In Kenya, most visitors make their way to Masai Mara National Reserve and the private, Maasai-owned conservancies that border it, but you might also want to consider visiting Meru or Amboseli national parks, Samburu National Reserve, or the Laikipia Plateau. Each area has its own character, and visiting more than one park or reserve allows you to see different habitats and track different species, or spot more elusive wildlife such as leopard or wild dog.

Masai Mara National Reserve and the conservancies that border it live up to their reputation with millions of migratory wildebeest, zebra, and antelope, as well as plenty of lion, leopard, and hyena.

By contrast, the parched landscape of the remote Samburu National Reserve in the north sees elephant, buffalo, and reticulated giraffe gather around the Ewaso Ng’iro River, while the Laikipia Plateau is the place to see endangered species including Grévy’s zebra and wild dog.