From €2,780 pp | 16 days
Combine the freedom of a road trip with the ease of a well-planned itinerary! Our Off the Beaten Track tour is among our most popular self-drive routes in Kenya – and with good reason.
This Kenya self-drive tour includes airport pick-up & drop-off, 4×4 car rental, a practical roadbook, and hand-picked accommodations. Scroll below to view our day-to-day itinerary, including realistic driving times, route directions, and travel tips for Kenya.
Prices are per person, based on 2 people sharing a Land Cruiser Troopy and travelling off-season. You can choose your accommodation preferences below.
Peak season: July – September.
Prefer a private guided road trip? Travel with a driver-guide! This is an option you can select in the online booking form.
Book your 4×4 self-drive tour with stays in campsites, mid-range lodges or luxury retreats – or tailor the trip completely to your wishes.
Roadtrip Africa supplied us with a reliable vehicle. The success of our holiday is mostly due to our experienced guide, Ken, who proved to be a very skillful driver and whose suggestions and knowledge helped us in every aspect of the trip.
Roadtrip Africa provides great support during the preparation and offers constant assistance via WhatsApp throughout the trip. The car was in perfect condition and got us through plenty of muddy adventures. It was delivered and picked up smoothly.
Driving on tarmac roads was better than we expected for a not-so-modern off-road vehicle. Unfortunately, we had an unforeseeable issue with the car, which you can’t totally avoid with an old car driving on bad roads. But the service was excellent. We immediately reached the team by phone, and in less than half an hour, a local mechanic came, who managed to fix the issue quickly.
We recommend 16 days for this Off the Beaten Track itinerary.
Want to include the Masai Mara? No problem! From Nairobi, it’s about a 6-hour drive to the Mara. You’ll need three additional days to include a visit to the Masai Mara in this itinerary, after which you continue to Lake Naivasha (4.5 hours) to rejoin the rest of the route.
Road conditions
Road conditions between the national parks are good – you’ll find smooth tarmac here all the way. The roads inside the parks vary and can be rough after heavy rain. Want to know more? Check out our Driving in Kenya blog for more tips and advice.
This 2-week itinerary can be done year-round.
Kenya is a year-round destination, but the best time to visit depends on what you’re after. The dry seasons (June to October & January to February) offer prime wildlife viewing, while the rains from March to May & November bring lush landscapes and fewer tourists. Check out our blog ‘The best time to visit Kenya’ for more details.
Rafting in Kenya
Rafting is possible all year round. Even in the dry months, rivers keep flowing. For the biggest thrills, plan your trip in April, November, or December, when rains bring higher, faster waters – perfect for adventure seekers.
Kenya is the birthplace of safari, and hospitality here is an art. We work with small-scale, eco-friendly lodges that offer good value and a warm welcome. Our team knows Kenya well – we’ve worked and travelled here for years, so we make sure you’ll stay in places we genuinely recommend.
Nature, atmosphere and hospitality
From tented camps in the Maasai Mara to boutique lodges on the Indian Ocean, every stay combines comfort with nature and local craftsmanship. And then there’s the food. Bush breakfasts, sundowners, and dinners by the campfire; meals here are just as memorable as any game drive.
What our travellers love most? The diversity, the atmosphere and the famously warm Kenyan hospitality. Many lodges are community-run, so your stay directly supports conservation and local people.
Curious? Click the orange arrow to browse photos of some of the lodges you’ll stay in.
Our Off the Beaten Track tour is available in three styles and price ranges:
Travelling through Kenya on your own gives you a real sense of freedom. At the same time, preparing a road trip here takes some thought. From more than a decade of experience, we’ve seen that our travellers get the most out of Kenya when we help them plan their itinerary and accommodation – leaving more space to enjoy the journey itself. That’s what our self-drive tours in Kenya are all about.
This page brings together practical guidance for your trip. We’ve selected 12 important topics covering self-driving and independent travel in Kenya, including useful tips and common questions. They’ll help you prepare with confidence before setting off.
