Travel leaves you speechless; then it turns you in to a storyteller. A visit to Kenya will leave you like that: speechless. That is what it has done to me: And now I am a storyteller.
I know you are wondering, “Can one country have breathtaking, colourful, spectacular, delightful beauty all rolled in one? Well, once you visit the below attractions, you will agree with me.
- Maasai Mara
Dream of Africa and chances are that you will dream of Maasai Mara Reserve. Maasai Mara Game Reserve is characterized with vast acacia-dotted plains cut by ox-bow lakes, spectacular escarpments where movie ‘Out of Africa’ was acted.
Welcome to the home of Big cat diary series, the long running nature documentary following the lives of African big cats in Maasai Mara. This enormous reserve is actually part of the vast Serengeti plains famously known for its spectacular great wildebeest’s migration and one of the wonders of the World. This iconic savannah wilderness is also home to Maasai people.
- Hells gate
The breathtaking scenery, complete with towering cliffs, gorges, rock towers, volcanoes and belching plumes of geothermal steam, make Hells Gate National Park one of the most atmospheric parks in Africa. Picked as a perfect location for both Lion Kings inspiration and Tom Raider, Hell’s gate is beautiful!!
At Hell’s Gate you can enjoy walking safaris, and even families with young energetic children can take part in a walk in the wild alongside zebra, eland, gazelle and giraffe. And if you don’t fancy walking, hire a bike at the gate of the park and enjoy a ride in the wild. Camping facilities are available within the park so it’s a wonderful place for you to pitch up tent under the dazzling Kenyan night sky.
The main attraction however, is the Ol Njorowa gorge. This geological feature inspired the filming of various Hollywood movies including Tomb raider, King Solomon’s mines, cradle of life, Mountains of the moon and Lion Kings. A walk along the gorge will take you to the devil’s mouth, devil’s shower and the devil’s bedroom.
- Ol Pejeta conservancy
The Ol Pejeta Conservancy, East Africa’s Largest Black Rhino Sanctuary, is situated at the foot hills of the Aberdares and the magnificent snow-capped Mount Kenya. Ol Pejeta boasts an astounding variety of animals including non-indigenous chimpanzees and the Big Five (the endangered black and white rhino, leopard, elephant, buffalo & lion). The combination of amazing wildlife and stunning views across the open plains guarantees an unforgettable safari experience. The Conservancy is also home to the only two remaining Northern white Rhino – Najin and Fatu
- Samburu National reserve
Samburu National Reserve is found towards the Northern part of Kenya. Named for the indigenous Samburu people, whose villages border the reserve, Samburu is out of the way yet presents visitors with so much to see and do. The Samburu People are a community known for their rich culture, pastoral and nomadic way of life. A visit to the reserve will bring you in sight of such memorable Special five species known as Grevy’s Zebra, the reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, the Gerenuk and the Beisa oryx.
Samburu National Reserve was one of two regions in which Joy Adamson raised and nurtured Elsa the lioness, whose story was told in the book and movie, “Born Free”. Samburu was also home to another renowned lioness, Kamunyak (“Blessed One”) who is famous for having adopted at least 6 oryx calves between 2002 and 2003. She fought off predators to save her young orphans as seen in the film, “Heart of a Lioness”.
- Nairobi National Park
Nairobi National Park is the oldest and most precious of national parks in Kenya. Established in 1946, the park is located very close to the capital city (Nairobi), barely at a 30 minutes ride. As such, you are sure to get a splendid view like unseen before – that of animals against towering skyscrapers; place where free ranging lions and rhinos share a city with humans.
- Amboseli National Park
Crowned by Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, the Amboseli National Parks is one of Kenya’s most popular parks. Known as the elite of Kenya’s National Parks, Amboseli National Park is in a secluded heart of big game country. The Park lays North West of Mount Kilimanjaro and is along the border of Tanzania.
Experience the wonderful views of Mt. Kilimanjaro and take photos of the wildlife against the background of the Mountain. Its signature attraction is the sight of big-tusked elephants
- Meru National park
Fed by 13 rivers, including river Tana (Kenyas largest river), the park is a complete wilderness. This Park is ideal for guests looking for something off the-beaten-track and is well known for its bird life, riverine and forest as well as the dry arid species. This is where the South meets the North as the Park straddles the Equator. You will therefore, have a chance to see both the Big Five and the Special five.
The park has a wide range of wild animals including the African bush elephant, lion, African leopard, cheetah, eastern black rhinoceros, southern white rhinoceros, Grévy’s zebra, and hippopotamus. Meru was one of the two areas in which conservationists George Adamson and Joy Adamson raised Elsa the Lioness, made famous in the bestselling book and award winning movie Born Free.
