Written by the Paramount Gorilla Expeditions team, based in Uganda, to introduce the Kenya parks beyond the Mara that are worth your time.
The Masai Mara deserves its fame, but a Kenya itinerary built only around it misses excellent parks with far fewer vehicles. Adding even one of the parks below brings noticeably more variety for a modest extra length.
Amboseli
Large elephant herds with Kilimanjaro behind them on a clear morning make one of Africa's best-known safari views. Amboseli is the classic partner to the Mara. See the Amboseli guide.
Tsavo East and West
Kenya's largest protected area, known for its red-dust elephants and a wilder, less-visited atmosphere. See the Tsavo guide.
Samburu
In the dry north, Samburu offers species not found in the Mara, such as Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe and gerenuk, in a very different landscape. See the Samburu guide.
Lake Nakuru
A fenced sanctuary with reliable rhino sightings and, at times, large flocks of flamingos, though numbers vary. See the Lake Nakuru guide and rhino tracking.
Laikipia and Nairobi
Laikipia's private conservancies offer a different style of safari, and Nairobi National Park is a wildlife park beside the capital. See Laikipia and Nairobi National Park.
Easy combinations: Kenya parks beyond the Mara
- Mara and Amboseli: the classic pairing, covered by our Classic Maasai Mara & Amboseli Safari (7 days, from $4,400).
- Samburu and Laikipia: the north's different species and private conservancies, in our Samburu & Laikipia Wilderness Safari (9 days, from $6,900).
- Mara, Amboseli and the coast: our Kenya Family Safari: Mara, Amboseli & Coast (10 days, from $6,700) ends at Diani Beach.
Allow two or three nights for each extra park. Light-aircraft flights between parks save the most time; road transfers cost less but use more of the day.
Plan it
See our Kenya safari guide, Kenya safari packages and the Great Migration in Kenya.
Plan Kenya parks beyond the Mara
Keep planning with our Kenya safari destination guide. National park fees are set by the Kenya Wildlife Service, and Magical Kenya, the Kenya Tourism Board, publishes official visitor information. We confirm the current fees for your dates in every quote.
For a lake, a boat ride and a bike day on the way, read our Lake Naivasha and Hell's Gate guide.
For a mountain, a climb and a foothills stay, see our Mount Kenya guide.
To weigh Amboseli against the Mara, read our Masai Mara vs Amboseli comparison.
For a rhino stop beyond the Mara, see our Ol Pejeta guide.