Why Kenya Suits a Short Safari from Dubai
Kenya is one of East Africa’s classic safari destinations, and it is closer to the UAE than many travellers expect. Nairobi is a direct flight from Dubai and only one hour behind UAE time, so a Kenya safari package from Dubai fits into a short break without long connections or heavy jet lag. That makes it a natural choice for the UAE National Day holiday, though the destination appeals well beyond the holiday season.
The Maasai Mara: Kenya’s classic savannah
The Maasai Mara National Reserve lies in Narok County in south-western Kenya and forms the northern part of the Mara–Serengeti ecosystem, which continues across the border into Tanzania’s Serengeti. Open grasslands crossed by the Mara and Talek rivers support a high density of grazing animals and the predators that follow them. It is Kenya’s most visited protected area, and for many people it is the image that comes to mind when they picture an African safari.
The land around the reserve is home to Maasai pastoral communities, whose way of life is closely tied to their cattle and the grasslands. Wildlife here is truly wild, so every game drive is different, and what you see depends on the season and the animals themselves.
Rift Valley lakes and Nairobi’s giraffes
Lake Naivasha sits high in the Great Rift Valley, at around 1,884 metres above sea level. Unlike many of the region’s alkaline lakes, it is a freshwater lake, fringed with papyrus and home to hippos and more than 400 recorded bird species. Nearby Crescent Island has no large predators, which makes it one of the few places in Kenya where visitors can walk among giraffes, zebras and antelopes rather than watch from a vehicle.
Nairobi is more than a gateway. On the city’s south-western edge in Lang’ata, the Giraffe Centre has worked since 1979 to protect the Rothschild’s giraffe, a subspecies once pushed close to extinction by habitat loss in western Kenya.
Choosing a Kenya safari holiday
Kenya safari holidays suit couples, families and friends who want wildlife, wide landscapes and a sense of local culture in one trip. A guided group safari takes the planning out of reaching remote reserves, so you can focus on the scenery rather than the logistics. Most visitors need a Kenyan Electronic Travel Authorisation, applied for online before travel, so it is worth starting early. Pack neutral-coloured
clothing, sun protection and binoculars to make the most of time in the bush.
Check the full itinerary and inclusions on this page, then send us an enquiry to confirm availability on this departure.