Safaris in Kenya have been around for years, and they’re steeped with tales of romantic journeys, perilous expeditions and pioneers of conservation. They’re also steeped in the values of conservation, sustainability and community engagement. Add to that the warmth and hospitality of the people of Kenya, and you’ve got a holiday safari that’s sure to leave you feeling satisfied with the safari experience.
One of the most interesting tourist destinations in Africa is Kenya. The primary lure is going on safari in renowned parks like the Masai Mara National Reserve, Amboseli, Tsavo National Parks among others, but this equatorial region of East Africa has a wealth of additional alluring sights. The gorgeous beaches, offshore reefs, and historic Swahili towns that border the Indian Ocean coastline are popular tourist attractions in Kenya. The chance to view the snow-capped peaks of Africa’s two tallest mountains is one of Kenya’s additional tourism attractions.
WHICH ARE THE TOP SAFARI ATTRACTIONS IN KENYA?
There are various attractions in Kenya ranging from wildlife zones, cities, coastal beaches, cultural villages among others.
Nairobi National Park is the oldest national park in Kenya having been established in 1946. It’s the only protected area in the world with the variety of animals and birds close to the city. The park covers just 117km² (44 square miles). This wildlife sanctuary gives visitors a chance to indulge in an African safari at the footsteps of a city. The wide open grass plains and backdrop of the city scrapers, scattered acacia bush play host to a wide variety of wildlife including the endangered black rhino, lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, buffaloes, giraffes and diverse birdlife with over 400 species recorded.
Where to Stay:
Nairobi Tented camp – Nairobi Tented Camp is the only camp that is situated inside the park. Staying within Nairobi National Park as part of your game tour of Kenya is an unforgettable experience.
Amboseli National Park is a popular destination owing to its spectacular sights of big-tusked elephants set against the backdrop of Africa’s largest free standing mountain. The name “Amboseli” comes from a Maasai word meaning “salty dust”, The park offers some of the best opportunities to see African wildlife because the vegetation is sparse due to the long, dry months. The protected area is home to African bush elephant, impala, lion, cheetah, Cape www.saunterlandtours.com buffalo, spotted hyena, Masai giraffe, Grant’s zebra, and wildebeest. Visitors may also opt to visit the local Maasai community who live around the park and experience their authentic culture.
Where to Stay:
Lake Nakuru National park is a pristine wildlife sanctuary renowned for its magnificent array of birdlife. It is the migratory flocks of thousands of greater and lesser flamingo that really create the attraction here, when the lake’s shallow waters turn pink. The lake supports the blue-green Cyanophyte Spirulina Platensis, which is the main food source for the brilliant pink flamingoes that can be found wading on the lake’s edge. Black and white rhino, the rare Rothschild’s giraffe, a small herd of buffalo, dik dik, klipspringer, eland, the occasional leopard and many other plains game are also found here. The park has unique vegetation with about 550 different plant species including the biggest euphorbia forest in africa, picturesque landscape and yellow acacia woodlands. The park has stunning viewpoints at lion hill baboon cliff and out of Africa view points and the makalia falls.
Where to Stay:
This trio of national reserves lies between the lush highlands of southern Kenya and the arid deserts in the north. It is a region of dramatic contrasts in which rare wildlife and diverse birdlife reside.
Samburu National Reserve is located on the banks of the Ewaso Ng’iro River (meaning “brown water”) and on the other side of the river is the Buffalo Spring National Reserve both in the northern part of Kenya. There are five special species wildlife endemic to this region namely the Gerenuk (mini-giraffe), Gravy zebra, Somali Ostrich, Reticulated Giraffe and the Beisa Oryx. Buffalo Springs National Reserve is less hilly and less dense than Samburu.
