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Best Things To Do in Kenya – Our Expert’s Choice

Kenya Safaris Kenya
Kenya is a special place. It’s the birthplace of the safari, not to mention one of the most beautiful countries in Africa. It’s also a destination for the highly active, whether you’re watching wildlife roam across
Read more or diving and snorkeling Indian Ocean reefs. Brilliant national parks and enticing beaches, fascinating cities and quiet fishing villages that time forgot: Kenya has all of this and more.
Kenya Safari Tours

36 Best Things To Do in Kenya

  1. Wildebeest getting ready to cross the Mara River during the great migration
    Wildebeest gathering at the Mara River Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Photo by 1001slide. © All rights reserved
    Wildebeest migrating across the river
    Wildebeest jumping into the Mara River Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Photo by Michael Poliza. © All rights reserved
    Nile crocodiles basking in the sun
    Crocodiles lying in wait at the Mara River Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Photo by Michael Poliza. © All rights reserved
    Crocodile killing a wildebeest
    Crocodile eating wildebeest in the Mara River Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Photo by GailJohnson. © All rights reserved
    Male lion standing in tall grass
    The great migration attracts many predators Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Photo by William Davies. © All rights reserved
    Hundreds of wildebeest preparing to cross the Mara River
    Migrating wildebeest in search of green grass Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Photo by DenGuy. © All rights reserved
    Blue wildebeest trudging across the plains
    Wildebeest walking in single file at sunset Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Photo by JLDale. © All rights reserved
    Cheetah hunting
    Cheetah staying close to migrating wildebeest Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Photo by Javarman. © All rights reserved
    Great migration of wildebeest
    Wildebeest with calves kicking up dust Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Photo by Surz. © All rights reserved
    Vultures and marabou feeding
    Scavengers feeding on a dead wildebeest Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Photo by Javarman. © All rights reserved
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    1. Follow the Great Migration in the Masai Mara NR

    Watch the greatest wildlife show on Earth

    Imagine seeing so many animals that the Earth seems alive. That’s what happens when around 2.5 million , zebra and cross into Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve and feed on the vast .
    Read more In most years, the herds begin to cross the Mara River from Serengeti National Park (in Tanzania) and into the Mara in July or August. Then they slowly move south again around October.It's an extraordinary spectacle. The river crossings, where lie in wait, are the most famous moments in lore. But there are so many highlights, from the sheer scale of the swarming masses to the individual encounters between predator and prey, like a straggling young zebra and a who has waited all year for this moment. This is nature’s raw beauty at its most powerful and is not to be missed.
  2. Leopard
    Leopard crouching in green grass in Meru NP Meru National Park, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Cheetah standing on a termite mound to look for prey
    Cheetah on termite mound in Masai Mara NR Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Photo by William Davies. © All rights reserved
    Safari vehicle and a pair of lions
    Pair of mating lions in Masai Mara NR Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Photo by Anagramm. © All rights reserved
    Female elephant drinking
    Elephant under a stormy sky in Masai Mara NR Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Photo by Mario Moreno. © All rights reserved
    Safari-goer taking smartphone photo of elephants
    Photographing elephants in Amboseli NP Amboseli National Park, Kenya. Photo by SerrNovik. © All rights reserved
    Black rhino
    Black rhino with glossy starling in Lewa Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Giraffes at sunset
    Giraffes walking into the sunset in Masai Mara NR Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Photo by Kat Webb. © All rights reserved
    Herd of buffalo
    Buffalo herd in Meru NP Meru National Park, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    White rhinos
    White rhinos grazing in Solio Ranch Solio Ranch, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Plains zebras fighting
    Zebras fighting in Ol Pejeta Conservancy Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved

