Best things to do in Kenya
Breathtaking scenes on the Kenyan Coast
TOP 10 THINGS TO DO IN KENYA
A Camel Safari
Be adventurous and ride a camel through the Kenyan wilderness!
Enjoy this fun alternative to game viewing and get up close to wildlife like rhino, zebra, giraffes and more. You can find this camel safari adventure in Kenya’s more arid and scenic northern areas, like Samburu and the private reserves in Laikipia.
Led by Samburu guides, escape the constraints of a vehicle and explore the stark, arid landscapes at a gentle pace on the back of a camel. The leisurely pace and feeling of moving through the wild, at the pace of nature, is extraordinary.
Camels have been a part of the Samburu Tribes for generations, they provide milk and transport as well as sold for funds like goats and cows.
A Hot Air Balloon Safari
Take off a once-in-a-lifetime adventure and float in a hot air balloon over the Masai Mara and the Wildebeest Migration.
This incredible safari activity starts before dawn when you arrive at your departure spot. A quick safety briefing and then you rise silently above the plains of the Masai Mara, suspended in a basket under your hot air balloon. Savour the stillness as you effortlessly float above the Masai Mara, over the plains, rivers and forests. Gaze at the uninterrupted views and spot lions, elephants, wildebeest and much more from the air.
From July to October, you should see herds of wildebeest and zebra as they sprawl over the plains. Come back down to earth and raise a glass to your adventure with a celebratory champagne breakfast.
Visit the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi
Enjoy a wonderful opportunity to visit with orphaned baby elephants and the odd baby rhino and their minders who care for them. These babies have been orphaned due to poaching or abandoned for natural reasons. Visit the orphanage daily in the morning and learn about the individual babies and watch them have a bottle of milk or wallow in the mud. A visit with these playful youngsters will be a highlight of your safari!
Adopt an orphaned elephant and visit him or her in Nairobi on a more private experience that is available for the foster parents in the late afternoon. The funds raised go towards rehabilitating the elephants, with the ultimate aim to let them go off into the wilds again.
A visit to SWT is a great way to learn about their very successful orphan elephant rescue and rehabilitation program. The SWT does much more as well, including educational and community outreach, anti-poaching initiatives that include aerial surveillance, boots and dogs on the ground as well as a mobile veterinary unit. You can visit their website for more information on adoptions and the brilliant work the trust does around Kenya.
Have you ever Kissed a Giraffe?
Enjoy a rare opportunity to interact with giraffes, who will pose perfectly for a snack! This takes place at the Giraffe Centre in Nairobi, a sanctuary for the critically endangered Rothschild Giraffes. Climb the platform to go to eye level with the giraffe, and don’t forget to get that kiss!
These are the same giraffe you will meet if you stayed at the gorgeous Giraffe Manor! Imagine sharing your breakfast or lunch with one of these graceful giants. We always get asked for Giraffe Manor, it is a hard place to get a room at, but if you book far enough in advance or stay at one of the other properties in the portfolio you have a shot! Ask us how!
The African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW) was set up in 1979 to protect the last remaining Rothschild’s giraffes in Kenya when there were about 80 surviving individuals in Kenya. Thanks to their tireless hard work this number has now risen to over 600.
Roam with Rhinos
Rhino tracking is an immersive and unique experience. You head out into the bush in the early morning with the team of scouts and armed rangers who track rhinos each morning in conservancies like Borana and Lewa. The aim is to account for each rhino on the reserve and you spend time identifying individual black and white rhinos. While out tracking you will gain insight into the behind-the-scenes work that goes into keeping our rhinos safe. Black rhino’s almost died out in Kenya and thanks to numerous rhino conservation efforts over the last 20 odd years, the population is growing. By visiting a safari lodge that supports these conservation efforts you are directly contributing to their care.
Sleep under the stars
Getting starstruck in Kenya is one of the best things to do on safari!
Sleeping under the stars, in the open air, immersed in the night sounds and tucked into a warm duvet is a unique way to enjoy the wild. The Kenyan night sky is free of pollution and light from a city, allowing you to see the Milky Way. Listen out for a roar of a lion, a cackle from a hyena and the melodic call of a nightjar.
The Nay Palad Bird Nest at Segera Retreat is a stand-alone, luxurious treehouse that offers 360-degree views of Laikipia. Loisaba Starbeds offer platforms off your cottage, where the team will roll your four-poster bed out for you to enjoy. Ol Donyo Lodge has a star bed atop each room, perfect for a sleepout. Your night under the endless African sky will be a memorable one.
