Hi Boox Popular Magazine 2024
What an illusion it takes to prepare a trip! And even more when we dream of the adventures of Kenya, with a different life, in which we can learn to value diversity and open ourselves to a wide range of various captivating flavors, colors, and sensations.
Let’s say you’ve already decided to go, packed all your things and prepared all the necessary documents and your visa. (If not, check this website as it offers some extra cool possibilities for an online application!) The only thing left is to decide which heavenly beautiful place you should go first once your plane lands there. Yeah, it’s a tough decision, but hey – here we are, suggesting some rather adorable places to visit and things to do once you enter this exotic microcosmos. Prepare your suitcase with wishes, dreams, and illusions, because very soon they’ll come true.
Visit Nairobi and enjoy its gorgeousness
Nairobi, the capital of Kenya welcomes you to the country, surprising everyone who visits it, whatever your expectations are. Without a doubt, it’s a dynamic, lively city, surrounded by nature and with so many activities to do.
The center of Nairobi and the financial district are characterized by their wide avenues, cleanliness, good lighting and security, as well as the constant bustle of people during the day, especially on weekdays. Next, we leave you the list of the best places you can see in this lovely city.
1. Kenyatta International Conference Center. It may look kind of old next to some nearby glazed and contemporary buildings, but the best thing is that you can climb to the viewpoint where you can fully enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view of the entire city. This definitely makes it the most recommended place to visit in Nairobi.
2. The National Museum of Kenya in Nairobi. The National Museum gives a magnificent exhibition and a lesson on Human Evolution, with some fascinating pieces that are certainly worth visiting. There’s also a sector with snakes and reptiles, in case you may be interested.
3. The Jamia Mosque. A breathtaking sample of Kenya’s multiculturalism, where Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and many other tribal religions live together. It was built between 1903 and 1906 with three striking silver domes, two twin minarets and a beautiful marble-filled interior and inscriptions from the Koran.
4. The American Embassy Memorial Garden. A small park built where the American Embassy was before a bomb exploded on August 7, 1998. The entrance fee is used for its conservation, and in addition to seeing the commemoration wall dedicated to 218 victims of the attack and the fountain, you can also see a kind of documentary that tells its story.
5. The Giraffes Center of Langata. This lovely place allows you to observe and feed the giraffes – an adorable, fun experience, especially for children.
6. The Nairobi National Park. It offers a great contrast between the tranquility of its fauna, black rhinos, gazelles, giraffes, lions, cheetahs, etc. and the great activity of the city, planes landing, and the image of large skyscrapers in the background.
Let natural parks of Kenya enchant you
One of the main attractions of Kenya is its natural parks, which represent almost 10% of the total area of the country. Wild nature and animal life in freedom await you as a privileged spectator, much closer than you can imagine, thanks to the best national parks. Which ones? Here we go.
1. Masai Mara. The Masai Mara is a continuation of the Serengeti, and famous worldwide, due to the annual immigration made by wildebeest from one park to another. It occupies an area of 1,510 km2 and is home to lions, hyenas, endangered species such as the black rhinoceros or the hippopotamus that we can find in the Mara River, which will also provide us with a good view of the crocodiles.
2. Nakuru Lake National Park. It’s a park, which despite not having a large extension since it only occupies 200 km2, has a spectacular charm, granted by the lake that presides it, known for its geological antiquity. A large number of pelicans and flamingos are concentrated around the lake, coloring the shores of the lake – and you can always watch them from a viewpoint. Besides being so small, it’ll make it easier for you to see more species in less time – lions, giraffes, hyenas, cheetahs, monkeys… And, in case you want to eat your meal out there, be prepared to fight for food with dotty monkeys ready to steal it!
3. Samburu National Reserve. The name of the reserve is given by the local population, who still lives today in the park, the Samburu. A rather vivid, colorful town that continues to live in a traditional way. Besides that, the reserve forms a system with three other adjacent parks: the Buffalo Springs, Laikipia and the Shaba National Reserve, known for its curious hot springs, and a varied flora and fauna.
4. Aberdare National Park: This park is distinguished by its green landscape full of waterfalls, as well as being the oldest in the country, and the highest in Africa. Elephants, buffaloes and various types of antelopes, monkeys and birds are all around.
Fall in love with Mombasa (and other) beaches
When we think of a trip to Kenya, we automatically think of safari and animals living in freedom, the amazing landscapes of the most important natural parks of Kenya… But the coast is rarely our first thought when somebody asks. Too bad, as it offers beaches of fine white sand, surrounded by coconut trees and bathed in the incredibly warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Here it’s important not to make a mistake and to give a chance to these enchanting pieces of Kenyan puzzle.
First of all, most of the beaches are private and belong to the hotels or resorts that develop their businesses right in front of the sea. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll only find hotels of high price because of their locations – actually, there are great options for all types of budgets.
On the southern coast of Kenya, there’s Mombasa, the second-largest city in the country, which has the most maritime port on the East African coast and is perfectly connected to Nairobi. The best without a doubt, is the paradisiacal beaches that surround the city, and its beautiful coral barrier, full of life and lovely nuances of clear water. When the tide falls, a part of that barrier of coral is discovered – you’re able to walk on it and see tremulous sea spiders, sea cucumbers and stars.
Near the city of Mombasa, you can find beaches like Diani Beach, amazing for its white sand, 25 kilometers long and considered one of the best twenty-five beaches in Africa, besides Shimoni, Likoni or Tiwi. From there, you can go and visit Kisite, a marine park near the border with Tanzania, sailing in a traditional boat, the draw. And to the north of Mombasa, there are beaches with hotels of cheaper but varied prices, such as Bamburi Beach, Shanzu, Nyali or Kikambala.
This was only a tiny part of multitudinous beauties you’ll be able to discover once you step into paradise on Earth called Kenya. Don’t forget to enjoy every step of the way and bring a load of stunning memories – the ones that remain crystal clear forever, just like the Indian Ocean.
