4-Day Safari to Amboseli, Tsavo West and Tsavo East from Nairobi

Leave Nairobi in the morning and travel south through open Maasai country toward Amboseli National Park, where — clouds permitting — the snow-capped summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak, dominates the horizon. Check in to your lodge or camp and enjoy lunch with that view.

As the afternoon cools, head out on a sunset game drive across Amboseli's open plains, famed for great herds of elephants framed against the mountain. Lions, cheetahs and giraffes are often seen too, along with rich birdlife, and an optional Maasai village visit can add a cultural dimension to the day.

Make the most of Amboseli's golden morning hours with a game drive on your way out of the park — elephants and buffalo silhouetted in the low light, birds everywhere, and Kilimanjaro standing sentry on the horizon when the clouds lift.

By lunchtime you reach Tsavo West National Park, a dramatically different landscape of ancient lava flows and spring-fed rivers. After check-in and time to relax, explore it on an afternoon game drive; guided walks and sundowners can be arranged at extra cost for those who want to feel the bush underfoot.

Exit Tsavo West on a morning game drive with two of the park's treasures on the route: the protected Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary, where endangered black rhinos are given a fighting chance, and Mzima Springs, whose clear pools shelter hippos beneath the surface. Arrive at Tsavo East National Park in time for lunch at your lodge.

In the afternoon, drive out across Tsavo East's vast red-earth plains — home of the famous red-dusted elephants, hunting ground of lions and leopards, with herds of antelope scattered to the horizon. The Galana River draws wildlife through the dry country, a natural stage for photography. Tonight, trade sightings around the campfire.

One last time, let the park set the pace: after breakfast, your route out of Tsavo East National Park doubles as a final game drive — a chance to complete your safari checklist as the red plains slide past.

The road back to Nairobi includes a relaxed lunch stop, and optional souvenir shopping can be arranged en route for gifts worth carrying home. You will be dropped at your chosen point in the city, ending four days that carried you from Kilimanjaro's shadow to Tsavo's red horizons.