Top tourist attractions in Kenya
A land divided by many rivers, viewpoints to sight dramatic landscapes, cultural engagements with Kenyans, cultural cuisines and abundant wildlife. Kenya is more than just a safari Destination. Did you know there’s other attractions and activities to do in Kenya? Attractions in Kenya and tourist attraction sites in Kenya vary because Kenya has 8 regions each graced with different beauties and activities to do in Kenya.
Naicef Travels not only curates the best safari but also the best activities with the best accommodations to ensure enjoyment of the ultimate Kenyan experience.
Go on a wild ride through Kenya! Karibu Kenya with Naicef!
What to know before engaging on any safari in Kenya,
- All national parks and reserves are accessed by more than one gate and can be toured either by land cruisers, tour vans or helicopter. Whatever you prefer, you’ll not miss out on safari beauties.
- Wearing appropriate cloth wear for the bush safaris for comfort.
- Respecting the guidelines in every protected area to respect the wildlife habitat.
- Always follow the tour guide’s instructions during a safari.
Tourist attractions in Kenya- Exclusive Kenyan Safari.
What is Kenya best known for? Kenya is known as one of the best Safari destinations and the national parks and reserves are managed by Kenya Wildlife Service. This was evident when Kenya scooped the award for the best safari destination in 2022 at the World Travel Awards, for the eighth time in a row, and was also named top safari destination in Africa in 2021. Naicef Travels packages one of the best safaris in Kenya according to your preference by Naicef professionals. Want the best safari deals? Contact Naicef Travels.
Masai Mara National Reserve.
This beautiful game reserve is one of the famous tourist attractions in Kenya, known for the great wildebeest migration that happens from June to October, stealth cat hunters, Maasai culture, morning balloon safaris and beautiful sunrises and sunsets.
Game drives in Masai Mara National Reserve are definitely worth it, in addition to that, there are documentaries describing the Mara on Nat Geo Wild and many other platforms, proving how reputable Masai Mara is and why it should be in your list of places to visit in Kenya. Masai Mara National Reserve is located in Narok County, contiguous with Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.
Amboseli National Park.
Home to the largest herds of Elephants and oh, a fun fact, there’s an institute to study about them. Amboseli National Park is home to Echo, the most studied Elephant. Amboseli has amazing game drives and balloon safaris, not forgetting to mention, from Amboseli National Park there’s breathtaking views of Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Activities like bush walks, balloon safaris and cultural visits are among the things to do in Kenya while in Amboseli. Amboseli National Park is located in Loitoktok district in Kajiado county, make sure to add it to your list of tourist attraction sites in Kenya as the top places to visit in Kenya. Interesting fact, the best Mount Kilimanjaro views and snaps are captured from Amboseli National Park.
Aberdare National Park.
Want to tour around where the late Queen Elizabeth was accommodated and enjoyed her tour in Kenya? Aberdare National Park is one of the popular tourist attraction sites in Kenya that holds rich history.
Aberdare has impeccable tourist attractions in Kenya including the intriguing waterfalls, majestic Aberdare peaks and dramatic mixture of bamboo, thickets, savannah and open moorlands. Be a bird lover, nature lover, environmental enthusiast, Aberdare National Park has something for everyone. This unique national park is a mountainous conservation area and is shared between Nyandarua and Nyeri County.
Lake Nakuru National Park.
A pink lake nested with flamingoes that’s irresistible from a far, enticing you to visit the national park. Lake Nakuru National Park is one of the tourist attraction sites in Kenya that is blanketed by beautiful birdlife.
This famous bird hub has a viewpoint called Observation Hill from where perfect picturesque landscapes can be seen not forgetting the wildlife that roam in the park. Being a reputable national park and labelled as an IBA- Important Bird Area, It’s fair enough to say that Lake Nakuru National Park is an iconic bird hub attracting bird lovers and nature conservatisms globally, having over 400 species of beautiful birds.
Interesting fact, Lake Nakuru National Park protects the largest euphorbia candelabrum forest in Africa. Lake Nakuru National Park is located near Nakuru town and is famous for activities like birdwatching.
Hell’s Gate National Park.
The opening song for Hell’s Gate National Park is, ‘Circle of life’ composed by Elton John. Hell’s gate national park is one of the popular attractions in Kenya that has a geothermal spa, Olkaria and 5 more- which include natural geysers and hot springs. Hell’s Gate National Park offers hiking activities at Fischer’s tower, cycling and rock climbing. The park also has additional attractions including two extinct volcanoes, the red cliffs of Hell’s gate gorge and Obsidian Caves. Located in the rift valley province, within Nakuru county near lake Naivasha, Hell’s gate national park needs to be on your list of top tourist attraction sites in Kenya with natural attractions in Kenya.
Interesting fact about Hell’s Gate National Park: The idea for the landscape of the famous Disney ‘The Lion King’, came from Hell’s Gate National Park.
Mount Kenya National Park.
