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

31-40 of 50 Best Things To Do in Kenya

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    31. Take a Boat Across to Wasini Island

    Superb snorkeling and seafood are the main attractions of a day trip to Wasini

    Wasini is a charming throwback. There are no cars on this rustic island, and its only two fishing villages house a combined total of 3,000 people. Despite this, Wasini has a long history. It is named

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    for the Chinese (‘Wa-Cini’ in Kiswahili) who sailed here to trade in medieval times, as evidenced by a pillar tomb inset with Chinese porcelain. A more modern attraction is a community-owned boardwalk that runs through an area of petrified coral and mangroves inhabited by hermit crabs, mudskippers and monstrous coconut crabs (the world’s largest land-living crustacean).Wasini Island is lapped by the waters of Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park. Dolphins, turtles and whales are regularly seen, and Kisite Island – just south of Wasini – is among the country’s top snorkeling sites. Guided day tours to Wasini usually include dolphin spotting in the open water, snorkeling on the coral gardens off Kisite, and a seafood buffet lunch on the island’s baobab-studded landward shore.

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    Wasini Island Packages

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    32. Do an Exclusive Safari on Laikipia Plateau

    Laikipia’s private and community reserves support the Big Five and many rarities

    The Laikipia Plateau is Kenya’s largest and arguably most important conservation area after Tsavo. It incorporates 9,723km²/3,754mi² of high-lying savannah extending from the Mt Kenya foothills though to the Rift Valley. Unlike Kenya’s national parks, Laikipia

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    comprises a patchwork of 20-odd private and community-run conservancies, the best known being Ol Pejeta, Lewa, Borana and Loisaba.Laikipia supports high wildlife densities and healthy populations of all the Big Five, including the Endangered black rhino. It forms a stronghold for several other Endangered or localized large mammals, including Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, cheetah and African wild dog. Most of the conservancies on the plateau enjoy strong community support and operate like exclusive private reserves, with low tourist volumes. Depending on where you stay, activities extend beyond standard game drives to include bush walks, horseback and camel safaris, mountain biking, fly camping and night drives.

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    Laikipia Safaris More About Laikipia Plateau

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    33. Hike Up Forested Foothills or Summit Mt Elgon

    One of Africa’s most underappreciated mountains straddles the border with Uganda

    Protected in one of Kenya’s least-visited national parks, Africa’s eighth-highest mountain boasts the largest base of any extinct volcano worldwide. Elgon’s lower slopes are cloaked in Afromontane forest and towering bamboo, while higher altitudes support heathery

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    moorland. Splattered dung provides a regular reminder that hundreds of elephants and buffalo inhabit the park. More commonly seen wildlife includes zebra, waterbuck, bushbuck, olive baboon, black-and-white colobus monkey and a variety of forest birds.An affordable banda complex sits at the park gate. From here, a network of dirt roads can be explored by 4x4 vehicle or on foot. Short walking trails lead to Elkony Waterfall, Kitum Cave (where elephants sometimes gouge the walls for a salt fix) and the top of the dramatic Endebess Bluff. Elgon’s 4,321m/14,177ft summit is the highest in Africa that can be reached on a day trek, but it’s a long drive on rough tracks to the trailhead.

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    Mt Elgon Climbing Tours

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    34. Board the Punctual and Nippy Madaraka Express

    This modern train service is convenient for travel between Nairobi and Mombasa

    The Madaraka Express transformed travel between Nairobi and Mombasa when it completed its inaugural journey in 2017. A comfortable alternative to truck-crammed roads and costly flights, the air-conditioned train covers the 470km/292mi journey in six hours

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    and offers glimpses of wildlife as it passes through Tsavo East National Park. Indeed, it is possible to combine the train ride with a safari by disembarking at Voi, the urban gateway to the park.The Madaraka Express follows a similar route to the pioneering section of the Uganda Railway that reached Nairobi in 1901. This historic railway was nicknamed the Lunatic Express due to the staggering challenges (including man-eating lions and malaria-infested swamps) faced during its construction. The original railway opened up Kenya’s interior to coastal trade, shaping many towns (including Nairobi) along the way. Its modern counterpart builds on that legacy while dramatically slashing travel times.

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    Madaraka Express Packages

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    35. Explore the Legacy of Joy Adamson at Elsamere

    The famed conservationist named her home after ‘Born Free’ lioness Elsa

    Set amid a grove of fever trees on Lake Naivasha, Elsamere was the home of Joy Adamson from 1966 until she was murdered in 1980. Born in Austria-Hungary, Joy moved to Kenya to avoid Nazi persecution

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    in 1944, where together with husband George Adamson she pioneered the release of captive-raised lions into the wild. Their first and most celebrated success was the hand-reared lioness Elsa, who was released into Meru National Park and later immortalized in the book and biopic ‘Born Free’.Now a field study center for environmental education, Elsamere incorporates a low-key guesthouse and a museum showcasing Joy’s acclaimed paintings of local people and personal memorabilia, including first editions of her books. More than 200 bird species can be spotted along guided nature trails through the beautiful lakeshore grounds, while black-and-white colobus monkeys visit daily and hippos graze the lawn after dark.

