In Kenya you can experience the true African wilderness areas with a great number of large animals and versatile landscape from snow-capped mountains, tropical forests, and savannas to beaches, lakes, waterfalls, and deserts. The national parks of Kenya are world famous, offering popular wildlife safaris. In the authentic Kenyan towns and villages you can get in touch with the traditional African way of life. In addition, Kenya also boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
Coastal resorts. Mombasa is Kenya’s second largest city and an exotic sea port with beautiful white-sand beaches. Mombasa is actually an island, but bridges ad ferries connect it to the mainland. A jewel of the Kenya coast, Lamu archipelago is home to unique Swahili culture and architecture. Lamu has also powdery white beaches and rich underwater world with corals and tropical fish ideal for snorkeling and diving.
Famous safari destinations. Besides lively cities and white beaches, Kenya is home to popular parks and reserves teeming with famous East African wildlife: lions, elephants, zebras, giraffes and more. One of the most popular of them, Masai Mara is a large game reserve in southwestern Kenya where you can experience the versatile East African nature and see a great variety of animals. The reserve is named after the Masai people, the original inhabitants of the area, and the Mara River. Located in Central Kenya, Lake Nakuru National Park is a birdwatcher’s paradise, home to a large population of flamingos and hundreds of other species of birds. Spectacular wildlife, including rhinos, lions, giraffes and leopards, can also be admired on the shores of this shallow alkaline lake. Other popular Kenyan safari destinations include Amboseli, Aberdare and Tarangire National Parks, the vast Tsavo area and Mount Kenya that offers also trekking and mountaineering.
How to get there. The easiest way to travel to Kenya is by air. There are three international airports in Kenya and several international airlines fly to the country. Railroad network in Kenya is poor, but there are bus connections from the neighboring countries and even some boat connections to Kenya via Lake Victoria.
Modern capital, exotic coastal towns and national parks in Kenya
Nairobi has grown from a colonial frontier town to Kenya’s modern capital and country’s largest city with some 4 million inhabitants. The city that never sleeps, Nairobi is a great mixture of new and old and has a lot to offer for visitors, such as museums, markets and Nairobi National Park just outside the city.Coastal resorts. Mombasa is Kenya’s second largest city and an exotic sea port with beautiful white-sand beaches. Mombasa is actually an island, but bridges ad ferries connect it to the mainland. A jewel of the Kenya coast, Lamu archipelago is home to unique Swahili culture and architecture. Lamu has also powdery white beaches and rich underwater world with corals and tropical fish ideal for snorkeling and diving.
Famous safari destinations. Besides lively cities and white beaches, Kenya is home to popular parks and reserves teeming with famous East African wildlife: lions, elephants, zebras, giraffes and more. One of the most popular of them, Masai Mara is a large game reserve in southwestern Kenya where you can experience the versatile East African nature and see a great variety of animals. The reserve is named after the Masai people, the original inhabitants of the area, and the Mara River. Located in Central Kenya, Lake Nakuru National Park is a birdwatcher’s paradise, home to a large population of flamingos and hundreds of other species of birds. Spectacular wildlife, including rhinos, lions, giraffes and leopards, can also be admired on the shores of this shallow alkaline lake. Other popular Kenyan safari destinations include Amboseli, Aberdare and Tarangire National Parks, the vast Tsavo area and Mount Kenya that offers also trekking and mountaineering.
Practical information for your trip to Kenya
Kenya lies along the East Coast of Africa by the Indian Ocean. The climate in Kenya varies remarkably from region to region: it is hot and humid on the coast, dry in inland and very dry in the north and northeast. The weather in higher inland areas is cooler than in the coastal and Rift Valley lowlands. Kenya has a rainy season between March and May, and another smaller one between October and November. Best times to visit Kenya are the Northern Hemisphere winter and summer months.How to get there. The easiest way to travel to Kenya is by air. There are three international airports in Kenya and several international airlines fly to the country. Railroad network in Kenya is poor, but there are bus connections from the neighboring countries and even some boat connections to Kenya via Lake Victoria.
Photo: Pablo, used under Creative Commons License (BY SA 3.0)
Getting around. The most popular form of transport in Kenya is with a safari group. Kenya has a quite good network of long distance buses, but traveling is quite slow due to the traffic jams, security checks, and bumpy and dusty highways where speed is limited to 80km/h. Local transport in Kenya is handled by minibuses called matatus and taxis.
Safety. Kenya is an English-speaking country that is fairly safe to visit. Travelling daytime is recommended due to possible traffic accidents and carjacking after dark. It is preferable to avoid walking after dark in Nairobi, and even in daytime you should avoid walking alone. Mugging and pick-pocketing are common in the crowded streets of Nairobi. When travelling to the North near to the border areas, there is a risk of armed robberies and abductions. Political conflicts may also occur in Kenya, so monitor the news before and during your visit.
History and culture of Kenya
The first inhabitants of Kenya came from northern Africa around 2,000 BC. Kenya's long coast has been an important center of trade throughout the history. The country was later discovered by Arab traders. In the 8th century Kenya was invaded by Arabs and Persians. The first Europeans, the Portuguese, came to Kenya in the 15th century. The coast of Kenya was later occupied by the Germans and the British in the late 19th century. Kenya was given internal self-government in 1963 and a year later, in 1964 The Republic of Kenya achieved total independence from British Colonial rule.The Kenyan society is a mixture of traditional lifestyles and a modern culture. Although Kenya is a growing economy it still remains a developing country. The country has a great variety of ethnic groups but the Kenyan people are still very proud of their nation.
hint See also these nearby destinations: Lake Nakuru National Park
