Smiling Maasai guide running hand in hand with two young girls along a bush path in Kenya

YOUR TRAVEL ITINERARY, KENYA

An extraordinary owner-hosted family adventure in Kenya

13 days

12 nights

From $45k / £34k

Family of four

Ages 8+

Best for 8 to 17

Mara, mountains, ocean

Three landscapes

A note about this itinerary

Designed with care, experienced together

This is a lovely journey for families with older children and teenagers. It gives them an immersive safari in the Maasai Mara, authentic cultural experiences in Samburuland and then an off-the-beaten-track beach finish in Lamu, staying at owner-run lodges throughout.

Each of the three places is run by the family who built it, so you are welcomed as guests rather than room numbers. The pace builds from the big game of the Mara to the wild north, then softens completely by the ocean, giving you time to reconnect before you fly home.

Your route

Savannah, mountains and ocean

Arrive
Nairobi
Met on arrival and flown by light aircraft to the Mara
3 nights
Roca River Camp
Maasai Mara, on the banks of the Mara River
3 nights
Kalepo Camp
Samburuland, a flight north into the remote Namunyak Conservancy
6 nights
Manda Bay
Lamu archipelago, a flight to the coast and a short boat transfer to Manda Island
Depart
Nairobi
Fly from Lamu back to Nairobi for your flight home

Watercolour map of Kenya showing the flight route from Nairobi to Roca River Camp in the Maasai Mara, Kalepo Camp in Samburuland and Manda Bay in the Lamu archipelago

The journey

Twelve nights, three family-run homes, one unforgettable Kenya

Roca River Camp

Maasai Mara National Reserve, 3 nights

A small, family-run camp on the banks of the Mara River.

Your adventure begins in the Maasai Mara with three nights at Roca River Camp, where safari days are designed to feel immersive, flexible and full of variety. The Mara, as it is affectionately known, is widely considered Africa's greatest reserve, with sweeping savannahs beneath the Siria escarpment and some of the highest densities of predators on the continent.

Roca sits on the edge of Paradise Plains, with easy access to both the main reserve and the Mara Triangle. It has just nine tents and the spirit of a classic safari: hot water bottles at night, meals made from local ingredients and served under the stars or by the river, and strong ties with the neighbouring Maasai community. Between activities there is time to relax, enjoy long lunches and watch hippos and crocodiles from the riverbank.

For the children

A kids' programme run with the camp's Maasai team, with spear throwing, archery and traditional fire lighting, plus croquet and badminton back at camp. Exclusive use of the whole camp is available for larger family groups.

Where you sleep. Three family tents, each with two en-suite rooms and a shared living space, sleeping up to five. Usually set up with a double and twin beds, close to the main areas, with crisp white linen and locally made toiletries.

Comforts and connectivity. Solar powered, with flush toilets and safari-style showers. Family tents have fans, hairdryers, Wi-Fi and charging stations.

From Polly's notebook

If the budget allows, book the hot air balloon for your first morning. Floating over the Mara at sunrise is the moment the whole family will talk about for years.

What you'll be doing

Early morning and afternoon game drives in open-sided 4x4s with expert guides and spotters, looking for lion, elephant, cheetah and huge herds of plains game
Guided bush walks to learn about tracks, plants and the rhythms of life beyond the vehicle
Hot air balloon safaris over the plains (at extra cost)
Visits to Maasai manyattas and local markets
Bush meals and sundowners, and the Great Wildebeest Migration from July to October
Spa treatments for the grown-ups

Kalepo Camp

Namunyak Conservancy, Samburuland, 3 nights

Exclusive use, 450,000 acres and a completely different Kenya.

From the Mara, the journey becomes something altogether wilder as you fly north into the remote landscapes of Samburu for three nights at Kalepo Camp. Hidden deep within the Namunyak Conservancy at the foot of the cloud-forest Mathews Mountains, this is one of those rare places that feels truly away from it all. For centuries the nomadic Samburu have lived alongside wildlife here, leaving vast areas of unfenced wilderness to explore.

Life here is less about ticking animals off a list and more about seeing northern Kenya through a different lens. Days might include walking with Samburu guides, learning about local traditions, exploring dramatic landscapes, searching for wildlife on game drives or simply listening to stories under huge star-filled skies. Kalepo offers the sort of freedom and adventure that older children and teenagers often remember long after the trip is over.

Exclusive use

Kalepo is private, family run and designed for exclusive use, with six tents for up to 18 guests. Your family has the camp, the guides and the 450,000 acres around it to yourselves.

Where you sleep. The Family Unit is two interconnected tents, each with king or twin beds, overhead fans and an open-air en-suite bathroom with double basins and a hot outdoor shower. Extra beds, cots and basic child-minding can be arranged.

