Kenya Wildlife Encounters

The main tourist attractions are the 60 National Parks and Game Reserves perfect for photo safaris. Other attractions include the wildebeest migration at the Maasai Mara, which is considered to be the 7th wonder of the world; the ‘Big Five’ that is the lion, leopard, buffalo, rhinoceros, and elephant, the historical sites such as mosques, and colonial-era forts at Mombasa, Malindi, and Lamu; renowned scenery such as the white-capped Mount Kenya and the Great Rift Valley; tea plantations at Kericho; coffee plantations at Thika; a splendid view of Mount Kilimanjaro across the border into Tanzania; and the beaches along the Swahili Coast, in the Indian Ocean. Tourists, the largest number being from Germany and the United Kingdom, are attracted mainly to the coastal beaches and the game reserves, notably, the expansive East and Tsavo West National Park, 20,808 square kilometres (8,034 sq mi) to the southeast.

The culture of Kenya consists of multiple traditions. Kenya has no single prominent culture that identifies it. It instead consists of the various cultures of the country’s different communities. Notable populations include the Swahili on the coast, several other Bantu communities in the central and western regions, and Nilotic communities in the northwest. The Maasai culture is outstanding and well known to tourism, despite constituting a relatively small part of Kenya’s population. The Maasai are renowned for their elaborate upper-body adornment and jewellery.

With over 1,100 recorded species, Kenya is one of Africa’s best birding destinations. In Africa, this number of species is only exceeded by the much larger and inaccessible Democratic Republic of Congo. A fair number of endemic and near-endemic species can easily be seen on any birding trip. These birds are especially sought-after as they only occur within the country or marginally beyond. The European migrants are present from September to April.

The Great Wildebeest Migration is one of the world’s most spectacular natural events. Every year, over 1.5 million wildebeests, along with hundreds of thousands of zebras and gazelles, embark on a journey across the Serengeti in Tanzania to the Maasai Mara in Kenya.

This awe-inspiring migration is driven by the search for fresh grazing and water starting in southern Serengeti, where the herds calve and feed on the nutrient-rich grasses and as the dry season approaches, they move northward, crossing the Grumeti and Mara rivers. These river crossings are some of the most dramatic moments of the migration, as the animals face strong currents and predators such as crocodiles

By July to October, the herds reach the Maasai Mara, where they find abundant grazing lands. The spectacle of thousands of animals traversing the plains, coupled with the presence of lions, cheetahs, and hyenas makes this a prime time for game viewing.

The Great Wildebeest Migration is not only a journey of survival but also a crucial event that sustains the delicate ecosystem of the Serengeti and Maasai Mata, supporting a diverse array of wildlife.

Witnessing this natural wonder is a testament to the resilience and instinctive drive of these magnificent creatures.