Mount Kenya National Park is a UNESCO world heritage site and a sister to Lewa Biosphere conservancy. The second highest mountain in Africa, Mt. Kenya, 5,199 meters is found here and is one of the famous attractions in Kenya. From lakes, glaciers, tarns, alpine forests and dense bamboo vegetations. Mount Kenya offers you rewarding features during and after the game drives and hiking. Getting to the top of Mt Kenya, there are beautiful flora and fauna and other activities to undertake.
Located in central Kenya. Mt. Kenya is shared by four towns Nanyuki, Meru, Naro Moru and Embu and is a popular place to visit in Kenya.
Nairobi National Park.
At the entrance of Nairobi National Park’s main entrance, there’s the gates for Nairobi Safari walk- which hosts a black rhino surrounded by educational facts on it, a beautiful trail and to the farthest, there’s Nairobi Animal Orphanage. These two are appetizers for getting ready to experience the Kenyan urban safari experience. Inside the Nairobi National Park, there is the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust- an Elephant Nursery, which is one of the tourist attractions in Kenya.
Other places to visit in Kenya, Nairobi specifically, include Giraffe center, Karen Blixen Museum, Mamba village, Nairobi National Museum, lavish gardens and Nairobi city’s historic significance. Nairobi National Park is located in the country’s capital city, Nairobi.
Interesting fact: This is the only national park in the world that is within the country’s capital city, giving the vibe for an exclusive urban safari.
Samburu, Buffalo Springs and Shaba National Reserve.
Samburu National reserve is one of the famous attraction sites in Kenya in that, it is home to the five special animals of Kenya which include The Gerenuk, Somali Ostrich, Reticulated Giraffe, Grevy’s Zebra and Beisa Oryx.
Shaba National Reserve is one of the famous attractions in Kenya that is featured in the film ‘Born free’ about the famous lioness Elsa was raised by George and Joy Adamson. An attraction in Shaba National Reserve is Sarara Singing Wells where Samburu warriors sing traditional songs while getting water to drink for their cattle.
Samburu game reserve is located on the banks of Ewaso Nyiro river in Samburu County. Shaba national reserve is located in Isiolo county and 10 km from Archer’s post on the right side of the A2, Samburu National Reserve. Buffalo springs is located in Isiolo county and is part of the Samburu- Isiolo game reserve.
Meru National Park.
A complete wilderness park bordering Bisanadi National Reserve to the northeast and Kora National Park to the southeast, and where Elsa, the famous lioness inhabited lies the wilderness park, Meru National Park. Meru National Park boasts of the historic significance of being featured in Joy Adamson’s best-selling book and film, “Born Free”.
The movie and book are based on a true story of Elsa, the lioness who was an orphaned cub rescued, raised and later released to the wild by George and Joy. Having such a background, it makes it a must-see place to visit in Kenya, in order to engage with beautiful attractions. They host a number of attractions including Elsa’s Grave, Adamson’s falls, Tana River, Kopjes and natural springs.
Meru National Park is located in the Eastern region of Kenya and East of Meru County.
Tsavo East and West National Parks
Home of the ‘Man Eaters’ Tsavo East national park is located in Voi, Kenya while Tsavo West National Park is located in Taita-Taveta county. These two national parks are attractions in Kenya that host large numbers of wildlife. Tsavo West National park’s attractions include Mzima Springs, Shatani Lava flows and lions, lots of lions. Tsavo East National Park is known as the ‘Theatre of the wild’ and its attractions include Lugard Falls, Mudanda rocks and overview of Nyika plateau, few minutes from Lugard Falls.
Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Ol Pejeta Conservancy located in Nanyuki, is popularly known for its northern and southern white rhinos and a camp for Chimpanzees known as the Sweet waters camp. From the entrance, there’s not only souvenirs, but there’s also guidelines on what to do and what not to do within the conservancy. The walls have animals that have been in the conservancy before they passed on with gravesites inside the conservancy as evidence. Conservation and sustainability are key aspects in this 90,000-acre private game reserve, with rewarding sightings of the big five and breathtaking view of Mount Kenya from a distance.
Rift Valley
Rift Valley is the largest valley in the world. Rift valley is proud to be accommodating the largest lakes in the world. This is one of the tourist attraction sites in Kenya that hosts several attractions including, Cherengani hills, Lake Turkana, Lake Baringo, Lake Bogoria, Lake Nakuru, Lake Elementaita, Lake Naivasha, Lake Magadi, Lake Logipi- some of which make up UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, Kenya’s Rift Valley Lake Systems.
Lake Naivasha
Also known as a bird hub, with different bird species, Lake Naivasha lies at the highest point of the great Rift Valley. This is one of the beautiful bird attraction sites in Kenya that is surrounded by the Crater Lake Game Sanctuary- featuring a beautiful nature trail. South of Lake Naivasha, there’s Hell’s gate national park. On the Southern shore of Lake Naivasha, care to have a cup of tea at The Elsamere Conservation Center, former home of the authors of ‘Born free’. Located in Naivasha town in Nakuru county.
