Kenya’s Great Rift Valley cuts from north to south and to the west are the agricultural Highlands where tea, coffee, vegetables and flowers are produced. To the north, beyond Mount Kenya stretch semi arid deserts and inhospitable terrain where only a few nomadic eke out a tough existence. Here, around Lake Turkana, the Jade Sea, anthropologists have identified the ‘cradle of humanity’.

A different world opens up as you approach the shores of the Indian Ocean. The air becomes humid; the sun seems to shine more intensely; a gentle lifestyle and a sandy beach unfurls. Here is a paradise for diving, snorkeling, fishing and relaxation.

For a first visit to Africa, Kenya is highly recommended as it offers diversity and the very essence of Africa – superb game viewing, tribal people and stunning scenery. If you have been to Africa before Kenya’s reward is great abundance and contrasting eco-systems.
KENYA FACTS

Country     Republic of Kenya
Capital     Nairobi
Government type     Republic
Independence     12 December 1963 (from UK)
Population     31,140,000
Nationality     Kenyan (noun)
Adjective     Kenyan
Ethnic groups

Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab) 1%
Religions

Estimates are Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, indigenous beliefs 10%, Muslim 10% and other 2%.
Languages

English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous local languages
Currency     Kenyan shilling (KES)
Area     Total area is 582,650 sq kms and about 2 ½ times larger than the UK
Borders

Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and the Indian Ocean
Highest Point

Africa’s second highest mountain – Mount Kenya 5,199 m
Economic overview

Kenya is the regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa and is a major exporter of tea, coffee, petroleum products, cement, fish and horticultural products. Unfortunately in recent decades the countries economy has been hampered by a price slump in many of these exports, by some downturn in tourism and by corruption at all levels! In the late 90’s severe drought and strife in neighbouring countries added to the difficulties. At peaceful elections in December 2002 the National Rainbow Coalition, led by Mwai Mbaki came to power and this has brought about a feeling of new optimism in the country.

KENYA CLIMATE INFORMATION
The best times to visit Kenya are during the dry seasons – from the end of May to early October, when it is also cooler, and
then again from late November to early March when it is generally warmer. Most of Kenya is at high altitude and only in the north and on the coast does it get really hot.

Masai Mara, Although not Kenya’s largest park, the Masai Mara Game Reserve, is undoubtedly its best known and contains great concentrations of wildlife. The Mara adjoins the Serengeti in Tanzania forming the northern end of the great migration ecosystem. The Park is home to lion, leopard, cheetah, zebra, wildebeest (gnu), giraffe, buffalo, jackal, topi, gazelles, impala, elephant and more. Hippos and crocodiles are plentiful in the rivers and the bird life is also abundant. This is the traditional land of the Masai people, nomadic herders who choose a traditional lifestyle.

Samburu, The hot and dry Samburu and Shaba National Reserves are classic examples of arid habitat and the Ewaso Nyiro River provides the only year round source of water. Elephants, buffalo, lion, leopard, cheetah as well as reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, Grevy’s zebra, oryx and other species have adapted to life here. In addition to the wildlife the region is home to the nomadic Samburu tribe, who herd their cattle, camels and goats in search of pasture.

Lake Turkana, In the far north of Kenya is Lake Turkana – the largest desert lake in the world. Known as the Jade Sea the lake’s shimmering colours contrast sharply with the barren landscape of extinct volcanoes and lava beds that surrounds it. The area is steeped in prehistoric history and hominid fossil remains. The lake is home to crocodiles, hippos and more than 40 different species of fish. The barren landscape supports snakes, zebra, giraffe and camels. Turkana is the source of life for some of Kenya’s most remote tribes.

Kenya Coast, Mombasa and the Kenya coast is an interesting mix of Africa & Arabia with a little Portuguese thrown in. Along the coast are coral reefs where tropical fish swim and on snorkelling safaris you may see dolphins and turtles. Around Diani Beach, Watamu, Malindi and even on the sleepy island of Lamu facilities for travellers have sprung up and there are a good number of restaurants, shops and local tour operators. Explore Arab ruins, sail a dhow, eat delicious seafood cooked on the coals, shop for your souvenirs and spend time relaxing on the white sand beaches.

