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A cycling safari that is...
Kenya · July 4-19th, 2027 · $5,750
15 days · ~490km of cycling · Maasai Mara + down south to the Kenyan coast
Slow travel, real relationships, and a version of Africa you never knew existed
A bikepacking experience that needs to be on your bucket list
We've spent 20 years unearthing the secret gems of Kenya, staying far away from the crowded tourist traps. You won't find any selfie sticks or Disneyland-like experiences here. Instead, our 15-day cycling safari through Kenya will have you pedaling nearly 500km across the stunning plains of the Maasai Mara, through communities and wildlife conservancies that defy the narrative of the African continent, before freewheeling your way to the white sand beaches of the Indian Ocean. This is a mission-driven adventure that turns every kilometer you ride into real change for women in rural Kenya. Did we mention it's fun AF too?
IF YOU LIKE BIKES & BASKETS...
Most people travel to Kenya and gaze at wildlife from inside a Land Cruiser. The views — and how they make you feel — are a little different by bike. Everything slows down, you get up close (but not too close), and you see the land and the people differently.
But it's not just about the cycling.
You'll also spend a few days with the women of Zawadisha. There's dancing, singing, basket weaving, and an intimate invitation to expand your understanding of the lives of the global majority. You'll leave feeling more grateful, like you have enough. And like they say, that's priceless.
We handle all of the heavy lifting. All you have to do is show up with an open mind and ride bikes.
Our Cycling Safari is a fundraiser for Zawadisha, our nonprofit partner who has been serving women in rural Kenya for more than a decade. Founded by Jen, Zawadisha provides small loans to women to help finance their livelihoods. All proceeds from this trip are donated to Zawadisha, ensuring that the communities we travel in are taken care of long after we depart.
This trip is crafted for women, trans, and gender-expansive cyclists (experienced and curious) who are ready to go all-in on the camping, the culture, the roads, and 15 days of doing something different than [insert the thing that you do every day that annoys you the most].
This trip is best suited for folks who:
- Ride bikes at an intermediate to expert level
- Feel comfortable riding bikes in variable conditions (tarmac, gravel, washboard, sand)
- Have thought about Kenya (or Africa) and kept waiting for the right moment
- Want logistics handled because HELLO IT'S AFRICA and you want to be fully present (and not scared)
- Want a small, real group, not a touristy tour package
- Need a trip that respects your autonomy (introverts, you're seen)
Stronger cyclists will find the terrain and distance moderate.
Newer cyclists, those who are bike curious, or people who want to take it a bit easier will want to carve out a bit of time to train, and you may want to consider an e-mountain bike.
The group size stays at 10 so no one gets lost in the fray.
- Nine full days on the bike
- Professional Kenyan guides
- A support vehicle
- Camping supplies (tent, mats)
- All in-country transportation, even to and from the airport
- All accommodation, double occupancy in guest houses and hotels and a tent to call your own
- All meals
- A full-day safari in the Maasai Mara and game drives in the Tsavo Conservancy
- Two days with the women of Zawadisha where you'll learn how to weave baskets and cook an authentic Swahili dish
Not included: Alcohol, international airfare, gear, visa, travel insurance (required), and guide tips
To you, a cycling trip is more than just about the bikes. It's the culture, the people, and the land. You travel to actually experience a place, not just photograph it. And you've been putting a trip to Africa off long enough. Whether it's the friend who keeps canceling, the partner who doesn't bike, or the schedule that never clears, you're done waiting.
You want a space where you're genuinely embraced. You've been in outdoor spaces that claimed to welcome you and fell short. You know the difference between a rainbow flag and an actual safe space. You don't have to explain yourself or perform a version of yourself that makes other people comfortable. You do you.
You're social, but you love your independence. You want a bike family for a few weeks, not a mandatory group itinerary for every waking hour. Introverts: we see you (we are you). This is your trip, and the group just makes it better.