Coastal attractions in Kenya
The coastal region of Kenya is popular for award winning and beautiful white sandy beaches and offer great options as places to visit in Kenya for vacation. The coast has an upgrade mix of modernity and vast historical activities, having popular tourist attractions in Kenya.
Kwale
Kwale county has attraction sites in Kenya including Kisite Mpunguti and Shimba Hills National Reserve. Things to do in Kwale include visiting Kisite Mpunguti, a peaceful island famous for its turtles’ population; Green and Hawksbill turtles, spotted in their hang out, Kijamba cha Kasa. I don’t know if one can play dress up and make them look like teenage mutant ninja turtles, but I sure would love to do that! Lol!
There’s an enchanting realm of living coral gardens, sculpted islands, seabirds and sparkling clear waters with promising underwater world of vibrance, putting it in the category of famous attractions in Kenya.
Shimba Hills National Reserve is home to the last species of the Sable antelope and hosting an attraction of Sheldrick waterfalls which is a 5km hike to and from the waterfalls.
Kilifi
Kilifi county has attractions including Gede ruins and Arabuko Sokoke forest reserve. Gede ruins is one of the tourist attraction sites in Kenya that traces back to the 12th century, with its well-preserved settlements of Swahili Islamic settlements on the East African coast. Arabuko Sokoke s a forest reserve that also has a national park along the coast, home to three endangered mammal species: Ader’s duiker, Golden-roomed elephant shrew and Sokoke bushy tailed mongoose.
Malindi
Malindi is a two in one destination. How so? Malindi is part historic old town, part modern tourist hub. Malindi is popular for delicious cuisines because it’s a hot point for cultures making it one of the must visit tourist attraction sites in Kenya. Locals and international visitors enjoy the white sands of Watamu Beach and coral reefs of Malindi and Watamu Marine National Parks.
Things to do in Malindi include touring Jami Mosque, two pillar tombs from the 14th century, Malindi complex museum, Vasco Da Gama pillar, Falconry of Kenya- a rehab for sick and injured birds, Marafa Depression and St. Francis Xavier church one of East Africa’s oldest churches.
Mombasa
Welcoming visitors from all over with Elephant tusks at the entrance, Mombasa is Kenya’s biggest port and a multi-cultural destination, introducing it to the coastal region and her beautiful attraction sits in Kenya. Entering Mombasa is like opening a historic book and jumping inside the page and making it come to reality, like how they do in movies. Popular and favorite beaches include Nyali, Bamburi to the North and Diani, Shelly and Tiwi beaches to the South.
Things to do in Kenya, Mombasa include trying on in Mombasa Go-Kart, trying out Swahili cuisines, visit Fort Jesus, visit Old Town, visiting Haller Park, and purchasing Swahili souvenirs. All these and many more activities as you pass through the historic streets of Mombasa.
Lamu
Top attractions in Lamu include Lamu museum displaying Swahili culture and the Donkey Sanctuary. Lamu island is privileged to be home to one of the best beaches in Africa, Shela beach. The island, over the years, has become popular for festivals like Lamu Dhows and kitesurfing, which adds on to the things to do in Kenya with kids. The architecture at Lamu is inspired by features from the Arab world, Europe and India. Touring Lamu old town shows historical attractions in Kenya and so, include it in the must see destinations as you visit tourist attraction sites in Kenya.
What not to do as you enjoy attractions in Kenya
While Kenya has its beauties, there are practices you should not undertake in especially as a visitor and they, just to mention, include;
- Unless you are walking with a guide, avoid the boarders of South Sudan, Somalia and Sudan.
- Avoid criticizing Kenya in any way, remember to be mindful of your actions and words.
- Don’t assume all Kenyans are the same because they are Africans.
- Don’t take photos without permission.
With these attractions in Kenya, Naicef respects sustainability goals and sees to it to implement them in all our tourism operations in order to conserve these beautiful attractions in Kenya. Practicing responsible tourism practices is key in every destination and ways travelers can practice sustainable tourism practices include:
- Engage in cultural activities while respecting every host community to foster peace- be an ambassador for peace.
- Practicing sustainable practices and participating in conservation efforts in the visiting destination especially in wildlife protected areas, ie National Parks.
- Reduce food wastage and source for local food- as a sustainable food practice.
- Do your research of the destinations before traveling to understand what to expect.
- Reduce plastic waste- Meru National Park will give a warm welcome on that.
How to get to these attraction sites in Kenya and many more destinations? Consider booking your day trips and tours for unforgettable experiences with Naicef. For every safari, historical, beach and cultural visit you take with Naicef, you impact Sustainable tourism through the environment and the local community.
For the best Safari, historical, beach and cultural packages, contact Naicef.com or write to my@naicef.com or +254799922277
