Witness the true essence of wildlife in Kenya!

Ever watched “The Lion King” and wished you would explore the savannahs where Simba was born and the lush jungle where he found Timon and Pumba? Of course you have, I mean who wouldn’t want to watch lions, elephants, zebras, flamingos and so many others thrive in their habitats? The continent of Africa is diverse, it’s intense, it’s wild and beautiful, each country with its own beautiful topographical diversity. One of these beautiful and electrical countries happens to be Kenya. It’s well known that Kenya is one of the best countries in the world to take a safari, Kenya is known for its vast savannahs, peppered with immense herds of wildlife, snowcapped mountains (yes, in the equatorial plains) and the friendly people of its land just bring back color and soul to a busy life engrossed with people and technology. Kenya is a great spot to get in and out of the African bush.
Kenya is a tropical country characterized by a warm climate during the day and cool nights. As one would venture inland, the climate gets more arid and dry but can be humid around the lakes. When packing for Kenya, one must put under consideration the climate and how interesting it can change from day to night. You should choose cool, breezy and airy fabrics, sturdy waterproof shoes for the long walks, hats, sandals and light sweaters for the cool nights. Sun block and insect repellent is very important since you could definitely encounter some flying visitors in your hotel room or tents. The beaches of Kenya are covered with crisp white sand and clear blue waters, so pack lightly for any beach stop as well.
To start off, the capital city of Nairobi is surely not a pit stop to refuel before a safari adventure or coastal retreat; it’s a starting point to any adventure the traveler has in plan. Nairobi is a city that conjures all the adventure and romance left from its colonial days as the capital of British East Africa. It’s a mix of colonial with the tribal, and you can see remains from its colonial era in some of the buildings along with large modern skyscrapers scattered around the city. For safety concerns, it’s best to tour Nairobi through a tourist agency which will provide you with a guide to explain the numerous attractions. Nairobi holds many museums that are mainly connected to their history, museums such as the Nairobi National Museum and Kenya’s living museum “Bomas of Kenya.” Bomas mean farms and the museum significance is how it showcases the colorful tribes of Kenya, visitors can learn about the art, lifestyle, music, crafts and culture of each tribe with live shows as well at special times. The large complex even showcases recreated traditional villages with bomas built in its traditional form reflecting the cultures of each ethnic group.
To get a taste of a safari adventure, Nairobi is the only city in the world that has a wild national park in its outskirts. Nairobi National Park is a diverse ecosystem with giraffes, rhinos, lions, cheetahs, leopards, zebras, hippos and countless number of bird species. The grounds provide safari walks and accommodation for those who do not wish to stay in a hotel downtown with eight luxurious tents with en-suite facilities. The park also holds a nursery for baby rhinos and another for orphaned baby elephants, the founder of the nursery is Dame Sheldrick who has been raising orphaned baby elephants since the 1950’s and moved into Nairobi National Park in the 70’s. Visitors have the chance to pet and watch the animals feed and have mud baths as they grow accustomed to their surrounding habitat away from the prying eyes and guns of poachers.
Would you want to have a giraffe share your breakfast table? It can be done. Visitors can stay at the Giraffe Manor Hotel at the Giraffe Center, a breeding center for the rare Rothschild Giraffe, found only in East Africa. The center is a breeding place to help the giraffe population growth and thus be released into the wild with success. The center provides lodging for visitors and yes the breakfast area is shared with both human and giraffes as well.
Topographically, Kenya is stunning, surrounded by calderas and mountain ranges, the second highest peak in the continent of Africa is Mount Kenya, and there is the Great Rift Valley that divides the country. To the east visitors can climb the peaks of Mt Kenya, fish for trout in crystal clear streams and walk amongst Africa’s giants, the majestic elephants. There are a number of wildlife reserves that are great for first time safaris. The Maasai Mara National Reserve is one of the world’s most beautiful game reserves, named after the red-cloaked Maasai people who live in the park and graze the animals there as they have done for centuries. The park is famous for the Great Migration, when thousands of wildebeest, zebra, Thomson’s gazelle travel from the Serengeti, Tanzania. It is best seen best from July to October. The park has one of the largest mammal diversity and amazingly large numbers of bird species spread all around the park grounds. There are a number of camp sites that are very accommodating and pleasant to stay in for a real life safari experience.
Another great wildlife reserve would be the Amboseli National Reserve, crowned by Mt Kilimanjaro in the background, the park borders Tanzania and Tanzania’s Serengeti. It’s one of Kenya’s most popular tourist parks. The name comes from the Maasai word meaning “salty dust,” an apt description for the park’s parched conditions. The park is centered around “observation hill" which offers great views of the plains below. It’s about a four-hour drive from Nairobi by road and there are scheduled flights to an airport nearby. Giraffes, lions, hippos, cheetahs, elephants, grey crowned cranes and many more animals can be seen roaming the park freely as it’s one of the most cared for reserves. Animal reservations are on an increase in Kenya due to the mass education of importance of protecting these animals, some of which are on the world’s most endangered list due to illegal poaching. There are many educational advantages to these safari excursions along with the fun of viewing such magnificent animals graze in their habitats.
Flamingos are a sight on their own, imagine thousands of flamingos perched on one leg atop a lake. Lake Nakuru National Park is home to huge flocks of flamingos. There are over an estimated 1 million flamingoes enjoying the alkaline waters of this shallow lake along with many more species of birds. The park is also home to the endangered white rhino, warthog, giraffes, hippos, ostrich and lion. The lake is about three hours outside of Nairobi and is truly a beautiful sight to see.
After all these safari excursions, one must go and unwind in one of Kenya’s beautiful pearl sand beaches. To head to the South West of Kenya, Malindi and Watamu are two of Kenya’s top attractions. In the town of Malindi, the beaches are lined with villas and small resorts located south of the town, it’s a great place for snorkeling. Malindi conjures up visions of a great historic town that has journeyed through ages. The town has moved through the different eras with ease and became what it is today. You can still see touches of the early Chinese, Arab traders, Portuguese sailors and European settlers here and there. Further south lies the town of Watamu, considerably a national park with two main lagoons, Turtle Bay and Blue Lagoon, with plenty of hotels and resorts popular with tourists. Popular activities include sunset sail on a traditional sailboat (dhow), dolphin watching, diving and all sorts of water activities.
The best times to visit Kenya would be during the dry seasons - January through March and July through October. With the scarcity of water during the dry seasons, the animals tend to gather in more concentrated numbers around water holes, rivers and lakes which makes them easier to find.
Kenyans are some of the most hospitable and friendly people, always welcoming visitors and tourists making their experiences memorable. The number of tribes living in the outskirts of large cities are a very interesting thing to see, it’s a rarity. Visiting tribal villages are welcomed and it gives tourists a new perspective on life and can take them back in time as they view the everyday life of these tribal villages as they are semi-disconnected from the technological world that we live in today. Kenya and their safari excursions can be a life changing experience that is surely never to be forgotten. There are many tour guides and packages available at tourist offices that will provide all the expenses needed from the minute you land until you leave this colorful country.
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