HOW TO TRAVEL KENYA - 10 Days in Paradise

So, you're looking for the ultimate guide to traveling Kenya. Well, look no further because you just landed in the right place. My name is Rajvi Soin and for the past three years I've had the privilege of traveling this beautiful country and so I've created this video to share with you everything that you need to know so that you can create your unforgettable trip to Kenya. Whether you're an adrenaline junkie, a beach bum or a wildlife enthusiast, this video has something for everyone. So, let me share with you the perfect 10-day itinerary to this beautiful country. On day one, you'll be touching down at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. Now, you've probably had a super long flight to get here so it's time to head to your accommodation to freshen up, drop off your bags and take it easy on your first day. We've got a jam-packed itinerary coming up so you need to stay well rested. Now, there's tons of options for places to stay at in Nairobi. A couple of great options include Somerdale Inn, Eka Hotel, Kempinski or if you're into super luxury, the world-famous Giraffe Manor where giraffes literally roam your backyard. Now, I'm also working on a beautiful place of my own called Shraddha House. It may not have giraffes roaming free in its backyard but it's super peaceful and in the center of all tourist attractions and it's probably going to be ready by the time you book your trip to Kenya. So, check it out. I'll link it in the description box below. Getting around Nairobi is actually very easy. There's Ubers available everywhere and they're very reasonable from $3 to $10 per trip. If you're looking for something more private, you can hire a car for about $30 to $80 for the day. Now, back to the itinerary. Now that you're a little freshened up, in the evening you can get your taste of Kenyan culture by heading over to a Masai Market. The Masai Market is a weekly open-air market that takes place in different locations in Nairobi including the city center and various shopping malls. The market features a wide array of traditional African crafts including clothing, jewelry, wood carvings, paintings and sculptures. The Masai Market is held in a different place every day of the week so make sure to download the free PDF guide below that will share all that info with you plus a lot more information on the best spots, hotels, restaurants that you can check out. For dinner tonight, head over to the Carnivore Restaurant. This restaurant offers an interesting dining experience. The restaurant is famous for its unique concept of serving exotic meats including crocodile, camel and ostrich. I'm pretty sure you didn't expect that. The meats are roasted on traditional Masai swords over a huge charcoal pit. It's quite a view. Make sure you make a reservation beforehand and look into their feast for the beast option which is their all-you-can-eat option. On day two, get ready to kick off your Kenyan adventure with a visit to the David Sheldrake Wildlife Trust, a sanctuary for orphaned elephants. Here you'll watch baby elephants being fed. They're so cute and you can also touch them. They're not very soft though. You'll also be learning about their conservation efforts. They open at 11 a.m strictly for an hour so make sure to get there in time. Next up, you're going to head to the Giraffe Center where you'll have the opportunity to feed giraffes and if you're feeling extra romantic, you can kiss them. You should be done by lunchtime so go for lunch. There's loads of great restaurant options at the Galleria Mall or the Hub in Karen. The great thing about Nairobi is that it's a very cosmopolitan city so you can find everything from Japanese to Italian food. Again, you can download my free guide below that will share more details on my favorite restaurants plus a lot more. If you missed out on the Masai market the day before, don't worry you can plan a visit this evening. For dinner tonight, you're going to keep it light and get to bed early because on day three, we're waking up before the sun to start our road trip to the great Masai Mara National Reserve. Unless of course you're flying to the Mara, then you can probably sleep in a little. The Masai Mara is one of Africa's most famous wildlife reserves and you're in for a treat for the next two days. Assuming you're going by road, it's a five-hour drive from Nairobi to the Mara and you'll need to hire a four-wheel drive with a tour guide. It'll cost up to $300 per day but the car can carry up to six people. You can check out the links below where you can book your Masai Mara tour. On the way, you'll make a stop at a beautiful viewpoint at the Great Rift Valley where you can take in the breathtaking sights before continuing on to the Mara. The reserve fee is $70 per day which you'll pay at the gate upon entry. There's a lot of options for accommodations, the camps outside the reserve being cheaper but I recommend the Mara Serena, Sarovar Mara Game Camp or Ashnil. If you're all about the luxury life, then you can check out Salah Camp, Sand River or Kotar's Camp. Check into your accommodation, have lunch and get ready for your first African safari. As you embark on a game drive through the Masai Mara, you'll feel as if you've been transported to another world. A world where giraffes gracefully move through the grasslands, zebras roam in large herds and wildebeest thunder across the landscape. The sheer abundance of wildlife in the Mara is truly breathtaking. You'll have the opportunity to spot and also you'll be experiencing a lot of the African massage. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you'll find out during the game drive. If that's not enough to get you excited then honestly I don't know what will. The best time to visit the Mara is during the Great Wildebeest Migration which is a wonder of the world. It takes place between June and October. If you want to know all about the migration then check out the video on the top right corner which documented my entire experience of it. It was amazing. For day one, make sure you organize sundowners with your accommodation. It's the best thing you can ever do. Basically they set up tables and chairs in the wild where you'll have drinks as you watch the sun go down. It's such a beautiful experience. Now on your second day, it's time to do something extra special. A balloon safari. Today's wake-up call is at 3 a.m. so you better get some hot coffee or tea. You'll be picked up by 4 a.m to be taken to the launch site where you'll watch the balloon being fired up. You'll get a briefing from your pilot and off you go to experience the Masai Mara in the most unique and magical way. You'll float up into the sky with the rising sun enjoying uninterrupted views of the most breathtaking landscape and wildlife. It's so peaceful up there. You feel like you're on top of the world. Keep an eye out for herds of If you're lucky, you might even spot some lions and hyenas. Once you land, you'll be treated to a champagne breakfast in the bush. Who says you can't have breakfast in the wild? Not the Mara, that's for sure. After that, you can go for a morning game drive, return to your camp for lunch and in the afternoon, go on a guided nature walk. You can even visit a Masai village to learn about their culture and way of life. The Masai people have lived in the region for centuries and their traditional dress and customs are a sight to behold. Have another sundowner if you have the time. Get back to your camp and enjoy your final night by the campfire. On day five, you're going to be setting sail for Mombasa or setting flight because you're going to be flying. Mombasa is a coastal city in southern east Kenya. So here there's a lot of great beachfront hotels in the Nyali area like Sarova White Sands or there's hotels closer to the town like English Point Marina or City Blue Creek. Once you check in, it's time to get on a tuk-tuk which is the best way to get around Mombasa and check out Mombasa's old town which is quite an interesting place to explore. Get lost through the narrow alleyways, check out the first ever hotel in Kenya and hang out with some locals enjoying Kahawa which is the best coffee you'll ever have. You can also visit the Fort Jesus Museum which is a Portuguese fortress from the 16th century. But the best part and the reason why I've added Mombasa to the itinerary is the food. Mombasa has some of the best street food you'll ever taste thanks to the Swahili, Indian and Arabic influence. From samosas and bajiyas to pilau and chicken tikka, you'll be in foodie heaven. Plus the food is so cheap from less than one dollar for snacks to five dollars for a full meal. A few places to check out for your food tour would be the lighthouse area in Moi Avenue for their cassava crisps, fried or roasted cassava and corn and their madafu. You can check out Mubin's cafe for chicken tikka, mashkaki and naans. There's Mike's cafe for Mombasa mix, biyazi kerai and samosas. There's Damascus for their shawarmas and Rahmani's opposite Nyali Cinemax for their stuffed chapatis. There's also the tamarind dhow experience where you dine on a traditional trading boat that's called a dhow that cruises through the creek. Oh my gosh my mouth is watering right now. With all these food options you may want to fit in another day but for this itinerary we're grabbing mahamri and bazi at Mike's cafe and then heading over to Malindi on day six. Malindi is another beautiful coastal town known for its golden and white sandy beaches and its coral reefs. My favorite place to stay here is at Cozy Point Homes where you'll be hosted by the best host ever, Sabina. It's such a perfect combination of hotel luxury and home living but if you're looking for more of a general hotel experience you can check If you're a history nerd then today you're going to be checking out the Vasco da Gama pillar which is a monument that was erected by the explorer in 1498. You can also check out the Gede ruins which are an ancient Swahili city. Whenever I'm in Malindi my friend Hassan takes me around and if you're up to checking out some hidden gems he's your go-to. He'll even teach you how to drive his tuk tuk which is so much fun. I'll leave his number in the description box below. Now if you're not into history today you can relax on the beach or if you're feeling adventurous you can head over to Watamu for some kite surfing. I tried kite surfing with this company called Tribe Water Sports and it was such an awesome experience and since you're in Watamu you can have lunch at Swahili cafe to try out some of their really authentic Swahili dishes. End your day with a sundowner at Licked House which is a restaurant in a creek with a view of the sunset that On day 7 I recommend