Breakaway Destination Guides (International)

Kenya is a startlingly beautiful land, from the coral reefs and white sand beaches of the coast to the summit of Mount Kenya, crowned with clouds and bejewelled by strange giant alpine plants.

Buffalos forging through rivers in the mid of the jungle, elephants going slowly over the endless plains, lions stalking their preys through the savannah grass...

For many the safari is the main reason for coming to Kenya. Kenya enjoys the reputation of being the safari country of Africa, and indeed - the enormous variety of landscapes and wildlife between the national parks make it a very attractive safari country. Read more Kenya travel tips at the national parks overview page.

Each year between July and October, the Wildebeest migration takes place on the endless plains of east Africa, between the open plains of the Serengeti (Tanzania)  Breakaway's Mt. Kilimanjaro to the Masai Mara in Kenya. It has been called the greatest wildlife show on earth. Thousands of wildebeest and zebras migrate to greener pastures as the seasons change and the circle of life and death continues. Predators follow the Wildebeest Migration closely, waiting for an opportunity to strike weak prey as they make their way into different territories.

The precise timing of the Wildebeest Migration changes annually and it is a very unpredictable and spontaneous natural event. After making a big circle through Tanzania and Kenya, they return to the Serengeti plains again. The calving season takes place in the Serengeti between the months of January and mid-March before the Wildebeest Migration begins heading towards the western Serengeti in June. The best time to see the migration is usually between June and August when the wildebeest congregate and prepare to cross the famous Grumeti River. At the point where they have to cross the Grumeti River, there are camps from where you can watch this extraordinary phenomenon.

Check out this great Wildebeest Migration movie.

A number of tribes in Kenya still live more or less the same as their ancestors have done for thousands of years. The Maasai are the most famous of them. The Maasai live in the semi-arid Rift Valley region of Kenya and Tanzania. They own large herds of cattle, sheep and goats which they follow around seasonally in search of new grazing grounds and water sources. Nowadays the Maasai have a more mixed diet as they have been forced to settle into ever decreasing areas of land and adapt to a more sedentary lifestyle which in some cases includes growing or buying cultivated food. They earn extra money through receiving tourists for a 'cultural' visit. You get to meet the eldermen who explains their way of life, watch traditional dances and enjoy a cup of chai. The few Maasai who speak English will function as interpreters.

Just be aware - while these visits can be very interesting, they've also be known to turn into 'cash cow' events. Tourists have to pay anyway for the visit, but they may also be pressured to buy goods.

Climbing Mt. Kenya, an extinct volcano. Magnificent cliffs and glaciers protect the highest peaks of Nelion and Batian. Tarns and alpine meadows, exotic, equatorial, high-altitude vegetation, Sunbirds, hyrax and soaring eagles make the walk around the peaks one of the most beautiful expeditions in the East African mountains. On account of the high altitudes it is wise not to rush to the summit areas and the very shortest trip to Lenana should allow for 3 nights on the mountain. To combine this ascent with a circumnavigation of the main peaks requires at least an extra day. But anyone who is reasonably fit can take tracks that go up to 4000metres, or even higher. Be aware that above 4000metres it's not tropical anymore, but freezing cold, foggy and windy. Hiring guides is usually pretty expensive.

Probably the most beautiful balloon flight in the world and the ultimate African safari experience. Ballooning over one of the national parks is very different in an air balloon! It's a very special experience to flow over the country and have a 360 degrees view over all the wild animals walking beneath you. Although advertised as "balloon safaris", they aren't really full safaris. Trips typically start at dawn and take a few hours, after which there's a champagne breakfast on the ground. They can be arranged through many top end lodges in the Game Reserves. An average price is around US$425.00.

A Skyship balloon glides over the Masai Mara reserve

The coast region stands apart within Kenya. This is where the vibrant mix between African, Arabic and Indian influences has created the famous Swahili culture. Swahili has become the lingua franca in all of East Africa. Places to visit are the island city of Lamu and the harbour city of Mombassa, where Fort Jesus (built in the 16th century by the Portuguese) gives an insight into colonial times. This wonderful coast has over 500kilometres of beautiful white sand beaches, often with private Hawaii-style resorts where you can have dinner in the open air with a Bacardi coke while looking over the Indian Ocean.

Sadly, the country has managed to gain a poor reputation for overcrowded parks and beach hawkers. Over the last decade, however, with the advent of responsible tourism and community management, there has been a shift in focus away from numbers and back to quality.

