Kenya Safari Map: All the Parks, Reserves and Beaches on One Interactive Map
Twenty four parks, reserves and conservancies shape every Kenyan itinerary, and the drive times between them matter more than any brochure admits. On the interactive map below each protected area appears as its real boundary rather than a pin. Zoom, flip to satellite or 3D terrain, and tap a shape for its size, the drive time and what you go there to watch.
The interactive map could not load on this connection.
You can still use the region guide and distance tables below, or open Kenya’s parks on Google Maps.
Kenya’s six safari regions
Read Kenya as six blocks. A one week safari does two of them well; with ten days you can settle into three.
Southwest: the Maasai Mara
Kenya’s most famous reserve lies 270 km southwest of the capital, five to six hours on the road or 45 minutes out of Wilson Airport. On the map you can pick out the Mara Triangle and the private conservancies stitched along the northern edge (Mara North, Naboisho, Olare Orok) as their own shapes, useful when weighing up where to sleep.
South: Amboseli, Tsavo and the Chyulu Hills
Amboseli’s elephant herds walk under Kilimanjaro only 240 km from Nairobi. Tsavo East and West together protect over 22,000 square km, the biggest block on this map, and they straddle the Mombasa highway, which is why so many safaris finish on the beach.
Rift Valley: Nakuru, Naivasha, Hell’s Gate and Bogoria
This is the safari region you can reach before breakfast. Rhino and flamingo at Lake Nakuru sit 163 km from the city, Hell’s Gate is the rare park you can cross by bike or on foot, and Bogoria’s hot springs pull in flamingos by the tens of thousands.
Central and Laikipia: Aberdare, Mount Kenya, Ol Pejeta and Lewa
Cool highland forest, tree lodges and East Africa’s best rhino conservation record. Ol Pejeta, home to the last two northern white rhinos on earth, is 217 km up smooth tarmac from Nairobi.
North: Samburu, Buffalo Springs, Shaba and Meru
The north is dry country with fewer vehicles and its own cast. Samburu’s Special Five (Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, gerenuk and beisa oryx) live nowhere else on this map. Meru carries the Born Free story, the park where Elsa the lioness went back to the wild.
Coast: Shimba Hills, Watamu, Malindi and Diani
Reef fish over coral, sable antelope in Shimba Hills, and 17 km of white sand at Diani. Most routes save the coast for last, arriving overland from Tsavo or by air from the Mara.
Kenya parks and reserves: sizes, distances and best months
| Park / Reserve | Region | Size (km²) | From Nairobi | Drive | Signature wildlife | Best months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maasai Mara National Reserve | Southwest | 1,510 | 270 km | 5-6 hr | Big Five, wildebeest migration | Jul-Oct |
| Amboseli National Park | South | 392 | 240 km | 4 hr | Elephant, Kilimanjaro views | Jun-Oct, Jan-Feb |
| Tsavo East National Park | South | 13,747 | 325 km | 6-8 hr | Red-dust elephant, lion | Jun-Oct |
| Tsavo West National Park | South | 9,065 | 232 km | 4-6 hr | Black rhino, Mzima Springs | Jun-Aug |
| Lake Nakuru National Park | Rift Valley | 188 | 163 km | 2.5 hr | Rhino, flamingo, lion | Year-round |
| Lake Naivasha | Rift Valley | 150 (lake) | 90 km | 1.5-2 hr | Hippo, Crescent Island walks | Year-round |
| Hell’s Gate National Park | Rift Valley | 68 | 100 km | 2 hr | Gorge walks, cycling | Year-round |
| Lake Bogoria National Reserve | Rift Valley | 34 (lake) | 250 km | 5 hr | Flamingo, hot springs | Year-round |
| Aberdare National Park | Central | 767 | 100 km | 2.5 hr | Elephant, bongo, tree lodges | Jun-Oct, Jan-Feb |
| Mount Kenya National Park | Central | 715 | 180 km | 3.5-4 hr | Trekking, montane forest | Jan-Feb, Aug-Sep |
| Nairobi National Park | Central | 117 | 7 km | 30 min | Rhino, lion, city skyline | Year-round |
| Ol Pejeta Conservancy | Laikipia | 364 | 217 km | 4 hr | Last northern white rhinos, chimps | Year-round |
| Lewa Wildlife Conservancy | Laikipia | 250 | 250 km | 4 hr | Rhino, Grevy’s zebra | Year-round |
| Samburu National Reserve | North | 165 | 320 km | 6-7 hr | Special Five, elephant | Jun-Oct, Feb |
| Buffalo Springs National Reserve | North | 131 | 320 km | 6-7 hr | Grevy’s zebra, gerenuk | Jun-Oct |
| Shaba National Reserve | North | 239 | 325 km | 6-7 hr | Crocodile, oryx | Jun-Oct |
| Meru National Park | North | 870 | 350 km | 5-6 hr | Rhino sanctuary, Born Free country | Jun-Sep |
| Shimba Hills National Reserve | Coast | 193 | 33 km (Mombasa) | 1 hr | Sable antelope, Sheldrick Falls | Year-round |
| Watamu Marine National Park | Coast | ~10 | 140 km (Mombasa) | 2 hr | Coral reef, turtles | Oct-Apr |
| Diani Beach | Coast | 17 km coastline | 30 km (Mombasa) | 1 hr | White sand, reef diving | Year-round |
Across the border: parks you can combine with Kenya
The green shapes past the southern and western borders are there for a reason. Northern Tanzania and Uganda combine naturally with Kenya, and the map makes the case at a glance: the Serengeti and the Mara are a single ecosystem split by a line.
