Christmas holiday packages Kenya sell out earlier every year, since the last week of December is the single busiest travel window for both residents and returning diaspora visitors.
- FromKES 24,000per person sharing, 3 day Naivasha festive package
- Duration3 to 5 days, in the 20 Dec to 3 Jan festive band
- StartsNairobi or Mombasa
- Best forFamilies and larger groups travelling over the festive season
- StylePrivate or shared vehicle
Rated 5.0 on Google from 46 reviews. Price confirmed in writing before you pay.
This page covers our Maasai Mara, Diani and Naivasha options for the festive period, in KES, with the festive rate clearly marked against our regular low season pricing.
Booking early genuinely matters here. Camps and hotels across all 3 destinations fill up well before December itself, sometimes by September or October, so waiting until the last minute rarely works in your favour for this particular window.
Highlights
- Festive band runs 20 December to 3 January, priced higher than regular season
- Maasai Mara, Diani and Naivasha all available for Christmas and New Year
- Gala dinner add ons available at most properties on 24, 25 and 31 December
- Family rooms and child rates available across every package
- Mpesa accepted, with instalment plans for early bookers
- Book by September or October for the best choice of camps and hotels
Day by day plan
- Day 1
Nairobi to the Maasai Mara
Depart Nairobi early on the drive to the Maasai Mara, about 5 to 6 hours via Narok. You go straight into an afternoon game drive on arrival, then settle into camp for a festive dinner, a strong start to any christmas holiday packages Kenya trip.
- Day 2
Full day game drives, Christmas Eve or Christmas Day
A full day in the reserve, timed around either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day depending on your travel dates. Many camps put on a special festive dinner on the 24th or 25th, worth asking about when you book.
- Day 3
Final morning drive and return to Nairobi
One last game drive after breakfast, then the drive back to Nairobi, arriving by early evening in time to continue on to other festive plans or head home.
Christmas holiday packages Kenya, per person sharing, KES
| Destination | Resident | Citizen |
|---|---|---|
| 3 day Naivasha, festive | KES 27,000 | KES 24,000 |
| 3 day Maasai Mara, festive | KES 26,500 | KES 23,000 |
| 3 day Diani, festive (SGR) | KES 38,000 | KES 35,000 |
- Guide price per person sharing, confirmed in writing on WhatsApp before any payment.
- Festive rates apply 20 December to 3 January; book before or after this band for regular season pricing.
- Gala dinner on 24, 25 or 31 December is priced separately at most properties.
Get my exact price on WhatsApp
Reserve this trip
Pick your dates and group. See the total. Hold it with a deposit.
Pay by Mpesa, bank transfer or card once we confirm in writing. Free changes until you confirm.
Included
- Transport by van or Land Cruiser (safari) or SGR/flight (coast)
- Accommodation on the package and tier you choose
- Meals as stated per package
- Park entry fees at citizen or resident rate, itemised
- Driver guide for safari packages
Not included
- Gala dinner supplement on 24, 25 or 31 December where applicable
- Drinks at the lodge or camp bar
- Tips for your driver guide and hotel staff
- Personal travel insurance
Christmas holiday packages Kenya: when festive rates apply
Festive rates on christmas holiday packages Kenya apply from 20 December through 3 January, covering both the Christmas and New Year periods in one pricing band.
Travel just before or after this window, say 15 to 19 December or 4 to 10 January, and you pay regular low season rates instead, a useful trick if your schedule has any flexibility at all.
Do festive packages include a gala dinner
Most properties offer a gala dinner on 24, 25 or 31 December, usually a set menu with entertainment, priced separately from the base package rate since not every guest wants it.
We flag which properties include it in the base rate versus charge extra when we send your quote, so there are no surprises when you check in for your christmas holiday packages Kenya trip.
Is there a minimum stay over Christmas
Many properties require a minimum 2 or 3 night stay across the festive band, since single night bookings are harder to manage around gala dinners and full occupancy.
We confirm the minimum stay for your specific chosen property when you enquire, and will tell you honestly if a shorter stay is not available for your dates.
