Is Kenya Worth Visiting?
With so many people planning to take a Kenya trip, there are many others who may still wonder if Kenya is the country to check off their vacation list. Is Kenya Worth Visiting? It will be precise to say that Kenya offers a unique mix of varied tourist attractions and not just its special Kenya wildlife safari. As Kenya is the place where the love for the safari in Africa started, this country is full of mesmerizing wildlife destinations that you cannot explore in one lifetime.
One of these is Masai Mara, Kenya’s most popular wildlife park. Not just this, the country has also been attracting tourists from all over the world with its enormous mountains, viridescent forests, freshwater lakes and enchanting coastline with several white sandy beaches.
The tourist attractions and activities here cater to the needs of different kinds of travellers. From the extraordinary tours in national parks to the deep sea fishing in the Indian Ocean, there are numerous activities you can do in Kenya other than the Kenya jungle safari.
Another good answer to the question- Is Kenya worth visiting, is the very well-developed tourism industry of the country. The excellent infrastructure, comfort for tourists and security provisions has been specially taken care of by the authorities, making Kenya a worth-visiting country for all.
With numerous places to visit and things to do in Kenya, first-timers are bound to get perplexed about which one to see first, especially if you are aiming to go on Kenya safari tours. This blog has listed the best five must-visit national parks for a wildlife vacation for your Kenya trip.
The Masai Mara National Reserve
If talking about the best Kenya jungle safari, we must mention Masai Mara National Reserve. It is located in the southwest of Kenya. It is considered the most popular and most visited place in Africa for safari by tourists across the globe. Masai Mara is one of the most sorted Kenya wildlife safari destinations. You can catch the sight of the Big 5 animals, including lion, leopard, African elephant, Cape buffalo and rhinoceros, along with Coke’s hartebeest, Defassa waterbuck, Thompson’s and Grant’s gazelle, topi, zebra, impala, giraffe, etc. Not just the animals but the landscape of Masai Mara will certainly take your breath away.
Some of the best features of Masai Mara National Reserve are the night safari, balloon safari, bush camping, Wildebeest annual migration (if you visit between the months of June and September), Mara Triangle and Mara ecosystem.
Amboseli National Park
If you visit Amboseli National Park during your Kenya trip, you might be lucky to find large herds of elephants crossing your way. Situated in southern Kenya, Amboseli is a delightful place to visit, where you can also capture the striking views of Mount Kilimanjaro across the border in Tanzania. The habiting this national reserve are, of course, elephants, giraffes, zebras, cheetahs, and numerous bird species. The western region of the park is covered by the vast Lake Amboseli which is usually only full during the monsoon.
At Amboseli National Park, you can find the Masai people with whom you can meet and learn more about their culture and life. There is an observation hill that offers stunning panoramas of Mount Kilimanjaro peak and Amboseli’s plains and swamps; the landscape is worth capturing in your camera and is insta-worthy!
Lake Nakuru National Park
Kenya wildlife safari is not just limited to wild animals. All those pink flamingo designs you have been crazy about, it’s time to see them with your own two eyes. At Lake Nakuru, you will find the pink flamingoes, African Fish Eagle, Slender-billed greenbul, Long-tailed widowbird, Rufous-throated wryneck, Montane white-eye, Red-capped lark, Northern puff back, Rüppell’s robin-chat, Shining Sunbird and more up to 400 species or unique birds.
This park is one of the premium parks of Kenya and is a habitat for over 100 endangered Rhinos. In this park, you can also find the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe and 50 more species of wild animals, including buffalos, waterbucks, lions, cheetahs, impalas, zebra, etc.
With all the wildlife experience At Nakuru Lake National Park, you can also visit Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site, Enasoit, Rhino Event (if you are visiting in the month of September) and Hill Lion Ridge.
Mount Kenya National Park
Mount Kenya National Park was established in 1949 with the aim of protecting the second-highest peak in Africa and an ancient extinct volcano, Mount Kenya, its wildlife and the surrounding environment. Mount Kenya National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with one of the most impressive landscapes in East Africa.
The mount supports 12 glaciers, pristine lakes, tarns and dense alpine forest. On a good day, you can trek in tropical forests, spotting buffalo and elephants. In the bamboo forest of Mt Kenya, you can possibly spot Columbus and other monkeys. Further, there are chances that you can catch a glimpse of antelope and giant forest hogs in the densely wooded terrain. If you trek beyond, you will come to alpine moorlands, where you will see some peculiar flora like the towering giant lobelia.
While on your Kenya wildlife safari in this park, you can also visit Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, witness the migration of elephants (if you are there at the right time) and Ngare Ndare Forest Reserve.
The Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks
The last on this list is one of the oldest national parks located in the southwestern part of Kenya. It is divided into two parts by a railway line- Tsavo East National Park and Tsavo West National Park. It is known to have been inhabited by the lions that were called ‘man-eaters’. The place is also home to large herds of elephants.
On the one hand, Tsavo West National Park has a rocky landscape and wooded grasslands,; on the other, Tsavo East National Park has semiarid grasslands and savannahs, which is the home to the wildlife species.
While enjoying your Kenya jungle safari in Tsavo National parks, you can see some amazing wildlife flourishing like rhinos, hippos, elephants, leopards, lions, impalas, hartebeests, fringe-eyed oryx, buffalos, elands, giraffes, kudu and many more. Besides the fauna, you can also experience the beauty of nature by visiting Mzima springs which are known to have clear waters with hippos and crocodiles. Another place to visit is Ngulia Rhino sanctuary, home to several endangered rhinoceros.
With so many places to visit, planning a Kenya trip can be a little intimidating. There are trustworthy Kenya safari tour and destination managing companies like New World Safaris that arrange trouble-free tours for travellers. All you have to do is select a destination and itinerary, and you will be all set to create some beautiful memories.
