Curious about the best places to visit in Kenya? Kenya is a country in Eastern Africa. It is a diverse destination with an abundance of spectacular tourist attractions.

Kenya is rich with culture and history and is home to world-class game reserves and national parks, indigenous tribes and some of the most breathtaking landscapes in Africa.

The country is especially known for its endless savannah and amazing wildlife. 

This and so much more you can experience in Kenya! And it’s highly likely that you’ll fall in love with it! But where to start? What to do and see in Kenya? 

Start with our list of some of the best places to visit in Kenya. Here it is.

7 best places to visit in Kenya

Maasai Mara National Reserve

Maasai Mara is a large national game reserve, adjacent to the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. 

Teeming with wildlife, Maasai Mara National Reserve is one of the best places to visit in Kenya.

Along with the Serengeti National Park, Maasai Mara is one of the best safari destinations in Africa and one of the best wildlife destinations in the world. 

In the national reserve, you can spot all members of the “Big Five” — the lion, leopard, elephant, Cape buffalo, black and white rhinos.

But these are not the only animals you can spot in Maasai Mara. It is also home to hyenas, cheetahs, jackals, servals, hippopotami and crocodiles.

This game reserve is well known for its annual migration of over 1.5 million white-bearded wildebeest. It is one of the largest movements of wild animals in the world. This migration of colossal herds is a truly spectacular event.

Watching the Great Migration in Masai Mara is one of the best things to do in Kenya.

Nairobi & Nairobi National Park

Sitting at an altitude of 1795 metres, Nairobi is the capital and the largest city of Kenya. Founded in 1899, it replaced Mombasa as the capital of Kenya in 1907.

What to do in Nairobi?

Head to Nairobi National Museum to learn more about Kenya’s rich heritage and history.

Visit Giraffe Centre — a giraffe conservation and breeding centre with feeding platforms and a large, forested nature park.

Do not miss Nairobi National Park which is located about 7 km south of Nairobi. It is the only national park within a capital city in the world.

Established in 1946, Nairobi National Park is the oldest of Kenya’s national parks. Covering just 177 square kilometres, it is also one of the smallest national parks in the country.  

Despite the small size, it is still one of the most important national parks in the country. As well as it is one of Kenya’s most successful rhinoceros sanctuaries.

Amboseli National Reserve

Have you ever dreamt of seeing herds of elephants and giraffes? Then Amboseli National Reserve is a great place to go!

In fact, the park is famous for being among the best places in the world to get close to elephants in their natural habitat.

Amboseli National Reserve is not only home to majestic animals, it also boasts diverse landscapes, such as savannah, sulphurous springs, swamps and marshlands.

With Mount Kilimanjaro in the background, the national park is one of the most picturesque places in Kenya.

Lake Nakuru National Park

Lake Nakuru National Park is known for the bright pink flamingos that gather at the shores of Nakuru lake.

The lake’s abundance of algae attracts such a huge number of flamingos. There are thousands, sometimes millions of flamingos nesting along the shores of the lake.

Lake Nakuru is one of the most picturesque places in the country, and it is also one of the best places to visit in Kenya.

Mombasa & Diani Beach

Mombasa is a coastal city located along the Indian Ocean. Dating back to 900 AD, it is Kenya’s oldest and second-largest city.

With its white and blue buildings, Mombasa is known as Kenya’s white and blue city.

Mombasa Old Town is a must-visit in the city. Unlike the rest of Mombasa, where the majority of buildings are painted white and blue, most buildings in Mombasa Old Town are yellow. 

Check out Fort Jesus which was built at the end of the 16th century by the Portuguese. The fort is one of the greatest and well-preserved examples of 16th-century Portuguese military fortifications.

Visit Haller Park — a nature park on the coast. It is a great recreation spot and is home to a variety of plant and animal species.

Want to spend some time on a beach? Head to Diani Beach!

Located 30 kilometres south of Mombasa, Diani Beach is one of Kenya’s most popular beaches.  It has been voted Africa’s leading beach destination since 2015.

Mount Kenya National Park

Established in 1949, Mount Kenya National Park consists of Mount Kenya and the surrounding natural forest. 

At 5199 m, Mount Kenya is the second-highest peak in Africa. It is an ancient extinct volcano and one of the most impressive landscapes in Africa.

Climbing Mount Kenya is one of the best things to do in Kenya. The climb usually takes about 5 days.

Tsavo East National Park

Tsavo East National Park is one of the oldest national parks in Kenya. At 13 747 square kilometres, it is also one of the largest parks in the country.

The national park is known for its vastness, wilderness and incredible terrain.

Most of the park consists of semi-arid grasslands and savanna. Vast amounts of wildlife can be seen in the park, including the “Big Five”.

Kenya travel tips

1. You need a visa to travel to Kenya. Citizens of many nations can apply for an eVisa. It must be done ahead of the trip to Kenya.
2. You are required to carry your passport with you at all times in Kenya.
3. Fly to save time. There are a number of budget airlines in Kenya that offer cheap flights.
4. If you are travelling to Mombasa from Nairobi, take the train. It has been replaced recently — now instead of the overnight train, there’s a high-speed train. Book the train tickets in advance, though. It is a  popular mode of transport.
5. There are two official languages in Kenya — English and Swahili.
6. The best chance of seeing the wildebeest migration in Maasai Mara National Reserve is from July to September. 
7. Malaria is present in Kenya. Talk to your doctor about how to prevent malaria while travelling.
8. You may also need to have the yellow fever vaccination certificate, especially if coming from a yellow fever zone. Talk to your doctor about this.
9. ATMs are common in Kenya. Also bring some USD with you to Kenya, just in case.