    2. Track Down the Big Five on Safari in Kenya

    Encounter Africa’s most sought-after animals

    The are top of many safari wish lists. But they’re just the start when it comes to going on safari in Kenya. When you’re out exploring wild Africa, there is no feeling to compare
    Read more with the thrill of knowing that a lion or an elephant could appear at any moment. Perhaps your safari highlight will be seeing a cheetah on the hunt. Or it could be a soulful encounter with a leopard or giraffe. Whatever it is, going on safari is a simply wonderful thing to do.Opportunities to see the Big Five are numerous in Kenya, from Ol Pejeta Conservancy to the Masai Mara National Reserve. It’s rhino that often proves hard to find. But you can always mix and match, combining the relatively easy rhino sightings of Lake Nakuru or Nairobi National Parks with other places where the remaining four are easy to see.
  3. Elephants in front of Mt Kilimanjaro
    Herd of elephants in front of Mt Kilimanjaro Amboseli National Park, Kenya. Photo by HEINZ PETER. © All rights reserved
    Safari-goer photographing from a vehicle with Mt Kilimanjaro in the background
    Views of Kilimanjaro offer photo opportunities Amboseli National Park, Kenya. Photo by SerrNovik. © All rights reserved
    Maasai warriors walking in front of Mt Kilimanjaro
    Maasai people walking in front of Mt Kilimanjaro Amboseli National Park, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Elephants in a green marsh
    Elephants feeding in a swamp Amboseli National Park, Kenya. Photo by Michael Poliza. © All rights reserved
    A buffalo with a yellow-billed oxpecker
    Buffalo with oxpecker Amboseli National Park, Kenya. Photo by Michael Poliza. © All rights reserved
    Two zebras nosing
    Plains zebras nuzzling Amboseli National Park, Kenya. Photo by Michael Poliza. © All rights reserved
    An old elephant with long tusks
    Big tusker walking on the dusty plains Amboseli National Park, Kenya. Photo by Javarman. © All rights reserved
    Cheetah yawning
    Cheetah yawning Amboseli National Park, Kenya. Photo by Carola G. © All rights reserved
    Spotted hyena with cub
    Hyena with small pup Amboseli National Park, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Young elephants playing and kicking up dust
    Young elephants kicking up dust Amboseli National Park, Kenya. Photo by 2630ben. © All rights reserved
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    3. Enjoy Elephants and Mt Kilimanjaro in Amboseli NP

    Africa’s largest mammal meets the continent’s highest mountain

    Africa’s tallest summit, Mt Kilimanjaro, is actually in Tanzania, but the best views are from Kenya’s Amboseli National Park. Amboseli belongs among the elite of East African safari parks. Although it’s relatively compact compared to other
    Read more Kenyan reserves, everything here seems cast on a grander scale. There’s nowhere else in Africa, for example, where you can get this close to big-tusked elephants, and the classic Amboseli image is of an elephant family framed by the snowcapped peaks of Kilimanjaro.From a wildlife perspective, there are also lions and cheetahs, zebra and giraffe, and so much more to see across the verdant green swamps and plains of the park. Despite its size, Amboseli shelters more bird species (around 500) than many European countries. And just beyond park boundaries lies the modern Maasai heartland, a world of community-run conservancies where you can immerse yourself in traditional Maasai culture.
  4. Downtown city center
    Nairobi and its leafy suburbs Nairobi, Kenya. Photo by EunikaSopotnicka. © All rights reserved
    High-rise cityscape
    Skyscrapers in the city center Nairobi, Kenya. Photo by master2. © All rights reserved
    Masai giraffe in front of the Nairobi skyline
    Giraffe in Nairobi NP Nairobi National Park, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Baby elephant receiving its milk at the orphanage
    Feeding time at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Kenya. Photo by Alan Lucas. © All rights reserved
    Entrance of the Nairobi National Museum
    Nairobi National Museum Nairobi, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Coffee shop at the Hilton Hotel
    Coffee shop Nairobi, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    City view from the Kenyatta International Convention Centre with the Nairobi City Council in front
    Cityscape of Central Nairobi Nairobi, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Boating on the lake in Uhuru Park in central Nairobi
    Boating in Uhuru Park in Central Nairobi Nairobi, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Visitor feeding one of the giraffes
    Getting up close at the Giraffe Centre Giraffe Centre, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Modern cityscape at dusk
    City view at dusk Nairobi, Kenya. Photo by Jacek_Sopotnicki. © All rights reserved
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    4. Explore Nairobi, East Africa’s Cultural Capital

