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 northeast of Nairobi, Kenya, the Aberdare National Park was created to protect the Aberdare Mountain Range, the peaks of which soar to 3930 metres. The landscape is characterised by steep forested slopes, expansive moors, and deep ravines scattered with cascading waterfalls, crystal-clear streams and rushing rivers. The park is inhabited by a variety of African wildlife such as: elephant, lion, spotted hyena, rhino, black leopard and the very elusive bongo antelope that lives in the high altitude bamboo forests. The park offers the perfect environment for picnics, camping in the moorlands, trout fishing in the rivers, and excellent bird watching with over 250 species of birds including hawks, eagles, sunbirds and plovers.
Located in the beautiful Kenya Rift Valley basin, Naivasha is a compact market town northwest of Nairobi, best known as a stopping point for spellbinding Lake Naivasha. Aspiring wildlife photographers and nature lovers will marvel at Lake Naivasha and its abundance of wondrous wildlife. Here visitors can spot wallowing hippo pods, clouds of vibrant birdlife, zebra and various other game. The nearby Lake Oloiden and Oserian Wildlife Sanctuary are great spots for those passionate about wild wonders. Shopping in the bustling town ensures unique souvenirs for mementoes as well as restaurants offering delicious local dishes with every taste in mind. Accommodations ranging from lodges to bed and breakfasts provide great conveniences for travellers looking to explore the area.
The Masai Mara together with Tanzania’s Serengeti form Africa’s most famous wildlife park, the Masai Mara National Reserve. The image of acacia trees dotting endless grass plains epitomises Africa for many, then add a Maasai warrior and some cattle to the picture and the conversation need go no further. The Mara-Serengeti Eco-system hosts the wildebeest migration, a wonder that takes place from late June through September in the Mara. During this time, millions of gnus and zebra flock into the Mara in search of tender pasture. Their coming is a huge blessing for the predators in the Mara, from the crocodiles of the Mara River to the lions in the plains. Large prides of lions, elephants, giraffes, gazelles and eland can also be spotted in the reserve.
The Maasai Mara is an amazing place to be. It is the subject of countless documentaries which, in all their beauty, do not bring out all there is in the Mara. One really has to be there and immerse oneself in it. Outside the migration season, the Mara still holds its position as one of the best places to view wildlife and experience nature. Majestic lions rule the plains, leopards dominate the woodlands as cheetahs patch on termite hills looking for their next meal. Elephants are widespread, as are giraffes, zebra, topi and many other antelopes. Rhinos also reside here. You might just find the big five in a day!
Aside from horse riding safaris and traditional vehicle safaris, hot-air ballooning over the Mara plains has become almost essential.
Mahe is the largest of the Seychelles islands and encompasses the country’s international airport as well as its capital, the surprisingly quiet and peaceful town of Victoria, home to roughly a third of the national population, as well as many good restaurants and entertainment venues. Mahe has a mountainous interior characterised by dense tropical forests and stony outcrops, while its coast is blessed with some 75-odd beautiful beaches. The best known of these is the idyllic, white-sand Beau Vallon, fringed by deep bays that offer excellent swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving.
