GUIDE TO KENYA’S TOURIST AREAS.
Nairobi
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is 20km from the city center.
Wilson Airport 8kms from city center, With chartered and scheduled flights to many game reserves.
Amboseli National park.
250km from Nairobi.
400kms from Mombasa
Four hours drive from Nairobi, lies in maasailand, at the foothills of the snow-capped Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain. The “Big five” lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo, elephant all make their home here.
Some of the lodges; www.serenalodges.com www.blockhotelske.com
Tsavo East &Tsavo West National Park.
250kms from Nairobi.
210kms from Mombasa.
One of the world’s largest wildlife sanctuaries lies half way between Nairobi and Mombasa. Tsavo West is only a short drive from Amboseli National park. In the south is of the park is the scenic Ngulia escarpment and Tsavo River attracting game and birdlife on it’s banks. At Mzima Springs an observatory and platform allow visitors to view the underwater life. Tsavo boasts of over 60 species of mammals.
Shimba Hills
400 kms from Mombasa Townsituated just one hour’s drive south of Mombasa and some 16kms inland,is Shimba Hills Reserve.Amongst these scenic rolling hills traversed by tropical streams and waterfalls live buffalo,elephant,leopard,the rare sable antelope and many other species of forest and plains game.The variety and numbers of forest birds as they call from perches high in the beautiful ancient tropical rain forest is a sound and sight to behold.
Great Rift Valley and the Lakes
- Lake Naivasha 90kms from Nairobi
- Lake Elementaita 120kms from Nairobi
- Lake Nakuru 160kms from NairobiLake Bogoria 285kms from Nairobi
- Lake Baringo 285kms from Nairobi
Approximately one hour’s drive from Nairobi lies Lake Naivasha, dominated by rugged Mt. Longonot in the southeast. The birdlife is superb with upto 340 species. The all weather road northwest bypasses Lake Elementaita and continues to Lake Nakuru, famous for the concentration of flamingo which thrive on the algae found in it’s shallow waters. Lake Nakuru is also a National Park containing a variety of game and the country’s first rhino sanctuary.
The road continues due north to lake Bogoria described by explorers as “the most beautiful view in Africa”. This National Reserve with shoreline of boiling geysers-a reminder of the volcanic origins of the Rift Valley- is a home for the shy greater Kudu and a variety of birdlife. A short distance is the Lake Baringo, bird watching by boat or by foot, with over 400 species; it is an ornithologist’s paradise.
www.lakenakurulodge.com www.sarovahotels.com www.marasimba.com
Maasai Mara
260kms from Nairobi
Considered as the Kenya’s best and most scenic Game Reserve. Lies west of Nairobi, borders with Tanzania’s Serengeti. The gentle rolling grassland, traversed by the Mara River and dotted with acacias and riverine forest is the home to the magnificent black manned lion and an abundance of plains game and other predators. Crocodiles and hippo share the muddy waters of the River while the buffalo; elephants and rhino push their way through the dense forests. One of the nature’s most dramatic spectacle-the annual migration from July to September, of over a million wildebeest (gnus) and zebra.
www.sarovahotels.com www.marasimba.com www.serenahotels.com
The Aberdares
170kms from Nairobi
Approximately 2.5 hours drive from Nairobi lies this National Park and boasting one of Kenya’s largest forest reserve, is perhaps best known as the place where the Queen learned the death of her father. Elephant, rhino, leopard, serval, genet and bongo-a rare striped antelope can be seen.
www.lonrhohotels.com
Samburu
340kms from Nairobi
On the rugged semi-desert of the Northern Kenya lies this oasis, Samburu Game Reserve. The area is home to Samburu tribe, pastoral relatives of maasai. Hosts’ unique species like the liver red reticulated giraffe, grevy’s zebra with its bat-like ears, beisa oryx, the blue flanked Somali ostrich as well as elephant, velvet monkeys and crocodiles.
www.sarovahotels.com www.serenahotels.com
Mt. Kenya.
200kms Approximately 2.5 hours drive from Nairobi lies the snow-capped Mt.Kenya, which straddles the equator, is Africa’s second highest mountain, a stunning and challenging destination for both climbers and trekkers. At the base, eland and zebra may be seen, while in the moorland, lion, Cape buffalo and elephant roam. Other mammals include rock hydrax and duiker. In the forested areas there are black and white colobus monkeys. Black rhino, suni antelope and leopard may also be observed. Sunbirds, Ayre’s hawk eagle, and the rare Abyssinian long-eared owl are amongst the birdlife that inhabit the forest.
Some of the Hotels commonly used-Mombasa/Coast
North Coast / South Coast
Malindi
Nyali Beach Hotel Indian Ocean Beach . Club. Hemmingway’s Hotel
Serena Beach Hotel Southern Palms Beach Resort. Driftwood Beach . Club
Bamburi Beach Hotel Africana Sea lodge. Turtle Bay Beach Club
Whitesands Hotel, Jadini Beach Hotel. Pinewood Village
Giriama Beach Safari Beach Hotel. Lamu Island
Reef Hotel KasKazi Beach Peponi Hotel
Club Sun’ Sand Leopard Beach Hotel. Island Hotel
Severin Sea Lodge Leisure Lodge. Stone House
Kiwayu Safari Village
Munira Island Camp
Zanzibar
Dhow Palace
Emerson & Green
Tembo Hotel
Zanzibar Serena Hotel
Blue Bay Beach Hotel
Mbweni Ruins
Bwawani Hotel |