Nairobi, In the centre of the country, Nairobi is a modern and cosmopolitan city. Gateway to the principal wildlife reserves, Nairobi is the focus of all the nation’s activities and is developing at an alarming pace. If you have a day or so to spend in Nairobi we there are quite a few worthwhile sites to visit and plenty of good shopping opportunities from cheap & cheerful goodies to artefacts and books.

Rift Valley, The scenically beautiful Kenyan Rift Valley boasts a series of lakes – some of which are freshwater, others of which are soda lakes and these attract millions of flamingos. The upheavals that caused this huge Rift that runs from the Dead Sea to Mozambique also resulted in the sprouting of volcanic mountains. Apart from breathtaking scenery studded with lakes and volcanoes, Kenya’s Rift Valley is home to a big variety of active safari options and friendly African market towns.

Aberdare National Park, The Aberdare National Park was created to protect the forested slopes and moors of the Aberdare Mountains. Despite the fact that the Park has elephant, lion, rhino, black leopard and the beautiful but elusive bongo antelope it attracts only a small number of visitors.

Amboseli, Amboseli is justly famous for its big game including buffalo, elephant, lion, giraffe, hyena, cheetah and a variety of smaller carnivores and antelope species; and for its picturesque scenery, which benefits from the beautiful backdrop of snow covered Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain at 5,894m (19,340 ft). This region is home to the nomadic Masai people and you will see their circular manyattas (villages), surrounded by thorny scrub fences, scattered across the plains.

Mount Kenya, The snow-covered peak of Mount Kenya dominates the Central Highlands. At 5199m it is Africa’s second highest mountain after Kilimanjaro which is in Tanzania. The mountain above the forest line is a National Park and it supports rainforests and thickets of bamboo, while higher up is a moorland of giant lobelia and heather. The forests are home to elephant, buffalo, monkeys, antelope and giant forest hog.

The Aberdare National Park was created in 1950 to protect the forested slopes and moors of the Aberdare Mountains. Despite the fact that the Park has elephant, lion, rhino, black leopard and the beautiful but elusive bongo antelope it attracts only a small number of visitors. In part this is due to the area’s high rainfall that turns the roads to mudslides – you need a 4×4 to get anywhere. Additionally the dense forest makes game viewing tricky. Lastly, other than campsites with minimal facilities, the only accommodation is at The Ark and at Treetops Lodge.

Both Treetops and The Ark are built above the ground beside floodlit waterholes with salt licks. Visitors must book in advance and cannot make their own way to the lodges in private vehicles. Instead check-in is at the Aberdare Country club for The Ark and the Outspan Hotel for Treetops and they bus you to the lodge. Treetops is one of Kenya’s most famous hotels as this is where British Princess Elizabeth was informed that she was now Queen in 1952 when her father died. The Ark, however, offers better game viewing, especially at night.

Nocturnal game viewing is taken so seriously that there is a bell in each room that sounds if an unusual animal turns up at the waterhole. Elephant, buffalo, rhino, leopard and bushbuck are regular visitors to the waterhole.

safari tour operators in kenya The real attraction of Amboseli National Park is the spectacular backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain at 5,894m (19,340 ft). Amboseli is also one of the best parks in Kenya to see elephant and there are big numbers of buffalo, lion, giraffe, hyena, cheetah and a variety of smaller carnivores and antelope species.

The 390 sq km park (150 sq miles) is probably the most crowded in Kenya and at times it has been turned into a dust bowl. The lack of vegetation and the flat land make Kilimanjaro seem so close but it in fact 48 kms (more than 30 miles) from the Park and located in Tanzania.

