Ready to go? Grab my free power-packing guide
We start with your why
What do you want this trip to feel like, or to change? We begin there, so every choice after it has a reason.
Africa's most trusted travel coach
From Someday to texting your friends: “I'm Going To Zanzibar.”
Travel anytime. No second-guessing.
37Years of travel
300+People helped plan trips
ICFCertified coach
As featured in
Hi, I'm Maria Kamau.
Africa's most trusted travel coach, for women 40+ who are done waiting.
I grew up in Kenya with a passport full of dreams and a calendar full of responsibilities. The “right time” never arrived, so I stopped waiting. Over the next three decades, I explored 100 countries, learned how to plan calmly and safely, and proved to myself that travel can be both soul-filling and affordable.
Along the way, I noticed something: we don't travel for hotels or hashtags. We travel to feel different, braver, lighter, connected, and joyful. That's why I became an ICF-certified coach and created TravelwithMkay, a supportive place where midlife women get the clarity, structure, and confidence to say, “I'm going.”
Why I coach
- Fear isn't required. Trust the plan.
- Safety and comfort can sit beside spontaneity.
- Smart trade-offs beat big budgets every time.
- The best trips are the ones you actually take.
Travel coaching, explained
What does a travel coach actually do?
A travel coach helps you work out why you want to travel and what kind of trip you really need, then helps you plan it and gives you the skills and confidence to book it yourself. Most trips start with a destination. A coached trip starts with you.
CompareTravel agentTravel coach (that's me)
Starts withWhere and when you want to goWhy you are going, and how you want to feel
Sells youTravel: packages, flights and hotelsCoaching. I don't sell packages or book for you
Who booksThe agent books it for youYou book it yourself, with my checks
With you untilThe booking is doneThe day you land
You keepOne itineraryThe skills for every trip after this one
We build the plan together
Destination, dates, budget, visas on your passport, flights, stays and safety, in the right order, with smart trade-offs.
You do the booking
I don't sell packages and I don't book for you. You book it yourself, with my checks and tools, so next time you can do it without me.
I stay with you to touchdown
Questions, wobbles, last-minute changes: I'm your guide, sounding board and cheer section from the first idea to the day you land.
“While an agent would book just one trip for you, a coach leaves you able to book every trip after that.”
How I help
From “what if” to “I'm here.”
Together we turn every what-if into a simple, realistic plan: where to go, when to go, what it will really cost, and how to stay safe while you're there.
You stay in control. I'm your guide, your sounding board and your cheer section, from the first idea to touchdown. If you're ready to swap “one day” for “I'm going,” I'm here for you: gently, practically, and on your terms.
What you'll walk away with
- Confidence to choose and book
- A grounded budget and route
- Safety routines that feel natural
- A packing system that travels light
- Momentum for the next trip, not just this one
76%jump in travelers seeking a human travel advisorVirtuoso, 2025
2026 is almost over, and AI is everywhere.
Still, the demand for human guidance keeps rising. Virtuoso reported a sustained 76% jump in travelers seeking out a travel advisor.
AI is good at where. Coaching starts with why.
Why me
Why Travel Coaching with Mkay?
Travel coaching links the why behind your trip to a plan you actually use. If you're a woman 40+ who's done waiting, I help you turn intention into “I'm going,” with confidence, calm and choice.
Why not just a travel agent?
- Agency sells; coaching empowers. You keep control of every decision while I guide mindset, clarity and trade-offs.
- Outcomes over itineraries. We start with what you want to feel or change, then make the trip serve that.
- Skills for life. You learn how to choose, plan and travel well for every trip, not just this one.
Why Mkay?
- Designed for women. Safety, comfort and budget-smart choices, without losing the joy.
- Evidence-backed support. Gentle accountability, practical tools and clear next steps.
- Real-world depth. An ICF-certified coach, with 100 countries on a Kenyan passport distilled into simple, doable guidance.
Why now?
Because “one day” keeps moving. Your energy, curiosity and priorities are ready now, and the right trip can change how you feel about the next decade.
One 30-minute call, $10
- A clear plan: place, time, budget
- Your biggest fears, untangled
- 3 to 5 actions for the next 30 days
Myth vs. Reality: What Travel Coaching Actually Does
Agents sell trips. Coaches build choices and confidence.
You keep control. We coach choices.
Clarity, mindset and smart trade-offs, so the trip serves your why.
Smart trade-offs win.
Spend where comfort matters, save where it doesn't.
Safety is a skill and a routine.
Neighborhoods, timing and check-ins: simple steps that work.
You need a plan you trust.
Small steps, clear options, gentle support.
Pre-Flight Journey
Clear these and you're ready to go
Every trip that actually happens passes three simple checks. Clear these with me and text your friends, “I'm going to ____.”
-
Check 01 of 03FromWhat ifToA calm plan
Clarity & Courage
Replace what-ifs with a calm plan: destination, dates, budget, baseline safety.
