Kenya: What to Do Beyond Safaris
When you think about visiting Kenya, images of lions, cheetahs, elephants, and other wildlife likely come to mind. And it’s clear that the primary source of attraction in the country is going on a safari and viewing different forms of wildlife in their habitat. This is an absolutely exhilarating experience. However, if you are wondering if the country offers more than just a tour of wildlife scenes, the answer is a resounding YES!!
In fact, you just might find that you get a more fulfilling experience overall if your trip is interwoven with other activities - in addition to a safari. When on safari, you spend long hours sitting in a car, so you may want to offset that with some physical activity as well. Or perhaps your mind could do with some relaxing seaside days!
So, if you are looking for more activities to make your experience more worthwhile, here are a few suggestions:
1. Hike Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya, at 5,199 meters, is the second highest mountain in Africa after Kilimanjaro. It is found east of the Great Rift Valley in the Central Highlands. Even at a glance, it provides a rare sight of equatorial snow. The opportunity to conquer the mountain is one of the main reasons for exploring this site.
The mountain is made of three glacier-covered peaks; Batian, Nelion and Lenana in order of highest to lowest. Lenana, the least high of the three peaks is considered to be the easiest to summit for mountain climbers. Reaching the two higher heights may require some technical expertise and experience in climbing.
The lower slopes of the mountain are covered in dense thickets of bamboo and African rosewood trees. The mountain runoff is enough to provide water to about 2 million people. The mountain scenery comprises of glaciers, lakes, mineral springs, and alpine forests.
There is a sufficient number of camp sites around the mountain, for those with the will for it. And several lodges offer activities such as golfing, trout fishing, guided nature walks and horse riding tours.
2. Pay Hell’s Gate National Park a Visit
The park is among the few parks that allow camping and exploration by foot or bicycle. Since the park does not harbor any dangerous animals, you can afford the rare opportunity of discovering the parks features while riding a bicycle. There are bikes available for rent from vendors at the park’s main gate. The park has open spaces and winding trails that are perfect for bike riding.
The park is built around two extinct volcanoes, a gorge, several caves and an ancient volcanic plug rock with a pointed column. These sites provide exciting and adventurous opportunities for hikers and climbers. The park has different scenes that offer different challenge levels for any rock climber.
The park also has several geothermal features such as hot springs and natural geysers that hiss steam through vents in the earth’s crust.
3. Find Your Way to Diani Beach
Covering a stretch of 17 km along the south of the Kenyan coast, Diani is one of the most beautiful and popular beach destinations in Kenya. It offers the best beach-activities experience in all of Eastern Africa. The beaches are covered in powdery white sands, and the waters are jade-coloured. The hotels in this area offer a wide variety of activities such as diving, water- skiing, windsurfing and snorkelling. There are numerous stunning dive spots from which you can observe a wide range of ocean life as well as colourful corals.
Diani beach has also become a haven for turtles on the south Kenyan coast. The turtles use the beach as a nesting ground.
Various diving teams are available to provide guidance through the diving experience and show you the best sites in the region.
4. Explore the Gedi ruins
The Gedi ruins are a popular site for tourism located on the Kenyan North Coast. They date back to the 15th century.
The ruins are the remains of a typical Swahili town that was built along the East African Coast. It was initially dated in the 12th century but was rebuilt in the 15th century. It reached its peak in the 15th century but was later abandoned by the first half of the 17th century.
It is in 1948 that the monument was declared a National Park. Today, it is under the care of the National Museums of Kenya. Since the ruins were left to nature, indigenous forests grew around the ruins. The wood is considered a sacred site by the surrounding community for their traditional rituals.
It is easy to arrange a guided tour of the ruins and take a trip to a time in history. The journey is sure to be full of cultural significance and preservation. Should you visit the ruins, keep an eye out for the fantastic structures such as mosques and even a palace.
5. Scuba diving
The Kenyan coast has extensive reefs that have remained unaltered since past times. There is a fantastic array of coral reefs that support thousands of marine life species found in the Indian Ocean. There are purposely sunk shipwrecks available at both the North and South coasts. These sunken ships provide divers with the opportunity to explore the ocean. Several locations offer shore diving where divers can dive in the mangroves and explore the ocean life there.