The park is largely arid land of acacia and tall savannah grasses and in such an exposed landscape the animals are easy to observe. In places, subterranean springs have transformed the plain into marshland. Constantly changing, the springs have a determining influence on life in the park. In recent times infiltrated by salt water, they are modifying the ecosystem, causing the loss of certain plant species. The continual changes can, however, have a beneficial effect as the general rise of the water table now attracts increasing numbers of pink flamingos and pelicans.

This region is home to the nomadic Masai people and you will see their circular manyattas (villages), surrounded by thorny scrub fences, scattered across the plains.

This is a great park for photography as big herds of wildlife at close quarters are often to be found passing by snow covered Kilimanjaro.

From references in Paradise Lost, the Old Testament and in ancient Greek manuscripts we know that even before the time of Christ, the Kenya coast and particularly Mombasa and Malindi were thriving centers of trade. For thousands of years these ports traded in ivory, tortoise shell, rhinoceros horn, peacock, apes and at times slaves. Certainly from 600 B.C. there are definite records of trade with Arabs – resulting in the Swahili language, which is a hybrid of Arabic and the local vernacular.

After Vasco da Gama’s first visit to the Kenya coast in 1498 there followed a period of Portuguese / Arab struggle for control although in Malindi the Portuguese enjoyed 200 years of friendship with the ruling Arab family. In 1593 the Portuguese commenced the building of Fort Jesus in Mombasa – a monument both to this sea-faring nation and to the nine month siege that broke Portuguese dominance in 1696.

Today, Mombasa and the Kenya coast is an interesting mix of Africa & Arabia with a little Portuguese thrown in.

MOMBASA

Mombasa is Kenya’s second-largest city and the biggest port on the north east-coast of Africa. Light and heavy industry is abundant around the town but along the coast tourist facilities are abundant and varied. Those visiting can enjoy quiet beaches shaded by palms and lapped by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. For the active there are water sports, bustling markets & galleries to explore and the history of Mombasa to be toured.

DIANI BEACH – to the South

Crossing by car ferry from Mombasa to the South Coast is a very African experience and a great chance to people-watch. Hotels from the small and casual through to resort style and exclusive boutique line the coast and naturally, a huge number of tourist orientated services have sprung up – shops, cafés, restaurants and local tour operators. Unfortunately the area is also full of touts selling everything from wood carvings to illegal substances and they can be persistently annoying when you spend time on the white sand beaches.

Near the Tanzanian border is the small village of Shimoni (“place of the caves”) where slaves were held before shipment. Take a boat and head out to Wasini Island, wander the ancient Arab settlement and enjoy fabulous snorkelling in the Kisite Mpunguti Marine Reserve.

MALINDI – to the North

Malindi manages to mix a little resort atmosphere with the earthiness of an African town. Kenyan’s have been holidaying on the Malindi and nearby Watamu coasts for most of the last century and as a result the area is well served with restaurants, hotels and cafes. Offshore the coral reefs of the Malindi Marine National Reserve are a haven for techni-coloured fish of various sizes and shapes that swim in dazzling formations. Different species of rays and octopus pulse through the Reserve in abundance and all can be viewed by scuba diving, snorkelling or aboard glass bottom boats.

LAMU ISLAND

Lamu is Kenya’s oldest living town and boasts a rich and colourful history. The appearance and character of the town has changed little over the centuries and the architecture dates back to the 18th century. There are few motor vehicles on the island and local people use boats and donkeys for transport. The sites that you will want to include, the village of Shela, Lamu Fort, the Swahili House Museum, and the Donkey Sanctuary are all easily reached on foot. Spend your days relaxing on the beautiful and deserted beaches, try out a variety of water sports, enjoy the balmy tropical setting, explore nearby islands and the shipyards of Manda and Manda Toto, shop in Lamu Town and enjoy sumptuous seafood meals for unbeatable prices!

Also known as the Jade Sea, this lake is an extraordinary sight as the shimmering colours of its surface contrast sharply with the barren landscape of extinct volcanoes and lava beds that surround it. The lake owes its lovely nickname to algae particles that shift with changes of the wind and light, so that the water surface moves from blue to grey to fabulous jade.