You'll leave withyour why, a simple route, and two next actions.
-
Check 02 of 03FromA calm planToBooked
Plan Like a Pro
Step-by-step bookings, visas, timing, and a carry-on-friendly packing list.
You'll leave withthe right order of tasks, key links, and money-saving trade-offs.
-
Check 03 of 03FromBookedToI'm going
Travel Your Way
Solo or with friends, luxe or lean, with support that fits how you want to travel.
You'll leave withpersonal safety routines, a first-day plan, and confidence.
Client stories
In their own words
Real clients, on my 2026 webinars. Press play, or choose a story.
“…independent travel does not mean unsupported travel. It means being better prepared.”Catherine, Coached with her family
Work with me
Four ways to work with me
Start with one 30-minute call, join my six-week group bootcamp, or work one to one with me on Travel Lifestyle Mapping. Everything happens online, and you keep the skills for every trip after this one.
Check all the optionsListen to My Podcast Conversations
Six shows where I talk travel, confidence and midlife
Thrive After 45 · 8 Oct 2026
Go, Then Decide with Maria Kamau
Hosted by Denise Drinkwalter
Moving Through Menopause · 11 Aug 2026
Solo Travel for Women Over 40: How to Travel Safely and Confidently in Midlife
Hosted by Phillipa Butler, The Menopause Physio
Podcast da Bitonga Travel · 17 Jun 2026
Episode 206: Maria Kamau, Namibia
Hosted by Dani Romão and Rebecca Aletheia
Women Making Waves · 20 May 2026
Ep 146: Deserve or Desire? With Maria Kamau
Hosted by Tyler Skinner · Mishaps, Magic & Mayhem
Midlife Butterfly · 15 Apr 2026
#67: Traveling Alone Isn't Selfish. Staying Home to Please Everyone Else Is Self-Abandonment
Hosted by Kena Siu
Travel Tales with Mike Siegel · 5 Mar 2026
Maria Kamau: Kenyan Travel Coach Inspiring Women to Explore
Hosted by Mike Siegel
Free download
Stop Overthinking. Start Packing.
My free Pre-Trip Confidence Checklist is a quick, honest check-in: are you mentally, emotionally and practically ready to travel? And if not yet, where do you begin? Join 500+ women who have already downloaded it.
- Mindset prompts to remind you that you deserve this
- Soft check-ins on fear, guilt, and readiness
- Essentials: docs, safety, budget and contacts
Want the Power-Packing Guide too? Get the full travel kit
Free Pre-Trip Confidence Checklist for Women 40+
“Am I really ready to travel?” Find out in a few honest ticks.
Thank you!
Your Pre-Trip Confidence Checklist is on its way to your inbox. Please check your email in the next few minutes (and peek in spam or promotions, just in case). 💛
100
countries. One ordinary Kenyan passport.
My first trip abroad was a school exchange to Germany in 1989. Thirty-seven years, five continents and 39 African countries later, São Tomé and Príncipe became country 100. No lottery win, no sponsor, just planning, done over and over.
Hover over any number for a sneak peek of where and when I went. On your phone, tap the dot.
Swipe the map sideways
Kenya, home
Countries visited
São Tomé and Príncipe, country 100
Still on the list
See all 100 countries in the order I reached them
- 001KenyahomeHome. All 47 counties, the summit of Mount Kenya and a balloon safari over the Maasai Mara · story
- 002Germany1989A school trip in 1989, my first time abroad
- 003Uganda1995White-water rafting on the Nile at Jinja
- 004Tanzania1996Summited Kilimanjaro, 5,895 m (2012)
- 005Ethiopia2000Addis Ababa, more than a stopover · story
- 006South Africa2000Cape Town, Robben Island and a hike up Table Mountain · story
- 007Mozambique2003
- 008Namibia2004A hot-air balloon for my 50th birthday and a skydive over the Namib Desert
- 009United Arab Emirates2004
- 010Syria2004Damascus, by shared taxi from Amman for a conference
- 011Jordan2004Amman
- 012India2005
- 013Egypt2006Cairo, the pyramids of Giza and the temples
- 014Rwanda2007
- 015United States2007A road trip from Boston to Los Angeles, Washington DC, Mount Rushmore, Niagara Falls and the Grand Canyon · story
- 016Somalia2008
- 017Comoros2009
- 018Djibouti2009
- 019Canada2011
- 020United Kingdom2013Stonehenge · story
- 021France2013Paris and the Arc de Triomphe · story
- 022Slovakia2013Bratislava, a random pick that won me over · story
- 023Austria2013
- 024Hungary2013
- 025Czechia2013
- 026Belgium2013
- 027Luxembourg2013
- 028Italy2013
- 029Holy See (Vatican City)2013
- 030Cambodia2013Angkor Wat, Siem Reap · story
- 031Malaysia2013Tagged along on my sister's conference trip · story
- 032Singapore2013
- 033Netherlands2014
- 034Greece2014
- 035Turkey2014Istanbul · story
- 036Denmark2015
