Kenya’s amazing landscapes

Kenya is a beautiful country. Not only astonishing because of its wildlife, but also because of its amazingly diverse landscapes. In Kenya, you find deserts, rainforests, and everything in between. Below we highlight a few landmarks that you shouldn’t miss!

East African Rift Valley

The East African Rift Valley is a tectonic rift that is in the (very very slow) process of splitting the African continent in two. The rift starts in North Africa and goes via Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya to Tanzania and Mozambique. In Kenya the Rift Valley goes from Lake Turkana south. Via Laikipia County, Aberdare National Park, Ol’ Pejeta Conservancy, Lake Nakuru National Park and Lake Naivasha it goes past the Masai Mara National Reserve straight into Tanzania. It creates an amazing landscape full of winding roads, calderas, and dormant volcanos, hills, mountains, rainforests, and multiple lakes. Famous are the alkaline lakes such as Lake Nakuru. Algae growing in the salty water attract thousands of flamingos every year. When planning your safari, make sure to include at least some of the parks in the Rift Valley. It makes for a great road trip!

Savannah

When you say Africa, you think savannah. Savannahs are famous because of the typical African animals that roam around here: elephants, lions, rhinos, giraffes, zebras, and many others. Savannahs are enormous plains with long, brownish grasses and some trees and bushes scattered around. The Masai Mara National Reserve is probably one of the most famous places in the world to find the savannah. But also Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Park, Samburu National Reserve and Amboseli National Park are well-known for their savannahs and its inhabitants. The Big Five usually roam the savannah, and the Wildebeest Migration full with wildebeests and zebras also thunders over these grasses. In short, something to put on your bucket list!

 

Mountains and craters

Ironically Kenya’s most famous mountain – Mount Kilimanjaro – actually lies on Tanzanian territory. But since its visible from several places in Kenya, it’s often mistaken for a Kenyan mountain. In fact, one of the best views on Kili you get from Kenya. From Amboseli National Park to be precise – which is probably why this mistake is commonly made.
Kenya’s highest mountain however is Mount Kenya, which lies in the middle of the country. After Mount Kilimanjaro this is the highest lone standing mountain of Africa. It’s possible to climb Mount Kenya, but to reach the highest peaks (Bantian and Nelion) some pretty steep rock climbing and abseiling is required. There are however several walking routes up to lower peaks for people interested in conquering this beautiful mountain. The Sirimon route for example is a hike of five days up to the Lenana Peak.

Kenya also has some mountain ranges, with the Aberdare Mountain Range as the most famous one. Waterfalls abound here, and make Aberdare National Park a beautiful park to explore. Furthermore, in Taita Hills and the East African Rift Valley you can find some lower mountain ranges and beautiful hillsides. In the Rift Valley you also find dormant volcanos and calderas such as Mount Longonot and the Menengai Crater, which are perfect for beautiful hikes.

Deserts

Kenya is home to two deserts. Nyiri can be found in the south of the country (near Amboseli National Park) while Chalbi is located in the north of the country, near the Ethiopian border and Lake Turkana. The Chalbi desert is over 100,000 square kilometer in size and during the day temperatures reach between 43 and 46 degrees Celcius.
The Chalbi dessert is known for its stunning natural beauty. Think towering sand dunes, ancient lava flows and volcanic mountains, with a fresh water Lake Turkana bordering it. And a desert is not a desert without its own oasis. Chalbi hosts the Kalacha Oasis at several days from the nearest grazing areas; a beautiful, green gathering point for camels, cattle, donkeys and goats. Furthermore, the desert is home to Kenya’s last nomadic tribes, such as the Turkana, Samburu, Marakwet, Pokot, El Molo, and the Gabbra tribes. A special destination for people with a little extra time.