Must-See Iconic Attractions Across Kenya
Must-See Iconic Attractions Across Kenya : Kenya is among the best safari destination in the world and should be on list of your travel bucket list, the country is located in East Africa region. This beautiful country hosts a number of attractions and this article lists some of the best iconic attraction to visit across Kenya while on a Kenya safari.
Maasai Mara
Maasai Mara National Reserve is the most celebrated wildlife reserve in Kenya offering visitors a sense of solitude into nature and wilderness, the reserve is dominated by endless plains and stretches up to Tanzania border where it connects with Serengeti national park forming the oldest ecosystems on the planet – The Mara – Serengeti Eco system.
Maasai Mara National Reserve is considered to be one of the many iconic attractions in Kenya that has been portrayed through books and Epic Films like Out of Africa and I Dreamed of Africa as well as National Geographic documentaries of the eighth Wonder World – the Great Migration.
Masai Mara has been chronicled in literature by icons such as Hemingway for its abundant wildlife and more than 450 bird species, wildlife in the reserve includes the Big Five, herds of the Great Wildebeest migration and others.
Masai Mara National Reserve is located in the Great Rift Valley in the southern part of the country bordering Tanzania, the reserve covers an area of 1,800 square kilometers of wheat – yellow savannah grasslands, woodland forest and rock outcrops that seemingly stretch on forever.
On your Maasai Mara safari, lookout for leopard sightings, cheetahs reclining on a termite mound and warthogs as they escape the jaws of lioness. You will also you will spot herds of elephants grazing on the sides of the dirt roads and many others.
The Maasai People
The Maasai People are some of the fascinating tribes in Kenya and visiting them while on a Kenya safari is a must as it provides you with a fascinating insight about their nomadic life style, culture and traditions.
The Masai people live in Kenya and northern area of Tanzania most especially around the parks such as Maasai Mara – itself, Amboseli National Park, Serengeti National park and in the crater of Ngorongoro.
The Masai People are seen in red attires bringing the cattle from grazing in the evening, see them standing by the road and in their villages while on a cultural tour.
The life of the Maasai people is quite different from what it used to be while in they lived in the undisturbed land that is before gazetting of the area as a protected area and receiving safari vehicle and tourists.
On your visit, you will gain a deeper understanding of what their everyday life is like as the cultural tour subtly staged and rehearsed for the benefit of the visitors, the lifestyle of the Masai people is more complex than you see and through the visits by tourists then earn a living. Many Masai men are safari vehicle drivers and safari guides, they also earn money from the sale of mementoes from the markets which they use to pay medical care, pay school fees, take care of their cattle and buy solar – powered cellphones.
As the Maasai warriors jump up and down as part of their jumping dance “Adamu”, you will be mesmerized by their red tartan blankets flapping in the wind. Their chants are in rhythm with their feet pounding against the ground. High – patched shrieks punctuate the air, you will then take a walk through the village to a homestead to see how they are constructed, learn about family life and get an insight into daily life from making fire for cooking, courting practices and herding cattle. The tour around the village is headed by a chef’s son who will also explain how life has changed and the intermingling of age – old traditions with modern- day life.
Chimpanzees at Ol Pejeta Conservancy
The Ol Pejata Conservancy is a great attraction in Kenya, the conservancy is home to the last remaining male Northern White Rhino – Sudan. He recently joined Tinder as part of a fundraiser to try help fund research into assisted reproductive techniques that will be led by a team of institutions. The 44-year-old Tinder is described as the most eligible bachelor in the world, his Tinder profile reads “I’m one of a kind. No seriously, I’m the last male white rhino on Planet Earth. I don’t mean to be too forward, but the fate of my species literally depends on me”
Due to the rise of rhino poaching globally and his uniqueness, Sudan has 24-hour guardians.
The Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Conservancy was established in partnership with Kenya Wildlife Services and the Jane Goodall Institution, founded by the British anthropologist and UN Messenger of Peace.
The conservancy provides long life refuge for rescued chimpanzees that were abused or orphaned, visitors are not allowed to interact with the chimpanzees. Instead, visitors can watch the chimpanzees from a raised, wooden platform as they play on their jungle gyms in their extensive and natural enclosure. Visitors can adopt chimpanzees for $ 10, you can pick your favorite chimpanzee and adopt them.
Equator ceremony at Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club
The Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club is a Kenyan institution established by American film star Willian Holden in 1959 and has counted Winston Churchill and Bing Crosby among its members.
This opulent club is spread on either side of the equator and has been converted into a colonial style hotel that has been listed on the “World’s Top 50” List.
On your visit to the club, you will be welcomed by a high tea of delicate canapes, cookies and cakes. At 0°0’0″ latitude, you will do a short equator ceremony which is illustrated Coriolis force at play and how it affects weather and climatic patterns as well the direction in which certain plants such as wheat kernels grow. In the ceremony, you will fill two, flat cauldrons with water only a few feet metres a part and watched how each drained in an opposite direction in each atmosphere. You will also be narrated local stories about the local beliefs around the hemispheres.
Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second highest in Africa, this extinct volcano is about 3.5 million years and is made up of a number of imposing spires, cliffs, complex ridges and peaks. Mount volcano is often shrouded by mist and clouds with Batian its highest peak standing at 5,199 metres.
Mount Kenya is found in Mount Kenya National Park and enjoying its beauty will make your Kenya Safari and exceptional one.
Mount Kenya is located in Central Kenya and lies only 16 kilometers south of the equator, the volcano is capped with 17 glaciers and protected by an area of 715 square kilometers (Mount Kenya National Park) which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