WE'VE GOT THE RECEIPTS
"This is the most worthwhile, lifechanging experience! You won't regret it one bit (unless you hate fun, laughing, making friends, bikes, and wild animals)."
"THIS IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY YOU WOULD BE CRAZY TO PASS IT UP!! And yes, yelling intended."
"DO IT! Whatever reservations you have, forget them, and do this trip. You will not regret it."
"For people worried about the biking part, you don’t need to be an expert cyclist to join. And you don’t need all the top end gear. I signed up with basically no cycling experience. I felt supported every step of the way. Just lean into your adventurous spirit and do it!"
Cycling Safari Itinerary
July 4 – 19, 2027 · 15 days · ~490km of cycling · Maasai Mara + down south to the Kenyan coast
KARIBU KENYA: A Cycling Safari From the Maasai Mara to the Swahili Coast
DAY 0 · July 4 · Karibu Kenya!
Touch down in Nairobi and let the city's low hum welcome you in. A private transfer whisks you straight to the guest house, where a warm bed is waiting. Tomorrow the adventure begins — tonight, just rest.
DAY 1 · July 5 · Meet Your Fellow Riders
Sleep in, wander a few of our favorite Nairobi haunts, or simply catch your breath before the real adventure starts. By afternoon, you'll meet your fellow riders face-to-face and get fitted to your bike during orientation. As the sun sets on your last day off two wheels for a while, we'll toast the journey ahead over a feast of injera and stew at one of Nairobi's beloved Ethiopian restaurants.
DAY 2 · July 6 · 20km Warm-Up Ride
We leave the city behind and drive across the floor of the Great Rift Valley into the Loita Hills, at the edge of the Maasai Mara ecosystem. Your legs get their first taste of Kenyan dirt on a gentle warm-up loop through the forest surrounding camp at the Maji Moto Maasai Cultural Centre — consider it a proper hello to the ride ahead.
DAY 3 · July 7 · 50km, +320m / -514m
The real riding begins. We spin out of camp on tarmac before dropping onto long gravel roads that wind through communities and subsistence farms — rolling, red-dirt terrain with more scenery than climbing. Wild camping tonight on the edge of the Naiboisho Conservancy, where giraffe sightings are less a hope than a habit.
DAY 4 · July 8 · 60km, +625m / -742m
Farmland fades behind us as the conservancies begin — and with them, more wildlife than the day before. The great plains of the Maasai Mara open up ahead as we pedal toward Sekenani, one of the main gateways into the Maasai Mara National Park. We'll camp just outside its edge tonight, close enough to hear the bush wake up.
DAY 5 · July 9 · 27km, +466m
We start the day on a game drive deep into the Maasai Mara, tracking the plains for lion, elephant, and the wildebeest herds this ecosystem is famous for. Afterward, hop back on your bike for an optional 30km ride through the hills of the conservancy, or spend the whole day soaking in the wildlife. Either way, we're back at our campsite by evening, trading stories around the fire.
DAY 6 · July 10 · 60km, +825m / -667m — The Queen Stage
This is the day riders talk about for years. We turn east, leaving the Mara's open plains for the hills, and climb more today than any other day on the trip. It's tough, it's scenic, and it's deeply satisfying — especially when you roll into camp for a hot shower and finally rinse off Kenya's iconic red dust.
DAY 7 · July 11 · Rest Day, No Cycling
We say goodbye to the Mara with a half-day drive back to Nairobi. Legs off the pedals for a day — shower, laundry, a proper meal, or one more wander through the city with our list of favorite spots. You've earned it.
DAY 8 · July 12 · Rest Day, No Cycling — By Rail to Voi
An early wake-up call gets us aboard Kenya's Standard Gauge Railway for a four-hour train ride south to Voi, the gateway town to the rural community Zawadisha calls home. We'll spend the night at a wildlife lodge, sundowner in hand, watching elephant and giraffe drift past the watering hole as the sky turns orange.
