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Hot Kenya tempts us with its exoticism and unique nature, completely different from what we, as inhabitants of Europe, are used to. The greatest assets of this African country include free-living wild animals, exotic vegetation and beautiful landscapes. The natural and cultural diversity of Kenya is an ideal place for a real safari. The vast savannah plain is home to thousands of elephants, wildebeest, lions, zebras, giraffes, leopards and rhinos. Colorful villages inhabited by Maasai and Samburu, despite poverty, are filled with joy and singing. A magical sight is created by vast lakes shrouded in a pink mist of flocks of flamingos, and endless beaches cuddle up to the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. Kenya also has numerous nature reserves and national parks. Which of them are especially worth visiting during a holiday in Kenya? We have 5 suggestions especially worth your attention, but you can read about them later in the article.
Vegetation and landscape of Kenya
The central part of the country is made up of sun-scorched steppes and dry savanna, covered with semi-arid vegetation and thorny acacia bushes, while the highlands are covered with lush tropical forests. The colors of the landscape change with the seasons, taking on shades of lush green in the period from March to June, and then in the dry season, changing to shades of brown and yellow. Unusual and wild nature is protected in several national parks, in most of which you can take part in an organized safari.
Unusual animals living in Kenya
Dozens of species of large mammals live here, including representatives of the so-called The Big Five of Africa, i.e. savannah elephant, black rhinoceros, lion, buffalo and leopard. Apart from them, you can meet herds of zebras and giraffes, cheetahs and such exotic species as eland, kudu and impala. The close vicinity of water reservoirs and swampy areas are habitats of crocodiles and hippos. The Masai Mara Reserve is home to one of nature’s greatest spectacles: the annual Great Migration of over a million animals in search of food. In turn, in marine reserves located off the coast of Kenya, we have the opportunity to admire exotic species of fish living among coral reefs. Each of Kenya’s reserves and national parks deserves attention and should be on the list of places to visit, but maybe the following description will help you decide on one of them.
Masai Mara Reserve in Kenya
This 1,510 km2 park is located west of the capital Nairobi, at an altitude of over 1,500 meters above sea level. and is part of a larger natural complex, which is the Serengeti National Park, which is located in northwestern Tanzania. What makes it one of the favorite places for tourists visiting Kenya? First of all, it is home to representatives of the Big Five and a great stage for a unique spectacle of nature. During the annual Great Migration, herds of wildebeest, zebras and representatives of the Big Five travel thousands of kilometers from Tanzania to Kenya in search of food, and we can admire this journey from the sidelines, sometimes very close. Here you can also take a look at the culture of the Maasai who still live according to their tradition, far from the achievements of civilization. Their characteristic houses built on a skeleton of branches made of cow dung mixed with water and ashes, covered with grass, are an inseparable element of the local landscape.
Tsavo National Park – the largest and oldest in Kenya
Tsavo is Kenya’s oldest and largest national park. Its area was marked out in 1948 and is as much as 22,812 km2. To stimulate the imagination, let’s add that the area of Slovenia is „only” 20,273 km2. The main road of the country, connecting the two largest cities, Nairobi and Mombasa, runs through the middle of the park, which is why it is divided into an eastern and western part. Its characteristic feature is the giant baobabs, protruding above the bush. It is a perfect place to relax from the hustle and bustle of cities and to watch animals in their natural habitat. In small lakes you can see hippos and crocodiles. An interesting fact is that the lions living here are different than all the others, because they lack a characteristic mane. In the past, the Tsavo lions had a bad reputation for bloodthirsty genocides. About 675 lions and about 500 species of birds live in the park. In this ornithological paradise you can meet ostriches, herons and various species of parrots.
Amboseli National Park in Kenya on the UNESCO list
About 3 hours west (170 km) from Tsavo, in the southern part of Kenya, is the Amboseli National Park, established in 1974 on an area of 392 km2. Since 1991, this park has been on the UNESCO list as a biosphere reserve. It is from the savanna-covered, marshy Amboseli that you can see the most beautiful view of the Roof of Africa. The snow-capped Kilimanjaro peak majestically towering over the park is the perfect backdrop for holiday photos. The most important inhabitants of this park are elephants, but you can also meet leopards, cheetahs, jackals and giraffes. A trained eye will also notice representatives of rare bird species, such as the masked falcon. The areas of the Tsavo and Amboseli parks are inhabited, apart from wild animals, by Maasai tribes, whose culture and customs can be learned up close during a safari.
Nairobi National Park
Compared to other nature reserves, this park is relatively small, covering an area of less than 120 km2. Its main entrance is just 10 km from downtown Nairobi, so it’s hard to miss while in the capital. Especially that despite its small size, it has a lot to offer, it delights with its wonderful savannah landscape and wild animals. In addition, the contrast of wild nature against the background of a rapidly developing metropolis is very interesting. Thanks to the small area of the park, we have a better chance of meeting representatives of large animals (except elephants) than in vast reserves. About 100 species of mammals and over 400 species of birds live here. The park is teeming with wildlife: African buffaloes, panthers, cheetahs and the endangered common (black) rhinoceros. If you stay at a hotel in the center of Nairobi, it only takes a few minutes to leave the grand office buildings behind and find yourself on a vast plain covered with ancient trees and bushes. Wild animals are at your fingertips here, and the view of predators chasing their prey against the background of skyscrapers sparkling in the sun will surely stay in your memories for a long time.
