The country’s lush grasslands, riverine forests, high plains and moorlands, mountain slopes and semi-deserts provide an amazing range of habitats for the full panoply of East African wildlife, and an equally wide choice of options for Kenya holidays. ‘Safari’ was a concept invented here – the word means expedition in Swahili.
Wildlife in Kenya
The wildlife in Kenya is often remarkably approachable. But never tame (and you should treat all wildlife with great caution), Kenya’s wild animals have lived with a comprehensive hunting ban for the past years, meaning their fear of humans is greatly reduced. There are few other places on earth where you can easily watch large predators hunting, or megafauna such as giraffe, elephant and hippo interacting and behaving quite naturally while you capture their images.
Kenyan safaris
Our safaris in Kenya are in road safaris because the major road network leading to these touristic circuits are all in good conditions thus great sight-seeing while you are on your way connecting to these different places. If you do not want to have too much road drive you can also have an option of fly-in safaris, based around hops in light aircraft in and out of these touristic areas and staying at small – medium-size – large size safari camps and lodges. You may be under canvas, but you’re definitely not camping in the normal sense of the word: Kenyan safari camps consist either of very large, permanent, fully furnished luxury tents with built-in bathrooms, or are built around the concept of imaginative open-air rooms incorporating thatched roofs, twisting branches, extensive deck areas, outdoor showers and ‘loos with a view’. The lodges too have the same building concept but they are more of being built with concrete walls.
Not only does Kenya offer amazing wildlife safaris but it is also home to peoples of more than 41 different cultures, with their own languages, music and traditional dress. Traditional cultural expression is still very much alive, especially in the Mara region, throughout the north and in pockets around the rest of the country, and while we do offer cultural safaris which you are very likely to experience some fascinating encounters with the various Kenyan tribes in your host communities – whether trying your hand at warrior-training with the Maasai at the nearby cultural village, learning about Samburu/Maasai life-cycle ceremonies during a village visit, or simply picking up folklore and phrases in the local Kenyan language from the night guards at your camp every time they escort you to and from your tent.
We have taken time to develop our Kenya safari holiday programmes and we’re confident that the range of locations, safari lodges, camps and hotels offers an unrivalled programme of tailor-made wildlife safari and Kenya beach options. We’re able to advise you about these with genuine expertise, on the basis of personal experience.
On a Kenya safari with Ultimate Africa Expeditions’ you will be met and transferred at each stage, usually by a professional driver-guide in a Minibus or 4WD vehicle (as per your safari transport choice) from the airport, to the safari camp or lodge where you’re spending the night. Game drives and other activities are conducted with our professional driver guide whereby you will have exclusive use of the safari vehicle. You will of course have an option for a fly – in safari in the various aircraft we have in kenya.