Comforts and connectivity. Solar powered en-suite tents along a dry riverbed for privacy. Plunge pool, spa, gym, library, garden and boutique. Wi-Fi in the main area only. All ages welcome.

From Polly's notebook

Kalepo sits at 838 metres, so days are warm but cool air drops off the mountains in the evening. Pack a warm layer for nights around the fire.

What you'll be doing

Bush walks and treks with expert Samburu guides
Game drives and quiet hours in the wildlife hide overlooking the waterholes
Mountain biking through the conservancy
Visits to Samburu homesteads, blacksmiths, schools and community projects
Warrior games, and the seasonal singing wells
Stargazing, with helicopter flights available to arrange

Manda Bay

Manda Island, Lamu archipelago, 6 nights

Six barefoot nights where bush meets beach.

Your final stop is six nights at Manda Bay, on the northern tip of Manda Island in the beautiful Lamu archipelago, where the pace softens completely. After the adventure of safari, this is the perfect place to slow down and reconnect. Days here are gloriously unstructured: sailing traditional dhows, kayaking through calm waters, paddleboarding, beach walks, swimming, snorkelling and long lunches with sandy feet.

Family owned with a home-from-home atmosphere, Manda Bay feels refreshingly low-key and authentic rather than polished and resort-like, giving families space simply to be together. Thirty minutes away by boat is UNESCO-listed Lamu, where there is only one vehicle on the island and the narrow lanes of the Old Town reflect a thousand years of Swahili, Omani, Indian and Portuguese trade.

Bush meets beach

Manda Bay is now a partner of a private wildlife conservancy, so beach days can be mixed with game drives, birdwatching and visits to the Manda and Takwa ruins. The lodge also supports reef regeneration and environmental education projects.

Where you sleep. The Family Palm Room has an adjoining en-suite bedroom for up to three children, with 7-foot beds that can be twins or a king. Palm-thatched cottages have open-air rooms and verandahs with swing beds.

Comforts and connectivity. 22 rooms, a seafront pool, a small open-air gym, a spa room and complimentary laundry. Wi-Fi in the main areas, with UK-style three-pin sockets in the rooms.

From Polly's notebook

Keep at least one afternoon free for a dhow trip to Lamu Old Town and Shela. Wandering the lanes, with donkeys instead of cars, is a brilliant end to the trip for teenagers.

What you'll be doing

Sailing on traditional dhows and kayaking through calm water
Paddleboarding, windsurfing, snorkelling and swimming from the private beach
Seasonal inshore and deep-sea fishing
Game drives and birdwatching in the private conservancy
Trips to Lamu Old Town, Shela and the Takwa ruins
Spa treatments and long lunches with sandy feet

Kalepo offers the sort of freedom and adventure that older children and teenagers often remember long after the trip is over.

Polly Townsend-Rose

A day in camp

An unhurried rhythm, from bush to beach

01Early morning
Out with the light
Coffee and hot chocolate, then out on a game drive or walk while the air is cool and the animals are busy.
02Midday
A long, lazy middle
Brunch, the pool, a book in the shade or a nap. On the coast, a long lunch with sandy feet.
03Afternoon
Something new
A walk with Samburu guides, a visit to a local community, a dhow sail or a kayak across the bay.
04Evening
Stories under the stars
Sundowners, dinner round the fire and some of the biggest night skies in Africa.

Polly organised and arranged everything to absolute perfection. Nothing was too much trouble and she was always available if we ever had a problem. I can thoroughly recommend using Journey South for all your needs in Africa.

Stoop family, UK

Kenya holiday

Everything except your international flights

All accommodation for 12 nights, with meals throughout
All light-aircraft flights within Kenya, and boat and road transfers
Guided game drives, walks and the activities listed at each camp
Park and conservancy fees
Exclusive use of Kalepo Camp
Complimentary laundry at Manda Bay
24-hour support from me for the length of your trip

Practical notes

The things families ask me first

Best months

January to March and June to October. The rains fall from mid-April to mid-May and again in November. July to October brings the Great Wildebeest Migration to the Mara.

Getting there

Fly into Nairobi, then light aircraft between the camps and down to Lamu, with luggage kept soft and light. You fly home from Lamu via Nairobi.

Children

This route is designed for families with older children and teenagers, so it works best when your youngest is 8 or over. Kalepo welcomes all ages and Roca has dedicated family tents.

HEALTH & PACKING LIST

Malaria precautions are needed. I will send a plain-English briefing with what to pack and what to expect at each camp.

Next step

Shall I shape this around your family?

Tell me who's travelling and roughly when, and I'll come back with a version of this trip built around your children's ages, your dates and your budget. Every trip I plan starts with a relaxed conversation, no obligation at all.

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