Famous for offering both safari and beach, Kenya has a suitable holiday for every client. Here are a five angles to take, with recommended tours and resorts.
For romance
A luxury tented camp should melt even the most jaded heart, offering comfort and seclusion alongside the excitement of a safari.
Recommend Il Moran camp, the most luxurious in the Governors’ Camp portfolio, with just 10 tents in one of the best locations in the Masai Mara. After a hot-air balloon safari or champagne bush breakfast, guests can soak in a rolltop bath by gas light before retiring to the huge olive wood beds.
Or how about Loisaba, where the specially-designed four-poster ‘star beds’ can be rolled out on to the lodge balcony so couples can sleep under the moonlight.
Cox and Kings offers a seven-night private journey featuring three nights at Loisaba and three nights at Il Moran from £3,385 full board, including flights, transfers, excursions and wildlife activities. coxandkings.co.uk, 020 7873 5000
Tying the knot on safari is becoming popular, and in response Somak Holidays has launched a Weddings in Paradise brochure full of ideas.
The programme features properties such as the Ashnil Samburu Camp, which offers a wedding package from £1,079. It includes the ceremony in a flower-decorated venue, registrar’s fees, marriage licence and certificate, wedding cake, sparkling wine, up to 72 photos and buttonhole and bouquet. somak.co.uk, 020 8423 3000
For adventure
For those who have ‘been there, done that’ with Kilimanjaro, why not suggest Africa’s second highest peak, Mount Kenya? Capped with snow, this volcanic mountain rises 5,199 metres and challenges climbers with granite cliffs.
However, the lower slopes give plenty of scope for the gentler beauty of hill-walking, suiting the less adrenaline-motivated.
Kuoni has introduced programmes for a more adventurous traveller, including two trekking adventures on Mount Kenya. The first is a five-night taster, the second a longer seven-night itinerary.
Neither requires climbing experience but a good level of fitness is needed. Accommodation consists of a mix of log cabins, mountain campsites and safari lodges.
For April departures, the five-night trip starts from £1,533 and the seven-night from £2,668. There’s also an eight-day Kenyan Adventure itinerary with a day trip on Mount Kenya, walking and cycling in Hell’s Gate National Park and a horseback safari in the Aberdares, which starts from £2,468 for departures in May. kuoni.co.uk, 01306 747008
For relaxation
Whether they choose two whole weeks of tranquillity, or just a few days of downtime, most clients will be looking for an element of relaxation in their holiday.
And what could be more chilled out than a private island resort? Funzi Island is a 15 minutes flight from Mombasa but a world away from its hustle and bustle. There are only 17 cottages on the island – nine on the beachfront with private Jacuzzis, and eight seaview villas set slightly back from the shore. The west-facing beach looks straight into the perfect African sunset, and guests can choose between the swimming pool and the Indian Ocean for cooling off.
Should they wish to do more than relax, the area offers great deep-sea and creek fishing, scuba diving, snorkelling, windsurfing and canoeing, or they can take boat trips to see crocodiles and even dolphins.
Virgin Holidays offers seven nights’ all-inclusive in a seaview villa from £1,729, including flights and transfers on departures between February 25 and April 4. vhols4agents.co.uk, 0844 557 3982
Or how about staying in one of only six tree houses, right on a quiet beach in south Mombasa? The Cove Retreat’s Tree Houses are all set three metres off the ground against baobab trees, with sea views, private spa whirlpools on the tanning decks, day beds and individual butler service.
Somak offers seven nights’ all-inclusive in a treehouse from £1,465. somak.co.uk, 020 8423 3000
For family holidays
South of Mombasa, the white sandy beach and beautiful coral reef make Diani a popular sunshine option.
The whitewashed bungalows of the three-star Diani Sea Lodge are on the beach, and have family rooms with an area for the kids. It’s an all-inclusive property, so the kids – and mum and dad – can eat and drink all they want without worrying about the budget.
There is a comprehensive activity and entertainment programme, and a shopping arcade. Kids won’t get bored; they can try tennis, mini golf, squash, basketball, darts, beach volleyball, archery, billiards, and a range of water sports, including scuba lessons and surfing.
Cosmos Holidays offers seven nights’ all-inclusive from £669 with flights from Gatwick or Manchester in January. cosmos-holidays.co.uk, 0871 423 8518
Give families the experience of game viewing with a short trip that is well-suited to youngsters. Thomas Cook’s taster safari offers two nights in the Masai Mara, starting at £519. ?thomascookworld.com, 0871 230 2399
Travel 2’s new four day Mombasa Wildlife Escape allows families on beach stays to enjoy the wildlife of Tsavo West National Park from £419. travel2.com, 0800 0224 302
For value
Price is likely to be key for many clients next year, and Kenya can offer competitive deals.
Airtours offers seven nights’ all-inclusive at the three-star Papillon Lagoon Reef in Diani from £759 departing Gatwick in April. tcworld.com, 0871 230 2403
Cosmos Holidays has an affordable safari and beach option, combining two nights at the Ashnil Aruba Lodge in Tsavo East National Park with a five or 12-night beach stay at the three-star Reef Hotel on Mombasa Beach. January departures for the seven-night option start at £919 including flights from Gatwick or Manchester. cosmos-holidays.co.uk, 0871 423 8518
Kuoni’s most popular safari is the three-star Cheetah Safari, which showcases the best of Kenya including Samburu, the Rift Valley and the Masai Mara, all from £1,565 for seven nights, departing in April. kuoni.co.uk, 01306 747008
