Kenya Safari Through Expert Eyes: Claire Monson’s Wildlife Adventure

One of our team members, Claire Monson, recently embarked on an incredible 12-day safari in Kenya, where she encountered some of the country’s most spectacular sights.
From the rhinos of Nairobi National Park, to the pink flamingo flocks of Lake Nakuru, elephants striding in front of a Kilimanjaro backdrop in Amboseli National Park, to the unforgettable cycling safaris of Hell’s Gate National Park, the magic of a trip to Kenya will take your breath away!

Here, we ask Claire about her adventure to this East African gem and get the insider insights into her top highlights and tips from her Kenya safari tour with African Budget Safaris.

What Were Your Top Kenya Safari Highlights?

There were so many highlights on my Kenya safari that it's hard to pinpoint just one.

But strangely, it really was the smallest things that gripped me the most…

The bustling capital of Kenya, walking there during the evening while the sun was setting, getting a feel for what the city is like - the traffic, the vehicles, the buses with their uniquely painted signage;

The carefree, wildlife-filled cycling in Hell’s Gate National Park really blew me away. I had no idea what to expect - many of my clients have enjoyed the activity, and I can now see why! It was nice to get out of the vehicle, get onto a bicycle, go for a cycle as the sun was setting (once again!), and then be treated to a gorge walk filled with natural hot springs, which came out of nowhere, so totally unexpected, little surprises like that were fantastic.

The whimsical floating hot air balloon ride over the Masai Mara;

And the total serenity of the Lazy Mountains at the Samburu National Reserve, with herds and herds of elephants;

But I think I loved Amboseli National Park the most, with its iconic snowcapped view of Kilimanjaro in the background, and the little elephants (well, they look little when we took photos of them in the distance!) sauntering across to create beautiful photographic memories

Those were my real highlights of Kenya.

Did You Spot the Big 5 Animals in Kenya?

We didn't see the Big 5, as the elusive leopard escaped our lenses, but we were not disappointed because our sightings were rare and precious; they really were.

We had lion cubs and hyena cubs to “Ohhh and Ahh” over, as well as flocks of pelicans in hunting groups (well, in hunting flocks!), almost like synchronized swimmers, never seen it before in my life, hunting together.

We also saw the Rare and Special 5, so instead of the Big 5, there is the Special 5, which can be found only in the Samburu region of Kenya.

The Rare and Special 5 found only in the Samburu region include:

• Beisa oryx
• Gerenuk (a fascinating long-necked antelope species)
• Grevy's zebra (with distinctive stripes, very different from normal zebras)
• Reticulated giraffe (extremely beautiful)
• Somali ostrich (which, to be honest, I didn't notice much difference between them and the standard Cape ostrich, but we did worry about its very black feathers as it was boiling there! So we thought Mother Nature was doing her worst for the poor Somali ostrich!)

For tips, see Where to Go and When on a Big 5 Safari in Kenya

What Was the Accommodation and Food Like in Kenya?

We took mid-range style lodging throughout the trip, so not your budget style or your super luxury style, but a really comfortable style of accommodation for each destination.

And we ate enough to last us an entire year. Eating was quite a thing!

We certainly got used to the breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus, always in a buffet style.

There were a couple of sit-down meals, which we loved, as they had a bit of a menu option, but always with traditional and cultural Kenyan food, so that was a real highlight - the food and the lodging made for a great trip too.

Is the Masai Mara Worth Visiting Outside Migration Season?

We didn't visit the Masai Mara during the Great Migration season, so the benefits were fewer vehicles, but obviously not the herds of wildebeest migrating. However, we did have a priceless hot air balloon experience.

If the wildebeest migration is not a huge highlight on your bucket list, I would give the Samburu and Meru National Reserves a lot more attention, for the complete serenity, lush landscapes, and immense wildlife opportunities, with lower human impact. This is definitely something to consider if you're not traveling between June and October.

I traveled in February, towards the end of the month and into early March, and it was still the dry season. It was also calving season, and there were lots of babies, which was a huge highlight as well.

It's definitely worth traveling in the Masai Mara area when it’s not the migration season, because you can give some other sensational reserves and national parks in Kenya a chance to wow you. 

What Are Your Essential Tips for a Kenya Safari?

• I highly recommend speaking with a travel advisor and, if you have the budget, adding a few flight hops between farther-away destinations.
• Pack a neck pillow for the long drives.
• Bring your own high-quality binoculars (with good depth of field and clarity) to enhance your safari experience by 100%.

And, most importantly, leave all expectations at home and let Africa take care of the rest!

Discover more about Claire Monson and her enchanting 12-day Kenya Safari experience.

For an overview of what to expect in Kenya, see Kenya Safari for Beginners (2025): Everything you NEED to know on YouTube.

Stephanie Parker Author

Stephanie Parker is a travel addict and creator of the budget travel blog Big World Small Pockets. Never one for staying still, she's always had to travel cheap to maintain her nomadic lifestyle … even into her 30s! Originally from the UK, Stephanie likes nothing more than adventuring around Africa on a shoestring, collecting stories she loves to share with a smile.

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