The reserve gates are Cholcaa Gate and Ngare Mare Gate; the airstrip is called Buffalo Springs. The vegetation is mainly wooded and bushy grassland, riverine forest and swamps. Shaba National Reserve is located East of Samburu Game Reserve and Buffalo Spring National Reserve. The bushes and grass vegetation in the reserve makes Mount Kenya visible on the right side of vast stretches of savannah land. Shaba took its name from the Mount Shaba (1525 meters), a volcanic mountain that became extinct around 5,000 years ago. Mount Shaba lies on the boarder of the reserve .Shaba National Reserve is very peaceful and attracts animals because of River Ewaso Ng’iro, which runs through it and the mixture of acacia, riverine forest, thorn trees and grass vegetation. Shaba Game Reserve was where Joy Adamson, the world renowned author of Born Free, conservationist and artist, together with her lioness Elsa spent her final years and returning the a leopard to the wild. This was the subject of her final book, Queen of Shaba. More recently Shaba served as the location for the hit series “Survivor Africa” which pitted its contestants against the challenges of this World Africa.
Where to Stay:
Masai Mara National Reserve is Kenya’s finest hub of wildlife situated within the Great Rift Valley in the southern part of Kenya. It measures approximately 1510sq. kilometres (approx. 938sq. miles. It offers a great opportunity to view the big five (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and cheetah). The annual migration of wild beasts and zebras from the Serengeti National Park in Northern Tanzania provide the highlight between June and August. In the remainder of the year the Park is still rich in wildlife having the greatest density of wildlife per square kilometer in Kenya. Herds of plains zebras, giraffes, jackals, white-bearded gnus, Oribis, warthogs, Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles, hartebeests, hyenas, bat-eared foxes, rare Topi antelope and beautiful rone antelope, as well as hippos and crocodiles in the Mara River are some of the fauna the pristine national reserve has to offer. Those in birding adventure will have sights of long-crested eagles, vultures, ostriches, marabous, white-tipped crests, owls, wary guinea fowl, Jackson’s bustards, among others. Hot air balloon rides that provides a skyhigh view of wildlife, Maasai village visits to interact with Maasai people are some of activities you may opt to experience
Where to Stay:
Ol Pejeta Conservancy is situated in the foothills of snow-capped Mount Kenya. It is a trailblazer in conservation, most famous for protecting the world’s last two northern white rhinos. Across the 36,400-hectare conservancy, you might spot lion prowling the plains, giraffe and elephant munching on whistling thorn trees, cheetah scanning for prey or even elusive wild dog and leopard. It’s one of the largest black rhino sanctuaries in East Africa. Ol Pejeta Conservancy is home to the Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino – black, southern white, and northern white). Ol Pejeta has been advocating for the plight of chimpanzees and other great apes since 1993 – when Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary was first opened. The Sanctuary aims to provide a refuge for chimpanzees rescued from the black market, and is the only place in Kenya where these fascinating animals can be seen.
Where to Stay:
Tsavo East forms the largest protected area in Kenya and is home to most of the larger mammals, vast herds of dust –red elephant, Rhino, buffalo, lion, leopard, pods of hippo, crocodile, waterbucks, lesser Kudu, gerenuk and the prolific bird life features 500 recorded species. The sight of dust-red elephant wallowing, rolling and spraying each other with the midnight blue waters of palm-shaded Galana River is one of the most evocative images in Africa. This, along with the 300 kilomtere long Yatta Plateau, the longest lava flow in the world, make for an adventure unlike any other in the Tsavo East.
