Tailormade Holidays in Kenya

One of a wealth of large lakes in the Great Rift Valley, each with its own different character and wildlife, Lake Nakuru is a soda lake that supports an astonishing avifauna. Pink-backed and White Pelicans, Yellow-billed and Marabou Storks, Sacred Ibis, African Spoonbills, and a host of ducks, waders, terns and gulls all add to the spectacle, whilst the ubiquitous African Fish Eagles and a range of other raptors sail overhead! Mammals are plentiful too, particularly Bohor Reedbuck, Defassa Waterbuck, African Buffalo, Warthog and the rare Rothschild’s Giraffe, and anyone tiring of the lakeside spectacle will find a differing set of birds in the surrounding scrub and woodlands. In the latter, Leopards are also regularly seen, Nakuru being a top site for this elusive cat, and a rhino is always a possibility since the national park is an important rhino sanctuary, protecting a population of over 60 Black and 40 White Rhinoceros.

The Maasai Mara is the best-known protected wildlife area in Africa and, with the adjoining Serengeti in Tanzania, is where you can experience East Africa's huge herds of migratory plains game – arguably the world's greatest wildlife spectacle. Its vast rolling grasslands and scattered acacia woodlands, particularly those along the Mara River, span 1,500 square kilometres. Those seeking a ‘big game’ experience will not be disappointed! Here, such iconic mammals as African Elephant, African Buffalo, Lion, Cheetah, Leopard, Warthog, Black-backed Jackal, Spotted Hyena, Eland, Topi, Thomson’s and Grant’s Gazelles, Masai Giraffe and Hippopotamus can be seen throughout the year. But it is the period from July to October when the great herds of Blue Wildebeest and Plains (Grant’s) Zebra move into the Maasai Mara from the Serengeti to feed on fresh grass following the ‘long rains’, making the hazardous crossing of the Mara River in the process. The birdlife of ‘the Mara’ is equally diverse. Huge Southern Ground Hornbills and elegant Secretarybirds stride across the grasslands alongside Kori Bustards, Grey Crowned-cranes and smaller species such as Temminck’s Courser, Rosy-breasted Longclaw, Yellow-shouldered Widowbird and Holub’s Golden Weaver. Lone bushes and dead trees provide lookout perches for a variety of bee-eaters and rollers, whilst above them soar Martial Eagles, Lappet-faced, African White-backed, Hooded and Rüppell’s Vultures, the latter four always on the lookout for a recent kill.

Combined, the Tsavo East and West National Parks cover over 20,000 square kilometres, forming one of Africa’s largest conservation areas. Once a massive single national park, they are now separated by the main highway and railway linking Nairobi to Mombasa – and they each have a distinctive character. Tsavo West is more accessible than Tsavo East, with an incredible landscape of undulating dry acacia woodland, black lava flows, volcanic cones, metamorphic hills and natural springs. The wonderful Mzima Springs, fed by rainfall on Mount Kilimanjaro and the Chyulu Hills, is a crystal-clear oasis full of fish, Nile Crocodiles and big pods of Hippos, which you can observe from an underwater viewing chamber. The park’s well-watered, volcanic soil also supports an astonishing variety of birdlife: an amazing 600 species have been recorded here, amongst them Ostrich, Kori Bustard, Saddle-billed Stork, Black-breasted Snake-eagle, Northern Carmine Bee-eater, Woodland Kingfisher, Scarlet-chested Sunbird and many more.

Lake Naivasha is a tranquil freshwater lake set in the Kenya countryside. Over 350 bird species have been recorded here, and it’s an idyllic place in which to relax or enjoy the birds and other wildlife on foot and by boat. Waterbirds are plentiful, and include White and Pink-backed Pelicans, Yellow-billed Stork, Goliath Heron, Little Bittern, Black Crake, Purple Swamphen, Spurwinged Goose, Yellow-billed Duck, Hottentot Teal, Spur-winged and Long-toed Plovers, Malachite Kingfisher and many more, while, in the surrounding open woodlands of Yellow-barked Acacia trees and Candelabra Euphorbias such species as Klaas’s Cuckoo, Speckled Mousebird, Fischer’s Lovebird, Green Wood-hoopoe, Grey-capped Warbler, and both Amethyst and Golden-winged Sunbirds may be found. Troops of beautiful Guereza Colobus are a common sight here, and various ungulates graze around the lake in which Hippos wallow happily.