The Omo River in Ethiopia feeds Turkana and as it has no outlet, its level fluctuates with the rainfall in Ethiopia. Its Jurassic-looking setting is steeped in prehistoric history and this may be the place that man first walked upright. In 1888 an Austrian explorer came across human skulls and bones in Turkana. Eighty years later Richard Leakey excavated fossil remains that dated back three million years at Koobi Fora.

Today the lake is home to some 22,000 crocodiles (some huge specimens), hippos and more than 40 different species of fish – the fishing up here is good. To protect the breeding grounds of birds and crocs, two islands, Southern Island and Central Island, have been declared national parks. The barren landscape also supports snakes, Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe and camels.

Around the lake there is a rich variety of bird life – more than 350 species of resident and migratory birds depend on the water of the Jade Sea for the rich lacustine life on which they feed. Lake

Turkana is also a source of life for some of Kenya’s most remote tribes. The Turkana, with ancestral ties to Uganda, live a semi-nomadic existence around the Lake. The country’s smallest tribe, the El Molo, live a hunter-gatherer existence on the shores and their villages are made up of distinctive rounded reed huts.

Lake Turkana is Kenya’s most remote destination and getting there is definitely an adventure. The East and West Shores of Turkana are accessed separately, and are physically separated by the vast Suguta Valley south of the Lake. The east shore is reached via Maralal and Marsabit with the central point of access being the small oasis town of Lo

Although not Kenya’s largest park, the Masai Mara Game Reserve, is undoubtedly its best known and contains great concentrations of wildlife. Covering an area in excess of 1,800 sq km (almost 700 sq miles) it was established in 1961 and adjoins the Serengeti in Tanzania forming the northern end of the great migration ecosystem. This is the traditional land of the Masai people, nomadic herders who choose a traditional lifestyle and who are permitted to graze their cattle in the area.

The park’s habitats include the forests along the banks of the Mara and Talek Rivers, acacia forests and open savannah. These various habitats are home to a great variety of game including lion, leopard, cheetah, zebra, wildebeest (gnu), giraffe, buffalo, jackal, eland, gazelles, impala and elephant. This is the only place in Kenya where topi are common and you will see them standing sentinel on old termite mounds. Hippopotamuses and crocodiles are plentiful in the rivers and the bird life is also abundant. No less than 53 different species of birds of prey alone have been recorded, Masai Mara Tour Kenya

One of the best places to look for game is in the Mara Triangle in the western part of the Reserve, bounded by the Siria (Esoit Oloololo is the Masai name) Escarpment that rises about 305 mtrs (1000 ft) above the plains. On these open grasslands a multitude of savannah animals can be found. Cheetahs are often seen in this area, as are lions, though they are distributed throughout the Reserve. There are no rhino in the Mara Triangle however the particularly elusive and shy Black rhino are found in the Olmisigiyoi Region in the centre of the Reserve as well as in the north-west and extreme eastern parts. Only the very lucky will see Black rhino in the Mara. Masai Mara Safari Kenya

From June through October you may encounter the annual migration of wildebeest (1.4 million) and zebra (400,000) as they move through the area in search of fresh grass. The migration is dependent on the rain and so it varies from year to year but is usually at its peak from mid/late July through to mid/late September. At this time of year prides of up to 40 lion have been seen trailing the big herds and ambushes in gullies and bushy areas are frequently seen. Driven on, by those behind, the first animals ford the Mara River. This perilous crossing undertaken by hordes of beasts is truly dramatic – many of them drown, others are bogged down in the mud.

If you cannot travel at the migration time the Masai Mara teems with resident wildlife & game viewing is good all year round.

The snow-covered peak of Mount Kenya dominates the Central Highlands. At 5199m it is Africa’s second highest mountain after Kilimanjaro which is in Tanzania.

Mount Kenya Hiking Safari
The snow-covered peak of Mount Kenya dominates the Central Highlands. At 5199m it is Africa’s second highest mountain after Kilimanjaro which is in Tanzania. It was formed between two-and-three-million-years-ago by a series of volcanic eruptions and no doubt it once had a crater not unlike Mt Kilimanjaro, but erosion has sheared this down to a series of peaks.

