Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) is the main entry point in to the country. International airlines landing at Jomo Kenyatta cover a total distance of 11 miles/18 km from Nairobi’s core business center. Jomo Kenyatta is the entry point to Kenya, since all safaris in Kenya begin here. Kenya Airways is Kenya’s national flag carrier.

Wilson Airport is 15 km/9 miles south of Nairobi, near Nairobi National Park, and Jomo Kenyatta. Several domestic airlines provide flights to various locations and national parks IN Kenya. From Wilson, Kenya offers fly-in safaris to the Masai Mara, Amboseli, and other locations. Additionally, Wilson Airport offers domestic service to the Lamu Archipelago and Mombasa.

Getting Around: Kenyan Transportation

The majority of travelers decide to go to their Kenyan safari location by short, small aircraft. For instance, local airlines provide good service on routes like Nairobi to Masai Mara. You may spend as much time as possible in the reserve and on safari using this method, which is by far the safest and fastest way to go. Note that there is a 15-kilogram luggage limit for these flights.

Your safari experience will be simple and stress-free since your safari lodge will pick you on arrival. In Kenya, there are two main types of safari vehicles: 4×4 safari jeeps and safari tour minibuses. Safari tour vehicles may accommodate up to seven passengers and are more affordable. They include a cooler box, a UHF radio for transmitting and receiving game spotting information, and pop-up game viewing roofs and sliding windows as standard equipment. There are baggage limits and the safari vans do not have the clearance of a 4×4. All around the nation, road transfers often employ these safari trip vehicles.

Toyota Landcruiser or, less often, Land rovers are the most prevalent kind of safari jeeps. These cars can accommodate up to seven passengers and have limited space for baggage, but they can also go 4×4 in certain situations. You will probably ride in a safari vehicle if you are visiting one of the private conservancies or lodges. In addition to having pop-up roofs, UHF radios, and cooler boxes, safari jeeps may be either closed or open-sided.

Several travelers in the park, appreciate the convenience of having transportation included in their safari package since public transportation such as buses, trains, or taxis can be time-consuming.

Travel Times and Distances to Kenya

road conditions in Kenya are typically good. There are several ways to get about, including railroads, shuttle buses, and rental vehicles. But given the distances between safari spots and the availability of short-hop flights, flying is an excellent option.

Here is a list of flight durations, travel distances, and the duration of road trips.

253 km/157 mi from Nairobi to the Masai Mara:

When traveling from Nairobi to the Masai Mara, there are several possibilities. It will take you little under five hours to drive the 253 kilometers, or less than an hour to fly directly from Nairobi Wilson (WIL) to the reserve airport (OLX). Although far less expensive than flying, the bus travel will take around fifteen hours.

Nairobi to Amboseli: The usual flight time from Nairobi Wilson to Amboseli (ASV) is around fifty minutes. The distance is 160 km/99 mi. It will take more than four hours to go the 160 kilometers by car, bus, or rail.

From Nairobi to Mount Kenya 137 km/85 mi: By plane from Nairobi Wilson (WIL) to Nanyuki (NYK) takes around 2.5 hours (including time for road transfers), and by rail, it takes approximately 6.5 hours.

From Nairobi to Mombasa 441km/274mi: It takes around an hour and a half to fly directly from Nairobi (NBO) to Mombasa (MBA). You may enjoy an amazing bus ride that will take more than eight hours.

From Nairobi to Lamu 467 km/290 mi: It takes around 1.5 hours to fly from Nairobi Wilson (WIL) to Lamu (LAU). Other choices include mixes of car, bus, and rail, which may take anywhere from 12 to 15 hours.

Samburu National Reserve is 292.9 kilometers (181 mi) from Nairobi; there are no aircraft that go directly there. But by car, it takes approximately 14hours to drive. Flying to Nanyuki (NYK) and then driving the remaining distance is the fastest way to get to Samburu which will takes about 5 hours altogether.