If you’re looking for an authentic African holiday experience, Kenya is the place for you. It’s a country full of diverse landscapes, unique cultures, unspoiled beaches, world-class hotels (like Giraffe Manor!), and unforgettable wildlife experiences on the Maasai Mara.It’s easily one of thefavourite corners of the world and one of the best destinations in Africa to go on safari.With endless plains that are full of wildlife, rolling hills, lush mountains, and a coastline that will leave you speechless, Kenya was made to explore!
Kenya is a country in Eastern Africa bordering the Indian Ocean and Lake Victoria. Neighbouring countries include Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Unique Kenyan physiography, from highlands to glaciers, supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value.Kenya is known for being the world's best safari destination, with 50 epic national parks and reserves that are home to diverse wildlife, including the Big Five – lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffalo.
Kenya is an undoubtedly gorgeous African country. Many dreams of tropical weather, white sandy beaches and lazy afternoons out in the sun enjoying a cold beer and looking out into an amazing landscape. Kenya is also well known for their conservancies and continued forces against poaching, illegal trading, deforestation, pollution and water shortage.
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Culture of Kenya
Kenyan culture is a way of life that blends tradition with modernity. Traditionally, most Kenyans will not engage in direct communication, but instead, use non-explicit techniques in passing over their intended message. However, the style of communication depends directly on the level of intimacy between each person.In traditional Kenyan cultures, people valued the institution of marriage, human life, morality, respect for people's property, and good leadership. This list is not exhaustive. There were many things that different cultures valued but which may not have been looked at in the same way by other cultures.
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Popular for
Safari Destination:
Kenya is known for being the world's best safari destination, with 50 epic national parks and reserves that are home to diverse wildlife, including the Big Five – lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffalo.
Wildebeest Migration:
The July to October period offers you an exciting opportunity to witness the Great Wildebeest Migration at the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. These magnificent mammals do this every year, crossing from the neighbouring Serengeti into the Maasai Mara and back. The crossing is one spectacular and awe-inspiring event where you watch nature at its best.
Mount Kenya
Mt. Kenya is Africa’s second-largest mountain after Mt. Kilimanjaro. The Kikuyu who live on its southern and western sides believe that their god, MweneNyaga (owner of the ostriches), chose it as his home after coming from heaven. They call it Kirima Kia Nyaga, the mountain of the ostrich, and revere it as a holy mountain. The Maasai, Embu, and Meru also have similar folklores, and all regard it as an integral part of their existence.Mt. Kenya is an important catchment, with River Tana and the EwasoNyiro, two of the country’s biggest rivers having it as their source.
Tea
Kenya is known for its tea production and is among the top four countries in the world.Among the most interesting habits of Kenyans is their love for tea, also called chai. You have not been properly welcomed in a Kenyan household if no one has offered you a cup of chai.Besides being a beverage, Kenyans have adopted tea as a euphemism for a bribe. It’s not uncommon to hear a cop asking for chai to let you get away with a minor infraction.
Flamingos
Kenya is also known for flamingos. Flamingos are quirky, large, pink-hued, non-migratory birds. They will usually be found resting on one foot, which has not been scientifically explained yet.They are populous in three of Kenya’s soda lakes namely Lake Elementaita, Lake Bogoria, and Lake Nakuru.You’ll want to visit Lake Elementaita, a little-known soda lake, for the best birding experience since that is the flamingos’ breeding ground. You might also get lucky and catch a glimpse of the Great White Pelican at this lake.
Ugali
Ugali is Kenya’s staple food. It is a meal predominantly made from maize flour, although in some places other cereals are incorporated in the preparation of the flour.Besides githeri, this is the most common meal in all Kenyan households. Ugali’s accompaniments vary from community to community although greens are usually more popular.The best ugali I know is accompanied by a side dish of the bitter nightshade vegetable popularly known as managu. Even better, managu and barbecued goat ribs, MbuziChoma.In some places, ugali is incomplete if there is no fermented milk, known as mala, or fish.
The Kenyan Coast
Kenya’s coast has three popular towns. Diani has the most popular beach resorts, Mombasa is known for its active nightlife, and Nyali is a residential part of Mombasa. The entire coast has beaches, both private and public ones. Diani has the best private beach, the Diani beach, while Mombasa has the most famous public beach, Kenyatta beach.
