About this safari
This 9 day bush and beach holiday gives the southern safari circuit an extra night where it matters. Two nights in Amboseli are followed by two nights in Tsavo West and one night in Tsavo East, then three nights at Diani. The additional Tsavo West day reduces the need to treat its rugged landscapes as a quick stop between parks.
The first part of the holiday follows a private road itinerary with an English speaking driver guide. Full wildlife days in Amboseli and Tsavo West allow morning and afternoon outings with a midday break, while Tsavo East provides a final change of habitat. At Diani, two full leisure days replace the safari timetable with time by the Indian Ocean.
This itinerary starts in Nairobi and ends at Ukunda Airport. Safari meals are full board, while full beach days include breakfast and dinner. Read about Tsavo West and Diani Beach, then request your preferred accommodation and dates.
Why travellers choose this journey
- Two nights in Amboseli for elephant watching
- Two nights in Tsavo West with a full exploration day
- A final wildlife overnight in Tsavo East
- Three nights of Diani Beach accommodation
- A private coast departure transfer without a compulsory Nairobi return
Follow your journey through Kenya
A clear look at where the safari begins, the destinations you visit and where the journey ends.
Ukunda Airport
How this journey is designed
These categories describe the style of safari you are booking.
Your safari itinerary
Open each day to view the route, activities, meals, transport and accommodation details.
Your driver guide collects you in Nairobi in the morning for the drive south toward Amboseli. Discuss your preferred rest intervals and any dietary needs before leaving the city. A comfort stop breaks the journey, and lunch is arranged according to the selected accommodation and arrival time.
After checking in, head into the park for an introductory wildlife drive where the schedule permits. Look for elephants, zebra and other animals while becoming familiar with the contrast between dusty open ground and green wetland areas. Your guide explains how to watch animal behaviour respectfully from the vehicle. Dinner and your first overnight are at the lodge or permanent tented accommodation confirmed during quotation.
Start early to make the most of cooler conditions in Amboseli. The morning outing follows animal activity rather than a rigid checklist, with opportunities to pause when elephant groups or other wildlife are behaving in an interesting way. Clear skies may reveal Kilimanjaro, although the mountain can remain hidden by cloud.
Return for lunch and a rest before the afternoon game drive. Your guide can focus on another part of the park, giving a broader understanding of its habitats and the animals that depend on them. Particular sightings are never assured. Spend the evening at the same accommodation, with dinner included and no need to pack for a new lodge today.
Leave Amboseli after breakfast and continue toward Tsavo West on the route suitable for current road and gate conditions. The journey reveals a different southern Kenya landscape, with more broken terrain and vegetation that can make wildlife searching a patient activity. Lunch is included at an agreed stop or your selected property.
An afternoon game drive provides an introduction to the park where arrival timing allows. Your guide looks for wildlife along accessible tracks and explains the role of rocky landscapes, cover and water sources. This is the first of two nights in Tsavo West, so there is no pressure to cover every area immediately. Return to your lodge or permanent tented camp for dinner.
Use the morning to explore Tsavo West’s varied terrain with your guide. Search for elephants, giraffes and other animals while keeping expectations realistic in habitats where vegetation can limit visibility. The drive can include scenic viewpoints and an explanation of the park’s volcanic character without turning the outing into a race between landmarks.
Lunch and a midday break are followed by a second wildlife drive. A visit toward the Mzima Springs area may be discussed if the route and current access support it; any walking component requires a separate suitability decision and is not promised. The private vehicle allows you to linger at rewarding sightings. Dinner and another overnight are at the same property.
After breakfast, follow the route connecting your Tsavo West accommodation with Tsavo East. Your driver arranges a comfort break and an included lunch, with the day’s timing shaped by gate access and road conditions. Keep binoculars and cameras accessible as the scenery changes and the landscape becomes more open.
An afternoon drive explores suitable areas of Tsavo East, looking for elephants and other animals along available tracks. The guide may use water points and vegetation changes to explain where wildlife is likely to gather, without guaranteeing a sighting. Return to your selected lodge or permanent tented room for dinner and the last night of the safari portion.
Breakfast is followed by the road journey from Tsavo East to Diani Beach. The day is planned around travelling rather than another promised park drive, allowing for comfort stops and coastal traffic. An included lunch stop or packed meal is organised along the route before the final approach to your beach accommodation.
Check into the hotel or resort confirmed in your quotation for three nights. The safari vehicle service ends after the coast drop off, and your next days are free of scheduled game drives. Take time to settle in and learn the property’s swimming and tide advice. Dinner is included, marking the change from the safari programme to a more relaxed coastal stay.
Have breakfast and take the morning at your own pace. You can relax at the hotel, enjoy the shore when conditions are suitable or read in a shaded place with the ocean nearby. There is no scheduled vehicle or compulsory excursion, so this day can be as quiet as you prefer.