| Park | Country | Size (km²) | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serengeti National Park | Tanzania | 14,763 | Same migration ecosystem as the Mara, year-round plains game |
| Ngorongoro Conservation Area | Tanzania | 8,292 | The crater caldera, dense Big Five viewing |
| Kilimanjaro National Park | Tanzania | 1,688 | Africa’s highest peak, the backdrop to Amboseli |
| Tarangire National Park | Tanzania | 2,850 | Elephant herds and baobabs |
| Lake Manyara National Park | Tanzania | 330 | Tree-climbing lions, flamingos |
| Bwindi Impenetrable National Park | Uganda | 331 | Mountain gorilla trekking |
| Queen Elizabeth National Park | Uganda | 1,978 | Tree-climbing lions, Kazinga Channel boat safaris |
| Murchison Falls National Park | Uganda | 3,840 | The Nile squeezing through a 7 m gorge, big game |
Distances from Nairobi at a glance
| Destination | Distance | By road | By air (Wilson) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nairobi National Park | 7 km | 30 min | n/a |
| Lake Naivasha | 90 km | 1.5-2 hr | 20 min |
| Hell’s Gate National Park | 100 km | 2 hr | 20 min |
| Aberdare National Park | 100 km | 2.5 hr | 30 min |
| Lake Nakuru National Park | 163 km | 2.5 hr | 25 min |
| Mount Kenya National Park | 180 km | 3.5-4 hr | 40 min |
| Ol Pejeta Conservancy | 217 km | 4 hr | 45 min |
| Tsavo West National Park | 232 km | 4-6 hr | 50 min |
| Amboseli National Park | 240 km | 4 hr | 45 min |
| Lewa Wildlife Conservancy | 250 km | 4 hr | 45-60 min |
| Maasai Mara National Reserve | 270 km | 5-6 hr | 40-45 min |
| Samburu National Reserve | 320 km | 6-7 hr | 90 min |
| Tsavo East National Park (Voi gate) | 325 km | 6-8 hr | 60 min |
| Meru National Park | 350 km | 5-6 hr | 60 min |
Detailed maps: zoom into one park or route
The big map answers “where is everything.” For the next level of planning, each page below opens one park or route in close-up.
- Map of the Maasai MaraReserve, Mara Triangle, conservancies, gates and airstrips
- Wildebeest Migration MapThe full loop animated, month by month
- Map of AmboseliPark boundary, airstrips and the roads in
- Map of TsavoEast and West, gates along the highway, airstrips
- Kenya National Parks MapEvery park, reserve and conservancy that matters
- Map of SamburuThree reserves along the Ewaso Ng’iro river
- Rift Valley Lakes MapNakuru, Naivasha, Bogoria and Hell’s Gate
- Nairobi to Maasai MaraThe route leg by leg, and whether to fly
- Nairobi to AmboseliBoth driving routes and the flight option
- Where Is the Maasai Mara?Location, distances and how to reach it
- Where Is Kenya?The country on the map of Africa, and getting here
- Best Time to Visit KenyaThe seasons mapped park by park
Questions travelers ask about the map of Kenya
How many national parks does Kenya have?
Count them and Kenya has 23 terrestrial national parks, plus reserves, marine parks and private conservancies on top. We drew the 24 protected areas that actually shape safari planning, from the Mara down to the Watamu reef.
Which park is closest to Nairobi?
Nairobi National Park begins 7 km from the CBD, roughly half an hour from most hotels. No other capital on earth keeps wild lion, rhino and giraffe inside city limits.
How far is the Maasai Mara from Nairobi?
Around 270 km by road, five to six hours depending on the Narok stretch and where your camp sits. Or fly: 40 to 45 minutes from Wilson Airport onto airstrips inside the reserve.
Can I combine Kenya with Tanzania or Uganda?
Yes. The Serengeti and the Mara share a boundary (cross at Isebania or connect through Kilimanjaro Airport), and Uganda’s gorilla forests bolt onto a Kenyan route across 12 to 14 days. The map’s neighbour layer shows exactly where everything sits.
When is the best time to visit Kenya?
July through October brings the migration and peak season in the Mara. January and February run it close: dry weather, green landscapes, thinner crowds. Each park’s best months sit in the table above, and a few, Nakuru and Ol Pejeta among them, work all year.
Turn the map into an itinerary
Tell us which shapes caught your eye and how many days you can spare. We build Kenya routes every week and will give you a straight answer on what fits.
Start Planning Your SafariPark and reserve boundaries © OpenStreetMap contributors, licensed under ODbL. Boundaries for Lake Nakuru, Aberdare, Nairobi NP, Hell’s Gate, Lake Bogoria, Shaba, Chyulu Hills, Meru, Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara and Kibale from UNEP-WCMC and IUCN (2026), Protected Planet: The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA), Cambridge, UK. Available at protectedplanet.net. Basemap © OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Satellite imagery © Esri. Terrain tiles by Mapzen and AWS Open Data.
