Situated along the Nairobi River in beautiful Kenya, the capital of Nairobi is East Africa's most cosmopolitan city. It serves as an excellent starting point for African safari trips around Kenya. Nairobi is Africa’s 4th largest city and is a vibrant and exciting place to be. There are some fascinating attractions: its cafe 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. Make sure you pay a visit to the elephant orphanage operated by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust for a once in a lifetime experience.
Located in the southern reaches of Kenya, the Amboseli National Park is renowned for its excellent variety of wildlife such as Maasai giraffe, elephant, lion and cheetah and not surprisingly it is one of Kenya's most popular parks. The landscape of Amboseli is dominated by the majestic snowcap of Mount Kilimanjaro, as well as open plains, acacia woodland, swamps and the massif of Ol Doinyo Orok. The birding is excellent, especially closer to the lakes and swamps. The park is famous for being the best place in Africa to get close to large herds of elephants among other wildlife species. Other attractions include opportunities to meet the Maasai people and soak up spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world.
Resting at the foothills of Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Mountain Range, in central Kenya's Laikipia County, the Ol Pejeta Conservancy is the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa. It is also home to some of the last remaining northern white rhino in the world. Originally a working cattle ranch in colonial Kenya and now a pioneering wildlife conservancy, Ol Pejeta works to protect wildlife and provide a sanctuary for rescued chimpanzees. The Conservancy is a popular safari destination and is home to the renowned ‘Big Five’ as well as a wide selection of other African animals including zebra, giraffe, hippo, cheetah, jackal, serval, hyena, vervet monkey, and many more. Visitors can look forward to an assortment of outdoor activities such as horse rides, game walks, and nocturnal game drives.
One of Kenya’s most iconic natural wonders, the Masai Mara National Reserve stretches across more than 1500 square kilometres in the country’s southwest. The park shelters a remarkable array of wildlife, including elephant, lion, leopard, and buffalo that roam its savannahs, while crocodile and hippopotamus inhabit the Mara River. Birdwatchers will delight in the presence of more than 450 resident species. Yet the true spectacle is the Great Migration, named one of the Seven New Wonders of the World. Each July to September, roughly 1.7 million wildebeest trek from the parched plains of Tanzania’s Serengeti to the greener grasslands of the Masai Mara, followed by zebra, antelope, and predators such as lion, hyena, and cheetah. The sight, sound, and raw energy of these vast herds are a once-in-a-lifetime experience for any traveller.