- Suguta valley
The Suguta valley is an arid part of the Great Rift Valley in Kenya, directly south of Lake Turkana. The valley also known as ‘Mars on earth’ consists of breathtaking desert scenery which unfolds before your eyes. Suguta valley is best described as an unforgiving landscape. The valley boasts of a seasonal stream known as Suguta River whose water flows into Lake Logipi, a shallow rift which is a haven for flamingoes.
- World war 1 battlefield
When Britain declared war on Germany in 1914, it was inevitable that the European settlers of neighbouring British East Africa and German East Africa (now Kenya and Tanzania) would take up arms against one another.
In the early morning of August 15, 1914, a column of 200 soldiers of the German Schutztruppe marched into the Taveta Township and exchanged fire with a British East African Police Border Detachment. The then acting District commissioner, Hugh La Fontaine, fired a shot through the open window of the police station that killed a German officer mounted on a mule charging at the Police station. The officer was Friedrich Broecker and became the first German casualty of the East African Campaign of the First World War.
What followed was 20 months of brutal bush warfare, costing the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, and affecting millions more. And yet very little was known about the East African Campaign in the West.
The memories of that war can be experienced by a visit to Taita Taveta County in Kenya.
- Giraffe centre and giraffe Manor
The Centre is a refuge for the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe. Located 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) from Nairobi’s city centre, the Giraffe Centre offers visitors the opportunity to get up close and personal with these friendly giants.
Here at the Giraffe Centre, you can climb up the feeding tower and hand feed a food pellet to an inquisitive giraffe. Some lucky visitors have been known to get a giraffe kiss!
- David sheldrick wildlife trust
Imagine the sight of dozens of baby elephants running to their handlers and latching on to giant baby bottles! This is what you experience at this world-famous animal refuge where feeding happens daily at 11:00 am. It’s a scene of unforgettable cuteness.
After the babies have had their fill of formula, it is bath time. Just a few metres from you, the tiny elephants roll in the mud, playing and spraying each other.
- Heaven’s gate gorge
Also known as Murang’a gorges, the gorges may be listed among the most underestimated beautiful places one should visit. The gorges are breathtaking and amazing.
- Hell’s kitchen
Do you want to be in the hell’s kitchen? Not the TV series. Not that one. Yes, here on earth.
The Marafa Depression, also known as Hell’s Kitchen, is an odd sandstone canyon outside of Malindi, Kenya. Known locally as Nyari – “the place broken by itself” – it was once a great sandstone ridge worn by wind, rain, and floods into a series of jagged gorges. The layer-cake colors of the sandstone reveal whites, pinks, oranges, and deep crimsons, making the gorge particularly striking at sundown, when tones of the ribbed sandstone gullies are highlighted and mirrored by those of the setting sun.
Naturally, local stories accompany the “place broken by itself.” According to legend, there was once a town located where the gorge is now. One day, all the town’s inhabitants received a vision telling them a miracle was coming and to move their town. Everyone moved except one old woman who refused to leave. The abandoned town then supposedly vanished – with the remaining woman still inside – leaving the Marafa Depression in its place.
- Nay Palad Bird Nest
Have you ever fancied spending a night in a bird’s nest? May be not, but you may wish to consider it now.
Welcome to the Nay Palad Bird Nest, Africa’s latest quirky and luxurious safari lodge, located in the wilds of Kenya – a raised suite that offers 360-degree views over the surrounding plains of Laikipia in the Central part of Kenya.
Nay Palad Bird Nest is a one-of-a-kind accommodation on the grounds of Segera Retreat, an award-winning sustainable luxury destination. Perched amid the treetops on a river teeming with wildlife, the Bird Nest offers views of the plains by day, that are matched only by those of the stars at night. In the morning, guests awaken to the magical sounds of animals at play.
- Mt. Kenya National Park
On an extraordinary, but chilly night in December 12, 1963, Mountaineer Kisoi Munyao climbed the final steps to the peak of Mt. Kenya. In his hand, he held the newly minted flag of the new nation called Kenya. Braving the icy winds and risking the difficult trek up, he planted the Kenya flag on top of Batian peak, the highest point of Mt. Kenya. That same night, Kenya gained its independence from the British rule.
Mt. Kenya is the second tallest mountain in Africa (after Mt. Kilimanjaro). The scenery surrounding this World heritage site is breath taking. It is a pristine wilderness with lakes, tarns, glaciers, dense forest, mineral springs and a selection of rare and endangered animal species. It is at the shores of one of the Mt. Kenya lakes (Lake Rutundu) where Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, proposed to Kate Middleton on October 20. 2010. A visit to the park will have you enjoy mountain climbing, camping and caving with the mountain’s rugged glacier-clad peaks providing the perfect backdrop.