Setting out on a sailing trip along the coast in a traditional dhow vessels is a great experience. Dhows were used by Arab traders to frequent East Africa from the 8th century on, and are still fully in use today. Drifting through the mangroves is a wonderful way to experience the islands. Most trip meander around the channel between Lamu and Manda Island and the price includes fishing and snorkelling, although both can be disappointing as the fish tend to hide amongst the coral during the day. Longer trips head for Manda Toto Island, which has better snorkelling .Lunch is usually served up on a beach on Manda Island and typically consists of a barbeque of anything you have caught. Dependent on the wind and tides to carry them around, early Swahili traders lived in constant fear of colliding with coral reefs and sand banks. To minimise the chances of this happening, dhows were equipped with a pair of ito, wooden eyes, to allow the boat to see obstacles below the water and protect it from spells cast by enemies using the evil eye.

Both cheaper, more basic and luxurious trips are available. People usually sleep on the ships and seafood is caught fresh every day. Many dhows leave from Lamu. The bigger boats also have motors while the smaller boats rely on the wind only.

Just off the south coast of Wasini Island, Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park is one of the best marine reserves in Kenya. Pristine Coral Reefs and offers excellent diving and snorkelling and you have a reasonable good chance of seeing dolphins in the Shimoni Channel and humpback whales are sometimes spotted between August and October. The dhow trip normally includes lunch and a walk in the coral gardens on Wasini Island. The best time to snorkel and dive is between October and March.

Kenya's coastal waters are warm all year round so it is possible to dive without a wetsuit and have a rewarding dip under the wave almost anywhere. Most of the diving bases are located at Malindi, Watamu or on the coast south of Mombassa. Diani Beach is probably the most popular area. There are centres here which will provide training to PADI leader level. For underwater photographers, in particular, the immense coral reef is a major draw-the landscape is spectacularly varied, with shallow coral gardens and blue-water drop-offs sinking as deep as 200m and, as there are few rivers to bring down sediment, visibility is generally excellent. The reef is in excellent condition and there are big numbers of extremely exotic fish, in every shape and colour conceivable. Harmless whale sharks also visit the are regularly, a highlight for any diver. The waters are totally excluded for fishers.

Kenya's coral reefs are among the world's most beautiful, and fragile, ecosystems. Coral grows extremely slowly, some species taking over a decade to expand a couple of centimetres. Solid though it seems, coral is extremely sensitive, and even something as seemingly insignificant as a small change in sea temperature can have disastrous effects. When mooring a boat, ensure that you use established mooring points to avoid damaging the coral with anchors and chains. If there are no buoys, drop your anchor well away from the reef, and swim in. Dive and swim carefully, never touching the corals, no matter how solid they appear. Although several companies encourage it, it is best not to feed fish. In some species, it encourages dependency, destabilizing the food chain. Souvenir collecting of shells, coral and starfish disrupts the ecosystem and is illegal in Kenya, and in most countries.

The hub to East Africa, 'Big Bad Nairobi', The largest city between Johannesburg and Cairo, doesn't have the best reputation in the world, but it's in a class by itself. A holiday in Nairobi is to experience the good, the bad and the ugly of urban Africa. The main reason people travel to Nairobi is to launch onto one of Kenya's famous wildlife safaris or a trip to the coast. The city itself offers buzzing markets, some interesting sightseeing and a lively nightlife. Delve into the city's night life in one of the many nightclubs crowded with hustlers, hookers, expats and adventurers. Next morning around noon, take a lunch at Simmers with the Daily Nation. Then take a matatu (overcrowded public-private minibuses) to the Masai Market and the National Museum of Nairobi, where some of the oldest remains of human's ancestors are on display. Kenya has been called the 'Cradle of Mankind'.

Visit Karen Blixen Museum. The story of Karen Blixen was made famous in the film 'Out of Africa'. The Karen Blixen Museum is located in the house where Karen Christence Blixen-Finecke lived from 1914-1931. It is a beautiful old colonial house that along with the gardens have been restored to their former glory. The Giraffe Centre. The Giraffe Manor built by Sir David Duncan, is situated on 120 acres of land a few kilometres outside Nairobi. In 1974 Jock Leslie-Melville and his wife Betty bought the Manor. The couple moved five baby endangered Rothschild Giraffe onto the property where they successfully reared them. The original giraffes have subsequently had their own offspring that now live on the property. After Jock's death Betty decided to open the house to visitors. Guests can feed and photograph the tame Giraffe and warthogs that wander around the Manor gardens, and Nairobi National Parks, with many wild animals, is right outside the city.

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