Situated in the ‘arid north’ of Kenya, Samburu is perhaps the most beautiful of all the country’s reserves, and is a photographer’s paradise. Characterised in particular by its Doum Palms and rugged outcrops, the reserve’s grasslands, acacia woodlands and lush riverine forests comprise an attractive and diverse mosaic of African habitats that make the reserve one of the finest, in terms of both mammal and bird variety. As well as all the typical East African mammals, a number of more northern, dry-country species are found here, amongst them Beisa Oryx, Reticulated Giraffe, Gerenuk and Grevy’s Zebra. Lions are the top predators, but Samburu also offers one of the best opportunities in Kenya to see Leopard, and Cheetah are also possible. Amongst the wealth of birdlife, African Pygmy Falcon, Vulturine Guineafowl, Red-bellied Parrot, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Northern Crombec, Pygmy Batis, Golden Pipit, Golden-breasted Starling and Somali Bee-eater are some of the specialities. Morning and afternoon game drives are the usual method of exploring this most scenic of reserves, and a number of good lodges service the area. Samburu Sopa offers wide views of the reserve, but should you prefer a more luxurious stay, you might consider the Elephant Bedroom Camp on the bank of the Ewaso Nyiro River, which has 14 luxurious tents and a fantastic team offering an extremely high level of service.

The montane forests that clothe Mount Kenya’s slopes offer a special and very different habitat for the visiting wildlife enthusiast. Here there is the chance of seeing some of Kenya’s most elusive forest mammals, amongst them Bush Pig, Giant Forest Hog, Large-spotted Genet, White-tailed Mongoose, Tree Hyrax, Suni, Blackfronted Duiker and perhaps even a rare Bongo! The birdlife is also very special, with such high-altitude and forest specialities as Green Ibis, Red-fronted Parrot, Hartlaub’s Turaco, White-starred Robin, Moustached Green Tinkerbird and Montane Oriole amongst many others. This avian variety, and the fabulous flora of Mount Kenya, is best enjoyed on walks through the forest.

Lake Baringo is one of Kenya’s many Rift Valley Lakes, but it is quite unique in its setting, being one of only two freshwater lakes in the Rift’s chain of soda lakes (the other one being Lake Naivasha). Set amongst dry, rocky, acacia-covered hills, and spectacular rugged cliffs and plateaux, Lake Baringo is remote and peaceful. It is in Kenya’s ‘outback’. With such a variety of habitats in the vicinity, it is no wonder that the birdlife is both plentiful and varied with such specialities as Verreaux’s Eagle, Spotted Eagle Owl, Heuglin’s Courser, Hemprich’s Hornbill and Bristle-crowned Starling. Generally, mammals are hard to see here, but Hippos and Nile Crocodiles are plentiful! Exploration of the area is mainly on foot, thanks to the lack of land-based predators, although a boat trip is one of the best ways to experience the lake’s diverse birdlife.

Amboseli National Park sits beneath the towering peak of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, and is one of the country’s most scenic reserves. Indeed, it is here that one can enjoy that classic East African scene of African Elephants or Masai Giraffes striding across the plains in front of the great iced cone of Kilimanjaro. Amboseli’s acacia-dotted plains and permanent swamps also support a wealth of other game, including Plains Zebra, African Buffalo, Blue Wildebeest, Thomson’s Gazelle, Warthog, Black Rhinoceros and Spotted Hyena. Predators such as Cheetah and Lion do occur in Amboseli, although they can be elusive here.

A tropical paradise with picturesque white-sand beaches and crystal-clear turquoise-blue water. Chale Island is technically not an island at all, but a headland that is connected to mainland via a partially submerged sand spit (or tombolo) that runs perpendicular to the coast. Thanks to the unique geography of the ‘island’, it offers a diverse range of marine habitat, from sheltered shallow reefs to the open Indian Ocean. This makes it a fantastic location for those looking to dive or snorkel, where you’ll have great chances for a huge variety of marine life, from schools of snapper to colourful nudibranchs. On land, wildlife is equally present, with plenty of resident ungulates, primates and birds.

