Kenya as a travel destination embodies everything you imagine Africa to be: wide steppes, giraffes eating the treetops and herds of zebras galloping through the country dragging a long cloud of dust behind them.
Kenya’s varied and unique wildlife is just one of the highlights that awaits visitors to this East African country. For example, there are also beautiful sandy beaches and vibrant cities.
Kenya has been independent from Great Britain since 1963 and is now home to just over 47 million people. Most international flights arrive in Kenya in the capital Nairobi, a flight from Germany takes about 11 hours.
Highlights in Kenya
Kenya’s capital Nairobi
Most visitors come to Kenya to see the diverse wildlife and impressive nature and therefore often travel on from Nairobi the next day after arrival. Nevertheless, this city has a surprising amount to offer its visitors. For those interested in culture and history, a visit to the National Museum of Nairobi is particularly worthwhile. The recently renovated museum displays a large number of natural history and cultural exhibits, including a large beetle and butterfly exhibit as well as contemporary Kenyan art. There is also an exhibition that presents the various Kenyan natural areas with their animals and plants and thus provides a good overview of the regions of the country.
Just 7 kilometres from the city centre is Nairobi National Park, which is home to many rare wild animals, separated from the rest of the city by a fence. Here, lions, hippos, ostriches and leopards can be found in the wild and can be observed. The park specialises in the endangered black rhinos and is one of the last habitats for the animals. In the immediate vicinity is the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, a sanctuary for rhino and elephant orphans. The animals are cared for here and prepared for a life in the wild. Visitors can be present at the feeding, bathing and walking with the animals.
Outside the city
Masai Mara National Park
The 1500 square kilometre Masai Mara National Park in the south of the country is considered one of the most scenic and animal-rich regions in Kenya. The savannah of the park is occasionally broken up by so-called inselbergs and changes from a grass savannah to a tree savannah from north to south. The park is home to a variety of well-known African animal species, including lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and buffaloes. A visit is particularly worthwhile between July and September, when the animals of the savannah embark on a gigantic migration from south to north in search of water and there is a good chance of encountering a large number of the otherwise quite hidden animals at one of the waterholes.
Lake Nakuru National Park
Lake Nakuru National Park is the second most visited national park in Kenya after the Masai Mara. It stretches around Lake Nakuru over an area of 188 square kilometers and offers its visitors a large number of wild animals and a breathtaking landscape.
The center of the park is Nakuru Lake, which is one of the very shallow lakes with an average depth of 4 meters and whose size varies greatly depending on the season. A special visitor magnet are the more than 4 million flamingos that populate the shore areas around the lake and offer a colourful natural spectacle. In addition, this park is one of the last refuges for the endangered black rhinos, which are protected here 24 hours a day by rangers.
Bamburi Beach
In addition to the species-rich and unique national parks, Kenya’s beaches also attract countless visitors from all over the world year after year. One of the most beautiful beaches in the East African country is Bamburi Beach.
It is located 12 kilometers north of the port city of Mombasa and impresses with its white sandy beach and turquoise blue, clear water. Here, too, nature lovers get their money’s worth, because the true jewel of the beach lies underwater: while diving or snorkeling, visitors can discover the colorful and varied underwater world with numerous tropical fish, colorful corals and starfish.
Not far from Bamburi Beach, Nyali Beach is also home to the largest crocodile farm in the country.
Amboseli National Park
With an area of 390 square kilometers, Amboseli National Park is one of the largest national parks in the country, and is also the oldest protected area in Kenya. It is located in the far south on the border with Tanzania and from some places in the park the Kilimanjaro massif with its namesake and Kibo, the highest mountain on the continent, is very visible and provides a fantastic backdrop.
Thanks to the commitment of the Maasai living here, this region was largely spared from poachers and an incomparable wildlife was able to develop here. A special highlight of the park is its gigantic elephant population, as Amboseli National Park is home to over 800 of the giant animals.
Tsavo East National Park
The Tsavo East National Park is the largest national park in Kenya with its gigantic area of over 11,700 square kilometers and consists largely of desert-like steppes and tree- and grass-covered savannah landscapes.
Despite the relative barrenness, the park is home to countless animal species, including an endemic lion species, in which the males have almost no mane. Another highlight of the park are the so-called Red Elephants, which cover themselves with the red sand of the park and therefore appear in a bright rust red.
The most important questions about Kenya
What is the capital of Kenya called?
Nairobi is the capital of Kenya.
How long does it take to fly to Kenya?
A flight from Frankfurt to Mombasa, for example, takes eight and a half hours. A direct flight from Frankfurt to Nairobi takes ten and a half hours.
How much does a flight to Kenya cost?
According to records by swoodoo.com, a flight to Kenya costs an average of just under 670 euros.
How safe is Kenya?
Kenya is considered a safe travel destination. Tourism is very important and tourists are treated very kindly by the locals.
What is the best time to travel to Kenya?
The best time to visit Kenya is from June to October and December to March. This is how you avoid the rainy season with sometimes very heavy rainfall.
What vaccinations do I need for Kenya?
Pay attention to current vaccinations against tetanus (tetanus), diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), measles and poliomyelitis/polio.
