Kenya is a hub for tourists who enjoy viewing the natural beauty bestowed on the country. The country is known for its alpine snows and deserts, classic savanna safaris, open plains, and forests. There are numerous tourist attraction sites that enrich the country’s economy.

Here are the 10 most known tourist destinations in Kenya.

Masai Mara National Reserve

The Maasai Mara national reserve is located in SouthwesternKenya along the Tanzanian border. The reserve contains animals like lions, rhinos, elephants, zebras, cheetahs, hippos, and wildebeest. The extensive grassy plains, rolling hills, and landscapes provide a beautiful view of the Mara and Talek rivers.

Many tourists visit the game park to watch the annual migration of wildebeest and zebras. The great migration occurs every year, from July to October, as the animals migrate from Tanzania, Serengeti back to Kenya.

Amboseli National Park

Amboseli national park is popular as it is crowned by Mt. Kilimanjaro near the Tanzanian border. The park is known for free-ranging elephants and the beautiful scenery of plains, swamps, and hills.

Amboseli national park hosts cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, and hundreds of bird species. The vast Lake Amboseli dominates the western section, which dries during the dry season.

Lake Nakuru National Park

Lake Nakuru national park is located along the Rift Valley in Nakuru city. The park is known for the baboon cliff, and numerous flying flamingoes based along the lake. In recent years, the population of flamingos has been decreasing due to environmental pollution and degradation.  

Lake Nakuru national park has numerous pelicans, black and white rhinos, and buffaloes which attract a lot of tourists. The only exception in the park is elephants.

Tsavo National Park

Tsavo is one of the largest and oldest parks in Kenya located in the Taru Desert. The park was subdivided into Tsavo East and Tsavo West. Tsavo West has volcanic landscapes whereas Tsavo East has open savannahs.

The park has a variety of wildlife such as the hippopotamus, leopards, elephants, lions, and the eastern black rhinoceros. Other smaller animals in the park include the Masai giraffe, bushbaby, lesser kudu, and hartebeest.

Lamu Island

Lamu island is a port, island, and city located along the Indian ocean. The island is part of the Lamu Archipelago and has remained unspoiled by the tourists who visit Kenya’s coastline.

There are footpaths and alleyways on Lamu island as it has no roads, thus having few motorized vehicles. Residents move about by boat or on foot. Donkeys are the primary means of transport in transporting goods and materials from one destination to another.

Hell’s Gate National Park

Hells Gate National Park was named after a little break in the cliffs. There existed a prehistoric lake that used to feed early humans who lived in the Rift valley. Despite being a wildlife park, tourists are allowed to cycle or walk without a guide.

There’s beautiful scenery with gorges, cliffs, and basalt columns. The park has a variety of wildlife, such as cheetahs, lions, and leopards. The park is known for its intense geothermal activities within the boundaries hence providing spectacular scenery.

Samburu National Reserve

Samburu national reserve is situated in the Southern part of the Samburu district. The reserve is bordered by the Ewaso Nyiro river separating it from the Buffalo Springs National Reserve.

The reserve has a mixture of grassland vegetation and forest covers which make it suitable for wildlife habitation. All three big cats, cheetah, leopard, and lion, can be found here, as well as hippos, buffaloes, and elephants. Large numbers of Nile crocodiles are also found in the Ewaso Nyiro River.

Mount Kenya

 Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya and Africa’s second-highest peak. The mountain’s slopes are thick with forest, and its series of peaks are crowned with snow. The cool highlands surrounding its base makes it an attractive scenery.

Mt. Kenya’s summit height is 5,199 meters (17,057 ft) high, making it challenging to climb. Trekking takes 3-5days, as you adventure the wildlife, forests, equatorial snow, pod carpus, and unique montane vegetation.

Malindi

Malindi is a tourist attraction site found on the Kenyan Coast. The place is known for its beautiful beaches, coral reefs, and fresh seafood. There are snorkeling, deep-sea fishing, and surfing, among other water sports.

The Malindi marine national park has fine beaches, colorful fish, and clear water. Malindi is served by a highway between Lamu and Mombasa and a domestic airport.

Nairobi National Park

The Nairobi national park is located on the outskirts of the central business district. The park is fenced on three sides leaving the southern part open to allow migration of wildlife from the Kitengela plains.

You can also view Nairobi skyscrapers from the park. It has a varied and large wildlife population. Migrating zebras, wildebeests and other herbivores gather in the park during dry seasons. The park has lions, cheetahs, buffaloes, leopards, giraffes, rhinos, and diverse birdlife.