Itineraries. Updated November 2026. 4 min read.
December is when Kenya comes home. Nairobi empties toward the villages and the coast, flights from the U.S. fill with Kenyan families, and every beach from Diani to Watamu is busy with Kenyans on holiday. This route is built for that season: Jamhuri Day in Nairobi, a short green-season safari, Christmas week on the coast and New Year back with the family.
Our December guide answers a smaller question: which short safari or beach break to add to a visit home. This page is the whole holiday, December 11 to January 2, with the booked parts priced from about $4,500 per person. Days with family are left open, because nobody plans your aunt's lunch better than your aunt. It is a sample route we tailor, not a fixed departure.
Who this suits
- Kenyans in the U.S. going home for Christmas with a partner or children seeing Kenya for the first time
- Families who want one safari and one beach week inside a three-week visit
- Friends of Kenyan families invited for the holidays
- Anyone who wants to see Kenya at its most festive, and does not mind a busy coast
The holiday calendar
| Date | What happens | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| December 12 | Jamhuri Day, Independence and Republic Day, a public holiday | National celebrations, flags everywhere; some offices and shops close |
| December 20 to January 3 | Peak fares and lodge rates | Fly in before December 20 if you can |
| December 25 | Christmas Day | Church in the morning, nyama choma in the afternoon, a full beach |
| December 26 | Boxing Day, a public holiday | Busy roads as families move between homes |
| December 31 and January 1 | New Year's Eve and New Year's Day | Fireworks in Nairobi and Mombasa; roads busy on January 1 |
Jamhuri Day in Nairobi
December 12 marks independence in 1963 and the republic in 1964. The national celebration, with the President, the armed forces and dancers from every county, moves venue some years, so we tell you where it is that year and whether tickets or invitations are needed. Many families simply watch it on television together, which is its own good way to spend the day. Our Jamhuri Day page covers the history and the events.
A green-season safari: Mara or Amboseli
Mid-December is the end of the short rains: the grass is green, the dust is down, the light is clean after a shower, and many animals have young. The migration herds are back in Tanzania by now, but the Mara's resident lions, cheetahs, elephants and plains game are all there. The Mara reserve fee is still the July to December rate of $200 per adult per day; Amboseli is $90. Amboseli in December often has clear mornings with Kilimanjaro behind the elephants, and it is closer to Nairobi by road.
We place the safari from December 13 to 16, before the peak, when camps are quieter and rates are lower than at Christmas. If you have Kenyan ID, carry it: citizens pay much lower park fees, and we price each family member at the rate they qualify for.
Christmas on the coast
The coast at Christmas is full of Kenyan families, and that is the point: beach football, children in the water until dark, and the smell of grilled fish. It is hot and humid, with the odd shower as the rains tail off. Diani suits families who want lots to do; Watamu is a little quieter; a night in Mombasa adds Fort Jesus and the Old Town. Our Diani vs Watamu guide helps you choose. Book the beach first, because the good family hotels fill by late summer.
When to book
| By | Book | Why |
|---|---|---|
| August | International flights and the coast hotel | December fares climb fast and family rooms on the coast go first |
| September | The safari camp and domestic flights | Mid-December safari space is easier, but the best camps still fill |
| October to November | Whatever is left | Possible, with less choice and higher fares |
If you are reading this in November for this Christmas, there are still options, but ask us now. For next year, start in the summer.
Before you book
Before you book, check the current U.S. State Department advisory for Kenya and confirm your travel insurance covers your route. Holiday weeks are busy on the roads and at the airports, so we build in wide margins on travel days, and our safety page explains how we run trips. If you would like a quieter end to the holidays, three nights in Lamu or Shela after the coast week is a lovely way to see in the New Year; book those houses with the coast hotel in August, because they fill early.
What is included
- Airport pickup and two hotel nights in Nairobi around Jamhuri Day
- Three nights on safari, full board, with flights or a private vehicle and driver-guide
- Seven nights on the coast in a family hotel on half board, and the flights or train to get there
- Park fees for the safari days, priced at the rate each traveler qualifies for
- Our 24-hour support through the holidays
What is not included
- International flights, the Kenya eTA, the inbound health insurance and travel insurance
- Family days and New Year in Nairobi, unless you want us to book a hotel
- Tips, drinks and Christmas extras
How to book
Tell us who is coming, who carries Kenyan ID and which days are already promised to family. We fit the safari and the coast around them and send a written quote. You can pay in full or monthly with no deposit, which helps a family spread the cost of a December trip from the summer onward.
