Kenya has a wide range of tour destinations for both local and international visitors. For anyone interested in wildlife, adventure, culture, or just to sunbathe at the beach, Kenya has all these packages.
If not visiting the wild animals in the national parks and game reserves or the landscape sceneries like those in the Great Rift Valley, one can visit the different Kenyan villages and see how Kenya has diverse and reach traditions and cultures that stem from different ethnic groups.
One may ask,
Is Kenya safe to visit?
Yes, Kenya is one of the most stable and safe countries to visit in east and central Africa.
Since becoming independent, Kenya has maintained political stability, which has created a good environment for tourists. Therefore, it’s a highly recommended place to visit. Kenya is divided in regions, and each region has its own tourist attraction sites:
1. Nairobi Tour Destinations
Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya. It is one of the best places to visit in Kenya.
Nairobi is the only capital city with a national park in the world, making it a very attractive place to visit.
What are the best places to visit in Nairobi, kenya?
There are interesting places to visit in Nairobi other than the national park. Nairobi National Park, situated along Langata Road, is less than 15 minutes’ drive from the central business district. It is home to many wild animals; it has an animal orphanage area and a nature walk section.
The other interesting area to visit in Nairobi is the giraffe center. It is also located along Langata Road. Endangered Rothschild’s giraffes have called the giraffe center their home. It is a nice place for giraffe lovers to visit.
Other areas to visit within the Nairobi capital city are:
- Kenya National Archives
- Ngong Hills
- Nairobi Rail Museum
- The Nairobi National Museum
- The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (Takes care of the young elephants and rhinos.)
2. The Kenyan Coast region | Most Tour Destinations
The coastal region has the best beaches for relaxing and sunbathing.
The first place one thinks of when we talk of the coast region is Mombasa. Mombasa is the beehive of activities in the coast region, especially with its port, making it a more of an entrance point to the coastal region, but you will always find wonderful places to visit, relax, and enjoy the stay.
Best Tour destinations to visit in Mombasa, Kenya
Fort Jesus is an iconic place to visit. This place has a rich history; having been built in 1593 by the Portuguese, you cannot learn the Swahili culture without mentioning the Fort Jesus.
Diani Beach is one of the best beaches to visit while in Mombasa. There are other beaches around Diani with good hotel facilities that one can choose from.
Lamu, in the coastal part of Kenya, is also a very good tourist attraction. To know the history of Lamu, you can always visit the following tour destinations:
- Lamu Museum
- The Lamu Fort
- The German Post Office Museum
- The Swahili House Museum.
- To enjoy the sand dunes, Shela Town is a place to be in Lamu.
- Kiunga Marine National Reserve – along the coastline is an attractive place to visit and enjoy the coastal sereneness of Lamu Town.
Kilifi, Malindi, and Watamu are areas with many beaches and Swahili cultures that one cannot afford to miss.
Taita Tavet, being part of the coastal region in terms of administration, is home to Tsavo National Park.
Tsavo National Park is divided into the east and west sides, but both have breathtaking scenery that leaves an impressive mark on the visitor.
3. The Great Rift Valley
Rift Valley is the vast region of Kenya, stretching from the northern part (North Rift), the central rift, and the southern rift.
The landscape of the rift valley itself is just marvelous to look at since it brings about a wider range of tour destinations. Looking at the landscape of the rift valley is eye-catching in and of itself. Rift Valley takes up the junk portion of Kenya’s tourist attractions.
Wilderbeat Migration in Maasai mara
The great maasai mara that has the famous wilderbeast migration is found in the Rift valley, specifically in Narok. You can never go wrong when you pay a visit to the Maasai Mara National Park. The park has a lot of wild animals, and you can always get to see the big five in the mara.
Amboseli National Park
Amboseli National Park, which spreads to Kenya and Tanzania and is found in Kajiado, is another great place to visit.
It is worth noting that there are a significant number of lakes in the rift valley, which makes the region an attractive site for tourists.
Rife Valley Lakes
Another great tour destination is Lake Nakuru National Park, famously known for its flamingos. In the same vicinity, Lake Naivasha and Lake Elementaita are just a few minutes’ drive from each other.
Other Tour Destinations in The Great Rift Valley
Hells Gate, Menengai Craters, and Mount Longonot National Park are within a few hours of one another. Lake Bogoria, Lake Baringo, and Lake Turkana to the far north of the rift valley make a collection of lake bodies within the rift valley that have wonderful tourist areas and historical themes.
Lake Magadi, which has unique hot springs, still falls into the Great Rift Valley.
There are many historical museums that can be found in the Rift Valley. This includes the Kitale Museum, the Kapenguria Museum, and the Masaai Heritage Museum, among others. There are also nice water falls from the many rivers found in the region, countless conversancies, and aboretums. Mt. Elgon National Park, which is partly in Kenya and partly in Uganda, is another great part to visit within the rift valley. The mountain is the oldest known volcanic mountain in East Africa.
The park hosts animals like the elephats, bufalloes, antelopes, and many other wild animals and birds.
4. The Mount Kenya Region
The Mount Kenya region, or the central part of Kenya, offers scenic tourist sites and a range of places to visit.
Mount Kenya is the tallest mountain in Kenya, providing a wonderful climate and environment for people and wildlife alike. The area has a lot of stunning water falls, hiking sites, national parks, conservancies, and nature walks.
The areas to visit include:
- Mount Kenya National Park
- Aberdare National Park
- Zaina Falls
- Ol Pejeta Conservancy
- The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy that is found in Isiolo.
For lovers of mountain hiking, Mount Kenya is the best region to be. Meru National Park is also a tourist circuit that is found within the Mount Kenya region that you cannot go wrong when paying a visit.
5. Tour Destinations in Western Region
The western region of Kenya borders Uganda and also has some wonderful tourist regions.
Kakamega Forest is a good place for nature lovers, as the forest has many natural tree species that are home to animals like bush pigs, hedgehogs, various monkey species, and birds for birding lovers.
As you go from Kakamega heading to Kisumu, you can also pass by the famous crying stone that is just along the Kakamega-Kisumu Road.
In the western region, there are also beaches along Busia that one can visit and relax at. These beaches include Bumbe Beach and Bukoma Beach.
You cannot be in the western region and miss visiting the Lake Victoria region. This is the largest freshwater lake in Africa. There are several islands and scenery to visit along Lake Victoria. We have Ruma National Park, Mfangano Island, and Rusinga Island, among other places.
6. The northern region
The northern part of Kenya is known for low rainfall; hence, it is an arid and semi-arid region. However, this does not mean the region has no tourist places to visit.
The most common area you can visit in the northern region is the Samburu National Park. The park is famously known for its large elephants and other wild animals. The park also has some rear species of animals like gerenuk, reticulated giraffe, and Grévy’s zebra.
Apart from the Samburu National Park, the Shaba National Reserve is found in the northern region. It has rare species of animals, but the region has not been explored widely.