- 037Norway2015
- 038Sweden2015
- 039Russia2015St Petersburg, on a seven-country Baltic Sea trip with my sister · story
- 040Estonia2015Tallinn, by overnight bus from St Petersburg
- 041Finland2015
- 042Latvia2015
- 043Madagascar2016
- 044Malawi2016
- 045Zambia2016Bungee jump at Victoria Falls and rafting on the Zambezi
- 046Zimbabwe2016
- 047Lesotho2017Snow in Africa's coldest country · story
- 048Eswatini2017Africa's last absolute monarchy · story
- 049Thailand2017Bangkok and the Damnoen Saduak floating market · story
- 050Laos2017Vientiane and the COPE centre · story
- 051Oman2017
- 052South Sudan2018
- 053Ghana2018
- 054Morocco2019Marrakesh and the Ourika Valley · story
- 055Mauritius2019Trois Mamelles · story
- 056Senegal2019
- 057Gambia2019
- 058Seychelles2020
- 059Nigeria2022
- 060Burundi2022The southernmost source of the Nile · story
- 061Democratic Republic of the Congo2023
- 062Cameroon2023Invited by a Cameroonian friend, after a visa process worth a story of its own
- 063Botswana2023Gaborone
- 064Qatar2023One day in Doha · story
- 065Japan2023
- 066Vietnam2023
- 067Indonesia2023Bali
- 068Philippines2023
- 069Sri Lanka2023
- 070Saudi Arabia2024Newly open to tourism · story
- 071Pakistan2024Islamabad and the northern mountains · story
- 072Spain2024
- 073Andorra2024
- 074Portugal2024
- 075Croatia2024
- 076Liechtenstein2024
- 077Switzerland2024
- 078Slovenia2024
- 079Bosnia and Herzegovina2024Not the war-torn place I expected · story
- 080Serbia2024
- 081North Macedonia2024Skopje, lost after 8 pm · story
- 082Bulgaria2024
- 083Romania2024
- 084Togo2024
- 085Benin2024Cotonou
- 086Côte d’Ivoire2024
- 087Australia2024Sydney
- 088New Zealand2024A 28-page visa application, and worth every page
- 089Samoa2024
- 090Fiji2024
- 091Vanuatu2024My passport was stamped in seconds
- 092China2025Beijing
- 093South Korea2025
- 094Mongolia2025Near Ulaanbaatar
- 095Sierra Leone2025
- 096Guinea2025
- 097Congo2026Brazzaville, country 97 · story
- 098Equatorial Guinea2026
- 099Gabon2026Country 99 · story
- 100São Tomé and Príncipe2026Country 100, under Pico Cão Grande · story
Latest from the blog
New guides, costs and routes, updated as things change on the ground.
South Africa
24 September 2026Cape Town for Kenyan Travelers (2026): Visa-Free Entry Rules, Flights, Costs and a 5-Day Itinerary
Read the guide →
Kenya
23 September 2026Mombasa Old Town Walk (2026): A Self-Guided Route Through 500 Years of History, Food and Culture
Read the guide →
Midlife travel
22 September 2026Traveling at 40+: Why Your Best Adventures Are Ahead (and How to Start This Year)
Read the guide →Questions
Before you book
Still unsure? Start with a 30-minute call. It's the quickest way to find out if coaching is right for you.
What does a travel coach do?
A travel coach helps you get clear on why you want to travel and what kind of trip you really need, then helps you plan it: destination, dates, budget, visas, flights and safety. You make the decisions and you do the booking, with my checks. The goal is that you can plan the next trip without me.
Is a travel coach the same as a travel agent?
No. A travel agent sells travel and books it for you, usually from packages. I don't sell packages and I don't book for you. I coach you through the decisions, and you book it yourself with the same tools and checks I have used across 100 countries.
Who do you coach?
Mostly African women over 40 who are done waiting to travel. I also coach families, couples and experienced travelers who want a better system. Clients join from Kenya, from across Africa (South Africa and Chad among them) and from all over the world, including the US and Europe.
Can you help with visas on an African passport?
Yes. Visa rules are one of the most common reasons trips stall. I show you how to check current rules from official sources, which countries are visa-free or e-visa for your passport, and how to prepare a strong application. Nobody can honestly guarantee a visa decision, and I won't pretend to.
How do sessions work?
Everything happens online. Choose a call or the bootcamp, pay securely by card or M-Pesa, then pick a time on my calendar. After a call you get a short written summary and a list of resources.
What if I have never traveled abroad?
That's exactly where many of my clients start. My own first trip abroad was a school exchange in 1989. We begin with what you want to feel, choose an easy first destination, and build your confidence one step at a time.
From dreaming to doing, ready to say “I'm going to …”?
Not ready for a call? Get my free travel kit.