Africa Destinations | Kenya
Key Points for Planners
- Hot air balloon ride above the Maasai Mara at sunrise
- Non-stop flights from 3 US cities are available to Nairobi
- Post-safari trip to Zanzibar is a perfect combo program
Kenya
This safari mecca in the Great Rift Valley is the inspiration for Disney’s Lion King, as is the native Swahili phrase, “Hakuna Matata.” While you won’t run across any singing animals, you will see them, a lot of them, roaming free in herds and packs and prides—giraffes, elephants, hyenas, leopards, rhinos, gazelles, zebras, hippos, and lions. The variety of wildlife is incredible. And the opportunity to stay at a luxury camp in the iconic Maasai Mara Reserve is an experience of a lifetime.
Key Locations
- Maasai Mara
- Lake Naivasha
- Lake Nakuru
- Hell’s Gate National
Park - Nairobi
This country, along with Tanzania, is also home to the magnificent Great Wildebeest Migration. Each year, more than two million wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles, move through the Serengeti to Kenya’s Maasai Mara in search of greener pastures.
The Maasai Mara is synonymous with the rich, cultural tradition of the Maasai people. A visit to these beautiful and welcoming people—seeing their mud-thatched huts, colorful community, amazing beaded jewelry, and joy-filled way of life—is life-changing.
Then there’s Mount Kilimanjaro. Africa’s most famous peak is actually in Tanzania, but you will have incredible views from Kenya’s Amboseli National Park, which also provides a picture-perfect backdrop for hundreds of Africa’s big-tuskers. Game viewing here is great and the lush wetlands provide beautiful scenery.
The freshwater Lake Naivasha is a beautiful, world-class birding destination with over 400 different species of birds and a sizeable population of hippos. Lake Nakuru is a soda lake best known for an impressive number of flamingos which love its warm, alkaline waters.
It’s also a sanctuary for black and white rhinos. Other treasures include the dramatic and scenic Hell’s Gate National Park, where hiking, beautiful cliffs and gorges and wildlife viewing opportunities merge into a spectacular guest experience.
In the Nairobi suburb of Karen, a visit to the Giraffe Center might result in a kiss from one of the endangered Rothschild Giraffes under care there, as a reward for offering a giraffe treat. Nearby is the Karen Blixen Museum (author of Out of Africa and long-time Kenya resident), and the Kazuri shop, the perfect stop for a handmade bead or ceramic keepsake made by local Kenyan women.