Itineraries. Updated November 2026. 5 min read.
Three weeks is long enough to see the Kenya most visitors never reach: the tea hills of Kericho, the rainforest at Kakamega, the runners of Iten at dawn, the shore of Lake Victoria, or the jade water of Lake Turkana in the far north. And you still finish with three nights in the Mara and four on the beach.
Our sample route takes the classic 14-day loop (Samburu, Laikipia, the Rift Valley, the Mara and the coast) and adds a third week. The western week runs from Iten through Kakamega and Kisumu to Kericho and then down to the Mara, so it fits into the loop without doubling back. The northern week goes beyond Samburu to Marsabit and Lake Turkana by four-wheel drive, with nights in camps and simple lodges. In mid-range camps and hotels it starts at about $7,500 per person sharing, excluding international flights. It is a sample route we tailor to you, not a fixed departure.
Who three weeks suits
- Diaspora families home for a long summer or the December holidays, who want family time upcountry and a safari for the children
- Second-time visitors who have done the Mara and the coast and want the rest of the country
- Retirees and long-stay travelers with time to go slowly
- Runners, birders and tea and coffee lovers, for whom the west is the main event
The first two weeks follow our 14-day route closely, so we will not repeat it here: read that page for the Samburu, Laikipia, Nakuru, Mara and coast details. This page is about the third week, and how to choose between west and north.
The western week: Iten, Kakamega, Kisumu and Kericho
The west is green, busy and rarely on safari itineraries, which is exactly why it is worth a week. For many diaspora families it is also home: Luo, Luhya, Kalenjin and Kisii families have roots here, and a western week leaves room for a day or two with relatives.
| Stop | Nights | What you do | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iten | 1 | Watch or join the dawn runs at about 2,400 meters, the Kerio Valley view, a visit to a training camp | About 3 to 4 hours from Lake Nakuru via Eldoret |
| Kakamega Forest | 2 | Guided forest walks for primates, butterflies and some of Kenya's richest birding, a dawn walk to Lirhanda Hill | About 2 to 3 hours from Iten |
| Kisumu | 2 | A boat on Lake Victoria from Dunga Beach, fried tilapia and ugali on the shore, the Impala Sanctuary, a family visit | About 1.5 hours from Kakamega |
| Kericho | 1 | A tea estate walk and tasting among the hills of Kenya's tea country | About 2 hours from Kisumu |
| On to the Mara | Down through Bomet to the Mara's eastern side | About 4 to 5 hours from Kericho |
The west is also where we fold in history: Thimlich Ohinga, a set of dry-stone enclosures above Lake Victoria listed by UNESCO, is a half-day from Kisumu. Our western Kenya itinerary goes deeper on this week as a trip of its own.
The northern week: Marsabit and Lake Turkana
The north is Kenya at its most remote: lava deserts, singing wells, camel caravans, and Lake Turkana, the largest desert lake in the world, long and green against black rock. It is a week of early starts, long days in a four-wheel drive and nights in simple lodges or a well-run camp. It slots in after Samburu, not after Nakuru.
| Stop | Nights | What you do | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marsabit | 2 | The forest on Mount Marsabit, its crater lakes and elephants, the market town | About 4 hours north of Samburu on the tarmac |
| Loiyangalani, Lake Turkana | 3 | The lake shore, the El Molo community, Mount Kulal on the horizon, and, if timed right, the Lake Turkana festival | A long day on rough tracks from Marsabit, by four-wheel drive |
| South Horr or Maralal | 1 | A night on the way back south, through the Samburu highlands | A full day from Loiyangalani |
| Back to Laikipia | Rejoin the loop | About half a day |
Two honest notes on the north. First, crews: we run every northern trip with experienced drivers and guides who know the roads, carry spare fuel and water, and plan each day around the heat. Before you book, check the current U.S. State Department advisory for Kenya and confirm your travel insurance covers your route. Second, comfort: this is camping and simple lodges, with heat, dust and long days. It is the most rewarding week in this guide for the right traveler, and the wrong one for someone who wants a pool every afternoon. Our northern Kenya itinerary and the Lake Turkana park page have the detail.
West or north: how to choose
| Western week | Northern week | |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | Green hills, tea, rainforest, a great lake | Desert, volcanoes, a jade lake |
| Comfort | Hotels and lodges, tarmac roads | Camping and simple lodges, rough tracks |
| Wildlife | Birds, primates, the Impala Sanctuary | Fewer animals, more landscape and culture |
| People | Luo, Luhya, Kalenjin and Kisii country; family visits easy | Samburu, Rendille, Turkana and El Molo communities |
| Best for | Families, runners, birders, diaspora visits | Adventurers and photographers |
Pacing three weeks
The danger of a long trip is fatigue, not boredom. We build in a rest day every five or six days, keep the longest road days under seven hours where we can, and fly the legs that would otherwise be two days of driving: Nairobi to Samburu if you like, and the Mara to the coast always. We end with a night in Nairobi before you fly, for a family dinner, last shopping and a buffer against delays.
When to go
Late June to October suits the whole loop: dry in the parks, the migration usually in the Mara from late July, and cooler weather in the north. January to March is the other good window, hot in the north and on the coast. The west is green all year and can be wet in April and May and again in the second half of the year, with afternoon storms near Lake Victoria; it rarely stops you, but pack a rain jacket. For diaspora families, December is popular for the reunions, so book flights and camps by August.
What is included
- Airport pickup and drop-off, and every transfer on the route
- Twenty nights in the tier you choose, full board on safari
- A private vehicle and Kenyan driver-guide for the road legs, a four-wheel drive for the north
- Internal flights as planned, including the Mara to the coast and the coast to Nairobi
- Park, reserve and conservancy fees, and guided activities on the plan
- Our 24-hour support throughout
What is not included
- International flights
- Kenya eTA, Kenya's inbound health insurance, vaccinations and travel insurance
- Optional extras and days with family that are not on the plan
- Tips, premium drinks, laundry where it is charged and personal items
How to book
Tell us your dates, whether the west or the north appeals, and any family visits you want built in. We tailor the route, place the rest days, and send a written quote with every fee. Fees and fares change, so we price on the day you ask. You can pay in full or monthly with no deposit, which spreads the cost of a long trip.
