Explore East Africa
From Bush to Beach: An East African Escape
Journey Overview
Overview
Most guests find that a few days by the ocean are the right way to end a safari. After early mornings, long drives and a great deal to take in, the Indian Ocean coast offers the opposite: warm water, slow days, and nothing in particular to be up for.
Zanzibar is the usual choice, with its beaches, its reef and the Swahili architecture of Stone Town. The Kenyan coast is the other option and is often easier to reach at the end of a Kenyan itinerary. Either can be added to the end of a journey, or taken as a stay in its own right.
We handle the connection between the bush and the beach — the flights, the transfers and the timing — so that the change of pace is the only thing you actually notice.
Journey Overview
What Makes This Safari Special
Your Journey, Day by Day
Arrival in Nairobi
Arrive in Nairobi and transfer to your accommodation, ready for an early start into the wildlife areas the following morning.
Into the Maasai Mara
Travel to the Maasai Mara and settle in, with an afternoon in the field to make the most of the short safari section of the journey.
A full day in the Mara
A long day in the field, out early and back late, so that the safari part of the trip earns its place before the pace changes entirely.
Fly to the coast
Fly to Zanzibar or the Kenyan coast. Transfer to your hotel and spend what is left of the day doing very little.
Stone Town or the reef
A day to choose: the alleys, markets and Swahili architecture of Stone Town, or a boat out to the reef for snorkelling, arranged locally.
A day on the beach
Nothing scheduled. Swim, read, walk the beach at low tide, or take a dhow out in the late afternoon.
Departure
A last morning by the sea before the transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
A Glimpse Of The Journey
Gallery
Your Safari Includes
- Private guiding and safari vehicle for the wildlife section of the journey
- Accommodation as agreed in your final itinerary
- Park and conservancy entry fees for the areas visited
- Transfers between the safari section, airports and your coastal hotel
- Coordination of the connecting flight between bush and coast
- Personal planning and support before and during travel
Typically Excluded
- International flights, and internal flights unless stated in your itinerary
- Visa and eVisa fees, and Zanzibar arrival requirements where applicable
- Travel and medical insurance
- Watersports, diving and boat excursions arranged locally
- Meals and drinks not included in your chosen hotel arrangement
- Tips and gratuities
Frequently Asked Questions
Zanzibar or the Kenyan coast?
Zanzibar has the stronger draw for first-time visitors, with Stone Town and the reef alongside the beaches. The Kenyan coast is often simpler and quicker to reach at the end of a Kenyan safari. We will suggest whichever fits your route better.
How many days by the sea?
Three or four nights is usually enough to feel the change of pace without the trip losing its shape. Longer stays work well if the safari section has been busy.
Do we fly between the safari and the beach?
Usually, yes. A connecting flight saves a long road transfer, and we will build it into the itinerary and handle the timing around it.
Can we do the beach without a safari?
Yes. A coastal stay can be arranged on its own, though most guests treat it as the second half of a longer journey.
Can you arrange diving or snorkelling?
Reef trips and watersports are arranged locally through the hotel or a local operator. We will tell you what is realistic for your dates and where the reef conditions are usually best.
When is the coast at its best?
Broadly June to October and December to February. We will match the coastal section to the inland season so both halves of the journey fall in good months.
Make It Your Own
Like This Journey? Let’s Tailor It Around You.
Change the duration, add another destination, upgrade the accommodation or slow the pace. This itinerary is only the starting point.