People who have never been there tend to think of Kenya as a "one-trick pony": a jaw-dropping safari destination and nothing more.20 Best Things to Do in Kenya
But East Africa's number one tourist destination (nearly 1.5 million international visitors in 2017) is in fact a many-sided place with a huge range of adventures, both rural and urban.
While wildlife remains the main draw, Kenya also offers stunning Indian Ocean beaches, world-class mountain treks, surprisingly good nightlife, an eclectic cultural heritage and fascinating ways to get around (from centuries-old sailing vessels to a brand-new railway).
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Take a look at our list of the 20 best things to do in Kenya:
Summit Mount Kenya
Rising just over 17,000 feet (3,800 meters), Mount Kenya is the continent's second-highest peak. Yet its summit sees far fewer crowds than its snow-capped counterpart, Kilimanjaro, just across the border in Tanzania.
On a trek that usually takes five days from start to finish (with four nights on the mountain), the odds are you'll have the place largely to yourself. Living up to its name, Mount Kenya Safaris runs tours along any of the three main routes to the top.
Watch the Great Migration in the Maasai Mara
Arriving from the neighboring Serengeti plains, millions of wildebeest, antelope and zebra, along with the predators that hunt them, sweep through the Maasai Mara National Reserve from July to October during the Great Migration.
You can witness the spectacle on game drives, plane or hot-air balloon flights, and walking or horseback safaris. maratriangle.org
Soak up the sea, sun and sand in Diani
Stretching 11 miles (17 kilometers) along Kenya's southern coast, Diani offers the finest beach getaway in all of East Africa.
Beyond the white sand and jade-colored water sheltered by a coral reef, Diani serves up a wide choice of outdoor sports (kitesurfing, skydiving, scuba diving, jet skiing), stylish beach bars and restaurants, plus the chic Alfajiri Villas (+254 20 2697234).
Adopt an orphaned baby elephant (or a blind rhino)
On the outskirts of Nairobi, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (+254 202 301 396) has rescued hundreds of baby elephants (and a blind rhino named Maxwell) from near-certain death ever since conservation pioneers David and Dame Daphne Sheldrick founded the sanctuary in 1977.
Encounters with the baby elephants, and the chance to adopt one, are offered daily.
Ride the new Nairobi to Mombasa train
Nicknamed the "Lunatic Express" when it first opened in 1901 (because building a railway across the African bush seemed like a crazy idea), the legendary line was completely modernized in 2017 following a $2.3 billion overhaul of the tracks and passenger trains.
The Madaraka Express makes the journey in 4.5 hours, with daily departures at 9 a.m. from both Nairobi and Mombasa.
Kenya Railways (+254 709 907 000)
Explore Elsa's homeland
Kenya's most famous cat was immortalized in Joy Adamson's 1960 book "Born Free" and the blockbuster film that followed.
The orphaned lioness was raised by Adamson and her husband in a remote stretch of Kenyan bush that is now Meru National Park. The Adamsons' camp sat right beneath a rocky outcrop now known as Elsa's Kopje (+254 730 127 000), and her grave lies about an hour's drive away on the northern bank of the Ura River.
Sail the Lamu Archipelago on a dhow
Lamu Island, off Kenya's northern coast, is one of the last places where traditional dhows survive: lateen-rigged sailing vessels that were once the main mode of transport between East Africa, India and the Middle East.
Hippo Dhow (+254 723 918316) offers sunset cruises and snorkeling trips, as well as visits to the Takwa ruins on neighboring Manda Island.
See Tsavo from the air
Denys Finch Hatton (Robert Redford's character in "Out of Africa") pioneered the African aerial safari, taking to the skies in a biplane in the 1920s to watch wildlife from above.
His namesake lodge in Tsavo West National Park (+254 20 357 7500), together with Campi Ya Kanzi (+254 720 461 300) and Luca Safari Aviation, offers a bird's-eye view of Mount Kilimanjaro and the park's orange-dust-covered elephants.
Dance the night away in Nairobi
The capital's once-reserved colonial club scene has grown into a thriving modern nightlife world that rivals any on the continent.