    Kenya’s capital has attitude and appeal in equal measure

    Nairobi can be one cool city. Yes, its reputation precedes it. And yes, its traffic can be awful. But this is a city with its very own national park where you can see wild lions and
    Read more rhinos against a backdrop of skyscrapers, fill your day with museums and art galleries, eat in some of Africa’s best restaurants in the evening, then dance the night away.Nairobi is Kenya in microcosm. It's also the sort of city that very easily gets under your skin. In addition to its more obvious attractions, you can explore Africa’s second-largest shanty town, Kibera, in the company of a local, get a kiss from a giraffe and even adopt an elephant. More than anything else, however, Nairobi is its people and their irresistible love for their city, along with its music, culinary diversity and sheer energy.
  5. Hammock hanging between the trees
    Hammock between palms on Diani Beach Diani Beach, Kenya. Photo by Jacek_Sopotnicki. © All rights reserved
    Textiles for sale on the beach
    Cloth for sale on Diani Beach Diani Beach, Kenya. Photo by Tomasz Banaczek. © All rights reserved
    Shela Beach
    Shela Beach in Lamu Lamu, Kenya. Photo by Przemyslaw Skibinsk. © All rights reserved
    Men walking with camels on the beach
    Camels on the beach in Mombasa Mombasa Beaches, Kenya. Photo by Alan Smithers. © All rights reserved
    Idyllic Malindi beach scene
    Idyllic beach scene in Malindi Malindi, Kenya. Photo by Nick N A. © All rights reserved
    African red-knobbed starfish
    African red-knobbed starfish at Diani Beach Diani Beach, Kenya. Photo by fishmonger. © All rights reserved
    Tropical idyllic beach scene
    Low tide at Diani Beach Diani Beach, Kenya. Photo by aliaksei_putau. © All rights reserved
    Coral outcrop and beach at sunrise in Turtle Bay
    Turtle Bay at sunrise in Watamu Watamu, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Maasai walking on the beach
    Maasai person walking on the beach in Mombasa Mombasa Beaches, Kenya. Photo by Alan Smithers. © All rights reserved
    Sunrise over the ocean
    Sunrise over the ocean near Mombasa Mombasa Beaches, Kenya. Photo by Oleg_0. © All rights reserved

    5. Relax on Kenya’s Indian Ocean Beaches

    Laze beneath the palms along the lovely coastline

    If you could design a perfect coastline with all the necessary elements for the ideal beach holiday, it would look something like Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast. Here is a world of palm trees and long, white-sand
    Read more beaches, of well-equipped beach resorts and quiet fishing villages, of pristine underwater reefs and traditional wooden , silhouetted against the rising or setting sun.For those who like their holidays to carry a hint of intrigue, adventure or adrenaline, there are plenty of opportunities to get active and head out on (or under) the water and to explore. The Kenyan coast also has that rare combination of shapely Indian Ocean coastline and a fascinating historical story laden with spices carried from far-distant shores. But for many, the lure of the languid tropical sun and bath-warm waters is more than sufficient reason to come and do very little at all.
  6. Nyali Bridge
    New Nyali Bridge Mombasa, Kenya. Photo by Hamids Lens. © All rights reserved
    Famous giant elephant tusks on Moi Avenue
    Giant elephant tusks on Moi Avenue Mombasa, Kenya. Photo by MichaelUtech. © All rights reserved
    Fabrics for sale on the beach
    Bright fabrics for sale on the beach Mombasa, Kenya. Photo by Fiona Ayerst. © All rights reserved
    Palm-lined waterfront
    Coastal city views Mombasa, Kenya. Photo by Harry.peterr. © All rights reserved
    Fort Jesus in the Old Town
    The 16th-century Fort Jesus in the Old Town Mombasa, Kenya. Photo by Dan Rata. © All rights reserved
    Colorful fish and corals in the Indian Ocean
    Offshore marine life Mombasa, Kenya. Photo by kyslynskahal. © All rights reserved
    Narrow alley in the Old Town
    Narrow alley in the Swahili Old Town Mombasa, Kenya. Photo by Kageni Joe. © All rights reserved
    Sunrise behind the clouds with small fishing boats
    Sunrise over the ocean Mombasa Beaches, Kenya. Photo by Oleg_0. © All rights reserved
    Camels walking on the beach
    Camels on the beach Mombasa Beaches, Kenya. Photo by tellmemore000. © All rights reserved
    Rocky outcrops and palm trees on the beach
    Idyllic beach with rocky outcrops Mombasa Beaches, Kenya. Photo by Jacek_Sopotnicki. © All rights reserved
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    6. Get To Know Kenya’s Second City, Mombasa

