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Tourist Attractions in Kenya: Kenya has one of the worlds greatest tourists attraction sites, known for its diversity of landscape, wildlife and cultures. From sweeping savannahs to tropical beaches and coral reef, dense equatorial forests to mighty snow capped mountains and more.
Kenya is a world unto itself. Kenya is Africa’s original safari destination, attracting explorers, adventurers and travelers for centuries. A safari to Kenya is a trip of a lifetime.
Although it is known worldwide for its safari industry, Kenya has much wider appeal than this would suggest. Other highlights include pre-historic excavations, well preserved ruins, cultural diversity, mountains, adventure sports and water sports. There are also a number of unique festivals that take place annually.
Kenya boasts one of the longest and most complete records of man’s cultural development in the world. Excavations in the Tugen Hills near Lake Baringo have exposed some of the earliest fossil beds. Other fascinating sites are found in Sibiloi National Park on the shores ofLake Turkana, at Hyrax Hill and Kariandusi near Nakuru, on Rusinga lsland in Lake Victoriaand at Olorgesailie near Lake Magadi.
Striking and atmospheric ruins date back to earlier civilisations that flourished during the emergence of the Indian Ocean trade routes. Gede, near Watamu, was at the peak of its prosperity from the 13th to the 17th centuries, then was mysteriously abandoned. Stories abound of ghosts and inexplicable happenings in the area.Takwa, on Manda Island near Lamu, also thrived for centuries before being abandoned in the 17th century. Malindi, Lamu and
Mombasa all have Old Towns which are both genuine historic towns and current – day functioning urban centres.
Each of the 42 tribes of Kenya has its own culture and traditions. The Maasai, Kenya’s best known tribe, have a reputation for being warriors, and are recognised worldwide for their vivid red garments and exotic beaded jewellery. The El Molo are the least numerous of Kenya’s tribes, and traditionally hunt fish, crocodile and hippo in Lake Turkana. The nomadic Rendille rely on camels for food, milk, clothing, trade and transport. The coastal Swahili have cultural ties to the Arabs and Persians. The Kalenjin are most famous for producing Kenya’s marathon – winning athletes. A growing number of tour operators offer cultural safaris that include interaction, or volunteer work, with local people.
Kenya boasts two of Africa’s five highest mountains. Mt Kenya, Africa’s second highest mountain, offers spectacular trekking and climbing. Mt Elgon, Africa’s fourth highest mountain, also has stunning viewpoints and interesting climbs. Other mountains and hills that offer exciting trekking and walking include Mt Longonot, the Aberdare National Park, the Cherangani hills and Marich Pass.
Adventure tourism is diversifying across the country. White water rafting is offered on both the Tana and Athi Rivers. Rock climbing, camel safaris, horse riding, game bird shooting, caving and fishing are available at a number of places.
The coast provides a wealth of water sports, including scuba diving, water-skiing, kite surfing, windsurfing and jet skiing.
The Masai Mara National Reserve is one of the top tourist attractions in Kenya and the country’s most popular game park. Each year the Masai Mara National Reserve is visited by thousands of tourists who come here to watch the exceptional population of game and the annual migration of zebra and wildebeest. The “Great Migration” takes place every year from July to October when millions of wildebeest and zebra migrate from the Serengeti in Tanzania.
Amboseli National Park is a relatively small park located close to the Tanzania border at the foot of Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro. The park is famous for being the best place in Africa to get close to free-ranging elephants. Other attractions of the Amboseli National Park include opportunities to meet the Maasai people and spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Lake Nakuru is a very shallow lake in central Kenya. The lake’s abundance of algae attracts vast quantities of lesser flamingos, sometimes more than one million at once. Often called the greatest bird spectacle on earth, the flamingos are one of Kenya’s top attractions.
Tsavo is the largest national park in Kenya and one of the largest in the world. Due to its size the park was divided into Tsavo West and Tsavo East. The Tsavo West has spectacular scenery with a rolling volcanic landscape while Tsavo East has more open savannah than its western sibling. Tsavo National Park is the ideal destination in Kenya for people who seek solitude and privacy as well as the chance to explore the wilderness.
Lamu Island one of the top ten tourist attractions in Kenya. The Island is a part of Kenya’s Lamu Archipelago, and has managed to stay unspoiled and untouched by the mass tourism that has hit much of Kenya’s coastline. As the oldest living town in Kenya, Lamu Town has retained all the charm and character built up over centuries. There are no roads on Lamu Island, just alleyways and footpaths, and therefore, there are few motorized vehicles on the island. Residents move about on foot or by boat, and donkeys are used to transport goods and materials.
Hell’s Gate National Park is a tiny park named after a narrow break in the cliffs, once a tributary of a prehistoric lake that fed early humans in the Rift Valley. It is unique among Kenya’s wildlife parks, as you are allowed to walk or cycle without a guide. There’s dramatic scenery, with steep cliffs, gorges and basalt columns. The national park is home to a wide variety of wildlife, though many are few in number. Examples of little seen wildlife include lions, leopards, and cheetahs.
Samburu National Reserve is a very peaceful national park in Northern Kenya. It attracts wildlife because of the Uaso Nyiro River that runs through it and the mixture of forest and grassland vegetation. All three big cats, lion, cheetah and leopard, can be found here, as well as elephants, buffalo and hippos. The Uaso Nyiro River contains large numbers of Nile crocodile.
Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second-highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. The mountain offers a beautiful sight. Its series of peaks are crowned with snow, and its slopes are covered with forest. The 5199 meter (17,057 ft) high summit is a difficult technical climb, several lowers peaks however are an easy destination for any fit trekker.
Malindi provides a very nice introduction to the coastal tourist attractions in Kenya with its extensive coral reefs and beautiful beaches. There are surfing, snorkeling, deep-sea fishing and other water sports. The Malindi Marine National Park is protected and has fine beaches clear water and very colorful fish. Malindi is served with a domestic airport and a highway between Mombasa and Lamu.
Nairobi National Park is just a 10 minutes drive from the center of Nairobi with only a fence separating the park’s wildlife from the metropolis. Nairobi’s skyscrapers can be seen from the park. Despite its proximity to the city and the relative small size of the park, Nairobi National Park boasts a large and varied wildlife population. Migrating wildebeest and zebra gather in the park during the dry season, and it is one of Kenya’s most successful rhinoceros sanctuaries.