DAY 9 · July 13 · 70km, +661m
A longer day in the saddle along backroads to a sisal estate, where we'll camp for the night under a wide, open sky. Keep an eye out along the way — camels aren't an unusual sight on this stretch.
DAY 10 · July 14 · 69km, +325m / -300m
We ride the back way into Maungu along an old trading route once used by caravans crossing this stretch of Kenya. At the end of the road, the women of Zawadisha are waiting to welcome you. We'll spend the next two nights camped in the Tsavo Conservancy — watch for elephant, giraffe, and zebra along the drive in, and don't be surprised if a lion's roar drifts into camp after dark.
DAY 11 · July 15 · No Cycling — A Day With Zawadisha
Morning and evening game drives bookend a day spent learning what life looks like in rural Kenya, straight from the women who live it. You'll visit a homestead, meet the Neema Women's Group for an afternoon of traditional dancing, and likely find yourself reaching for both your wallet and a tissue — bring cash for their handwoven sisal baskets, and prepare to be moved.
DAY 12 · July 16 · No Cycling — Weaving & Wildlife
Another full day in community. Learn the art of basket weaving from the women of Zawadisha and try your hand at one of our favorite Swahili dishes, all woven between two more game drives. For many riders, these two days are the heart of the entire trip.
DAY 13 · July 17 · 70km, +290m / -250m
Time to say kwaheri to Zawadisha and point our wheels toward the coast. It's a leisurely ride today, ending in a wild camp near the Shimba Hills as the ocean draws closer with every kilometer.
DAY 14 · July 18 · 60km, +800m / -550m — Final Ride to the Coast
Your last day on the bike takes you up and over the Shimba Hills before dropping down through rolling, palm-studded terrain to Diani Beach. When your tires finally hit the sand, it's time to celebrate — dinner and dancing under the coconut trees, with the Indian Ocean as your backdrop.
DAY 15 · July 19 · Kwaheri, For Now
Sleep in, take one last dip in the Indian Ocean, and soak up your final morning in paradise before flying back to Nairobi to catch your evening flight home. Or — why rush? Ask us about extending your stay in Diani or adding on a second leg of your Kenyan adventure. You've come this far; there's no reason to leave so soon.
Cycling Safari
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Cycling Safari
Regular price
$250.00
You've got questions
We've got answers
A cycling safari is a multi-day trip through Kenya that combines guided bike riding with traditional wildlife safari elements like game drives, conservancy stays, and time in local communities. On Zawadisha's Cycling Safari, you'll pedal roughly 490km across the Maasai Mara and Tsavo Conservancy over 15 days, with a support vehicle, wildlife game drives, and camping under the stars built into the route.
A traditional Kenya safari moves you between destinations by vehicle, while a cycling safari has you pedaling the distance between them yourself, with game drives and wildlife viewing woven in along the way. Zawadisha's Cycling Safari blends both: you'll cycle through the Maasai Mara and Tsavo Conservancy, then join dedicated game drives in each park, so you get the physical adventure of a bike trip alongside classic safari wildlife viewing.
Yes, Kenya offers some of the most varied terrain in East Africa for cycling, from the Great Rift Valley and Maasai Mara plains to the Shimba Hills and Indian Ocean coastline. The country's network of gravel backroads and community trails, combined with world-class wildlife conservancies, makes it a standout destination for a multi-day cycling safari.
Daily distances on the Cycling Safari range from 20km to 70km, averaging around five hours of riding at 15–18km/h. The trip totals approximately 490km of cycling over 15 days, with several rest days built in for game drives, train travel, and community visits.
Nope! You will need to feel comfortable riding at a moderate pace, around five hours per day at 15-18km per hour. We'll be facilitating Strava challenges for us to train together before the trip. We will be able to split into different groups so people can go at their own pace. We will also have a support vehicle in case you'd like to ride shorter distances each day. And you can also rent or bring an e-bike if the distances are of a concern to you.