Meru National Park is situated in the scenic centre of the country, around 150 kilometres northeast of Mount Kenya. Bordered by the Tana River, it is particularly picturesque here, with tall baobab trees and Doum Palms that protrude out from Meru’s distinctive red soil. It is the least visited of the famous Kenyan safari parks, but still lays claims to an impressive tally of wildlife, including all of the ‘Big 5’. A visit here, therefore, permits the ‘classic African safari’ experience, but without the crowds. Mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds are abundant and in addition to the Big 5, the long list includes Coke’s Hartebeest, Southern Lesser Kudu, Black-backed Jackal, Syke's Monkey, Southern Gerenuk, Kirk's Dik-dik, Desert Warthog, Mountain Suni, Verreuax's Eagle Owl, Black-faced Heron, Marico's Sunbird, Martial Eagle and Nile Crocodile. Meru is also particularly well-known for hosting a large population of the peculiar Naked Mole-rat.

Except for the high Yatta Plateau – an immense lava flow that stretches for 300 kilometres from the northeast of Nairobi – Tsavo East is generally vast and flat. The wild section to the north of the Yatta is less frequently visited, but is where you can find the Ithumba Stockade – a release facility for orphaned elephants run by the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. The shallow Galana River in the south of the park attracts a range of wildlife, including the shy Lesser Kudu, Tsavo’s characteristically short-maned lions, and African Elephants – known here as ‘Red Elephants’ due to the red soil in which they cover themselves. A great place to break a game drive and stretch your legs is at Lugard Falls: an extraordinary expanse of striated, water-sculpted rock along the Galana River.

To the southwest of Mount Kenya is the Aberdare Range – an impressive row of peaks that rose up around six million years ago. The densely forested middle reaches of the range, and the cloudy moorlands above 3,500 metres are protected within the Aberdare National Park, and provide diverse habitats for a wide variety of animals, including African Elephant, African Buffalo, Spotted Hyena, Giant Forest Hog, and Leopard. As the apex predators here, the Leopards of the Aberdares are thought to be among the largest on the continent, and there have also been sightings of black (melanistic) Leopards and Servals. Another elusive Aberdare inhabitant is the critically endangered Bongo; a few dozen individuals are hidden in the forested valleys. The birdlife is exceptional here, too, with around 290 species recorded, including Hartlaub’s Turaco, Slender-billed Starling, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Jackson’s Spurfowl, among many others. Most of the park’s wildlife is concentrated in the lower Salient in the east, while the southern moorlands are worth visiting for their spectacular waterfalls, particularly the 305-metre-high Garu Falls. The more remote northern section of the park offers excellent hiking to the range’s tallest peaks, and to ancient and mythically named rock formations such as The Dragon’s Teeth.

Situated on the fringes of the Northern Kenyan Frontier in the country’s central highlands, the Laikipia Plateau stretches from the eastern shoulder of the Great Rift Valley to the slopes of the ice-capped Mount Kenya. The region comprises a mosaic of privately owned farms and wildlife conservancies with roots in cattle ranching as far back as the 1900s. Together, these ranches and conservancies form a massive contiguous wildlife area that is increasingly recognised as a conservation success story. Wildlife highlights are plentiful: approximately half of Kenya’s Black Rhino population can be found here, alongside several packs of Wild Dogs, Grevy’s Zebras, over 2,000 African Elephants (the region is an important migratory route), African Buffalo, antelopes and many more. A big draw in recent years has been the presence of a number of black leopards in Laikipia, which have been regularly spotted around the Ol Donyo Lomboro and Loisaba conservancies. In addition to the wildlife, you can enjoy a range of activities in Laikipia that are not offered in most of Kenya’s government-run parks, including walking, horseback and camel safaris, mountain biking, fly camping, and river swimming. Laikipia works well as a relaxing start to a Kenyan itinerary, before venturing into Kenya’s great lakes, or on to the Maasai Mara and coast.