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    Safari & Elsamere Packages

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    36. Sail Along the Coast on a Traditional Dhow

    Slow things down on a sailboat propelled only by a gentle sea breeze

    It’s one of the loveliest sights in coastal Kenya: a perfectly proportioned dhow, drifting offshore like a magical apparition of the ancient Indian Ocean spice trade. But dhows are not just for admiring. At numerous places

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    along the coast, you can climb aboard one for a day excursion, often including a snorkeling stop and a picnic or barbecue lunch. There’s nothing quite like having the warm breeze in your hair as you sit on the bow and sail across turquoise waters within sight of the idyllic shore. The Lamu Archipelago is an especially stunning place to set sail.

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    Kenya Beach Packages

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    37. Watch Birds in Savannah, Forests and Wetlands

    Kenya is a premier birding destination, with more than 1,100 species recorded

    Kenya’s bird checklist is exceeded in Africa only by the much larger Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and neighboring Tanzania. For newbies, the savannahs of Amboseli and Masai Mara showcase widespread African showstoppers such as the

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    common ostrich, southern ground hornbill, secretary bird, lilac-breasted roller and superb starling. Also perfect for first-time visitors, Lakes Naivasha and Nakuru host spectacular displays of water-associated birds, from flamingos and pelicans to the iconic African fish eagle and dazzling grey crowned crane.Seasoned African birders will be drawn to the dry-country specials associated with northern parks such as Samburu National Reserve, and West African forest dwellers whose range nudges into Kakamega Forest and Saiwa Swamp National Park. The coastal Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve and isolated Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary host additional rarities. Indeed, a well-planned two-week ornithological trip to Kenya might easily yield 400 species, including endemics and near-endemics such as Jackson’s hornbill, Sokoke scops owl, Hinde’s pied babbler, Taita thrush and Clarke’s weaver.

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    Safari & Birding Packages More About Birding in Kenya

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    38. Marvel at Perfectly Formed Chala Crater Lake

    This crater lake has a stunning setting below snowcapped Mt Kilimanjaro

    Lying between Tsavo West National Park and Kilimanjaro, Lake Chala nestles in a deep volcanic crater formed by the same activity that created Africa’s tallest mountain. From the crater rim, you’ll enjoy memorable views over the

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    turquoise lake and enclosing cliffs draped in tropical greenery. It’s especially impressive when Kilimanjaro’s distinctive peak emerges from the clouds. A short but steep footpath descends to the rocky shore, which offers excellent birding.The local Chagga and Kamba people used to regard Chala as sacred and left offerings to appease its water spirits. The lake reputedly plunges to a depth of almost 100m/328ft and is traditionally said to house a variety of mysterious monsters. A better reason to resist the temptation to swim is the potential presence of crocodiles.

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    39. Discover Kenya’s Wild Western Safari Circuit

    Ruma, Kakamega and Saiwa offer unique off-the-beaten-track wildlife experiences

    Kenya’s little-known western parks reward wildlife enthusiasts who enjoy escaping the crowds. The most conventional safari destination here is Ruma National Park, which stands in the green Lambwe Valley below an arc of mountains and

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    escarpments. Kenya’s last few roan antelope inhabit a fenced sanctuary within the park, and sightings of white rhino, Rothschild’s giraffes, buffalo, plains zebra and Jackson’s hartebeest are almost guaranteed. Black rhinos are possible, but lions and elephants are absent.Farther north, pedestrian-friendly Kakamega Forest harbors black-and-white colobus monkeys, nocturnal pottos and dozens of West African bird species at their eastern range limit. Also best explored on foot, tiny Saiwa Swamp National Park is a stronghold for the semi-aquatic sitatunga, white-bearded de Brazza’s monkey and colorful forest birds such as Ross’s turaco, double-toothed barbet and grey-winged robin-chat. Kakamega and Saiwa also combine easily with Mount Elgon National Park, another great choice for adventurous walkers.

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    Western Circuit Safaris

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    40. Unwind in the Popular Beach Resort of Malindi

    Malindi boasts an attractive beach, a storied history and some great restaurants

    One of East Africa’s most established seaside resorts, Malindi has been attracting holidaymakers in search of the perfect beach since the 1960s. Set on a beautiful palm-fringed shoreline, the town attracts sun-worshippers and kitesurfers from across

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    the globe, and is renowned for its Italian-influenced culinary scene. It also forms a useful base for diving and snorkeling in Malindi Marine National Park.Malindi is dotted with landmarks reflecting its cosmopolitan history since being founded as a Swahili trade port in the 12th century. These include a stone cross erected by the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama when he landed there in 1499. You can also see a pair of medieval Islamic pillar tombs, a 16th-century Portuguese chapel, and a museum housed in the British-era District Commissioner’s Office. Out-of-town attractions include Hell’s Kitchen, a miniature Grand Canyon covered with 30m/98ft sandstone pillars, and the vast dunefield at Mambrui Beach.

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    Malindi Beach Packages