I know a song of Africa
Go back in time, walking in the footsteps of Kenya’s famous characters from days gone by in the vibrant and colourful streets on Nairobi. Just south of the city lies Amboseli National Park, a nature photographer’s dream, where spectacular wildlife is captured silhouetted against the magnificent outline of Mount Kilimanjaro in neighbouring Tanzania.
Immortalized in tales of early safari travellers, the famous Masai Mara National Reserve extends the wildlife borders of the Serengeti by another 1,510 km2 (580 square miles). Famous for the dramatic massed herds of the Great Migration, it is also home to excellent resident game, including Africa’s Big Five. With over 500 recorded bird species, the Mara is a birding enthusiast’s paradise.
Marvel at Kenya’s dramatic, spectacular and varied scenery, from freshwater and soda based volcanic lakes to majestic mountains along the Great Rift Valley, which runs along the length of the country.
The wilderness meets the sea along along the pristine white sand beaches and the warm inviting waters of the Indian Ocean, teeming with marine life and colour on spectacular coral reefs. Along its calm blue waters Arab and Portuguese forts, old towns and overgrown, deserted ruins of ancient trading outposts bear witness to fascinating history of this Arabian Spice Trade route. In the winding medieval streets and bustling markets of Lamu and Mombasa, life has continued unchanged for more than 400 years.
Kenya, home of the safari
Be welcomed by a cheerful “jambo” from one of Africa’s friendliest nations.
Walk in the footsteps of legendary personalities who immortalized the safari – Ernest Hemingway, Karen Blixen and Beryl Mark.
Sit quietly in the midst of the Great Migration, which passes through Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve.
Discover the world of the Masai and Samburu communities, who live and tend their livestock along resident wildlife.
Explore Kenya’s diverse landscapes, including the spectacular Rift Valley.
View large concentration of animals throughout the year in Kenya’s diverse national parks.
Spot more than 1,000 bird species at this birdwatchers dream destination.
Go pink with up to two million flamingoes at Lake Nakuru, a breeding ground for these elegant birds or follow the lesser flamingoes along Lakes Magadi, Elmentaita, Bogoria and Turkana.
Admire the permanent glaciers on Mount Kenya, the second highest mountain in Africa, or marvel at the breathtaking view of Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro from Kenya’s Amboseli National Park.
Meander along the beautiful coastline, in particular the Lamu Archipelago, featuring the islands of Lamu, Manda and Pate or wander through the World Heritage Site of Old Lamu Town.
Travelling tips in Kenya
Accommodation in Kenya
Parks and reserves in Kenya
Tours in Kenya
Climbing Mount Kenya, Marangu Route
Climbing Mount Kenya, Machame Route
Thundering hooves – the Great Wildebeest Migration
The annual movement of wildebeest and other herbivores across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is one of the greatest spectacles in the natural world. Over two million animals participate in this great migration, with some 200,000 zebra ahead of and 500,000 Thompson’s gazelle behind the main players – one and a half million wildebeest. The wildebeest spend the wet season on the south eastern Tanzania plains and the Serengeti’s dry season on the plains of Kenya’s Masai Mara.
Members of the vast wildebeest herd give birth between January and March on the short grass plains of the southern Serengeti. These plains are green only during the rains and potential predators are more easily detected here than in the woodlands.
The timing of the wildebeest calving is linked to the rut, which takes place at the end of the rains in May and June, when the wildebeest move off the plains ad into the smaller area. The migration is rarely ever the same in terms of precise timing and direction, as local conditions influence grass growth. This explains why the wildebeest may move off the open plains earlier in some years and remain in the northern woodlands for longer in others.
Typically, the wildebeest slowly head northwest from the short grass plains in April and May, toward the Serengeti’s Western Corridor and the Grumeti River. This watercourse is their first real obstacle, with gigantic Nile crocodiles waiting for the hesitant wildebeest to stumble at the crossing. From Grumeti the herds move north before crossing the Kenyan border into the Masai Mara, typically arriving from August onwards. Here again, they must cross another river, this time the Mara, with its flotillas of hungry crocodiles.
The mass of grunting gnus remains on the productive Mara grasslands until October or November, at a time when the rest of the ecosystem is simply too dry to support them. Then, as the storm clouds gather in the south, the vast herds return to their breeding grounds which, by the time they arrive, are once again green and lush.
Accommodation in Serengeti National Park
Accommodation in Masai Mara National Reserve
Safaris in Kenya
Safaris in Tanzania
Treasures of Tanzania
Travel northwards to the vast wilderness areas of Tanzania, where sweeping open spaces provide dramatic sightings on an epic scale, very different to the close game encounters in Southern Africa. Access the national parks and beaches of Tanzania and Zanzibar through the gateway of Dar es Salaam, with its international airport and good choice of hotels. Beautiful beach resorts lie a short ferry ride south of the city. Monkeys and birds frolic in the mangrove trees, surrounded by dense woodland. The clear waters are perfect for watersports, snorkelling and fishing.
Tanzania has more land dedicated to national parks and conservation areas than any other country in the world – 200,000 km2 (77 200 square miles). This includes the huge Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where Masai herdsmen still graze their cattle side by side with protected wildlife. A safari circuit through a number of parks offers travellers the opportunity to explore diverse landscapes and wildlife.
The legendary Serengeti National Park, with its vast, open grasslands and excellent wildlife sightings, is classic safari country. More than 35 species of plains game, including wildebeest and zebra, as well as an extensive variety of birdlife inhabit over 14,800 km2 (5,700 square miles) reaching up to the Kenyan border in the north. The thundering hooves of hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebra at the height of the annual Great Migration a never to be forgotten experience.
Highlights:
Loose your heart to the courteous, sincere, friendly and welcoming people of Tanzania
Summit Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain, or walk the shores of Africa’s three largest lakes – Lake Malawi, Tanganyika and Victoria.
Loose yourself in the wide open spaces of Tanzania
Discover the Ngorongoro Crater, Ol Duvai Gorge, the Great Rift Valley or the vast Serengeti Plains.
Live out the experience of a lifetime in the midst of the thundering herds of the annual Great Migration.
Explore a country that is 25% dedicated to conservation, protecting over 20% of Africa’s large mammals –
Catch a glimpse of over 1,000 bird species in Tanzania, a year round birding destination
Combine the adventures of big game viewing with relaxing beach holidays
Tanzania travel tips
Accommodation in Tanzania
Attractions in Tanzania
Tours in Tanzania
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