Which destinations sell out first
The Maasai Mara and Diani sell out earliest, often by September, since both draw heavy demand from residents and diaspora visitors returning home for the holidays.
Naivasha and closer destinations tend to have slightly more late availability, useful if you are booking christmas holiday packages Kenya later than planned and still want a proper trip.
December holiday packages Kenya beyond the festive week
If your December travel falls outside the 20th to 3rd window, you get the full range of december holiday packages Kenya at regular pricing, with far less competition for camp space.
Early December especially is a quiet, pleasant time to travel, with short rains often finished and prices still at the standard rate rather than the festive premium.
New year packages Mombasa and the coast
Mombasa and Diani both run strong new year packages Mombasa options, popular for their beach parties and fireworks along the coastline on 31 December.
Book coast accommodation early for this specific date; hotels along Diani’s beachfront in particular fill up for New Year’s Eve well before the festive band even begins.
Christmas packages Naivasha for a shorter break
Naivasha is about 90 minutes from Nairobi, making christmas packages Naivasha a good choice for a shorter festive break without committing to a full week away from home.
Boat rides on the lake, Hell’s Gate cycling and a relaxed lodge stay make for an easy, low stress festive itinerary, especially with young children in tow.
Masai Mara christmas package details
A Masai Mara christmas package follows the same structure as our standard 3 day Mara safari, with festive pricing and, at many camps, a special Christmas Eve or Christmas Day dinner included or offered as an add on.
See our Maasai Mara packages for residents page for the regular season version of this same trip, useful for comparing festive versus standard pricing side by side.
Booking early: why it actually matters
Unlike most of the year, festive season demand genuinely outstrips supply at popular properties, so booking christmas holiday packages Kenya in September or October is not just good advice, it is often the difference between getting your first choice camp and not travelling at all.
If you are reading this in November or later for the same year, do not panic, message us anyway; we track late cancellations and occasional pockets of availability that do open up.
Booking your festive season trip
Message us on WhatsApp at +254 720 731957 with your destination, dates and group size. We confirm availability and send a written KES quote with the festive rate and any gala dinner cost clearly separated.
Mpesa is accepted for deposits and full payment, and we offer instalment plans for early bookers who want to spread the cost across the months before travel.
Who books christmas holiday packages Kenya
A large share of our festive bookings come from diaspora Kenyans returning home for the holidays, often booking a trip for extended family who have not seen each other all year, alongside local families taking their annual break.
This mix of travellers is part of why festive season camps and hotels feel different from the rest of the year, livelier, fuller and genuinely festive, with many properties adding decorations and special evening programming for christmas holiday packages Kenya guests specifically.
Other christmas holiday packages Kenya options
If the Mara, Diani or Naivasha do not fit your group’s plans, our Amboseli packages for residents and Watamu and Malindi packages pages cover further alternatives for the same festive window.
Larger groups celebrating together might also consider our team building packages page, since several of those venues also take festive season bookings for family reunions rather than only corporate groups needing a retreat space.
Combining Christmas and New Year into one trip
Many families book a single longer trip spanning both Christmas and New Year rather than 2 separate short breaks, which usually works out better value than booking twice across the festive band.
A 5 to 7 day christmas holiday packages Kenya itinerary covering both a safari leg and a coast leg is a popular structure for this; see our Kenya safari and beach holiday page for how that combination is normally built for a resident budget and timeline.
Weather over the festive season
Late December is usually dry across the Mara and the coast, following the short rains which typically finish by early December, though occasional showers are still possible.
This generally favourable weather is part of why the festive season is so popular for travel, on top of the school holidays and family gatherings that drive most of the demand for christmas holiday packages Kenya every single year without fail.
Travelling with extended family over the holidays
Festive trips often involve larger, multi generation groups than a typical booking, grandparents, parents and children travelling together, which changes what to look for in a property.
Family rooms, connecting rooms and properties with a pool or flat, walkable grounds tend to work best for these groups. Tell us your group’s makeup when you enquire and we will steer you toward properties that suit everyone, not just the adults.
Payment plans for christmas holiday packages Kenya
Because festive trips are booked so far ahead, many guests prefer to pay in instalments rather than one lump sum. We offer a Lipa Pole Pole style plan, letting you clear your balance gradually before travel.
