Kenya boasts a coastline with lovely beaches ideal for relaxing, but the nation just has too much to offer visitors who want to keep busy. The top 10 activities in Kenya are listed below.
1. Go on a safari to see the Big Five.
Safaris originated in Kenya, as did the word itself, which in Swahili means “travel.” Many tourists to Africa have a strong desire to see the famed Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, rhinoceros, and elephant), and Kenya offers some of the continent’s most magnificent natural settings for the search.
The Masai Mara is the most well-known natural area, and it is here that sightings of all three species are frequent. Amboseli National Park, where Mt. Kilimanjaro provides a beautiful background, and Lake Nakuru National Park, with its flamingo-lined lake and forest-clad escarpments, are both outstanding locations for Big Five safaris.
In addition to being a fantastic area to see a leopard, the Samburu Game Reserve in the far north also has its own “Samburu Big Five”: the Somali ostrich, Grevy’s zebra, long-necked gerenuk, and Beisa oryx.
2. Leave for a hike
Possibly the most stunning and rewarding trekking landscape on the African continent is found on Mount Kenya. The greatest way to experience the mountain’s magnificent valleys, tropical glaciers, and the towering top is to go to Point Lenana (4985m), the mountain’s third-highest peak and the highest that can be reached without using climbing gear.
Elephants, primates, antelopes, and around 240 different species of birds call the gentler slopes of Mt. Elgon, which is nominally in Kenya but is frequently visited from Kenya, home. It’s a fantastic choice for multi-day treks, as are fascinating walks with the Maasai across their ancestral grounds.
Very beautiful day hikes are also doable all around Kenya: ascend Mt. Longonot to the rim of its crater, hunt for secluded waterfalls in the Aberdare Mountains, or enjoy a leisurely stroll through the lush Kakamega Forest while listening to birds. Karura Forest is Nairobi’s sanctuary of greenery, with over 30 miles of trails centered on a waterfall, caverns, rivers, and marsh.
3. Navigate a dhow
No matter how you look at it, Kenya’s Indian Ocean coastline is stunning, but the most romantic way to see it is from the deck of a traditional dhow. These wooden sailing boats have been a part of Swahili culture for many years and have been utilized along this stretch of beach.
These wind-powered journeys glide past gorgeous slivers of sand, remote coral islands, and reefs teeming with fish whether they depart from the historical island of Lamu (home to Kenya’s oldest continuously inhabited town), from the shores of Mombasa or from the contemporary resort village of Diani Beach.
4. Take a look at the Great Migration.
It’s been dubbed the world’s finest natural display and with good cause. Up to 1.5 million wildebeest, hundreds of thousands of zebras, and thousands of gazelles cross the crocodile-infested Mara River in a spectacular migration every year from July to October to graze on the rich grasses of the Masai Mara.
Elephant and giraffe herds, as well as other animal flocks, fill the open savanna. Lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas follow this sea of prey. There is obviously never a lack of drama throughout the great migration.
5. Ride a mountain bike.
In Kenya, mountain biking is more than just mountain riding—this two-wheeled activity provides a singular way to appreciate both the nation’s breathtaking scenery and its recognizable species.
Take to the Masai Mara for a guided cycling safari unlike any other, or ride across the red earth roads in the volcanic boundaries of Hell’s Gate National Park, passing grazing buffaloes, giraffes, impalas, and zebras.
6. Snorkel or dive off Kenya’s coast.
Kenya’s tranquil inshore waters, which are dotted with shoals of vibrantly colored fish, offer some of the simplest and most captivating snorkeling in East Africa because a large portion of the coast is protected by reefs. You may either strap on a tank and take a deeper dive on the other side of the reef, where whale sharks, dolphins, and swordfish play, or you can simply float over the ocean floor and take it all in.
A home for green turtles, Watamu Marine National Park and Reserve, Galu Reef, where you may see seahorses, scorpion fish, and ghostfish, and Nyuli’s steep coral reef wall are all excellent locations.
7. Meet the diverse population of Kenya.
Whilst most visitors to Kenya come for the country’s magnificent wildlife, many visitors leave with the country’s people as their most memorable experiences. Any vacation to the Mara region is made richer and more welcoming by encounters with the Maasai people, who are known for wearing traditional red shukas and having a captivating culture.
The stunning Turkana population of Loiyangalani on the Jade Sea’s eastern bank is comparable (Lake Turkana). Many more mysterious and vibrant tribes from Kenya’s distant north, including the El Molo, Rendille, Samburu, Dassanach, Gabra, Borana, Konso, Sakuye, Garee, Waata, Burji, and Somali, will also be present at the Marsabit-Lake Turkana Festival in early May.
Kenya’s incredible cultural diversity is truly astonishing. Kenya is a former British colony with a substantial South Asian population that includes Hindus, Muslims, Goans, and Sikhs, as well as a smaller but powerful white European community.
Although the Swahili people along the coast from Mombasa to Malindi do not have a common ancestry, they are connected by a shared language and an Arabian and Persian-influenced African past. The maze of winding lanes in Lamu town and Shela hamlet on Lamu Island are the best places to lose yourself in this universe.
8. Ride the wind or a wave.
With your taste of the Indian Ocean, how about a shot of adrenaline? Two excellent water sports, windsurfing and kitesurfing, are propelled by the same winds that propulsion the exquisite dhows. The latter has become extremely popular in Kenya, where numerous schools offer both tuitions for novices and equipment rentals for seasoned kitesurfers.
9. Fly in a hot air balloon above Kenya.
To slowly ascend in a hot air balloon above the renowned rolling savanna and flat-topped acacia trees of the Masai Mara is arguably the most exhilarating safari experience in Kenya. Nobody can ever forget the experience of silently floating above herds of wildebeest during their Great Migration, lions pursuing their prey, or a lone black rhino gliding through the brush.
It’s easy to marvel at the wonderfully proportioned elephant-shaped shadows that the largest of the Big Five casts when the lighting is exactly right. A hot-air balloon safari in Kenya is undoubtedly one of those rare life experiences that is both tranquil and exhilarating.
10. Go on a camel safari.
By entering distant locations where few people (and frequently no vehicles) travel, camel safaris are a superb way to combine wildlife, culture, landscapes, and adventure. Visitors can see nomadic life and interact with locals because most of these businesses are located in the Samburu and Turkana tribes’ northern tribal regions. Although there is less wildlife than in the southern parks, this does not matter on these visits because the travel itself is the main draw.