Giraffe Manor
Kenya is famous for the Giraffe Manor. This is a privately owned property whose main attraction is the resident Rothschild’s giraffes.It is located in the city’s suburbs at Langata. Visitors to the manor get an opportunity to have either breakfast or dinner with the giraffes, while the giraffes crane their long necks through the windows hoping for a treat.Few attractions on earth can beat the experience of taking breakfast with the world’s tallest mammal.
Nairobi National Park
Kenya is also known for Nairobi National Park. This is the only national park within a capital city in the world. It is smack in the middle of the central business district.This park is popular as the biggest black rhino and lion sanctuary in Kenya. It has been widely used as an example to prove that human beings and wildlife can coexist.Four hundred bird species have been discovered in this park alone.
Kitenge culture
Dowry negotiations, engagements, and weddings are big deal in Kenya. Kenyans will flock to the tailor’s, called a fundi, to get their African print fashioned into their catchy Kitenge attires. One picture taken of a man and a woman in their matching Kitenge wear is enough to tell who is dating who, or is engaged or married to whom.
What is exclusive about Kenya
Kenya is known as a top safari destination in the world. Its also famous for its wildebeest migration. Each year, more than one million wildebeest travel in a circular migration, following seasonal rains, across the Serengeti Plains. Their grazing and trampling of grass allow new grasses to grow, while their waste helps fertilize the soil. It is an annual movement by millions of wildebeest, accompanied by large numbers of zebra, Grant's gazelle, Thompson's gazelle, elands and impalas across the greater Masai Mara-Serengeti ecosystem.
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Things to do in Kenya
Summit Mt. Kenya
Rising to just over 17,000 feet (3,800 meters), Mount Kenya is the continent's second highest peak. But the summit trails are far less crowded than its snowy counterpart (Kilimanjaro) across the border in Tanzania. You'll likely have the mountain all to your own during a trek that normally spans five days from start to finish (with four overnights on the mountain). True to its name, Mount Kenya Safaris offers guided trips via any of the three main routes to the top.
Watch the Great Migration in Masai Mara
Arriving from the neighbouring Serengeti Plains, millions of wildebeest, antelope and zebra -- and the predators that follow them -- thunder through Masai Mara National Reserve between July and October during the Great Migration.
The spectacle can be viewed on game drives, airplane or hot-air balloon flights, walking or horseback safaris.
Soak up Sun, Sand and Sea at Diani
Stretching 11 miles (17 kilometers) along the south Kenya coast, Diani renders the best beach-going experience in all of East Africa.In addition to the powdery white sand and jade-colored waters protected by a coral reef, Diani offers a wide range of outdoor sports (kitesurfing, skydiving, snorkeling, jetskiing), trendy beachfront bars and restaurants, and hip surfside digs like chic Alfajiri Villas
Foster Orphaned Elephants
Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (+254 202 301 396), on the outskirts of Nairobi, has saved hundreds of baby elephants (and a blind rhino named Maxwell) from almost certain death since the sanctuary was founded in 1977 by conservation pioneers David and Dame Daphne Sheldrick. Baby elephant encounters -- and a chance to foster them -- offered daily.
Ride the New Nairobi – Mombassa Train
Dubbed the "Lunatic Express" when it first opened in 1901 -- because it seemed like such a crazy idea to build a railroad through the African bush -- the legendary line was totally modernized in 2017 with completion of a US$2.3-billion-dollar upgrade of both the tracks and passengers’ trains.The Madaraka Express makes the journey in 4.5 hours with daily 9 a.m. departures from both Nairobi and Mombasa.
Sail the Lamu Archipelago by dhow
A throwback to the golden age of Swahili culture, Lamu island on the north Kenya coast is one of the last great outposts of traditional dhows -- lateen-rigged sailing vessels that were once the main form of transport between East Africa, India and the Middle East.
Dance the Night awat at Nairobi
The capital city's staid colonial club scene has segued into a thriving modern nightlife world equal to any on the continent.The Westlands neighbourhood and nearby Waiyaki Way in the city's northwest offer numerous bars, clubs and cocktail lounges where a heady blend of locals, expats and visitors quaff (and dance) the night away.
Commune with Crocodiles in lake Turkana
One of Kenya's strangest places, Central Island National Park in the middle of far-away Lake Turkana hosts the world's largest colony of Nile crocodiles.As well as three active volcanoes, three blue-green crater lakes, black-sand beaches and a single campsite, the island flaunts a primordial, end-of-the-Earth atmosphere that seems little changed from 3.5 million years ago when our ancient ancestors called the region home.
