A GLIMPSE AT THE KENYA SAFARI EXPERIENCE
Almost nowhere else in the world can travelers find endless rolling savannah, lush rainforest, snow-capped mountains, tropical beaches, extinct volcanoes freshwater lakes, geothermal springs, deserts, glaciers, caves, coral reefs like Kenya. It is also called the “Big Sky Country” for its wide horizons and open plains that give the traveler a feeling of unparalleled space and freedom.
Sea Coast - The Kenyan coast is a tropical paradise. Three hundred miles of white sandy beaches meet stunning turquoise blue waters and lush tropical trees and brilliant floral gardens. Reef-lined beaches are lined with coastal rainforest, broad river deltas, estuaries and broad fertile floodplains. High coastal hinterlands such as the Shimba, Taita and Chyulu Hills offer cool forested retreats rich with game, including elephant.
Plains - The wide low plains of Tsavo are covered in thick thorn scrub on bright red earth. The high plains of Cherangi and Tugen offer lush green hills and highland plateaus. Kakamega features lowland tropical rainforests and large variety of bird life. The wide plains and savanna of the Rift Valley have become the grassland homes of grazing herd and kingdom of lions and predators.
Mountains - At the edge of the Great Rift Valley, the land rises dramatically undulating in a series of mountain ranges, wide lava flows and dormant and extinct volcanoes. Lush forests, plunging waterfalls, highland meadows and even equatorial snow on the peak of Mount Kenya are scenic highlights. The wide waters of Lake Victoria are bordered by plains and forests and in the western border is the impressive craggy Mount Elgon. Here, spectacular caves (Kitum) are regularly visited by herds of elephant.
Volcanoes - Kenya is still geothermically active and volcanic hot springs and geysers can be found at Hell’s Gate, Lake Magadi, Lake Bogoria and many other areas. Extinct volcanic craters can still be found at Longonot, Suswa, Menengai and partially submerged in the waters of Lake Naivasha.
Lakes - Almost all of Kenya’s great lakes are found on the floor of the Great Rift Valley. The soda water Lake Nakuru is best known for its concentration of flamingos. The freshwater Lake Naivasha is a bird lover’s paradise, attracting more than 400 species of birds. Lake Baringo can be explored by boat and is known for its concentration of hippos and crocodiles and the large rocky island ol Kokwe. One of Kenya’s least known wonders, Lake Turkana in the north is known as the Jade Sea because of its bright blue waters contrasting with the desert and contains Africa’s largest concentration of Nile crocodiles. Kenya only occupies 6% of Lake Victoria, the world’s second largest freshwater lake.
Desert - Northern Kenya is known as the real adventure country. The lush Ewaso Nyiro and Tana river valleys that are juxtaposed against the thorn scrub plains, Matthews Range and Loroghi Hills of Samburu land (known for its Lesiolo Escarpment which is one of the world’s most stunning views called ‘World’s End’) and the high green oasis of Marsabit.
KENYAN CULTURAL EXPERIENCE & HISTORY
Kenya has a culture born of countless sources. This region has been crossed by the paths of a long and complex history. From the prehistoric records of early man to the present day, Kenya has been a land of unending change, contrasts and diversity. The early tribal states saw cycles of migration and shifting power, with Kenya as a meeting place for peoples from the plain-lands of the south, the forests of the West and the deserts of the North.
The sea brought influences from the outside world and the passage of the spice trade created the unique coastal culture, where lines between Africa and Arabia blurred. The open coast brought European influences into this world of change and began a turbulent struggle for control whose exotic history lingers today.
The first explorers discovered a land of great peril and greater beauty and their great adventures created the most unique colony in the British Empire. This was a meeting place of cultures, where adventurers and soldiers of fortune mingled with a complex tribal society and the arrival of laborers and merchants from India brought new and pervasive influences.
The colonial legacy lives on in the traditions of the great safari and the pursuit of adventure and freedom. Kenya has drawn on all of these influences to develop its own unique culture. This is the nation’s greatest strength – the ability to blend the best of many worlds into a strong, singular identity.
Today, Kenya welcomes the world to its shores and continues to evolve a modern culture that is born of endless variety and yet purely, proudly Kenyan. In total, Kenya offers 42 distinctly different cultures. The cultural aspects of Kenya’s two major cities, Nairobi and Mombasa are vital with historic attractions, museums and colorful neighborhoods accessible to visitors.