History of Mount Kenya Treks
When the first 19th century European missionaries reported seeing the snowy peak on the equator no one really believed it, perhaps some thought the missionaries had had a touch too much sun. The mountain above the forest line is a National Park and it supports rainforests and thickets of bamboo, while higher up is a moor land of giant lobelia and heather. The forests are home to elephant, buffalo, monkeys, antelope and giant forest hog.

Climbing Trips and Vacation Holidays
The Central Highlands, which comprise Mt Kenya and the Aberdares, is the homeland of the Kikuyu people, who hold the mountain sacred. But its fertile soil and good climate were also a draw for European settlers, who snatched the land out from under the Kikuyu, resulting in the resentment that prompted the Mau Mau Rebellion. Since independence the land occupied by the remaining whites has been much reduced and redistributed to the Kikuyu, and is now intensely cultivated.

The mountain was first climbed in 1899 by Sir Halford McKinder and today is a popular peak to conquer. There are three peaks, most relatively fit people can reach Point Lenana, but the other two are only accessible to mountaineers with technical skills. Mt Kenya is circled by the main towns Naro Moru, Nanyuki, Meru and Embu.
Kenya safaris and Tours

Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya is the largest between Johannesburg and Cairo. It is located in the centre of the country and is a modern and cosmopolitan city. Gateway to the principal wildlife reserves, Nairobi is the focus of all the nation’s activities and is developing at an alarming pace. If you have a day or so to spend in Nairobi there are a few fun sightseeing options and some excellent shopping and eating out opportunities to enjoy.

The National Museum features the Leakey family’s pale anthropological discoveries, botanical drawings, the original tribal paintings of Joy Adamson and taxidermy displays of wild animals.

The Railroad Museum will of interest to railway enthusiast and if you are there on a Sunday, the Nairobi Race Course is a great place for people-watching and meeting the locals.

The suburbs of Karen (named after Karen Blixen of Out of Africa fame), Langatta and around the Ngong Hills are where many of Nairobi’s ex-pats live. The British colonists of the early 20th century settled here and enjoyed a good life of of parties, hunting and farming. At the Langatta Giraffe Sanctuary you can hand feed these gentle giants and nearby is the Karen Blixen Museum.

Book a Safari

JUST A FEW RECOMMEND SPOTS TO SHOP

In shops the prices are fixed and credit cards are widely accepted.

Utamaduni
near Langatta Giraffe Centre

A large old house and in each room a different craft is sold – basket ware, screen-printing, wood carving, beads etc and there is also a kid’s collection. Lovely small souvenirs, ideal for gifts plus some bigger items ideal for your own African memories. The house is located in a garden and there is a small café.

African Heritage Store

One shop near Carnivore’s Restaurant and another on the way to the International Airport
Lots of small souvenir items, some lovely jewellery and a good collection of large and expensive West African antiques, artifacts etc

Kazuri Beads

Located in Karen, Kazuri has a nice story – it was started as a means of employment for single mother’s who of course have no access to government assistance and struggle to make a living. It has gone from strength to strength and they now also do some nice pottery.

Safari Essentials
Located on Kibo Land

Only a small range but some quality goods including canvas & leather bags of all sizes, printed fabrics, home-wares with an African theme, some furniture and a few items of clothing – the shop is located in a pretty garden.

The Village Market & The Sarit Centre

These are shopping centers where you can get everything from groceries, to liquor, souvenirs, clothing, toys, books and you can see a movie or eat in a food hall.

The Masai Market

This is a huge market that is held on certain days at certain shopping centres. You will need to ask your driver / guide where the market is that day. Locals and Masai sell a huge range of African crafts – BEWARE, YOU MUST BARGAIN HARD!

Things change, shops move and some close down … at the time of writing the above were all great shopping options. When you book with us we will send you an up-dated list and a list of suggested restaurants and café’s in Nairobi.