Posted by For many people, Kenya is East Africa in a microcosm with many attractions. Wildlife safaris have been the top vacationer points of interest in Kenya for many years whereas different activities embody trekking Mount Kenya, ballooning over the Masai Mara, and snorkeling in Malindi on the Indian Ocean coast.
Kenya Tourist attractions
Topographically, Kenya is gorgeous. Surrounded by calderas and mountain ranges, the Great Rift Valley divides the nation. To the east of this sweeping valley, you may climb the snow-cloaked equatorial peaks of Mount Kenya and fish for trout in crystal-clear streams. Hell’s Gate National Park harbors obsidian caves and hisses with natural geysers and sizzling springs.
With an estimated 25,000 completely different species residing inside her borders, spectacular surroundings such because the Great African Rift Valley, and a complete plethora of accessible National Parks comprising fulfilling four-wheel drive experiences, Kenya is a safari adventurer’s dream. Here are Kenya’s top safari vacationer points of interest.
1. Maasai Mara National Reserve
The Masai Mara National Reserve is among the top vacationer points of interest in Kenya and the nation’s most popular game park. Each year the Masai Mara National Reserve is visited by thousands of vacationers who come right here to look at the distinctive population of games and the annual migration of zebra and wildebeest.
The “Great Migration” takes place each year from July to October when tens of millions of wildebeest and zebra migrate from the Serengeti in Tanzania, among other Kenya tourist attractions.
Maasai Mara National Reserve (additionally “Masai Mara”) is one of all Africa’s most opulent game reserves. Bordering Tanzania, the Mara is the northern extension of the Serengeti and kinds a wildlife hall between the 2 countries.
It’s named after the statuesque, red-cloaked Maasai people who live within the park and graze their animals right here, as they’ve achieved for hundreds of years. In their language, Mara means “mottled,” maybe a reference to the play of light and shadow from the acacia timber and cloud-studded skies on the huge grasslands.
The park is known for the Great Migration, when 1000’s of wildebeest, zebra, and Thomson’s gazelle travel to and from the Serengeti, from July by means of October.
In the Mara River, throngs of hippos and crocodiles lurk. The park can also be recognized for offering wonderful predator sightings, because of its comparatively giant populations of lion, cheetah, and leopard – particularly within the dry months from December by means of February.
Thanks to the park’s altitude, the climate right here is delicate and delicate year-round, Kenya tourist attractions.
2. Ol Pejeta Conservancy
About 200 kilometers north of Nairobi, close to Mount Kenya National Park, Ol Pejeta Conservancy is a primary place for close-up wildlife encounters.
Conservation and sustainability are key at this 90,000-acre non-public game reserve, the place you may view the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and buffalo), in addition to different animals corresponding to cheetah, hyenas, zebra, and hartebeest – all set towards the breathtaking backdrop of snowcapped Mount Kenya.
The Conservancy is maybe greatest recognized for its northern and southern white rhinos, together with Baraka, a blind black rhino, who fortunate visitors may need the prospect to feed.
You can view the wildlife on self-drive or guided excursions, and entry features a go-to to the chimpanzee sanctuary. Day visitors are welcome, and if you wish to prolong your wilderness journey, you may keep in a single day in lodging that ranges from bush camps and safari cottages to a captivating colonial ranch home.
3. Lake Nakuru National Park
Lake Nakuru is a really shallow lake in central Kenya. The lake’s abundance of algae attracts huge portions of lesser flamingos, typically more than one million directly.
Often known as the best bird spectacle on earth, the flamingos are one of all Kenya’s top points of interest. Sadly, in recent times the variety of flamingos at Lake Nakuru has been lowering, on account of environmental degradation and air pollution.
Lake Nakuru National Park, in Central Kenya, is known for its big flocks of pink flamingos. The birds throng on Lake Nakuru itself, one of many Rift Valley soda lakes that cover nearly a 3rd of the park’s area.
The park was established in 1961, and more than 450 species of birds have been recorded right here, in addition to a wealthy variety of different wildlife.
Lions, leopards, warthogs, waterbucks, pythons, and white rhinos are simply among the animals you would possibly see, and the landscapes range from sweeping grasslands bordering the lake to rocky cliffs and woodland.
The park additionally protects the biggest euphorbia candelabrum forest in Africa. These tall, branching succulents are endemic to the area and supply a daring textural ingredient to the arid landscapes.
4. Lamu Island
Lamu Island is part of Kenya’s Lamu Archipelago and has managed to remain unspoiled and untouched by the mass tourism that has hit a lot of Kenya’s shoreline. As the oldest dwelling city in Kenya, Lamu Town has retained all of the appeal and character constructed over centuries.
There are not many roads on Lamu Island, simply alleyways and footpaths, and due to this fact, there are few motorized autos on the island. Residents move about on foot or by boat, and donkeys are used to move items and supplies.
