The East African country at the heart of Africa is well-known for various tourist attractions and breathtaking scenery. Kenya has gained worldwide recognition severally from athletes that have broken world records such as Kipchoge Keino, to being the ancestral home to the first-ever black US president. The sandy beaches and fascinating game drives are a pure delight. Formerly a British colony, Kenya is 58 years old and has achieved so many feats during that period, and has the strongest economy among the East African states.
Kenyans are a very patriotic lot and the majority of Kenyans don a popular beaded wristband with the Kenyan flag. Kenya is both an English and Swahili-speaking state and almost all citizens are bilingual. The country has several National Parks and other wonders of nature. However, some of the top things Kenya is most famous for include;
1.THE BIG FIVE.
Wildlife is one of Kenya’s biggest pride having Kenya being one of the leading tourist destinations in Africa. It is a fascinating thing to witness the Big Five on a game-drive. The Big Five is a term used to refer to the animals that early game hunters considered most difficult and dangerous to hunt on foot in Africa. Kenya is particularly famous for its abundance in the Big Five games which are the lion, the Leopard, the Rhinoceros, the Elephant, and the African Buffalo in the countless national parks, reserves, and conservancies in the country including the popular Masai Mara Game Reserve, Tsavo East National Park, Nairobi National Park, Samburu National Reserve, Ol Pejeta conservancy among others. Nothing beats having a sunrise view of the Mara and sighting the Big Five from the hot air balloon rides offered at the Game Reserve. You can be certain that an elephant being a few feet from you is as majestic and thrilling as it sounds.
2. THE WILDEBEEST MIGRATION.
The great wildebeest migration being one of the seven wonders of the world is a phenomenal and the most exciting natural wildlife experience that you should definitely not miss out on. Every year over 1 million wildebeest moves through the Northern Tanzanian Serengeti to Kenya through the Mara River. The Mara River is approximately 2-3 hours from the main gate. Now, most people think the wildebeest migration only involves wildebeest but it actually involves the zebras and gazelles totaling the animal species migrating to around 2 million. The predators who include hippos and crocodiles await the crossover with almost as much zest as the tourists. The most exciting part of witnessing this is that you get to see the ultimate life and death survival for the fittest spectacle as the animals brave through the crocodile-infested waters of the Mara River. Tourists flock from all over the world to see this great phenomenon biannually from July to September and September to November.
3. MOUNT KENYA.
Mount Kenya stands majestically at the heart of Kenya and is the second largest mountain in Africa being around 5199 meters in height. Mount Kenya houses the most beautiful lakes on its landscape. Lake Rutundu specifically got a lot of media attention after Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton while on vacation here. The other magnificent lakes considered among the top 4 in the over 25 lakes present on the mountain are Lake Ellis, Lake Michaelson and Lake Alice. The Mt Kenya Great Lakes Tour should definitely be an experience to look forward to. Mountain hiking is also a wonderful experience and the views from the mountain breathtaking. A visit to the Mt. Kenya National Park is also a popular tourist destination housing a vast population of different wild game including the elephant, the waterbuck, the giant forest hog, the tree hyrax, the black and white colobus monkey, black rhino, African Buffalo among others.
4. SANDY BEACHES.
Picture this; a beautiful postcard with white sandy beaches from your tropical vacation. This could be your reality if you choose to visit Kenya’s Coastal Towns or lake resorts in Northern Kenya.
Kenya has some of the most beautiful picture-perfect sandy beaches not only along the Indian Ocean coastline but also along its magnificent lakes. The most popular beach along the Kenyan shoreline is definitely Diani beach located in Mombasa. Watamu beach is also known as Turtle’s Bay famous for its soft white sands, clear water and coral reefs with numerous beach activities such as surfing and turtle watching, Vipingo Beach near Kilifi, Nyali beach among many more since the various islands like Chale island offer beautiful beaches breathtaking views of the ocean. The Lake Turkana beach which is becoming quite famous with its beautiful view amidst the surrounding semi-arid area of Turkana is a place one should definitely visit too.
5. GIRAFFE MANOR.
Giraffe Manor is located in the Langata suburb of Nairobi and is one of the most frequented tourist destinations in the world. Present in the Giraffe Manor is the Rothschild giraffes which provide an unforgettable experience in the morning and evenings where they dine with you poking their long necks through the windows for a treat or two as you eat. These giraffes are calm and very friendly creatures. Breakfast and dinner at the Giraffe Manor is definitely a bucket-list-worthy experience.
6.NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK.
