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.
Situated in northern Kenya, Buffalo Springs National Reserve is a protected area in the Isiolo County. Buffalo Springs, along with Samburu and Shaba make up a trio of adjoining reserves. Buffalo Springs National Reserve features wildlife viewing, and is renowned for its magnificent leopard sightings. This is a remote, hot and arid landscape boasting rugged hills and undulating plains. Forming the boundary with Samburu National Park, the Ewaso Ngiro River runs through the terrain flanked by riverine forests. Visitors can look forward to spotting reticulated giraffe, the long necked gerenuk, Somali ostrich and Grevy's Zebra.
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.
Elmenteita, meaning ‘place of dust’, is a photogenic, little soda lake situated in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley. Famously attracting many visiting flamingos as well as many other birds, it has been named as a World Heritage Site for its prolific birdlife. This is where Kenya’s most famous settler Lord Delamere lived and he was responsible for much of Kenya’s early agricultural experimentation in this fertile area; it is still inhabited by some of his descendants. The shores are often filled with wildlife and the surrounding forests are perfect for long walks and bird watching. Visitors can look forward to visiting the idyllic Kekopey hot springs, game viewing along the lake’s edge, and numerous other activities. Look out for eland, kudu, zebra, gazelle, and warthog families.
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.
The Seronera region, in the central Serengeti, is set directly on the Great Migration route and offers excellent viewing of this incredible annual phenomenon, when countless wildebeest flood the area and move across the plains. While migratory game populations fluctuate seasonally, Seronera is still a wildlife hotspot at other times of the year, sheltering the Big Five, among many other species. A number of small campsites provide accommodation and visitors can enjoy hot air balloon trips and walking safaris as well as guided game drives.
Travellers heading for the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater will pass through the town of Karatu in the green hills of Tanzania’s northern highlands. Presided over by the towering Ol Deani Volcano, this small, colourful town serves as a popular overnight stop for visitors exploring the area’s many game parks. The town offers a variety of activities including browsing the bustling marketplace, sampling beer at a local brewery, visiting a traditional homestead, or taking a guided walk through the Ngorongoro Forest in search of waterfalls and caves. Whether you are looking for cultural tours, hiking and biking opportunities, a chance to enjoy an authentic rural Tanzania experience, or simply a break between safari game drives, this underrated town has plenty to offer.
Located in the southern reaches of Kenya, the Amboseli National Park is renowned for its excellent variety of wildlife such as Masaai 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 snow cap 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 of the park include opportunities to meet the Maasai people and soak up spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world.