    Immerse yourself in culture, history and beach life

    Steamy Mombasa feels like no other city in Africa. From the 16th-century Unesco World Heritage–listed Fort Jesus keeping watch over the city to the tight tangle of lanes in the Old Town with their call-to-prayer soundtrack,
    Read more Mombasa heaves with energy and an unmistakable hint of the exotic. Many travelers use Mombasa as a gateway to the parks of the interior or the beaches up and down the Kenyan coast. And its location certainly lends itself to such a purpose.But Mombasa is brimful of personality in its own right. Here you’ll encounter East Africa’s pan-Swahili culture at its strongest, whether you’re exploring markets or queueing for spicy Swahili curries in a corner canteen frequented by rich businesspeople and rickshaw drivers alike. Take a tour, wander to get lost, and then head for the sea to catch your breath and catch a wave. Either way, you’ll very quickly fall under Mombasa’s spell.
  7. Tree-climbing lion
    Tree-climbing lioness Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya. Photo by bimbom. © All rights reserved
    Flamingos walking in the water
    Lesser flamingos strutting in shallow water Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya . Photo by MP. © All rights reserved
    Black rhino beneath storm clouds
    Rhino on the lakeshore under a stormy sky Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya. Photo by Chris Minihane. © All rights reserved
    Four white rhinos with flamingos in the background
    White rhinos on the lakeshore Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya. Photo by Michael Poliza. © All rights reserved
    Buffalo bull
    Buffalo bull portrait Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Great white pelican among hundreds of flamingos
    Great white pelican spreading its wings Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya . Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Three Rothschild's giraffes
    Rothschild's giraffes Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Young male lion resting on a log
    Young male lion resting on a branch Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya. Photo by i.a.f. fotoarte. © All rights reserved
    Spotted hyena with flamingo kill
    Spotted hyena feeding on a flamingo Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya. Photo by Michael Poliza. © All rights reserved
    Eight lesser flamingos in flight
    Lesser flamingos in flight Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya . Photo by MP. © All rights reserved
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    7. Search for Tree-climbing Lions in Lake Nakuru NP

    Look up at lions and watch out for rhinos

    There aren’t many places in Africa where lions climb trees, but it’s a special experience when they do and you happen upon them. Lake Nakuru National Park may be small, but it does pack in some
    Read more amazing wildlife, from and to flamingos and leopards. And yes. Lions. Up. Trees. Whether it’s a big male looking unsteady on that narrowing branch, or a playful cub with no fear of heights, seeing an arboreal lion is quite the prize.Lake Nakuru is one of Kenya’s most accessible parks – almost an extension of Nakuru city. Depending on your route, you could visit on your way between Nairobi and the Masai Mara National Reserve. But with such distinctive wildlife, Lake Nakuru is also worth crossing the country for. The unforgettable sight of lions up in the trees is one of the great safari experiences of a lifetime.
  8. Shela Beach
    Shela Beach Lamu, Kenya. Photo by Przemyslaw Skibinsk. © All rights reserved
    Traditional sailboats along the coast
    Swahili dhows sailing along the shore Lamu, Kenya. Photo by Anski. © All rights reserved
    Lamu Town waterfront
    The Old Town waterfront Lamu, Kenya. Photo by Javarman. © All rights reserved
    Rooftop view over Lamu town
    Rooftop view over the Swahili Old Town Lamu, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Traditional Swahili food
    Traditional Swahili food Lamu, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Swahili women painting hands with henna
    Swahili woman painting hands with henna Lamu, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Henna painting
    Painting hands with henna Lamu, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Swahili house
    Interior of a typical Swahili house Lamu, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Swahili dhow sailing past Lamu town
    Dhow sailing past Lamu Town Lamu, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Swahili woman selling silver jewelry
    Swahili woman selling jewelry Lamu, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
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    8. Spend Time on the Soulful Lamu Archipelago

