Our home, your safari
Kenya & Tanzania, guided by people who live here
Private safaris with our own guides and vehicles, from four days in the Mara to twelve days of safari and beach. A quote within a working day.
Zawame Travel
Private safaris, planned by the people who drive them
Zawame Travel is a tour operator based in Nairobi, running private safaris across Kenya and northern Tanzania. We are a small team of guides, drivers and route planners, and everyone here grew up around the parks we take you to.
We use comfortable lodges from groups like Sopa, Serena and Ashnil, our own safari vehicles, and a driver-guide who stays with you from airport to airport. Every route is written out day by day, so you know where you will sleep and how far you will drive before you pay a deposit.
More about Zawame
Where we go
Twelve parks and reserves across two countries, every one a place our routes actually visit.
Let us plan your safari
Four things every Zawame safari has in common, whichever route you choose and however long you have.
Our own guides and vehicles
The driver-guide who collects you at the airport is a Zawame employee and stays with you for the whole trip.
Written day by day
Every itinerary sets out where you sleep, how long you drive and what you do each day, before you pay anything.
Comfortable lodges, priced honestly
Sopa, Serena, Ashnil and Zebra Plains: comfortable lodges we use every week, priced honestly.
Built around your dates
Nothing here is a fixed departure. Tell us when you can travel and we shape the route to the season you land in.
Our popular safaris
A route for every length of trip. Each one can be shortened, extended or combined.
4 Day Lake Nakuru & Masai Mara Safari
4-day safari · Kenya
6 Day Kenyan Wilderness Safari
6-day safari · Kenya
7 Day Magical Kenya Safari
7-day safari · Kenya
8 Day Essence of Kenya Safari
8-day safari · Kenya
10 Day Kenya & Tanzania Safari
10-day safari · Kenya & Tanzania
12 Day Game Safari & Beach Holiday
12-day safari · Kenya
Straight answers on price
What does a Kenya safari cost?
It depends on the season, how many of you there are and the lodges you choose: the same route can vary by half. Rather than hide that, we have written up exactly what moves the number so you can size a budget before you ask us for anything.
Read the safari guides- Park fees are set by the authorities and included in every quote.
- Season. July to October and Christmas cost the most; April and May the least.
- Group size. Vehicle and guide are shared, so four travel cheaper per head than two.
- A deposit confirms; balance 14 days before you arrive.
What guests say
Reviews left on SafariBookings by people who travelled with us, shown here straight from their platform rather than retyped by us.
Questions we get asked
When is the best time for a Kenya safari?
June to October is the dry season and the migration is in the Masai Mara, which makes it the most popular window. January and February are also dry, clear and good for game viewing with fewer vehicles. The long rains in April and May are the quietest and cheapest months, and the parks are green.
Do I need a visa for Kenya?
Most visitors need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA), applied for online before you fly. For the cross-border routes into Tanzania you will also need a Tanzanian visa, which most nationalities can get on arrival at the Isebania border or online in advance. We send a checklist with your booking confirmation.
Can you change the itinerary?
Yes. Every route on this site is a starting point. Swap a park, add nights, change lodges or combine two routes: tell us what you want and we quote for that.
What kind of vehicle will we be in?
A safari-converted 4x4 or minibus with a pop-up roof for game viewing, driven by a professional English-speaking driver-guide who stays with you for the whole trip.
What should I pack?
Neutral-coloured layers, a warm jacket for early mornings, comfortable closed shoes, a hat, sunscreen, binoculars and a camera with a decent zoom. Soft bags rather than hard suitcases are easier in the vehicle.
Is a safari suitable for children?
Yes, and the lodges we use welcome families. Long drive days are the main thing to plan around, so for younger children we suggest the shorter routes or adding a rest day at Lake Naivasha.
Licensed and registered with
Tell us when you can travel. We'll do the rest.
Send your dates and a rough idea of what you want to see. We come back with a day-by-day route and a quote, usually within one working day.