Kenya is one of the best safari destinations on the African continent. Located on the eastern part of the African continent with slightly over 500 km of coastline dotted with beautiful sandy beaches next to the Indian Ocean plus a sunny climate most of the year round. For travelers looking for both beach and wildlife a safari in Kenya is simply irresistible! This is a country of natural contrasts and diversity. You are guaranteed that you can travel from East to West and from North to South and each time you will find different and astounding natural attractions. You get to see, feel and experience nature at its best. From the wild African animals in the game reserves to the pink flamingos in the Rift Valley’s Lake Nakuru and the snow capped peaks of Mount Kenya as well as the marine national parks on the Indian Ocean coastline!
Discover Culture, Safaris, Animals, Beaches and more
Kenya is a land of magnificent animals, living in their natural habitat in the vast dry wilderness. This is the ideal place for a Safari and for Adventure seekers. You will meet face to face with the big cats, lions, leopards, cheetahs and more.
There are many fun things to do including Mountain climbing, hot air ballooning and visiting their great National parks and Animal reserves.
Safaris in Kenya offer some of the best big game viewing in the world, together with incredible scenery and rich African culture.
There are a wide variety of different experiences to choose from:
- Conventional jeep safaris
- Trekking holidays with game viewing included
- Walking safaris
- Horse riding safaris
- Helping with animal welfare projects
There are also many prime locations to choose from, each as unique and amazing as the next.
Why Kenya? – for an African Safari
- Wild animals and birds in their natural habitat including the Big 5 and the world famous wildebeest migration at the Masai Mara Game Reserve. Kenya has no less than 50 African safari parks to choose from.
- Unique snow capped mountains such as Mount Kenya featuring all year round snow at the Equator!
- Great Rift Valley with its fresh and salt water lakes, the geothermal springs at Olkaria and the breathtaking escarpments at Kerio Valley
- Beautiful white sandy beaches of our North and South Coasts including Diani, Mombasa, Malindi, Watamu and Lamu
- The ancient but well reserved towns of Mombasa Old Town and Lamu island
- The ultra modern conferencing facilites available at the KICC and several other locations for the business and professional travelers
- The beautifully done hotels, lodges and camping sites meant to cater for all sizes of wallets
- Ecosystems of plants, trees and animals of all varieties found in the forest Reserves of Kakamega and Arabuko Sokoke among others
- Various types of entertainment for all age groups
- Charming and friendly faces of the peoples in addition to their traditional African hospitality
- A wide variety of artifacts/souvenirs/collectibles are available for you to take home
- Beautifully manicured golf courses for both amateur and professional golfers
To crown it all, you can rest assured that the above is not all, taking an African safari in Kenya has much more to offer….
Where to Go on Safari in Kenya
So, which are the best areas?
The country divides easily into four main regions:
- The Southwest
- The Southeast
- The Central Highlands & the North
- The Coast
Between them they offer a huge diversity of different landscapes and some incredible geological features.
From the snow-capped peaks of Mt Kenya and Mt Kilimanjaro, through the Great Rift Valley, across parched desert and vast savanna, to lakes teeming with wildlife and a tropical coastline, Kenya’s diverse habitats support an amazing variety of wildlife.
To help you find your top spot for trips to Kenya we’ll look at each region in turn and pick out the highlights.
Masai Mara National Park
This is one of the best known wildlife reserves in the world, famous for its big cats and awe-inspiring annual wildebeest migration among many other wonders.
The Masai Mara Reserve is one of East Africa’s best known game viewing areas and adjoins the Serengeti Park of Tanzania, a land of undulating hills and rolling grasslands supporting a huge animal population.
When a casual visitor is treated to the sight of Lions in prides, sometimes numbering as many as thirty beasts with a handsome black-maned male in dominance. A Cheetah roaming the plains to run down its prey or a Leopard with its kill in the lower branches of the sausage tree. In the Mara River there are hundreds of hippos and some crocodiles sunning themselves on the banks. Elephant, Cape buffalo, giraffe, gazelles, topi antelope and during the months from July to September the wildebeest and zebra migrations overflow into the Masai Mara from Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.
Accommodation varies from simple lodges to luxury camps and ranch homesteads. Most lodges offer the opportunity to take a hot air balloon safari in the early mornings, every day of the year, weather permitting.
Aberdares National Park
The park is heavily forested and has big animals like elephant lion, rhino, black leopard and the beautiful but elusive bongo antelope.
This Park consists of high Alpine moorland and primeval forest. Rarely visited beyond the lower salient, many visitors stay at one of the two tree hotels, Treetops and the Ark. Both are situated in forest glades and overlooking water holes. Salt deposits lure the animals out from the forest and at dusk floodlights are switched on so that guests can view in comfort through the night.
Many species pass through with some sightings of the elusive leopard and the rare bongo antelope. Each forest lodge is served by its base hotel, Outspan Golf & Country Club and Aberdare Country Club. Both are delightful country hotels with facilities and outdoor activities.
Lamu Kenya
Enjoy the Idyllic life in Lamu.
Lamu, Kenya’s oldest town is an island comprising one town and three villages. It has retained its charm and character over the centuries.