The small island of Lamu, northeast of Mombasa, oozes old-world appeal. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Lamu Old Town is Kenya’s oldest frequently inhabited settlement, with origins relationship back to the twelfth century.
Strolling the labyrinthine streets is among the top issues to do right here. You can see the island’s wealthy buying and selling history mirrored within the buildings, Kenya’s tourist attractions.
Architectural options from the Arab world, Europe, and India are evident, but with a discernible Swahili approach. Intricately carved wood doorways, coral stone buildings, hidden courtyards, verandas, and rooftop patios are common options.
Sightseeing right here is like stepping back in time. Dhows plow the harbor, few if any motorized autos exist right here, and donkeys nonetheless rule the streets as they’ve achieved for hundreds of years. Most of Lamu’s population is Muslim, and each woman and man costume is in conventional apparel.
Top points of interest on the island embody Lamu Museum, with shows on Swahili culture and the area’s nautical history; Lamu Fort; and the Donkey Sanctuary.
If all of the history is a bit excessive amount of, you may bask on one of many island’s white-sand seashores or sip Arabic coffee in an area café.
5. Mount Kenya National Park
In the Central Highlands, east of the Great Rift Valley, Mount Kenya National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that gives the uncommon spectacle of equatorial snow. It encompasses the nation’s namesake highest mountain at 5,199 meters.
Formed by a collection of volcanic eruptions, Mount Kenya is definitely comprised of three glacier-cloaked peaks. The highest is Batian, though Nelion, the next highest, is a more durable climb. The lowest peak, Lenana, is taken into account as the simplest climb, though unpredictable climates can pose challenges.
Mount Kenya is the very best mountain in Kenya and the second-highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. The mountain presents a fantastic sight. Its collection of peaks is topped with snow, and its slopes are coated with forest.
The 5199 meters (17,057 ft) high summit is a tough technical climb, a number of lowers peaks nevertheless are an easy vacation spot for any match trekker.
The variety of natural world offers rewarding alternatives for safaris. Among the wildlife right here, you might spot black and white colobus monkeys, buffalo, elephants, tree hyrax, leopards, and hyenas.
Planning to spend just a few days right here? Nestled within the foothills, the well-known Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club is a luxurious retreat with trout fishing, golf, and tennis.
6. Lake Naivasha
A haven for birders, Lake Naivasha lies on the highest level of the Great Rift Valley. More than 400 species of birds have been spotted right here, together with African fish eagles, jacanas, white-fronted bee-eaters, and several other species of kingfishers.
One of the best methods to view wildlife is by boat. Hippos slosh within the water, and giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, and eland graze around the perimeters of the lake. Keep a lookout for colobus monkeys within the canopies, too.
Near Lake Naivasha, the Crater Lake Game Sanctuary incorporates a wildlife-rich nature path, and Kenya attractions.
Just south of Lake Naivasha, the comparatively reasonably priced Hell’s Gate National Park protects all kinds of wildlife and presents wonderful climbing alternatives, with two extinct volcanoes and the red cliffs of Hell’s Gate Gorge.
On the southern shore of Lake Naivasha, you may pop in for a cup of tea at the Elsamere Conservation Centre, the previous home of the late Joy Adamson, writer of Born Free, and her husband George.
Note that Lake Naivasha has been recognized to shrink significantly in instances of maximum drought, and a flourishing floriculture trade within the area can also be impacting water ranges and quality. But the lake is often lush and energetic.
7. Amboseli National Reserve
Amboseli National Park is a comparatively small park situated near the Tanzania border on the foot of Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro.
The park is known for being one of the best places in Africa to get near free-ranging elephants. Other points of interest of the Amboseli National Park embody alternatives to satisfy the Maasai people and spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro.
The reserve is among the greatest locations in Africa to view giant herds of elephants up shut. Other wildlife generally spotted within the park contains huge cats, corresponding to lions and cheetahs, in addition to giraffes, impala, eland, waterbuck, gazelle, and more than 600 species of birds.
Nature lovers can explore 5 completely different habitats right here, starting from the dried-up bed of Lake Amboseli, wetlands with sulfur springs, savannah, and woodlands. Look for the native Maasai people who live within the area around the park.
8. Hell’s Gate National Park
Hell’s Gate National Park is a tiny park named after a slender break within the cliffs, as soon as a tributary of a prehistoric lake that fed early people within the Rift Valley.
It is exclusive amongst Kenya’s wildlife parks, as you’re allowed to stroll or cycle without a guide. There are dramatic surroundings, with steep cliffs, gorges, and basalt columns.
The national park is home to all kinds of wildlife, although many are few in quantity. Examples of little-seen wildlife embody lions, leopards, and cheetahs.
A sizzling spot for climbers, Hell’s Gate National Park is among the few parks in Kenya that permit tenting and allows you to explore on foot or bicycle.
