Game drives in Kenya are a perfect way to immerse yourself in the African wild to enjoy the diversity of small and big animal species. Kenya for a long is credited for its captivating game-viewing experiences thanks to its abundant wildlife and multiple wildlife safari destinations. When you think about game drives in Uganda, there is a place for everyone to capture great moments in the wild.
Embarking on Kenya game drives with Allan Blackia Safaris is a great way to explore the Big 5 game plus other numerous wildlife all to be encountered in their natural environment. Kenya never disappoints when it comes to game drives and it is all about navigating deep into the African wilderness as you appreciate what nature has to offer.
What to expect on game drives in Kenya?
Game drives in Kenya come with great encounters with African bush elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, and buffaloes. In addition to the Big 5 game, Kenya game viewing safaris also guarantee you uninterrupted encounters with other wildlife including wild dogs, warthogs, gazelles, giraffes, gerenuks, bush babies, baboons, cheetahs, hyenas, plain zebras, hippos, to mention but a few.
Birds –plenty of bird species can also be spotted on your drive through different Kenya wildlife tour destinations. Over 1100 species of birds exist in Kenya alone which include resident, endemic, and near-endemic avifaunal species as well as migratory species. The most notable species of birds to expect to come across on game drives in Kenya include scarlet-chested sunbirds, hartlaub’s bustards, crowned hornbills, and white-bellied go-away birds.
You can also find the sokoke scops owl, Williams’s lark, taita thrush, sokoke pipit, Hinde’s pied babbler, Amani sunbird, Aberdare cisticola, Abyssinian crimsonwing, bar-tailed trogon, grey-crested helmet-shrike, Jackson’s hornbills, Somali sparrow, Kori bustard and secretary bird.
How to go about game drives in Kenya?
Kenya game drives are perfectly enjoyed in the savanna grassland safari destinations like parks and game reserves. An enriching game drive tour in Kenya can be achieved when you do it with the presence of the local safari guide. Besides, a comfortable 4×4 safari car is needed to ease your movement in the wilderness as you search for your favorite animals. The safari vehicle should have a pop-up roof or sunroof which slides for you to have an ultimate encounter of wildlife in their habitat. Kenya is most popular for its electrifying wild game drive tours. Visitors don’t only get great sights of wildlife, but also mesmerizing views of the country’s breathtaking landscapes and sceneries.
Kenya game drive tours are best done during the cooler times of the day when most animals become active. This can be during early morning hours that is around 6:00 am or late in the afternoon/night. The morning game drives are perfect for visitors whose interest is to encounter early risers and for nocturnal wildlife viewing, consider taking the late afternoon or evening wildlife game drive safari.
The late afternoon game drive is best conducted starting from 4:00 pm after you have had a delicious lunch meal and also got enough time to refresh. In the afternoon, majority of wildlife tend to confine around the few water sources as a way to quench their long-day thirst or cool off from the hot sunshine. In the evening as you also drive back, you can be amazed by most of the animals as they also rush back to their places to retire for the night after a long day of grazing.
Night game drives in Kenya’s wilderness-protected areas guarantees nature lovers epic encounters of the nocturnal species. These include porcupines, genets, bush babies, plus predators such as leopards, wild dogs, lions, and spotted hyenas. Hippos can also be encounters during the night game drive as they leave the water to begin their feeding session.
Night game drives in Kenya begin after your dinner which is around 7-8 pm with an experienced safari guide. The best destinations that guarantee visitors sensational game drive experiences in magical Kenya include Samburu National Park, Masai Mara, and Lake Nakuru National Park. On night game drives in Kenya, you need a torch and expect to spend 2-5 hours although this may depend on the destination and your intentions/wildlife to spot.
Game drives in Kenya are flexible where by guests can opt for self-drive or guided game drives. But the most enriching option is a guided game drive safari. This involves exploring Kenya’s game safari destination with the local expert with vast knowledge of where to find which species and at what time.
Top destinations to visit for game drives in Kenya.
Kenya has many game drive destinations for travelers to choose from. But here are the top places to explore on the game drive tour;
Masai Mara National Reserve
Masai Mara National Reserve is ranked as the top destination for game drives in the Magical Kenya. Embarking on the Masai Mara game drive is an adventure of its own, a great opportunity to find diversity of wildlife in the natural wild. The expected animals to be encountered during the game drive tour include zebras, hyenas, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, lions, leopards, gazelles, giraffes, hartebeest, and many bird species.
If your game drive falls around July to October, then you even stand a chance to enjoy a combined game drive and the Great Migration. On the Great Migration, you can be mesmerized by the dramatic movement of millions of wildebeest escorted by other grazers such as zebras, gazelles and others. The most sensational part of it is the Mara River crossing where a huge profusion of these mammals force themselves through the water amidst huge lurking crocodiles and on crossing, they face numerous predators.
Amboseli National Park
Amboseli game drives offer wildlife lovers a great opportunity to experience the most of African wilderness. A game drive in Amboseli Park gets you exposed to a diversity of animals including serval cats, leopards, lions, zebras, giraffes, cheetahs, gerenuks, buffaloes, spotted hyenas, and many species of birds.
Amboseli is found in Southeastern Kenya and occupies an area of about 392 sq. km and is protected by Kenya Wildlife Service. It was designated as a National Park in 1974 and today, it is one of the best places to visit to enjoy captivating wildlife safaris in Kenya.
What to carry for a game drive in Kenya?
Some of the essential items to have on your packing list include sun protection gear like sunscreen, wide-brimmed safari hat, and long-sleeved clothes. A good camera, a pair of binoculars, light rain jacket, a field guide or notebook, bottled drinking water, sturdy safari boots or shoes, a headlamp, insect repellent, first aid kit, and toiletries.
When to go for game drives in Kenya?
Game drives in Kenya are considerably all-year-round experiences. But the best time to enjoy excellent game-viewing excursions is around the peak dry months that is from July, August, and September to October. These are the favorite months of the year to locate the diversity of wildlife in their natural environment in Kenya with fewer interruptions from rains or road conditions.
Planning an epic game drive safari in Kenya with the local expert.
Allanblackia Safaris is your trusted local expert to consider for all your plans to explore Kenya on a game drive or other safaris. Talk to our team to plan and book the best safari tour in Kenya.