Kenya in 10 days: the Maasai Mara, then the coast
A day-by-day route from Nairobi National Park to the plains of the Maasai Mara, then Mombasa and Diani Beach, with an activity sheet and its sources for every stage.
Ten days between the savannah and the Indian Ocean: a first safari on Nairobi’s doorstep, three days in the Maasai Mara, then the train to Mombasa and Diani Beach. Every stage links to an activity sheet, where each fact cites its source.
Park fees come from the Kenya Wildlife Service schedule (October 2025), read on 1 November 2026; travel times come from Wikivoyage. Where no source gives a duration, this notebook gives none.
Day 1 · Nairobi National Park
Kenya’s first national park, opened in 1946 about 7 km from the centre, is one of the country’s most successful rhino sanctuaries. Fenced on three sides, it lets wildlife move south to the Kitengela plains. Entry: 80 US dollars per day for a non-resident adult.
Days 2 to 4 · The Maasai Mara
From Nairobi, the drive takes five hours in the dry season and up to seven in the rainy season. The reserve adjoins Tanzania’s Serengeti; the great migration starts there between July and early August, and the dry season runs from July to October.
In the north-west, the Mara Triangle, managed by the Mara Conservancy, has few lodges and well-maintained all-weather roads; vehicle numbers around animal sightings are strictly controlled.
Day 5 · Back to Nairobi
The same road the other way: five hours in the dry season, up to seven in the rainy season. For those with a spare day, Hell’s Gate National Park, about 90 km from Nairobi, can be explored on foot or by bike.
Day 6 · The train to Mombasa and Fort Jesus
The 530 km railway opened in 2017 links Nairobi to Mombasa in about five hours; by air, the flight takes some 45 minutes.
In Mombasa, Fort Jesus, built from 1593 to 1596 to guard the Old Port, has been a World Heritage Site since 2011. Part of its former cells is now a museum.
Days 7 to 10 · Diani Beach
From Mombasa, cross the estuary on the Likoni ferry, then take a minibus to Ukunda. On the Indian Ocean, 30 km south of Mombasa, Diani Beach stretches for about 17 km.
Avoid the main rainy season, April to June; October and November can also bring some inconvenience. To leave, an air taxi links Diani airstrip to Mombasa airport, from where the flight to Nairobi takes about 45 minutes.
Sources · 8
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