Hell’s Gate presents wonderful climbing and climbing alternatives, with two extinct volcanoes; the red cliffs of Hell’s Gate Gorge; ObsidianCaves; and the pointed column of rock referred to as Fischer’s Tower, a former volcanic plug.
Geothermal options embody sizzling springs and natural geysers hissing steam by means of vents within the earth’s crust. The park additionally protects all kinds of wildlife, together with leopards, baboons, hartebeest, eland, ostriches, gazelles, and more than 100 species of birds. Eagle and vulture breeding grounds additionally lie inside the park.
The Oloor Karia Maasai Cultural Centre inside the park can also be price a go-to, with Maasai singing, dancing, and jewelry-making demonstrations on Kenya tourist attractions.
Interestingly, Olkaria Geothermal Station lies inside Hell’s Gate National Park. It generates energy from heated, pressurized water underground and is the first of its sort in Africa and Kenya tourist attractions.
9. Tsavo National Park
Kenya’s largest park, Tsavo, is sliced in two: Tsavo West and Tsavo East. Together these parks comprise 4 p.c of the nation’s total area and embody rivers, waterfalls, savannah, volcanic hills, an enormous lava-rock plateau, and a powerful variety of wildlife.
Tsavo is the biggest national park in Kenya and one of many largest on this planet. Due to its size, the park was divided into Tsavo West and Tsavo East.
The Tsavo West has spectacular surroundings with a rolling volcanic panorama whereas Tsavo East has more open savannah than its western sibling. Tsavo National Park is the perfect vacation spot in Kenya for people who search for solitude and privacy in addition to the prospect to explore the wilderness.
Midway between Nairobi and Mombasa, Tsavo East is known for photo-worthy sightings of huge elephant herds rolling and bathing in red mud. The palm-fringed Galana River twists by means of the park, offering wonderful game viewing and a lush counterpoint to the arid plains.
Other highlights right here embody the Yatta Plateau, the world’s longest lava circulate; Mudanda Rock; and the Lugard Falls, which spill into rapids and crocodile-filled pools.
Tsavo West is wetter and topographically more diverse, with among the most lovely surroundings within the northern reaches of the park. Highlights listed here are Mzima Springs, a collection of natural springs with giant populations of hippos and crocodiles; Chaimu Crater, a great spot for seeing birds of prey; and Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary.
Wildlife will not be as easy to see in Tsavo West due to the denser vegetation, however, the lovely surroundings more than compensate for Kenya’s tourist attractions.
10. Nairobi National Park
Nairobi National Park is only a 10 minutes drive from the center of Nairobi with solely a fence separating the park’s wildlife from the metropolis. Nairobi’s skyscrapers will be seen from the park.
Despite its proximity to the city and the relatively small size of the park, Nairobi National Park boasts a big and diverse wildlife population. Migrating wildebeest and zebra collect within the park through the dry season, and it’s one of all Kenya’s most profitable rhinoceros sanctuaries.
Visiting this wildlife-rich park is among the top issues to do in the event you’re staying in Nairobi, and it makes a rewarding day journey – particularly if you cannot make it to one of many bigger game reserves as well as Kenya tourist attractions.
All the traditional safari stars right here, together with buffalo, leopard, zebras, wildebeest, hippos, elephants, and cheetahs, and you may as well see among the planet’s most endangered species on the park’s rhino sanctuary.
The Nairobi Safari Walk offers a rewarding alternative to spot wildlife on foot, and birders shall be completely satisfied to know that more than 400 species of birds additionally inhabit the park, together with the gorgeous gray-topped crane.
And no go to the park can be full without popping into the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Nursery on the park’s most important gates. Also save time to pop into Giraffe Centre, close to the well-known Giraffe Manor, the place these long-necked beauties eat right out of your fingers. Official site
11. Malindi
North of Mombasa on the Kenyan coast, Malindi has a cut-up personality. This popular seashore city is a component historic old city, half modern vacation hub. Thanks to its wealthy buying and selling history, additionally it is a melting pot of cultures and cuisines.
Malindi offers a really good introduction to the coastal vacationer points of interest in Kenya with its intensive coral reefs and exquisite seashores.
There are browsing, snorkeling, deep-sea fishing, and different water sports activities. The Malindi Marine National Park is protected and has tremendous seashores clear water and really colorful fish. Malindi is served by a home airport and a freeway between Mombasa and Lamu.
You may also absorb a dose of Swahili history within the historic city, which dates from the twelfth century. Here, you may go to the Jami Mosque; two pillar tombs from the 14th century; and the Church of St. Francis Xavier, one of all East Africa’s oldest church buildings.
On the promontory, the Vasco De Gama Cross is among the oldest standing monuments in Africa.
Another popular vacation attraction is the Falconry of Kenya, a rehabilitation center for sick and injured birds in Kenya tourist attractions.