Where to Stay:
The Aberdare National Park in Kenya’s central highlands still exudes a sense of mystery; one can only speculate as to what unidentified wildlife, such rare Black Leopards, may be hiding out there. Between Nairobi and Thompsons Falls, a distance of around 100 kilometers (km), the Aberdares is a remote volcanic range that forms the eastern wall of the rift valley. The savannahs are significantly warmer than this stunningly attractive area, which provides a very different viewpoint of the nation. The majority of the national park is located above treeline. Its steep topography is covered in dense tropical trees that are shrouded in mist, making for a breathtaking landscape. Aberdare National Park is best known as the site where in 1952, Princess Elizabeth became Queen after the death of her father King George VI, whilst staying at the Treetops Hotel
Where to Stay:
The Taita Hills Wildlife Conservancy derives its name from the surrounding clusters of hills and is an integral part of the Eastern Arc forests classified as an biodiversity hotspot. The conservancy covers an area of 28,000 acres of mosaic habitat where the plant physiognomy is riverine forest, savanna wood and grassland. The vegetation formation is usually dense, stratified and always dominated by Acacia /Commiphora trees and may appear to be evergreen in wet areas such as in the central lowlands of the sanctuary. The sanctuary straddles the Southern Tsavo West National Park and is an important dispersal area and migrating corridor for wildlife between Tsavo East National Park and Tsavo West National Park and making it a highly valued tourism recreational area and of ecological importance. The topography is generally mountainous that offers breath taking landscape views of the Kilimanjaro, Pare, Uluguru mountains and the clusters of Taita Hills with a seasonal river dividing the sanctuary into valleys and lowland plains.
Where to Stay:
The Aberdare National Park in Kenya’s central highlands still exudes a sense of mystery; one can only speculate as to what unidentified wildlife, such rare Black Leopards, may be hiding out there. Between Nairobi and Thompsons Falls, a distance of around 100 kilometers (km), the Aberdares is a remote volcanic range that forms the eastern wall of the rift valley. The savannahs are significantly warmer than this stunningly attractive area, which provides a very different viewpoint of the nation. The majority of the national park is located above treeline. Its steep topography is covered in dense tropical trees that are shrouded in mist, making for a breathtaking landscape. Aberdare National Park is best known as the site where in 1952, Princess Elizabeth became Queen after the death of her father King George VI, whilst staying at the Treetops Hotel
Where to Stay:
Solio Ranch Conservancy is a privately-owned wildlife conservancy in the Greater Laikipia Region, located between Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Mountains. The 17,500 acre reserve is filled with acacia forest, traversed by a river center to the conservancy. Solio Ranch plays a major part in the protection and breeding of black rhinos, recognized as one of the most successful to do so in Kenya. The animals live in harmony with other wildlife, including lion, cheetah, buffalo, zebra, and giraffe. The park also offers some of the best leopard viewing in the country and is an ideal place for bird watching. Solio Ranch borders the famous Conservancies, Lewa Conservancy and Olepejta Conservancy. Its well situated with great views of the second-highest mountain in Africa, Mt. Kenya. Its the only conservancy in Kenya to Spot Rhinos and Lions in Huge Numbers.
Where to Stay:
Within the Laikipia wilderness are individual, privately and community-owned conservancies that offer superb distinct accommodations, exceptional exploratory activities, striking scenery and diverse wildlife experiences. In North Laikipia( Loisaba, Mugie, Ol Lentille and Suyian Ranch), In East Laikipia ( Lewa, Borana, IL Ngwesi and Lekurruki), In South Laikipia (Solio and Olpejeta) and In Central Laikipia (Segera).
Lake Naivasha, which means ‘rippling water’ in a local dialect, is the largest freshwater lake along the Kenyan section of the Rift Valley. Dominated by huge umbrella-like acacia trees that surround the terracotta waters of the lake, much of Naivasha’s shores is taken up by huge farms growing cut flowers (mainly carnations and roses) for the international market. There is plenty to do at the lake and it’s environs. Fishing is good and there are a number of watersports available, but the main attraction is the bird life, which is best observed on a boat trip on the lake. The nearby Hells Gate National Park is also good for bird watching, especially for large raptors such as Verreaux’s eagle, secretary birds, kori bustards and the rare lammergeyer or bearded vulture. Within Lake Naivasha is the Crescent Island game sanctuary, one of the places in Kenya you can undertake guided walking safari. Crescent Island Sanctuary boasts more animals per acre than any other park in Kenya. You are certain to trek by diverse herds of wildlife – wildebeest, waterbuck, zebra, giraffe and gazelle amongst them. Hippos are also known to graze all about the island and you’re sure to spot pelicans, cormorants and fish eagles as well.
