1. Lake Victoria
My first ever visit to Kenya was on a sponsored tour by a certain church in the capital Nairobi, they had invited us for a youth conference so we arrived three days before the conference began.
Our hosts decided to show us around and our first port of call was the gigantic Lake Victoria, it's almost unbelievable that this vast mass of water is actually shared by not two but three neighbours, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, strewn along it's shores are world-class hotels and lodges. I was left in awe at the beauty of this lake and it's surroundings.
John Hanning Speke and his friend Richard Francis Burton are said to have discovered this natural wonder back in 1858 but one wonders what these historians mean when they say "discovered" to something that the locals have known for thousands of years, very strange if you ask me.
Places to stay in Lake Victoria.
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The diversity of culture and religions is so evident, you will see giant mosques and you will see people who are always covering their heads with neatly tied robes.
2. Mombasa.
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Although Mombasa has had it's fair share of safety concerns tourists still flock to this second largest city in Kenya after Nairobi. Mombasa is located in the east of the country bordering the Indian Ocean.
This city is undoubtedly Kenya's number 1 tourist destination due to it's beautiful beaches and world-class hotels and resorts. Mombasa remains one of the busiest economic hub port cities in Africa
This cosmopolitan city presents visitors with a diverse culture, from Chinese, Americans, British, Arabs, you will find them here.
So many activities go on here;
- Deep-sea diving.
- Take trips to view dolphins.
- Deep-sea fishing.
- Snorkelling.
- Visit Fort Jesus which is one of Kenya's best tourist attractions and it is also a Unesco Heritage Site.
- Visit The famous Mamba village centre and learn about crocodiles.
3.Sampuru National Reserve.
This national reserve is one of the best game reserves in Kenya.
It is located along the Ewaso Ng’iro river and is a protected area The professional layout of the lodges on this game reserve is absolutely beautiful safari fanatics will be in for a good treat, you will find ostrich, zebra and beisa oryx among many other species.
My favourite is the Saruni Samburu which is located on top of a hill and it is a luxurious and exquisite and protected wildlife conservancy safari hideaway, the views from these villas offer visitors breathtaking scenery, they offer a spa treatment too what more would you ask for.
Joy's camp also offers visitors an unforgettable experience in game viewing as it is overlooking a natural spring, the Ewaso River Gorge is just a stone's throw away and the site of this gorge will instantly throw you into a world of amazing natural architecture.
4. Hell's gate.
Although this park has been marred with controversy after a group of seven tourists perished after they were swept away by a flash flood, Hell's Gate remains one of the most visited game parks in Kenya.
It got it's rather strange name after two explorers stumbled across this place in 1883, these two guys were named Tom and Fisher. This place has been in existence for a long time but it was established as a game park in 1984.
Hell's Gate is located in the Rift Valley province south of Lake Naivasha and its nearest cities are Nakuru and Nairobi.
Due to it's close proximity to the capital Nairobi it is highly favoured by tourists.
Another big plus for this game park is that it is one of only two parks that allows visitors to do camping. Safari enthusiasts around the world will agree with me that a safari without camping lakes that feeling and bonding of you and the natural habitat.
We wanna hear that staggering trumpet of an elephant, we wanna hear that deafening roar of the king of the jungle, the growling, hissing, meowing and distance calls of a leopard, the giftedness of the laughing brown hyena, the squeals of a warthog and the hooting owls.
Visitors to Hell's gate can enjoy ;
- bicycling.
- mountain climbing.
- camping.
there are several lodges dotted around Lake Naivasha which are good for watersports games and bird viewing.
5. Mount Kenya.
This is the highest peak in Kenya and second in Africa after the famous and monstrous giant Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
Some climbers prefer connecting to mount Kilimanjaro from the Kenyan side through the Rongai route which is not an easy expedition due to the mental and physical challenges you will have to overcome, and it will take you days to reach the peak.
Mount Kenya is basically an extinct volcano towering to a staggering 5200m with jagged peaks.
Places to stay in Mount Kenya.
6. Tsavo National Park.
This national park is so huge that they had to divide it into two wings namely Tsavo West and Tsavo East.
Located in southwest Kenya measuring a massive 22000square kilometres of natural habitat, this national park remains Kenya's largest.
Make sure you visit Mzima springs which is a masterpiece of natural phenomena, you will see crystal clear water flowing through volcanic rocks.
Mzima simply means alive or full of life, it is an oasis of natural springs in the west wing of Tsavo National Park and it is fed by a natural reservoir under the Chyulu hills.
