Books in Places · Kenya · November 2026
Out of Africa
A Kenya safari and beach reading holiday inspired by Karen Blixen
Safari, wildlife, reading and the Indian Ocean, with Karen Blixen's classic memoir as our guide.
The Books in Places experience
Read Africa. Then experience it.
Karen Blixen's Out of Africa is a book that makes you want to look beyond the page. Its descriptions of the Kenyan landscape, wildlife and people have made it one of the best-known literary portraits of the country.
On this trip we'll experience Kenya in two very different ways. First comes the excitement of safari, travelling through Tsavo and staying in lodges and a tented camp surrounded by wildlife.
Then the pace changes completely. We'll head to Diani Beach on the Indian Ocean, where there is time to swim, read, relax and talk about the book.
At a glance
The Kenya experience
9 nights
From Nairobi to safari country and finally the Indian Ocean coast.
Out of Africa
Karen Blixen's memoir is our book for the journey.
Tsavo safari
Game drives and wildlife experiences across Tsavo West and Tsavo East.
Small group
A sociable Books in Places group travelling together through Kenya.
Diani Beach
Three nights to slow down beside the Indian Ocean.
Solo-friendly
Your own en-suite room throughout the trip, with plenty of shared experiences.
The book
Out of Africa
A lyrical memoir of Kenya, memory, landscape, wildlife and life on a coffee farm.
Blixen's memoir draws on her years living in Kenya in the early twentieth century, describing the landscape, wildlife and people she encountered.
It is a book filled with vivid observations and reflections on belonging, love, loss and the relationship between people and the natural world.
Reading the book before the trip means you'll have its landscapes and ideas in your mind as Kenya unfolds around you. We'll have time during the holiday to share thoughts and discuss the book together.
The setting
Into the wild
After our first night in Nairobi, we'll head into Kenya's safari country and the landscapes of Tsavo National Park.
There will be early-morning and afternoon game drives, opportunities to see elephants, giraffes, buffalo, zebra and other wildlife, and time simply to watch the landscape from the lodge.
The safari is not just something we fit around the book. It is one of the reasons this particular book works so well as the centre of the trip.
The safari
Days filled with wildlife
The safari section of the trip moves between several different settings, giving us a chance to experience Kenya from different perspectives.
Stay in the wilderness
Spend nights at safari lodges and a tented camp, with wildlife and the sounds of the bush close by.
Game drives
Head out in safari vehicles with experienced local guides who know the animals and their environment.
The Kenyan landscape
Wide horizons, acacia trees, red earth and wildlife create the landscape that makes Blixen's descriptions so memorable.
Reading time
Not every moment needs to be busy
There will also be quieter periods at the lodges when you can read, write, watch the wildlife or simply take in the view.
The Books in Places difference
A book can change the way you see a place
We won't simply be ticking off the sights of Kenya. We'll be carrying a book with us that gives us another way of looking at the landscape around us.
We'll share meals, talk about what we're reading, compare impressions and have plenty of time to enjoy the extraordinary experience of being there.
The journey
Even getting there becomes part of the experience
Rather than spending the entire journey travelling by road, part of the trip is by train from Nairobi towards the safari country.
The first-class train journey offers a chance to relax and watch the Kenyan landscape change as we head towards Tsavo.
Transfers and safari drives can involve some longer journeys, but regular refreshment breaks are built into the trip.
Then slow down
Three nights on Diani Beach
After the excitement of safari, the final part of the journey takes us to the Indian Ocean.
Papillon Lagoon Reef Hotel sits beside Diani Beach, with a swimming pool, swim-up bar, watersports and plenty of space to relax.
This is where the pace changes. Swim, walk along the beach, read beneath a palm tree, join an activity or simply do nothing for a while.
Travelling alone?
Come on your own. You won't be on your own.
Most guests on Books in Places trips travel alone, and this trip is designed to make it easy to meet people without taking away your independence.
Your rooms are for sole use throughout the trip, while shared meals, game drives and book discussions give you plenty of opportunities to get to know everyone.
And when you want some quiet time, there is plenty of it. Read at the lodge, watch the wildlife, sit beside the pool or spend an afternoon on the beach.
The journey
From Nairobi to the Indian Ocean
The current itinerary combines safari, wildlife, reading time and a final few days on the beach.
Nairobi
Fly from London Heathrow and arrive in Nairobi in the evening. Meet the group and settle into the Eka Hotel.
By train to Tsavo
Travel by first-class train towards Mtito Andei, then transfer to Kilaguni Serena Lodge in Tsavo West.
Into the wilderness
Continue towards Voyager Ziwani Tented Camp, with wildlife viewing and a night game drive.
Tsavo East
Enjoy a guided nature walk before continuing to Ngutuni Lodge and its private game sanctuary.
A full day of safari
Morning and afternoon game drives with time between them to relax at the lodge.
From safari to the coast
An early game drive before travelling towards Mombasa and checking into Papillon Lagoon Reef.
Diani Beach
A slower day to enjoy the beach, hotel facilities, reading and the Indian Ocean.
Another day by the sea
More time to relax, swim, walk, read or try one of the hotel's activities.
Homeward bound
Enjoy the hotel facilities before the transfer to Mombasa Airport and the overnight flight back to London.
What's included
A lot more than a safari
Flights, accommodation, transport, safari experiences and the Books in Places reading programme are all part of the package.
- ATOL-bonded direct flights from Heathrow
- All transfers and transport within Kenya
- First-class train journey towards Tsavo
- Accommodation in Nairobi
- Safari lodge and tented camp accommodation
- Daily meals during the safari section
- Four days of game drives and wildlife walks
- Three nights at Papillon Lagoon Reef Hotel
- All-inclusive meals and drinks at the beach hotel
- Flight from Mombasa to Nairobi
- Local hosts and experienced wildlife guides
- Books in Places reading holiday host
November 2026 · 9 nights
Join us for Out of Africa
A very special reading holiday combining Karen Blixen's memoir with safari, wildlife, the Kenyan landscape and time beside the Indian Ocean.
Book with Friendship Travel