Situated near the Ugandan border and covering an area of approximately 238 square kilometres of undulating terrain, Kakamega Forest is Kenya’s only tropical rainforest, and the country’s last remaining example of the vast Guineo-Congolian rainforest that once traversed much of the continent. A network of grassy glades interspersed throughout the tropical forest, together with the Isiukhu and Yala Rivers and their associated streams, creeks and small marshes, provide an interesting variety of habitats, resulting in a fantastic and unique array of flora and fauna. At least 60 species of orchid have been recorded in the forest – nine of which are endemic. Mammals that occur here include Bushbuck, Tree Pangolin, African Clawless Otter, Giant Water Shrew, Lord Derby's Anomalure, numerous species of bat and a range of primates such as Blue, Red-tailed, Velvet, Black-and-white Colobus, Sykes’ and De Brazza’s Monkey, Olive Baboon and Potto. The forests also support an extremely diverse assemblage of butterflies, with approximately 350 species present, including the endemic Metisella kakamega. The region is perhaps most famous for its unique and continentally important avifauna, however, boasting 367 recorded species (at least 16 of which occur nowhere else in Kenya); Kakamega is surely a birder’s paradise! The magnificent Great Blue Turaco and the Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill are particular key species, alongside Ansorge’s Greenbul, Blue-headed Bee-eater, Chaplin’s Flycatcher and Turner’s Eremomela.

Another of the Rift Valley’s soda lakes, Lake Elementaita does not feature the large crowds common at some of the other reserves in the region, but is equally exciting for its wildlife, especially its avifaunal assemblages. Over 400 species of bird have been recorded here, including intriguing examples of many migratory birds from Europe and beyond. The area is recognised as one of the most critical breeding grounds for the Great White Pelican, which can be seen breeding on rough islands of black lava within the lake, and thousands of both Lesser and Greater Flamingoes also regularly feed here as conditions fluctuate between the Great Lakes. Important populations of Colobus Monkey and Rothschild Giraffe can be seen on the lake’s shores, as well as Golden and Striped Jackal and the Tufted-eared Caracal – although such predators are always elusive. Although Elementaita features fewer mammalian species than other safari areas, plains game is still well represented, with gazelles, Common Eland, Plains Zebra, and Common Warthog often grazing the lake’s shores. The diverse landscape of volcanic craters, hot springs, historic lava flows, acacia-dominated woodlands and grassland plains provides an intriguing element of variety to a Kenyan itinerary. A large portion of the lake lies within the private Soysambu Conservancy and, as such, can be explored in a variety of ways, including night drives and walking safaris. This off-the-beaten-track destination offers some wonderfully intimate high-end lakeside lodges, and can be reached relatively easily from Nairobi.

Watamu is a quiet coastal town 20 kilometres south of Malindi with excellent hotels and private rentals, a beautiful coral reef and peroxide blonde beaches. Because of its proximity to the mangrove-fringed Mida Creek, the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, and the 13^th-century Gedi Ruins, Watamu offers a lot more than many other resort towns along Kenya’s coast. As part of a recognised Important Bird and Biodiversity Area, Mida Creek is a paradise for national waterfowls, and a crucial passage and wintering area for Palearctic migrant waders. Its mangrove channels support many species of fish, too, including Jacks, Snappers, Groupers, Rabbit Fish, Parrotfish, Emperors, and Barracuda. The 420 square-kilometre Arabuko-Sokoke Forest is just a 15-minute drive from the centre of Watamu, and is the largest patch of indigenous coastal forest in East Africa. The forest has a resident population of around 200 African Elephants, and is an important conservation area for a number of rare and endangered mammal species, including the globally threatened Golden-rumped Sengi, Aders’ Duiker and Sokoke Dog Mongoose. Over 270 bird species have been recorded in the forest, too, of which six are globally threatened: Clarke’s Weaver, Sokoke Scops Owl, Spotted Ground-thrush, Sokoke Pipit, East Coast Akalat and Amani Sunbird.