Meru National Park
Visit Meru National Park, the home of famed conservationists George and Joy Adamson and a hub for Adventure. Meru is located in the Northern Frontier district of Kenya, is untamed Africa at its most alluring. The animals are shy, unused to their human counterparts and the landscape is wild. Accommodation is now available in Elsa’s Kopje named after Elsa, the orphaned lioness reared by Joy and Goerge Adamson who eventually returned her to the wild in Meru.
This park is singled out as the driest in the country with little rainfall although it is, in fact, criss-crossed with numerous rivers and streams running off nearby mountains. The landscape is blessed with dense ribbons of vegetation with magnificent stands of Baobab trees, and doum and raphia palms running though dry valleys.
Tsavo National Park
This huge Park is split in two by the main Nairobi/Mombasa highway and covers a total area of 2000 sq.kms. Once famous for its large herds of over 60,000 ‘red’ Elephants, so called due to the red murrum earth that they sprayed themselves with like talcum powder. Although these herds have recently been depleted due to poaching and drought, a strong drive by the Wildlife Services has brought peace to their lives and the populations are on the increase again. In Tsavo West are the Mzima Springs where hippo and crocodile can be viewed from the underwater hide. Further south, adjoining the park is the Taita Hills Sanctuary with its unique lodge at Salt Lick perched high on stilts of concrete overlooking water holes. Nearby is the luxury of Taita Hills Lodge.
Samburu National Park
There are three adjoining reserves situated in arid country north of Mt. Kenya, but watered by the Uaso Ngiro River and natural springs. Very scenic with craggy hills and everywhere the Doum palm trees following the water courses. Some unusual animal species can be found here: the Reticulated giraffe, beisa oryx, Grevy’s zebra and long-necked gerenuk. Leopard and crocodile can be seen most nights at the lodges where bait is set to attract them.
Mount Kenya
The Park was created around Africa’s second highest mountain. It is a favourite with trekkers and serious mountain climbers. The Forest and lower slopes abound with elephant, Cape Buffalo and fantastic bird life, as well as Giant Forest Hog. There is one ‘Tree-hotel’, Mountain Lodge, which is 165 kms from Nairobi. Further north is the famous Mount Kenya Safari Club set on the edge of the Forest leading to the lower slopes of the Mountain. On the huge Ol Pejeta Ranch there is the luxury Sweet-waters Tented Camp.
Kenya Beach
Kenya’s coast has beautiful beaches with warm blue waters, white sands and protective corals, ideal location for swimming and water sports.
The Southwest
The two areas you are most likely to visit are the Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru National Park.
Lake Nakuru National Park
A favorite for safaris in Kenya, this national park is most famous for its migrating flamingos, an amazing sight as they take to the air in their hundreds, forming vast pink clouds…
Check out individual trip details with the Adventure Travel Companies listed to the right and below.
The Southeast
This is another excellent region for safaris in Kenya. Dominated by the Amboseli and Tsavo National Parks, separated by the forested Chyulu Hills, there is plenty of prime game viewing to be had. The backdrop of mighty Mt Kilimanjaro is a significant added attraction.
Tsavo National Park
A real gem of a Park situated right at the foot of Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, which, at 5895 metres is an imposing attraction to the horizon. Elephants abound in the forest and swamps feeding on the lush grasses. Cheetah can be found on the salt flats. Giraffe wander through the forest whilst zebra and wildebeest feed on the open plains. The snow-capped dome of the peak of Kibo form a magnificent backdrop, making it a photographers’ paradise. Accommodation is in various camps and lodges.
The Central Highlands & the North
And still there’s more, with wonderful safaris to be had in a region that is also the country’s top trekking destination.
The areas you may already be familiar with are Laikipia Plateau and Meru National Park, both of which boast exceptional game viewing.
The Coast
While the coastal region does have a number of national parks and nature reserves, in addition to its fabulous beaches, the reason I highlight it on a page on wildlife is because of its offshore reefs teeming with tropical fish and other amazing sealife.
Not surprisingly, it is acknowledged as a world class snorkelling destination and many safaris in Kenya end with a few days on the coast.
If your favoured tour doesn’t, it is well worth considering an extension to enable you to enjoy this additional marvel of nature.
Where to Stay on Safari in Kenya
You will not be short of accommodation choices.
The option are: luxury and basic lodges, standard hotels, guest houses, chalets, mud huts, luxury and basic static camps and wilderness camping.
The type of accommodation you go for will have a significant impact on your holiday experience so should be given careful consideration.
On more adventurous trips wild camping is the norm but there is no better way to feel at one with this ancient land than sleeping under the stars in the African bush.
Choosing your Safari in Kenya
To help you find exactly what you are looking for I have categorized some of the Adventure Travel Companies listed below.
Many companies include safaris within more general exploration and discovery tours, and often cover more than one country in the course of a trip; a combination of Kenya and Tanzania being a good example of this.
Kenya is also included in many extended overland journeys across Africa (of up to 38 weeks duration), and game viewing is often a major feature of such trips.
There is certainly a huge variety of different holidays to choose from and the greatest challenge in your search may be narrowing the options down to just one.