Also price visiting, about 30 kilometers northeast of Malindi is the Marafa Depression. Also known as Hell’s Kitchen or Nyari this set of sandstone gorges sculpted by the wind and rain is sort of a mini Grand Canyon.
12. David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Nursery
Who can resist a child elephant? At the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, you may mingle with impossibly cute child pachyderms and be ok with supporting a necessary conservation organization at the same time.
This well-known wildlife sanctuary rescues and rehabilitates orphaned elephants and presents you the prospect to see these lovable creatures up shut. This is the place the youngest elephants are hand-reared till about two or three years of age, and you’ll watch the keepers bottle-feed the infants.
From the sanctuary, employees relocate the elephants to a reintegration center in Tsavo East National Park before they’re finally launched back into the wild.
Watching these playful pint-sized pachyderms wallow in the mud or nudge a soccer ball around is one thing you’ll always remember. If you wish to do more to assist these magnificent animals, contemplate adopting an orphaned elephant, giraffe, or rhino before you go, and you may obtain regular updates on its progress.
Conveniently, the nursery sits right on the most important gates of Nairobi National Park, so you may go to each of those well-known travel points of interest within the same day, with Kenya tourist attractions.
13. Mombasa
Mombasa is a multicultural vacationer magnet. It’s additionally Kenya’s second-largest city and largest port. British, Portuguese, Arab, Indian, and Asian immigrants add to the wealthy cultural combine, and their effect is clear within the structure, in addition to the many several types of delicacies.
Mombasa is definitely an island linked to its mushrooming improvement on the mainland by a causeway, bridges, and ferries. Coral reefs fringe the coast for 480 kilometers, offering incredible snorkeling and diving alternatives, particularly at Mombasa Marine National Park and around Wasini Island. Dolphin watching and deep-sea fishing are additionally popular issues to do in Mombasa.
You’ll discover loads of vacationer points of interest alongside the Kenyan coast right here. History buffs will get pleasure from exploring the Sixteenth-century Fort Jesus and Old Town with its slender streets, ancient Swahili dwellings, markets, and memento retailers.
Other Mombasa vacationer points of interest cram the city’s north shore, together with Mombasa Go-Kart, cinemas, sports activities, and a cornucopia of eating places.
This being a coastal hub, seashore lovers will discover some worthy strands close by. North of the city, Nyali, and Bamburi Beaches are favorites, whereas the white strands of Shelly, Tiwi, and Diani beaches are popular spots south of Mombasa.
14. Samburu, Buffalo Springs, and Shaba National Reserves
On the banks of the palm-lined Ewaso Nyiro River, Samburu, Buffalo Springs, and Shaba Reserves lie in an arid area within the distant north of Kenya.
Shaba National Reserve is one of all two areas the place George and Joy Adamson raised Elsa the lioness, made well-known within the film Born Free for the Kenya tourist attractions.
Samburu National Reserve is a really peaceable national park in Northern Kenya. It attracts wildlife due to the Uaso Nyiro River that runs by means of it and the combination of forest and grassland vegetation.
All three huge cats, lion, cheetah, and leopard, will be discovered right here, in addition to elephants, buffalo, and hippos. The Uaso Nyiro River incorporates giant numbers of Nile crocodiles.
The wildlife in all three reserves depends upon the waters of the river to outlive them, and many species are specifically tailored to the parched circumstances. These embody Grevy’s zebras; Somali ostriches; and gerenuks, the long-necked antelope that stand on two rear legs to achieve the contemporary shoots on higher tree limbs.
A top attraction in Samburu National Reserve is the Sarara Singing Wells, native watering holes the place Samburu warriors sing conventional songs while hauling water for their cattle to drink. You may additionally be rewarded with sightings of huge cats and wild dogs.
15. Nairobi
If you are on the lookout for issues to do in Kenya aside from a safari, you may have loads of decisions within the nation’s capital and largest city. Nairobi is known for its colorful colonial history.
It was as soon as the capital of British East Africa, luring settlers who got here right here to stake their fortune within the coffee and tea industries. Today, you may explore the city’s well-known historic sites and wonderful wildlife-related points of interest.
Craving some cultural points of interest in Kenya? You’ll discover a number of worthwhile locations to go to in Nairobi. The Nairobi National Museum is a great one-stop spot to see displays of Kenya’s history, nature, culture, and modern artwork. Green thumbs may also benefit from the botanic gardens on the grounds.
Another popular vacationer attraction is the Karen Blixen Museum, the restored residence of the well-known Danish writer of the book Out of Africa, additionally recognized by her pen name, Isak Dinesen.
To see wildlife without venturing removed from the city center, go to Nairobi National Park, now a black rhino sanctuary and likewise home to a variety of different African wildlife as well as Kenya tourist attractions.
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