Best Places to Visit in Kenya
Kenya is a country in East Africa with coastline on the Indian Ocean. It encompasses Savannah, lake lands, and the dramatic Great Rift Valley and mountain highlands. It’s also home to wildlife like lions, elephants and rhinos. From Nairobi, the capital, safaris visit the Maasai Mara Reserve, known for its annual wildebeest migrations, and Amboseli National Park, offering views of Tanzania’s 5,895m Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Maasai Mara National Reserve is an area of preserved Savannah wilderness in southwestern Kenya, along the Tanzanian border. Its animals include lions, cheetahs, elephants, zebras and hippos. Wildebeest traverse its plains during their annual migration. The landscape has grassy plains and rolling hills, and is crossed by the Mara and Talek rivers. The area nearby is dotted with villages (enkangs) of Maasai people.
Nairobi is Kenya’s capital city. 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 safaris in Kenya or elsewhere in this country.
In the city center, towers like the cylindrical KICC, home to the convention center, rise near attractions like the Nairobi National Museum, devoted to Kenyan art, artifacts, wildlife and early hominids. In upscale suburban Langata, the Giraffe Centre sanctuary features a hand-feeding platform.
The Karen Blixen Museum, in the “Out of Africa” author’s preserved colonial home, stands on the former farm that’s now an affluent suburb called Karen. The Bomas of Kenya cultural center, with huts representing Kenya’s major ethnic groups, offers a look at traditional tribal life. Tribal arts and crafts are sold at the roving Maasai Market.
Rift Valley is a lowland that is lineal shaped. It lies between a number of mountain ranges or the highlands that were created as a result of the geologic fault or rift. Rift Valley is a crustal extension that goes apart of the main surface. The valley is consequently deepened by the forces of erosion. When the environmental forces were robust enough to cause the splitting apart of the plates, a center block caused a depression between the two blocks at the flanks which lead to the formation of a graben. This very feature is the commencement of the rift valley however as the process of formation continues the valley widens until it finally becomes a vast basin that is brimming with the sediments from the surrounding regions and the rift walls.
Tsavo is an attractive city in Kenya that is located over the River Tsavo. It passes through crossing of the Uganda. It is also close to where it unites with the River Athi. In the language of Kamba people (locals of Kenya), Tsavo means ‘slaughter’ or killing. In the 19th century, British finally put an end to the slave trade.
Post which Tsavo was persistently crossed by the Arab slavers along with their captives. Majorly known for its Tsavo National Park which is actually two national parks – Tsavo West and Tsavo East both located nearby. Besides this, there are other attractions too that make Tsavo a prominent city of Kenya.
If you are in Kenya or in any other country of Africa and are up for some exploration, you definitely must plan a visit to Tsavo. Nightlife may not be very good here but the resorts, hotels, wildlife and the beaches of the Tsavo will surely keep you engaged. You can also indulge yourself in some of the most prominent water sports here. Some of the adventure activities that you can indulge yourself in include diving, swimming and snorkeling.
Tsavo East National Park is not only one of the oldest parks but it also among the largest ones in the country. Most tourists visit Kenya for its wildlife and visiting the Tsavo East National Park must definitely be in your travel itinerary. The major attractions of the National Park include the Mudanda Rock which is 1.6 km of stratified rock.
You can also spot various elephants and other wildlife animals from this point. Other attractions include the Yatta Plateau, Lugard falls, Aruba Dam and much more. The park is very close to the town of Voi in the Taita Taveta County in Kenya. The Timings for the National Park are from 8 in the morning to 5 in the evening. If you are planning a trip, make your schedule accordingly/
Mombasa
This is a beautiful inlet in the giant Indian Ocean with a vast variety of tropical vegetation as well as a few tiny marinas. Extremely popular for birds watching, angling as well as mountain biking this place is a delight for all the activity lovers out there. Mtwapa is not just popular for activities it also offers varying clubs and fun-filled nightlife to the people around. Mombasa also offers a wide range of wildlife well accommodated within the huge national parks that this city is home to. One such example is Shimba Hills which is packed with lush green vegetation. Other major attractions of Mombasa are Mwaluganje forest, elephant habitat, the waterfall as well as the stocks of antelopes. The African fabrics found in Mombasa as well as, the Mombasa sandals, are worth a purchase. You can also experience Go – Karting in Mombasa along with the other activities. Mombasa accounts for one of the best travel destinations for all age groups.
Lake Nakuru is one of the Rift Valley soda lakes which comprises of almost one third of the Lake Nakuru National Park area. The park here was established in the year 1961 and houses more than 450 species of birds that live here. It also has a rich wildlife diversity. Some of the animals that can regularly be seen near the lake include the warthogs, lions, pythons, water bucks, leopards and white rhinos. The landscape here elevates from the rocky cliffs to the sweeping grasslands and the woodlands.
Amboseli National Reserve is one of Kenya’s most popular tourist parks. The name “Amboseli” comes from a Maasai word meaning “salty dust,” an apt description for the park’s parched conditions. The reserve is one of the best places in Africa to view large herds of elephants up close. Other wildlife commonly spotted in the park includes big cats, such as lion and cheetah, as well as giraffe, impala, eland, water buck, gazelle, and more than 600 species of birds. Nature lovers can explore five different habitats here, ranging from the dried-up bed of Lake Amboseli, wetlands with sulfur springs, Savannah, and woodlands. Look for the local Maasai people who live in the area around the park.
Lake Naivasha lies at the highest point of the Great Rift Valley and has been known to shrink considerably in times of extreme drought. A flourishing flori-culture industry in the area is also impacting water levels and quality. One of the best ways to view the wildlife is by boat. More than 400 species of birds have been spotted here, including African fish eagles. Hippos slosh in the water, and giraffes, zebra, buffalo, and eland graze around the edges of the lake. Keep a lookout for colobus monkeys in the canopies, too.
Malindi is a beach resort popular with European visitors. Thanks to its rich trading history, it is also a melting pot of cultures and cuisines, with a split personality. Part historic old town, part modern tourist hub, Malindi is where travelers come to sun on the white sands of Watamu Beach; dive the coral reefs of the Malindi and Watamu Marine National Parks; and soak up a dose of Swahili history in the historic town, dating from the 12th century. Here, you can visit the Jami Mosque; two pillar tombs from the 14th century; and the Church of St. Francis Xavier, one of East Africa’s oldest churches. On the promontory, the Vasco De Gama Cross is one of the oldest standing monuments in Africa.
Mount Kenya National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site encompassing the country’s namesake highest mountain at 5,199 meters and providing the rare sight of equatorial snow. Formed by a series of volcanic eruptions, Mount Kenya is actually comprised of three glacier-cloaked peaks. The highest is Batian, although Nelion, the next highest, is a tougher climb. The lowest peak, Lenana, is considered the easiest climb, although unpredictable weather can pose challenges.
