Kenya

The Original Safari Destination

Kenya is the home of the original safari (the word ‘Safari’ means journey in local KiSwahili) and is still, quite deservedly, Africa’s most iconic wildlife destination. One-tenth of all land in Kenya is designated as national parks and reserves, the most famous being the Maasai Mara playing host to the annual migration of thousands of wildebeest and zebra. North of the equator, the Laikipia Plateau stretches from the slopes of snow-capped Mt. Kenya to the rim of the Great Rift Valley. Here you can combine game viewing to view Kenya’s endangered black rhino with activities such as mountain biking, river rafting and camel safaris. Amboseli and Samburu Game Reserves lie off the beaten track and are famous for vast herds of elephant. For relaxation, the magnificent Indian Ocean boasts beautiful white sandy beaches and marine reserves where the pace slows to that of the Swahili fishermen.

Campaign style luxury tented camps and private bush homes invoke an ‘Out of Africa’ romanticism and many of the privately owned conservancies are at the heart of pioneering wildlife conservation and community programmes. All combine to conjure up a collage of images that have become synonymous with an African safari.