The Safari Capital of the World
Background information: by edgardowelelo@yahoo.com
A vast mosaic of lion – gold savannah, rolling grasslands, ancient rainforests and volcanic plains, Kenya rises from the idyllic shores of the Indian Ocean to the snow – capped peaks of Mount Kenya. Stunning, scenic, steeped in history a sportsman’s paradise and a lover’s idyll, Kenya has provided a playground for royalty, millionaires, aristocrats and eccentrics for more than a century. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi is the biggest and busiest airport in East and Central Africa.
SAFARI LAND
Kenya is the uncontested “Safari Capital of the World” and has been since the 1900’s when royalty, aristocracy, politicians and travelers flocked to hunt the “Big Five”. Today, she boasts an incredible 56 national parks and reserves. Best – known are Amboseli, famous for the iconic photo – opportunities delivered by its hundreds of swamp wading elephants as they pose against the glorious backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro; Mount Elgon, famous for its ancient bat -filled caves and salt – mining elephants; The Aberdares, famous for its afro – alpine climate, misty moors and waterfalls; Lake Nakuru, a world – renowned rhino sanctuary famous for its iconic fringe of sugar pink flamingoes; Samburu, with its wild and arid landscape and crocodile filled rivers. Tsavo, famous for man – eating lions, Lava flows and volcanoes; and the magnificent Masai Mara Reserve, venue for the greatest wildlife show on earth – the incredible annual migration of the wildebeest and the place in the world where you are most likely to see lion and cheetah.
HOME LAND OF THE “BIG FIVE”
Kenya offers sanctuary to some of the world’s most ancient and most threatened creatures. The term the “Big Five” was invented in Kenya, which hosts over 100 mammal species, 32 of which are endangered.
ORNITHOLOGICAL TREASURE
Kenya is one of the world’s most popular Ornithological destinations with over 1,300 bird species reliably recorded and enthusiasts flock from all over the globe to achieve their goal of spotting over 100 species in a single day.
FABULOUS FLAMINGOES
Equally famous are the sugar pink fringes of flamingoes on Kenya’s famous Rift Valley Lakes, Nakuru, Bogoria, Elementaita and Magadi.
THE MAASAI MARA AND THE MARA
Determinedly unchanged by the modern world, the Maasai people have captured the imagination of the world with their cattle and intricate bead work. Their ancestral homeland, meanwhile, the Maasai Mara is Kenya’s most famous national park and the scene of the world famous annual migration of over one Million wildebeest and attendant cast of herbivores and predators.
TROPICAL ICE
At the center of one of the world’s highest national parks – Mount Kenya is an extinct volcano that sits astride the equator and yet is crowned in ice. The second highest Mountain in Africa after Mount Kilimanjaro. Mount Kenya is a national icon, a climbers’ mecca, UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site and a wildlife stronghold.
CRADLE OF HUMAN KIND
Known as the ‘Cradle of Human Kind,’ Kenya Paleolithic sites are world famous, as are her museums, which house some of the world’s most treasured Paleolithic finds.
SPORTING PARADISE
For the sports enthusiast, Kenya has it all; Mountain climbing and trekking, camel trekking and horse riding, hang gliding, caving, flying, paragliding, sailing, big game and trout fishing, home to some of the best 18 – hole golf courses in Africa, Kenya is famous for her horse racing, polo and motor rallies. A popular marathon – running destination, Kenya is also famous for her middle and long distance runners, who dominate the world stage.
WAVING PALMS, SILVER SAND AND CLEAR BLUE SEA
Kenya’s Indian Ocean beaches are ranked among the top ten in the world while her stunning array of marine parks offer coral gardens, rainbow fish and water that is warm and clear all year. As a result, she has some of the best dive sites and dive schools in the world an unrivalled selection of watersports and endless opportunities for whale watching, turtle spotting and dolphin tracking. Kenya’s western frontier is dominated by the expanse of Lake Victoria (Nyanza), the world’s second largest freshwater Lake. Relatively off the beaten track, the area offers visitors an authentic feel.
SWAHILI STYLE
The unique Swahili culture of the Kenyan coastline, a colorful fusion of Arab, African and Portuguese influences, has created a pace of a life, a style of cuisine and mosaic of architecture, heritage, myth and magic that is unique.
JAMBO KENYA!
Kenya is renowned for the warmth, sincerity and generosity of her people, who span 40 ethnic groups and offer a rich cultural tapestry that includes dance, music, singing, theatre, art, literature, sculpture and handcrafts.
QUICK KENYA FAST FACTS
- Name: The Republic of Kenya
- Cities: capital, Nairobi, Mombasa, coastal capital and the largest port on the East African Coast.
- Area/ Size: 583,000 Sq.km
- Borders: Ethiopia, South Sudan, Somalia, Uganda and Tanzania.
- Climate: The coast is hot with an average daytime temperature of 27 – 31°C whilst the average daytime temperature in Nairobi is 21 – 26°
- Language; English (Official), Kiswahili (National)
- Currency; Kenya shilling.