At specific periods of the year, it is possible to come across manta rays and ocean whale sharks in the Kenyan waters. An encounter with these oceanic giants will undoubtedly prove to be a thrilling experience to any adventurous explorer. These fish are not any threat to divers.
With the waters allowing visibility of about 20m, the Kenyan coast is a great location for underwater photography. The sites will afford you the chance to capture great shots of marine life in different diving locations.
6. Visit the Bomas of Kenya
The word ‘boma’ means homestead. Bomas of Kenya (BoK) provides you with a view of the different traditional residences, societies and way of living. Visiting the BoK will give you a chance to experience the rich diversity of Kenyan culture, classical music as well as dance. Cultural performances with live percussion, wind and string instruments and a variety of energetic dancing are featured. The performances display an array of various musical and dance traditions.
The Bomas of Kenya also collects and preserves cultural artefacts from the diverse communities found in the country. They possess a rich catalogue that comprises artefacts from everyday use such as stools to objects reserved for special occasions and ceremonies such as traditional circumcision knives. If you are interested in understanding different cultural perspectives, the Bomas of Kenya will navigate you through a tour of the same. Should you desire to have a taste of the various traditional foods eaten in the diverse communities, bomas of Kenya offers this as well.
7. Visit Fort Jesus
Fort Jesus was built towards the end of the 16th century on the coastline by the Portuguese. The fort was built to protect the town from invaders at a time when Mombasa was a transit location for trading. Today, the fort is one of the major attractions in Mombasa. It tells of how the Portuguese at one time ruled the Indian Ocean trade routes. The location of the fort ensured that the Portuguese could see any approaching ships. It also tells the story of East African slave trade times when slaves were being transported to Arabia and the Persian Gulf through the port of Mombasa
In 1858, Fort Jesus became a national park, and later in 2011, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was identified as one of the most exceptional structures from the 16th century. Any history enthusiast will be glad to visit this fort and view all the preserved features and artefacts that were used in the past.
8. Take a Stop at the Nairobi National Museum
It was opened in 1930 but was later closed for renovations in 2005 and then reopened in 2008. This museum tells the story of Kenya’s rich cultural and traditional heritage. The museum collects, studies, documents and displays Kenya’s past and present heritage. The museum precinct includes the actual museum, an art gallery, botanical gardens, a snake park and shopping facilities.
It is a place where anyone can learn about the rich cultural heritage of Kenya. The archaeological origins of man are also displayed. The animals and birds found around the continent are likewise presented in the galleries. The museum provides the chance to appreciate contemporary Kenyan art. After viewing the galleries, you could take a relaxing stroll through the vibrant botanical gardens.
9. Visit Lamu Island
Northeast of Mombasa lies the small island of Lamu. This island is considered an old-world charm as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its origins date back to the 12th century and have been inhabited ever since. The island’s rich trading history can be seen as you stroll through the streets. The architectural features of the buildings vary from Arabic, to European and even Indian. However, they still possess a discernible Swahili technique in their composure. A stroll through the island is like taking a step back in time. At the harbor, dhows remain the primary mode of transport. As a result, taking a leisure cruise on a dhow is a must-do for any adventurous soul.
In the streets, like in past centuries, donkeys are the significant source of transport. There are maybe a handful if any motor vehicles on this island. The population comprises majorly of Muslims dressed in traditional attire.
The main attractions of the island are the Lamu museum, which displays Lamu culture and history; Lamu fort; and the Donkey Sanctuary. Should you prefer a leisurely vacation, you can bask on any of the island’s white-sand beaches and enjoy the fabulous waterfront.
10.Visit a Masai market
If you want an authentic cultural activity, you should check out the open-air markets that spring up around Nairobi during the week. These markets are not tourist attractions. They are more like platforms where locals come together to sell artefacts, ornaments, paintings and even local produce. The market is a colorful, loud and quite busy experience. It is the place to acquire unique African pieces for yourself or as gifts for friends or family. Purchasing these outstanding items goes a long way in helping support the local economy directly.
It is advisable to bargain in these markets, since prices may be inflated. These markets will allow you to interact with the locals, which may be an enriching experience.
Conclusion
Going on an African safari may be a very adventurous experience. Viewing different animals in their habitats may be satisfying, but the experience could be more enriching if you engage in some additional activities.
Interacting with people from a different background and community than your own can be illuminating. You may be able to see things from the eyes of others, which may make you more empathetic and better as a person.