There’s also something about the rhythm of a safari day that I love.

The early starts suddenly don’t seem quite so painful when you’re heading out into the African bush as the sun rises. Then there are those wonderful moments when your guide stops the vehicle, everyone goes quiet and you realise you’re watching wildlife in its natural environment.

No zoo. No fences. No timetable.

Just nature doing what nature does.

And that’s what makes an African safari so addictive.

From Loisaba to the Masai Mara

Even getting from one safari camp to another became one of the most memorable experiences of the trip.

Rather than spending hours travelling by road, we flew from Loisaba down towards the Masai Mara in a small aircraft.

Flying across Kenya at more than 10,000 feet was spectacular. Looking down over the landscape gives you a completely different appreciation of the sheer scale of the country.

But then things became even more memorable.

Our pilot, Karan, invited me to take the controls for a few minutes.

Now, I’m not suggesting Buckle Airways will be launching anytime soon, but sitting in the cockpit with Kenya stretching out beneath me was one of those travel moments I’ll never forget.

It also perfectly summed up this trip.

An adventure around every corner.

The Masai Mara

Then came somewhere I’d wanted to experience properly for a very long time — the Masai Mara.

There are certain destinations in the world where you’ve seen so many photographs and television programmes that you wonder whether the reality can possibly live up to your expectations.

The Mara does.

Vast open plains, enormous skies and wildlife everywhere.

But a safari isn’t simply about ticking animals off a list.

Some of my favourite moments were actually the quieter ones: stopping and watching an animal for a while, listening to our guides explain its behaviour, or simply sitting in the vehicle taking in the landscape.

A great safari guide makes an enormous difference. Their knowledge, instinct and ability to spot something that the rest of us would drive straight past is remarkable.

Is Kenya Just for Couples?

Definitely not.

One thing I came away thinking was just how brilliant a Kenya family safari could be, particularly with older children and teenagers.

Safari is naturally exciting. Every game drive is different, there’s always something happening and there is far less opportunity for the dreaded“I’m bored” than on many traditional holidays.

For families who want to give their children experiences rather than simply another week beside a swimming pool, Kenya should absolutely be on the list.

It can also work brilliantly for couples, honeymooners, milestone birthdays and those big “once-in-a-lifetime” trips.

Although I’d argue that once you’ve been on safari, there’s a very good chance that once in a lifetime won’t be enough.

Safari Doesn’t Mean Roughing It

Another misconception is that going on safari means sacrificing comfort.

It really doesn’t.

A luxury safari in Kenya can combine incredible wildlife experiences with beautiful lodges and camps, fantastic food, excellent service and some genuinely spectacular locations.

There’s something rather surreal about spending the morning tracking wildlife before returning to your camp for a great lunch and sitting with a drink looking out across the African landscape.

Adventure and luxury can coexist very nicely.

Why Planning a Kenya Safari Properly Matters

Kenya isn’t necessarily somewhere I’d recommend simply booking as a collection of hotels online.

The itinerary matters.

Where you stay matters.

The order you travel in matters.

And the transfers between different areas can make an enormous difference to the overall experience.

Choosing the right safari camps, guides and locations can turn a good holiday into an extraordinary one.

It’s also why experiencing destinations personally remains such an important part of what we do at Experience Travel.

Google can tell you how many rooms a lodge has.

AI can produce a list of the “10 best safari camps in Kenya.”

But neither can tell you what it actually felt like to sit there, which camps I’d choose for a particular family or couple, whether I’d spend two nights or three somewhere, or how I’d personally put the journey together.

That’s where experience counts.

Would I Go Back?

In a heartbeat.

Kenya delivered everything I hoped for from an African safari — incredible wildlife, beautiful landscapes and some unforgettable places to stay.

But it was the unexpected moments that stayed with me most.

The conversations. The early mornings. The silence of the bush. Flying across Kenya in a tiny aircraft.

And, for approximately five minutes, becoming Captain Buckle.

Travel should make you feel something.

Kenya certainly did.

Thinking About a Kenya Safari?

At Experience Travel, we create tailor-made Kenya holidays designed around you rather than simply selling an off-the-shelf itinerary.

Whether you’re considering your first African safari, a luxury Masai Mara holiday, a family safari adventure, a honeymoon or a safari combined with a few days relaxing on the beach, we can help create the right journey from beginning to end.

We’ve travelled there ourselves, experienced the camps, flown the routes and seen first-hand what makes Kenya so special.

Book with confidence. Travel with excitement.

Experience Travel — travel designed around you.