Top Things to Do in Kenya, Places, Attractions & Activities

Summit Mount Kenya

Mount Kenya is the second-highest summit on the African continent, reaching a height of slightly more than 17,000 feet (3,800 meters). In contrast to its icy Tanzanian neighbor, Kilimanjaro, the summit trails here are significantly less congested.

A typical five-day hike (with four nights on the summit) will likely find you with the mountain to yourself. As its name suggests, Kabira Safaris & Tours Africa provides guided tours up all three major peaks.

Watch the Great Migration in Masai Mara

Millions of wildebeest, antelope, and zebra, accompanied by their predators, rumble through Masai Mara National Reserve from July to October as part of the Great Migration, which begins in the nearby Serengeti Plains.

Game drives, air or hot-air balloon rides, walking, or equine safaris are all good ways to see the show.

Soak up sea, sun & sand at Diani

Diani offers the finest beach experience in all of East Africa, stretching eleven miles (17 kilometers) down the coast of southern Kenya.

Diani is known for its pristine white sand beaches and jade-colored waters that are protected by a coral reef. The island also has a variety of water sports (jetskiing, kitesurfing, paragliding, snorkeling), as well as fashionable surfside digs like stylish

Foster orphaned elephants (or a blind rhino)

David and Dame Daphne Sheldrick, pioneers in conservation, established the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust on the outskirts of Nairobi in 1977. Since then, the sanctuary has rescued hundreds of young elephants, as well as a blind rhino called Maxwell, from imminent danger.

Elephant cubs and the opportunity to care for them are available every day.

Ride the new Nairobi-Mombassa train

In 1901, the now-famous route was dubbed the “Lunatic Express” due to the absurdity of the idea of constructing a railroad through the African bush. In 2017, a 2.3 billion dollar upgrade of the tracks and passenger trains brought the line up to date.

With daily 9 a.m. departures from both Mombasa and Nairobi, the Madaraka Express completes the route in 4.5 hours.

Explore Elsa’s home turf

Joy Adamson’s 1960 single “Born Free” and the subsequent box office smash honored Kenya’s renowned feline.

Adamson and her husband brought the young lioness from a distant area of the Kenyan wilderness, which is now Meru National Park, and nurtured her as their own. Near what is now known as Elsa’s Kopje, a rock outcrop, the Adamson camp was located, and her grave is located on the north bank of the Ura River, almost an hour distant.

Sail the Lamu Archipelago by dhow

Lamu Island, off the coast of northern Kenya, is a cultural relic from the heyday of the Swahili people and one of the last major centers for traditional dhows, the lateen-rigged sailing ships that formerly connected India, East Africa, and the Middle East.

Guests at Hippo Dhow can enjoy sunset cruises, snorkeling adventures, and excursions to Manda Island’s Takwa ruins.

See Tsavo from the air

In the 1920s, wildlife-viewing biplane flights were pioneered by Denys Finch Hatton, played by Robert Redford in “Out of Africa.” This led to the creation of the African flying safari.

Working in tandem with Campi Ya Kanzi and Luca Safari Aviation, his eponymous lodge in Tsavo West National Park provides an aerial perspective of Mount Kilimanjaro as well as the park’s elephants, which are blanketed in orange dust.

Dance the night away in Nairobi

The capital city’s staid colonial club scene has segued into a thriving modern nightlife world equal to any on the continent.

The Westlands neighborhood and nearby Waiyaki Way in the city’s northwest offer numerous bars, clubs and cocktail lounges where a heady blend of locals, expats and visitors quaff (and dance) the night away.

Commune with crocodiles in Lake Turkana

The biggest colony of Nile crocodiles in the world is located in Central Island National Park, one of the most peculiar sites in Kenya, in the center of distant Lake Turkana.

The island boasts a primitive, end-of-the-earth atmosphere that appears barely changed from when our ancient ancestors called the region home 3.5 million years ago, in addition to three active volcanoes, three blue-green crater lakes, black-sand beaches, and a lone campsite. Day tours on the lake are available from the western bank by speedboat through Eliye Springs Resort.

Roam with rhinos at Lewa

The population of black and white rhinos at Lewa Conservancy in north-central Kenya has increased from fifteen in 1984 to over one hundred fifty now, making it one of the greatest success stories in the history of rhino conservation in Africa.

Armed patrols, fencing, intelligence, technology, and engagement with local communities have all contributed to Lewa’s success in eradicating rhino poaching.

Channel the spirit of Karen Blixen

The Danish baroness and author Karen Blixen (“Out of Africa”) resided on a property outside of Nairobi, Kenya, for 18 years (1913–1931), during which time a museum honoring her life and works was established.

Those familiar with the tale will also note that it features a view of the Ngong Hills, which she adored.

Scuba or snorkel the Indian Ocean

Located at the very tip of the Kenyan coast, Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park is a refuge for 56 distinct kinds of coral, 250 species of tropical fish, sea turtles, dolphins, and whales.

You can go scuba diving or snorkeling from Diani, Tiwi, or Shimoni. When the sea is calmest, which is between August and March, it is ideal.

Watch nature’s version of ‘Pretty in Pink’

The Great Rift Valley is home to Lake Nakaru, where over 240 bird species can be seen. However, the pink flamingos, which can swarm the lake in flocks of one million to two million birds, are the most photogenic.

In addition to lions and rhinos, the national park that encircles the lake is home to many other animals. Indulge in beachfront luxury at one of eight campsites or at the posh Lake Nakuru Lodge.

Get licked by a hungry giraffe

The AFEW Giraffe Center is located on the outskirts of Nairobi and features a wooden observation platform where visitors may come face to face with Rothschild’s giraffes, which are uncommon and endangered. As you feed them, you risk getting licked by their lengthy, black tongues.

The opulent Giraffe Manor hotel is located within the sanctuary as well.

Get over your fear of snakes (or not)

To get up close and personal with some of the most menacing snakes in Kenya, including the puff adder, bush python, black mamba, and spitting cobra, head to the Bio-Ken Snake Farm, which is close to Watamu.

The farm also provides snake safaris where guests can track, capture, and release snakes in the wild over the course of three nights.

Time trip in Mombasa’s Old Town

The great port of Kenya, established in the 14th century by sultans of the Swahili people, served as a stronghold for the colonial powers of Portugal and Britain.

In the Old Town, you can still see the remnants of its past in the form of tiny lanes lined with mosques, coffee shops, and buildings with enormous wooden doors; towering above it all is Fort Jesus, which dates back to the 16th century.

Cycle through the Gates of Hell

In the heart of the Great Rift Valley, a jagged environment carved by lava, lies Hell’s Gate, around sixty miles (96 kilometers) from Nairobi.

This African national park is unique in that it is completely safe to ride a bike there because there are no harmful animals. Inside the park and at vendors outside the main gate, you can rent bikes.

Sleep beneath the stars

Absolutely, camping in Kenya is totally doable. The Star Beds safari camp in Loisaba Conservancy offers a luxurious alternative to roughing it. Campers, who are mostly Samburu and Masai, spend each night sprawled out on the deck of a rocky outcrop next to a waterhole where elephants and other wildlife gather to drink. The beds, which have four posts, are placed there by the locals.