The Nairobi National Park located in Kenya’s capital is particularly famous due to the fact that it is the only national park located in a capital city in the whole world. The park houses over 80 species of wildlife mammals and 450 bird species. The wild game present here includes the lion, the leopard, the cheetah, the giraffe, zebras, warthogs and the buffalo and so many more. The Kenya Wildlife Service Bus on Sunday afternoons gives a two-and-a-half-hour tour of Nairobi National Park thus giving you a chance to see the numerous species in their natural habitat.
7.RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE.
Kenya has vast cultural resources from past generations that contribute to its richness in cultural heritage. Sites like Old Town Mombasa, Fort Jesus, Gedi ruins of the historic town of Gedi, the Sacred Kaya forests of the Mijikenda, Old town of Lamu, and Thimlich Ohinga archaeological site. Tourists from within and without who visit Lamu during the latter weeks of November get to catch the Lamu Cultural Festival in action and get to experience dhow racing traditional henna paintings, donkey races, poetry reading, and music performances. The Kaya fare sacred forests of the Mijikenda community consist of 10 separate sites (kayas) above the coastal plains considered to possess be intrinsic sources of ritual power such as rainmaking and fertility. Kenya’s rich cultural heritage is also evident in traditional food, traditional garments, and way of life. These aspects of culture are preserved at the Bomas of Kenya as well.
8.THE GREAT RIFT VALLEY.
The Great Rift Valley is a geographic stretch that is a part of the intercontinental ridge system that runs through Kenya from the Middle East in the north to Mozambique in the south. Being geologically active, this area houses great features such as geysers, beautiful lakes volcanoes, craters, and hot springs. The Kenyan lake system present on the Rift Valley is spectacularly comprising of Lake Bogoria Lake Nakuru and Lake Elementaita. These lakes are the habitats to a diverse number of bird species and 13 of the threatened bird species in the world. At ViewPoint, a stopover on the Nairobi Nakuru highway a breathtaking view of the great escarpments of the rift valley can be seen. Menengai crater is a shield volcano present on Rift Valley kilometers north of Nakuru famous for being the largest volcano caldera in the world. Hiking through the beautiful crater definitely makes for a great vacation. The hot springs and geysers at Lake Bogoria are also marvelous and definitely a must-see.
9.LAKE VICTORIA.
Lake Victoria is Africa’s pride known to be the source of the Great River Nile. The lake forms a natural boundary between three countries; Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, and is located in the Western region of Kenya a one-hour flight from Nairobi and a 40-minute flight from Masai Mara. The massive lake is famous for its fishing activities and is well-known as a source for the Nile perch which is considered a world-class game fish. Lake Victoria possesses beautiful islands of Rusinga, Mfangano, and Migingo. Fun activities to do include boat rides on this lake to see the fishing spots. The Kenyan portion offers one of the best bird destinations thus a great site for bird-watching.
10.FLAMINGOES
The huge population of flamingoes on Lake Nakuru is atributed to the abundance of algae. The view of the pink-feathered birds attracts tourists from all over the world. The flamingoes had previously migrated to the neighboring saltwater lakes; Lake Bogoria and Lake Natron due to a fall in water levels in Lake Nakuru but now they are back and quite a marvelous sight to witness. A combined tour of the Lake Nakuru National Park while there is also a great choice as it also houses a variety of wild species. Flamingoes can also be seen on Lake Naivasha too, a beautiful lake just a few hours’ drive from Nairobi. Lake Naivasha houses both the greater and lesser flamingo species.
Click the following links to get more insightful tips and tricks:
10 BEST SAFARI TOURS IN KENYA.
TOP 10 HISTORICAL SITES AND MONUMENTS IN NAIROBI, KENYA.
TOP 10 NATIONAL PARKS WITHIN AND NEAR NAIROBI.
TOP 10 SAFARI LODGES IN KENYA.
TOP 10 BEST PLACES TO EAT IN MOMBASA
TOP TEN GLAMPING SITES IN KENYA.
I am a bubbly extroverted 25 year old currently living and studying in Nairobi. I enjoy travelling and trying out new places to eat. My favourite place to be is anywhere by the beach, with a beer. You will most likely find me with my nose in a book or dining alone, like most extroverts do, of course.
I am a bubbly extroverted 25 year old currently living and studying in Nairobi. I enjoy travelling and trying out new places to eat. My favourite place to be is anywhere by the beach, with a beer. You will most likely find me with my nose in a book or dining alone, like most extroverts do, of course.
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