Top tourist destinations in Kenya

Well-known as an outstanding tourist destination, Kenya is a country of dynamic extremes and definitive contrasts, situated at the very heart of the Great Rift valley of East Africa. Many people have referred to Kenya as East Africa in microcosm, dominating the East African Economy. Kenya is famous for its great diversity both culturally and physically, making travellers to navigate long distances to have a taste of the beautiful coastline of the Indian Ocean, world-class wildlife viewing, classic game reserves mixed up with colourful tribal cultures, melting point of traditional cuisines among many more. Kenya’s classic savannah safaris have been considered as the top tourist attraction in East Africa for many years making Kenya among the most visited countries in Africa. Against that background, let us take you through a journey of the endless beautiful destinations to visit in Kenya.

NATIONAL RESERVES AND GAME PARKS

Kenya hosts a staggering diversity of national parks and game reserves across the country including the Maasai Mara National park, the Amboseli national park, the Lake Nakuru national park, the Mount Kenya national park among many more.

The Maasai Mara National Park

Located in a growing, vibrant and cosmopolitan town in South West Kenya known as Narok, Maasai Mara is the largest national game reserve in Kenya, reachable approximately by a half an hour by air transport or three hours by road transport from Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi. The Maasai Mara national park obtained its name from the ancestral inhabitants of Narok, the Maasai, who are a Nilotic community that migrated into that region from the Nile basin.

The Maasai Mara quite possibly the most famous and significant wildlife conservation area in Africa., incredibly famous for its outstanding populace of wild animals such as the lion, cheetah, the African bush elephant, leopards, zebras, hippos, wildebeests, gazelles, crocodiles among many more.

The Maasai Mara national reserve is proximate to Tanzania’s Serengeti national park.

The two parks are well known for their characteristic phenomenon known as the Great Migration. In the great migration, wildebeests migrate from the Maasai Mara national park into

the Serengeti national park and back between the months of July and October annually. The great migration was selected as one among the seven national wonders of Africa and also one among the ten wonders of the word.

The Maasai Mara is additionally known for its incredible predator sceneries because of its somewhat huge populace of lion, cheetah, crocodiles, particularly during the dry season between December and February.

Best time to Visit: July to October

Accommodation: There as a plenty of lodges and campsites both inside and outside Maasai Mara

Amboseli National Park

After the Maasai Mara national reserve, Amboseli national park is the second most famous national park in Kenya, located in South Eastern Kenya, 215km from Kenya’s capital city Nairobi. The Amboseli national park obtained its name from a word in the Maa language of

the Maasai people, which means salty and dusty place, a perfect description of the region’s arid conditions. The Amboseli national park is characterised by a fantastic array of large herd of elephants.

Tourists get the opportunity to see free ranging elephants up close, making it to be

famously known as the “The home of African elephants”. Moreover, the park offers opportunity to view other wild animals such as lions, cheetahs, blue wildebeests, buffalos, impala, hyenas. The park is also home to more than 600 species of birds

Additionally, the Amboseli national park has views of Mt. Kilimanjaro, which is the largest free standing mountain in Africa. The park also offers an opportunity for nature lovers to experience a contrast between the parched areas of the dry lake bed and the oasis of the swamps which includes a dried up Pleistocene lake and semi-arid vegetation.

Best time to visit: June to October

Accommodation: Campsites inside the park

Directions: By road, a 4-hour drive from Kenya’s Capital City Nairobi or daily scheduled flight from Wilson airport

The Tsavo national Park

The Tsavo national park is Kenya’s biggest national park at approximately 13,000 square kilometres, covering four percent of the country. The park is divided into Tsavo East and Tsavo West sections. Together, these sections envelop river streams, cascades, savannah, an enormous rock level and a noteworthy variety of diverse wildlife including the famous big five, consisting of rhino, buffalo, lion, elephant and leopard. Additionally, Tsavo national park provides a home to diverse bird species such as the black kite, sacred ibis, crowed crane and love birds.