The Kikuyu community, which lives close to the mountain, worshiped their God (Ngai) while facing this mountain. To this tribe, Mount Kenya is God’s throne on Earth. The Ngai was often refered to as Mwene Nyaga meaning the owner of the dazzling light. The kikuyus name for the mountain is Kirinyaga which means a mountain of brightness. The name Kirinyaga that was later corrupted to Kenya by the explorers who could not pronounce the word Kenya. Mt. Kenya is the source of the name of the republic of Kenya.
- Tsavo west National park
If you think about places to visit in Kenya, please include Tsavo West National Park in your list. Characterized by a rugged arid landscape, with a number of rocky outcrops and volcanic hills, Tsavo West National Park is a must visit. The park is known for natural wonders like Shetani lava flow, Mzima springs and roaring rocks.
Shetani lava flow formed after molten lava flew from the neighbouring Chyulu hills and condensed in this area is 8 km long, 1.6km wide and 5 metres deep. The sight is quite spectacular and special. Shetani means ‘devil’ in Kiswahili (One of the major national languages spoken in East Africa). When the locals first saw ‘fire’ erupting and flowing on the ground 500 years ago, they believed it was the devil himself emerging from the earth.
Mzima springs is Tsavo West hidden gem and a must visit. 220 million litres of crystal clear water spring out in one area every day. The water comes from underground streams streams flowing from the nearby chyulu hills. Mzima in Swahili means life. You will have an opportunity to have short walking trails in the wild along the springs and see hippos underwater in a pool that forms a few metres from where the spring sprouts out.
Tsavo West National Park covers 20,808sq km (8,034sq miles), The Park comprises a diversity of habitats, open plains alternating with savannah bush and semi-desert scrub; acacia woodlands; rocky ridges and outcrops.
With a permanent water source, the park virtually guarantees enormous herds and excellent game viewing including Cheetah, Lion, Leopard and Hyena and a herd of over 3,500 Elephants.
- Takawiri island
Lake Victoria, named after the Queen of England, is the largest freshwater lake in Africa with its waters shared by three countries: Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Naturally, such a large body of water is bound to have several islands within its borders. The lake has more than a dozen islands.
But none compares to the beautiful Takawiri Island.
The Takawiri Island has white sandy beaches complimented by tall palm trees that greatly compensate for the usual heat in the Nyanza region of the Western part of Kenya.
The waters surrounding the island is clear blue something that is unique especially because most of the lake has been invaded by the hyacinth. The island is also a haven for bird watching with many water and land birds calmly inhabiting the place.
- White sandy beaches of Diani
Surrounded by the breathtaking Indian Ocean, soft white sands, lush greenery and the striking shade of emerald blue that emerges from its clear warm waters, Diani beach is Kenya’s most relaxing retreat.
With its 17 kilometres of beautiful, flawless, soft white sand, Diani beach has been awarded the best beach destination in Africa for 5 years running since 2015.
From visiting its marine National park, diving with dolphins and sea turtles, spotting whale sharks, kite surfing, skydiving and night life, Diani offers a range of activities for all ranges.
Diani boasts a wide range of resorts, hotels and restaurants. Some of these are:
Swahili beach
Diani sea resort
Diani sea lodge
The sands at nomad
Baobab beach resort and spa
Neptune paradise
Neptune village beach resorts
Nomads at the sands
Ali barbour’s cave restaurant
Leopard beach resort
Leisure lodge
Diani reef
Indian Ocean beach club
Southern palms
- Ali Barbour’s Cave restaurant
Imagine having a glass of wine and an excellent platter of seafood while in a cave at depth of up to 10m below ground level but still have a chance to watch the stars and moon through an open ceiling. Wouldn’t that be a highlight to remember?
Ali Barbour cave located along Diani beach is thought to be between 120,000 and 180,000 years old. It was founded in the 1980s and named as a play on ‘Ali baba and the forty thieves’. The restaurant comprises of a series of interlinking chambers at depth of up to 10m belowground level. The natural holes in the cave ceiling are open to the sky and seating is under the twinkling stars creating an intimate and elegant atmosphere.
- The sunrise and sunsets
Sunrise in Kenya is a real breathtaking display of radiant colours and one of the best times to enjoy it is early in the morning at around 5.30 am. There is something very calm, serene and peaceful about the sunrise and I guarantee you that once you experience it, you will find yourself waking up early during your entire stay in Kenya to enjoy it.
The Kenyan sunset is like watching a fire ignites in the sky and create a burst of different colours that spread across the blue sky and create an artistic and natural site. The red, orange, pink, purple, and blue create a vibrant backdrop for a perfect photograph opportunity.
I know now you agree that Kenya is a melting pot for breathtaking, colourful, spectacular, delightful beauty all rolled in one. Ramina Tours & Travel would love to assist you Explore, enjoy and enjoy the above mentioned attractions. Please click on this button to contact us
