6-Day Amboseli, Tsavo East and Diani Beach Safari

You'll leave Nairobi in the morning, heading south west on the road that skirts the Chyulu Hills, with the drive taking around four to five hours depending on the stop at Namanga border town for fuel and a break. As you approach Amboseli National Park, the plains open out and, on a clear day, Mount Kilimanjaro's snow-capped peak sits on the horizon across the Tanzanian border.

You'll arrive at Kibo Safari Camp in time for lunch, with the afternoon free to settle in and watch elephant herds moving across the dry lake bed near camp. A short late afternoon game drive is possible before dinner, giving your guide a chance to point out the swamps where Amboseli's elephants gather to feed as the heat of the day eases.

You'll set out early for a morning game drive while the light is soft and the animals are most active, heading towards the Enkongo Narok swamp where large elephant herds wade through the reeds. Amboseli is known for its habituated elephant population, and you'll also have chances to spot buffalo, giraffe, zebra and, with luck, lion resting in the shade of acacia trees, all set against the backdrop of Kilimanjaro when the clouds clear.

You'll return to camp for lunch and a rest through the warmer midday hours. The afternoon drive covers different ground, taking in the Observation Hill viewpoint for a wide look over the marshland below, before heading back to Kibo Safari Camp as the sun drops and the mountain often turns pink in the last light.

After an early breakfast you'll leave Amboseli and drive roughly three to four hours to Tsavo East National Park, Kenya's largest park, crossing red laterite soil that gives the local elephants their distinctive rust-coloured hide. Your guide will brief you on the park's terrain, drier and more open than Amboseli, with scattered baobab trees and long views across the Yatta Plateau, one of the world's longest lava flows.

You'll check in at Sentrim Tsavo in time for lunch, then head out on an afternoon game drive towards the Galana River, where crocodile and hippo can be seen along the banks. Tsavo East is also good ground for lion and the occasional cheetah on the open plains, and you'll return to camp as the light fades for dinner and an overnight stay.

You'll have a final short game drive in Tsavo East after breakfast, giving one more chance to see elephant, giraffe and plains game before leaving the park through the Buchuma Gate. From there the drive to the coast takes around four hours, passing through Voi and the sisal and coconut plantations that mark the change from bush to coastal lowland.

As you near Diani Beach the air turns humid and the vegetation shifts to palm and mangrove. You'll check in to Diani Sea Resort by the afternoon, with the rest of the day free to walk the white sand beach, swim in the warm Indian Ocean, or simply relax by the pool after two days of early starts on safari.

This day is unstructured, giving you time to enjoy Diani Beach at your own pace. You can spend the morning on the sand, swim out to the reef that runs parallel to the shore, or arrange an optional excursion such as a dhow trip, snorkelling on the coral reef, or a visit to Wasini Island for dolphin watching, all bookable through the resort.

Diani Sea Resort's grounds and beachfront are yours to use through the day, with lunch and dinner served at the resort restaurant. Those wanting more activity can try kite surfing or deep sea fishing, both well established along this stretch of coast, while others may prefer a massage or simply reading in the shade of the palms before a final coastal sunset.

Depending on your flight time, you'll have a last morning free at Diani Beach, perhaps a final swim or a walk along the shore before checking out of Diani Sea Resort. Transfer arrangements will take you to Ukunda airstrip for a short domestic flight back to Nairobi, which takes around an hour and gives good views of the coastline and the Tsavo bush below as you climb.

On arrival in Nairobi you'll be transferred to your onward flight or accommodation, bringing the safari and beach combination to a close. This final leg is largely transitional, marking the shift from the humid coast back to Nairobi's cooler highland air before you continue your journey home.