Located 267km from Kenya’s capital city Nairobi, the Tsavo national park is well known for photographic sceneries of huge elephant groups rolling and bathing in red sand. Additionally, the Galana river passes through the park, providing contrast to the dominant arid weather conditions, which provides an amazing photo-worthy sightings for nature lovers.

Other attractions of Tsavo national park include the Yatta plateau, the 290km length world’s longest lava flow from the Oldonyo Sabuk mountain. The park is also home to the Luggard falls which is a series of white water rapids on the Galana river. Additionally, the park also hosts the Mudanda rock which is a stratified rock that acts a water catchment that supplies water for a natural dam which provides a viewing point for wild animals as they come to drink water during the dry seasons of the year.

The Tsavo west section of the park is generally wetter and geologically diverse. This section contains the loveliest section of the northern part of the park. Attractions in Tsavo west national park include the Mzima springs, series of natural springs with huge populaces of hippos and crocodiles., the Chaimu crater, an incredible scenery of bird predators.

Best time to visit: May to October

Accommodation: Voi Wildlife lodges, Internal park campsites

Mount Kenya National Park

Located 138 kilometres from Nairobi, Mt. Kenya national park is UNESCO’s biosphere reserve that gives an uncommon display of tropical snow. One of the key attractions is the

national park is the country’s highest peak at 5199 metres.

The mountain consists of three glacier cloaked peaks that were formed after a series of volcanic eruptions namely Batian, Nelion and Lenana. Although Batian is the highest peak, Nelion is considered as a tougher and a more complex peak to climb due to difficult mist and ice conditions and also length of the route. Lenana is the lowest peak and considered by most travellers the easiest climb. Mt. Kenya national park also incorporates a great scenic beauty of flora and fauna including dense alpine forests, bamboo pockets, cape bufallos, elephants, and black and white colobus monkeys.

Best time to Visit: January to February and July to October

Accommodation: Mountain huts, lodges and private campsites

Directions: 3-4hr drive from Kenya’s capital, Nairobi

Lake Nakuru National Park

Lake Nakuru national park is situated in Central Kenya, well known for its colossal herds of pink flamingos nesting along the shores of lake Nakuru. Due to the continually shifting pink mass, the surface of lake Nakuru is hardly visible. The thousands of flamingos thronging the shores of lake Nakuru provide beautiful photographic sightings through the baboon cliff vantage point. Created in the year 1961, lake Nakuru national park has been home to more than 400 types of bird species which have always been a major tourist attraction.

Additionally, other attractions at the park include wild animals such as black rhinos, giraffes, pythons, cheetahs, leopards and a Kenyan subspecies known as waterbucks. Other than flamingos, lake Nakuru national park hosts a myriad of bird species such as African fish eagle, Hemrkop, Pied king fisher among other birds of different kind.

Best time to visit: Throughout the year

Accommodation: Two main lodges inside the park and private campsites

COASTLINE OF THE INDIAN OCEAN

The diversity of Kenya’s national sceneries dazzles all those who visit the country. Apart from the opportunity to view wildlife through the thrilling safari experience, Kenya hosts a stunning coastline with the best beaches in the world with so much to offer including water sports, high adrenaline activities, beautiful coastlines with white sandy beaches, colourful coral reefs, and simple breeze providing a serene haven to relax and enjoy as you watch the sunset.

Here are some of the attractive coastal tourist destination in Kenya:

Diani Beach

Located approximately 500km from Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, Diani is one of the most famous beaches in Africa. The world travel awards voted Diani as Africa’s number one beach destination for the fifth year running since the year 2015 for its pearl white sand, crystal clear waters of the Indian ocean and doted palm trees which create a haven of tranquillity that defines paradise.

Apart from the scenic beauty, other attractions in Diani include availability of a myriad of fish species such as the whale shark, dolphin, octopus, blue marlin, sailfish, barracuda, gilt heads among many more, whereby visitors get an opportunity to dive into the Indian ocean to swim with these magnificent yet amiable creatures. The Diani beach is also well known for its coral reefs, widespread vegetation and underwater sand bars.

