After the problems caused by the Kenyan elections in January 2008 a peaceful political solution has been reached by Koffi Annan between President Mwai Kibaki and new Prime Minister, Raila Odinga. Kenya is now well and truly "back open for business".
All of Kenya’s fine tourist "attractions" remain as they were – with its superb wildlife viewing, a vast and varied landscape, stunning beaches and a warm and friendly people all combining to make Kenya as magical as ever.
"Safari" means journey in "Swahili" and it is in Kenya that the safari began. Great historical figures such as Theodore Roosevelt and Ernest Hemingway immortalised this country. Films such as Out of Africa have romanticized and perpetuated the safari mystique. In Kenya one can discover a beautiful diversity of landscapes, a myriad of animal, bird and plant life and fascinating traditional culture and warrior tribes. Lodge safaris in Kenya are generally less expensive than in Tanzania, Botswana or Zambia.
This remarkable country has some of the most dramatic game viewing in Africa, including the famous migration of a million wildebeest in the Masai Mara. Kenya is perhaps the ideal safari country because the semi-deserts and deserts that lie north of snow-capped Mount Kenya are sparsely vegetated but have good game, while the dense rain forests of the west have some of the best birds and primates in the continent.
Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa and source of the Nile dominates the south west of the country, with the vast Masai Mara lying between it and the Great Rift Valley which cuts through this land from North to South and has dazzling bird life. Along the valley floor lie a string of alkaline and fresh water lakes, exceptional game parks and the classic shapes of extinct volcanoes. Mount Kenya at 5,199metres with its dramatic snow-capped peaks stands sentinel above rolling grassland plains and the intriguing semi-desert wilderness much further to the North. Lake Turkana with its palaentological history and haunting landscapes borders the North. The east of the country is different again, with the open plains of Amboseli, the rocks of Tsavo and 500 kilometres of Indian Ocean coastline with crystal-clear azure waters and pristine white beaches.
Kenya's population of approximately 30 million people is amongst the most diverse in Africa, with over 40 different tribes with a wide range of cultures living within its borders. Gaining independence from Britain in 1963, it has been a stable developing country ever since. There is now a well developed road and rail network and a spectacular selection of well established national parks.
It is in Kenya’s 48 National Parks, Reserves, Marine Parks and Game Sanctuaries that its concentration of spectacular wildlife is found. Whether it is the greatest game show on earth with the annual Wildebeest migration or the world’s greatest ornithological spectacle of millions of Flamingo’s on shimmering Lake Nakuru, Kenya’s flora and fauna is captivating to even the most seasoned traveller.
Kenya is one the most popular safari destinations attracting a large number of visitors. However the camps we have selected in Kenya means that your safari will be done in privacy away from the crowds. With an excellent variety of privately owned bush homesteads, small hideaway lodges and nights under canvas in exclusive permanent or mobile camps, it’s possible to experience the magic of the country as it was in days gone by. With safaris on offer that include walking, fly-fishing, camel trekking and riding it’s possible to experience Kenya the way our forefathers – Denys Finch Hatton, Karen Blixen, Lord Delamere, Elspeth Huxley and Ernest Hemingway - to name but a few - discovered this continent of adventure.
With such excellent wildlife, a wide range of and unique topographical features such as Mount Kenya and the Great Rift Valley, Kenya is ideal for a first time safari holiday to Africa. The contrasting sights and sounds are also bound to offer fresh experiences for those who know Africa well. When your Kenyan safari is over, there is the castaway paradise of the Indian Ocean in which to relax - see Islands of Kenya.