Travel with Purpose: Uplift Travel Announces 2026 Kenya Itineraries

Travel with purpose in 2026, Uplift Travel announces itineraries with spots now open

We have always believed in the power of travel — not simply for the joy of connection and sharing of culture, but as a driver of internal change and creating good in the world. We specialize in custom itineraries that connect our visitors as travelers, not tourists, offering access to local friends, experts and projects that give back to local communities and conservation needs. These itineraries also include some special conservation-oriented experience you’ll experience nowhere else in the world. 

It is our pleasure to help connect our friends and neighbors with featured partners in rural Kenya, and beyond! In 2026, we are so very excited to announce the following itineraries:

Kenya’s Great Migration: A Front Row Seat

Late July to mid-August (12 days); Cost Estimate of $13,800 per person; limited to 8 guests

Each year, millions of herd animals cross the Mara River as part of "The Great Migration"

Catch one of the wonders of the natural world from a high-end safari lodge perched along the Mara River at a key crossing point. Each year at this time, millions of herd animals (wildebeest, zebras and others) migrate across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem — a 1,200-mile journey, primarily for food and water, facing dangers from the river crossing itself as well as local predators.

This luxury-infused insider trip features five days in resorts situated at the crossing along with multiple safaris within the Maasai Mara National Park, two nights at Hemingways Nairobi (on the former Karen Blixen estate), a walking safari with rhinos, a private visit with orphaned baby elephants and the centerpiece of our core mission: Get the chance to be an insider in a typical Maasai village, surrounded by wildlife, with a home base at a lodge run to benefit disadvantaged young women and widows.

Kenya’s Great Migration — and Beyond!

Mid-August to early September (11 days); Cost Estimate: $6,800 per person; limited to 8 guests

Catch the Great Migration at a high-end resort along the Mara River, as millions of herd animals (wildebeest, zebras and others) migrate across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem — a 1,200-mile journey, primarily for food and water, facing dangers from the river crossing itself as well as local predators.

This trip spends a bit less time at the crossing than our more luxury migration tour, then adds a visit to Ol Pajeta sanctuary, home to the last two remaining Northern White Rhinos. It also incorporates a village stay and time among the Maasai people as well as school visits, cultural demonstrations, bonfire discussions with Maasai women and a private visit to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage in Nairobi.

Elephant Immersion, with Village Time Too

Late September to mid-October; Cost Estimate: $9,300 per person; limited to 6 guests

This trip features a variety of exclusive experiences, such as access to the keepers who tend orphaned elephants at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s Umani Springs Reintegration Unit. For three days, our group stays in a private onsite lodge (with pool and private chef), followed by a private visit to the Nairobi nursery and time in Amboseli National Park — home to the “giant tuskers” (elephants with massive tusks) and views of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The trip also includes plenty of safari time in the Mara Triangle, where large herds of migrating wildlife may still be spotted, and visiting a typical Maasai village, where we get the chance to be an insider and learn about human and wildlife conflict prevention.

Samburu Sojourn, Meet the ‘Samburu Special Five’

Mid-October to early November; Cost Estimate: $8,400 per person; limited to 8 guests

Each itinerary includes plenty of time in local villages, which lead to meaningful connections

Here, we venture north into Kenya’s Samburu region and its highly specialized ecosystem, home to the “Samburu Special Five” only found here — animals like the reticulated giraffe and round-eared Grevy’s zebra, as well as huge herds of elephants and plenty of big cats. Head with us to the country’s only community-owned elephant sanctuary — run by the Samburu people, herders with distinct traditions and attire — and learn from villagers and elephant keepers how it’s transformed the lives of people and elephants, both.

The group flies to the Maasai Mara for journeys into both authentic culture with our Maasai friends on the ground and into one of the world’s most iconic safari destinations. Highlights include a private visit to the last two remaining Northern White rhinos at the Ol Pajeta conservancy, a private visit to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage and plenty of time with the kind and resourceful women at Kileleoni Cultural Village, adjacent to one of our lodges and once the home of a pre-eminent Maasai chief.

What You Should Know, What to Expect

Travel with Uplift includes a variety of unique experiences including rooms, amenities, meetings and tours

Travel with Uplift always includes the following:

• Private visit(s) to one or more elephant sanctuaries, with higher end accommodations, often with a chef and all the nice amenities.

• Significant time in national parks on safari with Kenya's top-rated, local guides (who give us preferred status).

• Meaningful visits to local villages, generally with mid-level accommodations and high-level cultural immersion.

• Various opportunities to meet and chat informally with local visionaries and project leaders, from amongst those we’ve come alongside in our 5+ years of connection building.
  

Please note: Prices do not include round-trip international flights and may fluctuate slightly as we work to customize each trip. Initial deposit deadlines are Monday, January 12 for these 2026 travel itineraries. Travel dates will be firmed up as itineraries fill out, with more becoming available as demand requires.

How to go: If you would like to travel with Uplift in 2026, please fill out the Travel With Us Form. Participants are selected based on the answers given and compatibility with the Uplift vision and goals. We can also offer customized travel for groups of any size with various price points available, led by our wonderful in-country partners.

Coming soon: Fiji Women and Wellness, set to take off in Spring 2027.

Subscribe to our newsletter to learn more about the Uplift Travel Foundation and our wonderful in-country partners and projects. Learn more about our areas of impact at UpliftTravel.org.