Think Kenya and you’ll probably think safari: the East African destination is almost synonymous with the word. 'Safari' (meaning journey) is taken from the local kiSwahili language and no matter what your interest — culture, adventure, fishing or game — there’ll be queues of tour operators offering ‘the safari of a lifetime’.

Award winning novelist Ernest Hemingway loved Kenya and explained as he set sail in 1933 for the first of his safaris, "I like to shoot a rifle and I like to kill, and Africa is where you do that."

Fortunately, modern-day travellers are a bit more eco-friendly — shooting with a camera is a pretty good adrenalin rush and the trophies are much easier to take home.

With close on 50 parks and reserves, and a further nine marine parks and reserves to choose from, you’re going to have to do some homework to cram everything in on a short visit.

Chances are you’ll have to spend some time in Nairobi, Kenya’s rather tense, grubby capital, so read on to get an idea of how to make it bearable. Here are a few attractions that you probably won’t want to miss:

  • Kenya’s best-known park is the Masai Mara, an extension of the great Serengeti Plains of Tanzania. The park teems with game and, of course, lodges and camps to suit all budgets. It’s amazing at any time of year, but if you go between July and October you might be lucky enough to catch one of Africa’s premier wildlife experiences, the wildebeest migration, when the plains fill with vast herds of wildebeest and their accompanying predators.

    Tours ranging from one night to several weeks can be arranged from South Africa or virtually anywhere in Kenya or Tanzania, and the park is an easy six-hour road journey or short flight from Nairobi.

    Camel riding, walking and balloon safaris are just some of the options supplementing the game drives. Be warned: if you go for the latter, don’t expect a wilderness experience — there is little control over where vehicles are allowed to go, so a sighting often results in numerous kombis driving at will through the scrubby bush before homing in on the pride of lions or other point of interest.

  • If you’re into birding or scenery, the Great Rift Valley is hard to beat. One of the world’s most spectacular volcanic regions, its extraordinary geology is a big drawcard, while the pink flamingos in the lakes are magnificent.

  • Fishermen are spoilt for choice. Lake Victoria is home to one of the world’s best-known trophy fish, the Nile perch, renowned for its fighting tenacity. Alternatively, you can try tickling a mountain trout in the high-altitude streams of Mount Kenya or the Aberdares, or head for the coast for a spot of saltwater fly-fishing. Kenya has some of the best and most challenging big game fishing in the world, so if you’ve got the bucks charter a boat and head out for a tussle with a tuna, wahoo or, Hemingway’s prized species, marlin.

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    Published courtesy of the Out There Travel Guide
  • If you’re more into hedonism, Kenya has the perfect places to chill and recharge your batteries. Mombasa, the largest coastal town, is easily reached by plane or bus and makes a good jumping-off point or lively holiday destination. A coral reef runs almost the entire length of the 480km coastline, so scuba divers will be in their element; the Watamu/Malindi and Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Parks offer some of the best diving on the African coast.

  • The Lamu Archipelago is a real jewel. Time has virtually stood still in the old, 10th-century Arab town of Lamu and you can sense the Africa of old as you sail along the coast at sunset in a traditional dhow.

  • The adventurous traveller wanting to head off the beaten track can choose from a horse, camel or walking safari into otherwise inaccessible regions such as the Chyulu or Loita Hills, overnighting in luxury lodges or 'fly' camps. If you’re into wet thrills and spills, try a rafting trip on the Tana River, about an hour from Nairobi.

Travel info
  • Getting there: Kenya Airways flies from Johannesburg twice daily to Nairobi and daily (ex Friday) to Mombasa. South African Airways flies daily to Nairobi.
  • Getting around: There’s an excellent network of local airlines and long-distance buses. Car hire is also an option.
  • Visas: Not required for South African passport-holders.
  • Health requirements: Yellow fever certificate required. Anti-malaria precautions recommended.
  • Language: Swahili, but English is widely spoken.
  • Climate: Tropical coastal regions with hot, dry lowland areas. Warmest from December to March. Highlands are generally cool.
  • Currency: Kenyan shilling. R1 is approximately 11 shillings.