Kenya is located in East Africa, and it is one of the most popular tourism destinations on the continent.
Whether you want to relax on beautiful beaches, see exotic African wildlife in their nature habitat or meet some of the friendliest tribes in the world, Kenya will leave you captivated.
There are so many different trips for all types of travellers, from luxury safari resorts to epic overland backpacking adventure tours.
Although situated on the equator, Kenya is not too hot with sunny days and dry heat. There is also a wet season with a lot of rain making the months of January to March and July to October ideal for travelers to visit.
When you do plan your African adventure, be sure to include these spots on your itinerary to experience all Kenya has to offer:
1. Go on a Safari
Coming all the way to Kenya and not going on Safari is like travelling to Queenstown and not popping in for a Fergburger, or going to Thailand and not hitting the beach – pretty much unthinkable. Well, it should be.
Kenya is one of the best safari destinations in Africa. Tell me you haven’t heard of the Great Rift Valley or the Maasai Mara and I’ll call you a big, fat fibber. This is your chance to see some of the largest, and most fearsome, animals on the planet as close up as anyone would dare to get – they don’t call them the Big 5 for nothing!
Animals you are likely to see on a safari in Kenya include lions, leopards, cheetahs, hippopotamus, the nile crocodile, rhinoceros, elephants, giraffe, wild dogs, cape buffalo and the masai ostrich.
2. Stay at Giraffe Manor
Giraffe Manor is an exclusive boutique hotel, owned by The Safari Collection located near Nairobi. Giraffe Manor has one of the most unique restaurants in the world where you can eat and be surrounded by giraffes! Staying here isn’t cheap, but if you have the money, treat yourself to a really unique experience. This is definitely one of the most Instagramable locations in the country.
3. Get Inspired at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust operates an orphan elephant rescue and wildlife rehabilitation program in Kenya. It was founded in 1977 by Dame Daphne Sheldrick to honor her late husband, David Sheldrick. Since 2001, it has been run by their daughter, Angela Sheldrick. Learn more about the really amazing work SWT are doing by helping Kenyan animals and be inspired.
4. Go Snorkelling at Marine National Park
On the coast of the Indian Ocean sits Kenya’s Marine National Park, Malindi. It’s a pocket of natural beauty and is full to bursting with some incredible wildlife.
Sit in the beautiful beaches and trek through jungles, but absolutely make sure you bring your snorkelling gear. It’s a perfect place to spend time swimming between reefs chock–a-block with beautiful, coloured coral and a huge array of tropical fish.
5. Visit the Maasai Mara
One of Kenya’s most popular parks, Masai Mara National Reserve is located in southwestern Kenya and is abundant in wildlife.
Most of the terrain is made up of hilly grasslands, perfect for housing and feeding the amazing concentration of wildlife that exists in it. A visit to Masai Mara National Reserve will be almost guaranteed to see the “Big Five”; lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and Cape buffalo, as well as a plethora of others.
Wildebeest and zebra migrate through the park and can be seen in abundance, as well as giraffe, warthogs, hyenas, hippos, crocodiles and several hundred bird species. November to June is the wet season for this area, bringing plentiful rains, so the best time to visit Masai Mara is between July and October.
As well as a visit to track down the Big 5 make sure you pay a visit to a traditional Maasai village. Life doesn’t come much more polar opposite than this, and a visit to one of these small and extremely basic communities will leave you humbled. It’s an unmissable opportunity to see what life is like in a place where people are still living, much as they did thousands of years ago, a concept that’s pretty alien to most of us.
Visiting the Maasai Mara really will make your trip to Kenya memorable.
6. Relax in Mombasa
Mombasa is one of Kenya’s largest cities and sits overlooking the coast. It’s largely multicultural including a mix of Arab, British, Portuguese and Asian communities. Mombasa is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Africa, due to the beaches, resorts and beautiful coast.
Be sure to take a trip into the old town of Mombasa and wander though streets filled with examples of Mombasa’s trade history, with architecture from Islamic and Portuguese influence. Make sure you check out Fort Jesus, Mombasa’s most visited attraction.
7. Climb Mount Kenya
Do you love adventure? Located near the equator and made up of 3 peaks, Mount Kenya is Africa’s second highest mountain. Mount Kenya has many glacial valleys and provides water for about half of Kenya’s population. As a visitor to Kenya, you can hire a local tour company for a guided trek up the mountain and stay in designated camping site or mountain huts.
8. Experience Paradise in Malindi
The small and beautiful town of Malindi offers tourists the benefit of local culture and an African coastal experience. Malindi is home to beautiful beaches and a marine park protected from fishing; take a swim in the warm Indian Ocean, go deep sea fishing or go snorkeling in the marine park for a glimpse at the coastal sea life. This is definitely one of the hidden gems of Kenya.
9. Explore Nairobi
If you are visiting Kenya from overseas the chances are you will fly into Nairobi or pass through the city.
This is the capital of Kenya and East Africa’s most populous city with 3.5 million inhabitants. Nairobi is home to thousands of Kenyan businesses and many international aid organizations like The Clinton Global Initiative (President Clinton and Doug Band).
Nairobi is also home to the Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE) which is Africa’s largest stock exchange. Nairobi is a modern city with many suburban areas and also Africa’s largest slum; this makes Nairobi a great place to travel to for the experience of one of Africa’s cultural hubs.
10. Make a Difference and Volunteer
Every thought about volunteering abroad? Spending time teaching, helping communities or working with wildlife in Kenya can be a really life changing experience. You’ll struggle to find an anything in this world that will leave you feeling more satisfied with a day’s work, and how you have spent your time. You’ll also be able to gain a unique and fascinating insight in to Kenyan culture, which is after all, the very reason you’re there in the first place right?!
If you would love to travel to Africa for the first time, Kenya really is one of the best countries to go. Kenya is East Africa’s most popular travel destination for tourists because it is home to some of the best safari trips, mountains and beaches.