you wake up early and make your way to the Malindi pier to catch an unforgettable sunrise. At the pier you'll see kids jumping from the bridge into the water and if you're brave enough you should try it too. At the pier is where you'll notice that the sand is golden and it glitters because of a mineral called pyrite. Spend the rest of the morning relaxing on the beach or by the pool before heading out to visit Hell's Kitchen in the evening. Again Hassan can take you, his number is in the description box below. This is Kenya's version of the Grand Canyon and it's really cool. You want to visit this place in the evening because one, as the name suggests, it will cook you in the morning and two, the sunset here is amazing. You don't want to miss it. Here you can enjoy a fun hike into the canyon and learn a lot of cool stuff about it. We're on day eight and now my favorite part of the trip. We're going to be taking a one-hour flight from Malindi International Airport to the Lamu archipelago which is a true gem of the East African coastline. Lamu has this kind of Santorini, Venice meets Swahili Africa vibe. It's so beautiful. Here you can stay in one of three areas. Lamu town which offers the cheapest accommodations which you can find a lot of them on Airbnb. The next area is Shella town which is a little more touristy, fancier and pricier. Most of the accommodations here have pools though. My favorite place to stay at here is called Forodani house. It's so perfectly located and it kind of feels like you're living in a hotel in Santorini. Something I should also point out is that 90% of the accommodations are actually traditional Swahili houses that have the coolest architecture and interior. So that's a whole experience in of itself. As for food, each house offers the option of hiring a chef but I usually eat out. The third area you can stay at is Manda island which has all the luxury hotels and access to the beachfront. I stayed at the Majlis hotel and I felt like I was a freaking king. There's no cars in Lamu so you'll be moving around with boats or by foot or if you want you can ride a donkey. That's fun too if your legs are not super long. Also something to note is that Lamu is a very laid-back and slow destination so the next two days are going to be very relaxed. Alright, once you've checked in it's time to make your way to Lamu's old town. A UNESCO world heritage site dating back to the 14th century. It's a labyrinth of alleys, bustling markets and traditional dhow boats bobbing in the harbor. It's a feast for the senses and an experience you won't forget. Admire the intricate architecture, visit the Lamu museum and browse through the local markets. You can also hire a guide that can take you around. You'll find all the contacts in my free pdf guide below. If you're feeling hungry, check out my favorite restaurant in Lamu town called Mangrove restaurant. Their chicken samosas and chicken tikka are so good. After eating, take a boat to Manda island and head over to the Majlis. Get some drinks and some of their awesome pizzas. Enjoy the beach and watch your first sunset in Lamu. On day 9, we're gonna head over to Shella town. It's kind of similar to Lamu town but again a little fancier, more touristy. For lunch, check out this restaurant called Sisuk and try out their Swahili pizza. Their Swahili prawn curry is also... Alright, now we come to the best for last. This evening, you're going to do the most magical thing you've ever experienced which is a sunset dhow cruise. A dhow is a traditional arabic boat, simple design with this huge sail. So at about 4.30, you'll be picked up by your captain to set sail the waters of the Indian ocean The warm sun beats down on you as you take in the breathtaking views of islets full of mangroves. As the dhow glides through the water, you feel a sense of timelessness and serenity as if the worries of the world have been left far behind. I think you can tell how much I love the experience from the way I'm describing it. Along the way, you'll be treated with some snacks like fish samosas or viyazi karai and the best part is when the sun starts to set. I mean the way it paints the sky with the most beautiful colors while you're gliding on these calm waters, it's the most beautiful thing. It will just take your breath away. So for your cruise, you have to hire the entire dhow which can accommodate up to eight people and it costs up to $150. You can also look for dhows that have been booked by other people which you can share and it can cost up to $30. On day 10, it's time to head back to Nairobi and reminisce the last nine amazing days you had because you watched this video. You're welcome. Just by the way, if you have an extra day or two in Kenya, I highly recommend you check out Amboseli. It's about a four-hour drive away from Nairobi and is known for its large herds of elephants as well as stunning views of Mount Kilimanjaro which is the highest peak in Africa. If you thought the herds in the Mara were amazing, you're in for a treat. Plus I think the view of these elegant giants with the backdrop of Kilimanjaro is just something that you have to witness when you're in Kenya. So good luck planning your trip to Kenya. Guys, if you found this video useful, please hit that like button. It really helps. And if you're new here, consider subscribing and I will see you guys in the next one. Peace!