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Kenya

General Information

Languages : English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages
Currency : Kenyan shilling (KES)
Time Zone : East African Time (+8hrs EST)
Capital City : Nairobi
Population : 34.7 million
Government : Republic
Total Area : 224,962 mi²
Climate : Varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior
National Holidays: Independence Day, 12 December
Additional Info: Kenya is a diverse country, with many different cultures represented. Notable cultures include the Swahili on the coast, pastoralist communities in the north, and several different communities in the central and western regions

Destination Activities

Activity Details

Ecotourism

"Karibu" is a Swahili word that means, "Welcome Home." And you will hear it when you arrive in Kenya from officials and locals alike. Ecotourism in Kenya possesses a massive biodiversity of mountain, coastal and African savannah ecosystems, where proud native peoples live in harmony amongst the world's greatest herds of migrating wildlife. From protected areas such as the Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, and Samburu to opportunities for walking in the bush with native Maasai, Kenya offers the adventurous eco-traveler a wide selection of sights and scenery.

The Maasai are an indigenous African ethnic group of semi-nomadic people located in Kenya. Due to their distinctive customs and dress and residence near the many game parks of East Africa, they are among the most well-known African ethnic groups internationally. They speak Maa.

The Maasai Mara is a large park reserve in south-western Kenya, which is effectively the northern continuation of the Serengeti National Park game reserve in Tanzania. It is famous for its exceptional population of game and the annual migration of the wildebeest every July and August, a migration so immense it is called the Great Migration. The Maasai Mara is perhaps most famous for its lions. Hippopotami are found in large groups in the Maasai Mara and Talek Rivers. Cheetahs are also to be found, although their numbers are also threatened, chiefly due to tourist disruption of their day-time hunting. The plains between the Mara river and the Esoit Oloololo Escarpment are probably the best area for game viewing, in particular for the lion and cheetah.

Amboseli National Park is in Kajiado District, Rift Valley Province in Kenya. 160 miles from the capital city Nairobi, this park is the third most visited game area in Kenya after Maasai Mara National Reserve and Nakuru National Park and the visit can easily be done in a weekend. The park is famous for being the best place in Africa to get close to free-ranging elephants. Other attractions of the park include opportunities to meet Maasai and spectacular views of Mount_Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world.

Samburu National Reserve is located on the banks of the Ewaso Ng'iro river in Kenya; on the other side of the river is the Buffalo Springs National Reserve. It is 40 sq. miles in size and 217 miles from Nairobi. Geographically, it is located in Samburu District of the Rift Valley Province. Once inside the reserve, there are two mountains visible: Koitogor and Ololokwe. Several animal and bird species are considered unique to the region: Grevy's Zebra, Beisa Oryx, Reticulated Giraffe, Somali Ostrich. Sadly, Rhino are no longer present in the park due to heavy poaching.

Lake Nakuru is one of the Rift Valley soda lakes. It lies to the south of Nakuru, in central Kenya and is protected by a small Lake Nakuru National Park. The park is best known for its thousands, sometimes millions of flamingos nesting along the shores. The surface of the shallow lake is often hardly recognizable due to the continually shifting mass of pink.

Photography



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