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Kenya Map
Please roll over the individual regions for a quick introduction,or click on them for a detailed exploration of what they offer
Kenya
Kenya is one of the world's great tourism destinations, known for its remarkable diversity of landscapes, wildlife and cultures. Kenya is Africa's original safari destination, attracting explorers, adventurers and travellers for centuries. Coupled with this are miles of beautiful tropical coastline.
When to go
- Kenya has a distinct rainy season which can have an impact on any safari and means that many camps and lodges close as Parks and Reserves become inaccessible
- There are lighter rains in Nov and Dec but the longer hard rains are from Mar–Jun peaking in Apr and May. Visitors will be rewarded with much lower visitor numbers, lots of young animals and wild flowers
What to do
- Safari is the first obvious reason for going to Kenya and there are many options to offer a great variety. Every type of safari with the exception of elephant back are available and even then there are camel safaris
- There are miles of golden sands which line the coast and offer a very appealing extension to a safari
- Golf, fishing, sailing and water sports abound
Amboseli National Park
Amboseli lies immediately north west of Mount Kilimanjaro, on the border with Tanzania. The Park covers 392 sq km and forms part of the much larger 3,000 sq km Amboseli ecosystem. Large concentrations of wildlife occur here in the dry season, making Amboseli a popular destination.
When to go
- Apart from in the rainy season (Mar-May) Amboseli offers a good year round safari experience - especially between Jul–Dec in the drier season. If the correct camps are picked, the masses can be avoided, and all under the spectacular back drop of Mount Kilimanjaro
What to do
- Within the Park itself, activities are generally restricted to game drives in safari vehicles and there are plenty of these with the lodges inside the Park all being large, featuring strongly in packaged 'seat-in-bus' safaris
- However, there are several private concessions surrounding the park with a handful of excellent camps from where walking safaris, open vehicle day and night game drives, cultural visits, sleep outs and even horse riding are all possible. The bonus is that you can still go into the Park but retreat back to the oasis of the private concession afterwards
Laikipiea Plateau & Lewa Downs
Laikipia District is a vast plateau to the north west of snow-capped Mount Kenya, straddling the equator at the heart of Kenya's Rift Valley. It spans an area of over 9,500km² and forms part of the 25,000km² Ewaso ecosystem. The various indigenous communities have joined together in partnership with private ranchers to create a conservation and wildlife haven.
When to go
- Apr and May is the peak of the rainy season and not a good time to travel with many of the camps closed. Due to the altitude, there is a risk of showers year round
- Due to the proximity to Mt Kenya and the altitude, the evenings and early mornings are chilly. Jul and Aug has is a cool south easterly wind
What to do
- Different conservancies offer different activities so this is a sample of what is on offer, but these might not all be possible at the same camp or lodge
- Open vehicle 4x4 day and night game drives
- Lion and rhino tracking
- Horse and camel riding
- Bird watching and hides
Lake Nakuru & Lake Naivasha
Lakes Nakuru and Naivasha are two of the Rift Valley's four main lakes and offer the visitor fantastic birding, with the highlight being flamingos. Nakuru has more than just flamingos, with both black and white rhino along with waterbuck, zebra, buffalo, the endangered Rothschild giraffe and more.
When to go
- As with much of Kenya, the short rains are in Nov–Dec and the longer, heavier rains Mar–Jun, with Apr and May best avoided
- There is no migration as such, but flamingo numbers can vary annually and seasonally
What to do
- Birdwatching is the obvious draw here but there is good general game viewing and black and white rhinos are found on conservancies in the area, as are the rare Rothschild giraffe
Lake Victoria
At Kenya's Western frontier lies the great Lake Victoria which forms a natural boundary between Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. It is the second largest freshwater lake in the world at almost 68,000 sq km, and the source of the River Nile. The lake is rich in fish life, with shoals of colourful cichlids and large Nile Perch.
When to go
- As with much of Kenya, the short rains are in Nov–Dec and the longer, heavier rains Mar–Jun, with Apr and May best avoided
What to do
- Fishing is the biggest draw here, with the legendary Nile Perch the biggest challenge to anglers
- Some people find this a nice alternative to the coast for relaxing, there is good birding and the Ruma National Park has a healthy population of game
Masai Mara
The Masai Mara's quantity and variety of wildlife is breathtaking. The reserve is perhaps most famous for its lions, which are found in large numbers, and for the annual wildebeest migration, largely considered one of World's most exceptional natural phenomena.