Roam with Rhinos at Lewa
One of the great success stories of African rhino conservation, Lewa Conservancy (+254 730 127 000) in north-central Kenya has grown its black and white rhino population from just 15 in 1984 to more than 150 today.Through a combination of armed patrols, fencing, technology, intelligence and interaction with local communities, Lewa has virtually eliminated rhino poaching.
Scuba or Snorkel the Indian Ocean
Tucked down at the bottom end of the Kenya Coast, Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park provides a safe haven for whales, dolphins, sea turtles, more than 250 species of tropical fish, and 56 different types of coral.Scuba and snorkel trips are available from Diani, Tiwi and Shimoni. Best between August and March when the sea is smoother.
Watch nature's version of 'Pretty in Pink'
More than 240 bird species frequent Lake Nakaru in the Great Rift Valley. But the most photogenic are the pink flamingos that descend upon the lake in flocks that sometimes number one to two million birds.Rhino and lion are among the other denizens of the national park that surrounds the lake. Eight campsites and upscale Lake Nakuru Lodge provides luxury accommodation along the waterfront.
Get Licked by a Hungry Giraffe
A wooden observation platform brings you literally face-to-face with rare and endangered Rothschild's giraffes at the AFEW Giraffe Centre on the outskirts of Nairobi. Feeding them -- and getting licked by their long, black tongues -- is part of the adventure.
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Where to go in Kenya
Kenya is divided into eight provinces, namely, Nairobi (the capital city), Central, Coast, Eastern, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley and Western. In Kenya there are only four incorporated cities including the capital and largest city, Nairobi, the second largest and the coastal city of Mombasa, the third largest and inland port city of Kisumu and the newly elevated City of Nakuru.
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nairobi, which translates to "place of cool waters. In addition to its urban core, the city has Nairobi National Park, a large game reserve known for breeding endangered black rhinos and home to giraffes, zebras and lions. Next to it is a well-regarded elephant orphanage operated by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Nairobi is also often used as a jumping-off point for safari trips elsewhere in Kenya.
Mombassa
Mombasa is a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean. The town is known as "the white and blue city" in Kenya. Mombasa is famous for its beaches, world-class beach resorts, and it's historical significance. It is the most popular tourist destination in Kenya and is the second largest city in Kenya
Kisumu
Kisumu is a Kenyan port city on Lake Victoria. It’s known for lakeside viewpoints at Dunga Hill Camp and Hippo Point. The Kisumu Impala Sanctuary shelters herds of impalas and zebras. Its animal orphanage is home to wildlife like cheetahs and baboons. Kisumu is the second most important city after Kampala in greater Lake Victoria Basin. Kisumu has a number of tourist attractions such as the Kisumu Museum which contains pavilions with aquaria, terrarium, exhibits, a snake pit, weaponry, jewellery and farm tools of people of Nyanza"s province.
Nakuru
It is the fourth largest city in Kenya, behind Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu. Nakuru is a city in the Rift Valley region of Kenya. It is the capital of Nakuru County, and was formerly the capital of Rift Valley Province. It is a busy commercial and transport centre for west-central Kenya. Nearby attractions include Lake Nakuru National Park, known for its hundreds of species of birds, the Hyrax Hill prehistoric site, and the immense Menengai Crater.
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Top Hotels in Kenya
Kenya is popular for luxury safari camps and mid-range and luxury hotels and resorts. Some of the top accommodation options are given below;
Nairobi:
Some of the top hotels in Nairobi include Villa Rosa Kempinski, Hotel Fairmont Norfolk, Hemingways Nairobi, Palancia Residences & Suites, Tribe Hotel and Nairobi Serena Hotel.
Mombassa:
Hotel EnglishPoint, Sarova White Sands, Bamburi Beach Hotel, Serena Beach resort.
Kisumu:
Acadia Premier, The Grand Royal Swiss Hotel, Ciala Resort, Sovereign Hotel, Wigot Gardens.
Nakuru:
Sarova Woodlands Hotel & Spa, Lake Nakuru Lodge, The Midland Hotel, The Ole- Ken Hotel.
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Best time to go:
January and February is the best time to visit Kenya due to favourable weather and the animals can easily be spotted. If you want to witness the annual wild beast migration, then June to October is the right time. March to May is the heavy rainy season and one should avoid going there at that time.
