The word safari translates from Kiswahili as travel, and it's almost inevitable that one will lead you in the direction of the country's finest wildlife sanctuary, the Masai Mara. The Mara, as it's colloquially known, is a good starting point in the hunt for the 'big five', but be warned: it can get crowded during the summer when it hosts hundreds of thousands of migrating wildebeest.
Kenya is not a destination for the indecisive, and the first problem you're likely to face is deciding what to leave off your itinerary. The wildlife covers the alphabet from Antelope to Zebra, and the diversity of ecosystems would fill a library of textbooks. With a month or two to spare you could wander from the lush western rainforests of Kakamega, through the grandeur of the Great Rift Valley, over the glacial peaks of Mt Kenya (Africa's second highest mountain) and out across savannah, desert, and then treat yourself to a good rest on the pristine white coral beaches of the Indian Ocean.
While most have heard of Zanzibar, few know of its Kenyan cousin - the island of Lamu. Since the 13th century the island has been a Swahili stronghold, and while it has enjoyed a chequered history (infamously as a slave trading post), today things are distinctly more relaxed. There are no cars to clutter the narrow, jumbled streets. Dhows, donkeys and legwork are the only ways of getting around. As the island's main draw is its crystal beaches, this shouldn't present any problems.
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