Safari Spa
Rejuvenate, unwind and relax – finding wellness in Kenya.
We know that a safari holiday is good for the soul and to further enhance your experience we cannot recommend a spa treatment strongly enough. There is something to be said for simply relaxing, being pampered by experienced therapists and using proudly African products.
Many lodges and hotels in Kenya offer treatments from a simple as a massage, which is well received after bouncing around in a game viewing vehicle, to an incredibly indulgent spa menu complete within an oasis of tranquillity. These pampering treatment rooms are in a setting that enjoys the same incredible bush views as the rest of the lodge.
Do not be surprised to see some of the local wildlife ambling by while you are relaxing! In-room treatments are also available.
Pretty in Pink; discover the flamingos of Kenya!
The lakes of the Great Rift Valley in Kenya are home to a myriad of birdlife, making this area a bird lovers paradise. These lakes attract several species to their shores. including the Greater and Lesser flamingos. At certain times of the year, the lakes turn pink with flamingos!
Many of the lakes are soda lakes that are alkaline and have a high concentration of carbonate salts, feeding the algae and brine shrimp that in turn attract the large numbers of pink flamingos. Flamingos thrive in this toxic environment, which contributes to their colour!
Find close to 2 million flamingos in the Great Rift Valley Lakes of Lake Bogoria, Lake Nakuru and Lake Elementeita. Lake Elementeita offers excellent photographic opportunities and is the breeding ground for most flamingoes. Lake Nakuru used to have hundreds of thousands of flamingos but rising waters drove them off. They are starting to return in large numbers and Lake Nakuru is a lovely national park to visit. Lake Bogoria has hundreds of thousands of flamingos and can be seen year-round. The lake also has steaming geysers and bubbling thermal springs.
Visit the tropical paradise that is the Kenyan Coast
Kenya’s coast is famous for its palm-tree lined white sand beaches and warm tropical waters. There is a myriad of things to do on the coast, with relaxation on the top of the list. With its unique charm and character, a beach holiday to the Kenyan Coast after your safari is the perfect way to get some relaxation in.
The coast is protected by a barrier coral reef, creating spectacular beaches, warm tropical waters and incredible water activities like snorkelling, scuba diving, fishing, and kite surfing. Some of the best snorkelling in Africa can be found here, along with excellent dive sites to coral reefs.
The breathtaking destination of Diani boasts prized beaches, and south of Diani is where you will find Wasini Island and the Wasini Marine National Park, one of the best snorkelling places in Africa. Diani lies about 19 km south of Fort Jesus, Mombasa.
Stroll through the old town of Lamu Island and other historical sites, learning about the Swahili culture and its Arab influences. Sail in a traditional dhow up and down the coast, you can even spend a night on a luxury dhow.
Take a Helicopter Safari to Lake Turkana
Explore Kenya’s wildest most extreme and most spectacular locations on a private helicopter safari to Lake Turkana. Inaccessible by land and untouched by humans, the north of Kenya is full of hidden geographical wonders and well worth the trip. From hidden valleys to sparkling lakes and extreme deserts to volcanic craters, prepare to be amazed.
Flying low you will drop off the edge of the Laikipia Plateau and descend into the Great Rift
Valley. Gaze at the extraordinary landscape as you fly up the Suguta Valley, one of the hottest
places on earth. Geologists have long been fascinated by this remote landscape, full of ancient fossils and rock formations. Flying low, the valley opens up into a flat expanse of grassland and palm trees, before giving way to miles and miles of sand dunes, created by the relentless winds that sweep
through the Suguta Valley.
At the northern end of the Suguta Valley spot an abundance of crocodiles in the oasis of crystal clear pools which arise here in the middle of the desert. From here, continue north over Lake Logipi, a six-kilometre gleaming expanse of a shallow lake, home to thousands of flamingos and an important breeding ground for the lesser flamingo.
Separating Logipi from its colossal neighbour, Lake Turkana is an enormous barrier of jet-black molten lava. As you ascend over its 152-metre sides, you will be met by spectacular views of Lake Turkana stretching as far as the eye can see. Lake Turkana is also known as The Jade Sea for its rich turquoise colour and vast size, it is the largest permanent desert lake in the world). Fly over the perfectly conical Nabiyotum Crater on the edge of Lake Turkana. You will touch down a few times during this full day helicopter flight, including for lunch.