Places to stay in Tsavo national park east.
Places to stay in Tsavo national park west
7. Amboseli National Park.
You don't have to be in Tanzania to see the giant Mount Kilimanjaro, yes, that's right, you can easily spot snow-capped peaks of the mountain from Amboseli National park.
This giant park measuring some 400 square kilometres and within 8000 square kilometres of an ecosystem that stretches between the Kenyan and Tanzanian border is well known for its large tasked elephants and large herds of buffalo.
In the rainy season, the centre of the basin is usually flooded attracting lots of wildlife. The government has made this park to be easily accessible by constructing a small airport that can accommodate light aircraft.
8. Lamu Island.
The very first thing you notice when you arrive in Lamu is the old and laid back lifestyle of the locals, if you haven't seen donkeys and scotch carts patrolling the streets, you will see them here, like in those western movies we used to watch back in the day, the only difference being that horses were used instead.
Lamu Island is predominantly Muslim and places to visit here are Lamu Museum, Lamu Fort or simply go to one of the island's nice beaches and enjoy some sun.
Terror groups have made sporadic attacks in recent years making Lamu an unsafe place but security on this island has been tightened and the island has been receiving a good number of visitors.
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9. Nairobi National Park.
Just 10 minutes of driving out of the capital Nairobi, Welcome to Nairobi National Park, from this park you can easily see the buildings in the capital,.
Those who planned and designed this park are geniuses, they fenced three sides of the park leading to the city and residential areas and left one side open so that wildlife is not restricted inside the park, animals can easily move in and out of the park otherwise, it would have been a zoo and visitors would have to do with the same animals, again and again, kudos to them✌.
Measuring 118 square kilometres it is probably one the smallest parks in Kenya but it attracts a large number of visitors due to its close proximity to the capital Nairobi.
You will find all manner of wildlife here, buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard, spotted hyena gazelle, common warthog, impala and many other species.
Places to stay in Nairobi national park.
10. Masai Mara Game Reserve.
This game reserve presents tourists with an array of activities but the one that I consider to be the best of them all is the annual migration of wildebeest as they search for greener pastures.
This great spectacle happens between Masai Mara and the giant Serengeti in neighbouring Tanzania wildebeest, zebra, and eland gather on the banks of the infamous crocodile-infested Grumeti River in preparation to cross this mighty river, there is safety in numbers but the crocodiles usually have a field day here.
You are likely going to witness this great exodus between June and August, apart from the migration Masai Mara is renowned for its large herds of elephants and Lions, probably the most populated national reserve in Kenya.
11. Lake Nakuru.
Red flamingos are such a beautiful sight and you will see them in abundance here at Lake Nakuru which is part of the greater Lake Nakuru national park. Measuring just 45square kilometres this lake and it's surroundings is home to diverse wildlife.
Large quantities of algae in this lake is what attracts the lovely birds.
Visitors can also watch baboons at the cliff, baboons are such a spectacle to watch maybe because of their human-like nature, the screams, the shouting, the "aw", the "ih", the "uh", the naughty young one getting a nice hiding from the elders, I can spend hours watching baboons.
Places to stay in Lake Nakuru.
12. Malindi.
When a town earns a tourism city status it simply means, in that particular city, they eat and sleep tourism and in that kind of environment you are sure to get nothing but the best.
Situated on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya, some 120 kilometres northeast of Mombasa, Welcome to the city of Malindi.
Blessed with a tropical dry savannah climate, a domestic airport, world-class hotels, beautiful beaches and of cause a melting pot of tradition, cultures and cuisines.
The beaches are divided into three main sections namely;
1. Silversands beach.
2. Marine Park Beach.
3. Malindi Beach.
Dotted along these beautiful beaches are world-class hotels and resorts, these beaches stretch for about ten kilometres.
There are many activities here, the first one is, of course;
- Sun-basking.
- tourists can also visit The Marafa Depression which is also known as Hell's Kitchen, this tourist attraction can be likened to the famous Grand Canyon but on a smaller scale.
- It is a sandstone canyon and the elements of weather turned it into a great spectacle of natural architecture.
- Diving enthusiasts can explore the coral reefs of Malindi and Watamu Marine National Parks.
Conclusion.
There you have it, folks Kenya remains one of the top tourist destinations in Africa if not in the world.
In 2018 alone Kenya received a massive 1.9 million international visitors which clearly shows that Kenya is a force to reckon with in tourism.
Go ahead try out this beautiful country.
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