The western region of Kenya lacks those tourist attractions that are thought to be quintessentially Kenyan.

Here, you will find no roaming lions; there will be no charming vistas of motor vehicles giving the right of way to tall giraffes or magnificent elephants. But despite this, the land beyond the rift is perhaps Kenya’s best kept secret.

A number of ecosystems come together to create this magical region of Kenya. Gentle lolling hills blanketed by tea plantations; sedate lakes that support rare populations of birdlife and fish; grasslands that are only broken by pockets of densely forested woodlands and dank swamps; little agricultural towns, each unique and different from the last.

This is a portrait of Western Kenya, an image of rich culture and fertile lands, and best of all, it has not been trampled upon or been cheapened by millions of tourist vans and feet. The region is becoming popular Kenya safari destination, especially due to its association with US President Barack Obama whose father was born in Kogelo, Kisumu.

Kisumu is a city that has been described as languid, sultry, easy-going and friendly. Sitting on the edge of Lake Victoria, this city is the third largest in Kenya and is the hub of the west. Kisumu was a colonial port that connected Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. It remained in relative isolation from the rest of the country until the railway line was finished in 1903. But this was not the first attempt to connect Kisumu with the outside world. Read the rest of this entry »

Share This

Flying into Kenya, especially from America, can be an arduous experience. Until very recently, the quickest flight you could get to Kenya would probably have run more than eighteen hours with at least two stops.

However, Delta Airlines is scheduled to commence direct flights to Kenya soon. With only a short stopover in Dakar, Delta Airlines will make flying into Kenya from the US less complicated.

Kenya is reached by air mainly through Jomo Kenyatta and Mombasa international airports. Jomo Kenyatta International airport in Nairobi, about 20 km outside the city, is the busier of the two and is excellent for tourists who want to go on tours around the whole of Kenya.  However, if you just want to take in the warm sun and the sandy beaches, then the Moi International Airport in Mombasa is the choice for you. There are excellent deals to be made on cheap flights in Kenya through your travel agent.

Finished in the early twentieth century, the Kenyan railway line traverses some of Kenya’s most beautiful landscapes, going through the Tsavo National Park. It will provide you with perhaps the most leisurely and scenic route through Kenya with trips to Mombasa and to Kisumu. The attendants on the train are friendly, the food is excellent and the cabins are extremely comfortable. Read the rest of this entry »

Share This

The annual Wildbeest Migration in the Masai Mara and Serengeti game reserves is the most spectacular wildlife show in the world.

Every year, between August and November, about 2 million wildbeest and zebras move in search of greener pasture and water as seasons change.

Although the migration timing varies, the best time to get a glimpse of the dramatic event is between June and August when the wildebeest gather in preparation to cross the renowned Grumeti River. Numerous predators such as lions, hyenas, cheetah, leopard and a host of carnivoures can be spotted hovering around the area waiting for a chance to strike the weak prey.

The wildebeest make their arrival in Masai Mara between August and September, although at times they arrive as early as July.  The animals remain in the Masai Mara between October and November before gradually returning to Serengeti.  This usually happens between December and January.

The Masai Mara National Reserve, located in the southwest Kenya on the border of Tanzania, is the most popular game park in Kenya. Although it is relatively smaller in size compared to other Kenyan national parks, Masai Mara is home to an amazing concentration of wildlife. It is therefore one of the most popular Kenya safari destinations.

Masai Mara borders the Serengeti plains along its southern end and it is nourished by the Mara River. River Mara hosts plenty of hippos and crocodiles that make the annual Wildbeest Migration a really dangerous task.

The Masai Mara is situated 168 miles from Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, and is reached by road and air. The road trip takes at least 6 hours by a 4WD vehicle as the roads are quite rough and should be avoided during the rainy season (April-May) as the roads become impassable.

Because of the bad quality of roads, most tourists prefer flying into the Masai Mara. Unfortunately this makes their safari more expensive and they miss out on some of the thrill of travelling in an African bush. There are several airlines offering daily scheduled flights from Wilson Airport in Nairobi to the Mara; a 45 minutes flight.

Share This

Working with a travel agent has its advantages. You get to visit exotic locations for free that you would otherwise have paid through your nose.

In my six years of working with Africa Point, i have been privileged to visit places like Severin Sea Lodge, Leopard Beach and Mara Lodge. This time round I went to check out Sheshe Beach hotel in Southern Coast of Mombasa in Kenya.

I was on a mission to check out the facilities of the hotel. Mombasa is a very humid place and the hot air was really getting to me. We were picked at the bus station and reached Sheshe beach hotel at 8.00am on Saturday. I took the Friday 10.45pm bus from Nairobi which took me 6 hrs on the road to reach Mombasa.

Read the rest of this entry »

Share This

Visa rates to Kenya have been cut in half to make the country more appealing to visitors.

The Minister of Tourism for Kenya, Najib Balala, has announced entry visa rates are to be reduced by 50% and completely cut for children under 16 from April 1 until the end of 2010.

The visa cost for adults has been reduced from US$50 to US$25 while there is no cost for children under 16.  Balala said: “With beautiful beaches and thrilling safaris, Kenya has a lot to offer families.This scheme will help to keep costs down for all when planning a trip to our diverse country and particularly benefit those travelling with children.”

Balala, who has been in office since April 2008, was awarded the title ‘Africa Tourism Minister of the year’ at the Africa Tourism Investors Summit in Maputo, Mozambique for his efforts in leading the tourism recovery programme in Kenya.

The move has been welcome by the industry operators who say the reduction will go along way in promoting Kenya as an affordable travel destination.

In January Kenya made it into this year’s top ten cheapest destination to travel, according to calculations from First Rate Exchange Services (First Rate), the money exchange provider for the Post Office.