Where to Stay:
The Chalbi Desert is a real gem, it is located in Marsabit County, east of the famous Lake Turkana ( the largest desert lake in Kenya), spreading to the Ethiopian border. Covering an area of 100.000 kilometer square, the Chalbi Desert is one of the hottest and arid places in Kenya.
The main attractions at Chalbi Desert are:
Regularly touted as one of the very best Kenya beaches (and top beaches in world), Diani Beach wows visitors with its impossibly-white powdery sand, crystalline waters, and one of the most laidback vibes of any of Kenya’s mainland beaches. Despite its global rockstar status and proximity to Mombasa (Kenya’s second-largest city), spectacular Diani has somehow managed to avoid the over-development and over-tourism that beleaguers other Mombasa-area beaches. Diani Beach is a top choice for snorkelers and scuba divers, outdoor-loving honeymooners and holiday makers, as well as those hoping to sink their teeth into some of the best Swahili cuisine on the Kenyan Coast.
Where to Stay:
For solitude seekers and beach enthusiasts, there’s so much to love about Chale Beach on Chale Island, located just two kilometers across the bay from Gazi. This tropical island’s dense mangrove forest provides a luxuriant haven for a variety of local fauna. Visitors may enjoy some of the greatest diving and snorkeling in the region right offshore along the magnificent coral reef.
This beautiful white-sand beach on the Kenyan Coast is a picture-postcard paradise with vivid blue water that is ideal for honeymooners and anybody else who dreams of the ideal luxury beach holiday.
Where to Stay:
For anyone seeking a really distinctive beach destination with simple access to a wide variety of restaurants and beachside lodging, Watamu is the perfect choice.Shopping, scuba diving, the local nightlife, and the historic Gede ruins—which IS a great half-day trip from Watamu—are all only a short distance away. A home for Green Turtles, Dugongs, and more than 100 species of indigenous birds, Watamu Marine National Park’s coral reefs and tidal zones can also be visited.
Where to Stay:
Due in large part to its well-connected domestic airport and closeness to the region’s most prominent attractions, Malindi is a well-liked destination along the Kenyan Coast. The town’s history is lengthy and fascinating, with significant contributions from Bantu farmers, Swahili traders, Chinese, Portuguese, and German explorers and immigrants, among many others.For gorgeous strolls at sunrise and sunset, a laid-back neighborhood atmosphere, and easy access to the majority of the city’s eateries, head to Golden Beach (Bridge Beach). For softer sand, fewer tourists, and plenty of peace and quiet, follow the beach north. The majority of Malindi’s beach hotels and resorts are located in the south along an unearthly coral shoreline.
Where to Stay:
Mombasa is a city in Kenya. It is located facing the Indian Ocean on the country’s southeast coast. Exploring woods, coastal wilderness, marine life, wildlife safaris, underwater adventures, cultural experiences, Kenyan history, spotless beaches, and exciting nightlife are just a few of the most enjoyable things to do in Mombasa.
Nairobi city is not only a capital city but it is a prominent tourist destination with many breathtaking tourist attractions. Some of the tourist attractions while on a tour of Nairobi are listed below:
Where to Stay:
Nairobi city is not only a capital city but it is a prominent tourist destination with many breathtaking tourist attractions. Some of the tourist attractions while on a tour of Nairobi are listed below:
Where to stay while in Nairobi
Nairobi city is an amazing city for sightseeing and a home to most of the comfortable and luxurious hotels and lodges in Kenya, while on your visit in Nairobi accommodation is got from a variety of accommodation facilities which are categorized as luxury hotels, midrange and budget hotels.
There are various attractions in Kenya ranging from wildlife zones, cities, coastal beaches, cultural villages among others.
Kenya is a “year-round destination” that may be visited at any time because it is located on the equator. The warmest months are late January through March, while July and August are the coolest. There are two rainy seasons: “the long rains,” which last for ten weeks from early April to early June, and “the short rains,” which last for six weeks from late November to early December. As the world’s weather patterns change, there may be periods of drought or heavy rainfall outside of the typical rainy season in some parts of Kenya when the rains completely fail to fall. But because it usually rains at night or in the morning instead of during the day, there may still be sunny days in between.