The Westlands district and nearby Waiyaki Way, in the northwest of the city, are packed with bars, clubs and cocktail lounges where a heady mix of locals, expats and visitors drinks (and dances) the night away.
Get up close with crocodiles at Lake Turkana
One of Kenya's strangest corners, Central Island National Park, sits in the middle of remote Lake Turkana and is home to the world's largest colony of Nile crocodiles.
Beyond its three active volcanoes, three blue-green crater lakes, black-sand beaches and single campsite, the island has a primordial, end-of-the-world feel that seems little changed from 3.5 million years ago, when our ancient ancestors called this region home. Eliye Springs Resort (+254 703 891 810) runs day trips by speedboat from the lake's western shore.
Roam with rhinos at Lewa
The Lewa Conservancy (+254 730 127 000), in north-central Kenya, is one of Africa's greatest rhino conservation success stories, having grown its population of black and white rhinos from 15 animals in 1984 to more than 150 today.
Through a mix of armed patrols, fencing, technology, intelligence gathering and community engagement, Lewa has all but wiped out rhino poaching.
Soak up the spirit of Karen Blixen
Danish writer and baroness Karen Blixen ("Out of Africa") spent 18 years in Kenya (1913 to 1931), living on a farm in the suburbs of Nairobi that is now a museum dedicated to her life and times.
And for those who know the story, it boasts a view of her beloved Ngong Hills.
Scuba dive or snorkel in the Indian Ocean
Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park, near the bottom of Kenya's coast, is a safe haven for whales, dolphins, sea turtles, more than 250 species of tropical fish and 56 different kinds of coral.
Scuba and snorkeling trips run from Diani, Tiwi and Shimoni. The best time to go is August through March, when the sea is calmer.
Watch nature's own version of "Pretty in Pink"
More than 240 bird species are commonly seen at Lake Nakuru in the Great Rift Valley. But the most photogenic are the pink flamingos, which flock to the lake in numbers that sometimes reach one to two million birds.
Other residents of the national park surrounding the lake include rhinos and lions. Eight campsites and the upscale Lake Nakuru Lodge offer luxurious rooms overlooking the water.
Get a lick from a hungry giraffe
From a wooden viewing platform, you'll come literally face to face with the rare, endangered Rothschild's giraffes at the AFEW Giraffe Centre on the edge of Nairobi. Feeding the giraffes and getting licked by their long black tongues is all part of the adventure.
The conservancy is also home to the chic Giraffe Manor hotel (+254 725 675830).
Train for a marathon in Iten
The town of Iten, perched in the highlands not far from Eldoret, is famous for its long-distance runners: multiple Olympic gold medalists and world record holders.
The Kenya Experience offers running camps and expert coaching at its High Altitude Training Centre in Iten.
Get over your fear of snakes (or not)
At the Bio-Ken Snake Farm near Watamu, you can get frighteningly close to Kenya's most dangerous snakes: the black mamba, the spitting cobra, the rock python and the puff adder.
The farm also offers three-night snake safaris, during which snakes are tracked, caught and released back into the bush.
Travel back in time through Mombasa's Old Town
Founded in the 14th century by Swahili sultans, Kenya's great port later became a Portuguese and then British colonial stronghold.
The Old Town has preserved its former ways, means and architecture, presenting a maze of narrow, bustling streets lined with mosques, cafes and houses fronted by massive wooden doors, all watched over by the 16th-century Fort Jesus.
Cycle through Hell's Gate
Set about 60 miles (96 km) from Nairobi, deep in the Great Rift Valley, Hell's Gate is a lava-carved landscape.
There are no dangerous animals here, making it that rare African national park where it's safe to cycle. Bikes can be rented inside the park and from vendors just outside the main gate.
Sleep under the stars
Of course, you can pitch a tent in Kenya. But why do that when you can doze off in the open air (in luxury) at the Star Beds safari camp in the Loisaba Conservancy. The camp is staffed by local Samburu and Maasai people, and the canopied beds are rolled out each evening onto a deck perched on a rocky outcrop beside a watering hole, where elephants and other animals come to drink
