Travelling has always been about discovery, and it is through visiting other countries that we learn about the world. Tourism is not just a financial exchange; it is about the exchange of experience and learning about new places, faces, and people. The best way to understand another culture is to experience it firsthand, and this is the true value of the tourist trade.
Kenya is no different. While many tourists visit Kenya to experience our famous wildlife or beaches, for many more the local culture makes their stay special.
A trip to Kenya is about more than just wildlife or scenery – the real face of Kenya is found among the combined faces of many cultures. It is the people who bring the destination to the life-each landscape has a different cultural significance to a different community, and the wildlife has long been an essential part of traditional culture.
Kenya has 42 cultures, countless languages and dialects and one of the most diverse social tapestries on earth. The heritage stretches back longer than most, and the depth of history can be seen at the three UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kenya. At Koobi For, some of the earliest evidence of human habitation on earth has been found, while the streets of Lamu echo with the history of centuries of sea trade, while Mt Kenya is a biosphere reserve that combines the respect for a traditional symbol of creation and the need to conserve our environment for the future.
Meet the Swahili sailors of the Coast, visit the thorn-enclosed villages of the Maasai in the south, walk alongside Samburu warriors in the northern wilderness or fish with the Luo, master fishermen of Lake Victoria, in the west. Anywhere you travel in Kenya, you find new and fascinating cultures and cultural events. From the annual Malindi celebrations in Lamu and the bullfights of Kakamega to the Mombasa Carnival, there are enough festivals, events, and ceremonies to fill a calendar and ensure that there is always something new and exciting to experience anywhere.