In most parks / conservancies you can normally guarantee that you will see the more common grazing animals such as buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, eland, giraffe, gazelles, impala and waterbuck. In addition lions, leopards and cheetahs are present in most parks, but are most easily seen in the Mara and the Mara Conservancies. Elephants are best seen in Amboseli and Rhino are often sighted in Nairobi National Park, Ol Pejeta Conservancy and Lake Nakuru Park.
If you are booking a road safari in Kenya you can choose between a 6 seater safari minivan or a closed-sided 4×4 safari landcruiser – both have pop-up roofs giving passengers great photo opportunities.
Generally safaris follow a typical pattern each day. Activities are mainly game drives in a pop up roof safari vehicle. In some destinations, you may undertake guided walks. The morning begins with a great breakfast before the first drive / activity which starts at or just after sunrise. There are great opportunities to see wildlife at this time since it is still fairly cool and animals are most active. Typically depending on the safari destination, you may choose to do a full day game drive or split the game drives into morning and evening game drive.The morning activity usually ends by late morning with guests returning to the camp / lodge for breakfast / brunch. Guests generally relax at the camp / lodge for the middle of the day. This is because the animals are quite inactive during the heat of the day – seeking shelter in the shade. Guests have lunch and enjoy the camp or lodge facilities (lounge / hammocks / swimming pool etc) or some properties offer short walks or visits to a hide.
The second main activity will be in the late afternoon and perhaps end at a scenic point to view the sunset (depending on safari destination). Some camps offer night drives after this. Guests later return to the camp / lodge for drinks and dinner.
Many of the major world airlines including Kenya Airways, British Airways, Air France, KLM, Lufthansa and Swissair fly several times a week from Europe into Jomo Kenyatta International airport, Nairobi. From North America, airlines including American Airlines and Delta offer services www.saunterlandtours.com that connect via Europe. Other airlines include Emirates, Qatar, Egypt Air, Ethiopian Airlines, South African Airways, Turkish Airlines and Air India.
A safari lodge in Africa is made up of several cottages or chalets that are dispersed over a landscaped area and is situated in a secluded wildlife location.A main structure featuring a restaurant, bar, gift store, a reception area, and administrative amenities will be located here. There may typically be a swimming room. Around the main central building of the lodge are smaller, distributed cottages with en suite beds. The setting is typically rustic and enhances the surrounding scenery while capturing the character of the wild.Safari lodges come in a wide range of sizes, distinctive designs, locations, and standards, with options for budget, midrange, and luxury
A safari tented camps share some similarities with safari lodges in layout , purpose and location. A tented camp is composed of the Main building (housing the public areas) usually thatched African style for effect .It may also be made of a large tent .The en-suite guest tents are scattered around the main building providing a private feel. The tented camp is a composition of large ensuite walk in tents which are built on a solid floor base and are complete with private bathrooms and a small terrace or veranda. Essentially they are rooms with the exterior being canvas rather than wood or brick. The tented camp complex may also have a swimming pool. Tented camps range from the budget, midrange, luxury to the super luxury.
Tourists visiting Kenya must have a valid visa. Your passport must also be valid for at least six months after the date of your arrival in the country. Effective Jan 1, 2023/2024, all passengers travelling to Kenya from countries that require visas to enter Kenya shall be required to apply and obtain E-visa before boarding an aircraft as no visas shall be issued on arrival.
The visa application process involves uploading your passport picture along with your passport photograph. Your visa shall be issued approximately five days after you register. You shall be required to print a copy of your electronic visa, bring it with you for presentation along with your passport on arrival in Kenya. If you have any problems or enquiries related to applying for an electronic visa, please contact the Kenyan Embassy in your country / region or email evisa@immigration.go.ke.
Kenya Evisa Application procedure:
