Nairobi is Africa’s 4th largest city and is a vibrant and exciting place and although it has developed a reputation which keeps tourist visits brief there are some fascinating attractions: its café culture, unbridled nightlife, the National Museum, the Karen Blixen Museum and most notably just 20 minutes from the city centre wild lions and buffalo roam in the world’s only urban game reserve.
One of Africa’s finest wildlife reserves, Solio Game Reserve, also called Solio Ranch, is a privately-owned wildlife conservancy. It rests in the southern fringes of Laikipia, near the foothills of the Aberdare range. Best known as Kenya's oldest rhino sanctuary, it is renowned for its major role in the breeding and protection of black rhinos in Kenya. This family-run, private 71-square-kilometre sanctuary is also home to an array of other African wildlife including white rhinos, gazelles, oryxes, giraffes, lions, hartebeests, hyenas and buffaloes. Visitors can soak up the incredible landscapes scattered with wild marsh and yellow-fever acacia meeting wide-open skies, stay overnight in the inviting Solio Lodge and spot wildlife on a dawn game drive. Other Solio activities include hiking, horse-riding and cycling near the airstrip and in safe areas.
Set on the banks of the Ewaso Ng'iro River and neighbouring the Buffalo Springs National Park, Samburu National Reserve is characterised by a spectacular landscape of rugged hills, undulating plains and riverine forests. The park is home to abundant wildlife including a variety of rare species such as the reticulated giraffe, the long-necked gerenuk, Somali ostrich, Grevy's Zebra, and Beisa Oryx. Visitors can also enjoy spotting over 900 elephants, a variety of predators, and over 450 bird species. The ancient culture of the Samburu people is still alive here, and it is possible to see two unique customs firsthand. In the first, watch as herds of cattle respond to each man’s individual voice as they call. In the second, see the tribesmen perform incredible dances that go back hundreds of years.
Situated in southwestern Kenya, the Masai Mara encompasses the celebrated national reserve and its surrounding community conservancies, forming part of the Greater Serengeti–Mara ecosystem. Rolling savannahs, dotted with acacia trees and crossed by the Mara River, create a rich and varied landscape. Vast herds of wildebeest, zebra, and antelope graze across the plains, while elephants, giraffes, and buffalo roam freely. The river’s lush banks support hippos and crocodiles and sustain wildlife throughout the dry season. Predators are abundant, with lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas regularly seen in action. Each year, the spectacular Great Migration transforms the region, as millions of wildebeest and zebra traverse the plains. Visitors can soak up the breathtaking scenery, diverse wildlife, and Maasai cultural heritage in one of Africa’s most iconic safari destinations.