Share This

Superb golf courses in combination with an incredible array of wildlife and idyllic beaches make Kenya an excellent golf holiday travel destination.

Golfers especially find Kenya attractive because of the country  offers them a unique opportunity to play their favourite game, view wildlife and to laze on the sandy beaches all during the same holiday.

Kenya boasts 40 golf courses 12 of them being 18-hole. Interestingly 6 of Kenya’s best golf courses are within a 20 mile radius of Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. These include Muthiaga Golf Club, Karen Golf and Country Club and Windsor Golf Club.The oldest 18 hole course is Royal Nairobi Golf Club founded in 1906.

Other fascinating golf holiday destinations include Mount Kenya Safari Club, Sigona and Leisure Golf Club - the only golf course on Kenya’s south coast on Diani Beach.

Most of Kenya’s golf clubs are private membership clubs and are generally very quiet and especially so during weekdays. A majority of Kenyan golf courses are at an altitude of more that 1500m (5000ft) thus giving golfers additional yardage to their stroke.

It’s worth noting that you are required to play with a caddie. He or she will not only carry your golfbag but will also find your balls in the bush, if need be. The caddie may also help you with the club selection or will show you the putting line.

Regardless of the course you choose to play, golfing adventures in Kenya will always recur in your mind every time you try to recount your Kenya safari adventures.

Share This

Egyptian archaeologists have discovered a 4,300-year-old pyramid in Saqqara, the sprawling necropolis and burial site of the rulers of ancient Memphis.

The pyramid is said to belong to Queen Sesheshet, the mother of King Teti, first king and founder of the 6th Dynasty of Egypt’s Old Kingdom.

The five metres high pyramid, believed to have been 14 metres, has a square base - with each side having a length of 22 metres. According to the archaeologists, the sides of the unique and well preserved pyramid slopes at an angle of 51 degrees.

There seems to be no end to all the treasures coming out of the Egyptian sands. There’s a lot more buried under the ground. Currently, archaeologists are working on four major excavation missions- between Giza, Saqqara and Luxor’s Valley of the Kings.

PHOTO/Mohamed Megahed

More on Egypt Safari & Tours

Africa Safari Resources

Share This

One Cvillemac has posted a very nice video on Masai Mara adventures. He also gives a well-researched account of Masai Mara National Park:

“Located about 5 hours west of Nairobi, Masai Mara is the Kenya’s greatest park. The Mara is an extension of the Serengeti and covers over 1500sqkm. It contains a staggering amount of game especially during the annual wildebeest migration. There are no fences around the reserves in Kenya and Tanzania allowing the animals to roam freely in search of new grasses for grazing. The wildebeest migration is one of the few large movements of game in the world.

The wildebeest give birth to their calves in the South East Serengeti then move into the Western Serengeti before heading north to Masai Mara in July. They feed on the lush grasses of the Mara until October as the Serengeti plains are too dry. In December, the rains return to the Serengeti as does the migration. There are 1.3 million wildebeest; 200,000 zebra; and 350,000 gazelles estimated in the migration. Of course all the lions follow these animals making the Mara the most predator-packed reserve in the world.

Cheetahs are very difficult to see in most African parks, but they are very easily seen here. Wildebeest can’t pass up the opportunity to drink as they cannot go longer than 5 days without water. They will risk life and limb to do so. In the morning they might cross the croc- infested river only to re-cross the same river later in the afternoon. We camped for 16 days in the park at a community run Masai camp near Talek gate. We can’t wait to do it again!” says Cvillemac.

Useful Links
Masai Mara Africa Safari
Kenya Holiday Safari

Share This

Over the weekend I took a 90 minutes drive from Nairobi to Lake Elementaita, located off the Nairobi-Nakuru highway.

The journey along the newly re-carpeted highway was itself an adventure. As we drove past Limuru, the road opened up to a viewpoint of the Great Rift Valley affording us a stunning view of the escarpment.

On arrival at Elementaita, we were greeted by thousands of rosy pink flamingos standing up 150 cm high - perhaps watching over their sister species of water birds.

All around were signs of Kenya wildlife. Dozens of zebra, staring gazelle, eland and families of warthog could be spotted moving leisurely along the shores of the lake. Read the rest of this entry »

Share This

I recently toured the world-famous Thomson’s Falls situated next to one of Kenya’s highest towns, Nyahururu.

Placed at 2360 m above the sea level, the falls descends a 72m cliff creating mist that feeds the dense forest below. Although I had travelled solo I got some nice company from one Steve and his friends who convinced me to accompany them to the bottom of the ravine.

The walk down started off peaceful enough. Walking along a downhill bushwalk of sorts was so thrilling and the giant stepping stones provided excellent photo opportunity to help us take a break.

Steve and I questioned why everyone returning back from the falls were wet unaware that the falls were the reason behind their slightly soaked appearances.

The walk proceeded to wrap itself around and down the side of the cliff. The walkway became narrow and the wet conditions made it more difficult to navigate. People frequently passed us on our way down, out of breath and out of sorts, simply sighing and wishing us luck - quick to point out that we were only halfway down yet reassuring us it was well worth it. Read the rest of this entry »

Share This

Kenya has got some of the best national parks in Africa.

In my view, the top five national parks to visit on your Kenya safari are:

1. Masai Mara

2. Samburu NP
3. Aberdares NP
4. Amboseli NP
5. Tsavo East & West NPs

Read more about Kenya wildlife safaris

Share This

It is always fun when a visitor learns a bit of swahili language. I have compiled some swahili words that could help you get started for your safari.

• Hello - Jambo!
  How are you? - Habari?
  OK/fine - Sawa sawa
  Yes - Ndiyo
  No - Hapana
  Good - Mzuri
  Bad - Mbaya -
  Please - Tafadhali Read the rest of this entry »

  Share This