Kenya: A Tourism Destination of Choice

With its diverse cultural heritage, Kenya is one of the most interesting destinations to visit around the world. The people are warm, friendly and welcoming. There are over forty ethnic groups in this country which are all unique in various ways and live together in peace and harmony.

We have the Maasai, Samburu and the Turkana who still have their cultural practices and beliefs intact. The Maasai especially have their red trademark ‘shukas’ (type of square clothing wrapped around the body) which they adorn as their attire, and the maasai ‘morans’ (warriors) whose dance moves are characterized by very high leaps in the air. These three ethnic groups are semi-nomadic. The Samburu and Turkana women adorn beaded necklaces around their necks and large round earrings are hung from their earlobes. These decorations are not only meant for beauty purposes but are also used to show a woman’s rank in the society i.e. different age groups of the females.

A most spectacular view is one of the Seven Wonders of the World at the Masai Mara Game Reserve- the wildebeest migration, the wildebeests and zebras migrate to Kenya in the months of July and October. They cross the Mara River which runs along the reserve where some of the animals are caught by crocodiles which lie in the waters waiting for a moment to present itself for them to have their meal.

Sample the big five-lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo, and leopard at Tsavo National park. The Kenyan coast has a lot to offer; the historical sites of Fort Jesus, Gedi Ruins, the old town of Lamu, sandy beaches, coral reefs among others. The snow-capped peaks of Mount Kenya are an amazing and breath-taking site to behold.

The Great Rift Valley is home to lakes Nakuru, Baringo and Bogoria. Lake Nakuru is famous for its pink masses of flamingos which feed on the algae which grow in this lake. On the other hand Lake Bogoria is well known for its hot springs and geysers, and the large numbers of lesser flamingos. The lake is also home to the Greater Kudu, a shy type of antelope with long spiraling horns.

Visitors in Kenya are both international and domestic, they engage in diverse kinds of tourism ranging from cultural tourism, adventure tourism, beach tourism, ecotourism, and agritourism. Activities to participate in at various attraction sites in Kenya include but are not limited to: balloon safaris, game drives, camping, mountain climbing, hiking, bird watching, sunbathing and boat rides.

Good marketing strategies put in place by the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB), tour operators and agents have made Kenya a most important travel destination in the world.