
Hit the open road and explore beautiful landscapes and thrilling scenes with the wind in your hair through the available car window at your side. Rest assured that you will have enough roads in your drive for adventure in Kenya; the country is 225,000 square miles and nearly the same size as Texas in the United States. Kenya’s diverse landscapes and scenery will keep you on the edge of your seat, from pristine white sandy beaches to long forests densely forested with various forest cover.
A fun fact about road-tripping in Kenya is that the weather is pleasant all year. If you feel inclined to stop, learn about the local culture and eat traditional grilled maize or roadside meat barbeque. As you plan to drive responsibly and have the adventure of a lifetime, check out our list of Kenya’s best road trips.
Table of Contents
ToggleGreat Kenyan road trips
-
Sarova Shaba—Nairobi—Samburu
Nairobi–Samburu; 314 km; 6 hours’ drive
Sarova Shaba is a breathtaking oasis in northern Kenya. The game lodge is in the heart of Shaba Game Reserve, along the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River. The clubhouse features a volcanic desert and naturally flowing springs. A drive from Nairobi to Shaba covers five counties; the landscape transforms from a lush green forest on the Nairobi-Nyeri route to hilly Isiolo terrain past Nanyuki. A mountainous desert and wilderness welcome your arrival in Samburu.
Can’t-miss pit stop: Travelers can stop at Isiolo town, south of Samburu, covered by magnificent hills. For an aerial view, head to the Catholic Church bell chamber, which has a grand rooftop overlooking the surrounding small metropolitan state and landscape. Head on to Samburu and allow yourself a few days to enjoy the beautiful wildlife at Samburu Game Reserve and Buffalo Springs National Reserve.
-
Mara Intrepids: Masai Mara
Nairobi–Maasai Mara; 225 km; 5 hours’ drive
This beloved route is a worthy world-class adventure with show-stealing exhibitions on local culture and wildlife native to Africa. We suggest traveling in a 4 x 4-vehicle to Mara Intrepid from Nairobi to Mai Mahiu, Narok, and Masai Mara—a hotspot for viewing leopards. If you visit between May and June, you will be able to witness the migration of more than 1.5 million wildebeest, made possible by the Mara Intrepid’s proximity to the Mara River.
Can’t-miss pit stop: Take a short detour at the Great Rift Valley View Point and take pictures of this historic place with beautiful geological formations. Stop at the Mara Savannah Maasai Market to stock up on snacks or antiques.
-
National Park Voyager Ziwani-Tsavo
Nairobi–Tsavo; 210 km; 4 hours’ drive
For decades, many tourists have flocked to this legendary journey from Nairobi to Emali and Tsavo. Voyager Ziwani, located west of Tsavo, is a beloved camp with strategic views of Mount Kilimanjaro and hosts a hidden portion of the Sante River teeming with wildlife, including crocodiles, hippos, and turtles. Visitors can let loose to enjoy exciting night game drives and spend the rest of the night camping in the tents offered by Voyager Ziwani.
Can’t-miss pit stop: Spend some time at Amboseli and soak up the incredible views of Mount Kilimanjaro. You might also get lucky and spot some elephant herds. If you feel generous with yourself, you can drive further into the Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks for more action.
-
Tortilis Safari Camp, Amboseli National Park
Nairobi–Amboseli; 365 km; 5 hours’ drive
For a perfect Savannah drive, hit the highway to Amboseli National Park, famed for its free-roaming herds of giant African elephants. Tortilis Safari Camp is right in the heart of Amboseli National Park. Visitors are guaranteed amazing views of the world’s highest free-standing mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro. Enjoy game drives, walks, sundowners, and bush meals courtesy of the Tortilis Safari Camp.
Can’t-miss pit stop: At Tsavo East national park, which is near Amboseli, visitors can spot zebras, monkeys, and even giraffes and explore the main 100-km highway leading to Tsavo West.
-
Ashnil Samburu Camp, Samburu
Nairobi–Samburu; 314 km; 6 hours’ drive
A road trip to Ashnil Samburu Camp takes roughly 5-6 hours through picturesque meandering roads to Mount Kenya in Nyeri, crossing the equator into Nanyuki to Isiolo, and finally arriving in Samburu. Ashnil Samburu Camp is in the Buffalo Springs Game Reserve and next to the Samburu National Reserve. The Ewaso Nyiro River adjoins the two reserves. En-suite facilities in the park include 30 spacious tents providing soothing riverside views.