When to go
- As with much of Kenya, the short rains are in Nov – Dec and the longer, heavier rains Mar – Jun, with Apr and May best avoided, although the Park is quiet at that time
- The Great Migration starts to arrive from Jul and is generally resident until Oct, but there is no official arrival and departure date. It is not unusual for herds to cross back and forth into the Serengeti
- For the rest of the year, the Mara offers superb game viewing and the area is particularly famous for its predators, with the BBC's Big Cat Diaries filmed here
What to do
- Within the Park visitors are mostly restricted to game viewing by vehicle. The camps and lodges we use operate these in specially adapted 4x4 vehicles and we tend to steer clear of minibuses and the areas they operate in
- Balloon safaris are a fabulous way to drift silently over the plains and operate daily, subject to weather conditions
- Adjacent to the main reserve are several community conservancies where some of the best camps and lodges are located. These areas are not anywhere near as busy as the main park and yet still have the same high densities of wildlife but without the restrictions, with night drives and walking safaris on offer
- There are some excellent fly camping sleep outs available
Samburu National Reserve
Samburu National Reserve lies north of Mount Kenya and is famous because of the richness of flora and fauna. As well as the Big Five, there are unique species of Grevy's Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe, Besia Oryx, Greater and Lesser Kudu, Gerenuk, Somali ostrich and over 450 species of bird.
When to go
- As with much of Kenya, the short rains are in Nov – Dec, and the longer, heavier rains Mar–Jun. Over recent years, the Park has experienced some flooding after the heavy rains
What to do
- 4x4 game drives in the reserve and bush walks
- Surrounding private concessions offer nights drives as well as longer walks, cultural visits and even camel back safaris
Nairobi
Modern Nairobi is still the safari capital of East Africa, but the modern world has quickly caught up with the city. A frontier town no more, Nairobi has become one of Africa's largest and most interesting cities.
What to do
- Most people will only pass through Nairobi or have a transit stop en route. However, if visitors do have time to dwell longer, there is quite a lot to do
- Nairobi National Park is home to large herds of zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, giraffe and more. Rhino, cheetah, and a large number of lion are all found here, living wild within 20 minutes of the centre of town
- AFEW Giraffe Centre in Langata exists primarily as a breeding centre for western Kenya's endangered Rothschild's giraffe
- The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is a haven for elephant orphans, rhinos and other animals
North Coast
North of Mombasa, the Kenyan coast is lined with white beaches and the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Here the wilderness meets the sea, and the ocean holds a world of spectacular coral reefs teeming with life and colour.
Went to go
- With the exception of the long rains from Apr – Jun, the coast enjoys year round sunshine, warm waters, and a tropical climate
What to do
- As little or as much as you like. Fishing, Scuba diving, snorkelling, Dhow cruises, water skiing, windsurfing, bird watching – the list is endless
South Coast
From Mombasa and further south, the Kenyan coast is lined with beaches and the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Here the wilderness meets the sea, and the ocean holds a world of spectacular coral reefs teeming with life and colour.
Went to go
- With the exception of the long rains from Apr – Jun, the coast enjoys year round sunshine, warm waters, white sandy beaches and a tropical climate
What to do
- As little or as much as you like. Fishing, Scuba diving, snorkelling, Dhow cruises, water skiing, windsurfing, bird watching, safaris to Tsavo and Shimba Hills – the list is endless
Tsavo East & West
When combined, Tsavo West and Tsavo East form one of the largest National Parks in the world and at almost 22,000 sq km, it is the largest in Kenya. The Park lies half way between Mombasa and Nairobi, and it is the road and railway between Kenya's two main cities that divides it into East and West.
When to go
- There are 2 rainy seasons from Apr–Jun and Nov–Dec. Other than that, the area is warm and dry and quite arid and dusty
What to do
- Many of the lodges in Tsavo are designed to cater for the package market and minibus safaris from the coast, so it is essential to pick the right camp to avoid this
- The camps we use offer open vehicle game drives in quieter areas of the park away from the main "circuit". Nature walks and village visits are popular, and some camps in Tsavo West can arrange day trips to Amboseli for guests staying longer
Go Beyond…
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