When anyone mentions Kenya, I can’t help but smile.

What images does Kenya bring to mind? For me, it’s the romance of Out Of Africa, the wide-open spaces, the abundant wildlife, and the smiles of the locals.It’s morning in Nairobi. The smell of Kenyan coffee coming from the restaurant is beckoning. “Kahawa tefedali“ (coffee please.)

It’s a beautiful morning in Kenya.

First, visit the orphans

Traffic is horrendous, but I don’t care–I’m in Kenya! I’m heading to the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage to visit the 2 baby elephants I have adopted.

It’s an amazing place with an amazing story. The Orphanage started from the passion of the family to rescue and save baby elephants that had been orphaned by poachers and other tragedies. To date, the orphanage is still the most successful rescue and rehabilitation center. The Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage is a must-visit.

On to the Masai Market

It’s a sensory overload of wooden sculptures, beaded necklaces, batik wall hangings, soapstone carvings, bags, textiles and a whole host of other exciting goods. While it’s a great place for souvenir shopping, don’t forget to bring your best haggling skills. It’s fun for the shopper and the seller alike.

Nairobi’s own National Park

Did you know that Kenya is the only capital city in the world that has an adjacent National Park? Driving in Nairobi next to the park I have seen giraffes, zebras, elephants and once I even spotted a lion. How many cities in the world can offer this? And when in Nairobi, you have to make time to visit Daisy the giraffe. Daisy is one of 10 Rothschild Giraffes living at the Giraffe Center in Nairobi. Here you get to meet and feed giraffes and if you’re lucky, get a lovely wet kiss.

Samburu National Park

Time to leave Nairobi and head into the national parks. You can start in Samburu in the North.
Samburu is dry and arid, but rich with unique wildlife species known as the Samburu 5: the Grevy’s zebra, Somali ostrich, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, and the beisa oryx. But let’s not forget the other, classic, African Big Five: lion, elephant, rhino, leopard, and buffalo.

There are beautiful tented camps all over Samburu. Try glamping Kenya-style. Samburu Intrepids will offer an unforgettable stay. The guides will amaze you, and their knowledge of land and animals will keep you enthralled. The elephants in Samburu are known to be some of the most relaxed elephants in Africa. They often approach the vehicles just out of curiosity.

The Masai Mara is calling

It’s a “tiny” piece of land (in comparison) in the southern part of the country, adjacent to the massive Serengeti in Tanzania. It’s as close to heaven as you can get. The Mara is renowned for its big cat population. Here you will see large prides of lions, families of cheetahs, and amazing sightings of the oh-so-elusive leopards.

The Mara is world famous for the migrating zebras and wildebeest that cross over from the Serengeti every year from July to October. This phenomenon is known as the Great Migration or “The Greatest Show On Earth”. On the Talek River in the heart of the Mara, you will find Mara Intrepids and its luxury sister camp, Mara Explorer.

The guides here are legendary. Their intimate knowledge of the terrain and the “hangouts” of the big cats will make your visit to the Mara life-changing.

You’ll remember those African sunsets

It is true that it’s worth the whole trip just to see an African sunset. The Masai Mara delivers sunsets in spades. The camps arrange a fantastic sundowner experience under an iconic Savannah acacia tree.
You get classic gin and tonics, snacks, and music.

The Masai singers and dancers will teach you about their customs. See if you can jump half as high as they can, and if you’re lucky, you will receive a blessing from their chief.

At the end of a long day, the comfort of the camp is calling. As you drift into sleep, in the background you can hear the mighty lion calling to his brothers and mates.

You can’t begin to see it all in one visit. Come back to Kenya to see more. There are still other fabulous reserves to visit. Tsavo East, Tsavo West, Amboseli, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Aberdare. And let’s not forget about the sparkling white beaches of the Kenyan coast.

To prepare you for your next visit, here are some easy Swahili words to learn:

• Jambo – Hello
• Habari – also Hello / Good Morning. Use this one when speaking with older people.
• Nzuri – “Beautiful / Good / Nice / I am fine.”
• Karibu – Welcome
• Asante – Thank you
• Sana – Very Much as in Asante Sana – thank you very much. Respond with Karibu Sana.
• Lala Salama – Goodnight

You will come back—and you’ll be smiling.

#magicalkenya #whyilovekenya #karibukenya

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