What to expect in Kenya

We prefer that only people who are experienced in independent self drive travel in Africa undertake a self drive safari in Kenya. That is not necessarily a hard and fast rule - it is just that previous experience will help you to cope with some of the potentially tricky conditions you are likely to encounter there. If you have travelled independently elsewhere and feel confident enough to take on Kenya, we will be pleased to assist you.

A summary of the conditions

Some of the areas through which we travel in Kenya are extremely remote and anyone heading off on a self drive safari across these more isolated regions must be prepared to take responsibility for many aspects of their safety. Driving conditions are not straightforward. There may be obstacles on your route such as a large tree pushed down by an elephant. Graded roads can have quite violent corrugations and even tarmac roads can be testing as they are extremely badly maintained in parts with sections of terrible potholes. There are many areas where signposts simply don’t exist and routes are marked with an arbitrary pile of rocks or a daub of paint on a tree – and interpretation of these signs is somewhat hit and miss!

Camping sites in Kenya are unfenced and very basic (with little or no facilities) and the plentiful game can and will come wandering into camp. Despite the harder driving conditions, Kenya remains a sensational self drive destination and, for those able to cope with a more challenging self drive, it is hugely gratifying.

Here is a summary of what to expect

Please note that the above is an indication of the general conditions. There are always exceptions to the rule and it is possible you will encounter different conditions depending on your itinerary and the remoteness of the regions you go to.

Driving instruction

Owing to the conditions in Kenya, we think it’s a very good idea to do an off road driving course prior to departure especially if you don’t have much experience of off road 4x4 driving. Please let us know if you are interested in having some instruction before you go and we will point you in the right direction. The courses are normally either a half day or full day and are great fun in their own right. If you do book a course, we are always happy to speak to the people that run it and go through with them the kinds of conditions you could experience on your safari in Kenya.