Kenya Things to Do Tips by sachara Top 5 Page for this destination

Kericho, the heart of the tea area

Kericho is the heart of the Western Kenya's tea plantation area. Everywhere in this area you see the green hills covered with with tea-plantations. The closest plantation from the towncentre is the one behind the Tea hotel, north-east of the centre at the road to Nakuru.

Because of the afternoon showers Kericho has a good climate for growing tea. The showers are mostly brief and refreshing. Yes, Kericho is a wet place, but also very green.

Ole Kericho was a Maasai chief, who was killed in the 17th century by the Gusii tribe. The town takes its name from this chief.

On our way to Nakuru we visited Kericho only for 1-2 hours for shopping and lunch.

Address: Kericho

Directions: Kericho is halfway Nakuru and Kisumu.

Maasai village, school

When we visited the Masai Village, we could also meet the teacher of the local outdoor school with his pupils.

The kids of all ages of the primary school were sitting in a row at small benches on the dusty ground with only a little bit shade of a few small trees. The Maasai teacher explained us about the school and how he managed to give the lessons in these very basic circumstances.

Nairobi, Langata giraffe centre

In the Langata Giraffe Centre you can see a few Rothschild giraffes. After you climb the circular wooden structure you can look the giraffes in the eye. You can also feed them. There is food provided for this purpose.
In the wooden structure you can also have a look at a small exhibition about the giraffes.

Admission to the Giraffe Centre is 1$.
The centre is open from 9.30 am till 5.30 pm.
There is a curioshop and you can buy drinks.

Address: Langata Giraffe Centre, Gogo Falls Road

Directions: The Langata Giraffe Centre is 18 KM south of central Nairobi and 1 KM from the shopping centre in Langata

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, elephant orphanage

At the south side of Nairobi National Park you can visit the elephant orphanage around midday. There were also a lot of schoolchildren around. Just at the moment we arrived the little baby elephants came out of the bushes for their feeding and mudbathing. There was also a baby rhino around.

The baby elephant orphans were rescued in different parks all over the country. When they are old enough they go back to the wild in the Tsavo Park.

Address: PO Box 15555 Mbagathi Nairobi 00503 Kenya

Directions: The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust you can find at the Nairobi National Park Workshop Entrance at the Magadi Road. It was not easy to find. Our driver didn´t know the place, like many people along the road.

Other Contact: rc-h@africaonline.co.ke

Phone: +254 (0) 20 891996

Website: http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org

Nairobi National Park

Nairobi National Park is not far from the citycentre. It´s amazing to drive around in the park and to see the buildings of Nairobi at the background. The night before we heard the lions, while we were lying in our tent at the Rangers campsite 3 KM from the park. You can only visit the park by car, so you have to book a tour or to hire a car.

THe Nairobi National Park is the oldest park in Kenya, established in 1946. It´s unique to have so many different animals so close to the city. There are lions, zebras, giraffes, buffalos, cheetahs, leopards, rhinos and gazelles.

We saw a lot of giraffes not far from the entrance of the park. They were so close to the car, that we could almost touch their heads.

Address: Nairobi NP

Directions: South of the citycentre

Kisumu, town at the Lake Victoria

I visited Kisumu twice. It's an easygoing town. You don't have the feeling, that Kisumu is the third largest town of Kenya. The towncentre with shops, restaurants, banks and internetcafes are all within walking distance around the Oginga Odinga road.

In former days Kisumu was a busy port with international ferry services on the lake. There was also more through traffic to Uganda in the past.

Nowadays it's nice to stay for a few hours or days in Kisumu. You can visit the Kisumu museum, the market, the hippo point or just stroll around a bit in town.

Address: Kisumu

Directions: Kisume is situated at the Lake Victoria, west of Nairobi.

Lake Nakuru National Park, the flamingos

The Lake Nakuru National Park is famous because of the millions of flamingos. Lake Nakuru is one of the soda lakes in the Rift Valley. Because of the millions of flamingos and thousands of other birds the Lake Nakuru is called the ''world's greatest ornithological spectacle''.

The lake is very shallow and the waterlevel fluctuates during the year. When the water is low the soda cristallises along the shoreline. The entire park covers an area of 200 sq. KM and has also areas of grassland, bush and forest.

Except birds there are a lot of mammals too, like buffalos, giraffes, rhinos, zebras and gazelles.

Address: Nakuru

Directions: Nakuru is about 160 KM north-west of Nairobi. The main gate of the National Park is 6 KM south of Nakuru.

Elgon National Park, Kitum cave

One of the four caves you can visit is the Kitum cave. This cave is 50 M wide and 160 M deep.The saline loving elephants often visit this cave from dusk till midnight. They are real excavators. The amount of these special elephants has diminished a lot because of poachers from the Uganda side.

It's dark inside the large cave, so it's usefull to bring a torch and be carefull, the salt cristals at the ceiling are very sharp, so you can easily hurt your hands.

Address: Mount Elgon National Park

Directions: Western Kenya, 26 KM west of Kitale

Phone: 0325 31456/7

Mount Elgon National Park

Mount Elgon is on the border of Kenya and Uganda. The mountain is an extinct vulcano of 4320 M. At the side of Kenia is the Koitoboss peak with warm water springs in the the crater at 3.500 M.

The biggest attraction of the park are the elephants who visit the caves on the mountain slopes. They go deep inside for salt. Four caves can be visited. We visited the Kitum cave. During the day-time, there were no elephants around.

There is a nice campsitein the park with a splendid view at the mountain.

Address: Kenya Wildlife Service PO Box 753 Kitale

Directions: Mount Elgon is 26 Km west of Kitale in Western Kenya. You can reach the park from the village Enderbess. The turn-off to the park is a few KM for Enderbess (Chorlim gate).

Phone: 0325 31456/7

Maralal, centre of the Samburu people

Maralal is the main centre of the Samburu people. The town with two wide tree-lined dusty streets and ramshackle wooden shops has a ''wild-west'' atmosphere. Only a few visitors come to Maralal on their way to Turkana or for a camel trekking.

At one hand the town is hot, dusty and sleepy at midday, at the other hand it's lively with all the stores, the lively market and the colourful Samburu warriors and women around.

One of the monuments in town is the house of Kenyatta, where he was detained prior to his release.

For more information and pictures have a look at my Maralal page.

Address: Maralal

Directions: 350 KM north of Nairobi