Other tourist’s attractions in Diani include skydiving that gives visitors an opportunity to experience the thrill of free fall and magnificent canopy of the verdant vegetation, the coastline and the surrounding area. Additionally, the crystal clear, beautifully deep blue waters of the Indian ocean provide a beautiful spot for swimming for tourists.

Best time to Visit: January to March, October to December

Accommodation: Luxurious Diani hotels, lodges and camping sites

Wasini Island

The Wasini island is characterized by a sense of uniqueness as it has no vehicles, carts or bicycles. The small coastal town that is situated 75km off the coastal city of Mombasa is additionally home to humpback whales and dolphins. The sea in Wasini island is crystal clear with high water visibility which enables visitors to view sea creatures while snorkelling alongside a variety of sea dwelling creatures.

Additionally, the clear ocean waters of the Indian ocean provide an opportunity for swimming and deep diving to visitors.

Best time to visit: January to March, October to December

Accommodation: Nearby beach hotels

Watamu Beaches

A small town located approximately 100km north of the coastal city of Mombasa hosting some of the best beaches in Kenya. Watamu beaches consists of three bays which include the blue bay, the Watamu bay and the turtle bay. The Watamu beaches are made so alluring by the shinning white sand and the crystal clear ocean waters that stay clear through the year. Watamu beaches are also characterized with coral reefs that provide an ideal opportunity for snorkelling.

The gentle breezes experienced at the Watamu beaches provide a good spot for kite surfers as well. Wasini town also hosts a kite surfing school right on the beach for novices who would wish to get trained.

Additionally, Watamu offers extra tourist attractions such as the Arabuko Sokoke woodland which is hosts wild animals such as elephants, monkeys and a rare kind of bird species such as Mida creek, Golden oriole, Black Cucco shrike, and the African pygmy kingfisher.

Best time to visit: January to March, October to December

Accommodation: Nearby beach hotels

HISTORICAL DESTINATIONS

Kenya hosts tourist destinations whereby visitors can get a more educational emersion into Kenya’s rich history and culture. Ranging from ancient forts to mysterious caves to historical town centres, these historical destinations provide visitors an opportunity to appreciate Kenya’s historical background.

The National Nairobi Museum

Set up in the 1920’s the Nairobi national museum is ostensibly the most suitable spot to obtain information about the history, culture and contemporary art of the country. This destination also provides information about the country’s unique flora and fauna. Additionally, the Nairobi national museum displays artefacts and a myriad of artistic works from Kenya’s different cultural groups. Moreover, tourists visit the museum to see the display of historical works of the famous Leakey family who studied the evolution of man. Visitors also get to see countless art pieces, and information regarding Kenya’s wildlife dating back to the colonial period.

Best time to visit: Throughout the year

Accommodation: Nearby hotels in Nairobi

Mombasa Old Town

The old town of Mombasa is an area of approximately 72,000 square metres whereby

most of the heritage of Kenya’s second largest city are confined in. The Mombasa Old town was originally inhabited by richly diverse ancient communities such as the Asians, Arabs, Portuguese, and the British who have co-habited the area from the precolonial period to date.

The dynamic socio-economic activities of these communities have created a unique culture that the Mombasa old town is known about. The Mombasa old town has attracted thousands of tourists from all over the world to see the collection of historical buildings that were constructed in the precolonial period and exist until today. These buildings contain beautifully curved doors as well as elegantly styled balconies attached to their historical cultures of the original inhabitants of the area.

Best time to visit: Throughout the year Accommodation: Nearby hotels in Mombasa.

Fort Jesus, Mombasa

Constructed in 1593 by King Phillipn1 of Portugal, Fort Jesus is one of the essential tourist attractions in the coastal city of Mombasa. It is one of the best preserved military architecture from Portugal that was constructed to guard the Mombasa Port from Arabic invaders.

Over the years, Fort Jesus has been well kept for tourists to have a memorable tour of the historical facility including checking out the torture chambers where slaves were locked up in captivity before they were traded. A defining characteristic feature of Fort Jesus is the giant canon guns pointing towards the Indian Ocean which were used by the Portuguese inhabitants to defend the island from Arabic invaders.

Best time to visit: Throughout the year

Accommodation: Nearby hotels in Mombasa