Optional boating, snorkelling and other activities can be discussed with suitable operators, with costs and conditions confirmed separately. Weather and tides may affect availability. Lunch, beverages and personal services are outside the standard beach meal plan. Enjoy the included dinner at your accommodation and another night at Diani after a complete day without road travel.
Begin with breakfast before deciding how to use your final full coastal day. Returning to a favourite spot at the property can be as rewarding as adding another excursion, particularly after several days of wildlife driving. If you choose an outing, leave enough time for a relaxed return rather than squeezing several activities into one day.
Spa appointments, water sports and offsite transfers are separate purchases. Lunch is not included on this leisure day unless an upgraded board basis is confirmed in writing. Dinner remains included at your beach accommodation. Before bed, confirm the airport collection time and prepare your luggage for tomorrow’s private transfer.
Enjoy breakfast and check out before the agreed collection for Ukunda Airport. Your transfer is timed around the flight details you supplied during planning, taking account of the selected hotel’s location and the required airport arrival time. Early departures may require a breakfast arrangement with the property.
The holiday ends at Ukunda Airport. Onward flights, lunch, additional transfers and accommodation are outside this package. If you prefer to depart through Mombasa, request that option before booking so the longer transfer can be planned and quoted. A return flight to Nairobi is not automatically included simply because the safari started there.
Know before you go
How the private safari works
Your road safari has a vehicle and driver guide reserved for your party. The safari vehicle is not retained during beach leisure days. Coastal airport transfers are separately arranged private services. Park access covers the scheduled visits only; private conservancies and special encounters are not included.
Accommodation and meal plans
Hotels, lodges and permanent tented rooms are selected during quotation. Properties, room types, beach access and any child rules are confirmed in writing before booking. Pools, sea views, family rooms and premium facilities are not promised unless specified. Safari days include the meals listed in the itinerary. Full beach days use half board, meaning breakfast and dinner; lunch, drinks and snacks are separate.
Road timing and arrival
Driving hours are estimates before rest stops, wildlife viewing, traffic or weather delays. Long transfer days may have no game drive on arrival. The itinerary begins with morning collection in Nairobi, so a late arriving flight may require an additional Nairobi overnight.
Coastal activities
Beach days are for independent leisure. Water sports, boat trips, snorkelling, heritage outings, marine park entry, spa services and extra transfers are optional additions. Their availability depends on operator arrangements and current conditions. Follow local swimming advice and use a suitable operator for any marine excursion.
Wildlife and weather
Wildlife sightings, migration herds, river crossings, flamingo numbers and mountain views depend on natural conditions and cannot be guaranteed. Beach conditions and tides also vary. Discuss the season and your priorities when choosing dates.
Children and personal requirements
Provide children’s ages, room preferences, dietary needs and mobility requirements before confirmation. Child arrangements depend on the selected suppliers and activities. No universal free child policy or fixed minimum activity age is set for these packages.
Departure and flight connections
The final coastal airport drop off is the package end point. Final onward flights and a return to Nairobi are not included. Send your flight plans before booking so departure transfers and connection time can be checked. Any alternative airport or extra night is quoted separately.
What is included
- A private 4x4 safari vehicle with a viewing roof, fuel and an English speaking driver guide during the road safari portion.
- 8 nights in the accommodation confirmed in your written quotation, including 3 nights at the selected beach hotel or resort.
- Standard entry fees for the scheduled visits to Amboseli National Park, Tsavo West National Park, Tsavo East National Park, based on the ages and residency details supplied for quotation.
- Game drives and safari road transfers described in the daily programme, within the confirmed entry arrangements and park opening times.
- Safari meals and transfer day meals exactly as listed in the daily itinerary, including lunch and dinner on day one.
- Breakfast and dinner on full beach leisure days and breakfast on the final departure day.
- Morning collection from an agreed Nairobi point and the coast arrival service described in the itinerary.
- A private departure transfer from your beach accommodation to Ukunda Airport.
- Drinking water carried in the safari vehicle during the road safari.
- Accommodation booking and coordination of the confirmed safari and coast services by Esperanza Tourism.
What is excluded
- International flights and final onward flights from the coast, including any return ticket to Nairobi.
- All domestic flights and train tickets, since the included safari to coast journey is by road.
- Entry authorisation or visa charges, passports and personal travel documentation.
- Travel insurance, personal medical expenses and emergency services not expressly included in the written quotation.
- Nairobi accommodation before the itinerary starts and extra nights after the coastal stay.
- Breakfast before the first morning collection, lunches on full beach days, and meals after the final included breakfast.
- Alcohol, soft drinks, snacks and other beverages apart from drinking water carried in the safari vehicle.
- Balloon flights, cultural visits, Naivasha boat trips, guided walks and special conservancy encounters.
- Coastal excursions, marine park entry, snorkelling, diving, water sports, equipment hire and spa treatments.
- Beach day vehicles, private guiding and transfers beyond the itinerary’s included coast transfer services.
- Tips, gratuities, laundry, souvenirs and personal purchases.
- Accommodation upgrades, premium room categories, extended stays and alternative airport transfers unless added to the quotation.
