Kenya is the heart of East Africa and has a great diversity of landscapes including open savannah grasslands, the spectacular Rift Valley and snow-clad Mount Kenya. In rural areas the Maasai and Samburu tribes people co-exist harmoniously with the wildlife.
Top Highlights
The Rift Valley
Part of the Afro-Arabian rift system which stretches some 6000 km from the Dead Sea in the Middle East, south through the Red Sea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi to Mozambique.
Rift Valley drainage is poor, and due to the high evaporation and volcanic deposits, some of the lakes are known as “soda lakes”. The lakes are home to microscopic blue-green algae, insect larvae and crustaceans on which the flamingo feed. Lake Naivasha is a freshwater lake and is home to a variety of bird species. The lake water is used to irrigate the surrounding countryside. Elsamere (opposite Hippo Point) is the former home of the late Joy Adamson of Born Free fame, and is open daily.
Lake Baringo, known as the “Bird-watching centre of Kenya” is also a freshwater lake, with islands (two are inhabited) and is popular for its walks and boat trips. Apart from the birdlife, you will find crocodile and hippo.
Lake Nakuru NP - home to flamingos and pelicans, also waterbuck and rhino
National Parks & Reserves:
Aberdare NP - home to a variety of fauna and flora and diverse scenery. The Gura Falls are best visited during the dry season.
Meru NP - a jungle of forest, swamp and tall grasses with a variety of herbivores and predators.
Mt Kenya NP - Africa’s second highest mountain (5199m) with great trekking. Best visited Jan to late late Feb or late Aug to Sep.
Masai Mara National Reserve - annual wildebeest migration from Jul to Oct. The Mara is open grassland with flat-topped acacia trees in the south-west corner. A balloon safari is a great way to experience the Mara.
Samburu National Reserve - expect close-up sightseeing’s of elephants, reticulated giraffe and gazelle.
Amboseli NP - with a backdrop of Mt Kilimanjaro, watch out for the black rhino and elephant.
Migration
One of Kenya’s greatest attractions is the annual migration of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle between the plains of the Serengeti National Park, crossing the Tanzanian border and rivers to reach the lush grasslands of the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, hunted by the predators: lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena and circled by vultures as the journey unfolds. This takes place between late June and September.
Traditionally the million or so wildebeest, zebra and gazelle follow the rains to take advantage of the new grasses on the plains of the Serengeti and Mara. Theoretically, if traditional weather patterns occurred annually the following is a basic idea of how the migration moves throughout the year.
Late Dec/early Jan - Ndutu region, Tanzania. This is generally when the calves are born but the herds remain sedentary until April when the calves are strong enough to start moving north.
Early Apr/May/Jun - Serengeti, Tanzania. The migration begins moving northwest following the “long rains” across the Serengeti plains towards the Western Corridor and the Grumeti river.
Jun/Jul - Western Corridor, Tanzania. The migration crosses the Grumeti river and moves northeast into the northern steppes of the Mara.
Oct/Nov/early Dec - Masai Mara, Kenya. As the “short rains” begin in northern Tanzania the migration begins to move south back in to the Kleins/Lobo region of the Serengeti. From here they follow the rains through to Seronera and end back at Ndutu for calving season.
However, due to the fact that weather patterns are continually changing, there is no hard and fast rule as to where the animals will be and when! The above is a guide only.