Yes, you don't need to be an experienced cyclist to join. Riders should be comfortable pedaling at a moderate pace for about five hours a day, and the trip offers a support vehicle, optional shorter routes, and e-bike rentals for anyone concerned about the distances.
No, front-suspension Giant mountain bikes are available for you to rent at $25 per day of cycling and e-bikes for $60 per day. However, bringing your own bike is not as difficult as you might think! We recommend hard tail mountain bikes unless you are an experienced gravel cyclist.
This route is designed with safety in mind: a support vehicle accompanies riders throughout, experienced local guides lead every day of cycling, and the trip is organized in partnership with Savage Wilderness Safaris, which has run guided tours in Kenya for more than 20 years.
July, when this trip runs, falls within Kenya's dry season, offering cooler temperatures, firmer riding conditions on gravel roads, and strong wildlife viewing as animals gather near water sources in the Maasai Mara and Tsavo Conservancy.
No. We will have a support vehicle that will transport all of your personal items.
Accommodation is shared (double) while at guest houses and lodges. Private tents are provided for camping. You will stay in mid-range, comfortable guest houses within walking distance to food and shopping in Nairobi. While cycling, we camp. All other lodging will be at safari lodges until we reach the coast, where we will stay in a beachside home or hotel. Private rooms can be arranged at an additional charge, subject to availability.
No, accommodation alternates between wild camping, safari lodges, and guest houses depending on the day. You'll camp on cycling days and in the conservancies, stay in mid-range guest houses in Nairobi, and finish the trip beachside in Diani.
It is delicious, nutritious, and filling :) All meals will be prepared for you, with a focus on Swahili and Kenyan cuisine. We can accommodate dietary needs.
Riders can expect to see giraffe, zebra, and antelope while riding, with elephant and lion during game drives in Maasai Mara and Tsavo Conservancy. Dedicated game drives in both the Maasai Mara National Park and Tsavo Conservancy are built into the itinerary specifically to maximize wildlife sightings beyond what you'll spot from the bike.
This trip funds Zawadisha's microlending program for women in Maungu, Kenya, with 100% of trip profits going directly to the program. Riders also spend two full days in the community learning basket weaving and traditional cooking directly from the women who receive our small loans.
We will create a fundraising platform that makes it easy for you to raise tax-deductible donations for Zawadisha. If you choose to fundraise, you are required to fundraise at least $500 and we'll take the $500 off the cost of your trip. We do encourage everyone to fundraise so that we can make the most positive impact in the lives of the women we serve.
A maximum of 10 people will be on this trip. We will all have a chance to get to know each other before the trip through optional monthly Zoom calls.
- All meals and in-country transportation
- Accommodation in mid-range lodges and guest houses + camping under the stars
- Highly qualified local guides and a support vehicle
- Wildlife game drives
- Dancing, basket weaving, and community visits with Zawadisha
- A final day on the white sand beaches of the Indian Ocean
International flights, visas and travel insurance (mandatory), alcohol, souvenirs, and tips for the guides
Most travelers need an e-Visa to enter Kenya, which can be applied for online before departure, and the CDC and WHO recommend several vaccinations for travel to East Africa, including yellow fever in some cases. Requirements vary by nationality, so check with the Kenyan embassy and your doctor or a travel clinic well before your trip.
Yes, we offer multiple payment plans. Pay the $250 deposit today and we will bill you the remainder. You can choose up to five payments and the trip must be paid in full by May 1st, 2027.
You can receive a full refund up to six months before the departure of the trip. If you need to cancel within three to five months of the departure, we will provide credit for a future trip. There is no refund provided for cancellations within two months of the departure date. If we are not able to run the trip due to circumstances out of our control, we will reschedule the trip for 2028.
We are committed to creating a safe space for all participants and have a zero-tolerance policy for harassment, intimidation, and/or verbal/physical abuse. They will be asked to leave the trip and will not receive a refund.
Questions? Get in touch with us.
And a human will get back to you with the answers.