Planning a trip to Kenya need not be a chore, read up on the country here and contact us to plan your trip of a lifetime.
Kenya covers an area larger than France and about the size of Texas. The equator divides the country almost exactly in half. With the Indian ocean washing its eastern shores and the immense
Lake Victoria on it's western border, Kenya is truly a land of contrasts. From the snow-covered peaks of
Mount Kenya astride the equator, to the warm sun-kissed beaches, the scenery embraces mountians, forests, deserts and lakes. And of course a staggering abundance and diversity of wildlife!
At Rhino Africa we will be happy to plan and organize your perfect Kenyan safari.
The Land
As diverse as it's people and wildlife are Kenya's geographic regions. Two-thirds of the country, in the north and east, is mainly arid semidesert composed of acacia and commiphora bush, while the south and southwest comprise predominantly tree-dotted savanna. In the east a narrow fertile strip of land bordered by the Indian Ocean.
Lake Victoria, the world's second largest freshwater lake, lies to the west.
Cutting through the country in a north-south direction is the
Great Rift Valley, containing a string of lakes and a number of mostly dormant volcanoes. To the centre of Kenya, the highlands, a high plateau dominated by
Mount Kenya and the
Aberdare mountian range.
The People
Kenya is known as the cradle of mankind. It is here that we humans are closest to our roots. Kenya's indigenous peoples are the Bantu and the Nilotic. The arrival of Islamic traders around the 9th century profoundly influenced Kenya's peoples and culture. They brought with them a religion, a language and the dreaded slave trade. The mixture of cultures gave birth to the Africa-Arab culture known as the Swahili.
The Wildlife
The variety of habitats and wildlife they contain is unsurpassed anywhere in Africa. In the northeast in the arid lands of the
Samburu one may find the endangered Grevy's zebra, the long-necked gerenuk, beisa oryx and the striking reticulated giraffe. In the southwest there is the world-famous
Masai Mara National Reserve, well knwon for its abundance of wildlife and
The Great Wildebeest and Zebra Migration which occurs between July and September.
The Climate
As most of Kenya is high-plateau country it enjoys a pleasant climate: warm days and cool nights are the norm for most of the year. Around the coast it can become very hot and humid. The rains occur during the period between March and May and also between October and December.
When To Go
In Kenya it is possible to enjoy a safari all year round - even in the rainy season it rarely rains for more than a few hours each day. The most popular times for safari is July to September as this is the time when the migration takes place and when the schools in Europe and America are closed for summer holidays.