    Soak up the sea breeze in laid-back Lamu

    Lamu is a magical place. Much like Zanzibar in Tanzania, but without the crowds, this former spice-trading port has a beguiling mix of rich history, stunning beauty and so many landmarks, alongside relaxed island living. Nothing
    Read more happens here in a hurry. You can drift on a trade wind in a traditional wooden and snorkel or dive with just locals and Indian Ocean marine life for company. Or spend time with a local family learning about the traditions and quiet pleasures of Lamu life.A visit to Lamu is about more than just a beach. It has that unmistakable tableau of local life, timeless and unhurried. For that reason, it draws sophisticates and the just plain curious in equal numbers.
  9. Elephant feeding
    Elephant covered in red dust Tsavo East National Park, Kenya. Photo by Dan Baciu. © All rights reserved
    Male lion
    Male lion with scraggy mane Tsavo East National Park, Kenya. Photo by Christiane Schwerin. © All rights reserved
    Safari vehicles and a Masai giraffe
    Masai giraffe crossing the red-earth road Tsavo East National Park, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Lion in the morning sun
    Lioness resting Tsavo East National Park, Kenya. Photo by Rhardholt. © All rights reserved
    Kori bustard
    Kori bustard displaying Tsavo East National Park, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Grant's gazelle
    Grant's gazelle next to termite mound Tsavo East National Park, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Elephants covered in red dust
    Elephants covered in red dust Tsavo East National Park, Kenya. Photo by kyslynskahal. © All rights reserved
    Cape buffalo
    Buffalo bulls Tsavo East National Park, Kenya. Photo by Marius Dobilas. © All rights reserved
    Plains zebras
    Zebras walking Tsavo West National Park, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved
    Female lesser kudu
    Lesser kudu Tsavo West National Park, Kenya. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved

    9. Observe Tsavo’s Maneless Lions and Red Elephants

    This is where wildlife roams the red dust

    Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks: put them together and you have Kenya’s largest park complex. Tsavo is big, so big that it combines a palpable sense of wilderness with an accessibility that draws safari-goers
    Read more from the coast and elsewhere in large numbers. Most of them come looking for some of Africa’s wildest lions whose fearsome reputation is diminished somewhat by the scraggy manes of the males. Or they come to see the ochre-hued elephants after their mud baths, caked in Tsavo’s deep-red dust.You could also visit a rhino sanctuary, watch for leopards sleeping off the night’s excesses up in the trees, or explore the backcountry where very few travelers ever reach. But it’s the unusual experience of seeing an apex predator with a difference, or Africa’s largest mammal like you’ve never seen it before, that you’ll really remember.
  10. Sunrise over the beach
    Sunrise over the Indian Ocean Diani Beach, Kenya. Photo by Stephen Gichuru. © All rights reserved
    Umbrellas on the beach
    Holiday resort beach Diani Beach, Kenya. Photo by Kyslynskyy. © All rights reserved
    Palm-lined Diani Beach
    White sandy beach Diani Beach, Kenya. Photo by georgeclerk. © All rights reserved
    Palm-lined beach
    Palms along the shoreline Diani Beach, Kenya. Photo by Jacek_Sopotnicki. © All rights reserved
    View over the beach
    Locals and tourists enjoying the beach Diani Beach, Kenya. Photo by Alan Smithers. © All rights reserved
    Beach-facing hotel property
    Holiday resort gardens along a sandy beach Diani Beach, Kenya. Photo by Kyslynskyy. © All rights reserved
    Palm-lined beach
    Palm-lined beach Diani Beach, Kenya. Photo by alexerich. © All rights reserved
    Sunbeds on the beach
    Resort with lounge chairs on the beach Diani Beach, Kenya. Photo by Kyslynskyy. © All rights reserved
    People walking on the beach
    Sandy beach with coral outcrops Diani Beach, Kenya. Photo by fotofritz16. © All rights reserved
    Maasai walking on the beach
    Maasai person walking on the beach Diani Beach, Kenya. Photo by czekma13. © All rights reserved
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    10. Admire Perfect Sunrises at Diani Beach

    Experience Kenya’s biggest and best Indian Ocean beach resort

    Diani Beach doesn’t try to be anything it’s not. Unlike Lamu with its celebrated history, or the first-rate diving and snorkeling of Kenya’s far southern coast, Diani is, first and foremost, a classic and often spectacular
    Read more beach experience. It’s all based around a long and perfect arc of white sand, framed by palm trees and bathed in the warm, tropical light.Yes, you can go kitesurfing and much more. And yes, there are coral mosques and fine restaurants and a buzz that can be difficult to resist in high season. But Diani Beach is above all else a place where the sand and water and gentle sea breeze are all you really need.