Folks who have never been there tend to think of Kenya as a one-trick pony -- an awesome safari destination and little more.
But East Africa's No. 1 travel
destination (nearly 1.5 million international visitors in 2017) is
actually a multifaceted place with a wide variety of adventures both
rural and urban.
While wildlife remains the lodestone, Kenya also offers awesome Indian Ocean beaches,
world-class mountain trekking, surprisingly good nightlife, an eclectic
cultural heritage and interesting ways to get around (from ancient
sailing craft to a spanking brand new railway line).
Check out our list of 20 of the best things to do in Kenya:
1. Summit Mount Kenya
Rising to just over 17,000 feet
(3,800 meters), Mount Kenya is the continent's second highest peak. But
the summit trails are far less crowded than its snowy counterpart
(Kilimanjaro) across the border in Tanzania.
You'll
likely have the mountain all to your own during a trek that normally
spans five days from start to finish (with four overnights on the
mountain). True to its name, Mount Kenya Safaris offers guided trips via any of the three main routes to the top.
2. Watch the Great Migration in Masai Mara
Arriving from the neighboring
Serengeti Plains, millions of wildebeest, antelope and zebra -- and the
predators that follow them -- thunder through Masai Mara National
Reserve between July and October during the Great Migration.
The spectacle can be viewed on game drives, airplane or hot-air balloon flights, walking or horseback safaris.
maratriangle.org
3. Soak up sea, sun & sand at Diani
Sand, sunset, serenity: Diani beach.
Kenya Tourism Board
Stretching
11 miles (17 kilometers) along the south Kenya coast, Diani renders the
best beach-going experience in all of East Africa.
In
addition to the powdery white sand and jade-colored waters protected by
a coral reef, Diani offers a wide range of outdoor sports (kitesurfing,
skydiving, snorkeling, jetskiing), trendy beachfront bars and
restaurants, and hip surfside digs like chic Alfajiri Villas (+254 20 2697234)
4. Foster orphaned elephants (or a blind rhino)
Tiny tusks: The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust looks after baby elephants.
Courtesy Joe Yogerst
Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (+254 202 301 396),
on the outskirts of Nairobi, has saved hundreds of baby elephants (and a
blind rhino named Maxwell) from almost certain death since the
sanctuary was founded in 1977 by conservation pioneers David and Dame
Daphne Sheldrick.
Baby elephant encounters -- and a chance to foster them -- offered daily.
5. Ride the new Nairobi-Mombassa train
The Nairobi-Mombasa railway has been upgraded.
Courtesy KRC
Dubbed
the "Lunatic Express" when it first opened in 1901 -- because it seemed
like such a crazy idea to build a railroad through the African bush --
the legendary line was totally modernized in 2017 with completion of a
US$2.3-billion dollar upgrade of both the tracks and passengers trains.
The Madaraka Express makes the journey in 4.5 hours with daily 9 a.m. departures from both Nairobi and Mombasa.
Kenya Railways (+254 709 907 000)
6. Explore Elsa's home turf
One of Elsa's successors at the Meru National Park.
Courtesy Shannon Yogerst
Kenya's famous feline was immortalized by Joy Adamson's 1960 "Born Free" and the blockbuster movie that followed.
The
orphaned lioness was raised by Adamson and her husband in a part of the
remote Kenya bush that's now Meru National Park. The Adamson camp was
just below a rock outcrop now called Elsa's Kopje (+254 730 127 000), while her grave lies about an hour away on the north bank of the Ura River.
7. Sail the Lamu Archipelago by dhow
Lamu is one of the last outposts of traditional Dhows.
Kenya Tourism Board
A
throwback to the golden age of Swahili culture, Lamu island on the
north Kenya coast is one of the last great outposts of traditional dhows
-- lateen-rigged sailing vessels that were once the main form of
transport between East Africa, India and the Middle East.
Hippo Dhow (+254 723 918316) offers sunset and snorkeling trips as well as visits to the Takwa ruins on nearby Manda Island.
8. See Tsavo from the air
Kenya is even better from the air.
Courtesy Universal Pictures
Denys
Finch Hatton (the Robert Redford character in "Out of Africa")
pioneered the African aerial safari with his wildlife-viewing biplane
flights in the 1920s.
His namesake lodge in Tsavo West National Park (+254 20 357 7500) offers a bird's eye view of Mt Kilimanjaro and the park's orange-dust-covered elephants in conjunction with Campi Ya Kanzi (+254 720 461 300) and Luca Safari Aviation.
9. Dance the night away in Nairobi
Venues like the Alchemist add to Nairobi's thriving nightlife scene.
Courtesy the Alchemist
The capital city's staid colonial club scene has segued into a thriving modern nightlife world equal to any on the continent.
The
Westlands neighborhood and nearby Waiyaki Way in the city's northwest
offer numerous bars, clubs and cocktail lounges where a heady blend of
locals, expats and visitors quaff (and dance) the night away.
