Top 10 Tourist Destinations In Kenya
Kenya is an East African country known for its wildlife and breathtaking destinations. It is home to some of the most enchanting safari adventures in the world. Apart from wildlife, the country boasts of a rich cultural heritage of its people such as the Maasai and Samburu who continue to live a traditional lifestyle. The great migration of Wildebeests in the Masai Mara is one of the marvels that tourists come to see.
In addition, the country has beautiful landscapes and natural features such as the Great Rift Valley and the only snow-capped equatorial peaks on Mount Kenya. Here are top 10 destinations for tourists in Kenya.
10. Nairobi City
Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya and also the largest city in the country and East Africa. It is home to the Nairobi National Park which is the only national park inside a city in the world. Museums such as the Nairobi National Museum and Karen Blixen Museum are popular destinations for tourists who want to know more about the country and continent at large. The Giraffe Center at the Giraffe Manor is a popular spot for travelers who can feed these animals from their hands during close-up encounters.
9. Maasai Mara National Reserve
Masai Mara National Reserve is one of the most famous game reserves in the world. It is a northern extension of the Serengeti reserve in Tanzania. The game reserve is known for the great Migration of zebras, wildebeest, and gazelles as they cross to and fro the Mara River into the Serengeti between July and October.
8. Mombasa City
Mombasa is a coastal city in Kenya and the second-largest. It is a multicultural city with diverse populations of locals, Arabs, Indians, and Europeans. The city is known for its beautiful sandy beaches, museums, and historical places such as The Old Town and Fort Jesus. The architecture here is also influenced by various cultural mixes of Arabs, Europeans, and local styles.
7. Samburu - Shaba
The Samburu and Shaba national reserves are unique ecosystems that depend on the Ewaso Nyiro River. Unique animals adapted to this environment include the Grevy’s zebra, Somali ostriches, and long-necked antelopes known as gerenuks. The Sarara Singing Wells in Samburu National Reserve is a place to witness the local community warriors singing and performing traditional songs as they draw water for their cattle.
6. Lake Nakuru National Park
Lake Nakuru National Park is known for its spectacular flocks of pink flamingoes which throng on the lake itself to source minerals from the soda lake. The park is home to over 450 species of birds and includes other wildlife as well. Visitors can also see lions, cheetahs, waterbucks, hippos and white rhinos. The park also has the largest euphorbia candelabrum forest in the continent.
5. Hell's Gate National Park
Hell’s Gate National Park is an excellent spot for tourists who are interested in rock climbing, camping, and hiking. It includes two extinct volcanoes, Obsidian caves, Hell’s Gate Gorge and Fischer’s Tower. The park also has geothermal features such as geysers, and hot springs. Wildlife is also a major attraction in the park.
4. Tsavo National Parks
The Tsavo National Park is Kenya’s largest National park and is divided into two: Tsavo East and Tsavo West. In totality, the park comprises about 4 percent of the country’s total area. The national park is home to volcanoes, rivers, lava-rock plateau, Savannah, waterfalls among a myriad of other landscape features. Tourists visit the park to enjoy the beautiful and unaltered sceneries. Tsavo East is home to one of the largest elephant herds which can be seen roaming the landscape and bathing in the red soils.
3. Amboseli National Park
Amboseli National Park is home to large herds of elephants and home to famous big cats such as lions, leopards, and cheetahs. Other animals found in the park include the Impala, waterbuck, gazelle, and giraffe. There are over 600 bird species in the park which offers excellent bird watching.
2. Mount Kenya National Park
Mount Kenya National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the country’s name is derived from this tall mountain. Mount Kenya’s peak is covered with snow despite its location on the equator forming a rare sighting of snow. The mountain contains beautiful glacial sceneries, mineral springs, mountain lakes, alpine forests and thick bamboo. Wildlife such as buffalo, lion, elephant, leopard, hyena and the white Columbus monkey can be found here. The Mount Kenya Safari Club is a popular destination for tourists looking for a luxury retreat.
1. Lewa Wildlife Conservancy
Lewa Downs Conservancy is located in the northern foothills of Mount Kenya. The conservancy started out as a cattle ranch and became a black rhino sanctuary in 1995. Today, it is one of the most renowned conservancies in the world. It is a Private Game sanctuary owned by the Craig family since 1924 after convincing the locals to stop seeing wildlife as competition for grazing land but instead as a source of income. Lewa Conservancy is one of the most important sanctuaries for the endangered black rhino.