This works especially well for christmas holiday packages Kenya specifically, since booking in September for December travel gives 3 to 4 months to spread payments comfortably rather than facing one large cost close to the holidays when budgets are already stretched by other festive spending.
Weekend getaways if you cannot commit to the full festive week
If a full week away is not realistic for your December schedule, our weekend getaways from Nairobi and long weekend deals pages cover shorter festive season options.
These shorter trips still carry festive pricing during the 20 December to 3 January band, but let you fit a proper break around work commitments that do not fully pause over the holidays. Our Naivasha getaway packages page is a good starting point for a shorter, closer christmas holiday packages Kenya option.
How to book your christmas holiday packages Kenya
Booking your christmas holiday packages Kenya with us takes about five minutes of your time. The rest is our job. Here is exactly what happens, step by step, so there are no surprises along the way.
- Send your dates. Message us on WhatsApp with your travel dates, how many people are coming and the ages of any children. Tell us if you have a budget in mind. We plan with it, not around it.
- Get a written quote. We reply with a clear price per person, what it includes and what it does not. No hidden park fees and no vague extras. If a cheaper camp or a shorter route makes more sense, we say so.
- Tweak it until it fits. Change a camp, add a night or swap a park. Ask as many questions as you like. Changes cost nothing until you confirm.
- Confirm with a deposit. A deposit holds your vehicle, guide and rooms. You get a written confirmation with every detail and the date the balance is due.
- Travel day. Your driver guide meets you at your hotel or the airport with a name board. You have their number and ours for the whole trip.
What every trip with us includes
Every christmas holiday packages Kenya plan we put together comes with the basics done properly. You ride in a safari vehicle with a pop up roof, with a professional driver guide who knows the parks. Water is in the cooler box, and park fees are sorted in advance so you do not stand in a queue at the gate.
We also stay reachable. If something changes on the road, a flat tyre, a closed route or a sudden storm, we sort it and keep you posted on WhatsApp.
Paying safely
We share payment details in writing only, and every payment gets a receipt. The payment options and the balance date sit on your written quote, so nothing is left to memory or a phone call.
Why book with a Nairobi team
We live here. We drive these roads all year, we know which camps are honest about their photos, and we know when a park is too busy to enjoy. That local knowledge is what turns a good christmas holiday packages Kenya into a great one. Our Google rating sits at 5.0 from 46 reviews, and we plan to keep it that way.
Ready when you are. Send us a message and we will put a plan together for you shortly.
Questions people ask
When do festive season rates apply?
Festive rates on christmas holiday packages Kenya apply from 20 December through 3 January. Travel just before or after this band, and you pay regular low season pricing instead, which is worth considering if your dates have any flexibility.
Do festive packages include a gala dinner?
Some properties include it in the base rate, others charge separately for 24, 25 or 31 December dinners. We flag this clearly when we send your quote so you know exactly what is and is not included.
Is there a minimum stay over Christmas?
Many properties require a minimum 2 or 3 night stay across the festive band, since single night bookings are harder to manage around full occupancy and gala dinners. We confirm the minimum for your specific property when you enquire.
Which destinations sell out first?
The Maasai Mara and Diani sell out earliest, often by September, driven by strong demand from residents and diaspora visitors home for the holidays. Naivasha and closer destinations typically have more late availability.
Can I get resident rates during the festive season?
Yes, resident and citizen rates still apply during the festive band, just at the higher festive price level rather than the low season rate. Bring your ID or work permit as usual to confirm your rate at the gate.
How far ahead should I book for Christmas?
Book by September or October for the best choice of camps and hotels, especially for the Maasai Mara and Diani. Naivasha and other closer destinations can sometimes still be booked into November with reasonable choice.
What happens if I book late and everything is full?
Message us anyway. We track late cancellations and occasional pockets of availability, and can sometimes find a workable option even close to the festive dates, though your first choice property is not guaranteed.
Official information: eCitizen, Kenyan government identity and permit services.
Ready when you are. Send your dates and group size. We reply with a clear price and a plan you can change.
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