Can’t-miss pit stop: Visit Samburu villages near Archer’s Post before spending days at Samburu National Reserve to enjoy the sight of different species of antelope, giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, and Somali ostrich.
-
Sunbird Lodge Elementaita – Elementaita
Nairobi–Elementaita; 127 km; 2 hours’ drive
Sunbird Lodge is strategically located in the Great Rift Valley on Lake Elementaita (between Nakuru and Naivasha). If you are looking for a quick road trip, this is what you crave. Stop at Mathore Viewpoint to catch spectacular views over the Great Rift Valley, featuring multiple lakes and active and dormant volcanoes. Thanks to its proximity to Ramsar, the lodge offers ample bird-watching from the comfort of your veranda.
Can’t-miss pit stop: Plan to check out Soysambu Wildlife Conservancy, a private conservancy featuring an alkaline lake, rolling hills, and wildlife, including buffalo and Rothschild’s giraffe.
-
Lake Naivasha, Naivasha
Nairobi–Naivasha; 95 km; 1.5 hours’ drive
Make the most of this short road trip from Nairobi by squeezing all nearby attractions into a single day. Visitors can head to Longonot Volcano, an extinct volcano with incredible views of the valley floor in the Great Rift Valley from the crater rim, before driving to Lake Naivasha, a freshwater lake alive with wildlife and birdlife.
Can’t-miss pit stop: Travelers can climb to the peak of the Longonot volcano. Choose to explore Hells Gate National Park’s long caves, Crescent Island, Crater Lake, and Lake Oloiden.
-
Lake Magadi, off Magadi road
Nairobi–Lake Magadi; 106 km; 3 hours’ drive
A road trip to Lake Magadi is fit for hardcore road creatures. The Lake is an expansive, desolate desert (up to 40 degrees in summer) with a road traveling through the rugged countryside. This forsaken destination features sparse vegetation cover, and fresh drinking water is hard to come by. A monotonous sea of fawn-colored rocks spreads out to the horizon, with a single moonscape visible—the Ngurumani escarpment. A trip during rainy seasons is an entirely different scene as the lake refills. It explodes with life—millions of flamingos and other wading birds swamp the Lake, and visitors can spot giraffes, zebras, oryx, wildebeests, and elephants within the lake conservancy.
Can’t-miss pit stop: soak up in the bubbling natural hot springs. Check into the Lake Magadi Sports Club and Tented Camp for lunch and watch sunsets overlooking the shimmering Lake. You can also camp near the property or take up a room. Alternatively, you can drive to the Orlorgesailie Prehistoric Site.
-
Kisumu
Nairobi–Kisumu; 360 km; 6 hours’ drive
The drive from Nairobi to the lakeside city of Kisumu is a fantastic route for an on-road adventure. For an enjoyable experience, throw in some road-stop destinations. The trail lets travelers marvel at Lake Nakuru and take in some breathtaking landscape scenes. Then travel through Kericho to view some incredible scenery of the northern Great Rift Valley en route, and finally through western Kenya, where you can stock up on snacks and drinks. Enjoy the mesmerizing sunset views at Lake Victoria, and while you are at it, munch up on grilled fresh tilapia or Nile perch.
Can’t-miss pit stop: Stop to get a halt at the serene Mau Forest and later take an easy hike through several tea farms. Tourists can also spend the night at cheap resorts around Lake Victoria and go on lake excursions with locals.
Tips for driving in Kenya for the adventure of a lifetime
Although most of Kenya’s tarred roads are in impeccable condition, quite several long-distance routes are riddled with potholes and are unpaved. We recommend traveling in a 4X4 vehicle for rough terrain. Car towing in remote places in Kenya may take several hours, so it is wise to carry a spare tire or have basic car repair and maintenance knowledge.
Kenya has standard road safety rules, but most drivers flaunt these rules and drive carelessly, so err on caution, maintain a steady speed within the permitted speed limit, and overtake with caution.
We suggest you restrict your drive to the light of day because some roads have inadequate or uninstalled streetlights. While Kenya has law enforcers on the roadside and random patrols, carjacking is still prevalent, so proceed with caution. And remember to keep yourself informed with up-to-date government travel registrations or time curfews.
Have a safe trip on your next road trip. Have a blast!