10. Commune with crocodiles in Lake Turkana
Central Island National Park: Volcanoes and crocodiles.
Courtesy Kenya Wildlife Service
One
of Kenya's strangest places, Central Island National Park in the middle
of far-away Lake Turkana hosts the world's largest colony of Nile
crocodiles.
As well
as three active volcanoes, three blue-green crater lakes, black-sand
beaches and a single campsite, the island flaunts a primordial,
end-of-the-Earth atmosphere that seems little changed from 3.5 million
years ago when our ancient ancestors called the region home. Eliye Springs Resort (+254 703 891 810) offers speedboat day trips from the lake's western shore .
11. Roam with rhinos at Lewa
Rhino poaching is virtually eliminated in Kenya.
Courtesy Shannon Yogerst
One of the great success stories of African rhino conservation, Lewa Conservancy (+254 730 127 000) in north-central Kenya has grown its black and white rhino population from just 15 in 1984 to more than 150 today.
Through
a combination of armed patrols, fencing, technology, intelligence and
interaction with local communities, Lewa has virtually eliminated rhino
poaching.
12. Channel the spirit of Karen Blixen
Karen Blixen and Thomas Dinesen were immortalized in the movie "Out of Africa."
Photo Courtesy Royal Danish Library
Danish
author and baroness Karen Blixen ("Out of Africa") spent 18 years in
Kenya (1913-1931), living on a farm on the outskirts of Nairobi that's now a museum dedicated to her life and times.
And for those who know the story, it does boast a view of her beloved Ngong Hills.
13. Scuba or snorkel the Indian Ocean
Kenya's marnine parks are a safe haven for aquatic life.
Kenya Tourism Board
Tucked down at the bottom end of the Kenya Coast, Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park
provides a safe haven for whales, dolphins, sea turtles, more than 250
species of tropical fish, and 56 different types of coral.
Scuba and snorkel trips are available from Diani, Tiwi and Shimoni. Best between August and March when the sea is smoother.
14. Watch nature's version of 'Pretty in Pink'
Flocks of up to two million flamingos frequent Lake Nakuru.
Kenya Tourism Board
More than 240 bird species frequent Lake Nakaru
in the Great Rift Valley. But the most photogenic are the pink
flamingos that descend upon the lake in flocks that sometimes number one
to two million birds.
Rhino
and lion are among the other denizens of the national park that
surrounds the lake. Eight campsites and upscale Lake Nakuru Lodge
provides luxury accommodation along the waterfront.
15. Get licked by a hungry giraffe
Being licked by a giraffe is part of the adventure.
Courtesy Joe Yogerst
A wooden observation platform brings you literally face-to-face with rare and endangered Rothschild's giraffes at the AFEW Giraffe Center on the outskirts of Nairobi. Feeding them -- and getting licked by their long, black tongues -- is part of the adventure.
The sanctuary is also home to the posh Giraffe Manor hotel (+254 725 675830).
16. Train for a marathon in Iten
Iten training camp
Courtesy the Kenya Experience
Perched
in the highlands near Eldoret, the town of Iten is renowned for its
long distance runners -- multiple Olympic gold medalists and
world-record holders.
The Kenya Experience offers running camps and expert training at its High Altitude Training Centre in Iten.
17. Get over your fear of snakes (or not)
Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?
Courtesy Bio-Ken Snake Farm
Get
scarily close to Kenya's most dangerous snakes -- like the black mamba,
spitting cobra, bush python and puff adder -- at the Bio-Ken Snake Farm near Watamu.
The farm also offers three-night snake safaris to track, catch and release serpents in the bush.
18. Time trip in Mombasa's Old Town
Fort Jesus looms over Mombasa Old Town.
Kenya Tourism Board
Founded in the 14th century by Swahili sultans, Kenya's big port was later a Portuguese and British colonial bastion.
The
Old Town retains its bygone ways, means and architecture, a warren of
narrow streets flanked by mosques, coffee houses and homes with massive
wooden doors -- 16th-century Fort Jesus looming over all.
19. Cycle through the Gates of Hell
Hell's Gate is located in an African national park where it's safe to cycle.
Kenya Tourism Board
Located about 60 miles (96 kilometers) from Nairobi in the bowels of the Great Rift Valley, Hell's Gate is a gnarly lava-carved landscape.
Lacking
dangerous animals, it's also that rare African national park where it's
safe to cycle. Bikes are available for rental inside the park and from
vendors outside the main gate.
20. Sleep beneath the stars
Lie back and stare into the infinite.
The Elewana Collection
Sure, you can camp in Kenya. But why rough it when you can snooze al fresco (in luxury) at the Star Beds safari camp in Loisaba Conservancy.
Staffed by local Samburu and Masai peoples, the camp features
four-poster beds that are rolled out onto the deck each night on the
side of rocky outcrop beside a waterhole where elephant and other
animals come to drink.
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