5-Day Amboseli, Tsavo West & Tsavo East Coastal Safari — Self-Launched

Leave Nairobi early (07:00–08:00) from the Riverside/Country Bus or Kencom matatu stage. Take a matatu or shuttle to Emali (~£3–4, 2 hrs), then a shared matatu/peugeot to Kimana or Namanga-road junction near the Amboseli gate (~£2–3, 1.5 hrs). Enter the park, pay the KWS non-resident conservation fee at the gate (approx. £50/day — budget for 2 days here), and camp at one of the public campsites (Kimana Gate area) or a budget guesthouse just outside the gate in Kimana town (~£10–15/night). Do a late-afternoon self-arranged game drive: hire a local park guide with a 4x4 for a shared-cost afternoon drive (~£35–50 per vehicle, split between 2–4 travellers) — or simply join the camp's evening drive. Sunset over Kilimanjaro and elephant herds on the swamps is the classic Amboseli moment.

🚌Matatu Nairobi–Emali (~£3–4) + shared matatu to Kimana (~£2–3); park vehicle hire for game drive

🛏Budget guesthouse or banda in Kimana / public campsite near Kimana Gate (£10–15 pp)

• →Matatu journey into Kajiado County
• →Afternoon game drive in Amboseli
• →Sunset views of Mount Kilimanjaro

Be at the gate for sunrise — the clearest Kilimanjaro views come before 09:00. Take a full-day game drive in a shared 4x4 with a local driver-guide (book the day before at your guesthouse; ~£50–70 per vehicle for the day, split between 2–4 people). Highlights: Observation Hill, Enkongo Narok swamp (hippos, elephants, buffalo), and the dry lake bed. Carry a picnic lunch and plenty of water. Late afternoon, optionally walk to a nearby Maasai manyatta — arrange directly through your host and pay the community directly (~£15, cheaper and more direct than the tour's USD 20 add-on). Skip the USD 450 balloon flight; instead, ask about shared-cost balloon seats on the spot or just enjoy the sunrise from Observation Hill for free.

🚌Shared 4x4 vehicle hire with local driver-guide (~£25–35 pp when split)

🛏Budget guesthouse or banda in Kimana / public campsite near Kimana Gate (£10–15 pp)

• →Sunrise game drive
• →Observation Hill viewpoint
• →Enkongo Narok swamp wildlife watching
• →Optional Maasai manyatta visit (pay locally)

Morning game drive out of Amboseli via Kimana Gate, then head east. The practical budget route: matatu Kimana → Emali → Mtito Andei (~£5–6 total, 3–4 hrs with changes). From Mtito Andei take a boda-boda or shared lift to the Mtito Andei gate of Tsavo West (~£2–4) and pay the park fee (~£50). Base yourself at a budget bandas/campsite near the gate or at the KWS self-catering bandas, or use a cheap lodge in Mtito Andei town. In the afternoon, arrange a short game drive to Mzima Springs — the underwater viewing chamber where hippos and crocodiles drift past is the park's signature stop — and look for rhino in the Ngulia area if you have a vehicle. Alternatively, join a one-day Tsavo West group departure from a Nairobi-based budget operator (VoI/Mtito Andei pickups available) for ~£90–110 including the park fee.

🚌Matatu Kimana–Emali–Mtito Andei (~£5–6); boda-boda to gate (~£2–4); shared game-drive vehicle

🛏KWS self-catering banda or budget lodge near Mtito Andei gate (£15–22 pp)

• →En-route game drive
• →Mzima Springs underwater hippo hide
• →Ngulia Hills rhino search

Early game drive out of Tsavo West, then travel south. Take a matatu or bus from Mtito Andei to Voi (~£3–5, 2 hrs) — Voi is the gateway town for Tsavo East and has cheap guesthouses (~£12–18). Enter Tsavo East at the Voi gate (park fee ~£50) and do an afternoon game drive in a shared 4x4 hired in Voi (~£60–80 per vehicle split) toward Aruba Dam, the Mudanda Rock waterhole and the Yatta Plateau viewpoint. Look for the park's famous red-dust elephants, plus lion and the odd cheetah around the Galana River. A cheaper option: hire a boda-boda-guide for a half-day (~£20–25) — not park-approved for all roads, so check with the gate kiosk first.

🚌Matatu Mtito Andei–Voi (~£3–5); shared 4x4 hire from Voi for game drive

🛏Budget guesthouse in Voi town (£12–18 pp)

• →Afternoon game drive in Tsavo East
• →Aruba Dam wildlife watching
• →Mudanda Rock
• →Yatta Plateau viewpoint

Do a final sunrise game drive in Tsavo East from the Voi gate (shared vehicle, ~£25–35 pp), returning to Voi by mid-morning. Then take the modern Madaraka Express train from Voi to Mombasa (~£5 economy, 2 hrs, book online in advance) or a matatu/shuttle (~£4). The tour's version ends with a return to Nairobi — if you need that, the Voi–Nairobi Madaraka Express (~£8, 5 hrs) is far more comfortable than the road. If you have time, reward yourself with a night in Mombasa's Old Town (budget guesthouses from £12) or on Diani Beach (hostels £10–15) before flying out.

🚌Madaraka Express Voi–Mombasa (~£5) or Voi–Nairobi (~£8)

🛏Not included — cheap guesthouse in Mombasa Old Town or Diani from £12–18 pp if you stay on

• →Sunrise game drive in Tsavo East
• →Madaraka Express train ride
• →Optional Mombasa Old Town wander